BEIJING (CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Statistics show that at least 50 million children in China use cosmetics. It is an open secret that some livestreaming anchors make money by teaching children how to look good by using cosmetics. A thriving makeup industry targeting children raises questions on whether children really need cosmetics to look […]

TOKYO (BLOOMBERG) – Japan will begin vaccinating its Olympic athletes from June 1, as the country moves ahead with preparations for the Games despite looming doubts over whether they can be held. The vaccines will cover around 600 athletes and 1,000 staffers who will be in close contact with them, such as coaches, officials from […]

SINGAPORE – When her mother started showing signs of dementia about seven years ago, Ms Ng Joon Lin, 60, was at a loss. Her prayers were answered when she came across a part-time specialist diploma course in ageing practice at Temasek Polytechnic. Ms Ng, who works part-time caring for seniors, jumped headlong into the course […]

SINGAPORE – Turn to the sky on Wednesday (May 26) evening as the Moon puts on a triple cosmic show – a total lunar eclipse with the supermoon burning red. The total lunar eclipse – the first since 2019 – will occur between 4.47pm and 9.49pm but the phenomenon can be seen in Singapore only from 7.04pm, […]

BANGALORE – India’s police, not known for their soft touch, are struggling with enforcing Covid-19 restrictions, with reports of excessive use of force emerging across the country. But they have also made great efforts to creatively get people to observe Covid-19 rules, with songs, dances and skits among the police’s arsenal of community-policing moves. India […]

SINGAPORE – Three pest control companies have been fined for handling wildlife without permits so far this year, The Straits Times has learnt. “These companies were issued composition sums of up to $600 for the trapping and release of reptiles without the required approvals,” said Mr How Choon Beng, director of wildlife management and outreach […]

NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) – Social media company Twitter has called the visit by police to its Indian offices on Monday (May 24) a form of intimidation in its first public comments on the matter. The social network reiterated its commitment to India as a vital market, but signalled its growing concern about the government’s recent […]

SEOUL – South Korea and the United States signed deals on vaccine partnership when President Moon Jae-in met his US counterpart Joe Biden in Washington last week, paving the way for Seoul’s ambition to become a global vaccine hub. Experts noted however that South Korea still faces the fundamental problem of shrinking vaccine stocks in the country […]

SINGAPORE – Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) will have to take a pre-departure Covid-19 test before returning to or transiting through Singapore, as the country further tightens its border measures to manage the risk of imported cases and virus transmission. This updated measure will take effect from 11.59pm on Saturday (May 29), the Ministry of […]

JAKARTA – When Mr Wei agreed to take a management role at a nickel smelting project in South-east Sulawesi, in Indonesia, in early 2020, his company promised that after six months of working seven days a week, it would pay for him to return to his family in Jiangsu, China, to spend a few days […]