Japan is considering extending a coronavirus spurred state of emergency in the capital, Tokyo, and other major urban areas, sources said on Wednesday, a move that could cast doubt on the planned Summer Olympics.

Hong Kong's economy jumped back into growth in the first quarter of the year, official figures showed on Monday, ending the city's most pronounced period of recession in its modern history.

India reported a new record of new Covid-19 cases with daily numbers surging for a twelfth day in a row to 300,000. Official data put total number of cases since the beginning of pandemic to over 20m. Death-toll also spiked to at least 3,417 new victims, Reuters reported. However, the numbers in reality are believed to be much higher as the country lacks the potential for exact counting and statistics. Medical experts reckon real numbers are 10 to 15 times higher. With pandemic crippling the health and social systems, thousands of infected are left outside of the official data.

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck northeast Japan on Saturday, shaking buildings in the capital of Tokyo and raising the possibility of landsides, although no tsunami alert was issued.

India’s coronavirus cases climbed again on Friday, prompting the army to open up its hospitals in a desperate bid to control a massive humanitarian crisis created by an acute shortage of beds, medicines and oxygen, AP reported. At the same time people are flooding social media and messaging apps with heartbreaking pleas for oxygen, medicines and room in intensive care units.

India set another global record in new virus cases Thursday, as millions of people in one state cast votes despite rising infections and the country geared up to open its vaccination rollout to all adults amid snags.

India crossed a grim milestone on Wednesday of 200,000 people lost to the coronavirus as a devastating surge of new infections overwhelms health care systems on the brink of collapse, AP reported. The health ministry reported a single-day record 3,293 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing India’s total fatalities to 201,187.

The US military has begun shipping equipment and winding down contracts with local service providers ahead of the 1 May start of the final phase of its military pullout from Afghanistan, a US Defense Department official said Thursday.

Japan declared a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western prefectures on Friday amid skepticism it will be enough to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence just three months ahead of the Olympics.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for a rejection of hegemonic power structures in global governance, amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over a widening range of issues including alleged human rights abuses.