Thinly veiled military threats via social media kick off China-Taiwan tensions on Lunar New YearShareChina's air force has issued a sobering message to Taiwan to ring in the Chinese New Year, releasing a video on an official social media outlet of military jets flying around the disputed self-ruled island, to which Taiwan's military responded within hours with a video of their own.The film was posted on a Chinese air defence force official Weibo account — China's most popular social media platform — and shows aerial views over Taiwan while playing a song written from the point of view of a...…Thinly veiled military threats via social media kick off China-Taiwan tensions on Lunar New YearShareChina's air force has issued a sobering message to Taiwan to ring in the Chinese New Year, releasing a video on an official social media outlet of military jets flying around the disputed self-ruled island, to which Taiwan's military responded within hours with a video of their own.The film was posted on a Chinese air defence force official Weibo account — China's most popular social media platform — and shows aerial views over Taiwan while playing a song written from the point of view of a...WW…

Afghan girl Qamar Gul grabs AK-47, kills Taliban attackers who murdered her parentsShareA teenage girl in Afghanistan has been praised for her bravery after killing two Taliban militants who attacked her home and killed her parents.Last week a group of 40 insurgents stormed the village of Geriveh, in Ghor province, where Qamar Gul — believed to be aged around 15 — was living with her parents and brother, officials said.The Taliban came to Ms Gul's house because her father had complained about Taliban demands for tax payments, Abdul-Hamid Nateqi, a member of the Ghor provincial council, told...…Afghan girl Qamar Gul grabs AK-47, kills Taliban attackers who murdered her parentsShareA teenage girl in Afghanistan has been praised for her bravery after killing two Taliban militants who attacked her home and killed her parents.Last week a group of 40 insurgents stormed the village of Geriveh, in Ghor province, where Qamar Gul — believed to be aged around 15 — was living with her parents and brother, officials said.The Taliban came to Ms Gul's house because her father had complained about Taliban demands for tax payments, Abdul-Hamid Nateqi, a member of the Ghor provincial council, told...WW…

ShareCaptain Tom Moore, the British Army veteran who raised more than $55 million for Britain's National Health Service (NHS), has become the oldest artist to claim a UK number one single, topping the music charts on the week of his 100th birthday. A version of You'll Never Walk Alone featuring Captain Moore singing with theatre star Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir was released last weekend to raise money for the NHS and quickly rose through the charts, knocking The Weeknd's hit Blinding Lights off its pedestal.The single had been neck and neck with Blinding Lights until the...…ShareCaptain Tom Moore, the British Army veteran who raised more than $55 million for Britain's National Health Service (NHS), has become the oldest artist to claim a UK number one single, topping the music charts on the week of his 100th birthday. A version of You'll Never Walk Alone featuring Captain Moore singing with theatre star Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir was released last weekend to raise money for the NHS and quickly rose through the charts, knocking The Weeknd's hit Blinding Lights off its pedestal.The single had been neck and neck with Blinding Lights until the...WW…

ShareA Chinese state media outlet has released an animated video using Lego pieces to mock the United States' coronavirus response and the Trump Administration's claims of an initial Chinese COVID-19 coverup. Entitled Once Upon a Virus, the short animation — released by China's official Xinhua news agency — takes the form of a back-and-forth between China and the US with China being represented by a Lego terracotta warrior and a team of hazmat wearing characters, and the US by the Statue of Liberty.The dialogue begins with the Chinese warrior who stated they had discovered a dangerous...…ShareA Chinese state media outlet has released an animated video using Lego pieces to mock the United States' coronavirus response and the Trump Administration's claims of an initial Chinese COVID-19 coverup. Entitled Once Upon a Virus, the short animation — released by China's official Xinhua news agency — takes the form of a back-and-forth between China and the US with China being represented by a Lego terracotta warrior and a team of hazmat wearing characters, and the US by the Statue of Liberty.The dialogue begins with the Chinese warrior who stated they had discovered a dangerous...WW…

ShareNorth Korea's ruling party says the coronavirus pandemic has created obstacles for its "economic construction" efforts, but says the country "has been maintaining a very stable anti-epidemic situation", state media has reported.Foreign experts remain sceptical of North Korea's suggestion it is coronavirus-free given the high number of cases in neighbouring countries and the way the country trades via smuggling goods across borders.In a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, a joint resolution was adopted to take "more...…ShareNorth Korea's ruling party says the coronavirus pandemic has created obstacles for its "economic construction" efforts, but says the country "has been maintaining a very stable anti-epidemic situation", state media has reported.Foreign experts remain sceptical of North Korea's suggestion it is coronavirus-free given the high number of cases in neighbouring countries and the way the country trades via smuggling goods across borders.In a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, a joint resolution was adopted to take "more...WW…

