‘Sorcerer’ hammers 5cm nail into pregnant woman’s head in gender ritual
A pregnant Pakistani woman had a nail hammered into her head by a faith healer who said it would guarantee she gave birth to a boy, a…
South Korea abandons its successful test and trace system as omicron cases surge
Moon Jae-in, the president, on Monday admitted the omicron spike was “unpredictable” and a “grim reality” but encouraged the public not to be alarmed, reported the Korea…
China built infrastructure inside Nepalese territory, leaked report says
China has built infrastructure inside Nepalese territory, according to a leaked Nepalese government report, the latest act of aggression by Beijing along its southern border. A fact-finding…
South Korea abandons its successful drop test and trace system as omicron cases surge
Moon Jae-in, the president, on Monday admitted the omicron spike was “unpredictable” and a “grim reality” but encouraged the public not to be alarmed, reported the Korea…
Corpses of alleged drug-dealers exhumed in the Philippines as families cannot afford burial lease
The Hague-based International Criminal Court last September authorised an investigation into the deadly Philippines crackdown, saying it had sufficient reason to believe that crimes against humanity had…
Men’s rights activists protest introduction of marital rape law in India
A 2018 Thomson Reuters study found India to be the most dangerous country in the world for women, due to the high risk of sexual violence and…
Filth, sleepless nights and deadly snakes – my hellish week in a Cambodian ‘Covid camp’
Mohan had been appealing to doctors for another PCR test to prove he was negative, and finally was granted one. It was indeed negative, but he was…
Journalists in China facing ‘unprecedented’ hurdles ahead of Beijing Winter Olympics
Journalists for foreign media outlets in China are facing “unprecedented hurdles” as Beijing tries to block and discredit independent reporting, according to a report by the country’s…
South Korea’s presidential candidates try to woo ‘angry young men’
“It should be worrying for the region and the world too,” she said. “It will be emboldening and encouraging anti-feminism movements in other countries.” Feminists ‘are an…
Secret health service: Myanmar’s military junta drives medics underground
Myia, who before the coup was in the process of applying to work in the UK – as many doctors do for a short spell – struggled…
Land of Smiles? Thailand may have more face masks laws than anywhere on the planet
And, as I’ve found since recently returning to Thailand for the first time during the pandemic, after dozens of visits in the past 20 years, the severe…
Tongan ‘Aquaman’ survives tsunami and 27 hours at sea
As Mr Folau drifted further from land, battered by the waves, he could hear his son calling for him, but he did not respond as he did…
Nestle forced to withdraw KitKat bars adorned with Hindu deities after backlash
Nestle was forced to withdraw a range of KitKat bars adorned with a Hindu god from shops in India after a backlash triggered by fears that images…
Tonga volcano: Scientists warn of ‘unprecedented’ environmental disaster with acid rain and ash
Tonga’s massive underwater volcanic eruption could result in years-long damage to coral reefs and fisheries that are vital to the local economy, scientists have warned. The Pacific…
‘If it stops, we will march on Delhi’: India’s surrogacy capital greets potential ban with with fury
Ms Varsava had her baby in Dr Nayana Patel’s clinic in Anand, a small regional city which has become India – and possibly the world’s – surrogacy…
The countries most likely to mandate boosters for entry
Booster jabs have been offered to all over-18s in the UK and are now showing on the NHS Covid Pass for travel. Britons are not required to…
China’s birth rate hit 60-year-low despite Beijing’s efforts to tackle ‘demographic timebomb’
New traditions Weddings have indeed declined for the last eight years, with new marriage licenses hitting a 13-year low at 5.9 million in the first three quarters…
Kazakh business leader who bought Prince Andrew’s estate resigns amid anger over corruption
The 55-year-old and his wife still own Kazakhstan’s largest bank, Halyk Bank, but media said that he had sold an 85 percent stake in a Kazakh fertiliser…
Worst blind date ever? Woman trapped in suitor’s flat for a week amid strict lockdown
A woman in China was trapped in a never-ending blind date in awkward silence after a city was abruptly sent into a strict lockdown while she was having…
China builds artificial moon with low-gravity and rocky surface
China has constructed a research facility that simulates the Moon’s low-gravity that will be reportedly launched in the next few months. The facility, located in Xuzhou, is…
The 10 travel habits you should resolve to break this year
The joy of a new year is all there in that first, crucial three-letter word. New. A fresh page of the calendar always feels like a cue to…
Streets of Kazakhstan’s cities strewn with burnt cars and damage in aftermath of protests
Burnt cars and damaged public buildings could be seen across the streets of Kazakhstan’s cities Friday, in the aftermath of brutally crushed protests. Security forces appeared to…
The world’s worst death toll? At least three million people died from Covid in India, says new study
In 2017, only four-in-five deaths were registered, while only one-in-five registered deaths also had a cause identified, according to Indian government data. India was plunged into chaos…
South Korean presidential favourite woos bald voters by pledging free hair loss treatment
As a result, anyone who wants to treat thinning hair has to undergo expensive treatments in private clinics, while there is also a thriving market in imported…
Australia and Japan sign ‘landmark’ defence deal in face of China’s rising military might
Alessio Patalano, Professor of East Asian strategy at King’s College London, said the RAA deal supports a wider and more robust cooperation on defence. “Aukus is very…