Myanmar’s Bozhena Antoniyar had to side-step conservative parents to take up bare-knuckle fighting, but her stealth paid off on her MMA debut when she knocked out her opponent in a record 24 seconds.
AFP
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Japan’s Uniqlo Takes Plunge in India Retail Market
McKinsey said that the vast nation’s apparel market was forecast to be worth $59.3 billion in 2022, making it the sixth-largest in the world.
Taiwan: Tens of Thousands Join Pokemon go Safari to Catch ’em all
Tens of thousands of Pokemon Go fans descended on a Taiwan park Thursday hoping to catch a rare “Heracross” and other elusive virtual creatures from the popular game.
India Clampdown on Kashmir’s Silicon Valley
The coffee machines have been cold, computer screens blank and work stations empty for two months in Kashmir’s Silicon Valley as an Indian communications blockade on the troubled region takes a growing toll on business.
Hong Kong: Billionaire Li Ka-shing Donates over $100m to Businesses
The 91-year-old billionaire said small and medium-sized businesses would benefit from the fund, worth HK$1 billion (US$128 million), which will be distributed in partnership with the government.
Stars Arrive in Busan for Asia’s Biggest Film Festival
The night sky cleared over Busan Thursday after days of rain and wind as the city prepared to host Asia’s largest film festival and to welcome a glittering array of stars from across the movie world.
Carrie Lam Invoked Rarely Used Colonial-Era Law to Ban Face Masks
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Friday invoked a rarely used colonial-era law to ban protesters from wearing face masks.
‘The Cave’ Rescue Movie Promises to Wow Audience at the Busan Premiere
From flooded passages lit by headlamps to urgent voices echoing off cramped walls, the director of “The Cave” — the first big-screen retelling of Thai rescue operation promises to capture the peril of the mission when it premieres at Busan International Film Festival.
Chinese Could be Barred Entry to Taiwan Over Anti-HK Violence
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen warned Thursday that mainland Chinese who attacked Hong Kongers or damaged “Lennon Walls” could be barred from the island following a recent spate of such incidents.
Hong Kong: Shot Protester Charged, as Gov Moves to ‘Ban Face Masks’
A teenage pro-democracy protester shot by a Hong Kong police officer was on Thursday charged with rioting, as authorities were reportedly set to ban the wearing of face masks at public rallies.
AFP Launches 2019 Kate Webb Prize for Asian Journalists
Agence France-Presse has launched the 2019 Kate Webb Prize to recognise exceptional Asian journalists doing difficult and dangerous work across the region.
‘Parasite’ an Oscar Favourite Tops Asia’s Film Festival
Organisers of Asia’s top film festival, which opens in Busan this week, warn that a surge of global interest in the critically acclaimed South Korean movie “Parasite” masks a damaging underinvestment in local independent cinema.
Ordinary People Barred From China’s 70th Parade
Authorities would not allow just anyone to get near the parade route, with large swathes of central Beijing on lockdown so troops, tanks and missiles could file past Tiananmen Square.
India: Modi’s Bold Claim ‘Open-Defecation Free’ in Question
India is to be declared “open-defecation free” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening, although experts question his bold claim that all 1.3 billion people in the country have access to a toilet.
Australian Teen Charged with Hit and Run ‘Kangaroos Massacre’
An Australian teenager has been charged over the deaths of 20 kangaroos, which he allegedly mowed down with his truck in a killing spree that lasted an hour.
China Plans Triumphant 70th Anniversary Despite Headwinds
China marks 70 years of Communist rule next week, with a massive military parade in Beijing anchoring celebrations of its emergence as a global superpower, despite a damaging year of trade tensions with the US and pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong.
South Korean Golfer Suspended for Flipping the Bird
A South Korean golfer has been suspended for three years for sticking up his middle finger at the crowd over a cellphone camera noise, the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA) said Tuesday.
Sri Lanka Propose Tougher Penalties to Protect Elephants After Mass Deaths
Sri Lanka announced harsher penalties in a bid to protect wild elephants on Tuesday, as investigators probed whether seven jumbos found poisoned over the weekend were killed by villagers.
Hong Kong Carrie Lam Endures Barrage of Anger at Town Hall Meeting
Hong Kong’s embattled leader endured a barrage of criticism at a town hall meeting Thursday night that laid bare anger coursing through the city after months of huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
Malaysia Bans Hit Stripper Movie ‘Hustlers’
Malaysia has banned the hit Jennifer Lopez movie “Hustlers”, authorities said Friday, criticising the film about strippers as packed with “obscene content” not suitable for cinema-goers in the conservative country.