NZ Mosque Suspect to Undergo Mental Health Check
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — A New Zealand judge on Friday ordered that the man accused of killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques undergo two mental health assessments to determine if he's fit to stand trial.
City Hall Wants All Telecom Cables Underground in 2 Years
BANGKOK — City Hall said Thursday it will once again attempt to clear the tangled mess of cables that hang over Bangkok streets, though promising only the undergrounding of communication lines this time.
The Week That Was in Asia (Photos)
Dancers in traditional Korean "Hanbok" attire perform at the Royal Culture Festival at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul.
In other images from the Asia-Pacific region...
S.Korea Coastal Forest Fire Kills 2, Destroys 120 Homes
SEOUL, South Korea — A forest fire burning in the mountainous region where South Korea hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics has destroyed 120 homes and caused two deaths, authorities said Friday as thousands of people fled.
Kingdom Prepares for Coronation’s Holy Water Ritual
BANGKOK — Rehearsals to draw and transport sacred water for the May coronation ceremony took place on Thursday across the nation.
Philippines Issues Strongly Worded Rebuke at China Flotillas
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government protested on Thursday the presence of large numbers of Chinese vessels near islands and islets occupied by the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea as illegal and vowed to take "appropriate action."
Preliminary Report Says Crew of Ethiopia Jet Followed Boeing Rules
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed shortly after takeoff last month performed all of the procedures recommended by Boeing when the plane started to nose dive but could not control it, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by Ethiopia's government.
S. Korea Launches 5G Smartphone Networks Ahead of Schedule
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's telecommunications carriers turned on super-fast 5G mobile internet networks abruptly ahead of schedule in an attempt to ensure the country becomes the first in the world to launch the services.
Hong Kong Customs Seizes Massive Cocaine Haul
HONG KONG — A haul of cocaine with an estimated market value of $13 million has been seized in Hong Kong, customs agents said Thursday.
Australia Could Jail Social Media Execs for Showing Violence
CANBERRA, Australia — Australia's Parliament passed legislation on Thursday that could imprison social media executives if their platforms stream real violence such as the New Zealand mosque shootings.
