ASIA

Vishnu Saravanan becomes 2nd Indian sailor to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

‘Heartbreaking’: Olympic torch events downscaled over virus By Hiroshi

5:39 pm March 17, 2020

Tokyo: Tokyo 2020 organisers said Tuesday they had taken the “heartbreaking” decision to scale back parts of the Olympic torch relay due to the coronavirus, but stressed that spectators would still be allowed to watch from the roadside. Chief executive Toshiro Muto told reporters that the “grand start” of the torch relay from the disaster-hit […]

Malaysia bans mass gatherings, shuts most businesses

10:17 pm March 16, 2020

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s leader has announced a drastic two-week lockdown in the country following a sharp spike in the number of virus cases. Prime Minister Muhyiddini Yassin says religious institutions, schools, businesses and government offices will be shut until March 31. He says travel in and out of the country will be banned. Only essential […]

COVID surge, vaccine shortages spread beyond India’s borders

China allows detained Canadian ex-diplomat to call sick father

4:47 pm March 16, 2020

Beijing: China has allowed a former Canadian diplomat detained for allegedly gathering state secrets to speak on the phone to his ill father, the foreign ministry said Monday. Michael Kovrig has been languishing in China’s opaque legal system since he was apprehended in December 2018, along with Canadian businessman Michael Spavor, who faces similar accusations. […]

Japanese man sentenced to death for murder of 19 at care home

4:27 pm March 16, 2020

Yokohama (Japan): A Japanese man was sentenced to death on Monday for the stabbing murder of 19 disabled people at a care home, in one of the country’s worst ever mass killings. Satoshi Uematsu never disputed his involvement in the grisly rampage but his lawyers entered a plea of not guilty, arguing the 30-year-old was […]

SAARC video conference shows how leaders can present practical proposals: US official

Pak uses SAARC video-conference on coronavirus to raise Kashmir; govt sources slam Islamabad

11:56 pm March 15, 2020

New Delhi: Pakistan used the SAARC nations’ video-conference on coronavirus on Sunday to raise Kashmir, with the country’s State Minister of Health Zafar Mirza calling for an immediate lifting of the “lockdown” there to allow virus containment measures. Government sources here said the neighbouring country’s attempt to “politicise” a humanitarian issue by its “unwarranted” statement […]