World News
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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Police in China bust fake Covid-19 vaccine operation, more than 80 people arrested
Police in China busted a fake Covid-19 vaccine operation, arresting more than 80 people and seizing more than 3,000 doses of the fake vaccine, which were actually just syringes filled with saline solution. The state news agency Xinhua says the bust was part of a law enforcement operation to crackdown on vaccine-related crimes. Police in various provinces including Beijing, Shanghai…
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3 arrests in Bangkok as activists gather at Burmese Embassy to protest military coup
Police have clashed with Thai and Burmese activists outside the Embassy of Myanmar in Bangkok yesterday. Activists from the We Volunteer (WeVo) group had gathered to protest against yesterday’s military coup in Myanmar, in which a number of government officials were arrested and are still being detained. The protesters, who began assembling around 3.30pm, gave speeches in Thai and Burmese,…
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Thai Army boss plays down risk of migrant influx following military coup in Myanmar
A Thai Army commander has moved to reassure citizens over fears that yesterday’s military coup in Myanmar may lead to a surge in illegal migrants. Apichet Suesat from the Third Army says forces continue to man the border between Thailand and Myanmar and anyone trying to enter the Kingdom illegally will be arrested. “We are closely monitoring the situation. Burmese…
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Thailand likely to have substantial trade losses following Myanmar coup
With Myanmar’s military now in power after a bloodless coup, Thailand is likely to see substantial losses when it comes to trade with the neighbouring country, possibly forgoing up to 50 million baht a day due to changes in transporting goods and strict military checkpoints. If the military’s tight security inspections continue in the long term, Thailand could lose more…
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UPDATE: Thailand Deputy PM responds to Myanmar army coup
Myanmar’s military have seized power in a bloodless coup this morning. The elected NLD party, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has been deposed following months of tense speculation by Burmese army leaders over alleged voter fraud after last November’s general election. Out of 476 seats up for grabs in last November’s general election, the military backed party only won…
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Myanmar’s military takes control, politicians arrested
Myanmar’s military is taking control of the country and deposing the elected government after reportedly detaining de-facto leader and ‘State Counsellor’ Aung San Suu Kyi, along with other politicians early this morning. The military-owned Myawaddy TV has announced a state of emergency had been declared for 1 year and power transferred to the Junta. A news presenter referred to a section…
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Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi arrested and detained, NLD spokesman
Myanmar’s leader, officially the incumbent State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with other senior government figures have been arrested and detained, according to a spokesman for the governing National League for Democracy, Myo Nyunt. “State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some other senior figures are being detained in Nay Pyi Taw.” There has been days of escalating tension…
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Britain to apply for membership with Asia Pacific free trading bloc
In the wake of Britain’s Brexit and separation from the EU trading bloc, the UK is now applying to become part of the free trade bloc made up of 11 Asia and Pacific nations. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership also includes Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand, a potential market population of around 500 million. The countries generate more…
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Study claims Covid-19 can negatively impact a man’s sperm, experts are skeptical
A Covid-19 infection could negatively impact the quality of a man’s sperm, potentially affecting fertility, according to a study published in the journal Reproduction. But some experts are skeptical and have criticised the study, one saying any virus can temporarily cause a drop in sperm count. The study claims a coronavirus infection can cause impairments to a man’s semen. German…
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Germany advises AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine only be given to adults under 65
German officials advise that the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine should only be administered to people between the ages of 18 and 64. The recommendation follows reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, has an efficacy less than 10% in those over 65 years old. The pharmaceutical firm shot down the claims saying the reports are “completely incorrect.”…
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Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano, erupts
The most active volcano in Indonesia, Mount Merapi, erupted yesterday, shooting rocks and a cloud of ash into the sky and streaming a river of lava down the side. Local residents within 5 kilometres of the volcano evacuated the area due to the risk of lava flows reaching the roads. Officials say the sounds from the eruption could be heard…
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China starts using anal swab tests to detect Covid-19 infections
A Covid-19 nasal swab test isn’t pleasant. Many will say the long stick inserted deep inside the nasal cavity feels like it’s hitting their brain. A method arguably much more discomforting is now being used in some cities in China… an anal swab test. And, they say, it’s more effective at detecting a coronavirus infection. After a Covid-19 infection was…
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Mass Covid-19 immunisation in poor countries could take until 2024
While developed countries, like those in the European Union, are likely to vaccinate most of the population within the next year, most poor countries won’t be able to reach mass Covid-19 immunisation until 2024, according to an analysis from the Economist Intelligence Unit. 84 of the world’s poorest countries will not receive enough vaccinations to reach herd immunity within the…
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Moderna vaccine is proved ‘protective’ against Covid-19 variants
As fear over new variants of Covid-19 had prompted the travel restrictions to tighten worldwide, the United States biotech firm Moderna announced that its vaccine should protect against the variants identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Latest studies on the efficacy of Moderna vaccines confirmed that the vaccines are effective and protective against new variants. The company will…
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Florida is ready to host Olympics if Tokyo draws back
If Tokyo backs out of hosting the Olympics, Florida might step in. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rescheduled for this July. With a fairly unpredictable future, Tokyo could back out of its plan to host the Olympics. Florida’s chief financial officer says the Sunshine State is ready. The CFO, Jimmy Patronis,…
