World / Asia

Philippines cuts COVID-19 booster shot interval to three months 21 Dec 2021 - 07:41 pm

MANILA- The Philippines' health ministry on Tuesday halved the wait time for a COVID-19 vaccine booster to three months to help prevent the...

Putin blames West for tensions, demands security guarantees 21 Dec 2021 - 05:42 pm

Moscow: The Russian president on Tuesday reiterated his demand for guarantees from the U.S. and its allies that NATO will not expand eastwards,...

Businesses fret as South Korea reimposes COVID-19 curfews 21 Dec 2021 - 01:05 pm

Seoul: As clocks struck 9 p.m. this week, customers packed up and left restaurants and other eateries across South Korea as a reimposed...

Thailand reinstates mandatory COVID-19 quarantine over Omicron concerns 21 Dec 2021 - 12:47 pm

Thailand will reinstate its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for foreign visitors and scrap a quarantine waiver from Tuesday due to concerns over the spread...

New Zealand delays border re-opening over Omicron concerns 21 Dec 2021 - 10:27 am

WELLINGTON: New Zealand on Tuesday postponed its phased border re-opening plans until the end of February over concerns of the rapid global spread...

Death toll from suspected arson at Japanese clinic rises to 25 - media 21 Dec 2021 - 10:21 am

TOKYO: The death toll from a suspected arson attack at a psychiatry clinic in Japan has risen to 25 with the death of...

McDonald's forced to ration customers' fries as supply shortage hits Japan 21 Dec 2021 - 10:16 am

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan will only offer french fries in small sizes from Friday after flooding at a Vancouver port and the coronavirus...

Philippine governor warns of looting without typhoon aid 21 Dec 2021 - 10:04 am

MANILA, Philippines: The governor of a central Philippine province devastated by Typhoon Rai last week pleaded on radio Tuesday for the government to...

India reports 200 Omicron cases across 12 states 21 Dec 2021 - 09:55 am

New Delhi: India has recorded 200 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant across 12 states, mostly in the western state of Maharashtra and...

Russia expels two German diplomats in tit-for-tat move 20 Dec 2021 - 07:28 pm

Moscow: Russia on Monday said it was expelling two German diplomats in retailiation for similar expulsions by Germany. Berlin last week expelled two...

Suspect of Japan deadly clinic fire bought gasoline in Nov -police 20 Dec 2021 - 11:23 am

TOKYO: A 61-year-old man suspected of starting a fire that killed 24 people last week in an Osaka clinic bought 10 litres of...

S.Korea's Moon urges more beds for coronavirus patients in a serious state 20 Dec 2021 - 10:44 am

SEOUL: South Korea's hospitals must dedicate more beds and resources for the treatment of coronavirus patients, President Moon Jae-in said on Monday, as...

Sydney shrugs off COVID-19 spike, resists calls to restore tough curbs 20 Dec 2021 - 10:15 am

SYDNEY: Australian authorities urged a "move away from fear" of the coronavirus on Monday, resisting calls to make masks mandatory indoors and limit...

Japanese space tourists safely return to Earth 20 Dec 2021 - 09:50 am

Moscow: A Japanese billionaire, his producer and a Russian cosmonaut safely returned to Earth on Monday after spending 12 days on the International...

Thailand reports first local Omicron case, eyes reinstating quarantine 20 Dec 2021 - 09:49 am

BANGKOK: Thailand is considering reinstating mandatory quarantine for foreign visitors due to concerns over the spread of Omicron, as the health ministry reported...