Iran should 'release all prisoners' amid coronavirus: UN, World News,GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran said on Tuesday (March 10) he had asked Teheran to free all prisoners temporarily, saying it is \”unfortunate and disturbing\” to continue holding political prisone
India to ease lockdown rules as coronavirus case numbers decline, Asia News,India reported 114,460 new coronavirus infections on Sunday (June 6), the lowest in two months, while the death toll increased by 2,677, as parts of the country prepared to ease movement restrictions. India has the world
Indonesia reports 380 new coronavirus infections, 27 deaths, Asia News,JAKARTA – Indonesia confirmed on Thursday 380 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 5,516, said a health ministry official Achmad Yurianto. Yurianto reported 27 new deaths, taking the tota
5 weak links in Singapore's Covid-19 battle, Singapore News,SINGAPORE – While the number of new coronavirus cases daily has hit new highs in Singapore, with 728 announced on Thursday (April 16), the number of new cases in the community has decreased from an average of 38 cases per day in the we
Indonesia reports 1,331 new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily rise, Asia News,JAKARTA – Indonesia reported 1,331 new coronavirus infections on Thursday (June 18), its biggest daily increase since the outbreak started locally, taking its total number of cases to 42,762. Health ministry official Ac
Taj Mahal reopens for tourists as India eases Covid-19 curbs, Asia News,BENGALURU, June 16 – The Taj Mahal reopened to the public on Wednesday (June 16) as India, still reeling from a disastrous second wave of the pandemic, pushes to lift restrictions in a bid to revitalise its economy. The 17th-cen
8 dead, dozens sick after drinking coconut wine in Philippines, Asia News,MANILA – At least eight people have been killed and 120 hospitalised after drinking coconut wine in the Philippines, including some who were celebrating at a Christmas party, health authorities said on Monday (Dec 23). The poi
Heirs step up as Covid deaths rock Bangkok's famous street-food stalls, Asia News,BANGKOK – Each morning, Adulwitch Tangsupmanee brings a cart of crispy pork belly to a run-down cinema in Bangkok's Chinatown and sets up the same street-food stall his internationally renowned father ran for
Over 1.2 million people died from drug-resistant infections in 2019: Study, World News,More than 1.2 million people died in 2019 from infections caused by bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, higher than HIV/AIDS or malaria, according to a new report published on Thursday (Jan 20). Global hea
India reports 44,230 new Covid-19 cases, highest in 3 weeks, Asia News,NEW DELHI – India reported 44,230 new Covid-19 cases on Friday (July 30), the most in three weeks, the latest evidence of a worrying trend of rising cases that has forced one state to lock down amid fears of another wave of infec
Coronavirus: Death toll from Wuhan outbreak rises to 560 , China News,BEIJING/SHANGHAI – The number of confirmed fatalities from China’s coronavirus outbreak rose to more than 560 after another 73 people on the mainland died on Wednesday from the outbreak, the country’s health authority said on Thur
'Nobody else wants to praise me': Malaysia's ex-PM Muhyiddin defends track record, hopes to return to power in the future, Malaysia News,KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia's former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has defended his track record during the shortest premiership stint in the cou
Vietnam concerned over vaccine supply as Covid-19 cases near record, Asia News,HANOI – Vietnam's government on Thursday (Aug 12) said it was facing a tense situation over rising coronavirus cases and a shortage of vaccines. The country saw another day of near-record cases from its longest and m
China halts bridge construction after 6,000 rare fish die, China News,SHANGHAI -China has halted construction of a bridge in the province of Hubei after it was said to have caused the death of around 6,000 critically endangered Chinese sturgeon, the China Daily said, citing the agriculture ministry.
