Asia

An investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka has called for the country’s former President as well as senior police and intelligence officials to be prosecuted.

Two police officers in the Philippines were killed in a shootout with other federal agents during a botched undercover drug bust, according to official state media Philippine News Agency (PNA).

China has revealed that four of its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were killed during a bloody hand-to-hand battle with Indian troops on the two countries’ disputed border high in the Himalayas in June 2020.

Six months ago, India was in crisis. Critically ill Covid-19 patients were being turned away from hospitals. Doctors were collapsing from exhaustion. And the virus was spreading through crowded slums, home to millions of the country’s poorest people.

Many citizens in Myanmar have told CNN they are terrified of being dragged from their beds in nighttime or early morning raids, which have become frequent occurrences since the military coup.

Police opened fire on protesters in the Myanmar city of Mandalay on Saturday, leaving at least two dead, according to volunteer emergency workers cited by Reuters and AFP news agencies who have reporters on the ground.

As the sound of fireworks rang out over Beijing to mark the close of the 2008 Summer Olympics, China’s leaders could have been forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief.

Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup on February 1, detaining civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior government officials.

Read CNN’s Fast Facts about the Australian Open, one of four competitions that make up the “Grand Slam” in professional tennis.

Huge crowds brought Myanmar’s towns and cities to a standstill Monday in a mass strike against the coup, despite a warning from the military junta that protesters will “suffer loss of life” if demonstrations confront security forces.

The Philippines will let thousands of its health care workers, mostly nurses, take up jobs in Britain and Germany if the two countries agree to donate coronavirus vaccines, a senior official said on Tuesday.

What does it mean to be a patriot in modern China? Can someone love the country while opposing the ruling Communist Party?

A court in China has ordered a man to pay thousands of dollars in compensation to his former wife for housework she shouldered during their five-year marriage, in a landmark divorce ruling that has sparked discussion in the country over the value of unpaid domestic duties.

China has detained at least six people for allegedly defaming four servicemen killed in a bloody border clash with India last June, as state media wages a propaganda campaign hailing the dead troops as martyrs.

Japan’s military performed 25 missions in 2020 in defense of US ships or planes, a sign of the growing integration of two of Asia’s most powerful armed forces.

Hundreds of millions of people in India face a serious threat to their livelihoods and food security due to overexploitation of vital water supplies, according to the authors of a new study.

JAKARTA: Indonesian rescuers hunted for survivors Thursday (Feb 25) after an illegal gold mine collapsed killing at least three people, with more believed to be buried under the rubble, officials said. A landslide Wednesday evening buried the remote site on Sulawesi island’s Parigi Moutong …

Supporters and opponents of Myanmar’s military clashed on the streets of Yangon on Thursday (Feb 25) as authorities blocked students from leaving their campus to march, a day after a first flurry of diplomacy aimed at resolving the crisis. The country has been in turmoil since the army seized …

Helicopters, firefighters battle 2 forest fires in Japan

Indonesia will receive at least two million doses of a coronavirus vaccine produced by China’s Sinopharm for use in a private vaccination scheme due to run alongside a national inoculation programme, a minister said on Thursday.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong residents are buying more houses and apartments to lease out for income in Britain, property agents say, a trend that coincides with what many expect to be a wave of emigration after China passed a national security law last year. Hong Kongers became the fifth largest foreign …

MANILA: The Philippines will take delivery of its first COVID-19 vaccines at the weekend, allowing it to kick off its inoculation programme from next week, a senior official said on Thursday (Feb 25). Despite having among the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Asia, the Philippines …

SEOUL: South Korean politicians won’t be the first in line when the country kicks off its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Friday (Feb 26), despite calls from the opposition party for the president to roll up his sleeve and take a shot to reassure vaccine sceptics. Leading political figures spent the …

Audiences are cramming into Chinese cinemas to watch a sentimental comedy that has rapidly become one of the most popular films of all time in the country and marks a triumphant debut for its female director.

JAKARTA: Rescue teams in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province searched for survivors on Thursday (Feb 25) after a landslide in an illegal gold mining area killed at least three people, with more feared dead, disaster officials said. Teams comprised of police, military and the local disaster …

The US Consulate in Hong Kong has completed a multi-million-dollar property sale that was previously put on ice after Beijing refused to grant permission, the buyer announced Thursday.

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is enjoying an extended honeymoon with oil-rich Gulf nations, despite being criticised in the United States and Europe as a potential security threat.

YANGON: Social media giant Facebook announced on Thursday (Feb 25) it was banning all accounts linked to Myanmar’s military as well as ads from military-controlled companies in the wake of the army’s seizure of power on Feb 1. Facebook said in a statement that it was treating the post-coup …

Brittany Higgins has filed a formal police report against a former government employee who she said raped her in Australia’s Parliament House in 2019, roiling the government.

The government, strongly tied to the military, is blocking inquiries into wartime atrocities, undermining efforts to learn the fates of thousands of missing people.

Through new lesson plans and expensive publishing projects, the government hopes to teach future generations a curated lesson about the city’s past.

