News from: BBC, DW & France24
- Nepali climbers make history with winter summit of K2 mountainon 2021-01-16 at 18:02
Till now, K2 was the only mountain higher than 8,000m not to be conquered in winter.
- Mount Semeru: Erupting volcano spews ash above Indonesia’s Java islandon 2021-01-16 at 17:43
Mount Semeru has erupted, pouring volcanic matter miles into the air and placing locals on alert.
- ‘Survivor of the Chinese Gulag’: Uighur refugee in France recounts her ordealby Stéphanie TROUILLARD on 2021-01-16 at 16:01
After three harrowing years in Chinese re-education camps, Gulbahar Haitiwaji, a Uighur woman who had been lured back to China from France only to be arrested, interrogated and abused, recounts her ordeal in a just published book.
- Nepali mountaineers make first K2 winter ascenton 2021-01-16 at 15:45
The first-ever winter scaling of K2 in Pakistan goes to 10 Nepalese Sherpas. The world’s second-highest peak, known as the "savage mountain," ranks as more dangerous than Everest.
- Tennis stars’ arrival angers stranded Australianson 2021-01-16 at 15:32
Players are flown in ahead of the Australian Open while thousands of citizens are waiting to return.
- Indonesia quake: Rescuers race against clock to find survivorson 2021-01-16 at 14:24
The quake on Sulawesi island has left dozens dead and injured, with many more feared trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings.
- Iran test-fires ballistic missiles at ‘hypothetical’ enemy shipson 2021-01-16 at 13:42
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has test-fired anti-warship ballistic missiles against targets in the Indian Ocean as they wrapped up a two-day military exercise.
- Coronavirus: China builds hospital in 5 days after virus surgeon 2021-01-16 at 11:02
Hit by a new wave of coronavirus cases, China has finished a 1,500-room temporary hospital in a city south of Beijing.
- Coronavirus: India launches massive vaccination driveon 2021-01-16 at 09:01
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the "world’s largest" vaccination drive today, starting with healthcare and frontline workers. The government has defended the Indian-made Covaxin jab.
- Coronavirus vaccine: India begins world’s biggest driveon 2021-01-16 at 07:39
Health and frontline workers are first in line for jabs at vaccination centres across the country.
- India launches one of the world’s largest Covid-19 vaccination campaignsby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-16 at 05:59
India started inoculating health workers Saturday in what is likely the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign, joining the ranks of wealthier nations where the effort is already well underway.
- Indonesia earthquake: Dozens dead as search for survivors continueson 2021-01-15 at 22:09
The earthquake struck the island of Sulawesi on Friday, injuring hundreds and destroying a hospital.
- Rohingya: Why Bangladesh is in a diplomatic fix over Saudi repatriationon 2021-01-15 at 15:31
Riyadh has urged Bangladesh to take back some 54,000 Rohingya that are currently in Saudi Arabia. But agreeing to this would complicate Bangladesh’s Rohingya repatriation talks with Myanmar.
- North Korea unveils new submarine-launched missileon 2021-01-15 at 15:20
The show of military strength comes days before the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president.
- Why is Laos building Mekong dams it doesn’t need?on 2021-01-15 at 12:43
Thailand’s electricity demand has dropped, but this hasn’t stopped the construction of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River in neighboring Laos.
- Joe the pigeon spared by Australia after leg tag found to be fakeon 2021-01-15 at 10:17
Officials will take no further action after concluding the bird is “highly likely to be Australian”.
- US has conceded too much to Taliban, says Afghan vice-presidenton 2021-01-15 at 09:15
The Afghan vice-president tells the BBC that the latest US troop withdrawal will lead to violence.
- Indonesia: Data recovered from crashed jet’s black boxon 2021-01-15 at 07:16
Key flight data has been downloaded from the Sriwijaya Air jet that crashed into the Java Sea last weekend.
