Asia

Indian opposition protest arrest of leader ahead of polls

By Arunabh SAIKIA NEW DELHI, March 31, 2024 (AFP) – Top leaders of India’s opposition coalition and thousands of supporters rallied in the capital Sunday, decrying “autocracy” in protest at the arrest of a senior colleague ahead of general elections. Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi and a key leader in an opposition alliance formed to compete against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was detained this month in connection with a long-running corruption probe. Kejriwal’s government […]

Firefighters douse blaze at exploded Jakarta ammo depot

JAKARTA, March 31, 2024 (AFP) – Firefighters have managed to extinguish a blaze that levelled an ammunition warehouse just outside the Indonesian capital after a series of explosions, an officer said Sunday. The first explosion was heard at around 6:00 pm (1100 GMT) on Saturday at a depot used to store expired ammo inside a military complex near Jakarta. Twenty-seven fire trucks were deployed to the location and firefighters managed to douse the blaze by […]

US outlet Radio Free Asia closes Hong Kong office over security law fears

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – The US news outlet Radio Free Asia (RFA) said Friday it had closed its Hong Kong office over staff safety concerns after the city enacted a controversial new national security law. The Chinese finance hub last week brought into force a homegrown security law — commonly known as Article 23 — that introduced tough penalties for crimes such as treason, espionage and external interference. The law, which prompted swift […]

China’s competitive car market at heart of global EV revolution

BEIJING, March 28, 2024 (AFP) – China is the biggest electric vehicle market in the world, a battle royale featuring both established carmakers as well as upstarts such as Xiaomi, which launched its first EV on Thursday. EV makers from China have made inroads into markets from Europe to Southeast Asia and Tesla’s Elon Musk described them in January as “the most competitive car companies in the world”. How big is the Chinese EV market? […]

US to restrict visas for ‘multiple’ Hong Kong officials

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2024 (AFP) – .The United States announced on Friday that it was “taking steps” to put fresh visa curbs on Hong Kong officials responsible for cracking down on rights in the Chinese city, days after a new national security law came into force In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that over the past year, Beijing has “continued to take actions against Hong Kong’s promised high degree of autonomy, […]

Russia faces backlash as veto ends UN’s N. Korea sanctions monitoring

SEOUL, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – Russia faced a mounting backlash Friday after using its veto power to effectively end official UN monitoring of sanctions on North Korea amid a probe into alleged arms transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang. Russia’s UN Security Council veto on Thursday blocked the renewal of the panel of experts tasked with investigating violations of sanctions tied to North Korea’s banned nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. South Korea’s foreign ministry on […]

Japan dietary supplement maker probes five deaths

TOKYO, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – A Japanese drugmaker said on Friday it is investigating five deaths potentially linked to dietary supplements meant to lower cholesterol and apologised for the “anxiety and fear” it had caused. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has recalled three brands of over-the-counter tablets after customers reported kidney problems. The firm said it was trying to establish if the products containing red yeast rice, or “beni koji”, had caused five deaths and 114 hospitalisations. […]

Japan drugmaker reports two more deaths in supplement scare

A Japanese drugmaker whose dietary supplements are at the centre of a growing health scare reported on Thursday two more deaths potentially related to its tablets. Last week, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical recalled three supplement brands — “Beni Koji Choleste Help” and two others — after customer complaints of kidney problems. The over-the-counter products contain an ingredient called red yeast rice, or “beni koji”, which is supposed to help lower cholesterol. Thursday’s announcement brings the total number […]

“We will not be cowed into silence,” says President Marcos after China sea clash

President Ferdinand Marcos said Thursday the Philippines will not be “cowed into silence” by Beijing after confrontations in the South China Sea that injured Filipino troops and damaged vessels. Marcos’s remarks came as China blamed the Philippines for raising tensions in the hotly contested waterway, which Beijing claims almost entirely. Beijing and Manila have a long history of maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea and there have been repeated confrontations between their vessels […]

S. Korea slams ‘irresponsible’ Russian veto ending UN N. Korea sanctions monitoring

SEOUL, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – South Korea slammed Russia’s “irresponsible” veto blocking the renewal of a panel of UN experts monitoring international sanctions on North Korea, with the vote following accusations Pyongyang is aiding Moscow in its war in Ukraine. South Korea “clearly points out that the Russian Federation, despite its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has made an irresponsible decision”, Seoul’s foreign ministry said in a statement. The […]

Russian veto ends monitoring of UN’s N.Korea sanctions

By Amélie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS UNITED NATIONS, United States, March 28, 2024 (AFP) – Russia on Thursday blocked the renewal of a panel of UN experts monitoring international sanctions on North Korea, weeks after the body said it was investigating reports of arms transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang. The move was met with a flurry of criticism, including by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who took to social media to call the veto “a guilty plea” amid […]

Japan attempts to revive Moon lander after second lunar night

TOKYO, March 26, 2024 (AFP) – Japan’s space agency said on Tuesday it will try to revive its Moon lander after a second frigid, two-week lunar night, following a surprising awakening last month. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. As the sun’s angle shifted, it came back to life for two days and carried out scientific […]