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping declared “complete victory” in China’s effort to eradicate rural poverty at a ceremony on Thursday (Feb 25) in Beijing to celebrate what has been a signature initiative of his tenure. China credits Xi’s leadership with lifting nearly 100 million people from poverty …

Japan is finalising plans to halt new development aid to Myanmar, the Asahi Shimbun daily reported on Thursday, as Western allies impose sanctions and threaten further action over the Southeast nation’s military coup.

BEIJING: China’s air quality targets for this year will be set at a slightly higher level than last year’s average, an official said on Thursday (Feb 25), after pollution fell significantly in the early part of 2020 due to coronavirus-related lockdowns. China will seek to keep average levels of …

The move plunges the social network into the post-coup politics of the roiled nation, after years of criticism over how Myanmar’s military had used the site.

The Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee said on Thursday they are asking spectators for the upcoming torch relay to support by clapping, and will broadcast the event live to avoid gatherings.

Athletes are being encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but it will not be compulsory, IOC Vice President John Coates said on Thursday.

Until Wednesday, rumors about the title of the third Spider-Man film have been a web of lies. But the truth has been revealed.

GameStop shares climbed rapidly and were halted twice for volatility ahead of the closing bell Wednesday. The gaming retailer’s stock was priced at $91.71 at market close, up nearly 104% from the previous day.

The US is one step closer to having a third Covid-19 vaccine and it can’t come soon enough.

Longstanding resentments toward the center leave many Rakhines ambivalent about the Feb. 1 coup.

The PLA’s flights near the Pratas Islands and Taiwan appear to serve Beijing’s political interests in the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese investments in Tibet have integrated the region more closely with China, but Tibetans themselves are being economically marginalized, an India-based advocacy and research group says.

The rollover car crash that seriously injured Tiger Woods outside Los Angeles on Tuesday was an accident and investigators won’t pursue any charges against the golf great, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday.

The United States expressed concern over Malaysia’s deportation of nearly 1,100 Myanmar nationals and urged countries in the region to hold off on any repatriations in light of the Feb. 1 military coup in Myanmar, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday.

The order is intended to help insulate the economy from future shortages of critical imported components by making the United States less reliant on foreign supplies.

Bakihaji Helil was handed a nine-year prison sentence for having studied abroad, according to sources.

The US is best placed to take the lead and coordinate international pressure on Myanmar, which is responsible for the crisis, Bangladesh’s top diplomat says.

The warning came as the State Department doubled down on its designation of genocide in the region.

Australians will see the prospect of Brisbane hosting the Olympics in 2032 as a symbol of hope as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, Queensland state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Thursday.

Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi tells Myanmar’s foreign minister the wishes of Myanmar’s people must be heard, saying their welfare and safety are of ‘paramount importance.’

The global vaccine sharing program kicks off.

As the military seized power again, the generals moved quickly to take the country offline, criminalize online dissent and block social media.

The three countries agreed on a roadmap for building a new railway, but what are the prospects of, and problems along, the route?

Senator Jack Reed said he favored seeking an extension of the May 1 deadline for withdrawing troops that President Donald Trump and the Taliban negotiated last year.

The prime minister’s decision to dissolve the legislature has been overturned by the court after months of mass protests.

Over the past year, the fragility of vital supply chains has been revealed repeatedly.

Some in China hailed the divorce court case as a breakthrough, but many noted that full-time nannies are paid far more.

Russia as a first destination for a Kyrgyz president is no surprise; it’s essentially tradition.

Colombo has offered Khan a symbolically warm welcome but not afforded him opportunities to raise concerns about India — or Sri Lanka’s Muslim minority.

The boost to the ‘national security’ budget comes amid a city-wide crackdown on political opposition and peaceful criticism of the government.

Kunchok Jinpa, a Tibetan tour guide beloved for his cultural activism and trusted for timely, accurate reports about events in his region, died aged 51 on Feb. 6, three months after he was hospitalized with paralysis and a brain hemorrhage as a result of torture in prison. He had vanished in custody after being detained on Nov. 8, 2013, leading to a near total shutdown of news from Driru, where Tibetans had resisted a Chinese mining project on a sacred mountain and a campaign to force residents to fly red Communist Party flags on their houses.

BANGKOK: Three Cabinet ministers in Thailand were forced to leave their posts on Wednesday (Feb 24) after a court found them guilty of sedition for taking part in sometimes-violent protests in 2013 and 2014 against the government then in power. The Criminal Court in Bangkok found Digital Economy …

As great power competition rises to the fore – and counterterrorism operations recede into the background – U.S. special forces will have to adapt.

An Istanbul court on Wednesday sentenced three Turks to four years and two months in prison for helping smuggle former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn in a musical instrument case to Lebanon from Japan.

BANGKOK: Indonesia is holding intensive talks with both the Myanmar military and representatives of the ousted elected government in a bid to end a crisis over a Feb 1 military coup, Indonesia’s foreign minister said on Wednesday (Feb 24). Indonesia has taken the lead within the Association of …

A half-million doses arrived this month in Afghanistan, where many insist the virus isn’t real and vaccines aren’t needed. Those who want the vaccine fear that only the well-connected will receive it.

Xiao Yuhui is repeatedly summoned to the police station after he started an online signature campaign opposing the military coup.

