China imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong Tuesday, dramatically tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city in a historic move decried by Western nations as a threat to the financial hub's freedoms.Described by Beijing as a "sword" hanging over the heads of those endangering national security, the law took effect hours after it was signed by President Xi Jinping and just six weeks since it was first unveiled.Fed up with pro-democracy protests that rocked t

Thailand's nightlife will restart with some restrictions this week, the kingdom announced Monday, part of a return to normalcy as it prepares to welcome business travellers and medical tourists after a ban on foreign entry.So far Thailand has 3,169 cases and 58 deaths from the coronavirus - a low toll considering the kingdom in mid-January became was the first country outside China to register a case. But the country's tourism-reliant economy has been hit hard by the border

The total number of coronavirus cases has topped 10 million globally, according to media tally on Sunday, as the pandemic surges particularly in the United States and Latin America.At least 10,003,942 infections, including 498,779 deaths, have been registered around the world, according to a count at 0930 GMT based on official sources. Europe remains the hardest hit continent with 2,637,546 cases including 195,975 fatalities, while the United States has 2,510,323 infections including

European Union (EU) member states remained divided Friday over the partial reopening of Europe's border on 1 July, though the United States (US), where the coronavirus is still spreading, was to remain excluded, diplomats said.EU envoys have argued for days on drawing up a list of criteria for reopening borders, with some member states worried about the reliability of coronavirus data, notably from China.Sources said that the meeting ended with a tentative list of about 18 countries free

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:India's SurgeIndia now has more than 500,000 confirmed cases, according to government figures that show a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections."Unlike China, where the pandemic was relatively more concentrated around Wuhan and a few other cities, India has a more diffused spread that makes it a bit more challenging for the healthcare system," says Anant Bhan, a leading public health expertIndia may see several pea

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that a global initiative to speed up the development and production of COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments will require more than US$30 billion over the next year.Providing details of the so-called Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) accelerator, launched in April and aimed at pooling international resources to combat the pandemic, WHO said "the costed plans presented today call for US$31.3 billion in funding".So far, US$3.4 billion of

Southeast Asian leaders warned Friday the virus pandemic had swept away years of economic gains and was hindering negotiations over the flashpoint South China Sea as they met online for a delayed summit.Vietnam, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), had wanted to use the summit to inject momentum into talks on a sprawling China-backed trade pact.But the immediate focus for the 10-member bloc was the crippling cost of the coronavirus, which has ravaged the ec

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on the world to strengthen multilateral cooperation, saying a global approach has been the key to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.Speaking on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Charter, he said the world is in turmoil, struggling with the coronavirus and climate change, as well as widespread racial injustice and increasing inequality - all best solved by a renewed sense of multilateralism."We ca

Thais on Wednesday marked the anniversary of a 1932 revolution which ended absolute monarchy with heavily symbolic events, demanding reforms to a political system dominated by the arch-royalist army.Protesters dressed as soldiers and a pre-dawn holographic display were among the subversive ways activists chose to commemorate Thailand's transition from absolutism to a constitutional monarchy on 24 June, 1932.Marking the revolution has become increasingly taboo under the government of form

Singapore's parliament was dissolved Tuesday for an election even as the city-state struggles to recover from a major coronavirus outbreak that has swept through crowded migrant worker dormitories. A raft of safety measures will be in place to prevent infections, with voters required to wear masks and gloves at polling stations while campaign rallies look set to be banned. The financial hub initially won praise for keeping the virus in check with a rigorous system of te