World News
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Sponsored Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes
Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...
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More than a million Covid-19 vaccinations ‘expire’ in Indonesia before distribution to public
Indonesia had a Covid kerfuffle today after more than a million Covid-19 vaccination shots expired before they could be used, most of which were donated just one to three months, due to their short shelf life. According to Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, nearly 98% of the 1.1 million dosages were thrown out as a result of rushed shipments…
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New Zealand closes its borders to arrivals over fear of Omicron outbreak
New Zealanders are currently unable to return home as the Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins orders a temporary halt to the only route back to the country due to the fully occupied numbers of managed isolation and quarantine, or MIQ, as demands soar following the threat posed by the Omicron strain yesterday. Although the ban would be temporary, no date…
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Facebook mistakenly banning ok content a growing problem
Language and expression have nuances, subtleties, and variety in meaning, both explicitly and implicitly stated. The problem is, Facebook often times does not. Society is facing an increasingly conspicuous problem of Facebook and other social media platforms using algorithms to block prohibited content while lacking any useful channels to rectify mistakes. Many people have experienced getting muted or banned temporarily…
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Prince Andrew shuts down social media accounts as backlash grows in Britain
The British prince formerly known as His Royal Highness has quit social media amid a barrage of negative publicity ahead of a civil lawsuit in the US. Prince Andrew faces a civil case brought by Virginia Giuffre, a now 38-year-old woman, who accuses him of sexual assault and battery when she was just 17. Giuffre says she was trafficked by…
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China forced nearly 10,000 nationals to return home since 2014 – NGO report
Chinese authorities have forced nearly 10,000 nationals since 2014 to return to China. The country’s judicial system says they are wanted as part of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption efforts. But one Spain-based NGO, Safeguard Defenders, says there are cases in which Chinese authorities harass and detain expatriates’ family members in China in order to bully them into returning. Other times,…
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Canada bids farewell to Malaysia’s Supermax over alleged forced labour
Although Malaysia’s glove manufacturer, Supermax Corp, reported it would speed up the progress to meet the requirements of the International Labour Organisation two years ago, Canada cancelled its sourcing contract with the company over forced labour claims. Supermax came under fire for allegedly abusing foreign employees, who make up a large portion of the workforce, despite the Canadian government placing…
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Cambodian opposition leader accused of treason asks court to drop charges
A Cambodian opposition leader accused of treason has urged the court in the Southeast Asian country to drop the charges. He denied allegations that he worked with foreign groups to undermine the ruling administration of PM Hun Sen, which stirred widespread criticism amongst Cambodia’s politicians. The trial for 68 year old Kem Sokha, co-founder of the ousted Cambodia National Rescue…
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Indonesia lifts ban on international arrivals from high risk countries
Indonesia scrapped its travel ban list and now all foreign arrivals can enter the Southeast Asian country. A seven day isolation period is still required for all travellers from overseas. The 14 countries on Indonesia’s travel ban list due to high Covid-19 infection rates have all been removed, according to the country’s Covid-19 Task Force. The measure went into effect…
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Indonesia to build new capital called ‘Nusantara’ to replace sinking Jakarta
Indonesia is building a new capital… because Jakarta is sinking. According to Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, the new capital will be built in East Kalimantan Province on the island of Borneo and named “Nusantara,” which means “an archipelago nation.” The House of Representatives approved a law for the government’s shift today. The native name was proposed by Widodo himself. The new…
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Malaysia allows two new airlines to operate as industry still reels from Covid-19
The civil aviation regulator of Malaysia has allowed the entry of two new airlines despite the fact that the industry has been reeling from the catastrophic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for more than two years. According to the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), the newly founded ultra-low-cost carrier MYAirline is about to begin its operations soon as it has been…
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Singapore crowned most “Instagrammable” place in the world – Big 7 Travel
If you’re in Singapore, get out your camera. The Southeast Asian country was just named the most “Instagrammable” place in the world by the England-based publication Big 7 Travel. The publication noted its annual hashtag tally, which is now in its fourth year, that Singapore has many photographable spots “from the renowned Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay to…
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Chinese sperm imposter sued in Japan after lying about ethnicity, education, wife
A Tokyo woman who sought impregnation from a “sperm donor” has given up her child for adoption, after she learned the father is actually a Chinese imposter, and has sued him for nearly US$3 million. The woman, whose husband suffers from an unnamed heredity disease, was reportedly desperate for a second child when she sought out a sperm donor online.…
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Tonga tragedy prompts PM to check if Thailand’s prepared for another tsunami
That reminds me… The recent volcanic eruption on the island of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai in Tonga has prompted the Thai PM to check Thailand’s preparedness in the event of another tsunami. According to a Nation Thailand report, the PM has instructed relevant agencies to keep an eye on developments in Tonga and to ensure Thailand’s disaster warning system is working. Government spokesperson…
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ASEAN backlash over Cambodian PM’s visit to Myanmar
Following Cambodian PM Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw earlier this month, Cambodia’s year-long ASEAN chairmanship began with the postponement of a high-level conference amid a heated discussion on “who should represent Myanmar” after the post-coup country fell into a tottering loophole. The two-day summit, in which Cambodia had shown confidence in hosting an in-person ASEAN meeting for the…
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Malaysia says no tsunami threat along its coasts following Tonga volcano eruption
Tsunami warnings were issued in the US, Canada, and Japan following a large underwater volcanic eruption that originated on a small island in the South Pacific last weekend. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) declared that there would be no tsunami threat in Malaysia yesterday. According to the Malaysia government’s report yesterday, no tsunami threat has been calculated so far under…