Muslims hope Khan will address growing Islamophobia in Sri Lanka during his visit to the island.

How the current standoff between Facebook and the Australian government came about.

China is still far ahead and 1.9 million EVs are expected to be sold in China this year Nordic countries still prove to be fast adopters of electric cars Some Chinese carmakers are already looking for growth opportunities in other parts of the world, especially Europe Last year was a tough year for almost every… Read more » The post Which country leads the electric vehicle race in 2021? appeared first on TechHQ.

BANGKOK: The Myanmar junta’s foreign minister visited Thailand on Wednesday (Feb 24) as regional powers tried to broker an end to three weeks of deadly unrest triggered by a military coup. Foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin held talks with his counterparts from Thailand and Indonesia in what was …

BANGKOK: Thai authorities are preparing a plan to ease restrictions for travellers vaccinated against the coronavirus, senior officials said on Wednesday (Feb 24), as the country looks to revive a tourism industry battered by travel curbs. Measures for vaccinated visitors would be introduced step …

The Philippines’ top diplomat on Wednesday defended a new order requiring all international aid for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to be cleared with the foreign ministry, saying the aim was to stamp out funding for terrorism.

A Chinese man has been ordered to pay his ex-wife almost $8,000 for years of unpaid housework, in a landmark divorce case that has sparked furious debate in China.

Vietnam received the first batch of 117,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday ahead of the planned rollout of the Southeast Asian country’s vaccination programme from next month.

BEIJING: China’s commerce minister appealed to Washington for “joint efforts” to revive trade but gave no indication on Wednesday (Feb 24) when tariff war talks might resume or whether Beijing might offer concessions. “Cooperation is the only correct choice,” Wang Wentao said at a news conference …

Japan’s Nissan has become the latest automaker to dismiss claims it is working with tech titan Apple on its vaunted self-driving cars project Japanese automaker Nissan said Monday it is not in talks with Apple to develop self-driving cars, a week after Hyundai also denied reports it was discussing the top-secret project with the US… Read more » The post Nissan says not in talks with Apple on self-driving cars appeared first on TechHQ.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s King Al-Sultan Abdullah said on Wednesday (Feb 24) parliament can convene during a state of emergency, a move that could open the door for the opposition to launch a fresh confidence vote to challenge Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Last month, the king declared a …

A Russian fugitive whose dramatic sprint out of an Indonesian immigration office was captured on CCTV has been caught again after two weeks on the run, authorities said Wednesday.

The decline indicated that methods for fighting the coronavirus have also been effective at curbing other illnesses.

KUALA LUMPUR: Several lawmakers and rights groups on Wednesday (Feb 24) called on Malaysia’s government to explain its deportation of more than 1,000 Myanmar nationals, despite a court-ordered stay, with some saying the move could amount to contempt of court. The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Tuesday …

BANGKOK: Amnesty International said it has found that a hacking group known as Ocean Lotus has been staging more spyware attacks on Vietnamese human rights activists in the latest blow to freedom of speech in the communist-ruled country. The human rights group said Wednesday that Amnesty Tech’s …

SEOUL: South Korea’s fertility rate fell to the lowest in the world last year, data showed on Wednesday (Feb 24), as uncertainty over the coronavirus discouraged couples from marrying and having children.  The number of expected babies per South Korean woman fell to 0.84 in 2020, dropping further …

Stronger words from Indonesia, Singapore and other ASEAN countries may seem new but do not supplant the important and consistent behind-the-scenes diplomatic work, says Dr Nehginpao Kipgen,

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will introduce HK$120 billion (US$15.4 billion) in fiscal measures to help businesses and residents impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, as it looks towards economic growth later this year following a recession in 2020. The measures — which include tax relief, loans for the …

SEOUL: A North Korean defector wore a diving suit and fins during a daring six-hour swim around one of the world’s most fortified borders, a Seoul official said, and was caught only after apparently falling asleep. Bungling South Korean forces did not spot the man’s audacious exploit despite him …

The open web is now a mere shadow of its former self and dubbed as the ‘splinternet’. Splinternet is often defined as the balkanization of the net, as nations try to preserve their sovereign identities and economic interest The era of fragmented and divided internet is now upon us. As cyberspace is getting more controlled… Read more » The post The rise of ‘splinternet’ amid heightened nationalism appeared first on TechHQ.

NEW DELHI: India warned on Wednesday (Feb 24) that a breach of guidelines on testing and other measures to contain the coronavirus could worsen a recent spurt in infections in many states, particularly after it detected several variants. Nearly a month after the health minister declared that COVID …

HONG KONG: Hong Kong hiked stamp duty on stock trades on Wednesday (Feb 24) for the first time in almost three decades as it tries to plug a pandemic-induced record budget deficit, sending the local equity market tumbling. The business-friendly financial hub, which prides itself on low taxes and …

MANILA: The Philippines health ministry said on Wednesday (Feb 24) it will investigate the illegal use of unauthorised COVID-19 vaccines, after a presidential adviser admitted to receiving shots of a Sinopharm vaccine smuggled into the country. Ramon Tulfo, a celebrity radio and television host …

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin received the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Wednesday (Feb 24), kicking off the national COVID-19 immunisation programme. Next in line to be vaccinated at the health office in Putrajaya were Health Ministry director-general Noor …

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia: The head of a controversial Malaysian “sugar daddy” dating website was charged on Wednesday (Feb 24) with causing public alarm after his claims that university students were using the service sparked an outcry. Sugarbook bills itself as a site “where romance meets finance” and …

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may be ready for a general election once half of its 32 million population is vaccinated, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.  Speaking to CNA in an exclusive interview on the eve of the roll-out of the biggest national immunisation programme …

Early bird customers of a military-owned bank queued anxiously as dawn light crept over Yangon, after a strict new limit on daily cash withdrawals fuelled rumours of a money shortage in post-coup Myanmar.

