World News
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Meta removes Myanmar military businesses from its Facebook following lawsuit
Myanmar military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing yesterday woke up to see his partly-owned telecom company Mytel being removed from Facebook as Meta started to ban businesses related to Tatmadaw, also known as the military, from functioning on its platform. The move came just hours after lawyers from the US and the UK launched a $150 billion lawsuit on behalf…
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Philippines to ban France visitors from December 13 due to Omicron
Starting from December 13 onwards, tourists with a two-week travelling history in France will be barred from entering the Philippines, according to the acting presidential spokesperson, Karlo Nograles, yesterday, amidst fear of the new variant, Omicron. France has been added to the Philippines’ “Red List” of countries after over 20 cases of the Omicron were discovered in the European nation,…
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Opinion: Postpone the AFCON in Cameroon due to the Anglophone crisis
Africa’s most prominent soccer championship, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), has twice been pushed forward. The first postponement was because Cameroon was deemed unprepared to host the games, and the second was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) — Africa’s soccer governing body — is now being asked if the escalating violence in the…
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Sinovac is testing its effectiveness against Omicron variant
Following the good news announcement from Pfizer that 3 doses of their vaccine can neutralise the Omicron variant, Sinovac came out with a more reserved announcement stating that lab studies about its effectiveness against the new strain would take time. The Chinese-based Sinovac is the most widely used vaccine in the world with over 2.3 billion doses shipped worldwide so…
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WHO encourages vigilance, vaccinating in the face of Omicron
The need to vaccinate and stay vigilant against Covid-19 as the Omicron variant spreads was stressed by the World Health Organisation in a briefing yesterday. The WHO called on countries to accelerate vaccination programs as much as possible and warn that the Omicron variant may change the course of the pandemic. The Director-General of the WHO says that Omicron could…
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Death toll rises to 39 in Indonesian volcano eruption
An AFP report confirms that the death toll following the volcanic eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru has now risen to 39. The volcano erupted last Saturday, sending plumes of volcanic ash skywards, with entire villages subsequently submerged under hot mud and thousands of people left homeless. Rescuers say the discovery of an additional 4 bodies, and another victim who died…
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UN agency criticises introduction of travel bans over Omicron variant
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation says travel bans introduced following the emergence of the Omicron variant should be lifted. UNWTO members voiced their concerns about the bans during the organisation’s recent General Assembly. According to a TTR Weekly report, countries from all regions of the world voiced solidarity with African nations that have become the target of travel bans…
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DW’s GirlzOffMute turns one!
It’s a year since DW launched GirlZOffMute, the video and radio show that gives African teen girls a voice! The reporters have helped girls in Nigeria, Cameroon, Malawi, and Kenya share their stories on various issues. The 60 videos in English, Kiswahili, Amharic and French have had more than 15 million views on social media and via DW’s partner stations…
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World in Progress: The ripple effects of the pandemic
COVID-19 has disrupted children’s education all over the world. Lockdowns and shutdowns have caused much more than kids missing out on school’s curriculums though — it’s taken a toll on their mental health, too. Can drones help in getting medicine and vaccines to remote areas? And how to best tackle COVID misinformation — volunteers in India try to encourage people…
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Transatlantic allies ramp up pressure on Russia over Ukraine
White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki minced no words ahead of the virtual meeting where President Joe Biden conveyed to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the harsh financial penalties that would accompany any new invasion of Ukraine. “[W]e have a path forward that would impose significant and severe harm on the Russian economy,” Psaki said. “You can call that a threat,…
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Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict deepens ethnic rifts
Shortly after nightfall in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, volunteers wearing orange reflective vests and carrying sticks gather for a patrol by a neighborhood militia. “We are watching and securing the peace of the neighborhood,” member Leul Hassen told AP news agency. Vigilante groups like this are accused of stopping people and turning Tigrayans, one of Ethiopia’s more than 80 ethnic…
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President Joko Widodo visted displaced areas in East Java after volcano eruption
More than 34 people were killed, hundreds hospitalised, 22 seriously injured (mostly burned), and nearly 3,000 houses and 38 schools were damaged after a Mount Semeru volcano erupted in the Lumajang district of East Java on Saturday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the ravaged areas yesterday to reassure people that communities will be restored quickly and assistance is reaching those…
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Blowing the whistle on traffic offenses in Angola
In Caxito, Angola, young men spend the day monitoring the streets aiming the stop traffic accidents. Recognizable by their trademark whistles, many are taxi conductors, and others volunteer as inspectors. They blow the whistle when they see a traffic violation. Drivers routinely ignore road signs. But they aren’t solely responsible for accidents. Caxito’s roads are poorly maintained. Meanwhile, the police…
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Laos to reopen to fully vaccinated international tourists in 2022
Laos’s Tourism Ministry yesterday said the government and private sectors are working together to reopen Laos to fully vaccinated tourists in 2022, with specifics on quarantine upon arrival still being discussed. Following the rules outlined by the Prime Minister’s Office last month, the ministry is also encouraging officials to prepare for the return of international tourists. Further information from the…
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Malaysia and China to collaborate in developing Covid-19 vaccine
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia is reporting that the country will collaborate with China in their research to create a Malaysian Covid-19 vaccine. The minister reported the partnership between China and Malaysia as part of the country’s National Vaccine Development Roadmap. The Prime Minister of Malaysia Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently announced the country’s roadmap plans to bolster confidence in vaccines…
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Jetstar Asia to operate vaccinated travel lane between Bangkok and Singapore
Jetstar Asia has confirmed it has received approval to launch 2 additional Vaccinated Travel Lane services from next week. TTR Weekly reports that the carrier will operate flights for fully vaccinated passengers from Bangkok and Phnom Penh to Singapore. The Bangkok to Singapore service launches on December 15 and the following day, VTL flights from Phnom Penh to Singapore join…
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Saudi Arabia fights to rehabilitate its image after Khashoggi murder
Tuesday’s arrest in France of one of the possible killers of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi has brought Khashoggi’s gruesome murder to international attention once more. But up until now, Saudi Arabia has slowly but surely been emerging from underneath the shadow of that crime. In October 2018, global headlines about the assassination, allegedly committed inside the Saudi Consulate in…
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AfricaLink on Air – 07 December 2021
South Africa’s Ramaphosa says his country will stop sharing COVID info after Omicron fallout +++ How is Zambia’s new President Hakainde Hichilema doing? +++ South Africa fish management per app +++ What Eric Zemmour’s presidential candidacy means for France SOURCE: DW News
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India: Are ‘anti-Muslim’ attacks becoming the norm?
