Myanmar’s deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from house arrest to solitary confinement in a prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw. The Nobel laureate, 77, was arrested when the military overthrew her elected government in February 2021. For the past year she has been held at an undisclosed location in the capital. Ms Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years in jail and denies a host of charges which have been widely condemned as politically-motivated. Her move to solitary confinement makes her more isolated than ever – she became a global democracy icon … Continue reading Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar ex-leader sent to solitary confinement

Chinese electric carmaker Nio says that two people were killed when one of its vehicles fell from the third floor of its headquarters in Shanghai. One member of staff and a person from a partner company died in the crash. The incident took place on Wednesday at around 17:20 local time, the firm said. The people that died were inside the vehicle as it fell from the building. Nio says it immediately started an investigation into the incident in co-operation with government officials. The third storey area from where the car fell has been variously described as a showroom, a … Continue reading Tragic: Two killed as Nio electric car falls from third floor office in Shanghai

A district court in Osaka has ruled that Japan’s ban on same-sex marriages does not violate the constitution. The ruling dealt a blow to gay couples and rights activists, after another district court, in Sapporo, ruled in 2021 the failure to recognize same-sex marriage was “unconstitutional”. Japan’s constitution defines marriage as one between “both sexes”. It is the only country in the G7 group of developed nations that doesn’t allow people of the same gender to marry. The Osaka case was filed by three same-sex couples, two of whom were male and one female. The case is only the second of … Continue reading Japanese court uphold ban on same-sex marriage

The eldest daughter of outgoing Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been sworn in as vice-president. Sara Duterte vowed to unite the Philippines at a ceremony in Davao. It was there that the 44-year-old took over from her father as the city’s mayor over a decade ago, before pursuing a career in national politics. She took the oath beside her running mate, Ferdinand Marcos Junior, who will soon replace her father as president. “The days ahead may be full of challenges that call for us to be more united as a nation,” Ms Duterte said. Her six-year term in office alongside … Continue reading President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter sworn in as vice-president of Philippines

North Korea test-fired suspected artillery pieces into the sea on Sunday, South Korea’s military said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jung Un called for greater defense capability to cope with outside threats. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it detected several flight trajectories believed to be North Korean artillery on Sunday morning. It said South Korea maintains a firm military readiness in close coordination with the United States amid boosted surveillance on North Korea. During a national security council meeting convened to discuss the suspected launches, South Korean officials expressed concern that North Korea is upgrading weapons … Continue reading North Korea fires suspected artillery pieces into sea

Nine people have been arrested in China on suspicion of violently assaulting several women at a restaurant. Surveillance footage from a barbeque restaurant in Tangshan in northern Hebei province, on Friday, showed one of the men approaching a table where a party of four women were seated and placing his hand on a woman’s back. She rebuffed him several times before he slapped her, prompting her to fight back, causing a brawl. A group of men entered the restaurant and attacked the woman and her dining partners, including shoving them to the ground, kicking them and throwing a chair at … Continue reading Nine men arrested in China after vicious attack on women in a restaurant

Seven people have been killed in a suspected arson attack at a law firm in the South Korean city of Daegu. At least 46 people were also injured in the fiery explosion in an office building near the city’s District Court on Thursday morning. Police said they were investigating the cause of the attack but believed it may have been an act of arson. The suspected perpetrator, a man in is 50s, had died at the scene, officials said. More than 150 firefighters were deployed to the central location shortly after the blaze broke out around 10:55 local time (01:55 … Continue reading Seven killed in suspected arson attack in South Korea

People in Thailand can now grow cannabis plants at home and sell the crop after the nation removed marijuana from its banned narcotics list. But recreational use is still banned, even though advocates say the easing effectively decriminalizes marijuana. The nation is the first to advance such a move in South-East Asia, a region known for its stringent drug laws. The government is hoping that developing a local cannabis trade will boost agriculture and tourism. It’s even giving away one million cannabis seedlings to citizens to encourage pick-up. “It is an opportunity for people and the state to earn income … Continue reading Thailand legalises cannabis trade but still bans recreational use

North Korea launched three ballistic missiles toward the sea on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said. The Norths’ first weapons firings in about two weeks as the country makes a much-disputed claim that its first domestic Covid-19 outbreak is weakening. The latest launches also came after the leaders of South Korea and the United States agreed to consider expanded military exercises to deter North Korean nuclear threats during President Joe Biden’s visit to Seoul last weekend. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that all three missiles were fired toward waters off North Korea’s eastern coast one after another between 6 … Continue reading North Korea launches three ballistic missiles toward sea, says South Korea

North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles from an area near Pyongyang toward waters off its east coast, South Korea said, the latest in a series of volleys ahead of a planned visit to the region next week by US President Joe Biden.  The missiles were launched at 6:29 p.m. local time Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The launch was the third volley of ballistic missiles this month and came hours after leader Kim Jong Un ordered a lockdown following the country’s first reported case of Covid-19. The missiles flew about 360 kilometers (224 … Continue reading North Korea fires ballistic missiles ahead of Biden’s visit

North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said. This comes days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal “at the fastest possible pace” and threatened to use them against rivals. The launch, the North’s 14th round of weapons firing, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean President takes office for a single five-year term. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the North’s capital region and flew to the waters off its … Continue reading North Korea fires ballistic missile amid rising animosities

A court in military-ruled Myanmar sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in jail on Wednesday after finding her guilty in the first of 11 corruption cases against her, according to a source with knowledge of proceedings. The Nobel laureate, who led Myanmar for five years before being forced from power in a coup in early 2021, has been charged with at least 18 offences, which carry combined maximum jail terms of nearly 190 years if convicted in all. The judge in the capital, Naypyitaw, handed down the verdict within moments of the court convening, said the … Continue reading Myanmar’s Suu Kyi handed 5 year jail term for corruption