By Aneesha Madan and published by The Times of India DARSHAN Singh Bajaj was sent to Bangkok at the young age of 14 years to avoid the bubonic plague in Punjab. After the day’s work, he took to staging plays which were pieces from the great Indian epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. After the
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Lone gunman dead after shooting 4 people at Heidelberg University
By BBC and Sky News A LONE gunman is dead after injuring four people inside a lecture hall at Heidelberg University, German police have said. They said the gunman was in possession of a “long gun”, and that a large operation including emergency services was under way at the university’s campus in Neuenheimer Feld. Some
Read moreIndonesia parliament passes bill on new capital, paving the way for construction to begin
By Channel NewsAsia Jakarta – The Indonesian parliament passed a bill on the country’s planned new capital in eastern Kalimantan today (Jan. 18). This means that the construction of the new capital can soon begin, ahead of the planned relocation from the current capital of Jakarta starting 2024. Speaking in parliament, House of Representatives Speaker
Read moreTonga volcano causes ‘significant’ damage but no deaths: Ardern
By AFP, Reuters and Xinhua, published by The Straits Times Wellington – Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa suffered “significant” damage in the powerful volcanic eruption which triggered a tsunami but there had been no reports of injury or death, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today (Jan. 16). “The tsunami has had a significant impact on
Read moreUN envoy urges ‘inclusive’ Asean approach to Myanmar crisis
By Reuters staff, published by Channel NewsAsia A UNITED NATIONS special envoy has urged Southeast Asian countries to support international efforts to engage all sides in the crisis in army-ruled Myanmar, days after a top regional leader travelled there to meet its junta chief. Noeleen Heyzer, the secretary-general’s special envoy on Myanmar, held virtual
Read moreSadiq Khan: ‘Ship has sailed’ for under-fire Boris Johnson over partygate apology
By Evening Standard LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for Boris Johnson to resign over the “partygate” scandal and has insisted “the ship has sailed” for the under-fire Prime Minister. Speaking on LBC radio this morning (Jan. 13), the Mayor of London called on Boris Johnson to “do the right thing”, though he said
Read moreCambodia shelves first Asean meeting over attendance ‘difficulties’
By Reuters and published by The Straits Times Phnom Penh – Cambodia said today (Jan. 12) it had postponed a meeting of foreign ministers of Asean scheduled for next week, because some ministers had expressed “difficulties” in attending. The meeting was the first under Cambodia’s chairmanship of the 10-member bloc, which comes amid divisions
Read moreUK’s PM Johnson sorry for ‘partygate’ scandal amid calls to quit
By AFP, published by The Straits Times London – UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson today (Jan. 12) offered “heartfelt apologies” for attending a lockdown-breaching party held in his Downing Street garden, but deflected calls to resign as the opposition leader called him a “man without shame”. Breaking his silence over the latest of a slew
Read moreUK PM Johnson under fire over ‘bring your own booze’ lockdown party
By Reuters and published by The Straits Times London – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under fire today (Jan. 11) after it emerged his private secretary had invited over 100 people to a “bring your own booze” party in the garden of Downing Street during the first coronavirus lockdown. Johnson, who won a landslide
Read moreMyanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi hit with new convictions, jail term
By AFP, published by Channel NewsAsia Yangon – A Myanmar junta court today (Jan. 10) convicted Aung San Suu Kyi of three criminal charges, sentencing her to four years in prison in the latest in a slew of cases against the ousted civilian leader. The Nobel laureate has been detained since Feb. 1 when her
Read more‘Old man out!’: Anger in Kazakhstan focuses on ex-leader
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Almaty – As protesters armed with sticks and discarded police shields prepared to storm the mayor’s office in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty, they marched to chants of “Old man out!” They were not referring to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 68, but Nursultan Nazarbayev, the octogenarian who after more than
Read moreNo concessions: Russia takes hard line before vital talks with US
By Reuters and published by Swissinfo.ch Moscow – Russia said today (Jan. 9) it would not make any concessions under US pressure at talks this week on the Ukraine crisis and its demands for Western security guarantees, and that there was a risk they might end quickly. The hard line from Moscow underscored the
Read moreIn South Korea, hair loss emerges as new election issue
By AP and published by Channel NewsAsia Seoul – South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung isn’t bald. But he is enjoying the support of many bald voters over his push for government payments for hair loss treatments. Since his proposal was disclosed earlier this week, hair loss has emerged as a hot-button topic ahead
Read moreCovid-19 cases at record high around world
By Reuters staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Sydney – Global Covid-19 infections hit a record high over the past seven-day period, Reuters data showed on Wednesday (Dec. 29), as the new Omicron variant raced out of control, keeping workers at home and overwhelming testing centres. Almost 900,000 cases were detected on average each day around
Read moreAfghan women protest against Taliban killings of ex-soldiers
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Kabul – A crowd of women marched through the Afghan capital today (Dec. 28), accusing Taliban authorities of covertly killing soldiers who served the former United States-backed regime. Around 30 women gathered near a mosque in the centre of Kabul and marched a few hundred metres chanting
Read moreThousands of flights cancelled globally as Omicron mars holiday weekend
By Reuters staff, published by Cyprus Mail COMMERCIAL airlines around the world cancelled more than 4,500 flights over the Christmas weekend, as a mounting wave of Covid-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant created greater uncertainty and misery for holiday travellers. Airline carriers globally scrapped at least 2,401 flights on Friday, which fell on
Read moreMyanmar shadow government approves use of stablecoin Tether
By Times of India Hong Kong – Myanmar’s shadow government said it would allow the use of the world’s largest stablecoin, Tether, as an official currency, potentially making it easier for it to raise funds and make payments. The National Unity Government (NUG), which comprises pro-democracy groups and remnants of Myanmar’s civilian administration that was
Read moreBlinken in Indonesia as US seeks to shore up Southeast Asia ties
By Reuters staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Jakarta – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Indonesia today (Dec. 13), kicking off a short Southeast Asia trip aimed at strengthening relations with a region that has become a strategic arena for Washington and Beijing. In his first Southeast Asia trip since US President Joe
Read moreChina warns Olympics diplomatic boycott nations will ‘pay the price’
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Beijing – China warned Western nations today (Dec. 9) they would “pay the price” for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Washington announced its boycott earlier in the week, saying it was prompted by widespread rights abuses by China and what it sees as a
Read moreSuu Kyi sentence reduced to two years from four – Myanmar state TV
By Reuters staff, published by Swissinfo.ch and Channel NewsAsia MYANMAR’S deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had her sentence reduced from four years to two years after a partial pardon by the head of the military-appointed government, the country’s state television reported today (Dec. 6). Earlier on Monday, a court in Myanmar found
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