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Muslims join to demand police reforms, back black-led groups

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 15, 2020

In the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody, dozens of American Muslim organizations have come together to call for reform to policing practices, and to support black-led organizations. “The victimization of unarmed Black Muslims…

EU’s haphazard route to post-lockdown border reopenings

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 15, 2020

Vienna, Austria As European countries emerge from their coronavirus lockdowns and lift travel restrictions to revive their tourist industries, the EU has been aiming to coordinate the border reopening among its 27 members. The bloc…

Belgium group criticizes high court’s headscarf opinion

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 13, 2020

BRUSSELS The Belgian Association for the Prevention of Islamophobia (CCIB) reacted early Saturday to a constitutional opinion that said wearing headscarves could be banned in colleges. CCIB Director Mustafa Chairi told a court in Brussels…

Summer might slow coronavirus but is unlikely to stop it

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 12, 2020

The arrival of warmer weather in the Northern Hemisphere raises the question of whether summer could slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Here is what science says. While warmer weather typically ends the annual flu season in…

Historical figures reassessed around globe after Floyd death

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 12, 2020

The rapidly unfolding movement to pull down Confederate monuments around the U.S. in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police has extended to statues of slave traders, imperialists, conquerors and explorers around the world,…

Norwegian man gets 21 years for slaying, mosque attack

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 11, 2020

COPENHAGEN, Denmark A white nationalist Norwegian man who killed his stepsister and then stormed an Oslo mosque and opened fire, hitting no one, was found guilty Thursday and sentenced to 21 years in prison, the longest jail term under…

Tensions mar Paris protest as Floyd outrage goes global

THE ASIA LIVE Jun 3, 2020

PARIS Tear gas choked Paris streets as riot police faced off with protesters setting fires Tuesday amid growing global outrage over George Floyd’s death in the United States, racial injustice and heavy-handed police tactics around the…

Brazil coronavirus death toll hits 28,834, surpassing France

THE ASIA LIVE May 31, 2020

BRASILIA Brazil on Saturday reached 28,834 coronavirus fatalities, authorities said, surpassing hard-hit France and becoming the country with the world's fourth-highest death toll. At the epicenter of South America's coronavirus outbreak,…

In virus-hit South Korea, AI monitors lonely elders

THE ASIA LIVE May 31, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea In a cramped office in eastern Seoul, Hwang Seungwon points a remote control toward a huge NASA-like overhead screen stretching across one of the walls. With each flick of the control, a colorful array of pie charts,…

Brazil registers fifth highest tally of COVID-19 deaths globally

THE ASIA LIVE May 30, 2020

Rio de Janeiro,Brazil Brazil now has the fifth highest death toll from COVID-19 worldwide, registering over 1,000 deaths in the past 24 hours and registering a hike in the total tally of new cases to 27,878, the government said on Friday…

Quarantine bottlenecks add to woes of returning Filipinos

THE ASIA LIVE May 30, 2020

MANILA, Philippines When his cruise ship sailed into Manila Bay after weeks of voyaging like a castaway amid port closures set off by the global pandemic, Erick Arenas felt he was finally home. But the 34-year-old dance performer of the…

While the world is looking at AI, it’s biotech that could end up changing the world

THE ASIA LIVE May 30, 2020

If you want to see just how much biotechnology has progressed, you need not look further than COVID-19. It took months to synthesize the original SARS virus, whereas SARS-CoV-2 was synthesized in a couple of weeks. Since then, researchers…

Brazilians say ‘I do’ at drive-thru weddings to avoid virus

THE ASIA LIVE May 29, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO For João Blank and Erica Blank’s first kiss as husband and wife, they didn’t lock lips. The couple could only press their face masks together while sitting in the back of a hatchback, where they had just been wed. A…

Asia shares fall as US-China tensions douse rally on Wall St

THE ASIA LIVE May 29, 2020

BANGKOK Shares fell Friday in Asia as investors awaited a news conference about China by President Donald Trump later in the day. Benchmarks declined in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney but rose in Shanghai. U.S. and Chinese officials have…

Hello and welcome: Robot waiters to the rescue amid virus

THE ASIA LIVE May 29, 2020

RENESSE, Netherlands You can always count on a robot for perfect timing. When Shaosong Hu saw robotic waiters serving food in China last fall, he knew exactly what he wanted for his restaurant in the Dutch beachside town of Renesse. He…

Germany confronts Russian ambassador over cyberattack

THE ASIA LIVE May 28, 2020

BERLIN Germany said Thursday it is seeking EU sanctions against a Russian man over his alleged role in the hacking of the German parliament at a time when evidence shows he was working for Russian intelligence. Germany’s Foreign Ministry…

Failed Maduro coup leader flew on pro-govt magnate’s plane

THE ASIA LIVE May 28, 2020

MIAMI It was mid-January and Jordan Goudreau was itching to get going on a secret plan to raid Venezuela and arrest President Nicolás Maduro when the former special forces commando flew to the city of Barranquilla in Colombia to meet with…

Asian shares mixed after Wall Street rally; Hong Kong lower

THE ASIA LIVE May 28, 2020

BANGKOK Asian stocks were mixed after an upbeat open on Thursday, as investors pinned their hopes on an economic rebound from the coronavirus crisis. Shares rose in Tokyo, Sydney and Mumbai but dropped in Hong Kong, where tensions are…

EU proposes 750 billion-euro coronavirus recovery fund

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

BRUSSELS The European Union proposed Wednesday a 750 billion-euro ($825 billion) recovery fund to help countries weather a painful recession triggered by the coronavirus and bridge divisions over the conditions that should be attached for…

Spike in South Korea virus cases shows perils of reopening

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea As Mediterranean beaches and Las Vegas casinos laid out plans to welcome tourists again, South Korea announced a spike in new infections Wednesday and considered reimposing social distancing restrictions, revealing the…

France’s virus tracing app ready to go, parliament to vote

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

PARIS French lawmakers were set to vote Wednesday on whether to endorse a contact-tracing app designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid sharp debate over privacy concerns. If approved, France’s StopCovid app will be made…

Serbia bans Montenegro flights amid escalating tensions

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

BELGRADE, Serbia  Serbian authorities have banned Montenegro’s national carrier from operating flights out of Belgrade after the small nation’s government excluded Serbia from a list of countries with which Montenegro will reopen its…

WHO urged to seek end to internet shutdown in South Asia

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been urged to “publicly denounce the use of internet shutdowns as a hindrance” to its mission and urge governments to allow internet use to aid the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In a joint…

Asia stocks mixed on uncertainty over Hong Kong security law

THE ASIA LIVE May 27, 2020

Major Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday as U.S.-Chinese tension over Hong Kong competed with optimism about recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Benchmarks in Shanghai and Hong Kong retreated after the White House said a proposed…

Serbia criticizes Montenegro for keeping border ban on Serbs

THE ASIA LIVE May 26, 2020

PODGORICA, Montenegro Montenegro, the first European country to declare itself free of the coronavirus, plans to open its borders to citizens of several European countries except for former ally Serbia — drawing angry reaction Tuesday from…

Brazil reports over 11,000 new COVID-19 cases, toll at 23,473

THE ASIA LIVE May 26, 2020

Brasilia Brazil has registered 11,687 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 3,74,898, CNN reported quoting the country's health ministry. The Latin American country has also recorded 807 deaths in the…

Asian shares up as recovery hopes overshadow virus worries

THE ASIA LIVE May 26, 2020

TOKYO Shares rose in Asia on Tuesday as some regions in Japan resumed close-to-normal business activity, with hopes for economic recovery overshadowing worries over the coronavirus pandemic. The market focus is shifting to how various…

China demands US withdraw sanctions on tech suppliers

THE ASIA LIVE May 25, 2020

BEIJING China demand Monday that Washington withdraw export sanctions imposed on Chinese companies in the latest round of a worsening conflict over technology, security and human rights. The foreign ministry accused the Trump…

Researchers create a filter for N95 face masks that can be attached and replaced

THE ASIA LIVE May 24, 2020

Using face masks has become necessary and even mandatory in many parts of the world to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus. Virus transmission is believed to take place via respiratory droplets resulting from sneezing and coughing,…

Migrant shipwrecks off Tunisia leave 1 dead, over 80 rescued

THE ASIA LIVE May 24, 2020

TUNIS, Tunisia At least one migrant has drowned, six are missing and over 80 have been rescued off Tunisia’s coast, authorities said, amid a new wave of dangerous attempts to traffic migrants across the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. The…

Soaring infections dampen Eid festivities in Indonesia

THE ASIA LIVE May 24, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia Millions of Muslims in Indonesia are marking a muted and gloomy holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan — a usually joyous three-day celebration that has been significantly toned down as…

Top UN official warns malicious emails on rise in pandemic

THE ASIA LIVE May 23, 2020

UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. disarmament chief warned Friday that cyber crime is on the rise, with a 600% increase in malicious emails during the COVID-19 pandemic. Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council that…

Record virus infections, deaths are ravaging Latin America

THE ASIA LIVE May 23, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO A surging coronavirus is ravaging parts of Latin America, setting records for cases and deaths Friday in some countries in the world’s most unequal region even as the pandemic’s march slows in much of Europe, Asia and the…

The lesser-known coronavirus success stories

THE ASIA LIVE May 23, 2020

A few countries have become the poster children of effective coronavirus management. We’ve praised them as they set a standard and an example for the world to follow — but they’re not the only ones who did a good job. Some success stories…

Bank of Japan helps fund small businesses fighting pandemic

THE ASIA LIVE May 22, 2020

TOKYO Japan’s central bank said Friday it will provide some 30 trillion yen ($280 billion) to banks for financing small and medium-size businesses battling economic hardships brought on by the coronavrius pandemic. The Bank of Japan will…

Asian shares fall on US friction with China, Hong Kong fears

THE ASIA LIVE May 22, 2020

BANGKOK Shares slipped in Asia on Friday as tensions flared between the U.S. and China and as more job losses compounded the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong’s benchmark led regional losses, dropping 3.9% to…

Mayor says Mexico City will begin gradual reopening June 1

THE ASIA LIVE May 21, 2020

MEXICO CITY Even as Mexico saw its largest one-day death toll, Mexico City announced Wednesday it will begin a gradual reopening June 1. The nationwide death toll rose by 424 on Wednesday to 6,090, well above last week’s record of 353…

Recession-hit Japan’s exports, imports fall due to pandemic

THE ASIA LIVE May 21, 2020

TOKYO Recession-hit Japan’s exports plunged nearly 22% in April, the country’s worst drop in more than a decade as the coronavirus pandemic slammed global demand. The Finance Ministry also said Thursday that imports fell 7%. The…

Taiwan President Tsai calls for stability in China relations

THE ASIA LIVE May 20, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called for stability in relations with China in her inaugural address Wednesday but said she would not accept Beijing’s political terms that would “downgrade Taiwan and undermine the…

