Asia
-
Sponsored Celebrate your true self and get inclusive healthcare at Bumrungrad’s Pride Clinic
The journey to self-discovery and being your best self isn't always easy. And as an LGBTQ+ person, it can feel like an uphill battle to find healthcare that can meet your unique needs and goals. That's where the Pride Clinic...
-
US House passes bill to suspend US$31.4tn debt ceiling, averts default
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to suspend the US$31.4 trillion debt ceiling, with both Democrats and Republicans supporting the measure to avoid a catastrophic default. The legislation now moves to the Senate, which must enact it and get it to President Joe Biden‘s desk before the government runs out of funds to pay its bills. The…
-
Study reveals senior Singaporean volunteers contribute more time to charities
A recent study has shown that senior volunteers in Singapore contribute more time to charitable causes than their younger counterparts. Conducted by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and the Singapore Management University, the study aimed to help social service agencies attract and retain volunteers by identifying what drives people to volunteerism and areas for their own growth. The…
-
11 year old girl hospitalised after eating cannabis-laced cookies
An 11-year-old Malaysian girl was hospitalised after consuming homemade cookies containing cannabis. Perak‘s Police Chief, Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri, reported that she was treated at Hospital Taiping in the state last week. The girl is the daughter of a 38 year old man who has been arrested and subsequently tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The father now faces charges…
-
Sherpa’s high-altitude Everest rescue saves Malaysian climber’s life
A Malaysian mountaineer was saved from near death in a rare high-altitude rescue on Mount Everest. Gelje Sherpa, a 30 year old Nepali sherpa guide, was leading a Chinese client to the summit on Thursday, May 18 when he spotted the Malaysian climber clinging to a rope in the “death zone,” where temperatures can plummet to minus 30 degrees Celsius…
-
UN Myanmar envoy to step down amid unresolved crisis and criticism
The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, is set to step down in June, after an 18-month tenure marked by criticism from both the military junta and its opposition. Myanmar has faced ongoing turmoil since the military coup in February 2021, which ended a brief period of democracy and led to clashes with ethnic rebel groups and anti-coup…
-
Outrage in China: Mother defends son’s shocking attack on sleeping baby
A disturbing incident unfolded in Guangzhou, China, when a young boy intentionally kicked a sleeping baby, sparking widespread public outrage. Remarkably, the aggressor’s mother refused to apologise and instructed the shop owner to take legal action if she was so concerned. The boy intentionally kicked the sleeping 11 month old baby in a shop on Saturday, May 27, making the…
-
Singapore luxury home rentals surge amid high net worth individual demand
Demand from high net worth individuals has driven a surge in luxury home rentals in Singapore, with landed property rents experiencing a significant 14.5% increase in the first quarter. This comes after several consecutive quarters of growth, resulting in a year-on-year jump of 39.3%. Analysts have attributed the sharp rise to a low supply of luxury homes and strong demand…
-
Husband catches wife cheating as street light reveals adulterous embrace
A 29 year old man in Ein Sue district of China’s Hubei province discovered his wife’s infidelity through a chance encounter by their home window. The couple had been married for seven years before their relationship crumbled, following the husband’s job loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The man, known as Phoo (a pseudonym), was introduced to his wife, Tong (a…
-
Groom’s wedding meltdown goes viral: Defending pregnant bride sparks chaos
A groom’s meltdown at his wedding, where he splashed wine and kicked glasses, caused quite a stir on social media. A wedding guest tried to explain that the groom kicked off because he was defending his pregnant bride and her humble family from his father’s disrespectful remarks. The Vietnamese website, docbao.vn, shared a video showing the groom losing control of…
-
Xiao-I, Chinese AI chatbot pioneer, targets global expansion
Yuan Hui’s company Xiao-I has come a long way since it launched its first chatbot two decades ago. Today, the Shanghai-based firm is valued at over US$400 million, listed on the Nasdaq, and aims to expand its presence in the global market. Yuan, the chairman and chief executive of Xiao-I, was inspired to develop a chatbot back in 2003 during…
-
North Korea satellite launch fails, debris recovered from sea
A failed satellite launch by North Korea on May 31 resulted in the booster and payload crashing into the sea, according to the state’s news agency KCNA. The incident led to emergency alerts and temporary evacuation warnings in parts of South Korea and Japan. South Korea’s military has since recovered parts of the launch vehicle from the sea. The “Chollima-1”…
-
El Nino set to return in 2023, raising haze risk for Singapore
Haze is expected to once again rear its ugly head in Southeast Asia. The Meteorological Service Singapore has forecasted that El Nino conditions are expected to develop in the second half of 2023, following three years of La Nina conditions. This comes seven years after the last strong El Nino event. The Met Service also predicts that a positive Indian…
-
China’s durian imports surge as Vietnam challenges Thai dominance
Beijing’s decision to allow fresh durian imports from Vietnam has led to a surge in demand for the fruit in China, with importers like Bob Wang, founder of TWT Supply China, securing deals with Vietnamese durian farms. Despite the pandemic-related import restrictions, China saw a fourfold increase in durian imports in 2022 compared to 2017, reaching a total value of…
-
SET and SGX launch cross-border trading for Thai depositary receipts
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX) announced a joint venture that enables the trading of three depositary receipts (DRs) of Thai-listed companies on the SGX. This innovative collaboration, launched yesterday, is the first of its kind under the Thailand-Singapore DR Linkage project and aims to boost the appeal of Thai-listed companies in the regional market by…
-
Skeletons of three infants found in 70 year old woman’s wardrobe
A 70 year old Japanese woman in Osaka alarmed police with a phone call stating she had just given birth. Upon arrival at her home, officers discovered the skeleton remains of three infants hidden in a wardrobe for around 40 years. The woman from Daito, Osaka, Japan, made a sudden call to the police on Thursday, May 25, vaguely claiming…
-
Viral sensation: Vietnamese couple’s extravagant engagement ceremony leaves social media in awe