ShareSatellite images appear to show evidence of mass burial pits in Iran to accommodate a growing number of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, as experts question Iran's official death toll.A series of images showing the excavation of a new section of graveyard in the city of Qom — the epicentre of Iran's COVID-19 outbreak — that began around February 21, just two days after Iran reported its first cases of coronavirus, The images, provided to the Times by US space technology company Maxar, show what appear to be new rows of graves within the city's largest cemetery and increased...…ShareSatellite images appear to show evidence of mass burial pits in Iran to accommodate a growing number of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, as experts question Iran's official death toll.A series of images showing the excavation of a new section of graveyard in the city of Qom — the epicentre of Iran's COVID-19 outbreak — that began around February 21, just two days after Iran reported its first cases of coronavirus, The images, provided to the Times by US space technology company Maxar, show what appear to be new rows of graves within the city's largest cemetery and increased...WW…

China's economic downturn leads to increased worker protests and strikes across the countryShareOn Christmas eve, a group of construction workers stood on the edge of the roof of their former employer's building in Times Square in southern Dongguan City in a dramatic demand for nearly $20,000 in unpaid wages.The construction company owner had disappeared, and the workers were desperate to receive their "hard-earned money".One of the workers posted an appeal on Chinese social media platform Weibo saying they had exhausted all means of finding him and receiving their wages."It [hasn't worked]...…China's economic downturn leads to increased worker protests and strikes across the countryShareOn Christmas eve, a group of construction workers stood on the edge of the roof of their former employer's building in Times Square in southern Dongguan City in a dramatic demand for nearly $20,000 in unpaid wages.The construction company owner had disappeared, and the workers were desperate to receive their "hard-earned money".One of the workers posted an appeal on Chinese social media platform Weibo saying they had exhausted all means of finding him and receiving their wages."It [hasn't worked]...WW…

ShareAfter a massive blast left large swathes of the city in ruins and more than 6,000 people injured, Beirut's major hospitals and at least half of the city's clinics are no longer functional, the World Health Organization has said, and now a COVID-19 surge is adding to the chaos.More than 170 people were killed in the explosion at Beirut's port on August 4 and ensuing protests have since led to the resignation of the Lebanese government and ongoing violence between protesters and police.In the hours following the blast — as bloodied and dazed residents stumbled through the streets and...…ShareAfter a massive blast left large swathes of the city in ruins and more than 6,000 people injured, Beirut's major hospitals and at least half of the city's clinics are no longer functional, the World Health Organization has said, and now a COVID-19 surge is adding to the chaos.More than 170 people were killed in the explosion at Beirut's port on August 4 and ensuing protests have since led to the resignation of the Lebanese government and ongoing violence between protesters and police.In the hours following the blast — as bloodied and dazed residents stumbled through the streets and...WW…

ShareHundreds of deaths from "coronavirus-like symptoms" have raised fears COVID-19 is rapidly spreading undetected throughout war-torn Yemen, where the United Nations and medical workers say the health care system "has in effect collapsed".According to official numbers, Yemen have confirmed 212 infections and 39 deaths, but with one of lowest rates of testing in the world, aid workers fear this figure is "just the tip of the iceberg".Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported on Friday as many as 80 people were dying at home per day — up from a pre-outbreak norm of 10 — in the city of Aden,...…ShareHundreds of deaths from "coronavirus-like symptoms" have raised fears COVID-19 is rapidly spreading undetected throughout war-torn Yemen, where the United Nations and medical workers say the health care system "has in effect collapsed".According to official numbers, Yemen have confirmed 212 infections and 39 deaths, but with one of lowest rates of testing in the world, aid workers fear this figure is "just the tip of the iceberg".Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported on Friday as many as 80 people were dying at home per day — up from a pre-outbreak norm of 10 — in the city of Aden,...WW…

ShareNorth Korea's ruling party says the coronavirus pandemic has created obstacles for its "economic construction" efforts, but says the country "has been maintaining a very stable anti-epidemic situation", state media has reported.Foreign experts remain sceptical of North Korea's suggestion it is coronavirus-free given the high number of cases in neighbouring countries and the way the country trades via smuggling goods across borders.In a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, a joint resolution was adopted to take "more...…ShareNorth Korea's ruling party says the coronavirus pandemic has created obstacles for its "economic construction" efforts, but says the country "has been maintaining a very stable anti-epidemic situation", state media has reported.Foreign experts remain sceptical of North Korea's suggestion it is coronavirus-free given the high number of cases in neighbouring countries and the way the country trades via smuggling goods across borders.In a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, a joint resolution was adopted to take "more...WW…