AT&T quits Venezuela as US sanctions force it to defy Maduro

THE ASIA LIVE May 20, 2020

MIAMI AT&T said Tuesday it will immediately ditch Venezuela’s pay TV market as U.S. sanctions prohibit its DirecTV platform from broadcasting channels that it is required to carry by the socialist administration of Nicolás Maduro. The…

Asian stocks up on hopes for vaccine and economies reopening

THE ASIA LIVE May 19, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares rose Tuesday on optimism about a potential vaccine for the coronavirus after hopes for a U.S. economic recovery in the second half of the year sent Wall Street into a rebound. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.5% to…

China announces $2 billion in virus help at WHO assembly

THE ASIA LIVE May 18, 2020

GENEVA China will provide $2 billion over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout from it, President Xi Jinping said Monday, rallying around the World Health Organization even as the United States has slashed…

Hong Kong lawmakers clash as pro-Beijing camp elects chair

THE ASIA LIVE May 18, 2020

HONG KONG Clashes broke out in Hong Kong’s legislature Monday for a second time this month as a pro-Beijing lawmaker was elected as chair of a key committee that scrutinizes bills, ending a prolonged struggle for control with the…

European airlines hope to resume flights but outlook is dim

THE ASIA LIVE May 18, 2020

COPENHAGEN, Denmark European airlines are planning for a return to the skies this summer after being grounded almost completely for weeks over the coronavirus pandemic. The outlook, however, remains uncertain, with companies forecasting a…

Albanian protesters, police clash over theater demolition

THE ASIA LIVE May 17, 2020

TIRANA, Albania Albanian police have clashed with opposition supporters who were protesting the demolition of the country’s National Theater building in the capital of Tirana. Police pulled a group of artists and some opposition leaders…

Strong typhoon slams into pandemic-hit Philippines

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

MANILA, Philippines A strong typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines on Thursday, knocking out power and threatening food crops in a new emergency for a country already overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic. Typhoon Vongfong blew…

Wall Street erases most of a morning loss in choppy trading

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

Wall Street erased most of a big morning loss on Thursday, the latest erratic moves in its wobbly week. The S&P 500 was down 0.7% after erasing much of an early loss of 1.9%. Markets in Asia and Europe fell to sharper drops, while…

Oil prices up with surprise decline in US crude stocks

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

Oil prices were up on Thursday with a surprise decline in US crude oil inventories and a fall in gasoline stocks that exceeded market expectations. International benchmark Brent crude was trading at $29.52 per barrel at 0640 GMT for a…

UN health agency chief unbowed amid attacks, Trump criticism

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

GENEVA The World Health Organization’s director-general has faced many challenges during the coronavirus pandemic: racial slurs, death threats, social media caricatures — he was once depicted as a ventriloquist’s dummy in the hands of…

Asian shares fall as hopes fade for quick economic rebound

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

Asian shares declined Thursday on pessimism about life getting back to normal soon amid the coronavirus pandemic, even as Japan prepared to let businesses reopen in some regions. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped nearly 0.8% in morning trading to…

Why open a store? Chinese merchants go livestreaming instead

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

HONG KONG At the height of China’s coronavirus outbreak, the skincare-products maker Forest Cabin closed more than half of its 300 stores across the nation as shoppers stayed home. With sales plunging, founder Sun Laichun decided it was…

Tibet’s ‘Mother of 300 children’ succumbs to COVID-19

THE ASIA LIVE May 14, 2020

Morris Tennyson Lhasa,Tibet A Tibetan girl who lost her parents and brother while fleeing during the 1959 uprising, but later returned to establish the first private orphanage in Tibet has died in Switzerland from COVID-19. Over a period…

Prodded by US, Mexico aims to restart industrial plants

THE ASIA LIVE May 13, 2020

MEXICO CITY President Andrés Manuel López Obrador pledged Wednesday to begin reopening Mexico’s economy next week — encouraged by U.S. officials — even as hospitals from Mexico City to the border reeled under the pressure of the largest…

Nissan plans $2.8 billion in cuts as part of restructuring plan

THE ASIA LIVE May 13, 2020

TOKYO Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) plans to cut $2.8 billion in annual fixed costs as part of its restructuring plan, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, as it braces for a drop in sales that could complicate its recovery from years of poor…

Asian shares track Wall Street retreat on virus rebound fear

THE ASIA LIVE May 13, 2020

Shares fell in Asia on Wednesday after Wall Street logged its biggest loss since the start of the month on worries about the downside of reopening the economy too soon. Benchmarks slid in Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong but rose in Taiwan.…

Brazil cities lurch to lockdowns amid virus crisis red flags

THE ASIA LIVE May 13, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO Faced with overwhelmed hospitals and surging coronavirus deaths, Brazilian state and city governments are lurching forward with mandatory lockdowns against the will of President Jair Bolsonaro, who says job losses are more…

Embraer blames failed Boeing deal for sharp drop in commercial jet deliveries

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

SAO PAULO Planemaker Embraer (EMBR3.SA) said Tuesday it delivered just five commercial jets in the first quarter, less than half of what it delivered a year ago, blaming the drop on preparations for a deal with Boeing Co (BA.N) that fell…

Japan sees 20% fall in number of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in 9 days

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

TOKYO Japan saw a 20% fall in the number of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in nine days to May 7, the health ministry said on Tuesday. Japan had 4,449 COVID-19 patients in hospitals as of May 7, down from 5,558 on April 28, the ministry…

Homophobia threatens to hamper South Korea’s virus campaign

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea As South Korea grapples with a new spike in coronavirus infections thought to be linked to nightspots in Seoul, including several popular with gay men, it’s also seeing rising homophobia that’s making it difficult for…

Philippine president to extend coronavirus lockdown beyond 9 weeks

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

MANILA The Philippines will extend its lockdown beyond nine weeks in “some areas” this weekend, according to its president, stretching one of the world’s strictest and longest community quarantines to try to contain coronavirus outbreaks.…

Mexico details note to U.S. over Obama-era gun-running row

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

MEXICO CITY Mexico’s foreign minister on Monday posted a video online detailing a diplomatic note to the U.S. embassy requesting answers about a gun-running sting under the Obama presidency, keeping a spotlight on the controversial issue.…

Toyota expects annual operating profit to drop 80% as virus saps car sales

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

TOKYO Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Tuesday it expects to post its lowest annual operating profit in nine years as the automaker grapples with the impact of the novel coronavirus, which has sapped global demand for cars. Japan’s…

Malaysia’s March factory output falls 4.9%, worst drop in nine years

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia’s industrial production index fell 4.9% from a year earlier in March, the sharpest decline in nearly a decade, government data showed on Tuesday, as curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupted…

Australia’s Victoria state to reopen classrooms earlier than expected

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

SYDNEY Australia’s second-most populous state will resume face-to-face teaching from May 27, weeks earlier than expected, after a school shutdown to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday. The state…

Asian stocks stumble on fears of second coronavirus wave, oil up

THE ASIA LIVE May 12, 2020

Asian shares skidded on Tuesday on growing worries about a second wave of coronavirus infections after the Chinese city where the pandemic originated reported its first new cases since its lockdown was lifted. The central Chinese city of…

‘Tale of 2 outbreaks’: Singapore tackles a costly setback

THE ASIA LIVE May 11, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Weeks after two of his roommates were diagnosed with COVID-19, Mohamad Arif Hassan says he’s still waiting to be tested for the coronavirus. Quarantined in his room in a sprawling foreign workers’ dormitory that has…

China cases rise, students back, Disney reopens

THE ASIA LIVE May 11, 2020

BANGKOK China reported another rise in coronavirus cases on Monday, as the government reminded people to step up personal protection against the virus. The warning from Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission, came as 17…

Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher on recovery hopes

THE ASIA LIVE May 11, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets rose Monday after Wall Street advanced as investors looked past dismal U.S. jobs and other data toward hopes for a global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and…

Brazil: 730 deaths in past 24 hours from COVID-19

THE ASIA LIVE May 10, 2020

BUENOS AIRES The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak surged to 10,627 with 730 fatalities in the last 24 hours day, health officials in Brazil reported Saturday. The health ministry in the Latin American country said diagnosed…

In Japan, pandemic brings outbreaks of bullying, ostracism

THE ASIA LIVE May 10, 2020

TOKYO The coronavirus in Japan has brought not just an epidemic of infections, but also an onslaught of bullying and discrimination against the sick, their families and health workers. A government campaign to raise awareness seems to be…

South Korean leader urges no panic as cases rise

THE ASIA LIVE May 10, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea South Korea on Sunday reported 34 additional cases of the coronavirus amid a spate of infections linked to club goers, as President Moon Jae-in urged calm, saying that “there’s no reason to stand still out of fear.”…

Carved stone turtle unearthed from Angkor reservoir site

THE ASIA LIVE May 8, 2020

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Cambodian archaeologists have unearthed a large centuries-old statue of a turtle at the Angkor temple complex. The 56-by-93 centimeter (22-by-37 inch) carved stone turtle believed to date from the 10th century was…

Fears grow as coronavirus bears down on Mexico City

THE ASIA LIVE May 8, 2020

MEXICO CITY A hand-washing station and bright yellow signs warning of an area of “high infection” now greet the steady stream of hearses at the entrance to the San Nicolas Tolentino cemetery in a working-class neighborhood of this…

Kim Jong-un sends ‘verbal message’ to Xi on coronavirus success

THE ASIA LIVE May 8, 2020

Pyongyang,North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a verbal message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, praising Beijing on its success in stemming coronavirus spread, Yonhap News Agency reported. In a message, Kim "congratulated…

Asian shares mixed after Wall St dips on pandemic worries

THE ASIA LIVE May 7, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares were mixed Thursday after a decline on Wall Street after more depressing data rolled in on the devastation sweeping the global economy. Comments by President Donald Trump on trade with China and casting blame on Beijing…

Samsung’s Lee apologizes over management, union busting

THE ASIA LIVE May 6, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong on Wednesday expressed remorse but offered no clear admission of wrongdoing over his alleged involvement in a 2016 corruption scandal that spurred massive street protests and sent South Korea’s…

Northeastern Brazil city is nation’s first to enter lockdown

THE ASIA LIVE May 6, 2020

SAO PAULO The capital of tropical Maranhão state ground largely to a halt Tuesday, becoming the first major Brazilian city to enter a lockdown in the hopes of preventing the coronavirus pandemic from overwhelming the health care system of…

Stock markets, oil price rebound as countries ease lockdowns

THE ASIA LIVE May 5, 2020

BANGKOK World stock markets and the price of oil rose on Tuesday as more countries eased restrictions on business and public life, raising hopes for a recovery from a historic economic plunge. Shares advanced in Paris, London and Hong…

