Japan to drop mask guidance, relax Covid strategy
The changes, effective from early May, will classify the disease on the same level as the flu, down from its current status on par with tuberculosis and SARS.
Chinese trips more than double in first six days of Lunar New Year from last year
Despite the improvement in numbers this year for the seven-day holiday period, travel has yet to rebound to pre-Covid levels.
Kremlin says Biden has key to end Ukraine conflict but doesn't use it
It says the US president has instead chosen 'the path of further pumping weapons into Ukraine'.
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe
The Philippine solicitor general says domestic investigative and judicial processes should take precedence over the ICC.
Djokovic's father skips Melbourne semi-final after flag controversy
A video posted to a pro-Russian Australian YouTube account had shown Djokovic's father posing with a man holding a Russian flag with Vladimir Putin's face on it.
India police charge 10 with homicide over bridge collapse that killed 135
Police have issued an arrest warrant for the boss of the company that managed the bridge and named him as the main accused.
Truck-sized asteroid misses Earth
At its nearest point, the asteroid was only 3,600km from Earth's surface.
Israel, Gaza militants trade missiles after deadly West Bank raid
The cross-border fire came after an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Thursday that led to the largest single death toll in years of fighting.
Ukraine sets sights on fighter jets after securing tank supplies
Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia last February, has also said it wants to receive long-range missiles from the West.
Britain considering longer work hours for foreign students, report says
Ministers are looking at ways to encourage British and overseas students to take more part-time jobs to deal with shortages in areas such as hospitality and retail, The Times says.
ICC grants new inquiry into Manila's deadly 'war on drugs'
Officially, 6,181 people were killed in Duterte's 'war on drugs' but rights group say that up to 30,000 may have been killed, some innocent victims.
Russia fires wave of missiles at Ukraine after Kyiv secures tanks
The Ukrainian military says it shot down all 24 drones sent overnight by Russia, including 15 around the capital, with no damage reported.