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AstraZeneca says reports of vaccine’s low efficacy among elderly is “completely incorrect”
The pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca says reports that its Covid-19 vaccine has an extremely low efficacy among the elderly is “completely incorrect.” German newspapers published articles today reporting that the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, has an efficacy less than 10% in those over 65 years old. The economic daily Handelsblatt reported that Berlin estimated the vaccine’s efficacy…
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Anti-lockdown protests in the Netherlands turn violent, Covid-19 testing centre burnt down
Violence broke out in the Netherlands and a Covid-19 testing centre was burnt down after a nationwide curfew was imposed over the weekend to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. In Eindhoven and Amsterdam, riot police deployed water cannons to disperse the crowds of anti-lockdown protesters. The Netherlands has been under a tough lockdown since mid-December, leading to clashes…
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Asia’s biggest drug kingpin arrested in Netherlands
Asia’s biggest drug kingpin is under arrest in the Netherlands after years of authorities chasing him worldwide. 57 year old Tse Chi Lop, a Chinese-born Canadian citizen, was arrested by Dutch police acting on a request by Australia’s federal police. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime named him as the suspected leader of the Asian mega-cartel known as “Sam…
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Czech ‘Covid’ sniffer dogs can detect Covid-19 with a 95% success rate
Czech dog trainers say canines can sniff out Covid-19 with an astonishing 95% success rate. The team of trainers in Renda, a Czech mountain village, are working in their own time to teach the dogs to tell the difference between fake samples of Covid and real ones by sniffing pieces of cloth. Lenka Vlachova, a trainer who works at Prague’s…
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Talk show king, Larry King, dies at 87 | VIDEO
Larry King, the longtime CNN stalwart and talk host has died. He was 87 years of age. He is survived by 3 sons. “Larry King Live” was a staple on the the young cable TV network for over 25 years, interviewing presidential candidates, celebrities, athletes and high-profile personalities. He retired in 2010 after taping more than 6,000 episodes of the…
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Hong Kong partially locks down, forcing thousands to undergo Covid screening
Hong Kong’s government is forcing a partial lockdown until 10,000 residents of an area in the Kowloon peninsula, complete a Covid-19 test. The 2 day lockdown in the city’s poorest neighbourhood of Jordan, comes after a new strain of the coronavirus was identified, making it the 1st lockdown that the city has seen. The area, which features many deteriorating buildings…
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Thai PM is ready to work closely with the US President
Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha sent a letter of congratulations to US resident Joe Biden. He says the Thai government is ready to work closely with the US government to promote cooperation in all aspects and all levels. He also says that Thailand and the US have a long relationship that dates back over 200 years. And, as Thailand is the…
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Wuhan remembers Covid-19 lockdown on 1 year anniversary
Wuhan is remembering the Covid-19 lockdown that 11 million residents endured on today’s 1 year anniversary. The 76 day lockdown on January 23, 2020 saw public transportation shut down by 10am and a ban on anyone exiting the city, unless they were given special permission. In a city the size of London, locking down painted an eerily quiet landscape. But…
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Chinese propaganda flick released about the Wuhan lockdown
A new, state-backed film marking the anniversary of the Covid-19 Wuhan lockdown, is using propaganda to praise the central Chinese city. The documentary “Days and Nights in Wuhan” chronicles the suffering that the city’s 11 million residents endured during the 76 day lockdown. 30 filmmakers contributed to the film which included footage of medical staff and front-line workers. The film…
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US Ambassador to Thailand quits after Biden inaugurated
The US Ambassador to Thailand seems to have quit after only serving less than 1 year in office and moments after President Biden’s inauguration. Michael George DeSombre, who was appointed by President Trump in early 2020, made the announcement of his departure on the embassy’s official social media platform yesterday. A day before, he met with PM Prayut to “thank…
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Migrant workers risk losing their legal status, the Cabinet to extend work permit amnesty
Over 1.7 million migrant workers in Thailand are going to lose their legal working status because they can’t submit work permit renewal and a health certificate with Covid-19 test results in time. The Labour Ministry then proposes the cabinet will extend the registration period (amnesty) for migrant workers to help maintain their legal status. Migrant workers, including those illegal and…
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US President Biden reverses Trump’s policies on first day of presidency
Just after being sworn in, the new US President Joe Biden is reversing Donald Trump’s policies by signing 15 executive actions, principally targeting pandemic and climate change. Joe Biden, now America’s 46th President, said there is “no time to waste” as he referenced America’s battle with Covid-19. “Some of the executive actions I’m going to be signing today are going…
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Best cars ever won at the casino
Cars and casinos have a remarkably interesting history. Throughout the last half century and beyond, there have been many amazing supercars and priceless vehicles on offer in casinos for people to win and claim. Although winning a vehicle at the casino is rare, it has happened plenty of times in the past, and some of the prizes that were on…
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Covid-19 travel pass to pilot on Etihad and Emirates Airways flights
A travel pass for passengers inoculated against Covid-19 or who have tested negative will be piloted on flights for Dubai’s Emirates and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways. With the travel pass issued by the International Air Transport Association, passengers can keep control of their data and share their test results with airlines and authorities for travel. The travel pass will be…
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Australia might keep borders closed throughout 2021
It might be a while until tourists can visit Australia. Borders might not be fully reopen until at least 2022. Australia is rolling out its immunisation program next month, but even if most of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19, the Australian government says it will probably wait to make sure the vaccine prevents the transmission of the virus before…
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