Thailand detected its second case of a mysterious SARS-linked virus in a visitor from China, health officials said Friday, as authorities ramp up airport screenings ahead of an expected surge in arrivals for Chinese New Year. The 74-year-old Chinese woman is being treated at hospital after presenting with symptoms at Thailand’s biggest airport Suvarnabhumi on […]
by Hla-Hla HTAY / Dene-Hern Chen Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down in Myanmar’s capital Friday on a state visit aimed at buttressing the embattled government of Aung San Suu Kyi and driving through multi-billion-dollar infrastructure deals. The wide highways and manicured lawns of Naypyidaw, purpose-built by generals under Myanmar’s junta, were dotted with red […]
Swiss food giant Nestle said Thursday it would invest 2.0 billion Swiss francs (1.8 billion euros, $2.1 billion) over five years to cut its use of virgin plastics in favour of food-grade recycled plastics. The company, whose brands include Nespresso coffee, Vittel water and Smarties chocolates, also plans to invest in new types of sustainable […]
A lack of information and transparency are top barriers for European companies seeking involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, according to a survey published Thursday by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. Only 20 out of 132 firms polled said they have bid for projects related to the BRI, a massive global […]
US presidential contenders Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders called each other liars in a heated exchange that could be seen but not heard unfolding onstage after the Democratic debate, CNN revealed Wednesday. The spat between two of the primary campaign’s most progressive standard-bearers, played out in the moments following the end of Tuesday’s debate, when […]
by Holly ROBERTSON On an island famed as Australia’s “Galapagos” for its unique and abundant wildlife, rescuers are racing to save rare animals in a bushfire-ravaged landscape. The charred forest floor on Kangaroo Island is littered with corpses of animals incinerated by the blazes that swept through two weeks ago. Unprecedented fires across swathes of […]
by Tom BARFIELD German economic growth plummeted in 2019, official data showed Wednesday, providing fresh ammunition for debate about how to use fiscal surpluses to boost gross domestic product. Europe’s powerhouse expanded just 0.6 percent last year, compared with 1.5 percent in 2018, federal statistics authority Destatis said in preliminary figures. “Growth momentum ebbed significantly” […]
A high-speed rail line to the east, a deep-sea port to the west, and a makeover for commercial heart Yangon — Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives in Myanmar on Friday laden with investment pledges worth billions which could reshape the country. Here are five of the main projects — and some of the issues plaguing […]
Philippine authorities were struggling Wednesday to keep thousands of evacuees from returning to homes in areas threatened by a feared massive eruption of Taal volcano. Some 40,000 people have taken refuge in shelters since the volcano let loose a towering burst of ash and jets of lava on Sunday. Police subsequently set up no-go zones […]