Thailand received on Wednesday its first 200,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac, the country’s first batch of coronavirus vaccines, with inoculations set to begin in a few days.

While Leila de Lima has been acquitted of one charge, two more continue to hang over her.

South Korea shipped its first doses of a coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday, transferring AstraZeneca vaccines from a production facility in the country to a warehouse outside the capital of Seoul in preparation for this week’s inoculation drive.

The number of deaths in China – excluding the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan – fell slightly during the first three months of 2020, suggesting efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 reduced deaths from other causes, a new study showed.

A Hong Kong court said on Tuesday its denial of bail for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the most high-profile person charged under a new the national security law, was due to the risk of his committing further offences.

JAKARTA: While Indonesia’s foreign minister remains “open to the option” of visiting Myanmar, it is currently “not the right time”, said the Indonesian foreign ministry on Wednesday (Feb 24). A leaked Myanmar government document earlier cited by Reuters said that Retno Marsudi had planned to fly …

TOKYO: Regional Japanese governments have requested emergency pandemic measures be lifted ahead of the Mar 7 scheduled end as new COVID-19 cases trend lower, the country’s economy minister said, adding the government will seek expert views before agreeing. A surge in cases prompted Japan to …

The move exacerbates ongoing concerns about Internet freedom and its effects on the country’s political dynamics ahead of elections in 2022 and 2023.

Some Tibetans doubt authorities’ reasons for the ban on attendance at area monasteries, which promote not just religion but Tibetan cultural traditions.

To understand what motivated this month’s coup in Myanmar, you need to understand the army’s history and cloistered worldview.

A Japanese Magnitsky law would allow Tokyo to develop a distinctive Asian voice on human rights and democracy.

Students say they view Chinese proficiency as a gateway to employment.

The U.N. refugee agency claims that the group included registered asylum seekers.

Vietnam’s foreign minister Pham Binh Minh says Vietnam’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic protects the people’s ‘freedoms and rights.’

The activists had worked on behalf of several of the protesters in 11 provinces.

An activist group in Myanmar condemns the plan, saying an official visit will be seen as a formal recognition of the ‘coup regime.’

The pandemic’s toll on women in Japan.

The decision was a blow to the country’s prime minister, who dissolved the legislature after a protracted internal dispute within his ruling Nepal Communist Party.

MANILA: The Philippines will let thousands of its healthcare workers, mostly nurses, take up jobs in the United Kingdom and Germany if the two countries agree to donate COVID-19 vaccines, a senior official said on Tuesday (Feb 23). Britain’s health ministry said it was not interested in such a …

As the ten-month long standoff in Ladakh inches toward resolution, both sides are eager to score domestic points.

Disha Ravi, an activist associated with Greta Thunberg, was charged after sharing a protest manual with farmers who were demonstrating against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

LUMUT, Malaysia: Malaysia on Tuesday (Feb 23) deported more than 1,000 Myanmar detainees back to their homeland just weeks after a coup, despite a court order halting the repatriation and a storm of criticism. The migrants, whom activists say include vulnerable asylum seekers, departed on three …

Indian companies must suspend all commercial relationships with the Myanmar military.

Japan’s lagging vaccine roll-out draws attention to the barriers in commercializing domestic vaccine production.

The pandemic has highlighted the United States’ dependence on China for research animals, reviving calls for a “strategic monkey reserve.”

NEW DELHI: India said on Tuesday (Feb 23) mutated versions of the coronavirus were not responsible for an upsurge in cases in two states, a potential relief for a country where mask-wearing and social distancing have largely disappeared. Maharashtra in the west and Kerala in the south account for …

Despite cooperating on some aspects, China and Russia are also directly competing for the same vaccine markets – and the national prestige that comes with it.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s ex-president and his intelligence chiefs should be prosecuted for failing to prevent suicide bombings two years ago on Easter Sunday that killed 279 people, according to an investigation released on Tuesday (Feb 23). Maithripala Sirisena, who left office last year, was found …

Academic freedom does not protect outright falsehoods and distortions.

MANILA: Philippine forces have arrested nine women who were related to Abu Sayyaf commanders and militants in the south and could have been “potential suicide bombers”, the military said Tuesday (Feb 23). The women were captured Friday in raids on houses in three towns in the predominantly Muslim …

The rhetoric of great power competition threatens to devour every other aspect of U.S. foreign policy.