- Indonesia recovers data from flight recorder of downed passenger jetby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-15 at 06:58
Indonesian investigators have successfully recovered data from a crashed passenger jet’s flight recorder, days after the plane with 62 people aboard slammed into the sea, they said Friday.
- Deadly earthquake hits Indonesia’s Sulawesi islandby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-15 at 01:05
A powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Sulawesi island early Friday, killing at least 34 people, levelling a hospital and severely damaging other buildings, authorities said.
- Australia rebukes Google for blocking local contenton 2021-01-15 at 00:13
The tech giants are fighting the Australian government over plans to make them pay for news content.
- China’s pressure and propaganda – the reality of reporting Xinjiangon 2021-01-15 at 00:07
In addition to heavy restrictions on journalists in the Xinjiang region, China alleges “fake news”.
- Rajini Chandy: The 69-year-old Indian actress trolled for ‘too sexy’ photoson 2021-01-15 at 00:05
Rajini Chandy, a southern Indian actress, has raised hackles in a state where women still dress modestly.
- Taliban cracks down on ‘costly’ polygamyon 2021-01-15 at 00:01
The group’s leader in Afghanistan says the practice is “inviting criticism”. It’s also proving expensive.
- India culls thousands of birds over avian flu concernon 2021-01-14 at 16:19
An outbreak of avian influenza or bird flu is rapidly spreading across India, causing concern among officials and forcing them to come up with a plan to tackle the emergency.
- Fire destroys 500 houses in Bangladesh Rohingya campby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-14 at 14:53
More than 2,000 Rohingya refugees in a camp in Bangladesh were left homeless Thursday after a blaze ripped through over 500 shacks in the early hours, an official said.
- India’s Kumbh Mela festival begins amid Covid concernson 2021-01-14 at 14:38
Thousands of Hindus arrive for the bathing festival despite warnings to stay away during the pandemic.
- Is the Pakistan-Iran-Turkey rail link economically viable?on 2021-01-14 at 14:28
Iran, Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to revive a transnational train service, which is likely to connect Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul this year. But can the three countries bear its cost?
- Korean Peninsula: Nuclear weapons plans trigger arms race fearson 2021-01-14 at 12:35
Calls grow for the South Korean government to step up its defenses after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced plans for advanced new weapons systems.
- Archaeologists find world’s oldest known cave painting in Indonesiaby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-14 at 08:28
Archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest known cave painting: a life-sized picture of a wild pig that was made at least 45,500 years ago in Indonesia.
- South Korea Supreme Court upholds 20-year prison sentence for ex-president Parkby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-14 at 05:11
South Korea’s top court upheld on Thursday a 20-year jail sentence for former President Park Geun-hye on graft charges that led to her downfall, bringing an end to the legal process and so for the first time raising the possibility of a pardon.
- WHO team arrives in Wuhan as China reports first Covid-19 death since Mayby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-14 at 03:30
A team of experts from the World Health Organization arrived in Wuhan on Thursday to start a highly politicised probe into the origins of the coronavirus, as China reported its first death from Covid-19 in eight months.
- Rap against Dictatorship: The rappers taking on Thailand’s leaderson 2021-01-14 at 00:04
Thai group Rap Against Dictatorship is known for its outspoken comments against the military and monarchy,
- Indonesia coronavirus: The vaccination drive targeting younger peopleon 2021-01-13 at 13:52
Instead of inoculating the elderly, Indonesia is focusing on working-age adults. Will it succeed?
- Bangladesh: Female officials barred from registering Islamic marriageson 2021-01-13 at 12:31
A court in Bangladesh has banned women from registering nikahs, or Islamic weddings, because of their menstruation cycles. Activists say the verdict is unconstitutional and discriminatory.
- N.Korea’s Kim calls for stronger military capabilities as party congress endsby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-13 at 07:22
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for increased military power and greater nuclear war deterrence, state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday, as a rare ruling party congress came to a close after eight days of policy discussions.
