Japan, US draw up plan for any Taiwan emergency: Kyodo

Japanese and US armed forces have drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation for a possible Taiwan emergency, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Thursday (Dec 23), citing unnamed Japanese government sources, amid increased tensions between the island and China. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own "sacred" territory and in the past...

Taiwan asks US not to cause ‘misunderstanding’ after flag tweet removed

Taiwan has asked its office in Washington to remind the United States not to cause "unnecessary speculation or misunderstanding" after the White House deleted a social media post on Covid-19 vaccine donations that included Taiwan's flag. The White House Covid-19 Response Team this week posted on Twitter an image giving details of US vaccine donations globally,...

Joe Biden unveils steps to tackle America’s rampant gun violence

US President Joe Biden is already facing resistance from political opponents and the National Rifle Association.Reuters US President Joe Biden and his Attorney General Merrick Garland announced limited measures to tackle gun violence in the United States on Thursday (April ), in what the White House described as a first step to curb mass shootings, community...

Malaysia lets in US plastic waste after it passes new UN treaty test

Malaysia has allowed in a container of plastic waste from the United States after finding that it held only clean, recyclable material, and did not after all violate a brand-new United Nations treaty banning trade in contaminated plastics. Plastic waste piled outside an illegal recycling factory in Jenjarom, Kuala Langat, Malaysia, October 14, 2018.PHOTO: Reuters Signatories to...

US sets record as coronavirus cases top 5 million

The United States set a record for coronavirus cases on Saturday, with more than 5 million people now infected, according to a Reuters tally, as the country’s top infectious diseases official offered hope earlier this week that an effective vaccine might be available by year-end. With one out of every 66 residents infected, the United States...

US targets all Chinese Communist Party members for possible travel ban: Source

  The Trump administration is considering banning travel to the United States by all members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday, a move that would worsen already tense US-China relations. Senior officials discussing the matter have begun circulating a draft of a possible presidential order, but...

US halts imports of Malaysia’s Top Glove over suspected forced labour

US Customs placed a detention order on imports of products made by subsidiaries of the world's largest medical glove maker, Malaysia's Top Glove Corporation on Wednesday, an action taken against firms suspected of using forced labour. The bar on Top Glove products comes at a time when demand for the medical gloves and protective gear has...

China vows retaliation after Trump ends preferential status for Hong Kong

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered an end to Hong Kong’s special status under US law to punish China for what he called “oppressive actions” against the former British colony, prompting Beijing to warn of retaliatory sanctions. Citing China’s decision to enact a new national security law for Hong Kong, Trump signed an executive order that he...

US coronavirus cases hit new global record, rising over 55,000 in single day

The United States reported more than 55,000 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the largest daily increase any country has ever reported, according to a Reuters tally. A surge in coronavirus cases across the United States over the past week has put President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis under the microscope and led several governors to...

Apple, Google, Amazon take aim at Trump visa ban

US President Donald Trump has suspended the entry of some foreign workers in a bid to boost domestic hiring, sparking opposition from corporate America and tech sector executives including Google's Sundar Pichai and Tesla's Elon Musk. The visa suspension, effective June 24, will last until the end of the year and is expected to open up...