China’s restaurants, hotels brace for gloomy Lunar New Year
BEIJING — China’s hotels and restaurants are bracing for a lackluster Lunar New Year holiday, as travel curbs and government advice to stay home...
Redditors’ plan to use GameStop playbook for glove makers unravels
A bid by Malaysian amateur investors to pull off a short squeeze-fueled rally in glove makers is fizzling out, just like the one by...
UK coronavirus variant carries higher death risk
The coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom (UK) is deadlier than earlier variants, a new study confirms.
Researchers tracked roughly one million individuals...
Two US carrier groups conduct exercises in South China Sea
Two US carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a US warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in...
Mexico’s Senate majority leader puts forward legislation to regulate Facebook, Twitter
MEXICO CITY - A prominent senator from Mexico's ruling party has proposed regulating major social media networks, including Twitter and Facebook, in a draft...
Australia’s gold industry stamped out mercury pollution – now it’s coal’s turn
Mercury is a nasty toxin that harms humans and ecosystems.
Most human exposure comes from eating contaminated fish and other seafood. But how does mercury...
Five countries to abandon Pacific forum over leadership vote
By Jonathan Barrett and Praveen Menon
SYDNEY/WELLINGTON - Five Pacific island nations will start withdrawing from the region's main political forum, according to a joint statement, in the fallout from...
Stocks, oil rise in Asia after U.S. records
Asian stock markets rose on Tuesday after a record-setting day on Wall Street, while Bitcoin paused for breath after an overnight endorsement from Tesla...
Clubhouse app blocked in China, added to “Great Firewall” – users, activist
By Brenda Goh
SHANGHAI - Access to U.S. audio app Clubhouse was blocked in China on Monday, users and an anti-censorship watchdog said, ending a brief window...
S. Africa puts AstraZeneca vaccine rollout on hold over variant data
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa will put on hold use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 shot in its vaccination programme, after data showed it gave minimal protection against mild-to-moderate infection caused by the country’s dominant coronavirus variant.
Diamond jewelry forecast to regain pre-pandemic sparkle in 2022-2024
JOHANNESBURG — Diamond jewelry demand will recover to pre-pandemic levels between 2022 and 2024, with China leading the way, a report commissioned by the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC)predicted.
Biden administration moves to rejoin UN Human Rights Council
WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden’s administration will reengage with the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, three years after former President Donald Trump withdrew over what his administration called bias against Israel and a lack of reform.