- Philippines: Anti-‘drug war’ priest charged with seditionon 2021-01-13 at 00:39
A vocal anti-“drug war” Catholic priest in the Philippines is to stand trial on charges of sedition.
- Residents of Pakistani city of Karachi in grip of water mafiaby Solène CHALVON FIORITI on 2021-01-12 at 15:26
With 17 million inhabitants, Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan. But its water distribution system is dysfunctional due to state negligence. Water is only distributed through pipelines in half the city. This shortage has led to the creation of a water mafia, which runs hundreds of illegal pumping stations. The water mafia generates millions of dollars every year, while the megalopolis is in a state of absolute water stress. According to the UN, Karachi is the world’s third most affected city when it comes to lack of water. Our correspondents report.
- Tokyo Olympics: The most unpopular Games ever?by Sam BALL on 2021-01-12 at 13:48
In less than 200 days, the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics are due to get underway, but among the Japanese public, fears over the virus and the spiralling cost of the Games mean most would rather see the event postponed or cancelled altogether.
- Divers recover first black box from crashed Indonesia planeby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-12 at 13:42
Indonesian navy divers searching the ocean floor on Tuesday recovered the flight data recorder from a Sriwijaya Air jet that crashed into the Java Sea with 62 people on board.
- Japan says it’s working to isolate, analyse new coronavirus variantby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-12 at 06:51
Japan is working to isolate and analyse a new variant of the coronavirus detected in four people who arrived from Brazil, a health ministry official said Tuesday.
- China: Make-up wipes ad pulled over victim-blaming claimson 2021-01-12 at 05:37
The Chinese ad sparked outrage for allegedly implying that women were to blame for unwanted attention.
- ‘Your move, Mr President’: North Korea sets the stage for Bidenon 2021-01-11 at 15:03
Kim Jong-un says he wants more and better weapons – so how will the next US president respond?
- Wealthy tourists return to Maldives for maskless holidaysby Angélique FORGET on 2021-01-11 at 14:55
It’s a chance to catch some winter sun in a stunning tropical location and temporarily forget the coronavirus pandemic. After months of closure, the Maldives has reopened to visitors again, or at least those with a negative Covid-19 test and quite a bit of cash to spare. Wealthy visitors are flocking to the South Asian islands for a luxury getaway and the opportunity to take off their face masks at last. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24’s Emerald Maxwell.
- COVID-19 vaccine: Can India balance local and international demand?on 2021-01-11 at 14:31
Many countries are trying to secure anti-COVID-19 doses from India, the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines. But India’s domestic vaccination demand is also huge.
- China says WHO experts to probe Covid-19 origins during long-awaited missionby NEWS WIRES on 2021-01-11 at 06:58
Ten World Health Organization scientists will visit China from Thursday to probe the origins of Covid-19, authorities said, more than a year after the pandemic began and amid accusations Beijing delayed the investigation.
- Coronavirus: India’s approval of local vaccines draws criticismon 2021-01-07 at 16:35
India’s drug regulator’s decision to grant emergency use approval to a local vaccine has raised eyebrows as the company developing it has not provided proof of its efficacy.
- Pakistan virginity test – how rape victims go through a ‘second trauma’on 2021-01-06 at 13:33
Rights activists in Pakistan have hailed the Lahore court’s decision to outlaw intrusive rape test in sexual assault cases but demanded that other anti-women laws be also scrapped.
- Goa economy bears the brunt of India’s coronavirus lockdownon 2021-01-04 at 13:29
Goa, a western coastal state and major tourist destination, is welcoming visitors after months under a COVID-19 lockdown. But the comeback has been slow, and often painful.
- Coronavirus: India approves two COVID vaccines for emergency useon 2021-01-03 at 06:37
The Indian drug regulator has formally approved two coronavirus shots just hours after health workers across the country began a trial run of the country’s huge vaccination program.