Asian Politics Headlines at 1:11 a.m. GMT
Myanmar junta blocks internet access as coup protests expand
Myanmar junta blocks internet access as coup protests expand
Guatemala's Pacaya volcano erupted on Wednesday, expelling lava for several hours and prompting the country's meteorological institute to warn that incandescent volcanic blocks could rain down on nearby towns. Officials stopped short of ordering evacuations following the so-called strombolian eruption, explosions that consist of relatively mild blasts but eject burning cinders and lava bombs. One of the Central American country's most active volcanoes, Pacaya began to expel lava at dawn, creating an immense column of smoke, video footage from the institute showed.
Mexico's Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of the country's telecoms regulator over a label that aims to curb the dominance of Carlos Slim's telecommunications company America Movil. Mexico's Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT) acted within the constitution when it determined in 2013 that the America Movil Economic Interest Group, made up of Telcel and other subsidiaries, is a "preponderant agent" in 2013, the court said in a statement.
With NBA games back in Madison Square Garden and certain movie theaters reopening at the end of the week, New York could soon celebrate the resumption of the performing arts -- the governor announced Wednesday that theaters could reopen at limited capacity from April 2.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The driver of a trailer who drove into a flyover still under construction along the Sungai Besi–Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) yesterday is being investigated for...
Hisae Unuma's home withstood the earthquake 10 years ago which unleashed a tsunami that wrecked the Fukushima nuclear plant and forced her and 160,000 others to flee their homes.She returned recently to check on her old house.Its roof is now close to complete collapse and a bamboo had penetrated through the former living room."I'm almost 70 years old, so I don't think it's possible for me to live here. There's no base for a life here. I can't go shopping and there's no hospital, so I can't imagine building a life here."Japan's government has turned Fukushima's recovery into a symbol of national revival ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games and is encouraging residents to return with financial aid as it decontaminates the land.But lingering worries about the nearby nuclear plant, lack of jobs and poor infrastructure is keeping many away."I want to say to the government: Please don't solve the problem with money. We should be treated like human beings, not animals. They feed us with money to shut us up. It shouldn't be like this. We want to live like human beings. That is what I really want to say."Unuma declined to claim her compensation, unwilling to be treated as a Fukushima refugee dependent on Tokyo Electric's handouts.She now lives as a vegetable farmer near the capital and insists on building a life with her own hands."There's nothing that lets me feel secure enough to continue making a living. But now since there are people who come to me to buy vegetables, that's the easiest way for me to make a living by delivering vegetables to them daily. That's a life with hope."
Most steer clear of Fukushima's restricted zone in Japan.But for Sakae Kato, it's the place of his life's mission: taking care of abandoned pets, which he refers to as 'kids.'"There were some frustrations in the past ten years that made me wonder why I was doing such things. But if humans have trouble making a living, the society will take care of them, and provide them social aid. If these kids are in trouble and no one is taking care of them, they will die." All of his family and neighbors fled after an earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear plant meltdown 10 years ago.But Kato vowed to stay on in a near-empty township and began taking care of stray pets.Kato and his 41 stray cats now live in a dilapidated house.Water is collected from a nearby mountain spring and Kato uses public toilets outside the restricted area."It's getting harder to take care of the animals so I think it will be even much harder in 10 years' time. I want to be around when the last cat dies, then I want to die after that, no matter if it takes a day or an hour, I want to take care of the last cat here before I die. Otherwise it would be cruel to leave it alone. I will not breed any more cats but it's also sad to see them go."Kato isn't technically allowed to sleep at his house and is officially a resident of Fukushima city which is a two-hour drive away.He says his family is opposed to his charitable, but costly, project.Taking care of the animals eats up around $7,000 a month for food, fuel and veterinary expenses.Kato estimates he has spent at least $750,000 over the past 10 years looking after the pets.But his kindness has not always received a warm welcome from onlookers.In February, Kato was arrested on suspicion of freeing wild boar caught in traps set up by Japan's government."People don't like wild boars and they say they're vermin. But the boars have come here in front of the garage since they were babies. They're getting bigger and bigger and now they also bring their children here with them, so to me they're like my children."Despite these obstacles, Kato insists he has permission to stay in the area and won't be deterred from what he sees as his life's purpose.
Mar.03 -- Sorare CEO Nicolas Julia discusses the $50M investment in his company by venture capital firm Benchmark, and how the fantasy soccer network sells and trades digital trading cards. He also talks about the sky-high prices some customers are will to pay for digital cards. He speaks to Emily Chang on "Bloomberg Technology."
Mar.03 -- Jesse Powell, founder and CEO of Kraken, explains how he believes that Bitcoin will eventually replace all of the world's currencies. He speaks to Emily Chang on "Bloomberg Technology."
