Sydney faces ‘scariest period’ in coronavirus pandemic amid Delta outbreak
SYDNEY — Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), reported a double digit rise in new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 for the third straight day as officials fight to contain an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant.
Britain wants to allow people to travel again – minister says
LONDON - Britain wants to allow people to travel abroad again for a foreign holiday but new variants of the novel coronavirus are complicating...
U.S. bans imports of solar panel material from Chinese company
By Karen Freifeld, Michael Martina and David Shepardson
WASHINGTON - The Biden administration on Wednesday ordered a ban on U.S. imports of a key solar panel material from Chinese-based Hoshine Silicon Industry...
Taiwan says discussing COVID-19 vaccine passports
TAIPEI - Taiwan is in talks with international bodies about COVID-19 vaccine passports, the head of its Centres for Disease Control said on Thursday,...
Singapore’s millionaires count expected to surge 62% by 2025 — report
SINGAPORE’s count of millionaires could increase by more than 60% over the five years from 2020 to 2025, according to Credit Suisse Group AG, part of a surge in millionaires expected in Asia as financial capitals emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Canada’s Trudeau hits China over proposed probe into indigenous children’s remains
GENEVA/OTTAWA — China and its allies called on Tuesday for an investigation into the discovery of the remains of indigenous children in Canada at the site of a former boarding school, prompting an angry response from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Oxford University explores anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment
THE UNIVERSITY of Oxford said on Wednesday it was testing anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19, as part of a British government-backed study that aims to aid recoveries in non-hospital settings.
NK markets in turmoil as borders stay closed
SEOUL — Currency exchange rates and commodity prices appear to be wildly fluctuating in North Korea (NK) as a resumption in major trade with China hasn’t materialized, media reports and analysts say, increasing the hardship for residents facing food shortages.
China condemns latest US warship transit of Taiwan Strait
BEIJING/TAIPEI — China condemned the United States on Wednesday as the region’s greatest security “risk creator” after a US warship again sailed through the sensitive waterway that separates Taiwan from China.
Trial of first person charged under Hong Kong’s national security law begins
HONG KONG — The trial of the first person charged under the national security law in Hong Kong begins on Wednesday, almost a year after he was charged with driving his motorbike into officers during a rally while carrying a flag with a protest slogan.
US blocks websites linked to Iranian disinformation
DUBAI — The US Justice Department said on Tuesday it seized 36 Iranian-linked websites, many of them associated with either disinformation activities or violent organizations, taking them offline for violating US sanctions.
World Bank vows to keep board apprised of climate action progress
WASHINGTON — The World Bank on Tuesday agreed to boost its spending on climate change to 35% from 28% and to provide annual progress reports to...