Asia

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi begins Asia tour, no mention of Taiwan

BEIJING, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi starts a tour of four Asian countries on Sunday, her office said, without mentioning Taiwan amid intense speculation she might…

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N.Korea fires salvo of missiles, including ICBM, hours after Biden leaves Asia

North Korea fired three missiles, including one thought to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday, after U.S. President Joe Biden left Asia following a trip in which he agreed to…

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COVID cases in Asia surpass 100 million – Reuters tally

March 30 (Reuters) - Coronavirus infections in Asia passed 100 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the region records a resurgence in cases, dominated by the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant.…

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Climate-related disasters pose ‘major’ growth threat in Middle East, Central Asia – IMF

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - The frequency and severity of climate-related disasters are rising faster in the Middle East and Central Asia than anywhere in the world, posing a "major threat" to…

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Pandemic sends 4.7 mln more people into extreme poverty in SE Asia – ADB

MANILA, March 16 (Reuters) - The pandemic added 4.7 million more people to Southeast Asia's most extreme poor in 2021, reversing gains made in fighting poverty, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said…

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Covid created 20 new ‘pandemic billionaires’ in Asia

Twenty new “pandemic billionaires” have been created in Asia thanks to the international response to Covid-19, while 140 million people across the continent were plunged into poverty as jobs were…

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WHO tells Asia-Pacific to brace for Omicron as variant spreads

MANILA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Asia-Pacific countries on Friday to boost healthcare capacity and fully vaccinate their people to prepare for a surge in…

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Bird flu spreads in Europe and Asia

PARIS, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Several outbreaks of severe bird flu in Europe and Asia have been reported in recent days to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in…

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Asia reopening boosts travel, fashion brands; pandemic winners take backseat

Fashion brands and airlines are creeping back into investors' good graces in Asia as lockdowns ease and vaccination rises, boosting travel and leisure activities, taking some shine off pandemic stalwarts…

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Tougher EU airport slot rules trigger Asia retaliation threat, risk industry trade war

Regulators in Asian hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong have threatened to retaliate against European Union plans to force airlines to start using take-off and landing slots frozen during the…

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Warnings as Southeast Asia’s biggest economies ease COVID-19 curbs

As Indonesia and Thailand start to ease COVID-19 curbs after seeing case numbers fall, health experts say cases of new infections could rise again with vaccination rates still low. After…

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Delta blow knocks wind out of Asia’s economic recovery

Asia's robust economic recovery from last year's coronavirus low is losing momentum as a surge in COVID-19 cases sees shops empty again and factories close, dimming prospects for corporate profit growth after…

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Asia extends lockdowns, adds curbs to fight surge in Delta infections

Nations from Australia to Vietnam announced more drastic curbs and longer lockdowns for citizens on Friday, as authorities struggle to rein in outbreaks of the highly infectious Delta variant of…

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Asian airlines report high vaccination uptake among crew

Asian airlines are reporting high vaccination take-up rates among pilots and cabin crew as they wait for the region's tight pandemic-related border controls to be relaxed. International travel in the…

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Southeast Asia needs vaccine access to curb record deaths -Red Cross

Southeast Asian countries need more help securing COVID-19 vaccines, as the region struggles to contain record infections and deaths driven by the Delta variant, the International Federation of Red Cross…

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U.S top diplomat Blinken to court Southeast Asia in virtual meetings next week

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet virtually with Southeast Asian officials every day next week, a senior state department official said on Saturday,…

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Delta variant rampant in Asia; Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia post record COVID infections

The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced a record number of COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the…

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Asian nations impose stricter COVID-19 restrictions due to Delta outbreaks

Asian countries from Australia to Japan and the Philippines announced tighter COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, as they battle worsening coronavirus outbreaks, driven by the more contagious Delta variant. Detected in…

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Caught between China and the U.S., Asian countries stockpile powerful new missiles

Asia is sliding into a dangerous arms race as smaller nations that once stayed on the sidelines build arsenals of advanced long-range missiles, following in the footsteps of powerhouses China and the…

