A woman from central Taiwan in her 50s is the country’s fifth confirmed case of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Monday (January 27). She went to work in the Chinese city of Wuhan in October and tested positive for the virus on Monday, CNA reported. According to cable station TVBS,she […]
Recent satellite imagery shows vehicle activity at a critical North Korean missile site that could potentially signal early preparations for a missile or missile engine test, according to one administration official and three defense officials familiar with the latest US assessment. Vehicles have been seen at the Sanumdong missile research centre near Pyongyang in recent […]
The North Korean ranks underwent a shake up last week when Ri Son Gwon, a former military commander, was appointed as Pyongyang’s new foreign minister. Little is known about the retired officer other than his penchant for rude comments and rash behavior when he participated in talks with South Korea in 2018. Some, including the […]
While a North Korean deadline for the United States to soften its stand on denuclearisation talks passed uneventfully over the New Year, state media and propaganda efforts have been focusing on the prospect of a long confrontation with the United States. Optimism that two years of contacts between leader Kim Jong Un and US President […]
The director-general of the World Health Organization has flown to China to meet with government officials and health experts trying to contain the spread of a deadly virus that has killed 81 people in China and infected 2,750. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said the UN health agency wants “to understand the latest developments […]
The mayor of Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, has acknowledged criticism over his handling of the crisis, admitting that information was not released quickly enough. Zhou Xianwang wore a mask for protection as he told the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV: “We haven’t disclosed information in a timely manner and […]
Chinese health authorities said Tuesday that the coronavirus outbreak has killed 106 people and infected 4,515. The officials also said 60 people had been discharged. The majority of the reported cases are in mainland China, where local authorities have quarantined several major cities and canceled Lunar New Year’s events in Beijing and elsewhere. The Centers […]
About 5 million residents left Wuhan before the lockdown because of the deadly coronavirus epidemic and the Spring Festival holiday, mayor Zhou Xianwang revealed on Sunday, as health officials warned the virus’ ability to spread was getting stronger. There were about 9 million people remaining in the city after the lockdown, Zhou told a press […]
The head of the World Health Organization arrives in Beijing on Monday to discuss ways of slowing the spread of the new coronavirus, just as the death toll from the disease in mainland China jumped sharply to 80, with more than 2,800 people infected so far. WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will meet Chinese […]
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has renewed a longstanding threat to sever security cooperation with the United States, an angry response to recent travel bans imposed on Filipino officials involved in alleged rights abuses. The firebrand Filipino leader has also reportedly turned down US President Donald Trump’s invitation to attend a special US-Association of Southeast Asian […]
Thousands of people from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, had flown to Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Japan before the mainland Chinese city was locked down last week, mainland media reported although the five most popular destinations of those leaving Wuhan were in neighbouring Henan province. Fears of a global pandemic were […]
Beijing’s government announced on Sunday that some of the city’s hospitals are giving patients infected with the Wuhan coronavirus medication used to treat HIV, part of efforts to stop the spread of the deadly illness. “Online rumours say that an anti-Aids drug has been used and proved to be effective in treating the coronavirus,” according […]
WHO says new virus may have caused China pneumonia outbreak A cluster of more than 50 pneumonia cases in China’s central city of Wuhan may be due to a newly emerging member of the family of viruses that caused the deadly SARS and MERS outbreaks, World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. While the United […]
Six childrenincluding at least two infantsamong 36 people killed when an unfinished building collapsed in Cambodia were living on the site with their families, a common practice in Cambodia’s construction boom, survivors said on Monday. The heavy death toll has highlighted the dangers of the lightly regulated industry, with workers saying they live on site […]
Cambodia building collapse death toll hits 36 as rescue called off The search for victims in the rubble of a collapsed building in southern Cambodia drew to a close Sunday with the final death toll at 36the latest tragedy in a string of deadly construction accidents. Cambodia prime minister Hun Sen, said 23 people had […]
WHO says new virus may have caused China pneumonia outbreak A cluster of more than 50 pneumonia cases in China’s central city of Wuhan may be due to a newly emerging member of the family of viruses that caused the deadly SARS and MERS outbreaks, World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. While the United […]
The number of male tobacco users is falling for the first time, the World Health Organization said Thursday, hailing a “major shift” in efforts to kick the world’s deadly tobacco addiction. The number of women and girls who use tobacco products has been steadily declining for years. But tobacco use among maleswho account for the […]
The re-emergence of the polio in Malaysia after 27 years is from the same virus that broke out and is spreading in the southern Philippines, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) confirmed. The two world bodies added that the type of polio virus contracted by the three-month old boy […]
Asian investors shifted cautiously Wednesday after the previous day’s sharp losses but they remained on edge after a deadly virus from China was confirmed to have spread to the United States. Global equities have taken a severe hit by fears the new outbreak, which has killed nine and sickened hundreds, could cause as much economic […]
Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Wednesday after US stocks tumbled overnight as a virus outbreak in China rattled global markets. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index climbed 0.7 percent to 24,031.35 and the Kospi in South Korea surged 1.2 percent to 2,267.25. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng jumped 1.3 percent to 28,355.10. The S&P […]
