World / Asia

Philippines welcomes back foreign travelers after 2 years 10 Feb 2022 - 12:09 pm

MANILA, Philippines: The Philippines lifted a nearly two-year ban on foreign travelers Thursday in a lifesaving boost for its tourism and related industries...

S.Korea turns to self-treatment as Omicron fuels COVID surge 10 Feb 2022 - 10:09 am

SEOUL: South Korea said on Thursday patients with mild coronavirus symptoms will have to treat themselves, aiming to free up medical resources for...

Japan to extend COVID-19 curbs for 13 regions by three weeks 09 Feb 2022 - 03:05 pm

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister said on Wednesday that the government would extend COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo and 12 prefectures by three weeks as...

Blinken lands in Australia ahead of Indo-Pacific meeting 09 Feb 2022 - 01:15 pm

MELBOURNE, Australia:Secretary of State Antony Blinken and key allies are "voting with their feet” by flying to Australia to focus on challenges in...

Olympics’ hit panda mascot has Chinese shoppers queuing overnight in freezing Beijing 09 Feb 2022 - 10:34 am

A chubby round panda decked out in a suit of ice has become a national sensation in China, with shoppers in Beijing lining...

Singapore aims to calm Covid fears amid surge in milder cases 09 Feb 2022 - 10:16 am

Singapore is highlighting the Covid infection of its 63-year-old defense minister as a way to soothe ongoing fears in the city state about...

New Zealand PM warns of more COVID variants in 2022 08 Feb 2022 - 02:16 pm

WELLINGTON: The COVID-19 pandemic will not end with the Omicron variant and New Zealand will have to prepare for more variants of the...

Australia's COVID hospital admissions fall after Omicron peaks 08 Feb 2022 - 01:57 pm

SYDNEY: Australia's COVID-19 hospital cases and people admitted to intensive care continued to trend lower on Tuesday as authorities urged people to get...

Hong Kong tightens virus measures as infections surge to record 08 Feb 2022 - 01:00 pm

Hong Kong is extending gathering limits to private premises for the first time in an attempt to keep residents from socializing as it...

Malaysia COVID-19 panel recommends full border reopening in March 08 Feb 2022 - 12:53 pm

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's coronavirus recovery council on Tuesday said it has recommended a full reopening of borders as early as March 1 without...

Philippines shifts election battle to social media as COVID-19 curbs campaigning 07 Feb 2022 - 09:07 pm

MANILA- Campaigning for the Philippines' general election gets underway officially on Tuesday, with COVID-19 curtailing the traditional fanfare and big rallies and turning...

India approves Sputnik Light COVID shot for unvaccinated - local manufacturer 07 Feb 2022 - 08:32 pm

NEW DELHI- India has approved Russia's one-shot Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine for people who have not yet received a vaccine, the shot's Indian...

Nepal to reopen schools, other venues as virus cases fall 07 Feb 2022 - 04:11 pm

KATHMANDU, Nepal: Nepal's capital on Monday announced it would ease strict pandemic measures, with plans to reopen schools and sports venues and slowly...

Indonesia to tighten COVID-19 curbs as infections climb 07 Feb 2022 - 04:08 pm

JAKARTA: Indonesia will tighten social restrictions in Jakarta and Bali, as well as in two other cities on Java island, in a bid...

Japan PM Kishida calls for doubling booster shots to 1 million a day 07 Feb 2022 - 03:17 pm

TOKYO: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday he wants to speed up the country's COVID-19 booster shot programme to 1 million...

China locks down city on Vietnam border as COVID cases rise 07 Feb 2022 - 12:12 pm

Beijing: Authorities in China's southwestern city of Baise ordered residents to stay at home from Monday and avoid unnecessary travel as they enforced...

Australia reopens to international visitors after two years 07 Feb 2022 - 09:43 am

Australia will allow international travelers to enter the country once again, ending around two years of some of the world’s toughest border controls...