Lam Backs Hong Kong Electoral Changes Excluding Opponents
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave her clear support Tuesday to electoral reforms that would likely further exclude opposition voices and cement Beijing’s control over the semi-autonomous Chinese city’s politics.
Protests Swell After Myanmar Junta Raises Specter of Force
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Protesters gathered in Myanmar’s biggest city on Monday despite the ruling junta’s threat to use lethal force against people who join a general strike against the military’s takeover three weeks ago.
12 Japan Firms Will Kill Business Deals Involving Uyghur Forced Labor
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Twelve major Japanese companies have established a policy of ceasing business deals with Chinese companies found to benefit from the forced labor of the Muslim Uyghur minority in China's far-western Xinjiang region, a Kyodo News investigation showed Sunday.
Why Some Texans Are Getting Sky-High Energy Bills
After unusual icy weather left millions of Texans without power, some are facing another crisis: Sky-high electricity bills.
US Coronavirus Death Toll Approaches Milestone of 500,000
The U.S. stood Sunday at the brink of a once-unthinkable tally: 500,000 people lost to the coronavirus.
What’s Safe After COVID-19 Vaccination? Don’t Shed Masks Yet
You’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus — now what? Don’t expect to shed your mask and get back to normal activities right away.
2 Myanmar Protesters Killed by Police Gunfire, Reports Say
MANDALAY, Myanmar (AP) — Two anti-coup protesters were shot dead by riot police who fired live rounds Saturday in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, local media reported.
Japan Gov’t, TEPCO Ordered To Pay Damages Over Fukushima Crisis
TOKYO (Kyodo) — A Japanese high court on Friday overturned a lower court decision that dismissed the state's responsibility in the 2011 nuclear crisis, ordering both the government and the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant's operator to pay damages to 43 people who had to evacuate from their hometowns as a result.
Olympics Chief Who Quit Over Sexism Row is Replaced by Woman
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan's former Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto on Thursday took over as head of the Tokyo Games organizing committee, succeeding Yoshiro Mori who resigned last week amid an uproar over sexist remarks.
US Life Expectancy Drops a Year in Pandemic, Most Since WW2
Life expectancy in the United States dropped a staggering one year during the first half of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic caused its first wave of deaths, health officials are reporting.
