Asia | The Daily Star

Thai protesters, police clash near base of army unit king controls

Thai police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters marching on a military base in Bangkok to call for King Maha Vajiralongkorn to give up direct command of the army unit housed there.
Forbidden fruit: Taiwan urges people to eat more pineapples after China ban

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen called on people to eat more pineapples to help farmers, saying Taiwan had been “ambushed” by a ban on the fruit by neighbouring long-time rival China which claims the island as its own.
Japan interested in developing southern Ctg centring Matarbari projects

Japan has suggested partnering with Bangladesh in further developing the southern Chattogram area, centring the Matarbari projects, as the two countries agree to build a strategic relationship by intensifying the current excellent bilateral ties.
Nepal’s top court orders reinstatement of parliament in blow to PM

Nepal’s top court has ordered the reinstatement of parliament, dealing a blow to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli two months after he dissolved the house and called for an early election amid squabbling within the ruling Communist party.
China rejects genocide charge in Xinjiang, says door open to UN

China has rejected “slanderous attacks” about conditions for Muslim Uighurs and other minorities living in its Xinjiang region, insisting that they enjoyed freedom of religion and labour rights.
Thailand allows emergency use of Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine

Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorisation for the CovidD-19 vaccine of Sinovac Biotech, paving the way for the country’s first coronavirus inoculations.
India gifts 1 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Maldives

India has provided 100,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine as gift to the Maldives.
Two killed in Myanmar's Mandalay city in bloodiest day of protests

Two people were killed in Myanmar’s second city Mandalay when police fired to disperse protesting opponents of a February 1 military coup, emergency workers said, the bloodiest day in more than two weeks of demonstrations.
Japan's ruling party wants more women at meetings, unless they talk

After a sexism row sparked by Tokyo Olympics chief’s saying women talked too much at meetings, Japan’s ruling party wants women at key meetings - but only if they don’t talk.
Erdogan says Turkey will expand operations against Kurdish militants

President Tayyip Erdogan said today Turkey will expand its cross-border operations against Kurdish militants after 13 captured Turks were killed in northern Iraq.
China cracks down on spurious, illegal, pricey Covid-19 vaccines

China is cracking down on vaccine-related crimes, making dozens of arrests over the production and distribution of fake coronavirus vaccines, price gouging and illegal inoculations, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Dozens injured in strong quake off Japan's Fukushima

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake off Fukushima in eastern Japan injured more than 100 people, authorities said Sunday, nearly a decade after the region suffered a devastating quake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.
Strong quake hits off Japan coast, triggering blackouts

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 has hit off the coast of eastern Japan, shaking buildings and triggering widespread blackouts, but there appeared to be no major damage and no tsunami warning was issued.
7.1 magnitude quake hits off coast of Japan's Fukushima

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 hit off the coast of eastern Japan on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Myanmar ruler calls for end to protests, sanctions loom

Myanmar’s new junta leader has called on civil servants to return to work and urged people to stop mass gatherings to avoid spreading coronavirus, as a sixth day of protests against him and his coup spanned the Southeast Asian country.
Rival factions agree on procedures for Palestinian elections - statements

Rival Palestinian factions agreed yesterday on steps aimed at ensuring Palestinian elections are held as planned later this year and pledged to respect their results, a joint statement said.
Australia says journalist arrested in China after months-long detention

The family of an Australian journalist arrested in China has pleaded with authorities to grant the former high-profile state TV news anchor access to her two school-age children.
Biden foresees ‘extreme competition’ with China, not ‘conflict’

US President Joe Biden anticipates the US rivalry with China will take the form of “extreme competition” rather than conflict between the two world powers.
After a decade of change in Myanmar, fear of the past drives anti-coup protests

As communications blackout following the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, all recalled the darkest days of a succession of military juntas that ruled Myanmar during half a century of ruinous isolation - driving many people to mass protests in fear that such times could return.
Malaysia moves foreign workers to hotels to curb Covid-19 spread

A national initiative has taken off in Malaysia to place foreign workers at hotels temporarily to address the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country caused by poor living conditions.
Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes southern Philippines

A strong earthquake with 6.3 magnitude struck the southern province of Davao del Sur in the Philippines on Sunday, with damage and aftershocks expected, the country’s seismology agency said.
Turkey Uighurs fear sellout to China in exchange for vaccine

Abdullah Metseydi, a Uighur in Turkey, was readying for bed last month when he heard commotion, then pounding on the door. “Police! Open the door!”
Myanmar police file charges against Aung San Suu Kyi after coup

Myanmar police have filed charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment and she will be detained until Feb. 15 for investigations, according to a police document.
South Korea urges US flexibility on sanctions to restart North Korea talks

The United States should flexibly enforce sanctions aimed at curbing Pyongyang’s nuclear programmes to revive denuclearisation talks, South Korea’s point man on North Korea said today.
Myanmar Aerobics Instructor Dances Through Military Coup

Pumping her arms to an electronic ditty, aerobics instructor Khing Hnin Wai appeared oblivious as a convoy of armoured vehicles drove by -- accidentally capturing Myanmar's military coup-in-progress in a surreal video that has now gone viral.
Myanmar group says 70 hospitals, medical departments stop work to protest coup

Staff at 70 hospitals and medical departments in 30 towns across Myanmar have stopped work to protest against the military seizing power in the country, a statement from the Myanmar Civil Disobedience Movement posted on Facebook said on Wednesday.
Myanmar army pledges new elections, power transfer after one-year state of emergency

Myanmar’s military declared a one-year state of emergency on Monday (Feb 1) and appointed a general as acting president, after arresting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials.
Democratic process must be held in Myanmar, says India

India today “noted with deep concern” the military coup in Myanmar and said the democratic process must be upheld.
Myanmar military seizes power, detains elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar's military seized power on Monday in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in early morning raids.
UN voices alarm about Myanmar after military threats, coup fears

The United Nations and Western governments voiced alarm on Friday over threats by Myanmar's military that have stirred fears of a coup in the aftermath of an election the army says was fraudulent.