Asia

Saudi Arabia

Pilgrims start first day of Hajj under heavy COVID-19 restrictions

It is the first time in nearly a century that people from outside Saudi Arabia will not take part in the five-day pilgrimage.

29/07/2020

China

COVID-19: Hong Kong hospitals face 'collapse', China sees cases spike

Hong Kong was seen as a success story for how it controlled the outbreak at the beginning of the year, which was helped by the public embracing face masks and an efficient track and trace programme.

29/07/2020

Malaysia

Former Malaysian PM found guilty in corruption trial

Najib Razak was found guilty on Tuesday in a corruption trial over the looting of the 1MDB investment fund.

28/07/2020

Green News

‘There is no such thing as clean coal’ warns UN chief Antonio Guterres

The United Nations Secretary General delivered a powerful speech to students at a university in China.

27/07/2020

Bangladesh

More than 3 million affected by flooding in Bangladesh

Monsoon flooding has left millions homeless, with lost crops and livelihoods. More than 7.5 million more are at risk of flooding according to the National Need Assessment Working Group.

26/07/2020

Israel

Thousands march in Israel against Netanyahu's handling of coronavirus

The country had initially managed to keep the epidemic at bay but infections surged after the economy reopened in May.

26/07/2020

Iraq

US and Spain hand over base to Iraq as allied retreat continues

On Friday the Iraqi military said four rockets had been fired at Basmaya base but no casualties were reported.

25/07/2020

No Comment

World's tallest swing officially opens to thrillseekers in China

Thrillseekers lie horizontally and are swung over a cliff in the Chongqing municipality, reaching speeds of 130kmph. The rainbow-coloured huge frame has been officially certified by the Guinness World Records and it has now opened after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions delayed its launch.

25/07/2020

Yemen

97 medics die from COVID-19 as humanitarian crisis worsens in Yemen

The healthcare system of the war-ravaged country has been left in tatters. Even before coronavirus struck, Yemen had just 10 doctors for every 10,000 people.

25/07/2020

World

How might the next invention by battery anode creator Rachid Yazami change your life?

Moroccan scientist, Professor Rachid Yazami’s passion for science started as a child, in his native Fez, with a fascination for geology.

24/07/2020

World

How is science building Iraq’s former glory, and the minds of young Saudis?

The Middle East and North Africa’s contribution to global science and engineering publications was only about two percent in 2013 according to a Harvard funded study.

24/07/2020

Israel

Israel: Police arrest 55 in anti-Netanyahu protests

COVID and corruption: Discontent about Benjamin Netanyahu's government has spilled onto the streets of Jerusalem.

24/07/2020

Iran

Iranian passenger plane 'harassed' over Syria by US fighter jet

One F-15 fighter plane did briefly surveil the Iranian passenger jet from a safe distance but disengaged after it established it was a civilian aircraft, the US confirmed.

24/07/2020

Partner content

UAE's Hope Probe begins interplanetary mission

Partner content presented by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Dubai

The United Arab Emirates' Hope Probe heads to Mars after six years of hard work and meticulous planning from the team of Emirati scientists and engineers. It's the first interplanetary mission for the Arab world.

23/07/2020

Partner content

Why visitors are hooked on Dubai Marina, home to luxury yachts, docks, hotels and beach clubs

Partner content presented by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Dubai

Why Dubai Marina is so much more than just a glamorous urban dock for luxury yachts; it's actually home to many chic bars and restaurants, amazing pastimes for adults and kids alike - and also has the iconic towers that define its unforgettable skyline.

22/07/2020

Iraq

German art curator kidnapped in Iraq freed in government operation

Her friends and acquaintances reported her missing earlier this week, and she has since been freed.

21/07/2020

China

Hong Kongers get creative with protests to skirt new security law

Faced with stiff punishments under Beijing's new security law, Hong Kong protesters are finding creative ways to circumvent the new reality.

21/07/2020

No Comment

Universal Studios Japan fully reopens after coronavirus restrictions

Universal Studios in Osaka began reopening in June but only to people living in the local region. Now anyone can visit, including people from the capital Tokyo, where coronavirus cases have been rising.

20/07/2020

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian King Salman hospitalised for tests on gallbladder

His health is closely monitored as he presides over one of the world's top oil-producing countries and a large economy.

20/07/2020

Iran

Iran executes man convicted of spying on US-slain general Soleimani

Iranian state television has reported that Iran has executed Mahmoud Mousavi Majd, an alleged spy who passed information about Qassem Soleimani to the US and Israel.

20/07/2020

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates successfully launches historic first Mars mission

The UAE's orbiter took off from a Japanese launch centre on Monday morning.

20/07/2020

Green News

The world’s most expensive fungus is at risk of going extinct

The Caterpillar Fungus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years.

19/07/2020

No Comment

Assad casts ballot in Syrian parliament election

Syria is holding parliamentary elections across government-controlled areas of the country, as President Bashar al-Assad marks 20 years in power amid continuing war and deep economic woes.

19/07/2020

No Comment

Yangtze river floods prompt massive evacuations in central China

Critics blame the disaster on rampant overdevelopment and poor water conservancies policies.

18/07/2020

Cult

New Press Museum in Vietnam skirts round thorny issues

But the Hanoi Museum doesn't appear to address questions about contemporary media freedom, as Vietnam ranks only 175th out of 180 nations in Journalists’ Without Borders press freedom league table

18/07/2020

No Comment

Punches and water balloons thrown in Taiwanese parliament melee

It was the third parliamentary brawl in a fortnight, with one legislator caught on camera punching an opposition party member.

17/07/2020