The United Nations’ (UN) top rights body demanded Friday that Myanmar's military restore civilian rule and immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi.In a resolution adopted without a vote, the 47-member Human Rights Council called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all persons arbitrarily detained," and "the restoration of the elected government." Traditional allies of the Myanmar military, China and Russia, meanwhile disassociated themselves from the

United States (US) President Joe Biden revealed Thursday that his first phone call with Xi Jinping lasted a marathon two hours, during which he challenged his Chinese counterpart on human rights, trade and regional muscle-flexing.But an increasingly assertive Xi pushed back, according to Chinese state media, telling Biden that issues such as Beijing's crushing of opposition in Hong Kong and saber-rattling on Taiwan are China's "internal affairs.""Last night, I was in

The United States (US) on Thursday slapped sanctions on the leaders of Myanmar's junta, warning that more punishment could come even as the generals in Yangon ordered demonstrators to get back to work or face "effective actions".As Myanmar was preparing for a seventh consecutive day of anti-coup rallies, the US Treasury Department announced it was blocking any US assets and transactions with 10 current or former military officials held responsible for the 1 February coup.Demons

Just like Christmas last year, another significant global holiday is being celebrated under COVID-19 restrictions. Lunar New Year decorations such as vibrant red lanterns and paper cuttings grace Asian malls, alleys and city streets.

Thai pro-democracy protesters returned to the streets of Bangkok Wednesday after nearly two months, clanging pots and pans - a tactic borrowed from mass rallies against a coup in neighbouring Myanmar.The protest came a day after a court denied bail to four prominent democracy leaders who were charged under the kingdom's draconian royal defamation laws.Since the pro-democracy movement kicked off in July, more than 50 protesters have been charged under the laws and face up to 15 years in j

Myanmar's military raided the Yangon headquarters of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party late Tuesday, officials said, as the United States (US) joined the United Nations (UN) in "strongly" condemning violence against protesters demanding a return to democracy.The latest assault on Myanmar's civilian leadership came as anger at last week's coup and the detention of Suu Kyi by the generals has driven hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, defying a j

Myanmar's army chief on Monday insisted military rule would be different this time, as martial law was declared across swathes of the country after massive protests against the new junta.Orders covering parts of Yangon, Mandalay and other areas banned people from protesting or gathering in groups of more than five, and imposing an 8:00 pm to 4:00 am curfew.New junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing, wearing a green military uniform, made his first televised speech since seizing power, insis

China delivered 600,000 doses of its Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine to ally Cambodia on Sunday, making the kingdom the latest country to use Chinese jabs despite concerns about their efficacy compared to Western alternatives. Cambodian leader Hun Sen announced last month that China would donate one million doses of its coronavirus vaccine to the kingdom - which will cover 500,000 people because two doses are required.On Sunday, the strongman premier greeted the arrival of the first ba

Tens of thousands of protesters poured onto the streets across Myanmar Sunday in the biggest anti-coup rallies yet, as an internet blackout failed to stifle growing outrage at the military's ouster of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.Some estimates put the number of protesters in Yangon at 100,000 and there were reports of large demonstrations in other cities condemning the coup that brought Myanmar's 10-year experiment with democracy to a crashing halt.Backed by a din of car horns,

China's drug authorities have given "conditional" approval for a second COVID-19 vaccine, Sinovac's CoronaVac jab, the pharmaceutical company said Saturday.The vaccine has already been rolled out to key groups at higher risk of exposure to coronavirus but Saturday's approval allows for its use on the general public.A conditional approval helps hustle emergency drugs to market in cases when clinical trials are yet to meet normal standards but indicate therapies will wo