World News
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US issues sanctions against Myanmar after coup
US President Joe Biden is issuing sanctions against Myanmar’s military regime after it staged a coup which saw the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi placed under arrest along with other senior members of the National League for Democracy. The executive order will prevent Myanmar’s generals from accessing US $1 billion in assets in the US while keeping…
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Myanmar military commander pens letter to Thai PM
Myanmar military commander is opening a line of communication with Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha detailing why a coup was staged to seize power after a democratic election in the state. Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing explained why the Tatmadaw had to stage a coup and asked for help to support democracy. He alleged that fraud took place in the November 8…
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North Korea steals $300 million USD in cryptocurrency for nuclear weapons – UN report
Hackers in North Korea stole cryptocurrency worth more than $300 million USD to pay the government’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, according to a confidential report by United Nations experts monitoring sanctions on the country’s capital Pyongyang. From 2019 to November 2020, North Korea stole around $316.4 million USD worth of “virtual assets,” according to AFP, which obtained a copy…
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Sick pet cats and dogs to be tested for Covid-19 in Seoul, South Korea
Cat and dog owners in Seoul, South Korea are now asked to keep their pets 2 metres away from both people and other pets while sick cats and dogs with flu-like symptoms will be tested for Covid-19. The new health measures for pets comes after the country reported its first feline coronavirus case in January when a kitten in the…
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South Africa stalls AstraZeneca vaccine campaign after trial found “minimal protection” against new strain
South Africa’s rollout of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine has been put on pause following reports that it only provides “minimal protection” for the new strain of the virus first detected in South Africa. The country will continue plans to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, only provides limited…
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LA artist behind portrait of murdered Thai man condemns surge in racist violence
The US artist behind a portrait of an elderly Thai man who died after a brutal attack outside his San Francisco home, has voiced his disgust and sadness at the rise in anti-Asian sentiment in the US. Los Angeles artist Jonathan D. Chang drew the portrait of 84 year old Vicha Ratanapakdee and posted it on Instagram as a tribute…
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Democracy Index 2020 ranks Thailand 4th in ASEAN, 73rd in the world
The Democracy Index 2020 has placed Thailand 4th in ASEAN and 73rd in the world, categorising it as a, “Flawed Democracy.” The index, which is compiled by The Economist Intelligence Unit, part of the company which publishes The Economist newspaper, measures the state of democracy in 167 countries around the world. Norway has topped the global ranking, sitting firmly in…
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Thailand News Today | Thailand fallout from Burmese coup | February 3
With potential sanctions and boycotts against Myanmar likely following the military coup, the Thai-Myanmar Business Council says Thai investors are concerned their businesses in the neighbouring country will be affected. As for now, it’s unclear what effect the coup will have on Thai-owned businesses in Myanmar. The country’s economy, already battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to slow down…
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Elderly Thai man killed in violent attack in California
An 84 year old Thai man has died after being brutally attacked outside his home in San Francisco, in the US state of California. CCTV footage shows Vicha Ratanapakdee being approached by a man who pushes him violently to the ground before running away. The attack took place on the footpath outside Vicha’s home early on Thursday morning, with the…
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Court rejects police request to further detain 2 activists from Burmese embassy protest
A court has rejected a police request to further detain 2 of the 3 activists arrested following a protest at the Burmese embassy in Bangkok on Monday. Thai and Burmese activists had gathered to protest the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of several government figures, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Police arrested 3 suspects in total, who have…
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Experts say UK virus mutation may affect vaccine efficacy
A new mutation of the Covid-19 virus, which has been found in a strain currently circulating in the UK, may have an impact on the efficacy of vaccines, according to Public Health England. The E484K mutation has already been detected in South Africa and Brazil and has now been found in at least 11 samples of the B.1.1.7 strain in…
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Outbreak in Vietnam linked to the more contagious UK variant of Covid-19
The more contagious UK variant of Covid-19 is linked to a new outbreak in Vietnam with 276 people infected in 10 provinces and cities, according to the country’s health minister. The new cases are a major uptick for Vietnam, which has only recorded 1,850 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic last year. Vietnam had its…
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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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