Following reports alleging physical and verbal abuse by two female national volleyball team players, more and more professional athletes have been accused of bullying.  

Facebook is set to reverse its block of news in Australia, but the interruption highlighted deeper information problems across the Pacific.

WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday (Feb 22) imposed sanctions on two members of Myanmar’s military junta over the country’s Feb 1 coup. The United States said it was blocking any US property and suspending the entry into the country of two members of the newly ruling State Administrative …

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s government will gazette a Bill later this week that will require community level district councils to pledge an oath of allegiance to the city’s mini Constitution, further stifling democratic opposition. Secretary for Mainland and Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang said …

The central government is likely to bypass local officials, just as it did with last year’s national security law.

Blockchain technology has the potential to break the various silos that exist between parties involved in cross-border transactions The technology can help ease access to trade finance for SMEs in particular, reduce costs, and make it easier for them to participate in international trade In 2018, when the World Trade Organization (WTO) laid out blockchain’s… Read more » The post How blockchain is helping forge global trade ties appeared first on TechHQ.

The leader of Myanmar’s junta has called for energetic efforts to revive an ailing economy, state media reported on Tuesday (Feb 23), as Western countries considered more sanctions to press the generals to shun a violent crackdown on democracy protests. The call for focus on the economy came after …

There have been very few positives that have come out of the recent epidemic that’s swept the world. But one glimmer of light has been the acceleration of digitisation in organisations, a boost caused by staff having to work from home. The companies some way down their digitisation “paths” will have reacted better than most,… Read more » The post How digital omnichannel made change happen for the insurance sector appeared first on TechHQ.

Improper storage, use of explosives killed 10 Chinese miners

Rampant illegal encroachment of land along with depleting forest cover has led to a perilous situation in Guwahati.

The transparent nature of blockchain data allows companies and customers alike to feel more secure Solutions by blockchain are fast becoming mainstream in marketing as it helps to eradicate advertising fraud While AI and analytics have benefited businesses more than consumers, blockchain may level the playing field by giving the power of data back to… Read more » The post 3 ways blockchain is already disrupting digital advertising appeared first on TechHQ.

Pivoting to a data-driven, information-first approach doesn’t need slash-and-burn. Instead, choose a vendor that’s experienced in the sector — RateLinx The post RateLinx Delivers Data-Based Decisions to Drive 20% Savings Across All Modes appeared first on TechHQ.

But the U.S. would find it difficult to disentangle from legacy commitments in Middle East.

BANGKOK: Thailand will start vaccinating priority groups including health workers against COVID-19 by the end of this week, its prime minister said on Tuesday (Feb 23), a day ahead of the arrival of the country’s first coronavirus vaccines. Thailand will receive the first 200,000 of 2 million …

JAKARTA: Ten orangutans have been airlifted back to their natural habitat on Indonesia’s Borneo island, in the first release of the apes into the wild for a year due to the dangers of COVID-19 infection. The animals were flown by helicopter across the island’s dense jungle earlier this month to …

LONDON: Group of Seven (G7) countries said on Tuesday (Feb 23) they “firmly condemn” violence committed by Myanmar’s security forces against protesters and urged them to “exercise utmost restraint and respect human rights and international law”. The bloc of wealthy nations – comprising Canada …

“If it aint broke, don’t fix it”. A sensible sentiment, but only if you can tell when something is broken. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to know there is a problem until it’s too late. This is especially true of processes in growing businesses. In the beginning your focus is on business growth, not bureaucracy,… Read more » The post 3 Phrases That Show Your Fleet Management Process Might Be Broken appeared first on TechHQ.

Organizations including startups should evaluate existing and future technologies to see if they’ll be able to deliver the innovation at a scale that they’ll need to survive and thrive Covid-19 has reshaped trends, as many of them are brought about or will be emphasized to a greater extent due to the health crisis that the… Read more » The post Telehealth, edtech and the tech trends influencing startups in 2021 appeared first on TechHQ.

Staying in different lodgings each night to evade arrest, the lawyer representing Aung San Suu Kyi says her trial will help determine whether Myanmar’s people again become “slaves” of the military.

HANOI: Vietnam’s government said on Tuesday (Feb 23) health workers, diplomats and military personnel would be among the first to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when the country starts its inoculation programme next month. The country with a population of 98 million said it will receive 60 million …

SEOUL: The first of three expert panels in South Korea reviewing a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech gave its recommendation on Tuesday (Feb 23) for the government to approve the vaccine. The national pharmaceutical panel is planning to make its recommendation on Friday, the same …

JAKARTA: Indonesia has dismissed a recent report suggesting that an action plan is being prepared to help the Myanmar military to uphold its promise of holding a new election. Foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told reporters on Tuesday (Feb 23) that Indonesia “has neither published nor …

Sri Lankan bishops urge government to release blast inquiry

OECUSSE, Timor-Leste: A defrocked American priest went on trial on Tuesday (Feb 23) to face charges he sexually abused young girls at his shelter for orphans and children from impoverished families, marking the first clergy sex case to emerge in Timor-Leste — the most Catholic place in the world …

A Malaysian court ordered a temporary halt to a controversial plan to deport 1,200 Myanmar detainees to their homeland Tuesday weeks after a coup, following a last-ditch legal challenge.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam gave her clear support on Tuesday (Feb 23) to electoral reforms in the city, a day after a top Beijing official signalled major changes would be coming to ensure it is run by “patriots”. Lam said political strife and unrest in the city, including anti …

Job losses, urban isolation, household burdens: Covid-19 has compounded the pressures on women, raising alarms in a country that has worked to reduce some of the world’s highest suicide rates.

