World News
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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers plenty of excitement and adventure, but the local healthcare system can be complex to navigate as an expat. From unique health risks to high costs at private hospitals, having a comprehensive health insurance plan is essential....
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Putin declares Mariupol ‘liberated’ despite Ukrainian troops, civilians holding out
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine. He declared it “liberated” despite more than a thousand civilians and Ukrainian troops still inside a massive steel plant. Winning the largest battle in the war in Ukraine is the type of moral victory the Russian leader wants to deliver on the eve of…
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Pfizer Covid-19 treatment, Paxlovid, “strongly recommended” by WHO
The World Health Organisation has given its backing to Pfizer’s Covid-19 treatment, Paxlovid, recommending it over the alternatives. The WHO says it “strongly recommends” the treatment for Covid patients with milder symptoms, who remain at high risk of being hospitalised. However, it adds that, as with vaccines, inequality in accessing the drug remains a problem for lower and middle-income countries.…
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Cambodia reduces quarantine for unvaccinated visitors from 2 weeks to 1
Starting yesterday, visitors to Cambodia, who are not fully vaccinated, will only have to quarantine for one week, and not two. Cambodia’s health ministry said air travellers not fully vaccinated must take antigen tests on their last day of quarantine. The country has eased Covid-19 restrictions in the past month, and officially stopped requiring Covid-19 tests upon entry for vaccinated…
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European airlines assess mask rules for flights to United States
After US airlines stopped requiring people to wear masks on domestic flights last week, European airlines are assessing their mask rules for flights to the US. European carriers are now divided over policies on trans-Atlantic flights. British Airways told customers that the requirement to wear masks onboard depends on restrictions in the arrival destination. KLM, a Dutch airline, told passengers…
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Kyiv calls for negotiations to evacuate troops, civilians from Azovstal steel plant
After Ukrainian fighters holed up in the Azovstal steel plant ignored a Russian ultimatum to surrender or die on Wednesday, the government in Kyiv has proposed talks with Moscow to evacuate their troops and civilians from the surrounded steelworks factory. The move comes after a Ukrainian marine commander, Serhiy Volny, made a desperate plea to world leaders, asking them to…
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Low demand, supply surplus leads J&J to suspend sales forecast of Covid vaccine
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson says it’s currently unable to provide a sales forecast for its Covid-19 vaccine. According to the firm, vaccine hesitancy in low-income countries, coupled with existing low demand in wealthier nations, has led to a surplus of stock. J&J had previously forecast sales of up to US$3.5 billion for this year, according to a Reuters report.…
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Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard saga continues
The legal saga between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard continues in court. Depp filed a lawsuit against Heard after she wrote a column in 2018 describing herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse”. Even though Heard never named Depp explicitly, he is suing for implying he was a domestic abuser. Depp delivered a roughly three-hour testimony on…
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Rohingya refugees in Malaysia killed trying to cross highway
Cars hit and killed six Rohingya refugees on a Malaysian highway today. 582 Rohingya refugees had escaped a temporary immigration detention centre, when two men, two woman, and a boy and a girl were hit and killed trying to cross a highway in Kedah state. Before the escape, a riot had broken out in a detention centre in Penang state.…
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Sri Lanka’s police shoot and kill protestor
Sri Lankan police shot and killed a protestor yesterday in an incident that quickly spread across social media. Police had opened fire on a crowd in the central town of Rambukkana, and at least three others were injured. Police said the protestor killed, a man, had refused to move from a railway line and had parked a fuel truck across…
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Ukrainian commander pleads for evacuation of troops, civilians from Mariupol factory
A senior commander of Ukrainian marines has called for a third country to urgently evacuate troops and civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, southern Ukraine, which has been under heavy Russian bombardment for weeks. The plea comes as Ukrainian troops in the besieged port city launch a final stand against Russian troops, who are closing in while supplies…
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Pilots announce end of US mask mandate mid-flight, passengers divided
Midway through a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Monday night, the pilot announced the end of America’s requirement to wear face masks on public transport, including on planes. The sound of cheering resonated through the plane and around one third of passengers instantly took off their masks, according to a witness. However, some passengers were outraged and scolded…
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Former leader Suu Kyi breaks silence, urges Burmese to ‘be united’
In rare comments, the former leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has called on the Burmese people to be united. According to a Reuters report, the comments were confirmed by a source close to Suu Kyi’s legal proceedings. Suu Kyi, along with the democratically elected government, was ousted by a military coup on February 1 last year. The former…
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Australia welcomes the return of cruise ships as 2-year Covid ban lifted
Cruise ships are returning to Australia, following the lifting of a 2-year Covid ban, according to an AFP report. The ban was implemented in March 2020 in a bid to prevent the importation of Covid-19. It ended this morning with the arrival of the Pacific Explorer into Sydney Harbour. At the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, crowds gathered to…
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Myanmar grants amnesty to 1,600 prisoners, no political detainees released
Myanmar’s military government granted amnesty to over 1,600 prisoners, including 42 foreigners, during the country’s New Year’s holiday from April 13-16. The figure is small compared to the 23,000 prisoners released during the holiday last year. Despite Myanmar’s ruling general’s promise to restore peace in the country this year, no political detainees were released. “As part of the celebration of…
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Search for the missing continues as South Africa floods claim 443 lives
The search continues for dozens of people still missing following floods in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The death toll has now risen to 443 after heavy rains caused devastating floods and mudslides. According to a Reuters report, thousands have been left homeless, while homes have lost power and water. One of the country’s busiest ports, Durban, has had…