Philippines orders leading TV network to halt operations

THE ASIA LIVE May 5, 2020

MANILA, Philippines A Philippine government agency on Tuesday ordered the country’s leading broadcast network, which the president has targeted for its critical news coverage, to halt operations. The National Telecommunications Commission…

Venezuela: 2 US ‘mercenaries’ among those nabbed after raid

THE ASIA LIVE May 5, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said authorities arrested two U.S. citizens among a group of “mercenaries” on Monday, a day after a beach raid purportedly aimed at capturing the socialist leader that authorities say…

Global markets drop, spooked by China-US tensions over virus

THE ASIA LIVE May 4, 2020

BANGKOK Shares took a turn for the worse on Monday as tensions between the Trump administration and China over the origins and handling of the coronavirus pandemic rattled investors. Benchmarks fell in most markets except for Australia,…

Venezuela says it foiled attack by boat on main port city

THE ASIA LIVE May 4, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuelan officials said they foiled an early morning attempt by a group of armed “mercenaries” to invade the country in a beach landing using speedboats Sunday, killing eight attackers and arresting two more.…

Glad to see Kim Jong-un is back and well,says President Trump

THE ASIA LIVE May 3, 2020

Washington US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said he is glad to see that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is "back and well". "I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!" Trump wrote on Twitter. He also retweeted…

N Korea’s Kim Jong Un appears in public amid health rumors

THE ASIA LIVE May 2, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, state media said Saturday, ending an absence that had triggered global…

COVID-19 triggers massive unemployment in Latin America

THE ASIA LIVE May 1, 2020

BOGOTA, Colombia Latin America surpassed the grim milestone of 10,000 deaths and 200,000 confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday. And as the number of victims in the region rose sharply, so did the unemployment rate, fueled by the pandemic.…

Germany relaxes lockdown for playgrounds, churches and zoos

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

BERLIN German authorities agreed Thursday to reopen playgrounds, churches and cultural institutions such as museums and zoos that have been shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, but postponed a decision on whether to relax the…

Women leaders condemn threat against congressional candidate

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

Dozens of women activists, leaders and lawmakers have joined a petition denouncing a death threat against congressional candidate Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, the first Muslim woman to run for federal office from New Jersey. The 27-year-old is the…

South Korea investigating cause of fire after 38 workers die

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea South Korean authorities on Thursday were investigating what caused a fire that killed 38 construction workers in one of the country’s deadliest fires in years. The explosion that swept through a warehouse being built…

Asian shares rise on hopes for drug to treat coronavirus

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares advanced on Thursday, riding a wave of optimism about a possible treatment for the coronavirus that set off a rally on Wall Street powerful enough to override data showing the U.S. economy had logged its worst quarterly…

As virus cases surge, Brazil starts to worry its neighbors

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina Brazil’s virtually uncontrolled surge of COVID-19 cases is spawning fear that construction workers, truck drivers and tourists from Latin America’s biggest nation will spread the disease to neighboring countries…

Many Japanese defy appeals to stay home to curb virus

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

TOKYO Under Japan’s coronavirus state of emergency, people have been asked to stay home. Many are not. Some still have to commute to their jobs despite risks of infection, while others continue to dine out, picnic in parks and crowd into…

China’s manufacturing weaker in April as virus hurts exports

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 30, 2020

BEIJING China’s manufacturing activity weakened in April as the coronavirus pandemic clobbered global consumer demand, hampering Beijing’s efforts to revive the world’s second-largest economy, two surveys showed Thursday. China became the…

Australia ‘not too far away’ from easing restrictions

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 29, 2020

Australia is “not too far away” from easing the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, the country’s premier said on Wednesday. “Australia was on the road back to an economy safe from COVID-19 and that success could mean easing restrictions…

UN expert calls for war crimes probe in Myanmar

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 29, 2020

A UN human rights expert on Wednesday called for an investigation of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Myanmar’s Rakhine and Chin States. In a statement issued from Geneva, UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said the world…

In Aceh, Indonesians pray at mosque but bring their own rugs

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 29, 2020

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia Hundreds of people join the Ramadan evening prayers at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in the capital of Indonesia’s far western Aceh province. They wash their hands to prevent the spread of the coronavirus before they…

Global stocks gain on plans to ease anti-virus controls

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 29, 2020

BEIJING Global stocks gained Wednesday after France and Spain joined governments that plan to ease anti-virus controls and allow businesses to reopen. London and Frankfurt opened higher, while Shanghai and Hong Kong advanced. Japanese…

Amid health worries, Kim Jong Un’s role looms large

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 29, 2020

TOKYO New rumors about Kim Jong Un pour in daily. The North Korean leader is dead. Or he’s very ill. Or maybe he’s just recuperating in his luxury compound. As speculation about his health builds, an underlying question looms for…

A look at past disappearances of NKorean leaders, officials

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 28, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea While Kim Jong Un’s two-week absence has inspired speculation and rumors that he is gravely ill, he is not the first member of North Korean’s ruling elite to disappear from public view. Some absences were caused by real…

Questions over Kim’s health highlight intelligence limits

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 27, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s prolonged public absence has led to rumors of ill health and worries about how it could influence the future of what one analyst calls Northeast Asia’s “Achilles’ heel,” a reference to…

Global markets gain as more economies prepare to reopen

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 27, 2020

BEIJING Global stock prices gained Monday after Japan’s central bank boosted support for financial markets as more governments prepared to reopen economies that were shut down to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo’s benchmark surged…

Japan central bank eases monetary policy to boost economy

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 27, 2020

TOKYO Japan’s central bank is making it easier for cash-strapped companies to get funding and expanding collateral for debt in response to the growing economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. The Bank of Japan decided at a meeting…

Satellite imagery finds likely Kim train amid health rumors

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 27, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea A train likely belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been parked at his compound on the country’s east coast since last week, satellite imagery showed, amid speculation about his health that has been caused,…

Australians remember fallen soldiers amid lockdown

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 26, 2020

MELBOURNE Australians have paid tributes to their fallen troops of World War I from their own homes due to the lockdown enforced to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Normally drawing crowds of thousands, this year’s Anzac Day…

Hong Kong bookstore under attack in China reopens in Taiwan

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 25, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan The part-owner of a Hong Kong bookstore specializing in texts critical of China’s leaders reopened his shop in Taiwan on Saturday after fleeing Hong Kong due to legal troubles, saying he was grateful for the chance to make…

Brazil becoming coronavirus hot spot as testing falters

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 25, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO Cases of the new coronavirus are overwhelming hospitals, morgues and cemeteries across Brazil as Latin America’s largest nation veers closer to becoming one of the world’s pandemic hot spots. Medical officials in Rio de…

Global markets struggle as hopes for quick rebound fade

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 24, 2020

TOKYO Global stock markets mostly fell on Friday as hopes faded for a quick recovery from the global coronavirus pandemic. Investors looked past new economic relief measures in the United States and Europe to focus on the likelihood that…

Hope dashed: Asian shares fall after Wall Street loses rally

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 24, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares are lower Friday after an early rally on Wall Street suddenly vanished, the latest example of how fragile the hopes underpinning the stock market’s monthlong recovery are. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 0.8% in…

Guaido allies take slice of first Venezuela budget

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 24, 2020

MIAMI Opposition lawmakers in Venezuela quietly agreed to pay themselves $5,000 a month when they readied special $100 bonuses for doctors and nurses battling the coronavirus — a large payout for a nation where most workers are scraping by…

Stocks push higher again, even as dismal data piles up

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 23, 2020

NEW YORK Another Thursday with a shocking number of workers losing their jobs, another gain for the stock market. U.S. stocks pushed higher in the first few minutes of trading, even after the government said 4.4 million people filed for…

Indonesia introduces baby born to rescued orangutan

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 22, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia A female orangutan recently born at the Mt. Tarak protected forest on the island of Borneo now has a name. The baby born in March was named Sinar by Indonesia’s Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya. “Sinar…

Asian stocks fall further amid oil market turmoil

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 22, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets fell further Wednesday as oil prices recovered some of their record-setting losses amid anxiety about the coronavirus pandemic’s mounting economic damage. Benchmarks in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia…

Trump tells Chevron to “wind down” oil fields in Venezuela

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 22, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered Chevron Corp. to “wind down” operations in Venezuela by Dec. 1, barring the California-based oil giant in the meantime from drilling or exporting, as the U.S. increases…

Brent oil price dives below $20 per barrel

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

Brent crude oil dived below the threshold of $20 per barrel on Tuesday as the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) continues to ramp up oil oversupply amid low global consumption. The international benchmark fell to as low as $18.02 per barrel,…

Japan PM asks citizens to be more diligent

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

TOKYO Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed concerns Tuesday that Japanese people haven’t followed social distancing measures as much as they’re supposed to under a state of emergency he declared two weeks ago to fight the spread of the…

After denial, Indonesia sees mounting coronavirus deaths

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia While Indonesia’s neighbors scrambled early this year to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the government of the world’s fourth most populous nation insisted that everything was fine. In speeches,…

Refugee women facing greater violence risk during crisis: UNHCR

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

Geneva, Switzerland Displaced women and girls are facing a heightened risk of gender-based violence during the coronavirus crisis, the UN Refugee Agency said Monday. The UNHCR said they may be forced into "survival sex" or child…

Myanmar ships 800 freed Rohingya prisoners back to Rakhine

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

Myanmar shipped hundreds of recently released Rohingya inmates back to the country's restive western borderlands on Monday, after fears that its overcrowded prisons could become hotbeds for runaway coronavirus outbreaks. Men, women and…

Oil price goes negative as demand collapses; stocks dip

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

BANGKOK Asian shares skidded on Tuesday after U.S. oil futures plunged below zero as storage for crude runs close to full amid a worldwide glut as demand collapses due to the pandemic. Shares fell in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai but New…

South Korea looking into reports about Kim Jong Un’s health

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 21, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea The South Korean government on Tuesday was looking into reports saying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was in fragile condition after surgery. An official from the National Intelligence Service, who didn’t want to be…

Australia to make Google and Facebook pay for news content

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 20, 2020

CANBERRA, Australia Global digital platforms Google and Facebook will be forced to pay for news content in Australia, the government said on Monday as the coronavirus pandemic causes a collapse in advertising revenue. Treasurer Josh…

McDonald’s is suspending operations in Singapore after seven employees test positive

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 19, 2020

SINGAPORE Fast food giant McDonald’s says it will suspend all operations in Singapore for two weeks from Sunday after seven of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus. McDonald’s said in a Facebook post it decided to follow the…

South Korea to start relaxing some limits

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 19, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea South Korea’s prime minister says the country will maintain much of its social distancing guidelines until May 5 but will relax some limits. The comments by Chung Sye-kyun came hours after South Korea’s health…