The probe is just the latest attempt by the Malaysian authorities to silence the pioneering news portal Malaysiakini.

Fighting intensified in the last quarter of 2020, after talks between the Afghan government and Taliban began. Before then, it had been a less deadly year than before.

Ongoing anti-graft campaigns in Vietnam and Laos focus on officials’ moral conduct without addressing the political structures that incentivize corruption.

Malaysia began bussing asylum seekers and other detainees from Myanmar to a port where ships were waiting to take them back to their strife-torn homeland, even as rights groups made a late legal bid to stop their deportation, saying lives were at risk.

JAKARTA: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Tuesday (Feb 23) that Myanmar’s transition to democracy after this month’s coup should follow the wishes of its people. Her remarks came after anger from anti-coup protesters to a Reuters report that Indonesia is pushing a plan for the …

In the aftermath of COVID-19, the city-state is characteristically looking to the private sector to get the economy moving again.

Emperor Naruhito said he was anticipating a “bright future” as Japan began its coronavirus inoculation programme, during an address to mark his 61st birthday on Tuesday.

Malaysian activists made a last-ditch legal bid to halt the deportation Tuesday of 1,200 Myanmar detainees to their homeland weeks after a coup, following a storm of criticism.

Canadian MPs passed a non-binding motion Monday calling China’s treatment of its Uighur minority a “genocide” and calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to officially label it as such.

Then-President Donald Trump in 2019 offered North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One following their Vietnam summit, a former senior administration official who was on the trip confirmed to CNN.

Myanmar’s army chief wanted a Thai-style coup. What he got was an uprising.

The mooted plan would involve holding the junta to its plan of holding free and inclusive elections in a year’s time.

The Hindu nationalist government postponed plans for a national student exam on cows that critics said used specious claims and substituted religion for science.

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers on Monday (Feb 22) agreed to impose sanctions on Russian officials for the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and to target Myanmar’s military over its seizure of power, the bloc’s top envoy said. The EU will press on with sanctions against …

Cambodia’s wondrous temples reflect the various stages of the country’s history, from colonialism to revolution to the present era of mass tourism.

The world may be witnessing a tectonic shift in Myanmar’s political landscape underway, says a political science lecturer.

This is the first time in six decades that China and the West hold such fundamentally different views of China’s global trajectory, says a political science professor.

Grim U.S. milestone, but global signs of hope.

In a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council, China’s foreign minister gave China’s preferred spin to the concept.

Firstly, the country’s cultural context cannot be ignored.

Insights from Rachel Tausendfreund.

Competition aside, Washington and Beijing have many shared interests on the African continent, from security to economics to public health.

TOKYO: The operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant said on Monday (Feb 22) that two seismometers at one of its three melted reactors have been out of order since last year and did not collect data when a powerful earthquake struck the area earlier this month. The acknowledgement …

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aviation Group obtained court approval in Britain on Monday (Feb 22) for a deal between its leasing unit and a majority of its aircraft operating lessors, allowing it to begin a restructuring plan with new capital of RM3.6 billion (US$891 million). MAG, parent of Malaysia …

The international toll is growing. But the domestic consequences are what Beijing should truly fear.

TOKYO: Japan renewed its claim on a contested island in the Sea of Japan held by South Korea at an annual event on Monday (Feb 22), escalating tensions between the neighbours whose relations were already strained over Seoul’s demands for compensation for Japanese actions in World War II. Monday is …

The spike has been most pronounced in the western state of Maharashtra.

Matraimov, who pleaded guilty to corruption earlier this month and got off with a fine, may face new charges.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will maintain the current level of coronavirus restrictions in the capital Manila until mass vaccinations start, his spokesman said on Monday, despite calls to ease curbs and revive the country’s ailing economy.

A brief opening on an audio conversation app allowed Chinese users to speak freely with the outside world.

The February 26 Incident in Japan may prove a prescient parallel to the insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Conservation of sacred sites is an important aspect of India’s diplomacy toward Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.

Britain’s foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Monday denounced torture, forced labour and sterilisations that he said were taking place against Muslim Uighurs on an “industrial scale” in China’s Xinjiang region.

In the wake of the national security law, public trust in the government has reached new lows. That is inevitably impacting Hong Kong’s pandemic response.

A micro fulfillment center and automated technology could deliver a faster service for customers while boosting profits for retailers. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to keep people indoors and away from public places, online shopping instances are increasing exponentially throughout the world. Previously struggling e-commerce segments like grocery deliveries are now enjoying a renaissance, chiefly… Read more » The post Retailers turn to the micro fulfillment center to keep supply chains flowing appeared first on TechHQ.

This year’s online edition of Collect art fair showcases how modern artists are interpreting Asian craft art forms into traditional and contemporary pieces.

