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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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
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Press freedom under attack globally, warns UN officials and media outlets
Press freedom is facing challenges in various parts of the world, with harassment, imprisonment, and killings of journalists on the rise, according to warnings issued by United Nations (UN) officials and media organisations. The concerns were raised ahead of World Press Freedom Day, which aims to uphold the importance of a free press in sustaining democracy and human rights. UN…
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Myanmar junta pardons over 2,000 prisoners jailed under dissent crackdown law
Myanmar’s military government announced today that over 2,000 prisoners detained under a law frequently employed in its crackdown on dissent have been pardoned. This move comes two years after the junta seized power, leading the country into a state of chaos. Since the coup in February 2021, thousands of activists and protesters have been arrested by the military. Pardons were…
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Drunk driver kills newlywed bride shortly after wedding
A wedding turned into a tragedy for one American couple. A drunk driver killed a newlywed bride shortly after her wedding in the US state of South Carolina last week on Friday, April 28. The drunk driver crashed into the back of a golf cart that the bride and groom were riding in on a beach road. The bride, 34…
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India struggles with urban sewage treatment as population surges
According to the United Nations, India is set to overtake China as the world’s most populous country, housing almost 1.43 billion people. The urban population is set to increase by 270 million people by 2040. However, of the 72 billion litres of daily sewage currently created in the country’s urban centres, a massive 45 billion litres which is enough to…
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Biodiesel and used cooking oil set to fuel sustainable aviation industry
Biodiesel, which is a combination of diesel and palm oil-derived methyl ester, as well as previously discarded used cooking oil, is now competing to revolutionise the aviation industry. These two oils can be processed to create sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an eco-friendly biofuel for aircraft. Many companies are keen to produce SAF as airlines become increasingly aware of its potential…
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White House to discuss AI’s promise and risks with tech giants
The White House is set to host discussions with leading executives from Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, aimed at tackling the potential risks and benefits of artificial intelligence(AI). The agenda includes Vice President Kamala Harris and other US administration officials exploring methods to ensure consumers reap the advantages of AI while remaining safeguarded from its potential dangers, as stated in…
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US Federal Reserve considers final interest rate hike to tackle inflation
The US Federal Reserve has commenced a two-day meeting to determine if it will raise its benchmark lending rate for possibly the last time in this campaign, in an effort to tackle persistent inflation. Since March of last year, the Fed has embarked on a bold series of interest-rate hikes to address inflation, which currently stands at 5%, significantly higher…
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Pakistan inflation reaches record high due to soaring food prices
Inflation in Pakistan escalated to a record 36.4% in the year to April, primarily driven by food prices, making it the highest rate in South Asia and marking an increase from March’s 35.4%, according to the country’s statistics bureau. In rural areas, food inflation reached 40.2%, while for both rural and urban regions, it climbed to 48.1% – the highest…
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AMD shares fall as second-quarter forecast misses expectations
Shares of Advanced Micro Devices experienced a decline yesterday following a second-quarter forecast that failed to meet Wall Street expectations. This overshadowed the company executives’ optimism that the beleaguered chip market will begin to recover in the latter half of 2023. After AMD announced first-quarter sales below analyst predictions for PC and data centre chips, their two most significant segments,…
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Keppel Corp announces major restructuring and growth plans
Singapore‘s Keppel Corp, a former conglomerate with operations in a variety of sectors including data centres and renewable energy assets, unveiled a significant corporate restructuring plan today. The reorganisation will see the company divided into three distinct units – fund management, investment, and operating platforms, aiming to simplify and foster growth. The fund management arm will concentrate on raising funds,…
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Men’s volleyball SEA Games 2023: schedule and livestream
Men’s volleyball at the 32nd SEA Games 2023 is about to begin, and the Thai team has arrived in Cambodia to prepare for their first match against Malaysia today. Thailand is in Group B along with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar. The schedule for the competition and live broadcast of men’s volleyball at the SEA Games 2023 on May 3, 2023,…
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Go First files for bankruptcy amid faulty engine woes and mounting debt
Struggling Indian airline Go First declared bankruptcy yesterday, attributing it to the “faulty” Pratt & Whitney engines that grounded about 50% of its fleet. The airline’s collapse is the first Indian airline bankruptcy since Jet Airways in 2019, highlighting the intense competition in the aviation sector, where rivals IndiGo and the recently merged Air India and Vistara dominate. Go First…
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TikTok’s US trust and safety head Eric Han to leave amid ban threats
TikTok revealed that Eric Han, the head of US trust and safety, will leave the company on May 12, resulting in a loss of a key executive as the popular short-form video app faces the possibility of a ban in the US. Owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, TikTok has already been prohibited on government-issued phones in countries such as…
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Starbucks profits boosted by China business recovery
Starbucks Corp exceeded Wall Street predictions yesterday for quarterly earnings, primarily due to a strong recovery in business within China. However, shares dropped approximately 6% in after-hours trading, as the company did not raise its 2023 guidance. Consumer mobility and spending in China have significantly improved since most of the country’s COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. Despite a 29% drop…
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Match Group forecasts lower Q2 revenue but sees Tinder growth signs
Match Group recently projected second-quarter revenue below analysts’ expectations, yet indicated signs of potential growth at its dating platform, Tinder. The company implemented changes to product and marketing execution at Tinder and, although not yet evident in financial results, has observed early indications of increased momentum, according to a letter to shareholders. Following the announcement, the firm’s stock, whose revenue…