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Philippines to spend US$620 million on 32 new Black Hawks for disaster relief
The Philippines will become another Southeast Asian nation to upgrade its military capability in 2022, probably for different purposes, as the Thai Cabinet approved the government’s plan to purchase four more fighter jets to strengthen the potency of its Royal Thai Air Force earlier last week. According to defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the Philippines will spend over US$620 million on…
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Aung San Suu Kyi is “indispensable” for Myanmar peace talk, says Philippines FM
The Philippines, amongst other neutral ASEAN members, made a strong statement on solving the Myanmar crisis yesterday as its foreign minister urged the 10 member bloc to invite the deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to any peace talks, citing she’s the key figure in restoring democracy to the turmoiled Southeast Asian nation, regardless of her conviction. The Philippines Foreign…
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13-day quarantine enacted for travellers from Thailand to Japan
Japan has announced new restrictions for travellers from Thailand entering the country, who must now undergo a 13-day quarantine on arrival. The new restriction will go into effect tomorrow and will affect travellers coming from Thailand and 4 other countries. The new restrictions follow a farther-reaching announcement on January 15 easing restrictions for the rest of the world, replacing the…
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Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic to be deported after visa saga
After a rollercoaster ride regarding 9-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic having his visa approved and revoked several times as courts debated his status as unvaccinated but recovered from a Covid-19 infection, the tennis star will now be deported from Australia. Novak lost a court appeal to try to reverse the cancellation of his visa when 3 judges upheld the…
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Nong Khai bridge the final step in China-Laos-Thailand Railway
In order to connect Thailand to the new China-Laos Railway, the State Railway of Thailand has received orders from the Cabinet to build a second bridge across the Mekong River, this on for trains to link Nong Khai province to Laos. The SRT was instructed to design and build the bridge as quickly as possible. A meeting was held at…
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Malaysia hands 3 suspected insurgents to Thailand following peace talks
Officials in southern Thailand told reporters that Malaysia had delivered three suspected militants on Wednesday after Thai authorities and rebel groups finished their negotiations. Reports say it was their first in-person peace talk in nearly two years. The rare handover marked the first official transfer of convicts linked to the ethnic and religious separatist insurgency in Thailand’s Deep South region near…
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Citi to sell consumer banking business in Southeast Asia to Singapore’s United Overseas Bank
Citigroup announced on Thursday its agreement to sell its consumer banking operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam to United Overseas Bank (UOB) for approximately US$2.97 billion. UOB stated that as part of the agreement, it will acquire Citi’s retail deposit divisions, loan portfolios and wealth management, in the four countries’ consumer banking sectors. “We are excited to announce this…
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More than 349,000 people displaced due to violence in Myanmar since February coup
Official figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs this month show that about 349,800 individuals were displaced in the southeast and northwest of the country and needed humanitarian aid since the February 2021 military coup. Fights have intensified between Myanmar’s military and the People’s Defence Forces, locally known as PDFs. Thousands have reportedly fled to…
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Japan-Thailand cooperation discussed by PM Prayut and Japanese Minister
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha met at Government House yesterday with the Japanese Minister of Economy Trade and Industry to discuss cooperation between Japan and Thailand for future investments. They discussed the benefit to Thailand of the technology that Japan has supplied as well as a plan to meet sustainable development goals for the future. The Prime Minister spoke of the contribution…
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Queen of England revokes military, royal titles from Prince Andrew, as US civil lawsuit proceeds in New York
Queen Elizabeth II has revoked Prince Andrew’s royal patronages and military titles, in response to a forceful letter from armed forces veterans, as a US civil lawsuit against the Duke of York proceeds in the state of New York. The prince, who is the British Queen’s third child and second son, is accused of child sexual abuse in the US…
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Indonesia kicks off booster shot campaign as Omicron cases rise
The fourth-most-populous country in the world, Indonesia, has started administering Covid-19 booster shots to the public as its infection rates soar, with most of the cases owing to the Omicron variant, which is the highest number in nearly three months. President Joko Widodo of Indonesia stated Tuesday that all those who are qualified for the booster shot will receive free…
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New Ambassador to China discusses cooperation with Thailand
In a diplomatic meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan met with China’s new ambassador to discuss continued cooperation between China and Thailand. The new Ambassador of China H.E. Han Zhiqiang visited the Thai Deputy Prime Minister in a courtesy call where they discussed a variety of topics. The meeting started with the Thai leader congratulating the new ambassador of China…
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Gene that doubles risk of severe Covid-19 found by Polish researchers
There may be a new method to determine who is most vulnerable during the pandemic, as a gene has been identified by Polish scientists that more than doubles the risk of serious Covid-19 infection. The scientists behind the discovery hope that being able to identify people who are a great risk might prompt them to get vaccinated if they have…
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UN’s special envoy urges ASEAN to work toward “inclusive dialogue” with Myanmar
Days after Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen visited Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw to see the military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, a United Nations Special Envoy encouraged the rest of Southeast Asian countries to support international efforts to engage all sides in the situation inside tumultuous Myanmar. In a statement released today by the UN, its secretary-special general’s envoy on Myanmar, Noeleen…
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Kim Jong-un eyes strategic military “muscle” after North Korea’s “hypersonic” missile test
North Korean media reports that the country test fired a new hypersonic missile but also the attendance of its leader. The event was also Kim Jong-un’s first public appearance in nearly 22 months after his regime tested a pair of single-stage solid-fuel KN-24 missiles in March 2020. It was the second test-firing of the hypersonic missile in less than a…
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