Asia stepped up its defences Tuesday against a new SARS-like virus, introducing mandatory screenings at airports of arrivals from high-risk areas of China as authorities move to head off a billowing regional health crisis. From Bangkok to Hong Kong and Seoul to Sydney, authorities have gone onto high-alert over the new coronavirus, following China’s confirmation […]
Thousands of people from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, had flown to Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Japan before the mainland Chinese city was locked down last week, mainland media reported although the five most popular destinations of those leaving Wuhan were in neighbouring Henan province. Fears of a global pandemic were […]
Mongolia’s official news agency says the country’s Cabinet on Monday closed border crossings with China and suspended university classes to prevent the spread of a new viral disease. There are no confirmed cases in Mongolia of the coronavirus cases that first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan and have now spread to at […]
Divided by hatred but united over the written word, Rohingya Muslim poets in Bangladeshi refugee camps joined Buddhist bards in Myanmar by video link as part of a groundbreaking poetry festival in a country reeling from genocide allegations. Five Rohingya writers took part in the three-day “Poetry for Humanity” event in Yangon, with three speaking […]
Officials from the top US public health agency said on Monday that 110 people around the country with a fever and respiratory illness have been placed under observation to determine if they have been infected with the China coronavirus. Officials from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the “persons under investigation” (PUIs) […]
The director-general of the World Health Organization has flown to China to meet with government officials and health experts trying to contain the spread of a deadly virus that has killed 81 people in China and infected 2,750. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said the UN health agency wants “to understand the latest developments […]
Automakers are withdrawing employees from China and weighing whether to suspend manufacturing in the country as the virus that emerged in the city of Wuhan less than a month ago ravages the mainland. Most major automakers have restricted or banned travel to the country due to the fast-spreading disease, which as of Monday had taken […]
The Malaysian Embassy in Beijing has set up an Emergency Response Team (ERT) to monitor and provide reports on the latest development of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in China. Foreign minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the ERT would also be responsible in communicating with Malaysians registered with the embassy or consulate-general offices in China […]
The novel coronavirus cases recorded in Malaysia and Singapore have not had any adverse effects on travel between both sides. Johor Baru-Singapore Taxi Car Rental Owner Association president Mohd Suhaimi Saidi said about 195 taxi drivers crossed both sides daily. “So far, the number of passengers using our taxi services have not been affected by […]
Malaysia banned visitors from the Chinese city of Wuhan and its surrounding Hubei province on Monday, in a bid to contain the spread of a deadly virus. A statement by the prime minister’s office said the authorities will temporarily halt all issuance of visas for Chinese citizens from the area with immediate effect. “The government […]
Police in Jakarta, recently arrested six people for allegedly forcing underage girls to work as prostitutes in a cafe under horrific conditions. According to Jakarta police, each victim was forced to serve 10 clients per day and take pills to delay menstruation to “maximise profits.” The cafe is located on Jalan Rawa Bebek in Penjaringan, […]
Indonesia’s Coordinating minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Muhammad Mahfud MD said the country would continue cooperation with Turkey in all fields, especially in defense sector and humanitarian issues. “Turkey and Indonesia have a very long history dating back to the 12th century. When Indonesia became the first country to be seriously affected by […]
Described by British prosecutors as “the worst-known sex offender in the country’s history,” Indonesian exchange student Reynhard Sinaga drugged and sexually assaulted nearly 200 men in Manchester over several years. But Sinaga, who was sentenced to life earlier this month, is not the only one being punished for his crimes. According to the Indonesian National […]
Singapore’s economy will definitely be impacted by the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, with the tourism-related sectors being of immediate concern. In a multi-ministry press conference on Monday (27 January), minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said that this includes travel agents, as well as the food and beverage, retail and hospitality sectors. Like what […]
Singapore has taken swift action against the spreading of falsehoods during the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, and will intensify efforts to provide its citizens with up-to-date and accurate information on the coronavirus outbreak situation in Singapore. S Iswaran, minister for Communication and Information, added during the multi-ministry taskforce media conference on Monday (27 January) that the […]
Authorities in Singapore are working with China to bring home citizens stuck in Wuhan after the city was locked down on January 23 to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Singapore’s Senior minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary, who sits on a multi-ministry taskforce tackling the epidemic, said officials are in touch with […]
Two Uyghur men accused of carrying out a bombing that killed 20 people at a Hindu shrine in Bangkok in 2015 pleaded not guilty Monday, a defense lawyer said, as their trial resumed for the first time since 2017. Adem Karadag (alias Bilal Mohammed) and Yusufu Mieraili were arrested a few weeks after a bomb […]
A Thai park official implicated in the alleged killing of an environmental activist will not face prosecution for murder due to “insufficient evidence”, the attorney general’s office announced Monday a move condemned by rights groups decrying impunity for enforced disappearances. Ethnic Karen leader Por Cha Lee Rakcharoen known as Billy vanished in April 2014 while […]
