Asia-Pacific News

India's plan to divest state-owned companies is 'back 2021-03-02 03:17:38The country has a disinvestment target of 1.75 trillion rupees (about $24 billion) for the next fiscal year which starts on April 1.

Biden’s team says it will use ‘all available 2021-03-02 02:33:32The Biden administration released a report outlining its trade agenda, including how it will address challenges posed by China.

Asia-Pacific stocks mixed; RBA leaves cash rate unchanged 2021-03-02 02:29:56The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday announced its decision to maintain its current policy settings, including leaving its cash rate at 0.1%

Asia is playing 'catch up' to Europe in 2021-03-02 00:20:27Asia is falling behind because European governments are taking strong measures to boost growth in the electric vehicle sector, says Anna-Marie Baisden

Beijing could tighten its grip on Hong Kong 2021-03-01 20:18:02Media outlets reported that Beijing could be considering changes to Hong Kong's electoral system to limit pro-democracy politicians from running in e

India's recovery is 'here to stay,' economic advisor 2021-03-01 04:16:31After two consecutive quarters of contraction, India's gross domestic product (GDP) grew a modest 0.4% in the October-December quarter from last year

Japan's Nikkei 225 jumps more than 2%; data 2021-03-01 03:26:15Both the official as well the Caixin/Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index showed manufacturing activity growth slowing in February.

Chinese ministry calls for supply chain resiliency, without 2021-03-01 03:01:50In the face of a global chip shortage and U.S. sanctions, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology declined to name targets for chip p

Hong Kong trading tax hike won't harm stock 2021-02-28 20:27:36Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Wednesday that the government will raise the stamp duty paid on listed stock trades from 0.1% to 0.

Watch live: Biden Covid team holds press briefing 2021-02-26 11:10:05President Joe Biden's Covid-19 response team will hold a press briefing Friday where officials plan to announce a new partnership with top busin

Japan's Nikkei 225 sheds nearly 4% as Asia-Pacific 2021-02-26 03:29:59The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note briefly crossed the 1.6% level on Thursday to trade at its highest level in more than a year.

China's economy could double in size by 2035 2021-02-26 01:33:21China would surpass the U.S. as the world's largest economy around 2027-2028, said an economist from the Bank of America.

L.A. Times - Asia

YouTube removes Myanmar army's channels as U.N. is 2021-03-05 09:00:53YouTube says it has removed five channels run by Myanmar’s military as demonstrators defy violence by security forces to stage anti-coup protest

Pope Francis arrives in Iraq, where beleaguered Christians 2021-03-05 08:05:08Francis becomes the first pontiff to visit Iraq, where he hopes to shore up the fast-dwindling Christian community and promote religious harmony.

Today's Headlines: California's new vaccine strategy 2021-03-05 08:00:01California is sending 40% of vaccine supplies to communities hardest hit by COVID-19, hoping to improve equity, halt spread of the disease and hasten

N.Y. officials altered report to hide true count 2021-03-05 05:35:10The true number of people who died of COVID-19 in nursing homes in New York was altered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top aides, reports say.

Dallas police officer charged with arranging two killings 2021-03-05 05:09:44A Dallas police officer has been charged more than 18 months after a man told investigators that he killed two people at the officer’s instructi

COVID-19's death toll in northern Italy was staggering. 2021-03-05 05:00:09Air quality has been terrible for decades in Bergamo, in northern Italy, which last year suffered many COVID-19 deaths. Researchers see a connection.

Mexico City launches Latin America's latest aerial tramway 2021-03-04 22:17:13Mexico City has launched the first of what it hopes will be several aerial tramways in the poorer outskirts of the city of 9 million.

Powerful quake off New Zealand prompts evacuations and 2021-03-04 18:08:43A magnitude 8.1 earthquake has struck off New Zealand, prompting thousands to evacuate and triggering tsunami warnings across the South Pacific.

Latinx Files: Netflix has a Latinx problem 2021-03-04 11:00:38The low number of Latinx artists in front of and behind the camera at Netflix show how far it needs to go to reach a hungry audience.

Capitol Police chief appeals to congressional leaders for 2021-03-04 10:55:30Law enforcement is on high alert around the U.S. Capitol after intelligence uncovered a 'possible plot' by a militia group to storm it again.

Today's Headlines: The fight over voting rights 2021-03-04 08:00:45The House of Representatives has passed a landmark election bill as Democrats and Republicans battle over voting rights.

