United States
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok DJ infected with more contagious, less severe Covid-19 strain
The Bangkok DJ who recently tested positive for Covid-19 was infected by the G strain, a more contagious, but less severe strain, according to the Department of Medical Sciences director general Opas Karnkawinpong. The strain is mostly found in those returning to Thailand from abroad and detected in quarantine. The G strain isn’t as severe as L strain and the…
- Covid-19 News
US Covid-19 cases surge past 3 million
Over 3 million people in the US have now tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the outbreak (3,158,932 as of midday Thai time). Nearly 135,000 deaths have been recorded and the country is now facing an acceleration of new cases in a number of key states, notably Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, Georgia and Tennessee. On a positive note,…
- Covid-19 News
US buys up most of the world’s supply of Covid-19 drug
The US has purchased almost the entire global supply of one of the main drugs used to treat Covid-19 patients. Reports say that American officials have bought up all the Remdesivir available in July and 90% of the supply company’s stock in August and September as well. Remdesivir, which was originally developed to treat Ebola, is produced almost exclusively by the…
- World News
Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate symbol from state flag
Legislators in Mississippi voted on Sunday to strip the Confederate battle symbol from the state flag after national demonstrations drew renewed attention to the symbols of the colonial history, slavery and race issues in the US. The measure was adopted by a majority vote of 91-23 in the House of Representatives, which gave rise to cheers in the Senate gallery. A few hours…
- World News
America’s BLM movement sparks race discussion in Thailand
While the Black Lives Matter movement continues unabated in the US, a broader discussion on discrimination and racism is now being brought up on the other side of the world. Some foreigners and locals with dark skin have spoken up about the overt racism they’ve experienced in Thailand. While activists in America protest alleged police brutality and racial profiling, some…
- World News
Fight over “El Chapo’s” legacy leaves 16 dead in Mexico
The war to protect drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s legacy burst into a gun battle between rival Mexican gangs and left 16 dead on Thursday, authorities said. The 16 people, heavily armed and wearing bulletproof vests, died in a six-hour shootout near the rural town of Tepache in the northwestern province of Sinaloa. “A van with seven bodies was located” after the initial clash,…
- Covid-19 News
UK starts human testing on experimental Covid-19 vaccine
The UK is joining the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine with volunteers already getting jabbed as the testing continues. But the new vaccine isn’t merely a weaker version of the actual virus- it ‘clones’ the virus so its receivers don’t actually get infected with Covid-19. Imperial College London is behind the new vaccine which uses synthetic strands of genetic code,…
- World News
Certain hand sanitisers ‘could be toxic’ in the USA
The US government recommended that consumers should not use nine different kinds of hand sanitisers as they have been warned to be toxic. This is due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance which the FDA warned: “can be toxic if absorbed or ingested through the skin.” The FDA’s regulator for the US Food and Drug Administration…
- World News
WHO reports the highest daily increase of Covid-19 cases
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the largest single-day increase in cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, with over 183,000 new cases detected in the past 24 hours. Key points: The significantly larger number of cases could be due to both increased testing and wider spreading of infections There are now more than 8.7 million cases worldwide, with…
- Bangkok News
Thailand activists hold online Black Lives Matter protest
While the US is on the complete opposite side of of the world, some in Thailand joined an online protest yesterday on the Zoom video-conferencing software. Reuters says 300 Thais and foreigners joined the digital call for justice for George Floyd, a black American who died at the end of May after being pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer.…
- Crime News
LA’s Thai Town hit by protesters and rioters
Thai Town businesses in Los Angeles were raided yesterday as rioters and looters across the US hit the streets, enraged over police brutality after a white police officer killed George Floyd, an African American, by pinning him to the ground, with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck, restricting his breathing. Protesters in Minneapolis, where the officer patrolled, set the police…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok hospitals use baby face shields, US health officials say it could be dangerous
While Bangkok hospitals say they are protecting newborn babies from the coronavirus with baby-sized face shields, health authorities in the US disagree with the move, and even claim it could be dangerous. The US Centre of Disease Control says an infant face shield could increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome as well as suffocation or strangulation. Since infants…
- Thailand News
Cobra Gold troops drink blood from decapitated cobras in annual jungle ceremony
Thailand and US military forces have joined in the opening ceremony for the annual Cobra Gold military exercise. Cobra Gold is the largest biggest military exercise of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region with 29 nations taking part as participants or observers. The military activities will run until February 22, including disaster relief training, military field training and humanitarian assistance…