Tokyo’s homeless seek Olympic Athletes Village as shelter

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 18, 2020

TOKYO A group representing the homeless is asking to use the Athletes Village for next year’s Tokyo Olympics as a shelter during the coronavirus pandemic. An online petition addressed to Tokyo Olympic organizers and the city government…

With price high, Thais with dwindling incomes sell off gold

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 16, 2020

Bangkok With gold prices rising to a seven-year high, many Thais have been flocking to gold shops to trade in their necklaces, bracelets, rings and gold bars for cash, eager to reap profits during an economic downturn. In Thailand, where…

South Korean ruling party wins vote held amid virus fears

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 16, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea The ruling liberal party secured a resounding victory in South Korea’s parliamentary elections, which had the highest turnout in nearly three decades despite the coronavirus sickening thousands and forcing social…

Australia to see 25-year high in unemployment: Report

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 14, 2020

Australia will face 25-year highs in unemployment as the country falls into recession amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, new data released by country's treasury suggests. "The economic shock facing the global economy from the coronavirus…

North Korea fires short-range missiles into East Sea

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 14, 2020

Ahead of the birth anniversary of the country's founder, North Korea on Tuesday fired a barrage of short-range missiles, said the South Korean military. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the country's northern neighbor fired…

Myanmar charges pastor, preacher for defying virus ban

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 14, 2020

YANGON, Myanmar Myanmar's authorities on Tuesday charged four people for organizing public gatherings defying the ban imposed in the wake of coronavirus. Police opened criminal cases against the accused including a Christian pastor and a…

Great Depression-sized slowdown seen, but some light appears

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 14, 2020

The outbreak of the coronavirus has dealt a shock to the global economy with unprecedented speed. Following are developments Tuesday related to the global economy, the work place and the spread of the virus. GLOBAL MALAISE: Economists are…

IMF: Global economy will suffer worst year since Depression

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 14, 2020

WASHINGTON Beaten down by the coronavirus outbreak, the world economy in 2020 will suffer its worst year since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the International Monetary Fund says in its latest forecast. The IMF said Tuesday that it…

Iran: Coronavirus death toll jumps to 4,585

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 13, 2020

With 111 more deaths reported in Iran, the death toll out of coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic has increased to 4,585, a country’s health official said on Monday. Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told the TV channels that 1,617…

Fading Vision Fund to tip SoftBank into first loss in 15 years

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 13, 2020

TOKYO SoftBank expects its $100 billion Vision Fund to book a loss of 1.8 trillion yen ($16.5 billion) due to the worsening performance of its tech bets, which will tip the group as a whole into its first loss for 15 years. A third…

Japan’s leader slammed over ‘stay home’ shutdown tweet

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 13, 2020

TOKYO Perhaps the best that can be said about a “stay home” Twitter posted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is that it’s given bored copycats sitting at home waiting out the coronavirus ample inspiration. It certainly appears to have…

Asian shares fall, Europe, Hong Kong closed after Easter

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 13, 2020

TOKYO Shares were mostly lower Monday in Asia while crude prices lost earlier gains that had come after OPEC and other oil producing nations agreed to cut output to reflect the collapse of demand due to the pandemic. Trading was muted…

Taiwan says Chinese carrier group drills close to island

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 12, 2020

TAIPEI A Chinese naval flotilla led by the country’s first aircraft carrier passed by the eastern and southern coasts of Taiwan on Sunday to carry out drills, the island’s defence ministry said, in the latest uptick in military tensions.…

Indonesia reports biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 12, 2020

JAKARTA Indonesia on Sunday reported 399 new cases of the coronavirus, its biggest daily jump so far, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,241, according to data provided by a health ministry official, Achmad…

Venezuela extends quarantine additional 30 days

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 12, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has extended a nationwide quarantine for another 30 days to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus throughout the crisis-stricken South American nation. Maduro announced the…

Infected Antarctic cruise passengers return to Australia

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 12, 2020

SYDNEY More than 100 Australian and New Zealand passengers of the Antarctic cruise ship the Greg Mortimer, most of whom infected by the coronavirus, arrived in Melbourne early Sunday on a flight from Uruguay. The plane with 112…

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano shoots ash, lava

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 11, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano spewed a column of ash 500 meters (1,640 feet) into the sky in the longest eruption since the explosive collapse of the island caused a deadly tsunami in 2018, scientists said Saturday.…

Indonesia: Possible virus treatment found in flora

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 9, 2020

JAKARTA Indonesian research teams on Thursday said they found potential compounds in local agricultural products that can fight the novel coronavirus. Dr. Ari Fahrial Syam, an internist at the University of Indonesia, said hesperidin,…

Brazil: Refugee-owned shop offers free lunch to elderly

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 8, 2020

A Syrian restaurant owner who came to Brazil seven years ago as a refugee has donated hundreds of free meals and said he is planning to continue to do so for weeks in the coronavirus epicenter of Latin America. According to a local media…

Virus crisis cuts off billions sent to poor around the world

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 8, 2020

MIAMI Until a month ago, Diana Leticia Hernández sold face cream door to door in Miami. Her husband painted houses. The money fed their family and at least six relatives in Honduras. Hernández has sold nothing since last month due to fear…

Sex. Drugs. Virus. Venezuela elites still party in pandemic

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 7, 2020

MIAMI They whiled away the week on a sex- and drug-fueled romp: dancing on white-sand beaches and frolicking on a paradisaical Caribbean island with prostitutes from Europe, some snapping selfies with famous reggaeton artists. But…

HSBC Hong Kong shareholders mull legal action over dividend suspension

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

HONG KONG HSBC (HSBA.L) shareholders in Hong Kong are considering calling for an extraordinary meeting with management and taking possible legal action against the bank’s decision to scrap dividend payments. HSBC and other top British…

Yen falls on concerns Japan close to declaring state of emergency; sterling steadies

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

TOKYO The yen fell on Monday after Japanese media said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may declare a state of emergency as early as Tuesday to curb an alarming spike in coronavirus infections. The pound trimmed losses against the dollar and…

Australia launches criminal investigation into virus-hit cruise ship docked in Sydney

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

Sydney Australian authorities launched a criminal investigation on Sunday into a COVID-19 infected cruise ship which was allowed to dock in Sydney before releasing thousands of passengers directly into the community. Since the Ruby…

Shares rebound on signs of progress in battling virus

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

BANGKOK World shares rose Monday as investors gleaned hope from signs that the battle against the coronavirus pandemic may be making some progress in some hard-hit areas. Benchmarks were up about 3% in Paris and Frankfurt and Tokyo jumped…

Singapore quarantines almost 20K foreign workers

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

SINGAPORE Singapore has placed nearly 20,000 foreign workers under quarantine in their dormitories after an increasing number in the community were found to be infected with COVID-19. The country has gazetted two foreign dormitories as…

Mexico: More social spending, no business bailout for virus

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 6, 2020

MEXICO CITY Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday there will be no huge economic stimulus program as the country faces the threat of coronavirus-induced crisis almost certainly unlike any it has seen in the past…

In years before outbreak, investment in public health fell

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 5, 2020

In the decade before Michigan and its largest city became the latest hot spot for the deadly coronavirus, officials were steadily, and at times dramatically, cutting back on their first line of defense against pandemics and other public…

Asian stocks mixed as economic toll of virus worsens

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 2, 2020

BEIJING Asian stocks were mixed Thursday after a White House warning that as many as 240,000 Americans might die of the coronavirus sent Wall Street tumbling and signs of the outbreak’s global economic cost increased. Benchmarks in Tokyo…

Australian shops ration booze to foil hoarders amid virus shutdowns

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 1, 2020

SYDNEY Australia’s retailers are putting limits on purchases of alcohol as hoarders turn their attention from toilet paper and other household essentials to drink amid a widespread shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.…

Argentina to continue talks with creditors after missing deadline: economy minister

THE ASIA LIVE Apr 1, 2020

BUENOS AIRES Argentina will continue talks this week and next with creditors over restructuring its $83 billion in foreign debt, Economy Minister Martin Guzman said on Tuesday, after the South American country missed the March 31 deadline…

Myanmar journalist faces life sentence over interview

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 31, 2020

YANGON, Myanmar Myanmar's authorities have detained a journalist under a controversial counter-terrorism law over a news report about an ethnic rebel group in the country's volatile Rakhine state. Police late on Monday detained and…

US outlines plan for Venezuela transition, sanctions relief

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 31, 2020

MIAMI The Trump administration is prepared to lift sanctions on Venezuela in support of a new proposal to form a transitional government representing allies of both Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, U.S. officials said.…

World Bank sees outbreak taking a big toll on Asia’s economy

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 31, 2020

The World Bank is estimating that the cornavirus outbreak will cause economic growth to slow significantly this year in China and other East Asian-Pacific countries, throwing millions into poverty. Under a worse-case scenario, the region…

North Korea says U.S. will not drop hostile policy despite leaders’ ‘special…

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 30, 2020

SEOUL North Korea said the United States will not drop its hostile policy even though their two leaders have a “special relationship”, state media KCNA said on Monday. A North Korean official said in the statement U.S. Secretary of State…

Taiwan central bank says still room for further interest rate cuts

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 30, 2020

TAIPEI There is room for further interest rate cuts, but they will not be reduced to zero or into negative territory, Taiwan central bank governor Yang Chin-long told parliament on Monday. More money for small and medium-sized companies…

Asia shares suffer virus chills, central banks offer what they can

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 30, 2020

Asian shares slid on Monday and oil prices took another tumble as fears mounted that the global shutdown for the coronavirus could last for months, doing untold harm to economies despite central banks’ best efforts. “We continue to mark…

North Korea fires missiles into sea, criticized by South

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 29, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korea on Sunday fired two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea, South Korea said, calling it “very inappropriate” at a time when the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of…

Taiwan foreign minister invites U.S. reporters expelled by China

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 28, 2020

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu extended a personal invitation on Saturday for three major U.S. newspapers to station on the island their China-based journalists whose expulsion Beijing has announced.

