Asia

Olympics: Tokyo 2020 venues to be 100 percent smoke-free – organisers

TOKYO, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — All the venues for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be 100 percent…

Malaysian policeman detained for allegedly trying to smuggle 47 pangolins into Thailand

SONGKHLA (Thailand), March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Malaysian policeman was detained for allegedly trying to smuggle 47 pangolins worth more than 1 million…

North Korea wanted most sanctions lifted in exchange for partial Yongbyon closure: US official

WASHINGTON: North Korea proposed closing part of its Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for the lifting of all UN sanctions…

South Korea’s Moon says Seoul will help US, North Korea talks ‘by any means’

SEOUL, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Korean President Moon Jae-in said South Korea will cooperate with the United States and North…

Taliban says held ‘extensive talks’ with US officials, to reconvene on Saturday

DOHA, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Taliban and American officials holding talks in Qatar on ways to end the war in…

Indonesia, Australia to sign trade deal next week: Ministry

JAKARTA, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A long-awaited trade deal between Indonesia and Australia will be signed next week, Jakarta said, after…

Bangladesh tells UN it will no longer take in Myanmar refugees

UNITED NATIONS, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bangladesh told the UN Security Council that it will no longer be able to take…

SIA flights to Europe operating as scheduled, rerouted to avoid Pakistan airspace

SINGAPORE, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights to Europe are operating as scheduled, although they have been rerouted to…

Thailand passes internet security law decried as ‘cyber martial law’

BANGKOK, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thailand’s parliament on Thursday passed a controversial cybersecurity law that gives sweeping powers to state…

Pakistan army searches for British, Italian climbers lost on ‘Killer Mountain’

ISLAMABAD, March 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Pakistan’s army launched a helicopter search on Thursday for a British and an Italian climber…