Asia Minute

This week’s Grammy Award nominations sparked some controversy for some of the performers who were not included. One group that was recognized has made a little international history—at least in South Korea.

As countries around the world continue to struggle to contain the coronavirus, many in the Asia Pacific are taking specific steps to shape public behavior. These are short of complete shutdowns, but aimed at activities that have been linked with the spread of the virus.

The next potential point of conflict for protestors and government security forces in Thailand may be coming tomorrow. Activists have scheduled a demonstration near the headquarters of the organization that manages property belonging to the country’s monarchy. And police are already issuing warnings.

As the coronavirus continues to spread in the United States and elsewhere, some locations are experiencing new waves of cases. And this week, that includes Hong Kong and South Korea.

Cases of COVID-19 are continuing to rise around the world. And one of many locations hit by record numbers this week is Japan.

Communities around the country and the world are responding in different ways to the continuing spread of the coronavirus. In Australia, one state has entered lockdown with a severe and sudden impact.

Governments around the world are taking different steps to fight the spread of the coronavirus. In South Korea’s capital, that means a new round of restrictions is about to kick in — less than a month after they were reduced.

As the case numbers of COVID-19 climb in the United States and many places around the world, government officials in Japan are still planning to host the Olympics next summer. That's also the plan of the head of the International Olympic Committee — who's in Tokyo this week.

As countries around the world struggle with the pandemic, those who have had some success in dealing with the virus are getting more attention. That includes Australia — which has received an inquiry from the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden.

Updated: 11/13/2020, 11:50 a.m. There’s an unusual military collaboration underway this week involving U.S. personnel based in Hawaii and Chinese soldiers. It comes at a time when there is some tension and uncertainty in the broader relationship between the two countries.

State officials say Australia is among the countries in talks to join Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program. It’s also in touch with several other potential partners to expand international travel slowly.

This is Veterans Day — and for Commonwealth nations, it is "Remembrance Day." Both mark the end of the First World War on this date in 1918. But in parts of the Asia Pacific, this day is known as something else entirely.

Ever since Saturday, international leaders have been congratulating president-elect Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris, and global media have been reporting on local reactions In the Asia Pacific, most of the attention has been somewhat predictable. But not all of it.

Researchers around the world are continuing to work on a vaccine for COVID-19. A team in India is focusing on an even more challenging project: a vaccine that can tolerate hot weather.

People in Australia are starting to deal with a new development in the pandemic: returning to the workplace. While many businesses are encouraging staffers to return to the office, a lot of the workers would prefer to stay home.

Two days after the end of voting, the U.S. presidential election still dominates international headlines. But even if the whole world is watching, many governments in the Asia Pacific have little to say about it.

The U.S. elections have drawn attention from around the world this week, but other stories are developing elsewhere — including in China. The government there has been increasing pressure on one of its biggest trading partners — a neighbor in the Asia Pacific.

Researchers around the world are working on various strategies to keep the spread of COVID-19 to a minimum, while allowing certain aspects of routine life to return. For some, that includes sporting events — a focus in Japan.

Natural disasters are getting more complicated — and governments need to adjust their responses. That's the finding of a panel looking at brushfires in Australia. But there are warnings in the report that apply to other parts of the world as well.

On Oahu, everyone from the police chief to the mayor is asking people to be careful this Halloween, and not gather in crowds. That message is also being delivered in Asia — particularly in South Korea.

Many voters across the country have been casting their ballots early in this election, but others will be going to the polls next week in some states. Overseas, there's a regional election going on in India where democracy and the coronavirus are on a collision course.

Rules on international travel still vary around the world in the time of this pandemic. Hong Kong is moving slowly to ease some of its restrictions, but it's also considering a tougher approach on testing.

The Four Seasons at Ko Olina apparently has a new owner. According to reports in several media outlets, developer Jeff Stone announced his firm The Resort Group has sold its interest in the property to a partner in the project, Hong Kong-based Hender Land Group.

Election Day is a week from tomorrow. While the presidential candidates are focusing on certain states, the entire campaign is getting a lot of attention in South Asia.

Hawaii is approaching its first weekend of the pre-travel testing program, and the state has already seen a bump in arriving passengers. But elsewhere in the world, there are some further complications when it comes to air travel — including Australia.

Thailand’s Prime Minister says he’ll make “the first move to de-escalate” a growing protest movement in his country. He made that comment in a nationally televised address last night, on the same day the country welcomed its first tourists in more than six months.

Tomorrow is the day when government leaders on Oahu could mark the island's movement to "tier two" — loosening certain restrictions on businesses and activities. Several governments in the Asia Pacific are considering what it will take to move to the next stages of their own gradual reopening.

While vacation travel remains slow to non-existent in many parts of the world, diplomatic visits are continuing. And that’s true this week in Asia — where Japan’s new prime minister is on his first overseas trip since taking office just about a month ago.

As Hawaii continues with its pre-travel testing program, some countries in the Asia Pacific are making plans to gradually ease travel restrictions. But the pace of change is cautious — and uneven.

The same day that Hawaii started its pre-travel testing program, two of Asia’s leading cities announced a travel agreement of their own. It’s a “travel bubble” involving Hong Kong and Singapore. That means residents will be able to skip a quarantine when traveling between the two cities — as long as they test negative for COVID-19.