A defiant Maduro threatens ‘cowboy’ Trump after drug charge

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 27, 2020

MIAMI Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stood defiant in the face of a $15 million bounty by the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges, calling Donald Trump a “racist cowboy” and warning that he is ready to fight by whatever means…

Half-million infected worldwide as economic toll rises

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 27, 2020

The human and economic toll of the lockdowns against the coronavirus mounted Thursday as India struggled to feed the multitudes, Italy shut down most of its industry, and a record-shattering 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment…

Asian shares jump after Dow sees biggest gain since 1933

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 25, 2020

Shares opened sharply higher in Asia on Wednesday after the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to its best day since 1933 with Congress and the White House nearing a deal on injecting nearly $2 trillion of aid into an economy ravaged by…

Singapore’s core prices fall for first time in a decade

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 23, 2020

SINGAPORE Singapore’s main price gauge fell into negative territory for the first time in over a decade in February, data showed on Monday, with prices falling 0.1% from a year earlier. Economists polled by Reuters had been expecting a…

Australia’s Bondi Beach closed after crowds defy coronavirus rules

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 21, 2020

MELBOURNE Australian officials closed Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Saturday after thousands of people flocked there in recent days, defying social distancing orders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, amid an unusually warm autumn…

Kickboxing match in Bangkok leads to spike in infections

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 21, 2020

BANGKOK Kickboxing aficionados came from all over Thailand to attend a major Muay Thai match at Bangkok’s indoor Lumpini Stadium on March 6. Dozens or more went home unknowingly carrying the coronavirus. The wayward boxing fans led an…

North Korea test fires missiles; Seoul slams it as inappropriate

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 21, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korea on Saturday fired two presumed short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, South Korea’s military said, as it continues to expand military capabilities amid deadlocked nuclear negotiations with the Trump…

‘Down to zero’: Argentine farms, hotels and theaters sideswiped as coronavirus spreads

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 19, 2020

BUENOS AIRES Argentina’s recession- and debt-wracked economy was ill prepared for the closed borders and long-distance travel ban prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, which has slammed businesses like that of local hotelier Patricia…

Oil pares gains as investors wait to see if coronavirus stimulus works

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 19, 2020

TOKYO Oil prices rose on Thursday but pared early gains as investors tried to assess how effective massive stimulus by central banks will be in shoring up the global economy as the shock from the coronavirus pandemic deepens. Bucking…

Indonesia rations purchases of staples, eyes fuel price cuts

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 18, 2020

JAKARTA Indonesian police have ordered retailers to ration purchases of staple foods to contain panic buying amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the Southeast Asian country, while the president weighed up a cut in fuel prices to reflect…

With borders and businesses closing, world hunkers down

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 17, 2020

BANGKOK With borders slamming shut, schools and businesses closing and and increasingly drastic restrictions on movement, tens of millions of people were hunkered down Tuesday, heeding government calls to isolate themselves and slow the…

Asian stocks fall in volatile session after historic Wall St. plunge

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 17, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares fell on Tuesday in a topsy-turvy session following one of Wall Street’s biggest one-day routs in history as headlines about the coronavirus outbreak and its global economic impact whiplashed investor sentiment.…

Asian stock markets, US futures sink after Fed’s rate cut

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 16, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets and U.S. futures fell Monday after the Federal Reserve slashed its key interest rate to shore up economic growth in the face of mounting global anti-virus controls that are shutting down business and travel.…

Taiwan school uses dividers during lunch to counter coronavirus

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 13, 2020

TAIPEI A school in Taiwan’s capital Taipei is going to unusual lengths to protect its students from the coronavirus - putting up bright yellow dividers on their desks during lunch to reduce their risk of infection while eating. While a…

Singapore to close mosques to prevent coronavirus spread

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 12, 2020

SINGAPORE Singapore will close all mosques for at least five days for deep cleaning to prevent the spread of coronavirus after two congregants were thought to have been infected during an Islamic conference in neighboring Malaysia. The…

Prosecutor says Australian cardinal’s convictions must stand

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 12, 2020

CANBERRA, Australia A prosecutor argued in Australia’s highest court Thursday that Cardinal George Pell’s convictions for child sex abuse should stand and what may be his final appeal should be rejected. Pope Francis’ former finance…

Thailand cancels visa on arrival for 18 countries, visa exemptions for three to limit virus spread

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 11, 2020

BANGKOK Thailand on Wednesday canceled the grant of visa on arrival for 18 countries and visa exemption for three others to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s interior minister said. Previously, nationals of 18 countries…

In Malaysia’s Silicon Valley, fortunes flip as virus wrecks trade war gains

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 10, 2020

PENANG, Malaysia Tech firms at Malaysia’s one-time Silicon Valley of the East, swimming in orders from customers fleeing trade war-hit China, have seen fortunes turn again in the space of just a year as the coronavirus outbreak cuts them…

North Korea fires weapons after threatening ‘momentous’ action

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 9, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korea fired three short-range projectiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said, two days after the North threatened to take “momentous” action to protest outside condemnation over its earlier…

Scores detained at women’s rally in Kyrgyzstan

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 8, 2020

Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan Police in the capital of Kyrgyzstan have detained about 60 people after an unauthorized rally to mark International Women’s Day was broken up by a group of men. The disorder took place Sunday at a main square in…

The one who is guilty has the higher voice

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 8, 2020

Upper Mustang,Nepal The former kingdom of Lo is linked by religion, culture and history to Tibet, but is politically part of Nepal. Now while Tibetan culture is in danger of disappearing, the Mustang culture of Lo stands alone as one of…

Senior Mexican official quits, in latest blow to president

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 3, 2020

MEXICO CITY A senior Mexican official in charge of one of the government’s signature social programs resigned on Monday in a sharply-worded letter that marked the latest bust-up within President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s…

Kim watches N Korea military drill alongside masked officers

THE ASIA LIVE Mar 3, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised an earlier live-fire rocket artillery exercise to confirm his military’s combat readiness and “further kindle the flames of training revolution,” state media said Tuesday. The…

Taiwan passes $2 billion package to soften coronavirus hit to economy

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 25, 2020

TAIPEI Taiwan’s parliament approved a T$60 billion ($2 billion) package on Tuesday to help cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy. The package includes loans for small businesses, subsidies for…

Singapore’s Bangladeshi workers have eyes on home as coronavirus shakes community

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 25, 2020

SINGAPORE With his shaggy grey beard, rose-colored robe and a prayer cap that extends his tall frame, shopkeeper Tariqul Islam is an imposing figure on the stall-lined street that serves up home comforts to Singapore’s Bangladeshi…

Malaysia’s Mahathir returns as interim PM amid political uncertainty

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 25, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad went back to work on Tuesday with the new title of interim prime minister, a day after he resigned the leadership in a shock move that plunged the country into political turmoil. Mahathir, who at…

Haiti police exchange fire with troops near national palace

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 24, 2020

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Haitian police officers exchanged gunfire for hours Sunday with soldiers of the newly reconstituted army outside the national palace, in a dangerous escalation of protests over police pay and working conditions. At…

UN study: 1 of every 3 Venezuelans is facing hunger

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 24, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela One of every three people in Venezuela is struggling to put enough food on the table to meet minimum nutrition requirements as the nation’s severe economic contraction and political upheaval persists, according to a…

China suspends more penalties on US goods after trade truce

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 21, 2020

BEIJING China on Friday suspended more punitive tariffs on imports of U.S. industrial goods in response to a truce in its trade war with Washington that threatened global economic growth. Financial markets have welcomed announcements by…

Dogs’ ability to love sets them apart, argues Clive Wynne in new book

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 20, 2020

The idea that animals can experience love was once anathema to the psychologists who studied them, seen as a case of putting sentimentality before scientific rigor. But a new book argues that, when it comes to dogs, the word is necessary…

Asian shares mostly rise while virus fears continue

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 19, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares mostly rose Wednesday, despite overnight losses on Wall Street and continuing fears about an outbreak of a new virus that began in China. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.0% in afternoon trading to 23,415.30.Australia’s…

Shares fall in Asia as virus outbreak hits profits, events

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 18, 2020

BANGKOK Shares slipped in Asia on Tuesday as the impact from the virus outbreak that began in China deepened, with Apple saying it would fail to meet its profit target and China moving to postpone or cancel major events including the…

Killing of 7-year-old stokes anger in Mexico over femicides

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 18, 2020

MEXICO CITY The killing of a 7-year-old girl on the southern outskirts of Mexico City has stoked rising anger over the brutal slayings of women, including one found stabbed to death and skinned earlier this month. The city prosecutor’s…

Zuckerberg meets EU officials as bloc’s new tech rules loom

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 17, 2020

LONDON Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met top European Union officials on a visit to Brussels on Monday, days before the bloc is expected to release new proposals on regulating artificial intelligence. The billionaire social network founder…

Asian markets mixed: Japan skids; China helped by rate cut

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 17, 2020

BANGKOK Markets were mixed in Asia on Monday, with Japan’s benchmark slipping 0.7% after the government reported the economy contracted 6.3% in annual terms in the last quarter. China’s shares got a boost after the central bank stepped in…

GM plans to pull out of Australia, New Zealand and Thailand

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 17, 2020

DETROIT General Motors decision to pull out of Australia, New Zealand and Thailand as part of a strategy to exit markets that don’t produce adequate returns on investments raised dismay Monday from officials concerned over job losses. The…

Orangutan granted ‘personhood’ turns 34, makes new friend

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 16, 2020

WAUCHULA, Fla. A orangutan named Sandra, who was granted legal personhood by a judge in Argentina and later found a new home in Florida, celebrated her 34th birthday on Valentine’s Day with a special new primate friend. Patti Ragan,…

Twitter launches ‘Safe DM’ filter to prevent unwanted photos

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 16, 2020

Twitter has launched a plugin called ‘Safe DM’ for its users to prevent them from receiving unsolicited pictures. The micro-blogging website introduced the new filter on Friday. According to BBC, the 'Safe DM' filter can block and delete…

Magnitude-5.8 quake jolts Indonesia

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 16, 2020

JAKARTA A magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Maluku province early Sunday, according to the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency. The epicenter was located 117 kilometers (72 miles) off East Seram Regency at…

Antarctica Now Hotter Than Spain as Record-Shattering Heat Climbs Near 70°F

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 14, 2020

The heat in Antarctica is continuing to climb with recent recordings showing that the icy continent has reached a shocking temperature of 69.35°F (20.75°C)—the highest temperature ever recorded. The unprecedented hot temperature was logged…

Myanmar arrests 48 Rohingya fleeing camps

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 14, 2020

PETHEIN Nearly 50 Rohingya Muslims have been detained at sea by Myanmar's navy, a local official said Friday, the latest from the persecuted minority to be caught trying to flee camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar's restive Rakhine state. It…

Asian shares mostly lower as new China virus cases spike

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 13, 2020

Bangkok Asian shares were mostly lower Thursday as reported cases of the new virus jumped in China. The Shanghai Composite declined 0.7% to 2,906.07 in afternoon trading. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.3% to 27,730.00. Japan’s Nikkei 225…

Airbus shows loss for 2019 due to big bribery settlement

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 13, 2020

FRANKFURT, Germany Commercial aircraft maker Airbus lost 1.36 billion euros ($1.48 billion) in 2019 because of a multibillion-euro bribery settlement with authorities in three countries, but otherwise saw a record year of aircraft…

Global shares rise despite continuing virus fears

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 12, 2020

TOKYO Global shares were higher Wednesday, although the outbreak of a new virus, mostly in China, continued to weigh on investor sentiments. France’s CAC 40 added 0.1% in early trading to 6,063.26. Germany’s DAX was up 0.3% at 13,667.35.…

