EU condemns U.S. decision to end ban on anti-personnel land mines
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to relax restrictions on the U.S. military’s use of anti-personnel land mines was “completely unacceptable”, the European Union said on Tuesday in a rare formal criticism of Washington.
Cathay Pacific to cut 90% of flights to mainland China due to coronavirus
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd plans to cut around 30% of its capacity over the next two months, including around 90% of its flights to mainland China, as it grapples with the coronavirus epidemic, its CEO said on Tuesday.
Thailand confirms six new coronavirus cases, including four Thais
Thailand confirmed six new cases of the new coronavirus on Tuesday, four of them Thai nationals and two Chinese, bringing the total to 25, the highest number outside China.
Electric future: Britain to ban new petrol and hybrid cars from 2035
Britain will ban the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars from 2035, five years earlier than planned, in an attempt to reduce air pollution that could herald the end of over a century of reliance on the internal combustion engine.
Coronavirus sends Asia’s social media censors into overdrive
Deluged by misinformation about the new coronavirus on social media, some Asian governments are fighting back with arrests, fines and fake news laws – something free speech advocates fear will entrench measures that can also silence dissent.
Singapore virus tally hits 24 with first local transmission cases
Singapore has reported six more cases of a newly identified coronavirus, including four domestic transmissions, taking its tally of infections to 24, the health ministry of the southeast Asian city-state said on Tuesday.
U.N. Libya envoy says military rivals ready to negotiate in Geneva
The U.N. envoy to Libya said on Tuesday there was a “genuine will to start negotiating” between rival military factions as they planned to meet for the first time for talks in Geneva aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire.
EU to overhaul process for admitting new members in bid to lift French veto
The European Commission will propose changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, in a bid to mollify France which has vetoed expansion of the bloc to six countries in the Balkans.
Factbox: Six Balkan hopefuls aspire to join the EU
The European Commission, the European Union’s executive, will on Wednesday propose reforms to the way the bloc admits new members in an attempt to convince French President Emmanuel Macron to lift his veto on membership negotiations.
Russia sends Lavrov to Venezuela to ‘counteract’ U.S. sanctions
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Venezuela on Friday in a show of support for President Nicolas Maduro, a socialist who Washington wants out of power.




