Asia

Japan lifts coronavirus emergency but urges caution

  by Natsuko FUKUE Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan lifted a nationwide state of emergency over the coronavirus on Monday, gradually reopening the world’s third-largest economy as government officials warned caution was still necessary to prevent another wave. “We had very stringent criteria for lifting the state of emergency. We have judged that we have met this,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a nationally televised news conference. Compared with hard-hit areas in […]

Thousands protest in Hong Kong over China security law proposal

  by Yan ZHAO / Xinqi SU Agence France Presse Police fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who gathered Sunday against a controversial security law proposed by China, in the most intense clashes for months. As the demonstrators and police were facing off in the semi-autonomous financial hub, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted in Beijing that the proposed law must be imposed “without the slightest delay”. The […]

Survivor recalls horror of Pakistan plane crash that killed 97

  by Ashraf KHAN Agence France Presse KARACHI, Pakistan (AFP) — One of the two people to survive a plane crash in Pakistan that killed 97 people has described jumping from the burning wreckage of the aircraft after it hurtled into a residential neighbourhood. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane came down among houses on Friday after both engines failed as it approached Karachi airport, the airline said. Its wings sliced through rooftops, sending flames […]

97 dead, 2 survivors from Pakistan plane crash: health ministry

  KARACHI, Pakistan (AFP) — Ninety-seven people were killed and two survived when a passenger plane crashed into homes in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi, health officials said Saturday. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane had made multiple approaches to land at the city’s airport when it came down in a residential area, damaging buildings and sparking a rescue operation that lasted into the night. All passengers and crew had been accounted for and the […]

Hong Kong security proposal submitted to China legislature

PEKIN, China (AFP) — A proposal to enact new Hong Kong security legislation was submitted to China’s rubber-stamp on Friday, state media said, a move expected to fan fresh protests in the semi-autonomous financial hub. The proposal, which has been condemned by the United States and Hong Kong pro-democracy figures as an assault on the city’s freedoms, was tabled on the opening day of the week-long National People’s Congress, Xinhua news agency said. Parliament spokesman […]

China has made ‘major strategic achievements’ against virus: premier

PEKIN, China (AFP) — China has made “major strategic achievements” in its response to the coronavirus outbreak, Premier Li Keqiang said at the opening of the National People’s Congress on Friday. “At present, the epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense,” he told thousands of delegates in Beijing. © Agence France-Presse

Cyclone toll hits 95 as Bangladesh and India start mopping up

by Sam Jahan with Sailendra Sal in Kolkata SATKHIRA, Bangladesh (AFP) — India and Bangladesh began a massive clean-up Thursday after the fiercest cyclone since 1999 killed at least 95 people, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Cyclone Amphan flattened houses, uprooted trees, blew off roofs and toppled electricity pylons, while a storm surge inundated coastal villages and wrecked shrimp farms vital to the local economy. The United Nations office in Bangladesh estimates […]

US warns China against ‘highly destabilizing’ Hong Kong move

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Thursday urged China to respect Hong Kong’s autonomy, warning that its proposed national security law for the city would be “highly destabilizing” and face global opposition. “Any effort to impose national security legislation that does not reflect the will of the people of Hong Kong would be highly destabilizing, and would be met with strong condemnation from the United States and the international community,” State Department […]

Cyclone Amphan death toll rises to 84: officials

by Sailendra Sil KOLKATA, India (AFP) –India and Bangladesh began a massive clean-up Thursday after the fiercest cyclone since 1999 killed at least 84 people, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Cyclone Amphan flattened houses, uprooted trees, blew off roofs and toppled electricity pylons, while a storm surge inundated coastal villages and wrecked shrimp farms vital to the local economy. The United Nations office in Bangladesh estimates 10 million people were affected, and […]

22 killed as ‘super cyclone’ ravages Bangladesh, India

by Sam Jahan with Sailendra Sal in Kolkata SATKHIRA, Bangladesh (AFP) — At least 22 people died as the fiercest cyclone to hit parts of Bangladesh and eastern India this century sent trees flying and flattened houses, with millions crammed into shelters despite the risk of coronavirus. Millions were left without power after Cyclone Amphan, packing winds of around 150 kilometers per hour (95 miles), carried away electricity pylons, walls and roofs, officials said Thursday […]

‘Super cyclone’ Amphan batters Bangladesh, India

by Sam Jahan with Sailendra Sal in Kolkata Agence France Presse KHULNA, Bangladesh (AFP) — The strongest cyclone in decades slammed into Bangladesh and eastern India on Wednesday, sending water surging inland and leaving a trail of destruction as the death toll rose to at least nine. High winds and torrid rains pounded coastal villages and cities, bringing down power lines, uprooting trees and inundating homes. “The situation is more worrying than the coronavirus pandemic. […]

Powerful Cyclone Amphan makes landfall in India

KOLKATA, India (AFP) — Cyclone Amphan, one of the most powerful in decades, made landfall in eastern India on Wednesday packing winds of up to 190 kilometers (120 miles) per hour, an official said. “The cyclone has made landfall. The eye is over Sagar Island” on the coast, Sanjib Banerjee, director of the regional meteorological office in Kolkata, told AFP. Weather officials say the cyclone could wreak havoc in India and Bangladesh, and millions of […]