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Caseloads climb as Southeast Asia feels force of Delta variant

Having escaped the worst when the coronavirus pandemic erupted last year, Southeast Asia is now suffering record rises in deaths and cases, while vaccination shortfalls and highly contagious variants have…

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Delta variant sweeps Asia, prompting curbs as vaccination remains tepid

The highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus is surging through Asia this week, with record numbers of infections in Australia and South Korea, prompting some countries to tighten curbs…

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More cyclones than usual forecast for east Asia by September

Half of the roughly 20 tropical cyclones expected to form in the western Pacific Ocean through September this year are predicted to hit land in east Asian nations, forecasters said…

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South Asia crosses 30 million COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus infections in the South Asia region surpassed 30 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally of official data, led by India which is struggling with a second COVID-19…

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Fighting erupts in Myanmar; junta to ‘consider’ ASEAN plan

Fighting erupted in eastern Myanmar near the Thai border early on Tuesday as ethnic minority Karen insurgents attacked an army outpost in some of the most intense clashes since a Feb. 1…

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South Asia surpasses grim milestone of 15 million COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus infections in the South Asia sub-region surpassed the grim milestone of 15 million on Saturday, a Reuters tally shows, led by India's record daily infections and vaccine shortages. South…

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Asia’s rising coronavirus cases a worry as vaccine doubts cloud campaigns

India, South Korea and Thailand faced mounting coronavirus infections on Thursday, undermining cautious hopes that Asia might be emerging from the worst of the pandemic as worries about safety threatened…

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Asia accelerates AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine rollouts

Many Asian countries are accelerating the rollout of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after confidence in its safety was hit, following reports that the shot was linked to rare blood clots in…

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When and which COVID-19 vaccines are likely to be available in Asia

Regulators in Asia are weighing approval for COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer Inc with partner BioNTech SE, Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca Plc, but few nations expect to get significant supplies…

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Asia’s December LNG imports hit record high as cold bites, China leads

Asia's imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) rose to a record high in December led by China and Japan, shiptracking data showed, as a cold spell in some parts of…

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After a harrowing 2020, Asia tiptoes into the New Year

As Asia says goodbye to 2020 - a tumultuous year that saw the planet roiled by a deadly pandemic - celebrations will be smaller, shorter and more muted amid fears…

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Photo Story: Asia prepares for the Year of the Ox

A sculpture of an ox stands on a beach, to herald the arrival of the Year of the Ox, the zodiac sign under the lunar calendar for 2021, in Busan,…

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Asia monitoring new UK strain, no flights cancelled yet

Battling their own surges in coronavirus cases, Asian nations including Japan and South Korea said they were closely monitoring a new super virulent strain of the virus identified in Britain,…

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Perfect winter storm jolts north Asian energy prices

As an early winter chill grips China, South Korea and Japan, prices for coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and power are rising due to supply crunches and a surge in…

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South Asia reaches 10 million COVID-19 cases

The South Asia sub-region surpassed 10 million COVID-19 cases on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, led by India where officials have been concerned Diwali celebrations could derail a recent…

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A look at RCEP, the Asia-Pacific world’s biggest trade deal

Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies concluded talks on Sunday and sign what could become the world’s largest free trade agreement, covering nearly a third of the global population and about 30% of…

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Asia to form world’s biggest trade bloc, a China-backed group excluding U.S.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies were set to form the world's largest free trade bloc on Sunday, a China-backed deal that excludes the United States, which had left a rival Asia-Pacific grouping…

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Red Cross warns coronavirus is driving discrimination in Asia

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned on Thursday that the novel coronavirus is driving discrimination towards vulnerable communities in Asia, including migrants and foreigners.…

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Asia offers more flu shots to head off COVID-19 complications

Some Asian countries are rolling out early and more aggressive influenza vaccination programs this year, seeking to reduce the potential of people contracting the flu and COVID-19 simultaneously, crippling healthcare…

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Piracy, other high seas crimes rise in Asia

