By Reuters, published by The Straits Times Kabul – Flag-waving protesters took to the streets of more Afghan cities today (Aug. 19) as popular opposition to the Taleban spread, and a witness said several people were killed when the militants fired on a crowd in Asadabad in the east. “Our flag, our identity,” a
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Taliban near gates of Kabul as embassies prepare for evacuations
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Kabul – The Taliban seized more major cities today (August 13) as they raced to take full control of Afghanistan and inched closer to Kabul, with the United States and Britain deploying thousands of troops to evacuate their citizens from the capital. The evacuation orders came as the
Read moreTop Khmer Rouge leader to appeal genocide conviction
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Phnom Penh – The last surviving senior Khmer Rouge leader will next week begin an appeal against his life imprisonment for his role in the genocide committed by the regime in Cambodia more than four decades ago. The Khmer Rouge, led by “Brother Number 1” Pol Pot, left
Read moreAustralia flags democracies’ trade swing from China to India
By AP and published by Channel NewsAsia Canberra – Australian special envoy and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said a free trade agreement between his nation and India would signal the “democratic world’s tilt away from China”. Abbott visited New Delhi last week as Australia’s special trade envoy for India as the Australian government gives
Read moreAsean ministers pick Brunei diplomat as envoy to Myanmar
By Agencies and published by Channel NewsAsia Kuala Lumpur – Southeast Asian foreign ministers today (August 4) picked Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof as their special envoy to Myanmar, in a breakthrough after months of delay for regional mediation to help end the country’s deepening crisis. Erywan has been tasked with ending violence in
Read moreChina, India agree to pull troops near site of deadly clash
By Bloomberg and published by The Straits Times New Delhi – China and India have agreed to pull back troops from another friction point along their disputed Himalayan border after a weekend meeting of top military commanders from both sides, according to senior Indian officials with knowledge of the matter. Soldiers will move away from
Read moreFires rage across southern Europe, forcing hundreds to evacuate
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Ankara – Dozens of villages were evacuated in tourist hotspots in southern Turkey on Sunday (August 1) as wildfires that have claimed eight lives raged for a fifth day, while blazes also hit Greece, Italy and Spain. Fanned by soaring temperatures and strong winds – with experts saying
Read moreMore countries hike climate pledges, piling pressure on major emitters
By Reuters Staff, published by US News & World Report Brussels – A group of mostly smaller countries submitted new, more ambitious climate pledges to the United Nations this week, raising pressure on big emitters including China to do the same ahead of a major UN climate summit in November. UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa
Read moreMyanmar democracy movement moves out of jailed Aung San Suu Kyi’s shadow
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Yangon – Imprisoned by the military, detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is isolated from the young protesters now forging their own struggle for democracy outside of her shadow. Sunday (Aug 1) marks six months since her National League for Democracy (NLD) government was ousted, setting off
Read moreTax raids target Indian paper that criticised government over Covid
By The Guardian and published by MSN.com TAX RAIDS have been carried out on the offices of one of India’s most popular newspapers, after months of critical coverage of the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. This morning, more than 100 tax inspectors descended on the headquarters of Dainik Bhaskar media group in the state
Read moreVietnam in talks with US to produce mRNA COVID-19 vaccine
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Hanoi – Vietnam is in talks with the United States to locally produce mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, its foreign ministry said on today (July 22), as the Southeast Asian country looks to shore up its vaccine supply amid its worst outbreak of the coronavirus yet. After successfully containing
Read moreGermany picks through rubble after deadly European floods
By AFP and published by Channel NewsAsia Schuld, Germany – Rescue workers scrambled today (July 17) to find survivors and victims of the devastation wreaked by the worst floods to hit western Europe in living memory, which have already left more than 150 people dead and dozens more missing. Western Germany has suffered the most
Read moreBoris Johnson’s policy poses ‘danger to the world’
By The Independent, also published by MSN.com THE UK’s decision to end most Covid restrictions on July 19 poses “a danger to the world”, an international group of scientists has warned. The group, which includes official government advisers to countries including Italy and Australia, says the government is pursuing herd immunity by mass infection. It
Read moreNasa says Moon’s ‘wobble’ will cause devastating floods: Here’s what it means
By Hindustantimes.com and published by MSN.com A NEW study conducted by space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has found a ‘wobble’ in Moon’s orbit along with rising sea levels will lead to devastating floods in the 2030s. Referring to the natural calamity as ‘nuisance floods’, the study said the events would become more
Read morePhilippines to probe report of Chinese sewage-dumping at sea
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Manila – The Philippines’ defence minister today (July 13) ordered the military to investigate a report by a US-based tech firm that hundreds of Chinese vessels were dumping sewage into contested areas of the South China Sea. China maintains a constant presence of coastguard and fishing boats in
Read moreFrench father goes on hunger strike for kids ‘abducted’ by Japanese wife
By AFP, published by Channel NewsAsia Tokyo – A Frenchman in Japan who says his children were abducted by their Japanese mother began a hunger strike in Tokyo today (July 10), in a protest he hopes will bring international attention to his fight to be reunited with his family. “I’ve given everything, I’ve lost my
Read moreClimate change linked to 5 million deaths a year, new study shows
By Bloomberg, published by The Straits Times Sydney – The extraordinarily hot and cold temperatures that are becoming more common as climate change accelerates are responsible for five million deaths globally every year. Extreme weather accounted for 9.4 per cent of all deaths globally between 2000 and 2019, according to researchers who on Wednesday (July
Read moreUS assessing ‘tragic attack’ that killed Haiti president
By Reuters, published by Swissinfo.ch Washington -The United States is assessing the “tragic attack” that killed Haiti’s president overnight and President Joe Biden will be briefed on the assassination, the White House said today (July 7). “We’re still gathering information,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on MSNBC. “We’re still assessing right now.”
Read moreHong Kong drinks company Vitasoy faces China netizens’ calls for boycott
By Reuters, published by The Straits Times Hong Kong – Beverage maker Vitasoy has become the latest target of Chinese netizens calling for a boycott, after an employee circulated a memo online offering condolences to the family of a worker who had stabbed a Hong Kong police officer. In a statement on the Chinese
Read moreMore than 2,000 flee as Philippine volcano spews toxic gas
By AFP, published by Channel NewsAsia Manila – More than 2,000 people have fled from a volcano eruption that has filled the air near the Philippine capital with toxic gas, officials said today (July 3). Taal volcano, which sits in a picturesque lake, has been belching sulphur dioxide for several days, creating a thick haze
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