World News
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Sponsored How much is Thai health insurance?
Health insurance in Thailand is essential for expats and locals, providing financial protection and access to quality care. Costs depend on age, health, and coverage level, with basic plans being cheaper but limited and comprehensive plans offering more benefits at...
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Singapore requires office-workers to be vaccinated, few exemptions
Get vaccinated or lose your job. That’s the thrust of new workplace laws being introduced in Singapore. From today an earlier concession, allowing negative-testing employees to keep working in offices, is dropped. Employers now have the option to redeploy unvaccinated staff to ‘working from home’ duties, put the staff on leave without pay, or simply sack them if they are…
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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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Australia calls foul, cancels Djokovic’s visa again as Serbian tennis star faces deportation to forfeit title defense
So far it’s a double fault for the Serb tennis star. Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has announced his decision to re-cancel the visa of Serbian tennis player Novak Dokovic, on the grounds of “health and good order.” In an official statement posted Friday evening on the website for the Department of Home Affairs, Hawke wrote: “Today I exercised my…
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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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Philippines sets “no vaccine, no ride” policy for Manila public transportation
If you’re in the Philippines, you’ll need to show your vaccination certificate to use public transportation in the country’s capital Manila. The Southeast Asian country’s new “no vaccine, no ride” policy prohibits those who are unvaccinated against Covid-19 from riding public transportation in Manila starting next week. The controversial restriction was enacted after a fresh wave of Cvoid-19 cases skyrocketed…
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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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Malaysia waives quarantine for vaccinated travellers recently infected with Covid-19
Malaysia has waived quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers with a history of previous Covid-19 infection starting today. Visitors must present proof that they are fully vaccinated as well as documents showing that they recently contracted Covid-19 and have recovered, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. Along with proof of vaccination, those who have previously been admitted to a hospital for…
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Djokovic battles ‘misinformation’ in bombshell Twitter post, as countries investigate his whereabouts, claims
In a 6 page Twitter post, embattled tennis player Novak Djokovic attempted to set the record straight on his whereabouts after testing positive for Covid-19 last month — admitting to breaking self-quarantine and blaming his agent for an error on his Australian travel declaration form — as authorities in Australia and Serbia investigate his claims. “I want to emphasise that…
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Indonesia joins hands with Japan to promote clean energy
The bilateral relationship between Japan and Indonesia has taken the next step towards clean energy as the two nations agreed to cooperate on decarbonisation technologies such as hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage (CCS), according to Reuters, citing the Japanese industry ministry. The memorandum of cooperation (MOC) was signed on the same day while Japanese Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda…
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Famous African rat Magawa that tracks down landmines in Cambodia dies
The famous African mine detection rat named Magawa, who has saved hundreds of lives by finding over 100 landmines in Cambodia, died over the weekend, according to his organisation, APOPO, which trains fellow rats like Magawa to track landmines. A hero is laid to rest. He will leave a lasting legacy in the lives that he saved as a landmine…
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Vietnam gives green light to US$15 billion stimulus plan for economic recovery
The parliament of Vietnam has approved a stimulus package worth 347 trillion VND (US$ 15.3 billion) for those severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially businesses as well as expanding infrastructure expenditure amidst harsh lockdowns. Since the government is seeking sustainable growth, that ensures macroeconomic stability as concerns about inflation raised alarm over the National Assembly last month. Officials are…
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Air passengers from Thailand to be banned from transiting in Hong Kong over Omicron spread
There are unconfirmed reports that air travellers from Thailand and a number of other countries are to be banned from transiting through Hong Kong. The ban applies to all Group A countries, which have been designated high-risk for Covid-19. Group A includes a number of popular transit routes, such as Singapore, Australia, and several European countries, as well as Thailand.…
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Vindicated in visa court case, Djokovic seeks historic victory in a different court
World Number 1 player Novak Djokovic tweeted a picture of himself standing with his team on a tennis court in Melbourne, Victoria late Monday evening, writing he was “pleased and grateful” that a judge overturned his visa cancellation. Game. Set. Match! Judge Anthony Kelly of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia had earlier ordered Djokovic’s release from an immigration detention…
