With music, treats and balloons, friends of Pakistan’s only Asian elephant threw a farewell party for the creature ahead of its relocation to Cambodia following years of campaigning by animal rights activists.
AFP
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China Release Guidelines to Battle ‘Money Worship’ Online Platforms
Online live shows and livestream e-commerce platforms must not promote “bad habits” such as showing off wealth or “money worship” according to rules published Monday by Beijing, in the latest sign of tightening in China’s massive livestream industry.
Wong, Chow and Lam: Three Young Hong Kong Activists Facing Jail
Three prominent Hong Kong activists are facing jail after pleading guilty on Monday to inciting an “illegal assembly” outside the city’s main police station during last year’s huge pro-democracy protests.
World’s Top Surgical Glove Maker Shuts Factories Due to Coronavirus
A Malaysian company that is the world’s biggest manufacturer of surgical gloves will close over half of its factories after a surge in coronavirus cases among workers, authorities said Monday.
Two Hong Kong Political Films Win at Taiwan Golden Horse Awards
Two Hong Kong films that cast an uncomfortable spotlight on China won accolades at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards on Saturday, as the island staged its largest film festival after successfully containing the coronavirus.
Balloon Messages for Hong Kongers Held in Mainland China
Relatives of 12 Hong Kong democracy activists detained in mainland China released balloons carrying messages to their loved ones across the border on Saturday, as they called for their return.
Smuggled Parrots Stuffed in Plastic Bottles
Dozens of parrots stuffed into plastic water bottles have been discovered on a ship docked in Indonesia’s Papua region, authorities said Friday.
Families of Hong Kongers Held in China Cast Doubt on Prison Letters
Relatives of 12 Hong Kong democracy activists detained in mainland China said Friday that letters from their loved ones praising their treatment and urging their families to stay quiet about their plight were likely written under duress.
Researchers Find Microplastics on Top of the World at Everest
Traces of microplastics have been found close to the top of Mount Everest, a study showed Friday, likely originating from equipment used by the hundreds of climbers who summit the world’s highest peak every year.
New Chinese Submersible Reaches Earth’s Deepest Ocean Trench
China livestreamed footage of its new manned submersible parked at the bottom of the Mariana Trench on Friday, part of a historic mission into the deepest underwater valley on the planet.
NGO Found Bags and Balloons Waste Most Responsible for Entanglement Incidents
A dead manatee in Florida was found to have swallowed so many plastic bags they formed a cantaloupe-sized ball in its stomach, while a baby turtle had its intestines perforated by tiny plastic fragments.
Graduating Hong Kong Students Display Banned Pro-Democracy Slogans
Dozens of graduating Hong Kong students displayed slogans on Thursday that authorities have declared illegal in a rare act of defiance against a sweeping new national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.
Japan Sends ‘Polite’ Robot to Warn Shoppers to Wear Masks
Asking someone to put on a mask is a touchy subject, so one shop in Japan has enlisted a robot to make sure its customers wear them during the pandemic.
Judge Says Hong Kong Police Were Wrong to Hide ID Badges
Hong Kong police were wrong to hide identification badges during last year’s democracy protests while the city’s watchdog was “inadequate” for investigating complaints against officers, a senior judge said Thursday.
Indian Cow Dung Festival Celebrates the End to Diwali
Dozens of exuberant villagers scooped up handfuls of cow dung to mould and toss at each other like snowballs this week for the Gorehabba festival, a local conclusion to India’s most important festival, Diwali.
Indian Street Dog’s Rocky Road to Recovery after Train Accident
An Indian street dog that lost its front legs after being run over by a train has found a new home in Britain after enduring a year of therapy and learning to walk again with prosthetic limbs.
New Vaccine Breakthrough Lifts Global Hope Against Pandemic
Global hopes of vanquishing the coronavirus pandemic were boosted Monday after a second vaccine was found to be nearly 95 percent effective in a trial, bringing much-needed optimism amid surging infections and grueling new restrictions.
British Diplomat in China Earns Hero Status after River Rescue
A top British diplomat has become a hero in China after video of him rescuing a student from a swollen river racked up tens of millions of views on social media.
Growing Fear: Anxiety Mounts over Vietnam’s Food Staples
Vietnam’s fragrant noodle soups and fresh spring rolls have won fans across the globe, but mounting food safety scandals on the country’s streets are sparking a rising tide of anxiety among millennials about what they eat.
Transgender People to Gain Inheritance Rights in Bangladesh
Transgender people will soon be able to inherit property from their families, Bangladesh’s law minister said Sunday, the latest effort to give the minority group more rights in the conservative Muslim-majority nation.