US
- World News
Asian trade deal to be signed today
Today, 15 countries are set to sign a wide-reaching Asian trade deal to help them recover from the Covid pandemic. Such countries as China, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan are part of the pact which also includes 10 south east Asian economies – the 10 countries of ASEAN. The deal is seen as a Chinese-led alternative to the…
- World News
UPDATE: Biden pulls ahead in key battleground states as vote counting continues
Former vice president Joe Biden currently sits at 264 electoral votes, in the race for the magic ‘270’ vote finish line. He’s also ahead in the count, by slim margins, in the battleground states Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada. If any one of those states gets called in his favour, he will pass the 270 electoral votes to become president (if he maintains…
- World News
UPDATE: President Trump repeats fraud claims, counting continues in too-close-to-call election
The US President Donald Trump has again repeated unproven and outlandish claims that widespread voter fraud has marred the US presidential election. In a handful of crucial states the results are too close to call as votes continue to be counted. Speaking at the White House, the President was defiant, accusing pollsters and the Democratic Party of engaging in fraud. It’s…
- World News
UPDATE: No clear winner in US Election, but pollsters got the result very wrong, again
Although there’s currently no clear winner, officially reaching the magic 270 Electoral College votes and claiming the US Presidency, there’s already plenty of losers – most with the words “poll’ in their name. US pollsters, largely, got the election result wrong, again. They’d promised to refine their models following the 2016 embarrassment but have just repeated their errors this time…
- World News
US President Trump falsely claims victory with millions of votes still uncounted
As the US ticks over onto November 4, the day after the Election Day, Americans go to sleep none-the-wiser who is going to be the next sitting President. But that didn’t stop incumbent President Donald Trump from falsely claiming victory over his Democrat rival Joe Biden. Millions of votes remain uncounted in the race that will not be decided until a handful of US…
- Economy News
US cuts Thailand’s tariff benefits after long-running pork dispute
Thailand’s duty-free privileges for US$817 million in exports with the US are to be revoked from the end of this year, according to US President Trump in an announcement yesterday. The President blamed a lack of progress in opening the Thai market to US pork products. Trump’s letter announcing the action follows more than 2 years of threats and negotiations…
- Economy News
Dow and S&P 500 take a breath after an ugly week, tech stocks lead the way down
US stocks closed lower yesterday to end an ugly week downbeat with ‘uncertainty’ remaining the overwhelming sentiment. Tech stocks led the march downwards. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped in its biggest monthly collapse since March with investors reacting to rising Covid-19 cases in the US and Europe, peppered by nervousness ahead of next Tuesday’s US presidential election. The increased…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: World Covid cases surge again, US reports 81,000+ cases in past 24 hours
Both the rate of new infections and deaths from the coronavirus has begun to spike in the worldwide totals again with some countries and locations having to go back into lockdowns for a second or third time. In the US and parts of Europe a major new surge of cases is concerning health authorities, especially as these countries are now…
- Covid-19 News
Covid19 – US infections “balloon”, world case total surpasses 40 million
“We were really hoping to crater the cases in preparation for a bad winter. We’ve done basically the opposite.” New Covid-19 cases are again surging in many countries. Globally, the number of infected people exceeded 40 million as of last night with new infections starting to accelerate again. Today the total number of confirmed cases around the world is 40,323,461. The…
- Covid-19 News
Timeline of a pandemic – the early days of Covid-19
The most critical time in the Covid-19 story is obviously early January this year, when either confusion or a lack of concrete knowledge, caused delays in public information about the seriousness of a possible new coronavirus. It was, indeed, a novel coronavirus, difficult to identify without a history or a published RNA sequence for comparison. In the last weeks of…
- Covid-19 News
7 new Covid-19 cases detected in quarantine, most asymptomatic
7 new Covid-19 cases have been detected in quarantine from those people entering Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport, plus 1 patient who appears to have contracted the virus for a second time. The cases come from Hungry, India, Kuwait, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the US, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand now has a total…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: US President Trump and Melania test positive for Covid-19
The US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for Covid-19. The President made the announcement on his Twitter account at 1am Friday, Washington time. The 74 year old President was diagnosed just hours after it became public that Hope Hicks, a Trump aide who had been travelling with him on Air Force One and Marine…
- World News