YANGON: Protesters gathered in Myanmar’s biggest city on Monday (Feb 22) despite the ruling junta’s thinly veiled threat to use lethal force if people answered a call for a general strike opposing the military takeover three weeks ago. Despite roadblocks around the US Embassy in Yangon, more than …

BANGKOK: The inter-governmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) said on Monday (Feb 22) that levels on the vital waterway have “slightly” increased and it would look into why its outflow data from Chinese dams upstream differed from data later given by Beijing. Whether or not China’s 11 dams are …

RAINI, India: Growing up in a remote tribal village high in the Indian Himalayas, Kundan Singh loved to play on a field by the sparkling Rishiganga river. The 48-year-old recalls afternoons there competing in sports tournaments, surrounded by forests of pine. Fifteen years ago, bulldozers …

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday (Feb 22) local authorities should get prepared for potential forest fires later this year as hot spots had been detected on the island of Sumatra.  The Southeast Asian country has suffered some of the biggest tropical forest fires outside …

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers on Monday (Feb 22) tasked the bloc’s top diplomat and its executive wing with drawing up a series of measures to target those responsible for the military coup in Myanmar, as people rallied in the streets of the country’s biggest city. “The European Union …

A top Chinese official on Monday outlined plans to ensure only “patriots” run Hong Kong as Beijing seeks to neuter any remaining democratic opposition and take a more direct role in how the business hub is run.

GENEVA: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Monday (Feb 22) condemned the “brutal force” used by those behind Myanmar’s coup and urged the military to immediately halt the repression and release prisoners. In his annual address to the UN Human Rights Council, Guterres mentioned only one …

MUMBAI: Alarmed by signs that a second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic is building, India’s richest state of Maharashtra ordered fresh restrictions on people’s movement and imposed night curfews in some cities, though not in the financial capital Mumbai. Maharashtra alone reported nearly 7,000 new …

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian long-haul budget airline AirAsia X (AAX) has proposed a separate restructuring programme for its aircraft lessors that aims to tackle their concerns, citing a chance to recover rental losses, a document seen by Reuters shows. The airline, an affiliate of AirAsia Group, has …

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam received China’s Sinovac vaccine on Monday (Feb 22) together with top officials at a live televised event to bolster public confidence ahead of the vaccine’s rollout in the global financial hub this week. Sinovac is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be …

COX’S BAZAR: The United Nations refugee agency on Monday (Feb 22) called for the immediate rescue of a group of Rohingya refugees who were adrift in their boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water, many of whom were ill and suffering from extreme dehydration. The agency said it understood some …

JAKARTA: The Indonesian capital of Jakarta could see more flooding and landslides this week as the meteorology agency predicted rains of moderate to heavy intensity to sweep through the city over the next few days. The rains will primarily hit Jakarta in the evening and last well into the morning …

SYDNEY: The Chinese government has made an investment in BGI Genomics, a listed Chinese company that has supplied millions of COVID-19 tests globally as the gene firm seeks to fund exponential growth driven by the pandemic. BGI Group, which runs a massive gene databank in China and has DNA …

The Philippines has approved Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, but will not give it to healthcare workers at risk of exposure due to its varying levels of efficacy, its Food and Drugs Agency (FDA) said on Monday.

SINGAPORE: Indonesia’s PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical has received a US$60 million credit line from Singapore’s DBS Bank to help support the company’s plan to grow export sales, Chandra Asri and DBS Bank said in a joint statement on Monday (Feb 22). The credit line, in the form of a structured …

Dhaka’s plans for resolution of the Rohingya crisis, and its broader relations with Myanmar, remain something of a mystery.

To maintain the upper hand after the coup, the Tatmadaw is doing its best to choke off the flow of information.

Nguyen Trong Nghia previously oversaw the creation of a 10,000-strong army cyber unit to combat anti-government sentiment online.

EU foreign ministers are expected Monday to approve sanctions against those behind Russia’s crackdown on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and his supporters, as well as those responsible for the coup in Myanmar.

SEOUL: Doctors in South Korea have threatened a protest strike against legislation to strip them of licences following criminal convictions, sparking fears about possible disruption of a coronavirus vaccination effort set to begin this week. Healthcare workers are set to receive the first batch of …

Donald Trump offered North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One after a summit in Hanoi two years ago, according to a new BBC documentary.

After three weeks, tensions between the military and the anti-coup protest movement are beginning to rise.

The Myanmar coup has posed an early test to the new administration’s promise to work with allies to forge an anti-authoritarian front.

A recent poll suggests a mixed picture for China.

The teaching of Chinese language and culture in the U.S. will remain important, but are Chinese government funded institutes the best option?

The German manufacturer vowed to provide vaccines to Taiwan after worries that the Chinese government had tried to block a deal for 5 million doses.

On paper, Japan and Russia have complementary economies. In reality, trade and investment ties have been hard to forge.

A PLA Daily article noted that two officers and three soldiers have received military honors for their performance during the June 15 clash – four of them posthumously.

Shot last week by police during a demonstration in Naypyitaw, Mya Thwet Thwet Khine died Friday.

