Myanmar's military has detained the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi in an apparent coup, her ruling party's spokesman said Monday. The military, which ruled the country for nearly five decades, had this week refused to rule out seizing power over its claims of voter fraud in November's elections, won by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Myo Nyunt, the spokesman for the NLD, said Suu Kyi, along with President Win Myint, h

It was the image that became a symbol of the chaos enveloping coronavirus-hit Wuhan: the body of a man lying for hours on a pavement.The grim scene, captured a year ago by AFP, was around the corner from a hospital in the Chinese metropolis – now known as the pandemic's "ground zero". But the corpse was left untouched until nervous and overwhelmed rescue workers carried it away.Although the cause of his death has never been established, the unknown man lying on his bac

Myanmar's military on Saturday vowed to abide by the country's constitution, in an apparent backtracking after its commander-in-chief spurred fears of a coup when he suggested the charter could be repealed. The army has for weeks alleged widespread irregularities in November's election, won in a landslide by Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD). Tensions were ramped up Tuesday when a military spokesman refused to rule out the poss

One week into the job, United States (US) President Joe Biden has sent a clear warning to Beijing against any expansionist intentions in East and Southeast Asia.In multiple calls and statements, he and his top security officials have underscored support for allies Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, signalling Washington's rejection of China's disputed territorial claims in those areas.On Wednesday, Biden told Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that his administratio

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) visited a Wuhan hospital Friday as the fieldwork began in a closely watched coronavirus origins probe that will take in a food market presumed to be "ground zero" of the pandemic.The WHO investigation has been hobbled by delays, and there are fears over access and the strength of evidence a year after the virus emerged in the central Chinese city.The team met Chinese officials Friday and then left their Wuhan hotel in a fleet of cars,

Thailand is home to landmarks such as those listed under UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, beautiful beaches, and crystal-clear waters. The kingdom is also popular for its wide variety of street food, local delicacies, and vibrant nightlife.Tourism is a primary economic contributor to the country. In 2019, it was reported that foreign tourist arrivals hit a record 39.8 million, which is equivalent to more than half of Thailand’s population.

Myanmar's army chief has raised the prospect of scrapping the country's constitution as fears swirl about a possible coup by the military over electoral fraud concerns.The army has for weeks alleged widespread voter irregularities in November's election, which Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) won in a landslide.The civilian administration has been in an uneasy power-sharing agreement with the army generals since Myanmar's first democratic

Vietnam recorded its first coronavirus outbreak in almost two months on Thursday, with more than 80 new cases reported as authorities began testing tens of thousands of people to contain the spread.The infections were detected in northern Vietnam, where one cluster has been linked to a case of the more contagious coronavirus variant first spotted in Britain.The figure was a new daily record for the communist nation of 96 million people, which has been widely praised for its handling of the pa

The United States (US) pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which is manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Germany's BioNTech, now considers each vial contains six doses compared to five previously. The difficulty in obtaining that sixth dose in practice means many countries are at loggerheads with Pfizer and facing a drop in supply.How Many Doses?Until recently, each vial of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine was considered to officially contain five doses. After being thaw

Secretary of State Antony Blinken got to work Wednesday with a warning that the world's eyes were on the United States (US) to see if it can heal deep divisions.Blinken, a veteran diplomat and confidant of President Joe Biden, promised to rebuild morale and respect in a welcome ceremony at the State Department front entrance that was extraordinary for what was lacking – crowds.With COVID-19 raging, Blinken asked that only a bare minimum of employees, all masked, come to see him – and not