UPDATE: US President Trump and First Lady test positive for Covid-19
The US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania have tested positive for Covid-19. The President made the announcement on his Twitter account in the early hours of Friday morning, US time. The 74 year old President was diagnosed just hours after it became public that Hope Hicks, a Trump aide who had been travelling with him on Air Force…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 deaths surpass 1 million whilst more reports emerge about former patients’ “brain fog”
The world’s Covid-19-related deaths has passed the 1 million mark overnight as the the cycle of the world’s lockdowns and re-openings are getting mixed results. As of this morning, Thai time, the number of total deaths has reached 1,002,389, with 4,000-6,000 deaths still being recorded, globally, every day. And rising. On a more positive note, the number of daily deaths…
- Thailand News
US accuses Chinese companies of exploitation along the Mekong River
The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is accusing Chinese companies of “exploitative practices” in the Mekong River region after a new partnership has been launched to combat “transnational crimes”. Pompeo named the China Communications Construction Company as one of the big offenders and says the Chinese Communist Party is responsible for the increase in human, wildlife and drug trafficking…
- Thailand News
Divers believe they have found a 77 year old wrecked US Navy submarine by Phuket
Divers in the Strait of Malacca have reportedly found what they believe to be a 77 year old US Navy wrecked submarine in what is seemingly the concluding piece in a tale from World War II. The divers are currently awaiting confirmation of the finding from the United States Naval History and Heritage Command for verification after sending photos and…
- Covid-19 News
US Covid-19 deaths push past 200,000 people
New Covid-19 cases in the US increase continue to drop slightly as the nation pushes over 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s CEO predicts it’s likely the US will deploy an effective vaccine before the end of the year, despite scientists saying the forecasts are ‘optimistic’ at best. CEO Albert Bourla maintained that it’s “likely” the US will have…
- Pattaya News
American and Thai in critical condition after motorbike incident in Pattaya
A US citizen has been hit by a motorbike around 1am on Pattaya’s Beach Road. The driver of the motorbike was also seriously injured in the incident. The American’s name has not been released by Police at this stage. When Sawang Boriboon Rescue responders arrived they found the American in shock with severe head injuries. But he was conscious at…
- Covid-19 News
When will the world open up again for travel?
OPINION 9 months since the first outbreak in China, international borders remain mostly sealed. Most travellers, excepting certain categories, are prevented from leaving or entering in the majority of countries. The shutters went up in March and April in much of the world, a bit later in some countries, as governments and medical officials figure out how to safely re-open…
- Phuket News
Soi Dog Foundation is looking for flight volunteers
One of Thailand’s favourite charities, the Soi Dog Foundation, has put out the call for any foreign nationals from European and North American destinations who are heading to those destinations soon to come forward as potential flight volunteers to help adopted pets arrive at new overseas homes. Over 100 adopted animals are currently waiting patiently at the shelter in Phuket…
- Economy News
US dollar denominated gold trade to be allowed
Ending decades of regulations limiting gold trade in Thailand to the baht, the US dollar will now be allowed as well. 2 weeks ago, in a bid to slow the rapidly rising baht and avoid landing on the US list of “currency manipulators”, the Bank of Thailand announced a policy to allow trading gold products in US dollars. Market players…
- Covid-19 News
Global cases of Covid-19 top 20 million
While Thailand has recorded no new case of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the pandemic continues to escalate around the world, with global cases of the virus now topping 20 million. The Thai government’s Covid-19 task force says confirmed cases in Thailand stand at 3,351, with 414 of those detected among people in state quarantine. Nation Thailand reports that…
- World News
Trump orders enhanced unemployment benefits, eviction moratorium
US President Donald Trump yesterday signed executive actions, 1 of which provides US$400 a week in enhanced unemployment benefits (25% of which is to be covered by the individual states) after the White House and Democrats were unable to reach an agreement on a coronavirus stimulus relief bill last week. Speaking from his his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey,…
- Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Covid-19. The world about to surpass 20 million infections
Coronavirus cases around the world will pass through the 20 million milestone in the next 24 hours. Whilst the early ‘hotspots’ for Covid-19 were China, Spain, UK and Italy, over the past month the largest growth in cases, per capita, has been the US, most South American countries, South Africa, India, and locally, Philippines and Indonesia. As of today there…
- World News
3 men saved after rescuers spotted a huge SOS in the sand on remote Pacific island