After the violence on January 26, many had claimed the months-long protest would die out. That seems unlikely.

The southern Indian state’s pandemic response has faltered in the recent months, despite early successes.

The publication’s editor-in-chief said that the ruling would have “a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Malaysia.”

Shortly after its coup d’etat, Myanmar’s military junta offered to help Malaysian authorities deport some 1,200 people.

The Philippine military claims that a breakthrough is around the corner, but a continuation of the conflict is convenient for many.

The country votes in tightly-controlled elections this weekend – but don’t expect anything much to change.

Former Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh is back in the political arena, but his chance of success is small.

Will shifts in Libya’s political sphere change China’s approach to the country?

While energy security continues to dominate the agenda, security and defense cooperation are becoming more important in the India-Saudi relationship.  

A week ago, Matraimov pleaded guilty to corruption and was fined $3,000. He may soon face new charges.

“Our presence in Afghanistan is conditions based, and Taliban has to meet their commitments,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Another investor has left Kazakhstan, highlighting the worsening business climate. 

Following the blowback from the previous president’s sexist comments, the male-dominated Organizing Committee tapped a woman to lead.

South Korea’s delayed start to vaccinations is likely due to the government’s initial preference for domestic production.

If it passes, the bill will make an asylum system that is already harsh even less hospitable toward people fleeing persecution in their home countries.

The lack of a well-defined maritime boundary, along with heightened surveillance, is compounding India-Sri Lanka tensions.

Given its own history of transition from military rule, Indonesia is probably the nation best placed to lead the bloc’s diplomacy on Myanmar.

The trial has shed additional light on the important role that the Malaysian First Lady played during her husband’s time in office.

Myanmar is approaching an inflection point, but the window for meaningful foreign action is quickly closing.

COVID-19 offered the Cambodian government an opportunity to curb the worst excesses of corruption. Instead, things went in the other direction.

The proposed National Internet Gateway would give the CPP government a new tool for quashing critical online commentary.

A look at the jet with many names – and its carrier-based future.

The recent controversy over a Harvard professor’s article showcases how limited the space for debate and discussion on the issue has become.

Priya Ramani was the first of more than 20 women to come forward an allege sexual harassment by M.J. Akbar.

While Moscow and Tehran continue to publicly signal their growing convergence, there is more to the relationship than what meets the eye.

There has always been a considerable overlap between white supremacy and male supremacy, and male supremacy is a national security threat.

Beyond flowery rhetoric and arms deals, New Delhi has extremely valid reasons to keep relations with Moscow on an even keel.

The fate of the U.S.-Taliban deal hangs in the balance, while the peace process stalls. What will the Biden administration ultimately do about Afghanistan?

Starting next week, China’s government will require bloggers to be approved to write on a wide range of topics, including economics, education, health, and foreign affairs.

A parliamentary committee recommended that Australia join the U.S., U.K., and others with similar legislation.

The Aero India 2021 airshow shows India is hoping to boost its defense exports to IOR countries.

Canada’s new frigates are the size of cruisers, and indicative of a wider trend toward ever-more complicated and expensive weapons.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic.

As the Indian government’s actions during the farmers’ protest demonstrate, it is keen on curbing unfavorable opinion online. And existing laws may be enabling it.

Pakistan may have done enough work to stay on the clear. But that may not be sufficient.

Since the military coup of 2014, Thailand has developed one of the most sophisticated systems of digital surveillance in Southeast Asia.

There is little reason to doubt Beijing’s claim that the coup and ensuing crisis is “not what China wants to see.”

Despite domestic political gridlock, the country was able to secure funds to guard against COVID-19 – but its experience suggests many lessons for the future.

A controversial proposal to require women to get permission to travel abroad has reignited a debate on patriarchy in Nepal.

For most of Myanmar’s modern history, the law has been shaped by the army’s power and interests rather than the other way around.

At the time, the defense of Manila was the single most consequential event of the Pacific War from the point of view of the law of armed conflict.

Amid murky allegations of contact with the Haqqani Network, the life of one Chinese national in Kabul comes under scrutiny.

Some say NATO and the U.S. should send a strong message for peace to all sides in Afghanistan’s protracted conflict.

Insights from Bryan Clark.

After a tumultuous 2020, Kyrgyzstan faces continued political and economic challenges in 2021.

The island nation of Sri Lanka is now open to tourists from all countries.

Singapore’s national carrier is hoping to become the world’s first airline to get all of its crew members vaccinated against Covid-19.

China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometers (385 miles) per hour.

The world has been inching toward fully autonomous cars for years. In China, one company just got even closer to making it a reality.

Shanghai residents passing through the city’s eastern Huangpu district in October might have stumbled upon an unusual sight: a “walking” building.

A local entrepreneur in the Japanese tourist destination of Nara has developed an alternative to plastic shopping bags, to protect the town’s sacred deer.

Having endured a bloody civil war from 1983 until 2009, Sri Lanka is now at peace and developing rapidly. That’s good news for the country as a whole, but the island nation’s leopards are under threat.

Nearly a decade after Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster, researchers have discovered that wildlife is thriving in the areas evacuated by humans, despite radiological contamination.