Indian Muslim comedian Munawar Faruqui hinted at quitting the comedy scene last week after dozens of his shows were canceled over vandalism threats from hardline Hindu groups. “Hate has won, the artist has lost,” Faruqui said in a post on social media. Faruqui spent a month in jail after he was arrested on January 1, just as one of his…
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Joe Biden and Russia’s Putin to discuss Ukraine tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden are expected to discuss the growing tensions in Ukraine, in a video call on Tuesday. The West is concerned over Russian troops massing along the Ukrainian border and cautions that tensions could spill into a major war. Video calls have become the new normal since the coronavirus pandemic began. Yet…
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Indonesia and Malaysia expected to launch vaccinated travel lane early next year
The governments of Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to agree a vaccinated travel lane, or travel bubble, by early 2022, according to a Coconuts report. The arrangement would permit vaccinated people to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine on arrival. The Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, confirmed the plan during a press conference yesterday. He says the…
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Rohingya accuse Facebook of promoting hate speech in US$150 billion lawsuit
Facebook is being sued in a California court by Rohingya refugees, who accuse the social media platform of failing to combat hate speech. In a US$150 billion lawsuit, court documents allege Facebook is powered by algorithms that allow the seeds of disinformation and extremism to grow and cross over into real-life violence. “Facebook is like a robot programmed with a…
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US confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights abuses
The US government has confirmed a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest ongoing human rights violations, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “US diplomatic or official representation would treat these games as business as usual in the face of the PRC’s egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang, and we simply can’t do that.…
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Ethiopia claims strategic gains despite opposition skepticism
Ethiopia’s government claimed on Monday it had recaptured strategic towns from forces aligned to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Dessie and Kombolcha have been “freed by the joint gallant security forces,” the government’s communication service tweeted. TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda, however, tweeted their forces left the two towns “as part of our plan.” The towns are on the main…
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Opinion: Gambians use their marbles to vote for stability
The marbles have been cast: In Gambia’s unique voting system, marbles instead of paper ballots are counted for each candidate. The marble rolls down a small pipe into a cylindrical container marked with a picture of the candidate’s face. Each marble triggers a little bell, which notifies election observers of a successful vote. Smuggled marbles would be spotted immediately, and…
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AfricaLink on Air – 06 December 2021
Incumbent Adama Barrow secures comfortable win in Gambia’s election +++ Lekki toll “massacre” – Nigerian activists and celebrities push for justice +++ Omicron virus and impact on Africa +++ WHO official weighs on malaria in Africa amid COVID SOURCE: DW News
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India: UN slams anti-terror laws amid controversial arrests
The UN has raised concerns about India’s use of counter-terrorism legislation to crack down on rights activists. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Rupert Colville last week warned about India’s “crackdown on civil society actors” and use of “sweeping counter-terrorism measures” under its counter-terrorism legislation — the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The warning…
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Cambodian PM plans a visit to Myanmar to smooth divisions in ASEAN
The PM of Cambodia has announced plans to visit Myanmar to help smooth divisions in ASEAN. PM Hun Sen says he will talk with military rulers, recently commenting that Myanmar was a “family member of ASEAN” and that it was time to strengthen the grouping. Myanmar is part of the 10-country ASEAN alliance, but has created waves after the military…
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Germany removes Thailand from its list of high-risk countries
The Thai embassy in Berlin says Thailand has been removed from Germany’s list of Covid-19 high-risk countries, according to a Thai PBS World report. Provided they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine, travellers from Thailand can now enter Germany without having to quarantine. The accepted vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. In addition…
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Death toll rises to 14 in volcanic eruption in Indonesia
At least 14 people have been killed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Semeru in Java, Indonesia, according to an AFP report. Rescuers continue to search for survivors in villages that lie covered in molten ash. In the district of Lumajang, East Java, houses have been submerged and livestock smothered to death in at least 11 villages. At least 10…
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