Thailand and Laos will hold a meeting on February 25-26 to promote cooperation in trade and investnment. Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of Thailand’s Trade Negotiations Department, revealed that the meeting will be on a ministerial level between the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Laos in Bangkok. They aim […]
The European Union (EU) has delisted the Philippines from its priority watchlist of countries involved in trade of counterfeit goods, yet the country still has not improved when it comes to deterring counterfeit and pirated products. The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said in a statement that European Commission (EC) report showed that […]
The Philippines is investigating 11 potential cases of a respiratory virus that has infected thousands in China, the Department of Health said Monday. Authorities were still waiting for the laboratory results of the 11 people “under investigation”, who were all from the Chinese central city of Wuhan, the “epicenter” of the new coronavirus, said DOH […]
Three senior police officials in the Philippines were ordered relieved by National Police Chief Archie Francisco Gamboa after they were caught playing golf during office hours. Police Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Artil, Lt. Col. Richard Bad-Ang, and Lt. Col. Glenn Mayam were ordered sacked from their current posts as officials in Central Visayas region for engaging […]
The “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance of English-speaking nations has joined hands with France, Japan and South Korea in an effort to restrain North Korea’s provocations, government sources said Sunday. With the expanded framework, the alliance comprising Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States together with the three new partners will strengthen intelligence activities […]
Three weeks after he escaped from Japan, former Nissan Chair and CEO Carlos Ghosn is relishing his newfound freedom and his ability to speak out about the Japanese justice system. He also has a warning for foreign executives in Japan: Watch your back. “If you’re a foreigner working in Japan, you have to be very […]
Chef Kei Kobayashi became the first Japanese chef ever to win the maximum three Michelin stars in France on Monday. The 42-year-old, who was born in Nagano, was the biggest winner on a night when Japanese cooks triumphed in the backyard of French haute cuisine. Kazuyuki Tanaka won two stars for Racine, his French restaurant […]
United States Forces Korea is cautioning Americans in South Korea to take precautionary measures after a case of the new coronavirus strain was found near two military bases. On Monday, US Forces Korea posted on Facebook that the case, the country’s fourth was identified in a man who resides in Pyeongtaek, near where US Army […]
South Korea is to go ahead with a large-scale evacuation of South Korean citizens residing in Wuhan, China, where a deadly coronavirus outbreak has killed at least 81. Seoul is to dispatch chartered planes by Thursday, at earliest, to pick up South Korean nationals from the Chinese city, where a population of 11 million people […]
The North Korean ranks underwent a shake up last week when Ri Son Gwon, a former military commander, was appointed as Pyongyang’s new foreign minister. Little is known about the retired officer other than his penchant for rude comments and rash behavior when he participated in talks with South Korea in 2018. Some, including the […]
A famous Hong Kong food brand has distanced itself from a case in the Philippines in which packs of pork dumplings were found to contain the African swine fever virus, saying it would investigate if its name was being misused in packaging. Wanchai Ferry, which sells frozen dumplings in Hong Kong, mainland China and Europe, […]
A suspected small-scale homemade bomb exploded at a general hospital in Hong Kong on Monday, causing the temporary evacuation of some patients but no injuries, police said. The incident came after a group of protesters on Sunday set alight the lobby of a newly built residential building in Hong Kong that authorities had planned to […]
Travellers at major entry points to Hong Kong did not have to hand in health declaration forms on Monday, as officials admitted they were still working on measures to spot those coming from the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. The cracks in the city’s defences against the virus were visible despite Chief Executive Carrie […]
Several of the 300 Taiwanese stuck in the Chinese city of Wuhan amid a lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) have asked the island’s semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) for assistance, reports said Monday (January 27). The organisation’s emergency hotline received several calls during the Lunar New Year holiday from Taiwanese citizens […]
Taiwan top carrier China Airlines (CAL) and its affiliates Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan will stop offering hot meals, cushions, blankets and newspapers on flights to and from Hong Kong and Macau Tuesday (January 28) in an effort to reduce the risk of coronavirus. The new measures announced Monday (January 27) followed cancellations of flights […]
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has blocked numerous Twitter accounts including ones belonging to Capitol Hill staffers and D.C.-based analysts after facing online criticism for excluding Taiwan from membership. Why it matters: Taipei is an international transit hub, and Taiwan’s exclusion means it can’t take part in information sharing and logistical planning as the […]
Due to seasonal factors, the short-term borrowing activities between banks sharply increased in the last week. In the week from January 13th to 17th, the dong interbank interest rates fluctuated in the first seasons of the week and strongly rose in the last session of the week, especially in the overnight and one-week terms. Accordingly, […]
Housekeepers across major Vietnamese cities could bucket double or triple earnings amid sweeping Tet demand. Ngoc Anh had called several housekeeping services many times to get some maintenance work done at home, but had drawn a blank. The answer was invariably the same. “We will call back when someone is available.”One particular well-advertised company with […]
Post-tax profits surged 22 percent year-on-year for Vietnam’s largest brewer Sabeco, reaching VND5.37 trillion ($231.96 million), its highest annual profit ever. The brewer’s 2019 revenues increased 5 percent year-on-year to VND37.9 trillion ($1.64 billion), with improved business results mainly attributed to heavy investments in sales and marketing, Sabeco management said in the company’s latest annual […]
