Analysis: Cases are rising in Asia, but compared to the West it’s a drop in the ocean

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Across the region, many countries and cities that had previously kept the coronavirus largely under control are seeing a rise in infections. Last week, Japan’s daily caseload surged to its highest since the pandemic began, surpassing 2,000 for five days in a row. In South Korea, daily infections also rose from a relative lull in … Read more

Nearly 100 whales die in mass stranding in New Zealand

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Some 97 whales and three dolphins died in the stranding, which conservation department staff were alerted to around midday local time on Sunday. A power outage and the remote location of New Zealand’s most eastern islands, around 500 miles east off the country’s South Island, meant Department of Conservation rangers did not arrive at Waitangi … Read more

China mulls new rules on foreigners to ‘prohibit religious extremism’

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Those faiths — Chinese Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism — are supervised by official organizations such as the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement or the Buddhist Association of China, which are in turn overseen by the ruling Communist Party’s powerful United Front Work Department. Practice outside the bounds of these groups is strictly controlled, and underground … Read more

China is launching a moon probe to collect the first lunar rocks since 1970s

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The Chang’e-5 probe, named after the ancient Chinese goddess of the moon, will seek to collect material that can help scientists understand more about the moon’s origins and formation. The mission will test China’s ability to remotely acquire samples from space, ahead of more complex missions. If successful, the mission will make China only the … Read more

Analysis: How a ‘vast ocean of goodwill’ between China and Australia turned sour

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That was met with an angry response from Beijing, which accused Canberra of a “highly irresponsible” move that could “disrupt international cooperation in fighting the pandemic.” And while China succeeded in watering down language in an eventual resolution at the World Health Assembly calling for an independent probe, it has not forgotten the slight. Zhao … Read more

Hong Kong’s new rules have created confusion in the classroom. Some parents are pulling their children out

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“I want him to grow up in an environment with enough freedom to do what he wants to do and not be restricted by some invisible threat,” said Sarah, who requested CNN use a pseudonym for fear of being targeted by authorities. In June, Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong that bans … Read more

New Zealand has just elected one of the most diverse parliaments in the world. Here’s how it stacks up

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But in New Zealand, that was just the start. Almost half of New Zealand’s newly sworn-in Parliament are women and 11% are openly LGBTQ. Both New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori and people with Pacific Island heritage are represented at a slightly higher rate than in the general population. Politicians from diverse backgrounds aren’t just making up … Read more

China looms as Biden’s biggest foreign policy challenge. Here’s where he stands

China looms as Biden’s biggest foreign policy challenge. Here’s where he stands

But in capitals around the world, foreign leaders are already clamoring for his attention, hoping to reset relationships and restore norms that shifted under President Donald Trump. Nowhere will there be greater opportunity for a shift than in the US-China relationship, which has deteriorated to historic lows during Trump’s term in office. Over the past … Read more

Vietnam braces for Typhoon Vamco, 67 dead in the Philippines

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Packing winds of up to 150 kph (93 mph), Vamco hit Vietnam’s coast roughly 100km (62 miles) northwest of Da Nang Sunday local time, according to CNN Weather. Although the storm is weakening and will continue to do so as it moves inland, there is still a threat of flooding and landslides. “This is a … Read more

China offers belated congratulations to US President-elect Joe Biden

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Speaking at a regular press briefing Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China “respected the choice of the American people.” “We congratulate Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris. At the same time, we understand that the outcome of this US election will be ascertained in accordance with US laws and procedures,” he said. … Read more