Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging coronavirus infections.Duterte issued the directive after a meeting with his COVID-19 task force – where everyone except him can be seen wearing the mandatory face covering – an official video released late Wednesday showed.Thousands of people have been punished for violating COVID-19 rules since the end of March, when restri

A shadow government of ousted Myanmar lawmakers said Wednesday it has set up a "people's defence force" to protect civilians, as the police and military deploy deadly arms against anti-coup protesters.The country has been in turmoil since the military deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a mass uprising of daily protests and a nationwide boycott from civil servants.So far, nearly 770 people have been killed in deadly crackdowns, according to a local monitoring g

Makeshift barricades of bamboo, brick and burning rubber tyres have lent the streets of Myanmar's largest city the look of an urban warzone, and now the military are forcing civilians to dismantle them, piece by piece...

Thai police used water cannon and rubber bullets outside Bangkok's Grand Palace Saturday, after demonstrators broke through a barricade of shipping containers to demand reforms to the kingdom's unassailable monarchy. It was the latest night of unrest since Thailand's pro-democracy movement kicked off in July, calling for an overhaul of Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha's administration and a rewrite of a military-scripted constitution.But their most controversial demands

Britain on Friday advised its citizens to flee Myanmar, as ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer rejected junta corruption claims against her as 'groundless'.The military authorities are cracking down with increasing severity on daily protests against their 1 February coup, with at least 70 people killed according to the United Nations’ (UN) top rights expert on the country.The turmoil prompted Britain, the former colonial ruler, to urge its citizens to get out if th

Myanmar's junta fired its United Nations (UN) ambassador Saturday for breaking ranks to denounce the military's ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as police stepped up a crackdown on protesters across the country. The country has been shaken by a wave of demonstrations since a coup toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February. Authorities have ramped up the use of force to suppress dissent, deploying tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to d

Riot police in Myanmar on Friday dispersed hundreds of anti-coup protesters who have rallied daily in the country's largest city against a junta that toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.The country has seen an outpouring of anger and defiance from hundreds of thousands of protesters who have gathered to call for Suu Kyi's release and a return to democracy.In some cities, security forces have steadily increased their use of force, but in commercial hub Yangon, authorities have e

Two people were killed in Myanmar's second largest city as security forces fired live rounds on protestors, emergency workers and doctors said Saturday – the latest show of force from a junta regime that has faced two straight weeks of anti-coup demonstrations.Much of the country has been in uproar since the military deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February, with large street demonstrations seen in major cities and isolated villages alike.Authorities have responded with inc

Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing was a teenage grocery store worker in Myanmar's sparse and isolated capital until less than two weeks ago, when a gunshot turned her into a national symbol of resistance. The death of the young anti-coup protester has sent a ripple of grief through the country, days after a bullet struck her in the head during a confrontation with police.She had joined a massive rally in Naypyidaw demanding the release and return to power of the country's ousted civ

In a bid to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus that has killed over 2.4 million people worldwide, the Malaysian government has called for a partial lockdown, also known locally as the movement control order (MCO) that is expected to end on 18 February. Therefore, more roadblocks or road barricades have been set up by police officers to carry out compliance operations in order to ensure that the public adheres to coronavirus restrictions stipulated by local authorities.However,