World News
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Pakistan police ban gatherings ahead of Imran Khan’s court appearance
An emergency order banning public gatherings was imposed in Islamabad as supporters of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, anticipated a march to the capital yesterday. The march was planned to coincide with Khan’s appearance at a court hearing. Earlier this week, his arrest had led to deadly unrest in the nation but was later declared “invalid and…
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UMNO’s relevance continues despite being perceived as lifeless, says party president
Despite widespread perceptions of being a “lifeless” party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) still holds significance, according to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Speaking at the party’s 77th-anniversary celebration, he acknowledged that the party currently has only 26 members in parliament, along with four more from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, but insisted the party’s relevance endures. UMNO, Malaysia’s…
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UFC Gym eager to re-enter Singapore market after sudden closure of franchise
UFC Gym has expressed its keen interest in returning to the Singapore market and is committed to offering support to customers affected by the unexpected closure of its franchise in the country, according to CEO Adam Sedlack. He highlighted that Singapore continues to be an attractive market for the UFC Gym brand and their unique training approach. Members of UFC…
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Malaysia’s economy exceeds expectations with 5.6% growth in first quarter
Malaysia‘s economy has experienced faster than anticipated growth in the first quarter, bolstered by solid domestic demand, causing the central bank to downplay the potential impact of a global slowdown on the country, which is reliant on exports. Gross domestic product increased by 5.6%, according to data from the central bank and the government, exceeding analysts’ forecasts of a 4.8%…
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Chinese mother laughs as son smuggles her gold bracelet as a gift for his preschool crush
A video of a Chinese boy admitting to taking his mother’s gold bracelet to primary school has gone viral online. In the clip, a young boy can be seen confessing to his mother that he took her valuable jewellery, worth nearly 48,000 baht (US$1,540), to school to give to his girlfriend. The mother’s laughter as she questions her son has…
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Acquittal of Philippine human rights campaigner Leila de Lima brings her closer to freedom
Philippine human rights advocate Leila de Lima, who has been imprisoned since February 2017, was acquitted of one of the two remaining drug trafficking charges against her on Friday, edging her closer to freedom. De Lima, 63 years old and a former senator and justice minister, has faced these charges as retaliation for investigating President Rodrigo Duterte and his controversial…
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BlockFi bankruptcy allows return of funds to non-interest-bearing account holders
Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender BlockFi has been granted court permission to return US$297 million to clients holding non-interest-bearing accounts. However, this does not include repayment to customers who made last-minute attempts to transfer funds into those accounts. It was concluded by the UK Bankruptcy Judge that customers owned their deposits in BlockFi’s Wallet programme, a non-interest-paying scheme that maintained customer deposits…
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Pakistan court appearance for ex-PM Khan after unlawful arrest ruling
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, 70, was due to appear in court today after the Supreme Court deemed his arrest earlier this week, which led to deadly clashes across the country, to be unlawful. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared Khan’s arrest invalid yesterday, necessitating a review of the entire process. Khan was ordered to remain in the bench’s…
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Brazil’s online disinformation regulation bill: What’s at stake?
Brazil’s controversial measure to regulate disinformation online, Bill 2630/2020, has drawn criticism from tech giants like Telegram and Google, who argue that it encroaches on free speech and democracy. Proponents, however, claim that it is a vital defense against fake news and online extremism. The bill, which was first introduced in 2020, aims to regulate how companies moderate content online.…
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YouTuber pilot faces jail for crashing plane as stunt
A YouTube pilot who bailed out midair and deliberately sent his plane crashing into the ground to boost viewership on his channel could face up to 20 years in prison, US authorities announced recently. In a video watched by nearly three million people titled “I crashed my airplane,” Trevor Jacob, 29 years old, appears to experience engine trouble while flying…
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Sudan’s warring parties commit to humanitarian principles amid ongoing conflict
Sudan’s warring factions signed a commitment to adhere to humanitarian principles in their intensifying conflict but did not agree to a ceasefire during challenging talks mediated by US diplomats in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Representatives of the military and paramilitary forces, responsible for a conflict that has claimed over 750 lives and displaced numerous citizens, signed the agreement while continuing negotiations.…
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Pakistan’s supreme court declares Imran Khan’s arrest invalid
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled on May 11 that the arrest of former prime minister, Imran Khan, was “invalid”. This decision was made two days after his apprehension ignited severe protests and deadly clashes across the nation. For his safety, the court ordered Khan to remain in their custody under police protection until his appearance in court the following day. Chief…
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US and China diplomats meet in Vienna for talks amid soaring tensions
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi gathered in Vienna this week for talks aimed at maintaining communication between Washington and Beijing amid soaring tensions, particularly over Taiwan. The two officials engaged in eight hours of discussions in the Austrian capital, covering a range of topics, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Taiwan –…
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Biden and senior Republicans meeting postponed for further staff discussions
Crunch negotiations between US President Joe Biden and senior Republicans have been delayed until early next week, allowing staff to continue their discussions, according to a statement from the White House yesterday. An insider familiar with the talks between the Democratic and Republican leaders described this as a positive development, implying that it was not the right time for the…
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Revolut CFO Mikko Salovaara resigns amid banking licence delays
Financial technology company Revolut announced yesterday that its Chief Financial Officer, Mikko Salovaara, aged 31, will be departing the firm after two years in the position. A spokesperson for the London-based start-up cited “personal reasons” as the cause for his resignation. At this time, no successor has been named by Revolut. The company has been going through a challenging period…