A Vietnamese couple’s lavish engagement ceremony, involving extravagant gifts of cash and gold necklaces, gained a lot of attention on social media. The bride received more than 50 gold necklaces and 7.3 million baht (US$201,000) in cash, causing online users to express amazement and envy. Local media reports state that the engagement ceremony took place on Saturday, May 27, involving…
-
Taiwanese couple gropes on motorbike at traffic lights sparks outrage
A Taiwanese man has been accused of inappropriately touching a woman as they both rode a motorcycle whilst waiting at a traffic light. The pair’s acts have drawn widespread criticism online after a video clip of the incident went viral. A short video has emerged online in Taiwan, sparking outrage and criticism. The footage, posted on the Taiwanese website Nextapple,…
-
China rotates crew on fully operational space station, sends first civilian
China has successfully launched three astronauts, including its first civilian scientist, to its fully operational space station as part of a crew rotation. The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft, carrying commander Jing Haipeng, engineer Zhu Yangzhu, and Beihang University professor Gui Haichao, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert. The mission aims to conduct large-scale, in-orbit experiments, studying…
-
China aims for moon landing by 2030, expands space station
China announced plans to send astronauts to the moon before 2023 while also expanding its space station. Today, a live broadcast will cover the launch of a spacecraft at 8.31am Thai time, carrying three Chinese astronauts. Tensions between China and the United States have intensified in various spheres, among them the competitive nature of their respective space industries. The US…
-
North Korea to launch military satellite amid US-South Korea drills
North Korea is set to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June, aiming to monitor US military activities in real-time, according to state media KCNA. Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, criticised joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, describing them as displays of “reckless ambition for…
-
Japan prime minister’s son to resign amid scandal of staged news conference photos
The son of Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Shotaro Kishida, will resign as his father’s aide following a scandal involving photographs of him and other family members pretending to hold a news conference at the official residence. The prime minister announced the decision, stating that his son’s behaviour was “inappropriate” for someone in an official position. Last week, a weekly…
-
Rare albino panda spotted in China’s Wolong National Nature Reserve (video)
On Saturday, an infrared camera at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China’s southwestern Sichuan province captured footage of an all-white giant panda approaching another panda and her cub. The footage, taken in late February, shows the rare albino panda interacting with the panda pair. The video reveals that the all-white panda walked straight toward the resting panda mother and…
-
South Korea hosts first summit with Pacific islands amid geopolitical rivalry
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to initiate the country’s first summit with Pacific island leaders today, as Seoul aims to expand its influence in a region that has become a focal point for intense geopolitical rivalry. President Yoon unveiled his administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy last year, committing to promote a “free, peaceful and prosperous” region based on a…
-
Elderly Malaysian couple robbed thrice in 20 days, live in fear
An elderly Malaysian couple was burgled three times in the span of nearly three weeks, with perpetrators getting away with valuables worth around 26,000 Malaysian ringgit (£4,800). The retired pair, 71 year old Chan Liew Chan and her 80 year old husband, Thow Kum Hin, are pleading for police intervention to prevent repeat incidents. Chan Liew Chan spoke about the…
-
Indian official drains dam searching for lost phone during selfie mishap
Indian official suspended after draining millions of litres from a local reservoir to retrieve a dropped mobile phone while taking a selfie, causing controversy and disciplinary action for involved personnel. Rajesh Vishwas, a 32 year old food safety officer, accidentally dropped his Samsung S23 Ultra worth 39,900 baht (US$1,144) in a three-metre deep reservoir during a picnic with friends. Despite…
-
Bride in China surprises groom by dressing up as Ultra-man on wedding day
True love transcends boundaries as a bride surprises her groom by dressing as his favourite superhero, Ultraman, on their wedding day in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. The unexpected gesture delights the groom and created a memorable moment for the couple. On May 20th, a popular day for couples to make lifelong commitments, a couple in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, celebrated…
-
Homeless man in China teaches English to students on pavement, exchanges knowledge for money
A homeless man in China’s Hebei province has captured netizens’ attention for teaching English lessons to groups of students on a pavement rather than begging for money. With a fascinating background, his lessons cost between 24-122 baht per hour or an equal value in fruits and vegetables. Website CTWANT reported on this homeless man in Hebei province who has garnered…
-
Video: Asiana Airlines emergency door opens mid-flight, passengers safe
The authorities arrested a 30 year old passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight for opening an emergency exit while the plane was in flight. The incident compelled the plane to make a safe landing, and all 194 passengers and crew members managed to escape unharmed. However, six passengers, who experienced difficulty breathing, were promptly taken to the hospital. The emergency…
-
4 killed in Japan gun and knife attack, suspect detained
Japanese police have detained a suspect who had been hiding in a building after allegedly killing four people, including two police officers, in a gun and knife attack near the city of Nakano in Nagano region. The man was taken into custody outside the farm property, with a fourth fatality confirmed overnight—an elderly woman who was found injured at the…
-
Singapore at high risk of technical recession amid external challenges
Singapore is facing a heightened risk of entering a technical recession in the second quarter as external challenges continue to impact the economy. The city-state saw a 0.4% decline in the economy during the first quarter compared to the previous three months, marking a reversal from the 0.1% growth in the fourth quarter of 2022. Singapore last experienced a technical…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.