World / Asia

Shanghai pushes ahead with mass COVID tests as new cases spike 18 Mar 2022 - 10:28 am

SHANGHAI- The Chinese commercial hub of Shanghai is pushing ahead with a mass testing initiative as it tries to curb a new spike...

Some areas of China's Shenzhen city to restart work, public transport on March 18 17 Mar 2022 - 05:40 pm

BEIJING: Five districts in China's southern city of Shenzhen that have achieved "community-wide COVID-19 dynamic clearance" can restart work and resume public transport...

S.Korea looks to end COVID restrictions despite record surge in cases, deaths 17 Mar 2022 - 01:00 pm

Seoul: South Korea recorded a record 621,328 new daily COVID-19 cases and a daily record 429 deaths, authorities said on Thursday, as the...

Hong Kong leader to review COVID restrictions in coming days 17 Mar 2022 - 12:20 pm

HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday she would review COVID restrictions in the coming days, as she understands people...

Cleanup begins after 7.4 quake shakes north Japan, killing 4 17 Mar 2022 - 11:49 am

TOKYO: Residents in Fukushima and Miyagi were cleaning their homes after a sleepless night following a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck off the...

Earthquake jolts Japan's northeast coast, cuts power in Tokyo 16 Mar 2022 - 07:51 pm

TOKYO- A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 jolted Japan's northeast coast on Wednesday and left hundreds of thousands of residents in...

Sinovac COVID vaccine 38% effective in young kids: Chilean study 16 Mar 2022 - 02:58 pm

China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd's COVID-19 vaccine was 38.2% effective in preventing infections during the Omicron wave in children aged three to five years,...

Foxconn restarts some Shenzhen output through bubble environment 16 Mar 2022 - 10:39 am

TAIPEI: Apple Inc supplier Foxconn, said on Wednesday it restarted some production and operations at its campus in the southern Chinese city of...

Thailand to relax entry rules for tourists as war hits arrivals 16 Mar 2022 - 10:18 am

Thailand plans to scrap a mandatory pre-arrival Covid-free certificate for vaccinated tourists to support an economic recovery facing headwinds from the pandemic and...

New Zealand to 'welcome the world back' as tourism restarts 16 Mar 2022 - 10:14 am

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Wednesday her nation was "ready to welcome the world back” with most tourists...

India rolls out COVID vaccine doses for children aged 12 to 14 16 Mar 2022 - 09:58 am

AHMEDABAD, India: India started administering on Wednesday doses of COVID-19 vaccine to young people aged between 12 and 14 as public and private...

Japan set to remove all Covid restrictions as new infections ebb 16 Mar 2022 - 09:27 am

Tokyo: Japan is set to announce on Wednesday the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions imposed on Tokyo and 17 other prefectures as a wave...

Philippine capital to stay under loosest virus curbs 15 Mar 2022 - 02:17 pm

The Philippine capital will remain under the loosest movement restrictions from March 16 to 31, as the government seeks to boost economic activity...

Amazon, Walmart online orders likely delayed by China lockdowns 15 Mar 2022 - 11:34 am

Orders placed with global e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart may be delayed by virus lockdowns and restrictions in some of China’s key...

South Korea reports record deaths amid omicron surge 15 Mar 2022 - 11:28 am

Seoul, South Korea: South Korea had its deadliest day yet of the pandemic on Tuesday, with 293 deaths reported in the latest 24...

Long refugee-shy, Japan prepares to welcome Ukrainians 15 Mar 2022 - 11:16 am

TOKYO: Japan said on Tuesday Ukrainian evacuees will be able to convert short-term entry visas into longer-term ones allowing them to work, the...

New Zealand teenagers face Omicron without vaccine booster shot 14 Mar 2022 - 11:48 pm

New Zealand teenagers will remain ineligible for Covid-19 booster shots for several more weeks, even as the Omicron outbreak runs through universities and...