From juicy mangoes and fresh lemons to tropical guava and plums: Hanoi’s fruit comes piled high on the back of bicycles, peddled by street vendors who roam every nook and cranny of the Vietnamese capital.
AFP
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Endangered Australian Songbird ‘Losing Its Song’
Australia’s endangered regent honeyeater bird is losing its song, a sign that it could be nearing extinction, scientists warned in new research released on Wednesday.
Everest-Bound Bahraini Prince Probed over Vaccine ‘Gift’
Nepal is investigating how a Bahraini prince planning to climb Mount Everest brought 2,000 coronavirus vaccine doses to the country without prior approval, authorities said.
China to Issue Visas to Foreigners Who Have Taken the Chinese Vaccine
China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners — including from the US, India and Australia — back in, provided they have taken a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine.
Messaging App Signal No Longer Working in China
The encrypted messaging app Signal, recommended by Tesla’s Elon Musk, appeared to have been blocked in China on Tuesday, closing off one of the last US social media platforms still freely available in the country.
Taiwan Warns Firms in Myanmar to Fly Flags after Anti-China Attacks
Taiwan on Monday advised its companies in Myanmar to fly the island’s flag to distinguish themselves from Chinese businesses, which came under attack over the weekend amid a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Yangon.
Sri Lanka Asks Amazon to Remove Bikinis and Doormats Featuring its Flag
Sri Lanka has asked retail giant Amazon to take down bikinis, briefs and doormats featuring the nation’s lion flag from its site, authorities said Sunday, two days after it protested against the Chinese-made products.
Burmese in US Offered Temporary Refuge from Coup Crackdown
The US government said Friday that Myanmar citizens stranded by the violence following the country’s military coup would be able to remain inside the United States under “temporary protected status.”
G7 Powers Urge China to End ‘Oppression’ in Hong Kong
Group of Seven powers on Friday demanded that China honor commitments in Hong Kong and end “oppression” against democratic activists after Beijing forced sweeping changes of the city’s election system.
The Untouchables Turned Artists, Fighting Casteism with Designer Bags
The sound of men punching holes into colorful rubber sheets reverberates across a tiny studio in India’s largest slum — an unlikely birthplace for luxury handbags made by a marginalized community seeking to reclaim its identity.
Frosty Reception for China Hotel with Polar Bears on Show
A Chinese hotel built around a central polar bear enclosure for the non-stop viewing pleasure of its guests opened Friday to immediate condemnation from conservationists.
Lady Gaga ‘Praying’ for Japan on 2011 Disaster Anniversary
Lady Gaga added her voice to the diplomats and dignitaries sending condolences to Japan on Thursday to mark 10 years since its catastrophic earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.
Armed Hong Kong Toilet Paper Heist Gang Jailed for Three Years
Knife-wielding men who stole hundreds of toilet rolls during panic-buying shortages in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong were jailed for more than three years on Thursday.
Facebook Halts Project for Undersea Data Cable to Hong Kong
Facebook has decided to halt its efforts to build a trans-Pacific undersea cable that would have connected California and Hong Kong, due to tensions between the United States and China.
Hong Kong Jazz Band Turns Cramped Noodle Shop into a Concert Hall
In a densely populated city with notoriously high rents, Hong Kong’s musicians are used to playing cramped stages. But few venues are quite as pokey — or unorthodox — as Yuen Hing Lung noodles.
Pakistan Blocks TikTok after Court Ban for Immoral Content
Pakistan has blocked video sharing app TikTok for a second time, after a court ordered the platform shut down over “unethical and immoral content”.
South Korea to Pay 13.9% More for US Troop Presence
South Korea has agreed to pay 13.9 percent more towards the cost of the US troop presence on the peninsula, its foreign ministry said Wednesday, in a six-year deal resolving an issue that festered under the Trump administration.
LinkedIn China Suspends New Sign-Ups to ‘Respect Law’
Microsoft-owned social network LinkedIn has halted new member sign-ups for its service in China while it reviews its compliance with local laws, the company said in a statement.
Japan’s Ikee, Returning from Leukemia, to Swim Four Events at Olympic Qualifier
Japanese swim star Rikako Ikee will enter four events at next month’s national championships, reports said Wednesday, as she vies for a Tokyo Olympics spot in her comeback from leukemia.
China Launched ‘Virus Passports’ to Kickstart International Travel
China has launched a system of “virus passports” to kickstart international travel, as Russia sealed its first deal on Tuesday to manufacture the Sputnik V jab in the European Union.