SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Two Australian states urged staff and guests in Covid-19 quarantine hotels to get tested immediately and fully self-isolate, launching investigations into three suspected cases of travellers contracting the virus from other residents. Australia closed its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents more than a year ago to contain the pandemic, and travellers […]

SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Two Australian states urged staff and guests in Covid-19 quarantine hotels to get tested immediately and fully self-isolate, launching investigations into three suspected cases of travellers contracting the virus from other residents. Australia closed its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents more than a year ago to contain the pandemic, and travellers […]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A powerful explosion apparently from a suicide bomber struck the parking lot of a luxury hotel in southwest Pakistan frequented by high-level guests on Wednesday, and officials said at least four people had been killed and 12 wounded. China’s ambassador to Pakistan may have missed the blast by mere minutes. The ambassador, […]

SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Equipped with just a pan and sieve, a group of amateur scientists comb the beach looking for tiny bits of plastic that are near invisible to the naked eye but belie their threat. “There’s evidence that we are breathing it, ingesting it in our foods. There are lots of studies showing it’s […]

YANGON (REUTERS) – Myanmar anti-coup activists launched protests on Wednesday (April 21) calling for the release of prisoners detained by the junta, as the military government declared a National Unity Government formed by its opponents was illegal. The Southeast Asian country has been in crisis since the military seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s […]

SEOUL (THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The first US-Japan summit of the Joe Biden administration, as expected, dealt with the need for a united front against China as its top priority. The leaders of both countries focused on putting pressure on China in many areas, including technology. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the […]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan —A veteran Pakistani journalist who has been critical of the country’s powerful military establishment was shot near his home on Tuesday but survived, officials said. The shooting sent a chill through Pakistan’s journalist community, which has come under withering pressure from the military and its allies in the nation’s governing party. The journalist, […]

NEW DELHI – India’s latest Covid-19 crisis has cast scrutiny on the government’s handling of the pandemic, with critics noting that super-spreading events such as election rallies and festivals should not have been allowed to go ahead. Even so, there has been no political fallout for the Modi government, said analysts. On Saturday (April 17), […]

PHU THO, VIETNAM (REUTERS) – Thousands of people scaled the steps of a mountain temple in northern Vietnam on Tuesday (April 20) to burn incense sticks and make spiritual offerings, shrugging off concerns about the Covid-19 risks as outbreaks rage in nearby countries. As many as 30,000 people were expected to visit the Hung Kings […]

SINGAPORE – A tree which fell onto Tanglin Community Club last Saturday (April 17) evening, after heavy rain, is said to have damaged some of its classrooms. The National Parks Board said it was alerted to a fallen West Indian locust tree (Hymenaea courbaril) in Malcolm Park, off Whitley Road, around 8.30pm, following intense rainfall that […]