It reads like a Hollywood script (or the first episode of ‘I Dream of Jeannie’), but this time it was for real. And it worked. 3 men were rescued from a tiny western Pacific island after scrawling a giant SOS sign into the sand. It was able to be seen by rescue aircraft. The men had gone missing in the Micronesia…
- Business News
Trump threatens US TikTok ban
Donald Trump said yesterday that he plans to sign an executive order – perhaps as soon as today – banning the Chinese-owned short-video app TikTok from the US. Such a ban would mark the culmination of national security concerns over the safety of personal data handled by TikTok’s parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, which became 1 of only a handful of…
- Covid-19 News
Europe bans US travellers for 2nd time in a month
The EU extended its travel ban on Americans yesterday for the second time in a month, as Covid-19 continues to ravage the US. The EU began lifting its travel restrictions on July 1, welcoming visitors from 14 countries, including Canada, South Korea and Australia. The US was left off of that list, and the EU extended its ban on travellers…
- Politics News
US, Australia take hawkish tone towards China in talks
Australian and US foreign and defence ministers have taken a hawkish tone against China in the latest round of annual talks between the two countries. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set the tone for the talks saying to the the Australian ministers that the United States “knows the threats that you and the rest of the free world face”. “And…
- Northern Thailand News
US donates thousands of masks for Thai hill tribes
Despite Thailand going over 2 months without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, the US embassy has sent thousands of face masks to Chiang Rai province. A representative of the US embassy delivered the masks, valued at around 458,000 baht, to authorities in Chiang Rai this week. Regional US honorary consul general Sean O’Neil says the USA wants to help…
- World News
Covid-19 UPDATE: 3 new cases in Thailand, world total passes 16 million
On a day when the number of the world’s total infections zooms through the 16 million mark, and the US total for deaths is about to reach 150,000 people, Thailand again registers a mere 3 new cases, again all imported. The USA, Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa are the world’s Top 5 coronavirus hotspots with a host of South…
- Covid-19 News
US surpasses 140,000 Covid-19 deaths as outbreak escalates
US deaths from Covid-19 surpassed the 140,000 mark yesterday as cases have continued to rise in 43 of the 50 states over the past 2 weeks. As of today the tally stands at 142,877. Since late June the US has seen a resurgence in new cases and now, 6 weeks later, deaths are also on the rise, according to a…
- Covid-19 News
3 new cases from repatriation flights and state quarantine-Covid-19 update (July 13)
Today, Thailand reports 3 new confirmed cases from people on repatriation flights and in state quarantine centres. No additional deaths been reported, bringing the total amount of cases currently to 3,220 and 58 deaths (although a man has died of a heart attack whilst at a quarantine facility). According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the Kingdom currently has…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 UPDATE: All the latest news from the world – July 12
Today the total number of Covid-19 patients in the world has reached 12,847,288 with 567,734 people dying due to the effects of the virus. 7,483,246 people are registered as ‘recovered’ from their bout of Covid-19. The numbers of new cases, worldwide, is accelerating. The current hotspots are the US, Brazil, India, South Africa and Mexico – presenting with the highest…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 UPDATE: All the latest news from the world
Today the total number of Covid-19 patients in the world has nearly reached 12,625,155 with 562,769 people succumbing to the effects of the disease. Over 7.3 million people are registered as ‘recovered’ from their bout of Covid-19. The numbers of new cases, worldwide, is accelerating. The current hotspots are the US, Brazil, India, South Africa and Mexico – presenting with the…
- Politics News
US ambassador vows to help Thailand combat human trafficking
The US ambassador to Thailand is pledging to help Thailand achieve its goal to be upgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 1 in the annual US Trafficking in Persons Report. The report divides countries into tiers based on their compliance with standards outlined in the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Tier 1 comprises countries whose governments fully comply…
- Covid-19 News
US delegation arrives, submits to Covid-19 screening
The chief of staff of the US army, General James C. McConville, arrived in Thailand today with an entourage for a 2 day trip, at the invitation of the Royal Thai Army. He has also granted permission for the publication of the results of his Covid-19 swab test. McConville and his entourage landed at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport at 10:15am…
- Covid-19 News
In the midst of re-opening, there are now new lockdowns around the world
Countries that appeared, only a few weeks ago, to have their local Covid-19 outbreaks under control – Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore for example – are now seeing new waves of the virus drawing immediate attention from officials, locking down the affected areas. They know, for now, it’s the only solution to counter new outbreaks. These mini-outbreaks in formerly ‘low-risk’ areas…
