US
- 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…
- Politics News
Outgoing army chief says no plans for US base on Thai soil
Outgoing army chief Apirat Kongsompong, is denying that the US is seeking to establish a military base on Thai soil. At a press briefing, Apirat said that Thai and US troops have only carried out joint military drills, code-named Cobra Gold, and nothing more. The drills are a multinational exercise held annually in Thailand. Apirat insisted the US did not…
- 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
Thai activist cries foul on government over US diplomat skirting quarantine
A transparency campaigner dubbed ” Thailand’s complainer-in-chief ” is accusing the government of negligence for allowing the chief of the US army to enter the country without having to go through a mandatory quarantine upon arriving. Activist Srisuwan Janya says he fears the visit of a delegation from the country with by far the most Covid-19 cases (not to mention…
- Economy News
US ambassador meets deputy PM to discuss Thailand’s “great investment potential”
US Ambassador to Thailand Michael George DeSombre, who raised eyebrows in May when he described the US as “a better friend than China,” has praised the kingdom’s “great investment potential”, highlighting the expansion of current projects and further support for industry as ways to promote further cooperation. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak welcomed the ambassador to the open discussion amongst key trade…
- Business News
PETA reveals ‘abused’ monkeys used to pick coconuts in Thailand
A boycott is in full swing amongst western retailers to pull Thai coconut products off their shelves following allegations that the coconuts have been picked by monkeys who were ‘abused’ to learn how to pick coconuts. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals director, Elisa Allen, claims the macaque monkeys are “snatched from the wild” and cruelly trained to climb up…
- Thailand News
Major international retailers banning monkey-picked coconuts – VIDEO
Allegations of animal abuse are prompting major Western retailers to pull Thai coconut products from their shelves, amid accusations that the coconuts are picked by monkeys treated inhumanely. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claim monkeys are snatched from the wild and trained to pick up to 1,000 coconuts a day. The animal rights group says pigtailed macaques are…
- Covid-19 News
Uruguay’s Covid-19 Policy of “freedom with responsibility” shows success
To the Government of Uruguay’s relief, their policy of “independence with responsibility” in the containment of the Covid-19 pandemic seems to have been successful… so far. Yesterday, when Europe opened its borders to 15 countries, Uruguay became the only Latin American country to be included. With less than 1,000 registered Covid-19 cases and just 27 deaths, the 3.4 million-plus nation is…
- World News
L’Oreal is dropping words such as ‘whitening’ from products
The French cosmetics giant L’Oreal is reportedly joining the bandwagon to remove terms such as “whitening” and “fairness” off its skincare products. The decision was made by the Paris-based corporation in the aftermath of the global anti-racism demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd in the US last month. L’Oreal said in a statement that it has “decided to delete…
- 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…
- Covid-19 News
Taiwan hosts gay pride march for other countries
Taiwan has taken centre stage by hosting a gay pride march for the rest of the world which saw many cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Taipei’s Liberty Square saw more than 200 people coming out to celebrate saying they were “marching for the world” during the LGBT pride season. The move supports Taiwan’s recent progressiveness towards the issue as…
- World News
Dixie chicks changes name due to racist connotations
After the US has exploded with protests and calls for racism to be seriously addressed, the country music group Dixie Chicks has chosen to drop “dixie” citing its racist connotations. The word “dixie,” was used to describe the confederate states in the US that supported slavery as it was derived from Jeremiah Dixon, whose name came to signify the 11…
- Covid-19 News
World Covid-19 cases accelerate as the toll surpasses 9 million infections
Global coronavirus infections have now topped 9 million infections with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating in cases. As parts of the world start to open up the World Health Organisation is warning that, far from even getting to a second wave, most of the world is still deep into its first wave. Europe has been steadily easing community and even travel…
- 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
Wealth disparity between blacks and whites in America becomes more apparent
Despite African Americans in the US making up 13% of its population, the minority group reportedly only earns 3% of America’s wealth. The statistics are alarmingly similar to the current war on racism in the States as many activists are pointing out the governmental and institutional bias surrounding black Americans. Since slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, the amount of…
- 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…
- Covid-19 News
7 new Covid-19 cases reported in Thailand (June 8)