SpaceX Starship landed upright, success was declared, then 2021-03-04 07:22:01SpaceX's futuristic Starship has exploded after what looked like a successful touchdown.

Asia

Japan's Olympic minister evades questions on separate surname 2021-03-04 21:33:43Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa is known to tread warily on the subject of creating a system to allow separate surnames for each person in a married

India's Covid vaccine wins over some sceptics after 2021-03-04 21:25:05NEW DELHI  - Indian doctors and politicians on Thursday (March 4) welcomed efficacy data for a state-backed coronavirus vaccine that was giv

Tokyo Games likely to be held without foreign 2021-03-04 21:18:28The organising committee for the Tokyo Games and the central and metropolitan governments are expected to agree that foreign spectators should not be

Myanmar coup: 19 policemen seek shelter in India 2021-03-04 21:03:49At least 19 Myanmar police have crossed into India to escape taking orders from a military junta that is trying to suppress protests against

US blocked Myanmar junta from emptying $1.34b bank 2021-03-04 20:53:25Myanmar’s military rulers attempted to move about US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York days after seizing

Who is Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, the SpaceX 2021-03-04 20:41:02Punk rocker, philanthropist, entrepreneur and art collector – Yusaku Maezawa’s career trajectory has been anything but conventional, parti

Before and after: Temple statues in Thailand get 2021-03-04 20:20:19Nation Thailand decided to compare the real-life and cartoon versions of characters in the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s “Himmapan

Thailand to launch 'area quarantine' for foreign tourists 2021-03-04 20:12:25The government on Thursday (March 4) unveiled its “area quarantine” plan to open Thailand to foreign tourists from next month. Area quara

'I will shoot whoever I see': Myanmar soldiers 2021-03-04 19:42:09SINGAPORE - Armed Myanmar soldiers and police are using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters against last month's coup, researchers sai

Daily roundup: GST hikes and extensions Singaporeans should 2021-03-04 01:27:11Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Budget 2021: GST hikes and extensions Singaporeans should prepare for GST is no

Collapsed scaffolding causes suspension of services on Tokyu 2021-03-03 22:52:48Train services were partly suspended on the Tokyu Toyoko Line from Tuesday (March 2) night through Wednesday (March 3) morning due to a power out

Tokyo plans to extend state of emergency by 2021-03-03 22:51:09The government plans to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures by two weeks, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wed

Gulf News, Latest Middle

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says airplane hijacking disrupted 2021-03-05 12:20:39

No proof of life yet of Dubai princess: 2021-03-05 12:05:41The United Nations said on Friday it was yet to see evidence from the United Arab Emirates government that Dubai's Sheikha Latifa was still alive. Th

Pope arrives in Iraq to rally Christians despite 2021-03-05 11:49:12Pope Francis arrived in Iraq on Friday to urge the country's dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of w

Amid pandemic, Pope Francis goes to Iraq to 2021-03-05 09:27:55Iraqis were keen to welcome him and the global attention his visit will bring, with banners and posters hanging high in central Baghdad, and billboard

Lebanese anger at economy grows as political deadlock 2021-03-03 16:40:07Protesters blocked some roadways in Lebanon for a second day on Wednesday after the currency's fall to a new low further enraged a population long ho

Yemen's rebels say latest US sanctions will prolong 2021-03-03 13:58:21 Yemen's Iran-backed rebels on Wednesday warned that the US sanctions imposed the previous day on two of their military leaders would only prolong th

US forces: Rockets hit airbase in Iraq hosting 2021-03-03 13:36:31At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts U.S.-led coalition troops on Wednesday, the coalition and the Iraqi military s

Kuwait swears in new government amid mounting crises 2021-03-03 12:08:45Kuwaiti's new Cabinet was sworn in Wednesday, state-run media reported, weeks after the government quit amid a deepening deadlock with parliament tha

Israeli-owned cargo ship back at sea after suspected 2021-03-03 06:53:12

US urges Yemen's Houthis to stop military operations 2021-03-02 17:15:52 The United States urged Yemen's Houthi movement on Tuesday to halt an offensive on the government-held city of Marib and join international efforts

Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveils Turkish human rights 'action 2021-03-02 14:50:43Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday unveiled a human rights "action plan" designed to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independ

Rights group files complaint against Saudi Arabia's crown 2021-03-02 13:25:04An international media rights group has filed a complaint with German prosecutors against Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and four ot