Asian carp roundup in Kentucky opens new front in battle

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 12, 2020

GOLDEN POND, Ky. Like a slow-motion, underwater cattle drive, wildlife officials in a half-dozen aluminum boats used pulses of electricity and sound on a recent gray morning to herd schools of Asian carp toward 1,000-foot-long (305 meters)…

Singapore bank clears office after virus case found

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 12, 2020

SINGAPORE The Singapore bank DBS on Wednesday cleared a downtown office and told some 300 employees to work from home after one of its staff was infected with the new virus, adding to concerns that also led authorities to scale back an air…

Buddhist monk recalls Thai soldier’s rampage at temple

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 11, 2020

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand A rogue soldier whose rampage left 29 people dead and dozens more injured in northeastern Thailand terrorized a Buddhist temple on his way to a shopping mall where he held people hostage in a nearly 16-hour…

Coronavirus fears continue to pressure global stock exchanges

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 11, 2020

NEW YORK Major US stock indices finished at fresh records Monday, shrugging off worries about the coronavirus that pressured other equity markets and drove oil prices lower. As the outbreak continued, Chinese President Xi Jinping donned a…

Thai city copes with sorrowful fallout from mass shooting

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 10, 2020

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand Authorities in northern Thailand began releasing bodies to relatives Monday after security forces cornered and killed a soldier who carried out the country’s worst mass shooting in an hourslong siege at a…

Thai mass shooting – Angry soldier kills 21 – Shot Dead after 12-hour manhunt

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 9, 2020

A gunman identifed as a soldier angry over a financial dispute killed two people and then went on a far bloodier rampage Saturday in northeastern Thailand, shooting as he drove to a busy mall where shoppers fled in terror. At least 21…

Asian shares up on China efforts despite virus worries

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 5, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares rose Wednesday on optimism that China’s latest actions may help curtail some of the expected economic damage from the virus outbreak. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.1% to 23,342.60 in afternoon trading.…

Sony raises forecast despite lagging video-game business

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 4, 2020

TOKYO Fiscal third-quarter profit at Japanese electronics and entertainment company Sony Corp. dipped to about half of what it was the previous year as its video game, networking and film businesses stumbled. Tokyo-based Sony, which makes…

Asia shares gain, Shanghai up slightly after Wall St rebound

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 4, 2020

BANGKOK Shares advanced in Asia on Tuesday, with the Shanghai Composite up 0.2% after a rebound on Wall Street overnight. Markets were still far from giving the all-clear on the virus outbreak that has spread to more than 20 countries and…

Reward offered for removing bike tyre from 13-foot crocodile’s neck

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 2, 2020

JAKARTA Indonesian authorities are offering a reward to anyone who can rescue a saltwater crocodile with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck — and survive. The contest will see one brave crocodile hunter land an unspecified amount of…

Senior Australian minister resigns after public funds used to target marginal electorates

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 2, 2020

MELBOURNE A senior Australian lawmaker resigned from her leadership roles on Sunday amid anger after an independent audit found money from a A$100 million ($68.39 million) sport development fund was used to target votes ahead of last…

One dead in illegal deforestation raid in northern Brazil

THE ASIA LIVE Feb 2, 2020

SAO PAULO A man has died during a raid to fight illegal deforestation in the northern Brazilian state of Roraima, the country’s environment agency Ibama said. Ibama and military police agents found illegal logging in a forest area close…

Huawei races to replace Google apps for next smartphone

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 30, 2020

BEIJING If you can make smartphone apps, Chinese tech giant Huawei wants you. The No. 2 global smartphone brand is struggling to hold onto its market after Washington accused Huawei of being a security risk and blocked access to U.S.…

Amnesty Int’l: Asia seeing growing repression, resistance

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 30, 2020

BANGKOK Authoritarian governments in Asia are undermining human rights and demonizing their critics, but they face a rising tide of protest from young people who defy grave risks to protest such repression, Amnesty International said in…

Toyota’s 2019 global vehicle sales trail Volkswagen’s

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 30, 2020

TOKYO German automaker Volkswagen has kept its lead as the world’s largest automaker after Japanese rival Toyota announced it sold fewer vehicles last year. Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it sold 10.74 million vehicles around the world…

Asian markets tumble as fears over virus outbreak spread

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 30, 2020

Shares tumbled in Asia on Thursday as concern over the impact of the virus outbreak in China deepened. Taiwan’s benchmark dived 5.8% as its market reopened after the Lunar New Year. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index sank 1.7% to 22,977.75, while…

Philippines: Nearly 400,000 affected by volcano blast

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 28, 2020

Manila Since its most recent major eruption earlier this month, the Taal Volcano has affected nearly 400,000 people in the Philippines, local media reported on Tuesday. A total of 104,645 families, or 396,731 people, across four provinces…

Asian stocks tumble as China virus worries deepen

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 28, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares skidded again Tuesday on deepening worries over the expanding outbreak of a new virus in China. Markets in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China were closed Tuesday for Lunar New Year holidays, while South Korea’s…

North Korea urges citizens to ‘break through barriers’ as nuclear standoff continues

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 27, 2020

SEOUL While a North Korean deadline for the United States to soften its stand on denuclearization talks passed uneventfully over the New Year, state media and propaganda efforts have been focusing on the prospect of a long confrontation…

Tibet aims 20 pct growth of labor income for farmers, herders

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 26, 2020

LHASA Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is aiming for a 20 percent growth in labor income for farmers and herders in 2020, the regional human resources and social security authorities said. The region will strive to realize…

Boeing’s 777X jetliner successfully completes maiden flight

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 26, 2020

SEATTLE Boeing Co successfully staged the first flight of the world’s largest twin-engined jetliner on Saturday in a respite from the crisis over its smallest model, the grounded 737 MAX. The 777X, a larger version of the 777 mini-jumbo,…

Kim’s aunt reemerges after years of speculation about fate

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 26, 2020

SEOUL, South Korea The aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made her first public appearance in about six years, state media reported Sunday, quelling rumors that she was purged or executed by her nephew. According to a Korean Central…

Artillery shells kill 2 Rohingya women in Myanmar

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 25, 2020

YANGON, Myanmar At least two Rohingya women were killed after artillery shells hit a village in the Myanmar's western Rakhine state on Friday, according to media reports and a lawmaker. Narinjara, a local news service, reported that two…

Bolivia religious debate: The Bible vs Andean earth deity

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 24, 2020

LA PAZ, Bolivia Hoisting a large leather Bible above her head, Bolivia’s new interim president delivered an emphatic message hours after Evo Morales fled under pressure, the end of a nearly 14-year presidency that celebrated the country’s…

Theme Park Apologizes for Forcing a Live Pig to Bungee Jump

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 24, 2020

A disturbing video has surfaced from China, where a live pig was forced to bungee jump at a theme park. Footage taken at the park shows a live pig hooked up to a bungee cord and then thrown off a platform that is about 68 meters high. The…

5 sentenced to prison in Mexico for migrant trafficking

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 23, 2020

MEXICO CITY Five men were sentenced to six and a half years in prison for trafficking 785 undocumented migrants in cargo trucks, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Wednesday. Two of them were convicted of transporting 396 migrants…

Man sentenced to 8 months in jail for killing dog

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 22, 2020

SEOUL A South Korean man on Wednesday was sentenced to an eight-month jail term for killing a lost dog, according to Yonhap news agency. The Seoul Western District Court condemned the 28-year-old man, identified by his surname Jeong who…

Myanmar panel: Security forces likely committed war crimes

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 21, 2020

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar An independent commission established by Myanmar’s government has concluded there are reasons to believe that security forces committed war crimes in counterinsurgency operations that led more than 700,000 Rohingya…

Asian stocks tumble on growing concern about China virus

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 21, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets tumbled Tuesday as concern about the economic impact of a Chinese disease outbreak rose. Japan’s central bank left its key interest rate unchanged and revised up its economic growth outlook. Market indexes in…

100s in river ‘no-man’s land’ after Mexico troops block way

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 21, 2020

CIUDAD HIDALGO, Mexico Hundreds of Central American migrants were stranded in a sort of no-man’s land on the river border between Guatemala and Mexico after running up against lines of Mexican National Guard troops deployed to keep them…

Stage set for 50th edition of World Economic Forum

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 20, 2020

DAVOS, Switzerland Amid global upheavals such as the escalation in northwestern Idlib city of Syria, the ongoing civil war in Libya and a U.S.-Iran crisis, the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual gathering is set to begin on Jan. 21 in…

Cyberattack targets Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 20, 2020

Tokyo Japanese electronics giant Mitsubishi Electric on Monday revealed that it was targeted by a “massive cyberattack” during which government data might have been compromised, local media reported. In a statement, Mitsubishi Electric…

Malaysia sends back trash, says won’t be world’s waste bin

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 20, 2020

PENANG, Malaysia Malaysia has sent back 150 containers of plastic waste to 13 mainly rich countries since the third quarter last year, with the environment minster warning on Monday that those who want to make the country a rubbish bin of…

Photo Stories: Cult ‘anointed by God’ kills 7 in Panama Jungle

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 19, 2020

EL TERRÓN, Panama Bibles rest on a wooden altar next to percussion instruments — a guiro and a drum — in the room where a religious sect allegedly forced a pregnant woman and five of her children to walk through fire in this remote hamlet.…

Australian scientists make breakthrough on preventing spread of dengue fever

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 17, 2020

CANBERRA Researchers from Australia's national science body have successfully genetically engineered mosquitoes that are resistant to spreading dengue virus. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on…

President Xi in Myanmar to push for BRI plan

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 17, 2020

YANGON, Myanmar Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is expected to be a primary issue of discussion in Myanmar on Friday during a landmark official state visit by the Chinese president to the country. More than 100 police officers…

Best countries 2020: Switzerland Remains No.1

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 16, 2020

Switzerland remains the best country in the world, though Canada has moved up to the second spot in the U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings. For Switzerland, it's the the fourth consecutive year the island of neutrality in Central…

Fight for Venezuela’s National Assembly deepens

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 15, 2020

CARACAS, Venezuela With two men claiming the presidency for nearly a year, Venezuela’s political landscape has been messy for a while now. But it is set to become flat out chaotic, with confusion over who is in charge of the National…

PDVSA’s partners act as traders of Venezuelan oil amid sanctions – documents

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

CARACAS/PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela Venezuela, its oil exports decimated by U.S. sanctions, is testing a new method of getting its crude to market: allocating cargoes to joint-venture partners including Chevron Corp (CVX.N), which in turn market…

Former soldier admits in court to killing Slovak journalist

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

PEZINOK, Slovakia Former soldier Miroslav Marcek admitted on Monday to the killing of a Slovak journalist and his fiancee, a crime that sparked mass protests leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico. Marcek told the…

With nothing to lose, loners build future in China’s hollowed-out north

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

HEGANG, China Li Hai is a nobody in China. But the 32-year-old ship mechanic became a minor internet sensation last month after posting a video of his everyday life in a largely forgotten coal city in the country’s far north.…

