Facebook bans Myanmar military accounts citing the coup

The move, which takes effect immediately, applies to the military and entities controlled by the armed forces on both Facebook and Instagram

US in mourning over 500,000 COVID deaths, UK sees hope

Unlike his predecessor Donald Trump, who often sought to minimize the disease, Biden has made the pandemic his top priority

Facebook to restore Australia news pages as deal reached on media law

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had angrily accused Facebook of making a decision to 'unfriend' Australia

China urges US to lift trade restrictions, stop interference

China faces more opposition than ever in Washington due to its trade record, territorial disputes with neighbours

Trump 'offered Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One'

During the Singapore summit, Trump gave Kim a glimpse inside his presidential state car in a show of their newly friendly rapport

Myanmar blocks Facebook as resistance grows to coup

Service provider Telenor Myanmar confirmed that mobile operators and internet service providers had received a directive to block Facebook

At least 34 killed as quake rocks Indonesia

Rescuers were searching for more than a dozen patients and staff trapped beneath the rubble of the levelled Mamuju hospital

WHO mission to China fails to find animal source of coronavirus

The experts spent one month in China, two weeks in quarantine and the same again on fieldwork

EXPLAINER: What's up between Google, Facebook and Australia?

Google has announced agreements to pay publishers in Australia while Facebook said it blocked users in the country from viewing or sharing

Taiwan claims entrapment after China shows spy 'confession'

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly denounced Taipei for offering support to Hong Kong’s protests

Iran executes young wrestler, evoking shock and condemnation

Donald Trump had pleaded for Afkari's life earlier this month, saying his 'sole act was an anti-government demonstration on the streets'

Afghan's women negotiators face hardline Taliban in peace talks

Their presence at the negotiating table is significant in patriarchal Afghanistan, though they are outnumbered by the rest of the team

UAE suspends issuance of visiting visas to Pakistan, 11 other countries

Infections has been rising in Pakistan and authorities have declared that the country was witnessing the second wave of COVID-19

Saudi Arabia to lift Qatar embargo, easing the Gulf crisis

Kuwait, which had been mediating throughout the dispute, was first to announce the diplomatic breakthrough through its foreign minister

Sudan to join UAE, Bahrain in recognising Israel

Trump said at least five other countries want to come into the deal, which is collectively called the Abraham Accords

Ousted Mali president Keita leaves country as transition talks begin

West African leaders, fearing the coup could set a precedent that would undermine their power, initially insisted Keita be restored to power

Maduro announces arrest of 'American spy' near Venezuelan refineries

The arrest occurred after a 'plan to cause an explosion' was 'discovered and dismantled' at El Palito refinery, authorities say

Poorer and developing nations face vaccine wait as West locks down supply

Based on advance purchase agreements signed with Pfizer, it is calculated that 1.1 billion doses had been snapped up by wealthy nations

South Africa to store COVID-19 vaccines from India at secret place for fear of theft

South African government had secured 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from India

Mauritius oil spill ship operator to pay $9.4 million

More than 1,000 tonnes of oil is believed to have leaked from the ship, with the rest siphoned out before it spilled

France passes anti-radicalism bill that worries Muslims

Critics say these provisions are already covered in existing laws

UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, first in the world

Britain’s vaccine committee will decide which priority groups will get the jab first

Russians set for candle-lit Valentine's Day protests after Navalny jailing

Russian law enforcement agencies said on Thursday that people taking part in unsanctioned rallies could face criminal charges

Johnson locks down England as UK COVID-19 cases pass 1 million

Johnson was criticised by political opponents for moving too slowly into the first national lockdown

From Denmark to Greece, European cities announce tighter COVID-19 restrictions

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was inevitable that the country would see a second wave of the coronavirus

Texas outages below half-million but water crisis persists

More than 320,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

Biden, Modi commit towards greater Indo-US ties; work against COVID, terrorism

A veiled message to Pakistan was also sent, with both countries resolving to 'stand together against the scourge of global terrorism'

House rests Trump impeachment case, defense begins Friday

Trump's lawyers will begin their defense on Friday, arguing that he cannot be held personally responsible for the storming of Congress

Trump trial begins but Republicans signal likely acquittal

The trial is clearly uncomfortable for many Republican senators, who had to flee to safety during the violence

No change in policy on Jammu and Kashmir, says US

A longstanding goal of US policy in South Asia has been to prevent India-Pakistan conflict from escalating to interstate war

Australia slams 'heavy-handed' Facebook news blackout

Minister Paul Fletcher had also raised concerns that blocking news media on the popular platform could boost the spread of misinformation

Australian journalist arrested in China for 'supplying state secrets'

Cheng's detention came weeks after Australian authorities raided the homes of Chinese state media journalists

New Zealand ends snap virus lockdown in largest city

New Zealand has been widely praised for its handling of the pandemic, with just 26 deaths in a population of five million

14 million tonnes of microplastics on sea floor: Australian study

The quantity of the tiny pollutants was 25 times greater than previous localised studies had shown

New Zealand detects first community virus case in two months

It is the second time a returnee has developed coronavirus symptoms after being cleared to leave an isolation facility in New Zealand