World

People in Taiwan woke up on Monday to persistent rainfall, floods and toppled trees as Typhoon Haikui made landfall and swept overnight across its central mountain ranges. Although Haikui had initially appeared to move through the island and out to sea, it made a second landfall early Monday in southwestern Kaohsiung – before it weakened to a severe storm. There …

A UK study suggests that blood clots in the brain or lungs, including brain fog and fatigue are some common symptoms of “long Covid”. Experts say it’s a combination of someone’s health before, the acute event itself and what happens afterwards that lead on to physical and mental health consequences.  According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, problems …

As Indonesia’s future capital, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo awaits construction completion and prepares to welcome its first residents within a few months, some nearby villagers have expressed concerns over eviction or displacement without compensation. Farmer Pandi from the village of Sepaku about 20 km away had a rude surprise earlier this year when stakes appeared …

Singapore and Vietnam explore greater air connectivity as the two ASEAN member states look to bolster their relationship. It appears Singaporean and Vietnamese carriers could soon ferry passengers and deliver goods to other destinations with more ease, by continuing on after transiting in either country. This is one of the key areas of collaboration that Singapore wishes to embark on …

Amid rising concerns over a declining national birthrate, China’s eastern county of Changshan is offering newlyweds a “reward” of $137 for brides who marry aged 25 or younger. It’s the latest in a series of measures to encourage young people across the country to get married. The cash reward is meant to promote “age-appropriate marriage and childbearing”. The notice also …

Tokyo’s embassy in Beijing has urged its citizens there to behave with caution and avoid speaking their native tongue “loudly unnecessarily”, while a number of Japanese companies continue receiving abusive calls in the wake of the Fukushima wastewater release. Beijing Accused Of Hypocrisy While Japan insists the treated radioactive water is safe – a view supported by the International Atomic …

Expressing deepening concerns over the risk of radioactive contamination, Chinese customs authorities announced on Thursday an immediate blanket ban on all aquatic products from Japan as Tokyo starts releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima power plant. The Japanese government signed off on the controversial release plan into the Pacific Ocean two years ago, with the UN nuclear watchdog greenlighting …

Communities in Australia have been urged to prepare for what is likely to be the worst bushfire season since the 2019-20 black summer fires. Areas Largely Untouched During 2019-20 Also At Elevated Risk The Australasian Fire Authorities Council (Afac) predicts an “increased risk” of bushfires in large swathes of the country due to forecasts of above-average temperatures, changing weather patterns, …

India is striving to make lunar history by landing the Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s south pole. News of Russia’s crash on Sunday has been nerving, and an inspiration at the same time as Indian space officials tried to downplay competition with the Russians. Russia’s Luna-25 crashed from orbit.  If India succeeds, the Indian nascent space industry would be bolstered. Under …

Going ahead with his second international trip of 2023, after an official trip to Russia in March, Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Monday for the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Xinhua news agency reported. BRICS derives its name from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with the group representing 42% of the …