‘Smile with your eyes’: How to beat South Korea’s AI hiring bots and land a job

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

SEOUL In cram school-obsessed South Korea, students fork out for classes in everything from K-pop auditions to real estate deals. Now, top Korean firms are rolling out artificial intelligence in hiring - and jobseekers want to learn how to…

Australian ‘megablaze’ brought under control

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

Exhausted firefighters said they had finally brought Australia's largest "megablaze" under control Monday, as wet weather promised to deliver much-needed respite for countryside ravaged by bushfires. New South Wales firefighters said they…

Cellphones Banned for Anyone Under Age 21

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

A senator from Vermont recently proposed a total ban on cellphone use for anyone under 21-years-old. Democratic Sen. John Rodgers says that he is sponsoring the bill because “cellphones are just as dangerous as guns.” While Rodgers says…

Lava gushes from Philippine volcano as ash spreads to Manila

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

TAGAYTAY, Philippines Red-hot lava gushed out of a Philippine volcano Monday after a sudden eruption of ash and steam that forced villagers to flee en masse and shut down Manila’s international airport, offices and schools. Clouds of ash…

Asian stocks rise ahead of US-China trade pact

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 13, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets rose Monday ahead of the signing of a U.S.-Chinese trade pact as investors shrugged off weaker-than-expected American jobs data. Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and South Korea advanced. Japanese markets were…

Volcano erupts near Manila; villagers flee, airport shut

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 12, 2020

TAGAYTAY, Philippines A small volcano near the Philippine capital that draws tourists for its picturesque setting in a lake erupted with a massive plume of ash and steam Sunday, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and…

Taiwan leader meets top US official after her election win

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 12, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan Whom do you meet the morning after winning reelection as leader of Taiwan? If you’re Tsai Ing-wen, it’s the Americans. The Taiwanese president sat down with the top American official in Taipei on Sunday, one day after her…

Taiwan’s election and its standoff with China

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 11, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan Taiwanese are casting their votes Saturday for the president and legislature of a self-governing island that acts like a sovereign nation yet is not recognized by the U.N. or any major country. China regards Taiwan, which…

Thai opposition leader says he has been charged over huge anti-government rally

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 10, 2020

BANGKOK Thai opposition party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has been charged in connection with an anti-government rally he staged last month, he said on Friday after meeting with police. The Dec. 15 rally Thanathorn called was the…

What is at stake in Taiwan’s election

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 10, 2020

TAIPEI Taiwan votes in presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, which will set the course for the democratic island’s ties with its giant and autocratic neighbor China, which claims Taiwan as its territory. Here is what is at…

Trump sends North Korea’s Kim birthday wishes

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 10, 2020

SEOUL U.S. President Donald Trump sent a happy birthday message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said on Friday. Chung, who met Trump in Washington this week, told reporters that…

‘Get out’: Australians urged to flee as huge bushfires revitalize

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 10, 2020

SYDNEY Australian authorities urged nearly a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes on Friday and prepared military backup as soaring temperatures and erratic winds were expected to fan deadly bushfires across the east coast.…

Asian shares rise after US stocks set records as fears fade

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 10, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares rose Friday as worries receded the United States and Iran might be stepping closer to the edge of war, and U.S. indexes hit records. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2% in morning trading to 23,776.09.…

Statue mocking Donald Trump torched in Slovenia

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia A wooden statue mocking U.S. President Donald Trump was burned to the ground Thursday in Slovenia, the birthplace of his wife Melania, authorities said. The nearly eight-meter (26-foot) high construction, erected last…

2019 ‘warmest’ for bushfire-battling Australia

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

Australia witnessed its "warmest year on record" in 2019, apparently causing the ongoing bushfires across the country, Canberra said Thursday. "The mean temperature for the 10 years from 2010 to 2019 was the highest on record, at 0.86 °C…

Malaysia’s attorney-general drops sex-video case; minister denounces plot

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia’s legal professional basic on Thursday declined to prosecute anybody linked to a sequence of leaked movies purportedly exhibiting the financial affairs minister having intercourse with a person. The minister, Azmin…

Filipino Catholics pray for Mideast peace in huge gathering

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

MANILA, Philippines A mammoth crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics prayed for peace in the Middle East on Thursday at the start of an annual procession of a centuries-old black statue of Jesus Christ in one of Asia’s biggest…

Asian stocks, oil prices rebound as Iran anxiety eases

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

BEIJING Asian stock markets rebounded Thursday as anxiety over potential U.S.-Iranian conflict eased. Tokyo’s benchmark gained more than 2%. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia markets also advanced. Markets sank after Tehran…

Australians on SE coast urged to flee as fire risk escalates

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

TOMERONG, Australia Residents in the path of wildfires razing southeast Australia were urged to evacuate on Thursday if they don’t intend to defend their homes as hot and windy conditions are forecast to escalate the danger over the next…

Taiwan leader gets election boost from unlikely place: China

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 9, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan A year ago, Taiwan’s leader was on the ropes. Then she got a boost from an unexpected corner: Chinese President Xi Jinping. Polls indicate that President Tsai Ing-wen is poised to win a second four-year term on Saturday, a…

Western Union ‘cuts ties’ with Myanmar military’s bank

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 8, 2020

YANGON, Myanmar A leading global money transfer service Western Union has stopped using a military-owned bank as one of its agents in Myanmar, rights groups said. Western Union is one among the most recognizable names on the Dirty List of…

Safe-haven yen, Swiss franc yo-yo after Iran strike on U.S. bases

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 8, 2020

LONDON: Currencies whipsawed on Wednesday, with the safe-haven Japanese yen and Swiss franc initially jumping after Iran fired rockets at U.S. forces in Iraq, before they retreated on a perception that the strikes would not lead to a wider…

Oil up, stocks down after Iran missile attack on US troops

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 8, 2020

BEIJING Oil prices rose and Asian stock markets fell Wednesday after Iran fired missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of an Iranian general. Brent crude futures, the benchmark for international oils, spiked more…

Australian family’s fortress no match for rapacious fires

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 8, 2020

BALMORAL, Australia With flames climbing as high as a 15-story building and menacing his supposedly fireproof home on three sides, Justin Kam ran to the laundry room and opened the door. Inside was fire. That’s not supposed to happen, he…

South Korea expects reciprocal visit by North’s Kim

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 7, 2020

South Korea Tuesday said it is expecting a reciprocal visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year, local media reported. "I hope South and North will make efforts together so that the conditions for Chairman Kim Jong-un's…

No immediate reports of damage, injuries in Indonesia’s 6.2-magnitude quake

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 7, 2020

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck on Tuesday southwest of Indonesia’s province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra, at a depth of 20.3 km (12.6 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. On Twitter, the…

Asian markets slide on alarm over Mideast tensions

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 6, 2020

BANGKOK: Shares skidded in Asia on Monday, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index down 2% on concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East following the killing by a U.S. air strike of an Iranian general. Shares also fell in most other Asian…

Myanmar’s president calls for people’s participation in building democratic federal…

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 4, 2020

YANGON: Myanmar's President U Win Myint Saturday called for the participation of country people in government's endeavor to build a peaceful democratic federal union. "Today is the time when all the national brethren have been striving…

Ghosn fled Japan after security firm hired by Nissan stopped surveillance

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 4, 2020

TOKYO: Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn left his Tokyo residence after a private security firm hired by Nissan Motor Co stopped monitoring him, three sources familiar with the matter told  on Saturday. Ghosn has become an international…

Australian PM calls up reservists as fire threats escalate

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 4, 2020

SYDNEY: Australia’s prime minister called up about 3,000 reservists on Saturday as the threat of wildfires escalated in at least three states, while strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas…

53 dead in landslides, flash floods in Indonesia’s capital

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 4, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia Landslides and floods triggered by torrential downpours have left at least 53 people dead in and around Indonesia’s capital, as rescuers struggled to search for people apparently buried under tons of mud, officials said…

Indonesia capital floods leave 43 dead, 397,000 displaced

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 3, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia: The death toll from floods in Indonesia’s capital rose to 43 of Friday as rescuers found more bodies amid receding floodwaters, disaster officials said. Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged at least 182…

Weather raises Australia’s fire danger

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 3, 2020

SYDNEY: Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee Friday before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia’s already-devastating wildfires. More than 200 fires were…

Indonesia: Heavy rainfalls hit Jakarta, 19 killed

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 2, 2020

JAKARTA, Indonesia: At least 19 were killed in Indonesia’s capital and nearby towns when heavy rains caused flash floods, the authorities said on Thursday. "It has been confirmed that 19 people died, two others are still waiting to be…

Australian authorities steer mass evacuation as wildfires raze holiday towns

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 2, 2020

BATEMANS BAY-MELBOURNE: Tens of thousands of holiday makers raced to evacuate popular seaside towns on Australia’s east coast on Wednesday, fleeing ahead of advancing bushfires, as military ships and helicopters began rescuing thousands…

Asian markets mostly higher on optimism about US-China deal

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 2, 2020

TOKYO Asian shares were mostly higher on optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal as regional markets opened the new year’s first day of trading Thursday. Australia’s S&P ASX 200 gained 0.3% in morning trading to 6,704.00, while South…

Japan’s emperor waves to crowds in 1st New Year’s greeting

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 2, 2020

TOKYO: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito waved to cheering, flag-waving crowds from a palace balcony Thursday in his first New Year’s greeting since ascending to the throne. Naruhito and his wife Masako were joined by his parents, the former…

Taiwan’s top military official survives copter crash

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 2, 2020

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan’s top military official was reported among at least 11 survivors of a Blackhawk helicopter crash Thursday morning in mountains outside the capital. Two people were missing in the crash that occurred as the…

Cheers, tears, prayers for 2020: A new decade is ushered in

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 1, 2020

Revelers around the globe are bidding farewell to a decade that will be remembered for the rise of social media, the Arab Spring, the #MeToo movement and, of course, President Donald Trump. A look at how the world is ushering in 2020: NEW…

Kim says North Korea to show ‘new strategic weapon,’ leaves room for talks

THE ASIA LIVE Jan 1, 2020

SEOUL: North Korea’s leader plans to further develop nuclear programs and to introduce a “new strategic weapon” in the near future, state media said on Wednesday, but he left room for dialogue with the United States after it ignored a…

Microsoft seizes web domains used by North Korean hackers

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 31, 2019

Microsoft said Monday it obtained a court order allowing it to seize web domains used by North Korean hacking groups to launch cyberattacks on human rights activists, researchers and others. The US technology giant said a federal court…

Thousands flee to beaches as fires encircle Australian towns

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 31, 2019

Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia Tuesday, as deadly blazes ripped through popular tourist areas and cut off several towns. In fire-encircled seaside communities along…

