China will get another chance to reshape Asia-Pacific trade at a regional summit starting Thursday, days after securing a huge trade pact victory and with the United States (US) playing protectionist defence.The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, held online this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, brings together 21 Pacific Rim countries including the world's two biggest economies, accounting for about 60 percent of global GDP.China has become the dominant force in th

A key facet of the global mad scramble by Pfizer, Moderna and other pharma groups to develop a viable coronavirus vaccine is the recruitment of tens of thousands of volunteers willing to participate in clinical trials.AFP's correspondent in Miami, Leila Macor, took part in such a trial organised by United States (US) biotech firm Moderna, which announced Monday that its experimental vaccine was nearly 95 percent effective.Why did Macor, who suffers from asthma, decide to be one of Modern

Thai democracy activists vowed Tuesday to return to the streets after police fired water cannon and tear gas on demonstrators in the most violent clashes seen since the protest movement erupted in July.41 people were injured as protesters forced through police barricades towards parliament in Bangkok, where lawmakers were debating possible changes to the military-scripted constitution. Student-led rallies have rocked Thailand for months, demanding a constitutional overhaul and the re

United States (US) biotech firm Moderna on Monday announced its experimental vaccine against COVID-19 was almost 95 percent effective, marking a second major breakthrough in the quest to end the pandemic.Moderna released early results from a clinical trial with more than 30,000 participants, after American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech last week said their vaccine was 90 percent effective. Both frontrunners are based on new technology that uses synthet

15 Asia-Pacific countries on Sunday signed the world's biggest free trade deal, seen as a huge coup for China in extending its influence.The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes 10 Southeast Asian economies along with China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, with members accounting for around 30 percent of global GDP.First proposed in 2012, the deal was finally sealed at the end of a Southeast Asian summit as leaders push to get their pandemic-hit econ

Thai pro-democracy protesters scaled a Bangkok monument Saturday night to unfurl a giant banner scribbled with anti-government slogans, and a Thai hip hop group took aim at the monarchy with their new song.The kingdom has for months experienced massive student-led demonstrations demanding a new constitution, changes to how the royal family operates and for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha –who rose to power in a 2014 coup – to resign.Several thousand people turned out for a carnival-themed ra

Hailed this week as a pandemic game-changer, the new COVID-19 vaccine offered countries that had pre-ordered doses a potential escape from a cycle of lockdowns and new waves of sickness and death. But while richer nations plan their vaccination programmes through the end of 2021, experts warn that poorer and developing countries face hurdles that could deny billions the first proven protection against the coronavirus.Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech plan to roll out the first d

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations are set to sign an enormous free trade deal at an online summit that started Thursday, with the pact seen as a coup for China in extending its influence across the region.Once signed, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the world's largest trade pact in terms of GDP, according to analysts.The pact, which was first proposed in 2012 and viewed as a Chinese-led rival to a now-defunct United States (US) trade initiative, loops in 10 Sou

Myanmar's military-aligned opposition party on Wednesday rejected the results of this week's election as "unfair" and called for a fresh vote - a demand immediately rebuffed by the election authorities.Official results are still trickling in, but Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party has already declared a landslide victory based on its own tallies from across the country.The polls are only the second since the country emerged from outright junta rule in 2011.Observers said

The United States (US) expressed disappointment Tuesday that Cambodia had demolished a second American-funded military facility without warning, as the kingdom turns to China to expand a naval base.Cambodian authorities this month finished dismantling a maintenance facility at Ream base - built in 2017 with US money after razing a tactical naval headquarters there in September.Cambodia's Defence Minister Tea Banh confirmed the demolition on Tuesday, drawing a rebuke from the US embassy.&