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Japanese automakers struggle in China amid rapid shift to electric vehicles
The sales crisis for Japan’s automakers in China continues, as industry data reveals a rapid shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), resulting in a steep decline in gasoline-powered vehicle purchases. In the first quarter, total sales of Japanese auto brands in China dropped by 32% year-on-year, more than twice the rate of overall market contraction. While automakers such as Volkswagen AG…
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Godfather of artificial intelligence quits Google, warns of technology’s dangers
A prominent computer scientist, frequently referred to as “the godfather of artificial intelligence,” has resigned from Google to voice his concerns about the potential dangers of the technology, according to yesterday’s US media reports. Geoffrey Hinton, known for creating a foundational technology for AI systems, expressed to The New York Times that advancements in the field could pose “profound risks…
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Italy’s right-wing government rolls back anti-poverty subsidies
Italy’s right-wing government has decided to reverse the anti-poverty subsidies introduced four years ago, which provided assistance to around four million people last year. The move has been criticised as a ‘provocation’ on the international May Day labour holiday. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leading the country’s most far-right coalition since World War II, announced that the “citizens’ income” benefits would…
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Pro-independence forces triumph in French Polynesia elections
Pro-independence parties have claimed victory in the recent elections on France’s Pacific territory of French Polynesia. According to results released, the Tavini Huiraatira party, led by the region’s former head, Oscar Temaru, won 44.3% of the votes in the second round, securing an absolute majority in the regional assembly. The party is now expected to nominate 53 year old Moetai…
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JPMorgan Chase swoops in to buy US crisis bank First Republic
US financial authorities seized California’s struggling First Republic Bank on Monday and sold it to JPMorgan Chase, hoping to bring stability to a banking crisis that has rattled the financial system. First Republic, following the disclosure of a loss of over US$100 billion in deposits in the first quarter, became the second-largest bank by assets to collapse in US history.…
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Internet idol Alice Wong criticised for starring in her first adult video
Alice Wong, half-Hong Kong, half-Malaysian Internet idol, has gained significant popularity for her sexy image and numerous followers. She is well-known for consistently sharing her sultry updates through various social media platforms. In a recent development that caused her fans’ hearts to race, Wong announced that she had released her first adult video, after deciding to take the plunge into…
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Mount Everest’s appeal and challenges in a changing world
Mount Everest is preparing for a record number of climbers this season, with approximately 1,000 people expected to attempt the summit of the world’s highest peak. However, climbing the impressive 8,849-metre mountain is not only expensive but also dangerous, and the risks may be growing due to overcrowding and climate change. Ever since Mount Everest was identified as the world’s…
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Hong Kong tourist attractions overflow with mainland visitors during holiday
A significant influx of mainland tourists has filled Hong Kong’s top attractions, as queues stretched for hours outside the Peak Tram ticket office at Central. According to a staff member, many visitors resorted to waiting over two hours for a tram ticket to the Peak. This surge of visitors is attributed to the mainland’s five-day holiday, which commenced on Saturday.…
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Spanish agriculture’s future threatened by potential water cuts
Spanish farmers, like Juan Francisco Abellaneda, provide European supermarkets with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. However, these intensive farms in arid Southeastern Spain may soon face a water crisis, threatening the sector that supplies essential produce across the continent. Spain tops the European Union list in fruit and vegetable production. Almost half of these exports come from farmers…
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Kenyan pastors accused of causing over 100 deaths in Shakahola forest massacre
Two pastors are set to appear before Kenyan courts in separate towns tomorrow, suspected of instigating the shocking events that led to the deaths of at least 109 individuals found buried in what has come to be known as the “Shakahola forest massacre.” The deeply religious and predominantly Christian nation of Kenya, with over 4,000 registered churches, has been shaken…
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Mexican rescue dogs train for international disaster missions
In the central Mexican state of Puebla, a rescue dog and its handler were seen abseiling down a ravine as part of an emergency response drill designed to prepare them for international crises, like the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey in February. Another member of the canine unit, a black Labrador retriever named July, successfully located a paramedic and an…
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Senegalese opposition leader claims police attempted assassination using toxic gas
Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, 48 years old, claimed yesterday that foreign laboratories have confirmed that a gas police sprayed at him in March was “toxic and deadly,” accusing them of attempting to assassinate him. In mid-March, Sonko stated that he felt unwell due to tear gas, which he claimed was deployed by the police during his forced transfer to…
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Hidden treasure trove: Spanish man finds 2 million baht in walls of dilapidated house
A Spanish man named Toño Piñeiro experienced a rollercoaster of emotions when he discovered £47,500 (about 2 million baht) hidden in the walls of a dilapidated house he had recently purchased. The house, located in the northwestern part of Spain, had been abandoned for over 40 years, and Piñeiro hoped to renovate it into a comfortable retirement home. While demolishing…
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Tablet reveals affair: Taiwanese man sues wife and her colleague over intimate photos
A Taiwanese man recently filed a lawsuit against his wife and her female colleague after discovering intimate photographs of the two on his wife’s tablet. The news report from the Taiwanese outlet CTWANT described the man’s astonishment when he came across the explicit images while preparing the device for his child’s use in school. The husband subsequently sued the pair…
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Biden and Marcos Jr discuss Beijing’s South China Sea expansion in White House meeting
In recent discussions at the White House, President Joe Biden and Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr addressed Beijing’s assertive expansion through the strategic trade routes and islands of the South China Sea. This move signals Washington’s increasing concern over China’s aggressive claims of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, despite international rulings stating otherwise. The situation, coupled with…
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