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American man becomes first to get a genetically-modified pig heart transplant
A 57 year old American man in Baltimore has become the first human to get a heart transplant from a genetically engineered pig after undergoing seven-hour experimental surgery. The day before the surgery, the patient David Bennett told reporters “it was either die or do this transplant,” that the experimental surgery is a “shot in the dark,” but it’s his…
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Nearly 30,000 Covid-19 cases reported in the Philippines in a single day
The Philippines reported 28,007 new Covid-19 cases in a single day, three times bigger than Thailand’s number yesterday, reaching over 3 million in total since the pandemic began in March 2020. A total of 52,511 patients have died so far. The Southeast Asian country’s hope to end the pandemic is now long gone, despite its vaccine efforts, following the uptick…
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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi slapped with jail terms
Myanmar’s deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been sentenced to four years in jail for three charges brought by a Naypyidaw court under the military junta this afternoon, according to reports. The court ruled that 76 year old Suu Kyi, who was detained since the military took power in early February 2021, was found guilty of two offences linked…
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Australian government mulls deportation of unvaccinated tennis star Djokovic after judge orders his release
The Australian government has exceeded a four-hour time limit to decide whether to deport Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, after a federal judge ordered his release from detainment on Monday afternoon, allowing the tennis star to remain in the country — at least for tonight. The world No. 1 tennis player has been detained since Thursday for allegedly breaking the…
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Hospitals in the Philippines prepare more beds amid surge in infections in Manila
Officials in the Philippines have ordered hospitals to prepare more beds and resources, in response to a surge in infections in Manila. According to a Reuters report, the capital leads the way with record case numbers, with nearly 60% of 28,707 infections reported in the Manila region. Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles says health authorities have also been ordered to…
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New York apartment fire kills at least 19, including 9 children
A fire that ripped through a high-rise apartment building in New York has left at least 19 people dead, 9 of them children, according to media reports. The fire broke out mid-morning on the second and third floors of a building on East 181st Street in the borough of the Bronx. According to an AFP report, New York city mayor…
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France Saturday: 105,000 protest vaccine, 303,669 get Covid-19
French President Emmanuel Macron made waves recently when he came out hard against unvaccinated people saying that he would make life harder for them and “piss off” those who refused inoculation as it hurts the society as a whole. Yesterday, over 100,000 people came out to protest the government restricting the rights of people who refuse a vaccine all across…
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Child abducted 33 years ago finds family with map shared on TikTok
After being kidnapped in 1989 and sold in a child trafficking ring, a man in China was reunited with his family 33 years later with the help of TikTok and a hand-drawn map. Li Jingwei drew a rudimentary map of land features he remembered from his village as a child, memories of a 4 year old preserved for decades. After…
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Malaysia in talks with Brunei to open Vaccinated Travel Lane
Malaysia’s envoy to Brunei said both countries are willing to reopen borders by establishing a Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) system which allows travellers with minimum restrictions on quarantine or none at all. Although nothing is set in stone and discussions between the two Southeast Asian countries is ongoing. The High Commissioner, Dato’ Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah, on Wednesday told…
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Laos reports first case of Omicron strain, traveller from overseas
Laos reported its first Omicron case yesterday involving a woman who travelled from overseas. The woman’s family member, who was travelling with her, also tested positive for Covid-19, but the Omicron strain was not detected, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Both travellers are fully vaccinated. Before landing in the capital of Laos, Vientiane the…
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Duterte orders the arrest of unvaccinated people who violate stay-at-home rule
Amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte is coming down hard on the unvaccinated. The government recently tightened restrictions in Manila and several provinces, including banning unvaccinated people from leaving home unless for exercise or to purchase essentials. According to an AFP report, Duterte has gone as far as to sanction the arrest of anyone…
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France detects new Covid variant “IHU,” believed to be highly transmissible
While the world is grappling with new spikes in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have discovered another variant. The newly-discovered variant, called B.1.640.2, was found in 12 patients near Marseille and features 46 mutations, making it vaccine-resistant and contagious. Also known as “IHU,” the strain was detected by scholars at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on…
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