Another 90 lawsuits filed for 200 victims of Travis Scott's Houston concert stampede, Entertainment News,Attorneys representing more than 200 people claiming they were injured in last week's Astroworld Festival stampede in Houston said on Friday (Nov 12) that they are filing another 90 law
Australia's Sydney and Darwin in Covid-19 lockdowns, World News,MELBOURNE – Sydney began a two-week lockdown on Sunday (June 27) as a cluster of cases of the highly infectious coronavirus Delta variant rose to 110 in Australia's largest city, while an outbreak in the northern city of Darwi
Water hazard: Thailand rolls out 'Seven Deadly Days' road safety campaign, Asia News,BANGKOK – The video opens with revelers throwing water by the side of a road as they celebrate Songkran, the festival that ushers in the traditional Thai new year. Then the camera pans to a horrific road a
Singapore suspends using 2 flu vaccines after 48 patients die in South Korea, Singapore News,SINGAPORE – Singapore has temporarily halted the use of two influenza vaccines as a precaution after some people who received them in South Korea died, becoming among the first countries to publicly announce
Malaysia to kick off Covid-19 vaccination drive on Feb 26, Malaysia News,KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia will get its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines produced by US and German drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech on Feb. 21, and kick off its inoculation drive five days after that, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
Vietnam plans to resume flights to some coronavirus-free countries, Asia News,HANOI – Vietnam plans to allow a resumption of flights to and from countries that have had no cases of coronavirus for 30 days, state media cited the prime minister as saying on Tuesday (June 9), with priority destinations
Vietnam suspends African swine fever vaccine after pig deaths, Asia News,HANOI – Vietnam has temporarily suspended the use of its first home-grown African swine fever vaccine after dozens of pigs inoculated with the shots died this month, state media reported on Wednesday (Aug 24). The pigs were amo
Coronavirus: 'Long list' of countries not doing enough to combat bug, says WHO, World News,GENEVA – The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Thursday (March 5) that too many countries were not taking all the steps needed to fight the spread of the deadly new coronavirus. WHO chief Ted
Malaysia reports 22,948 coronavirus cases, new daily high, Malaysia News,KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia reported 22,948 new coronavirus cases on Thursday (Aug 19), a new daily record. The country has recorded nearly 1.49 million infections overall. The spike in cases comes as Malaysia's Prime Minister
Covid-19 cases rise in Australia's Victoria as regions exit lockdown, World News,SYDNEY – Australia's Covid-19 daily cases topped 1,900 for the first time in the pandemic on Friday (Sept 10) as an outbreak fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant continued to gain ground in locked-do
Vietnam Covid-19 epicentre may have 40% more unrecorded cases: Report, Asia News,HANOI – Authorities in Vietnam's biggest city are urging the government to recognise positive rapid tests for Covid-19 to present a clearer picture of its outbreak, state media reported on Monday (Sept 27) , a move
South Korea to extend coronavirus guidelines on prevention, sanitation, Asia News,SEOUL – South Korea will extend its prevention and sanitation guidelines against the coronavirus until daily new infections drop to single digits, the health minister said on Friday (June 12), failing which he warned o
Nothing to see: Covid origins off-limits as China's Wuhan touts recovery, China News,WUHAN, China – The Huanan seafood market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, believed by many to be the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, is sealed behind a blue perimeter fence. A large team of security staff chases
Coronavirus: Philippines reports 343 additional cases, 3 new deaths, Asia News,MANILA – The Philippine health ministry on Sunday (March 29) reported 343 new coronavirus cases, marking the country's largest daily increase in infections, and three additional deaths. That raised the total number o
Thailand records 107 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 934, Asia News,Thailand has recorded 107 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 934, a health official said on Wednesday. The new cases consist of 27 patients linked to previous cases, 13 new cases including imported ones, and 67 people
Thai Covid-19 infections ease after days of record highs, Asia News,BANGKOK – Thailand reported 1,390 new coronavirus cases on Monday (April 19), slowing slightly after a run of record daily highs, amid a new wave of infections that has seen a third of the country's cases recorded this month al
UK records 2,988 new coronavirus cases, highest since May, World News,LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Sunday it had recorded 2,988 new daily coronavirus cases, up from 1,813 on Saturday to the highest level since May 23. The number of fatalities, however, remained at a low level, with two reporte
South Korea reports 79 new coronavirus cases, most since April 5, Asia News,SEOUL – South Korea reported 79 new coronavirus cases on Thursday (May 28), the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said, the largest one day increase since April 5. The cases were as of midnight on Wednesday, a
Coronavirus: Pandemic deaths could top 1.8 million even with tough response, study shows, World News,PARIS – The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe could hit 1.8 million worldwide this year even with swift and stringent measures to stop it, according to a study from Britain&
Dead dolphins wash up on France's shores in record numbers, World News,Dead dolphins are washing up on France's Atlantic coast in such high numbers that local populations of the mammals are at risk, marine biologists say. The overwhelming majority drowned in the nets of fishing trawlers. P
2 vaccinated Singaporeans die from Covid-19 complications; 1,647 new cases on Sept 27, Singapore News,SINGAPORE – There were 1,647 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore reported on Monday (Sept 27), taking the total number of cases here to 89,539, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update. The
In Thailand, an army of volunteers fights coronavirus, Asia News,BANGKOK – Monk Phrompong Kaino, 33, works around the clock providing free Covid-19 swab tests for vulnerable people in high-risk Bangkok communities, part of a project by his temple that has reached more than 2,000 people in just over
EU at risk of being overwhelmed by coronavirus: Von der Leyen, World News,BRUSSELS/LONDON/BERLIN – The European Union's healthcare systems are at risk of being overwhelmed by the number of coronavirus cases unless authorities act quickly, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen
