TOKYO -- Japan will soon mark the 80th anniversary of its attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor in the Pacific on Dec. 7, 1941, local time.

TOKYO/NEW DELHI -- Sony Group is betting big on India's entertainment market as it closes in on a merger between a subsidiary and one of India's biggest media conglomerates -- a deal that highlights Sony's aggressive expansion plan to solidify itself as a leading content provider.

Nikkei Asia is tracking the spread of the coronavirus that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Cumulative global cases have reached 259,934,633, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The worldwide death toll has hit 5,180,896.

For more information about the spread of COVID-19 and vaccination progress around the world, please see our interactive charts and maps.

-- Global coronavirus tracker charts

-- Status of vaccinations around

TOKYO -- Asian equity markets were hit on Friday as concerns began to rise over a new COVID variant that is spreading in South Africa and has been detected as far away as Hong Kong, worrying investors of its impact on the global economy.

TOKYO -- Closed since the onset of the pandemic, Commonwealth High School in Metro Manila has been making a contribution to the local community of Quezon City through its solar panels.

Nikkei Asia is tracking the spread of the coronavirus that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Cumulative global cases have reached 259,934,633, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The worldwide death toll has hit 5,180,896.

For more information about the spread of COVID-19 and vaccination progress around the world, please see our interactive charts and maps.

-- Global coronavirus tracker charts

-- Status of vaccinations around

SINGAPORE -- Singapore tech unicorn Grab is determined to redesign Southeast Asia's underserved financial markets, with the head of its finance unit saying now is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to drive financial inclusion in the region.

SHANGHAI -- Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle startup, is planning to charge into five new European countries next year, part of a brand development strategy aimed at eco-conscious drivers. Nio recently opened a showroom in Norway dubbed Nio House as the first step in its expansion drive in the region.

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japan's Nikkei slumped on Friday to its lowest level in a month, on worries that a new coronavirus variant found in South Africa could hinder a global economic recovery.