This morning Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, the spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has announced 7 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19. All 7 were reported as Thai nationals who were recently repatriated from aboard. Today marks the second week, with no new cases of Covid-19 transmitted locally. The Thai Government, however, says their current target is to reach…
- 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.…
- Business News
Thai Airways may not need to file for bankruptcy in US
Contrary to earlier reports, Thai Airways may not need to seek bankruptcy protection in the United States to avoid seizure of its planes and other assets. A senior official made the announcement after a meeting led by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam with the struggling carrier’s senior management and the airline’s board. The meeting was to discuss the airline’s rehabilitation plan…
- World News
Ambassador calls US “better friend” than China
“Nobody will have to take sides.” US Ambassador to Thailand Michael George DeSombre said in an exclusive interview with Nation Thailand that the US spat with China won’t affect relations in the region and nations will not have to take sides. He expects more American companies to invest in the Kingdom in the coming months and years, and reiterated that…
- World News
China proposes new “security law” for Hong Kong
After more than a year of often violent protests and unrest, China says it will introduce a proposal today for a national security law in Hong Kong in a move the US warns will be “highly destabilising” for the Asian financial hub. The announcement late yesterday was quickly criticised by pro-democracy lawmakers and activists as “the end of Hong Kong,”…
- Covid-19 News
President Trump claims China responsible for “mass worldwide killing”
In one of his notorious Twitter posts, US President Donald Trump once again raged against China over the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, blaming Beijing for a “mass worldwide killing.” The early morning tweet yesterday, which referred to an unidentified “wacko in China”, is the latest heated rhetoric from Washington, where Trump is making attacks on Beijing a central narrative…
- Covid-19 News
Global coronavirus infections top 5 million
“We still have a long way to go in this pandemic. In the last 24 hours, there have been 106,000 cases reported to WHO, the most in a single day since the outbreak began.” The Covid-19 coronavirus has infected more than 5 million people worldwide since the beginning of the outbreak, as the World Health Organisation yesterday reported highest number…
- World News
Thailand scores highest for mask-wearing in survey of ASEAN nations
A survey carried out by internet-based market research firm YouGov reveals that Thais are the most likely to wear face masks and to use hand sanitiser. Khaosod English reports that the survey examined the habits of citizens from 6 ASEAN member-states and found that 95% of Thais always wear a face mask in public. (It’s currently still law to wear…
- Economy News
Local markets in Asia retreat as US President Trump talks up revised trade war
Steep losses are the order of the day as local markets follow the lead from a sell off in New York after US President Trump foreshadowed a new round of trade sanctions on China. The US President and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have openly accused the Chinese government that the Covid-19 started in a lab in Wuhan, and that…
- Covid-19 News
US Covid-19 cases pass 1 million as Germany starts wearing masks – VIDEO
Covid-19 cases in the US passed the 1 million mark in the past 24 hours, with US President Donald Trump claiming that the high number are “because of better testing”. The outbreak has left tens of millions unemployed in the US and nearly 60,000 dead, by far the highest number of confirmed fatalities – well over a quarter of the…
- Economy News
Thailand loses US free trade benefits worth billions of baht
Thailand loses duty free access for 42.2 billion baht in exports to the US market from today, 6 months after Washington warned it would pull back on trade privileges unless the kingdom committed to labour rights reforms. Once trade preferences for Thai products are removed they are subject to tax of between 4% and 5%, making them more expensive in…
- Hot News
American creates bomb scare at Bangkok’s US Embassy
This morning at 8:3oam officers at Bangkok’s Lumphini Police Station were notified of a suspicious western man who placed a suspicious box in front of the US embassy. A bomb disposal team was sent to the scene but in the box there was only a Muay Thai doll, some clothes, A3 batteries, papers and a plastic bottle was found nearby.…
- World News
US President halts funding for WHO – VIDEO
At over 600,000 cases, the US has more Covid-19 infections than any other country. Now, the US President Donald Trump has now announced a cut in US funding for the World Health Organisation, the UN agency tasked with fighting the outbreak worldwide. In a press briefing at the White House Rose Garden yesterday, he said he had instructed his administration to…
- Covid-19 News
With more than 20,000 deaths, US surpasses Italy’s total of deceased coronavirus patients
Deaths from the Covid-19 coronavirus in the US topped 20,000 yesterday (20,577 to be precise), surpassing Italy, previously the world’s hardest-hit country. It was a grim start to the Easter holiday weekend on which US President Donald Trump had earlier hoped to “reopen the country”. With the report of 1,863 new deaths nationally yesterday, the US has reached two grim…