Taiwan passes law targeting Chinese political interference

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 31, 2019

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan’s legislature on Tuesday passed a law aimed at blocking political interference from China, less than two weeks before presidential and legislative elections. The approval of the the Anti-Infiltration Law follows…

Asian shares track Wall Street retreat as year winds down

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 31, 2019

TOKYO: Asian shares were lower in quiet New Year’s Eve trading, with many markets closed. Tuesday’s declines tracked a broad retreat overnight on Wall Street that erased some of the major indexes’ recent gains, though the market remains on…

North Korean leader calls for ‘military countermeasures’

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 31, 2019

SEOUL,South Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for active “diplomatic and military countermeasures” to preserve the country’s security in a lengthy speech at a key political conference possibly meant to legitimize major…

Satellite imagery company Maxar to sell Canadian unit for C$1 billion

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 30, 2019

U.S. satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies Inc said on Monday it would sell its Canadian space robotics business to a consortium led by Northern Private Capital (NPC) for C$1 billion ($765 million), in a bid to ease its debt. The…

Asian shares lower with eyes on NKorea, China-US trade deal

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 30, 2019

TOKYO: Asian shares were mostly lower Monday as investors awaited updates on the signing of a trade deal between the U.S. and China and kept a wary eye on North Korea. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index fell 0.8%, ending the year at 23,656.62.…

Philippines Christmas typhoon death toll climbs to 41

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 29, 2019

The number of deaths from a powerful storm that hit the Philippines on Christmas has climbed to 41, authorities said Sunday, with tens of thousands still in evacuation centres. Typhoon Phanfone left the Philippines on Saturday after…

Sydney New Year’s fireworks to go ahead despite wildfires

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 29, 2019

PERTH, Australia Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks will go ahead despite the wildfire crisis to show the world Australia’s resiliency, the prime minister said, while authorities on Sunday braced for conditions to deteriorate with…

Japan police find human remains in boat suspected from North Korea: Coast Guard

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 28, 2019

TOKYO: Japanese police found the remains of at least five people in a wooden boat suspected to be from North Korea on the coast of one of Japan’s outlying islands on Saturday, a Coast Guard official said. Police made the discovery in the…

Vietnam sends ex-ministers, executives, to prison for graft

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 28, 2019

HANOI, Vietnam: A Vietnamese court on Saturday sentenced an ex-minister to life imprisonment in a multimillion-dollar corruption case that also saw another minister and a dozen executives receive lengthy prison terms, state media reported.…

FBI investigates Briton, others for Epstein links-sources

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 27, 2019

The FBI is investigating British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and several other people linked to U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, according to two law enforcement sources…

Asian shares hit 18-month top in festive cheer; oil, gold hold gains

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 27, 2019

SYDNEY: Asian shares scaled an 18-month high on Friday while oil prices stayed buoyant in a holiday-shortened week, as investor optimism improved on hopes a U.S.-China trade deal would soon be signed. Traders returned from their…

Australian wildfires threaten Sydney water supplies

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 27, 2019

SYDNEY: Australian authorities said on Friday they are focused on protecting water plants, pumping stations, pipes and other infrastructure from intense bushfires surrounding Sydney, the country’s largest city. Firefighters battling the…

Another caravan of Mexican migrants – but heading south of border for Christmas

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 26, 2019

JALPAN DE SERRA, Mexico: Poor Central American migrants who form caravans to fend off predatory gangs as they cross Mexico’s interior en route to the United States have made global headlines and drawn the ire of President Donald Trump. But…

Wildfire-ravaged areas of Australia get holiday relief

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 25, 2019

PERTH, Australia: Areas of Australia that have been ravaged by deadly wildfires experienced temporary relief on Wednesday, but oppressive conditions are expected to return this weekend. About 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) of…

New construction seen at missile-related site in North Korea

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 24, 2019

SEOUL, South Korea A new satellite image of a factory where North Korea makes military equipment used to launch long-range missiles shows the construction of a new structure. The release of several images from Planet Labs comes amid…

Asian shares near 18-month high, bask in trade deal afterglow

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 23, 2019

SYDNEY: Asian markets idled near 18-month highs on Monday as trading volumes weakened ahead of the Christmas holiday break, with investors taking profit on gains made earlier this month. In early European trades, the pan-region Euro Stoxx…

After Ethiopia crash, victims’ relatives say they were hounded by U.S. law firms

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 23, 2019

NAIROBI/ADDIS ABABA: Days after the March 10 crash of a Kenya-bound Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing jet that killed all 157 people on board, strangers began calling or visiting bereaved families, saying they represented U.S. law firms. They…

Trump invites Britain’s Johnson to the White House in new year: Sunday Times

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 22, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump has invited British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit him in the White House in the new year, Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper reported. The report added that Trump’s invitation to Johnson was made after…

North Korea threat looms as China, Japan, South Korea leaders meet

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 22, 2019

BEIJING: The spectre of new confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington hangs over meetings between China, Japan and South Korea this week, with growing risks North Korean actions could end an uneasy detente and upend recent diplomatic…

State of emergency declared as bushfires rage in Australia

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 19, 2019

A state of emergency was declared in Australia's most populated region on Thursday, as a record heat wave fanned unprecedented bushfires. About 100 fires have been burning for weeks in drought-plagued New South Wales (NSW) with half of…

Exclusive: Volunteers battle health crisis of asylum seekers in Mexico

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 18, 2019

TIJUANA, Mexico: When the Honduran boy complained of a toothache, Dr. Psyche Calderon asked the obvious question: “When did the pain start?” The answer broke her heart. “When La Mara broke all my teeth and killed all my family,” the…

The Tokyo taxi driver: Suit and tie-white gloves optional

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 18, 2019

TOKYO: Very few countries deliver better service than Japan: in shops, in restaurants, or in taxis. It’s called “Omotenashi” and translates roughly as hospitality — or offering customers unreserved attention. Visitors always comment…

Asian shares mixed after Wall Street hits new record highs

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 18, 2019

TOKYO: Asian shares meandered Wednesday after Wall Street logged fresh record highs, but investor optimism about an interim U.S.-China trade deal announced last week was fading. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 erased earlier gains to give…

Boeing’s 737 crisis deepens as production stops for first time in two decades

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 17, 2019

SEATTLE/WASHINGTON: Boeing Co said on Monday it would suspend production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner in January, its biggest assembly-line halt in more than 20 years, as fallout from two fatal crashes of the now-grounded aircraft…

Diet plays big role in how huge whales can get

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 14, 2019

NEW YORK: Whales are big, but why aren’t they bigger? A new study says it’s basically about how many calories they can take in. That’s the conclusion of researchers who used small boats to chase down 300 whales of various species around…

Hudson’s Bay’s take-private deal falls short

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 14, 2019

Saks Fifth Avenue owner Hudson’s Bay Co (HBC.TO) has fallen short of securing enough shareholder support for a C$1.9 billion($1.4 billion) deal to take the department store operator private, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.…

Chile must prosecute police, army for violence against protesters: U.N.

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 14, 2019

GENEVA/SANTIAGO: Chilean police and soldiers used excessive or unnecessary force to quell recent demonstrations, committing serious human rights violations including unlawful killings and torture that should be prosecuted, the United…

Australia tells Facebook and Google to commit to competition rules, or else

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 12, 2019

SYDNEY : Australia said on Thursday technology giants such as Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) will have to agree to new rules to ensure they do not abuse their market power and damage competition, or the government will impose new…

Opt for fundamentals, not flash, when shopping for plants

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 12, 2019

Gardeners skimming the newly arrived 2020 seed catalogs should probably spend less time on the tempting photographs and more time focusing on what retailers call ``shopping filters.” That means selecting plants based on their performance…

Chile: Debris believed from missing plane carrying 38 found

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 12, 2019

PUNTA ARENAS, Chile: Debris believed to be from a military transport plane carrying 38 people that vanished two days ago en route to the Antarctic has been discovered in the frigid, treacherous waters between the icy continent and South…

Thunberg ‘a bit surprised’ to be Time Person of the Year

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 12, 2019

MADRID : Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg said she was surprised and honored Wednesday to be named Time’s youngest Person of the Year, while adding that others in the global movement she helped inspire deserve to share the accolade.…

Nearly a half-billion in Asia-Pacific still going hungry

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 11, 2019

BANGKOK: Nearly a half-billion people in the Asia-Pacific are still malnourished and eliminating hunger by 2030 requires that millions escape food insecurity each month, according to a report released Wednesday by UN agencies. Data…

Boungainville votes for independence from Papua New Guinea

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 11, 2019

CANBERRA, Australia: The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea, results showed Wednesday. Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman…

11 Australians missing, 13 injured in New Zealand eruption

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 10, 2019

CANBERRA, Australia: Australia’s prime minister said on Tuesday 11 Australians remained unaccounted for and 13 had been hospitalized after a volcano eruption in New Zealand. Three Australians were suspected to be among the initial five…

Troops that defied Maduro have fled Venezuela

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 10, 2019

MIAMI: For seven nerve-wracking months, they slept through the day in cramped quarters on cold floors, while spending their nights in prayer, keeping fit with dumbbells made from water jugs and peering through the diplomatic compound’s…

ADB to Help Private Sector Enhance Corporate Governance and Anticorruption Initiatives

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 9, 2019

MANILA, PHILIPPINES: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today marked the 9th International Anticorruption Day with a commitment to strengthen engagement with the private sector to support good corporate governance and anticorruption measures.…

Japan service sector sentiment improves slightly in November: government

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 9, 2019

TOKYO: Japan’s service sector sentiment index rose to 39.4 in November, a Cabinet Office survey showed on Monday, rebounding after a sales tax hike and a huge typhoon pushed the index to an 8-1/2-year low in October. The survey of…

U.S. bill on China’s Xinjiang violates international law, regional official says

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 9, 2019

BEIJING:Recent U.S. legislation on Xinjiang is a severe violation of international law and gross interference in China’s internal affairs, the governor of the far western region said on Monday, accusing the United States of launching a…

What a four-year doping ban would mean for Russia

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 8, 2019

Moscow:The World Anti-Doping Agency, whose executive committee meets in Lausanne on Monday, is set to punish Russia's complicity in a state-sponsored doping programme with a new four-year ban on Russian sportsmen and women. It is likely…

Hong Kong protesters aim for big turnout at rare sanctioned march

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 8, 2019

Hong Kong Hong Kong democracy protesters are hoping for huge crowds later Sunday at a rally they have billed as a "last chance" for the city's pro-Beijing leaders in a major test for the six-month-old movement. The march comes two…

Senior Afghan police official killed in Taliban attack in N. province

THE ASIA LIVE Dec 20, 2018

Afghanistan A senior police official was killed following crashes in the northern province of Baghlan overnight in a latest string of targeted killing, local police said Thursday. "Salim Kochi, commander of Afghan Local Police (ALP)…