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Elon Musk announces new CEO for Twitter and transition to CTO role
Elon Musk revealed yesterday that he has appointed a new CEO for Twitter, though he did not disclose the individual’s identity. He also stated that he will assume the position of Chief Technology Officer for the social media platform within the next few weeks. “Excited to announce that I’ve hired a new CEO for X/Twitter. She will be starting in…
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G7 finance leaders gather amid US debt ceiling standoff and recession fears
A standoff over raising the US debt ceiling overshadowed a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) finance leaders, heightening US recession fears as central banks seek a soft landing for the global economy. President Joe Biden recently urged Republican lawmakers to move quickly to raise the limit on the government’s permitted borrowing from the current US$31.4 trillion or risk throwing…
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Austrian billionaire’s Nazi-linked jewel collection fetches over $155 million at auction
Jewellery once owned by Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten, who passed away last year at the age of 81, has fetched over US$155 million in a recent controversial auction held in Geneva by Christie’s. The auction faced criticism from Jewish groups due to connections to Horten’s husband, who made his fortune under the Nazis. However, Christie had argued that the sale…
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Gaza violence escalates as Israel and militants trade heavy fire
Overnight, Israel’s army and Gaza militants exchanged heavy cross-border fire, resulting in at least 22 Palestinians killed over two days. This marks the worst escalation of violence to impact the coastal territory in months. In response to incoming rocket attacks, sirens blared in the Tel Aviv area and Israel’s south. There were reports of launches from Gaza, while Israeli officials…
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Imran Khan’s duel with Pakistan military and its impact on nation’s democracy
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has become a controversial figure in Pakistan, causing tension with the country’s military, long considered the primary power broker in the nation. His arrest this week comes after a series of critical statements against a senior intelligence officer, escalating the conflict between Khan’s popularity and the military’s significant influence. According to US-based Stimson Center analyst…
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Record number of internally displaced people due to overlapping crises
An unprecedented “perfect storm” of overlapping crises forced tens of millions to flee within their own countries last year, sending the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) soaring to an all-time high. In 2022, a record 71.1 million IDPs were registered, up 20% from the previous year. This staggering increase was a result of mass displacement due to Russia’s war…
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Streaming platforms battle for anime market dominance
As anime’s popularity continues to reach new heights, major streaming platforms are vying for dominance in the lucrative market. Fuelled partly by the pandemic, this animated genre has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with the global market valued at US$28.6 billion in 2022, according to Grand View Research, and expected to double by 2030. Aya Umezu, CEO of Tokyo-based entertainment…
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China increasingly uses yuan for trade with Russia, sidelining the dollar
China has significantly raised its use of the yuan for purchasing Russian commodities in the past year, with almost all its procurement of oil, coal, and some metals from the neighbouring country now settled in the Chinese currency instead of US dollars, multiple trading executives with direct knowledge of the situation have revealed. The shift towards using the yuan to…
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Philippine economy grows 6.4 per cent in first quarter, beating expectations
The economy of the Philippines experienced a 6.4% expansion in the first quarter compared to the previous year, according to the country’s statistics agency. This development surpasses expectations, with analysts previously predicting a 6.1% annual growth in the gross domestic product (GDP). On a quarterly basis, growth slowed to 1.1% compared to the earlier reported 2.4% expansion in the previous…
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Disney reduces streaming losses but sheds subscribers as earnings meet expectations
Walt Disney has reported a reduction in streaming losses by US$400 million from the previous quarter; however, the company also experienced a drop in subscribers. The entertainment giant shared this information on Wednesday as part of its recent quarterly earnings release, which fell in line with Wall Street expectations. Following the report, shares of Disney declined by 4.4% during after-hours…
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Extreme rainfall impacts China’s rice yields, study reveals
Extreme rainfall has reduced China’s rice yields by 8% over the past two decades, according to a study led by researchers from the country. The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Food, discovered that the effects of extreme rainfall on rice yields were similar to those of extreme heat. Projections show that by the end of this century, extreme…
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China’s shrinking birth rate impacts baby product manufacturers
A decline in China’s population is creating a challenging environment for the country’s baby and children’s product manufacturers, as domestic sales plummet and companies grapple with finding alternative revenue streams. As the world’s largest market for baby food and diapers, valued at US$37.9 billion annually, prepares to contract for the first time, firms are turning their attention to products for…
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China faces backlash over pressure on dissidents abroad but remains undeterred
China is currently facing a strong backlash from Western countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, regarding its controversial efforts to pressure dissidents and their advocates abroad. Despite arrests, expulsions, and investigations taking place, Beijing remains persistent and undeterred in its actions. Isaac Stone Fish, founder and CEO of Strategy Risks, suggests that the increasingly assertive…
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Myanmar peace plan progress lacking, says Indonesia’s president
Despite having agreed to implement a peace plan with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) two years ago, Myanmar’s ruling military has made no significant progress, according to Indonesia’s president. Speaking on the second day of the ASEAN leaders’ meeting in Labuan Bajo, President Joko Widodo stressed the need for the bloc’s unity in deciding the next steps to…
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Fumio Kishida’s unexpected political comeback in Japan
It seems that remembering the name of Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may be worth it after all, despite the nation’s rapid turnover of leaders. Kishida’s premiership began positively in late 2021 but faced challenges when ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church became a focal point in the media after the killing of former leader…
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