ASEAN News

According to a leading Chinese epidemiologist, the peak of China’s COVID-19 wave is predicted to last two to three months and will rapidly spread over the vast countryside, where medical services are rather few. Hundreds of millions are anticipated to return to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year celebrations, which formally begin on January 21. Prior to the epidemic, …

Taeyang from BIGBANG and Jimin from BTS have collaborated on a new song called “VIBE,” creating a K-pop crossover unlike any other. This track is Taeyang’s digital single, and it was released on Friday, January 13, under The Black Label, a subsidiary of YG Entertainment. The record was accompanied by a music video that features the idols displaying their flawless …

K-pop ruled the top-selling CD albums in the United States last year! The American music data tracking company Luminate (previously MRC Data), which provides data for the Billboard charts, announced their year-end list of the best-selling CDs of 2022 on 11 January local time. On the list ranking CD sales exclusively (excluding digital download albums and other formats), K-pop artists …

On Wednesday, a day after China stopped issuing new visas in both nations in what appears to be retaliation, Japan and South Korea justified public health restrictions on visitors from China. On Tuesday, Chinese embassies halted providing new visas to Japanese and South Korean citizens. It was unclear whether China will extend the visa suspensions to other nations that have …

Pfizer Inc is not in discussions with Chinese authorities to license a generic version of its COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid for use in China, according to the company’s chief executive, Albert Bourla, on Monday, January 9. However, the company is in discussions about the price of the branded product, he said. Reuters reported on Friday that China was in negotiations with …

The Chinese embassy in South Korea has banned the issuance of short-term visas to South Korean tourists, the embassy said on Tuesday, January 10. This is the first act of retaliation against states that have imposed COVID-19 restrictions on Chinese passengers. The embassy would modify its stance if South Korea removes “discriminatory entrance restrictions” against China, according to a statement …

Thailand is preparing for more visitors after China reopened its border on Sunday by requiring international passengers to show proof they are completely immunized against COVID before traveling to Thailand. According to a statement released on Saturday by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), beginning early on Monday, all international arrivals would need to show proof of vaccination or …

Melvin Jerusalem opened the boxing season for the Philippines by winning the WBO global minimumweight championship on January 6 in Osaka, Japan. Better and wiser than when he first fought for a world title six years ago, Jerusalem stopped Japanese champion Masataka Taniguchi with a vicious straight right to the face in the second round at the Edion Arena. Taniguchi …

China is in negotiations with Pfizer Inc. to get a license that will allow domestic drugmakers to produce and market a generic version of the COVID-19 antiviral medicine Paxlovid in China, according to three sources cited by Reuters. Since late last month, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has been in charge of negotiations with Pfizer, according to one source …

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ousted a former foreign minister who played a key role in his summits with former US President Donald Trump in 2018 and 2019, according to intelligence authorities cited by South Korean MPs on Thursday (5 January). Ri Yong-ho has remained out of the public view since denuclearization talks with Washington halted following a …