The United States on Wednesday hailed plans by NATO ally Germany to sail a warship across the contested South China Sea, calling it welcome support for a "rules-based international order" in the region, something Washington says is threatened by China. German government officials said on Tuesday a German frigate would set sail for Asia in August and, on its return journey, become the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002. "The United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, lawful unimpeded commerce, and freedom of navigation and other lawful uses of the sea," a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said.
Mar.03 -- Emily Chang highlights Astra, the latest startup company trying to take part in the modern-day space race. Astra CEO Chris Kemp has decided to take the company public through SPAC to raise enough money to help the company get to space.
GCP Applied Tech (GCP) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -8.33% and 0.00%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2020. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
Sri Lanka, bidding to win a cricket match for the first time in a year, made a below-par 131-9 in the first Twenty20 International against the West Indies on Wednesday.
U.S. states across the nation from Michigan, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts and Mississippi are all loosening or lifting COVID-19 restrictions as reported infections are on the decline, but health officials are strongly warning against it. GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER: “Today, we are announcing that restaurants and bars can operate at 50 percent capacity. That's up from 25 percent.”On Tuesday Michigan and Louisiana eased limits on capacity for indoor dining and other businesses with Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer saying venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys and banquet halls will be able to have up to 300 patrons inside or 1,000 outside, with the revised order taking effect on Friday and lasting through mid-April . GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER: “Michigan is number nine nationwide for total vaccines administered and our case count and positivity rates remain among the lowest in the nation… The increased capacity limits outlined in this order will still give us the ability to protect public health as we carefully track variants and continue leading with science and data.” Arkansas and Massachusetts this week ordered that restaurants no longer have capacity limits, and in Texas...GOV. GREG ABBOTT: “It is now time to open Texas 100 percent”The governor went even further – lifting its mask mandate entirely. GOV. GREG ABBOTT: “Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility. It's just that now state mandates are no longer needed.” There were mixed reactions from residents near Houston.RESIDENT LINDEE RAMBEAU: "Wahoo! I'm about done with masks."RESIDENT DONNIE DEVAULT: "I know everybody is anxious. I'm anxious, but I think a few more weeks, a month, shouldn't hurt anybody."Mississippi also ending its mask mandate effective on Wednesday with the Republican Governor Tate Reeves tweeting “it is time!” ROCHELLE WALENSKY: “Now is not the time to release all restrictions.” But on Wednesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky cautioned against relaxing restrictions and urged Americans to continue public health precautions despite what their states permit.ROCHELLE WALENSKY: “The next month or two is really pivotal in terms of how this pandemic goes, as we scale up vaccination. Every individual is empowered to do the right thing here. Regardless of what the states decide. For personal health for public health. For the health of their loved ones and communities...” And President Biden on Wednesday echoed that sentiment.PRESIDENT BIDEN: “Texas I think is a big mistake… the last thing we need is neanderthal thinking that in the meantime everything is fine take off your mask, forget it. It still matters.” The number of new coronavirus cases in the United States dropped sharply for six weeks before plateauing last week, according to a Reuters analysis, and remains well below levels hit in January.
The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England has dropped since January, but the rate of decline has slowed and cases might be on the rise in some areas, researchers at Imperial College London said on Thursday. The researchers said that national prevalence was 0.49%, down two-thirds from the 1.57% recorded in January, but added that compared to interim findings for February, estimated prevalence had risen in London and the South-East, as well as the East and West Midlands. "The prevalence... in England continues to fall although the rate of decline has slowed," Steven Riley, Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, Imperial College London, told reporters, adding that prevalence needed to be lower to give the vaccine rollout the best chance of success.
Amazon.com Inc will open its first-ever physical store outside the United States on Thursday. The world's largest online retailer said the cashierless store, dubbed "Amazon Fresh," is located in Britain, in the London Borough of Ealing. It will carry a private UK food brand it's calling "by Amazon" and will let consumers skip the checkout line when they shop.
Falcon Minerals (FLMN) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -66.67% and -14.21%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2020. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
All of these items are $35 and under.
Many of us have, at one point or another, been stuck in a bar argument that went on a bit too long, that got a bit too hostile, with someone we didn’t know too well — and it’s rarely a memory to be treasured. Would it help if the guy at the other end of […]
In today’s TV news roundup, “South Park” premiered a preview clip of its coronavirus-themed special and Paramount Plus’ shared with Variety an exclusive clip from true-crime docuseries “For Heaven’s Sake.” CASTING Matthew Sato has been cast as Kia, a series regular role, in Disney Plus‘ new “Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.,” portraying the brother of lead Dr. […]
All 13 people killed when a packed vehicle collided with a truck in California are believed to have entered the US illegally through a nearby breach in the Mexico border fence, US authorities said Wednesday.