Asia

Israel

Isaac Herzog, son of former president, elected president of Israel

Isaac Herzog has been elected as the new President of Israel, as opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu try to reach a last-ditch agreement on a new coalition government.

02/06/2021

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Fears of environmental disaster from sinking chemicals ship

Efforts to tow the container vessel carrying nitric acid and other chemicals out to sea have failed, threatening marine life and Sri Lanka's famed beaches.

02/06/2021

Health news

Small number of heart inflammation cases linked to Pfizer vaccine

275 reported cases of myocarditis were found among the 5 million people who received the COVID-19 vaccine, Israel's health ministry said.

02/06/2021

Israel

Israel: Netanyahu opponents in race against time to form government

Opponents of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu are racing against time to finalise a coalition government ahead of a midnight deadline on Wednesday.

02/06/2021

China

Tiananmen Square museum in Hong Kong shut after three days

A Hong Kong museum commemorating the 1989 killings in China’s Tiananmen Square was shut after three days, as Chinese authorities continue to tighten control on the city.

02/06/2021

Gaza

Children share their experiences of the recent Israel-Gaza violence

"The houses were falling down on people," said one 11-year-old. "We lost hope. Some people ran away and the paramedics told us to run to the hospital."

31/05/2021

Partner content

Biohacking in Dubai rises in popularity

Partner content presented by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Dubai

Biohacking, a type of do-it-yourself biology, is becoming popular in Dubai. For enthusiasts, its practices can range from big or small changes to improve health and well-being to more extreme examples of implants and gene editing. But some critics are warning about potential health risks.

31/05/2021

No Comment

Gazans head to the beach as ceasefire holds

Families flocked to Gaza's beaches on Sunday after spending almost two weeks largely confined to their homes during the latest war between Israel and the territory's militant Hamas rulers.

31/05/2021

No Comment

Sri Lanka: Police investigate fire on ship off Colombo

Firefighting tugboats continued to spray a burning ship anchored off the Sri Lankan capital on Monday, as navy personnel began clearing debris from the vessel.

31/05/2021

No Comment

The show must go on! Puppeteers pick up the pieces of destroyed theatre in Gaza

Two weeks after a ceasefire brought an end to 11 days of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, Nabil al-Khatib, Palestinian artist and founder of Beit al-Fann (the house of art) salvages puppets from his theatre studio in Gaza City to keep bringing smiles to the faces of Palestinian children.

31/05/2021

China

China allows couples 3 children to cope with ageing population

Restrictions on the number of births were first introduced in 1980 but were eased in 2015 to allow couples to have two children.

31/05/2021

Partner content

Dubai conference spells start of new chapter for tourism industry

Partner content presented by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Dubai

Leading travel companies, airlines and tourism boards from over 80 countries showcased at the exhibition, with 10,000 people attending the event - a feat that would have been unimaginable 12 months ago.

31/05/2021

Israel

Israeli right-wing leader joins with centrists to oust Netanyahu

Naftali Bennett, the leader of Israel's hardline Yamina party, has confirmed plans to form a coalition with centrists to seize a majority in parliament.

30/05/2021

Iran

French tourist charged with spying in Iran over 'drone photos'

Benjamin Briere, 35, has been detained in Iran for 12 months and his family say he has only been permitted to call them four times since last May.

30/05/2021

China

Chinese robotic spacecraft docks with the country's new space station

An automated space module has successfully docked with China's new space station, Tianhe, to deliver living supplies and space suits.

30/05/2021

Saudi Arabia

First UNWTO regional office opens in Riyadh

The hub will co-ordinate initiatives across 13 countries in the Middle East.

30/05/2021

Green News

Myanmar volunteers built a library for orphans from plastic waste

Volunteers made eco-bricks by filling discarded bottles with other plastic waste

30/05/2021

No Comment

Indonesia ferry catches fire, passengers jump to sea

A ferry in eastern Indonesia caught fire with nearly 200 people on board, forcing passengers and crew to jump into the sea but causing no casualties.

29/05/2021

Vietnam

Vietnam identifies new hybrid UK-India coronavirus variant

The variant is thought to be behind a recent surge in recorded COVID-19 cases in Vietnam's industrial zones.

29/05/2021

No Comment

Gaza beaches packed as Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds

In Gaza, a week since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was announced, many residents come out to enjoy the beaches.

29/05/2021

Gaza

Fragile peace holds in Gaza but tensions with Israel remain

On Friday protesters hurled stones at Israeli security forces amid clashes in the village of Baita, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry claimed a 26-year-old man was killed and two more injured by live fire.

29/05/2021

Partner content

Dubai's Arabian Travel Market marks the start of a tourism comeback

Partner content presented by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Dubai

Dubai hosts one of the first in-person travel industry events since the pandemic began. We see how the industry is recovering worldwide and find out how some European countries plan to compete for tourists.

28/05/2021

No Comment

Fight to douse Sri Lanka ship fire continues

Ships spray water at a container ship off Sri Lanka's coast as an international firefighting effort to put out a huge blaze carries on.

28/05/2021

Work

China’s 5G network is causing its carbon emissions to skyrocket

China’s digital sector is going to use 3 times as much energy because of 5G. That’s just the start of the problem.

28/05/2021

Syria

Bashar Assad re-elected as Syria's president in a predicted landslide

Syrian officials say Assad won 95.1% of the votes with turnout at 78.6%; however, there were no independent monitors and the West has already described the election as a sham.

28/05/2021

Israel

UN rights chief says Israeli strikes in Gaza may be war crimes

The top UN human rights body on Thursday passed a resolution to intensify scrutiny of Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

27/05/2021