Thursday, 28 Nov 2024

Asia

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At least 7 dead as bombs hit church in southern Philippines

MANILA (AFP) – At least seven people were killed as two bombs hit a church on a southern Philippine island that is a stronghold of Islamist militants, the military said on Sunday (Jan 27), just days after a regional vote for a new Muslim autonomous region. The first blast occurred inside the Catholic church on […]

The long road to justice for student stabbed 23 times

On Wednesday, Khadija Siddiqui, a young Pakistani law student, watched the man who stabbed her 23 times in broad daylight re-convicted for the crime. It was the culmination of a three-year battle for justice that at one point saw the convicted attacker, her ex-boyfriend, acquitted by the High Court and allowed to walk free, sparking […]

Shanghai school in mouldy food scandal slammed again for dirty joke in textbook

SHANGHAI (CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A school that was reprimanded last year for serving students expired food has wound up in the spotlight again after using supplementary material for eighth-graders that contained a sexual joke. The education authority of Pudong New Area in Shanghai has ordered severe punishment for those responsible for the teaching […]

Chinese movie star pleads not guilty to sexual assault in Australia

SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Chinese movie actor Gao Yunxiang and a producer pleaded not guilty in an Australian court on Friday (Jan 25) to charges of sexual assault, setting the course for a trial later this year, a court official said. Gao and Chinese producer Wang Jing both entered the pleas during a short procedural hearing […]

World’s tallest statue angers Indian farmers

On 31 October India will unveil the world’s tallest statue, which has cost hundreds of millions of dollars. BBC Gujarati’s Roxy Gagdekar spoke to local farmers who say they are aghast that the government has spent so much money on it while they struggle to make ends meet. For years Vijendra Tadvi, a 39-year-old farmer […]

Charity groups spread Chinese New Year cheer

SINGAPORE – Various charitable groups on Saturday (Jan 26) spread cheer among the less fortunate ahead of Chinese New Year. Jamiyah Singapore and the Heartwarmers Volunteer Group distributed food items such as rice, instant noodles, biscuits and bread as well as $150 hongbao to 80 people who receive support from Jamiyah, which runs four welfare […]

Bak kwa prices up? It's CNY demand, say retailers

Recent disruptions in the import of live pigs from Indonesia have had little impact on supply and prices thus far, raw pork and bak kwa sellers say. With Chinese New Year less than two weeks away, queues have begun to form at popular bak kwa outlets in Chinatown, where prices for the barbecued meat are […]

Aid curbs in Myanmar's Rakhine impact 'at least 50,000 people': UN

YANGON (REUTERS) – New government curbs on aid activities in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State “are affecting at least 50,000 people”, the United Nations has said in an internal note, highlighting the growing impact of recent fighting on the civilian population. The Rakhine State government this month blocked non-governmental organisations and UN agencies from travelling to […]

Goodbye after 34 years for MP Lily Neo's Tanglin Halt Clinic

SINGAPORE – For the past 34 years, Tanglin Halt Clinic – located at the end of a candy-coloured row of shophouses at 39 Tanglin Halt Road – served as a gathering spot for residents. Aches, pains and other common ailments were tended to by the doctor there. But other worries, such as family or financial […]

South Korea in airborne fight against 'Chinese' pollution

SEOUL (AFP) – Seoul on Friday (Jan 25) sent aircraft over the Yellow Sea to carry out cloud-seeding experiments in an effort to tackle air pollution many South Koreans blame on China. Air quality in South Korea is generally better than in its giant neighbour, the world’s biggest polluter, which is periodically affected by choking […]