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, piracy and other crimes have surged in Asian waters in the first seven months of the year, many committed by a Philippines-based Islamist group linked to…

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Asia summits underway amid U.S.-China friction

Southeast Asian foreign ministers kicked off a series of regional summits on Wednesday expected to seek collaboration to fight global threats, and to try to de-escalate a tit-for-tat rivalry as…

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Asia-Pacific countries pledge bold and innovative action for food security and livelihoods

Inovation, solidarity, coherence and strong partnership among and within countries of Asia and the Pacific are required for the region to rebound from the damage caused by COVID-19 and the…

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Coronavirus surges in Asia bring warnings over complacency

Spikes in novel coronavirus infections in Asia have dispelled any notion the region may be over the worst, with Australia and India reporting record daily infections on Thursday, Vietnam fretting…

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Asia battles second wave of coronavirus with fresh lockdowns

Countries around Asia are confronting a second wave of coronavirus infections and are clamping down again to try to contain the disease, with Australia recording a record daily rise in…

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Indonesia reports 1,198 new coronavirus cases, 34 new deaths

Indonesia reported 1,198 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to 54,010 and fatalities to 2,754, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said. The…

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Photo Story: Annular Solar Eclipse in Taiwan

The annular solar eclipse in Chiayi city, Taiwan, 21 June 2020. During this annular solar eclipse – the first of the decade – the moon appears to cover the sun,…

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Rare ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse to dim Africa, Asia

Skywatchers along a narrow band from west Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, India and southern China will witness on Sunday the most dramatic "ring of fire" solar eclipse to shadow…

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Thailand ends curfew, marks 21 days with no local coronavirus cases

Thailand on Monday lifted a nationwide curfew after more than two months and allowed restaurants to resume selling alcohol as the coronavirus crisis eased, with 21 days since a recorded…

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Photo Story: Robot to help fight coronavirus pandemic in South Korea

An autonomous robot (C) from SK Telecom and Omron Electronics Korea Co, used for screening and body temperature checks, is seen during a demonstration event at the SK telecom headquarters…

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Fears of an emerging 2nd wave of COVID-19 in Asia

Fears of a second surge of coronavirus infections are forcing early-hit countries to rethink plans for re-opening as new cases come to light. China is now testing millions of people to catch…

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Singapore with one of the highest infection rates in Asia

Singapore has confirmed an additional 1,426 cases of COVID-19 infection, a record daily jump that took the city-state’s tally to 8,014. Its health ministry said the majority of the new…

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Number of passengers’ plummets by 95 % in Asian airports

Asia’s airports have reached “rock bottom” almost four months into the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number of passengers at about 5 per cent of last year’s figures, the global airports’…

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IMF says Asia will suffer zero economic growth this year

Asia’s economic growth this year will grind to a halt for the first time in 60 years, as the coronavirus crisis takes an “unprecedented” toll on the region’s service sector…

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Cherry blossoms, un-seasonal snowfall and fear – Covid19 in Japan

Visitors are viewing and taking photos of cherry blossoms in unseasonably snowfall in Tokyo, Japan, 29 March 2020 while Tokyo government warns to avoid crowd for viewing cherry blossoms in…

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Photo Story: Reports US Fed to ‘quarantine’ dollar bills repatriated from Asia

US dollar bills (L) are placed beside (from top to bottom) Chinese Yuan, Taiwan Dollars, Indian Rupee, Hong Kong Dollars, and Japanese Yen, Taipei, Taiwan. According to news reports, the…

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Bird populations are collapsing in the US and Asia

Bird populations in Asia and the US are "in crisis", according to two major studies. The first concludes there are three billion fewer birds in the US and Canada today…

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Malaysian former PM trial postponed

The much-anticipated 1MDB trial implicating Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak, who is accused of obtaining gratification totalling about RM2.3 billion (S$763 million) while in office, has been postponed to…

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Concern as drug-resistant malaria strains spread through south east Asia

Strains of drug-resistant malaria are becoming more dominant in Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand after spreading rapidly from Cambodia. Malaria is caused by parasites which are carried by mosquitoes and…

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