Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will declare a state of emergency as early as Tuesday, following a spike in infections across major cities.
That's according to the Yomiuri newspaper report, which said the new measures would likely come into force on Wednesday.
Cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo could come under the directive, which will allow governors to urge residents to stay at home and businesses to pull down the shutters.
But, unlike other parts of the world, lockdown violations will not be penalised, and the authorities will rely purely on peer pressure and respect for authority for its enforcement.
It comes a week after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike indicated that she would favour a state of emergency declaration so stronger social-distancing measures can be imposed.
So far, the number of infections crossed 3,600 in the country, with more than 1,000 reported in Tokyo.
The remaining 130 Nigerian schoolchildren abducted in November from a school have been released, President Bola Tinubu's spokesperson said on Sunday, following one of the country's biggest mass kidnappings of recent years.
The parliament of Australia's New South Wales state has been recalled on Monday to vote on proposed new laws that would impose major curbs on firearm ownership, ban the display of terror symbols and restrict protests, following the mass shooting on Sydney's Bondi Beach last week.
Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak, jailed for corruption in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, will learn on Monday if he can serve the remainder of his sentence at home in the first of two rulings this week that will test current premier Anwar Ibrahim's campaign against graft.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed by an angry crowd gathered at the famous Bondi beach on Sunday to honour the victims of a gun attack a week earlier.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that he was sure the chances of peace in Ukraine were not improved by changes to US proposals made by the Europeans and Ukraine.
Nine people were killed and 10 wounded in an early morning shooting in a township south-west of Johannesburg and authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects, the South African Police Service said on Sunday.
The US Justice Department released thousands of heavily redacted documents related to the late financier and convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday that extensively featured Democratic former President Bill Clinton.
Tens of thousands of Bangladeshi mourners, including the country's interim government leader, attended the funeral on Saturday of a slain youth leader and election candidate amid tight security.
Welcome to Pinoy Bulletin, your go-to source for staying informed about important announcements, exciting group activities, community events, and job opportunities!
Make sure to tune in every weekdays to Tag Gising Na from 5AM - 10 AM for a comprehensive roundup of important updates.
Welcome to Pinoy Bulletin, your go-to source for staying informed about important announcements, exciting group activities, community events, and job opportunities!
Make sure to tune in every weekdays to Tag Gising Na from 5AM - 10 AM for a comprehensive roundup of important updates.
Remaining 130 abducted Nigerian students have been released, official says
Australia state parliament to push through stricter gun laws after Bondi shooting
Malaysia court denies ex-PM Najib's bid to serve jail sentence at home
Australian PM booed as Bondi Beach attack victims honoured
Kremlin: Revised US proposals don't improve peace outlook
Nine killed, 10 injured in shooting in South Africa
US Epstein files release highlights Clinton, makes scant reference to Trump
Bangladesh holds state funeral for slain youth leader amid tight security