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Ukraine’s Zelensky defies Russia’s ultimatum to lay down weapons
As Russian forces plunder through the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky says the situation there is “inhuman”. Russian troops first encircled Mariupol last month. Yesterday (Saturday), Russia gave Ukrainian forces an ultimatum to lay down their weapons by 6am Moscow time (10am Bangkok time) today. In response, Zelensky hit back by warning Russia… “the elimination of our…
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Sri Lanka poised to default on its international debt
Skyrocketing inflation, political unrest and looming debt default. Another country’s economy is now failing in what’s likely to be a year or two of falling dominoes for at-risk economies. A month of increasingly desperate headlines has culminated in two leading ratings agencies warning Sri Lanka is about to default on its national debt, a crisis that would take decades to…
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UPDATE: Russia’s flagship vessel sinks in Black Sea after Ukrainian missile strike
As Russia’s war in Ukraine entered its 50th day, its flagship cruiser has sunk in the Black Sea, after a “fire” onboard caused ammunition explosions. It’s the first major war ship to be taken down by cruise missiles since World War Two. At least, that’s the Ukrainian side of the story. Russia’s Ministry of Defence has released a statement on…
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Dozens of Thais rescued from Chinese gang, phone scam centre in Cambodia
Thai police forces have reportedly rescued dozens of Thai nationals who were allegedly being held captive by a Chinese gang operating a phone scam centre in a Cambodian coastal gambling town. About two dozen Thais were rescued last Sunday from a guarded townhouse in Sihanoukville, after negotiating with the Chinese gangsters who were running the operation. Pictures from the Royal…
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Thailand to welcome East-West flight detours as airlines avoid Russian airspace
More planes might be detouring through Thailand’s airspace as a result of Russia closing its skies to airlines from “hostile” nations, after an overwhelming majority of nations condemned its invasion of Ukraine at the UN General Assembly last month. The nation’s Ministry of Transportation has called for the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, or Aerothai, to draw up a contingency plan,…
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Oklahoma woman searches for Thai mother, nearly 50 years after US family adopts her
An American woman is searching for her Thai mother, who is believed to live in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani. She says her father was an American soldier who met her mother when he was based in Thailand during the Vietnam War. In March of this year 49 year old Kristy Sinsara Hudsud, an American singer and songwriter, started…
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Businesses blame high ‘entry fees’ for deterring travellers at Thai-Malaysia border
The reopening of the Thai-Malaysian border this month raised the hopes of local business owners around the border areas, who thought it would boost the economy in southern Thailand, and the northern states of Malaysia as well. However, things seem to be moving more slowly than expected, with merchants blaming the 5,000-7,000 baht “entry fees” as being too expensive for…
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Russian tourism staff claims interest in Thailand travel has spiked for Russians
More Russians are reportedly interested in venturing down to Thailand. After Russia announced earlier this week it would lift Covid-19 restrictions on flights to 52 countries, starting April 9, some Russian tourism staff claim there was a massive increase in Thailand search inquiries by Russians. Searches for tickets to Thailand reportedly went up by 20%, according to one popular vacation…
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Diver found off Malaysia says his teenage son died while they were adrift
One of the four missing divers who has now been found off Malaysia yesterday told the Malaysian coastguard his son, a 14 year old boy, died while they were adrift. The man, 46 year old Adrian Chesters, said his teenage son Nathen Chesters had become too weak to survive. A statement by the coastguard cited Adrian… “…as a result of…
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Pakistan’s Imran Khan ousted from PM position
Following a parliamentary vote of no confidence last week, Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan has been ousted. The vote came after Pakistan’s opposition parties accused Khan of economic mismanagement, as well as poor governance. The country’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a decision to block the no confidence vote was unconstitutional. Now, Khan claims that opposition to him is backed…
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Post-Omicron, Asian economies accelerate into recovery mode
Across most of South East and Eastern Asia, Covid is now on a sharp retreat, some 2 – 3 months after similar surges and drops in the US, UK and Europe. Except for 3 countries, Japan, China and Thailand, where the daily numbers, fuelled by Omicron variants, are still climbing. These same 3 countries have been among the most risk-averse…
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Will Smith has been ‘slapped’ a 10 year ban from attending the Oscars
Will Smith has been banned from attending the Academy Awards for the next 10 years, following his spontaneous slapping of comedian host Chris Rock on stage during this year’s Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its decision in a statement yesterday in Beverly Hills, California… “The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from…
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Airlines launching direct flights from Phuket to northeast Thailand, and Singapore
Slowly, gradually, but palpably, airlines are starting to increase their frequency and routes again. Not Air is launching direct flights to Phuket from Northeastern Thailand (and visa versa), and Air Asia is adding flight from Phuket to Singapore, starting next Tuesday. Yesterday morning, a Nok Air flight landed in Phuket, marking the new plan for one direct flight per week…
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2 more missing divers found off Malaysia, 3 out of 4 now found
Two more of the four divers who went missing off southeastern Malaysia this week have been found safe today. The first of the divers found, a 35 year old Norwegian woman, was rescued on Thursday. The two divers found today are 18 year old Alexia Molina, from France, and 46 year old Adrian Chesters, from the UK. Malaysian fishermen spotted…
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Smuggled sketches show horrific conditions inside notorious Insein Prison in Myanmar
Radio Free Asia have released a series of sketches penned by inmates of a Burmese prison in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, and smuggled out of the prison by brave, released detainees. Thousands of mostly political prisoners have been sent there since last year’s coup. The following from Radio Free Asia… “Sketches smuggled out of Myanmar’s notorious Insein Prison…
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