World News
World news, global politics, business, technology, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, international trends, and major events. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for global news.
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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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Meet Dago Nivel, an Angolan who took on the system
Dago’s real name is Fancisco Mapanda. He grew up in Jindingo, Luanda. It used to be an agricultural area. Jindingo then became a residential area. Dago had a rough childhood on the streets and at school here. Activism and hip hop changed Dago’s life. He became known as “Dago Nível Intelecto”. In 2016, he and other human rights defenders were…
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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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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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Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen to visit Myanmar next month
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen has accepted an invitation to visit Myanmar military coup leader Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw on January 7 and 8, following the discussion between two countries’ foreign ministers at a meeting in Phnom Penh today, according to the Khmer Times. Hun Sen is appointed to take ASEAN chairmanship from 2022. Deputy Prime Minister Park Sokhonn,…
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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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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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Top US scientist says Omicron “almost certainly” no more severe than Delta
America’s top infectious diseases expert has echoed statements made by the World Health Organisation that Omicron is unlikely to be more severe than other Covid-19 variants. Dr Anthony Fauci says that while it’s too soon to say for sure, there are early indications the variant may in fact result in milder illness. “There is some suggestion that it might even…
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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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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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Myanmar ousted leader’s prison sentence reduced to two years
Myanmar’s ousted State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday, but it was then reduced to two years following a partial pardon by the military junta’s commander, according to state television. Her indictments were unrest and violating Covid-19 epidemic guidelines, according to the junta’s ruling court, which ordered the first judicial decision in a…
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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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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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Ethiopia claims strategic gains despite TPLF denials
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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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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US Republican Party senator Bob Dole passes away at 98
Former US senator Bob Dole, a Republican Party member and presidential hopeful, has passed away at the age of 98. The war hero was riddled with lung cancer and succumbed to the illness early this morning in his sleep. Dole had served in various roles for America for 79 years. His reputation was that of one of Washington’s most recognisable…
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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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SIPRI: Global arms industry flourishing despite COVID
Lockdowns, crumbling supply chains, jittery consumers: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about massive economic slumps around the world. One sector, however, has proved immune to the virus: The arms industry. This is confirmed by the latest report on the world’s 100 largest arms manufacturers by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). SIPRI researcher Alexandra Marksteiner told DW that she…
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Foreign Ministers of China and Malaysia agree over South China Sea
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia said the country has come together with China in agreement that peace and stability must be maintained in the South China Sea, an often-contested area that has caused international clashes. Yesterday the Minister held a joint press conference with the Foreign Minister and State Councillor where they agreed that debate over the South China Sea…
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Burmese soldiers drive car into protesters killing 5, injuring dozens
Burmese security forces drove a car into anti-coup protests in Yangon on Sunday morning killing 5 protesters and injuring dozens of others, according to witnesses. The military forces arrested at least 15 protesters in the morning protests, and afternoon protests were carried out despite the carnage and arrests. Videos and photos that show the car ploughing into the crowd of…
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Boeing’s Max 737 returns to Chinese skies
The beleaguered Boeing 737 Max will resume services in China next year after being certified as “airworthy” by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The paperwork sets the stage for the accident-prone jet to return to China’s airline schedules following months of negotiations between Beijing and Boeing. The decision clears the way for 100s of the best-selling US-manufactured planes to…
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Australia, Asia, and Africa deal with the Covid-19 Omicron variant
With Omicron spreading around the world, many countries are seeing the new variant spread, as well as Covid-19 in general on the rise. Here are some updates from around Australasia and Africa (a roundup of Europe can be found here): AUSTRALIA 13 cases of Omicron have been identified in a cluster in Sydney after finding the first infection just Friday,…
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Omicron spreads to 38 countries, 10 US states; Remdesivir recalled
Omicron, the worrisome new variant of Covid-19 first identified in South Africa, has now been found in at least 38 countries and 10 US states, though it still has not been detected in Thailand. The figure increased sharply after being found in only 23 countries in the middle of last week. The spread seems to be accelerating as scientists study…
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