World News
World news, global politics, business, technology, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, international trends, and major events. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for global news.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Imran Khan calls for nationwide ‘freedom’ protests after arrest in Pakistan
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has called for nationwide “freedom” protests today after last week’s unrest following his brief arrest and detention. The former cricket star, who has faced numerous legal cases since his removal from office in April last year, was released on bail on Friday when the Supreme Court declared his detention unlawful, AFP reported.…
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Four men claim to be fathers of a newborn baby, revealing touching truth
When a baby is born, it’s not uncommon to see people anxiously waiting outside the delivery room, hoping for good news. However, it’s rare to witness four men all claiming to be the father of the same baby. A pregnant Chinese woman experienced sudden abdominal pain despite not yet reaching her due date. Her family quickly took her to the hospital.…
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Bride chains groom’s wrists to make him attend wedding
A bizarre incident involving a bride and groom caught the attention of a large crowd in Xian, China. The bride, dressed in her wedding gown, was seen attempting to pull a chain wrapped around the bound wrists of her would-be groom, who was lying on the floor, trying to hold onto the chain, and refusing to be dragged away. The…
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Israel launches further strikes on Gaza as truce efforts continue
Violence intensified between Israel and Gaza as Israel’s military launched additional strikes on Friday, in response to rockets fired by militants on the fourth day of conflict. The fighting has resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, as well as one Israeli civilian reports Bangkok Post. Egypt’s ongoing efforts to lead truce negotiations offer some hope, as initial talks…
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UMNO’s relevance continues despite being perceived as lifeless, says party president
Despite widespread perceptions of being a “lifeless” party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) still holds significance, according to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Speaking at the party’s 77th-anniversary celebration, he acknowledged that the party currently has only 26 members in parliament, along with four more from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, but insisted the party’s relevance endures. UMNO, Malaysia’s…
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UFC Gym eager to re-enter Singapore market after sudden closure of franchise
UFC Gym has expressed its keen interest in returning to the Singapore market and is committed to offering support to customers affected by the unexpected closure of its franchise in the country, according to CEO Adam Sedlack. He highlighted that Singapore continues to be an attractive market for the UFC Gym brand and their unique training approach. Members of UFC…
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Malaysia’s economy exceeds expectations with 5.6% growth in first quarter
Malaysia‘s economy has experienced faster than anticipated growth in the first quarter, bolstered by solid domestic demand, causing the central bank to downplay the potential impact of a global slowdown on the country, which is reliant on exports. Gross domestic product increased by 5.6%, according to data from the central bank and the government, exceeding analysts’ forecasts of a 4.8%…
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Philippine hospitals struggle to retain nurses as rich countries lure them away
Ronald Ignacio began his nursing career in the Philippines during the nursing boom in 2008, quickly discovering that there were not enough jobs available within the health system. Initially unable to find work in his chosen profession, Ignacio spent two years laboring on a farm. In 2010, he eventually secured a nursing position in a private hospital in Manila. Ignacio…
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Acquittal of Philippine human rights campaigner Leila de Lima brings her closer to freedom
Philippine human rights advocate Leila de Lima, who has been imprisoned since February 2017, was acquitted of one of the two remaining drug trafficking charges against her on Friday, edging her closer to freedom. De Lima, 63 years old and a former senator and justice minister, has faced these charges as retaliation for investigating President Rodrigo Duterte and his controversial…
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BlockFi bankruptcy allows return of funds to non-interest-bearing account holders
Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender BlockFi has been granted court permission to return US$297 million to clients holding non-interest-bearing accounts. However, this does not include repayment to customers who made last-minute attempts to transfer funds into those accounts. It was concluded by the UK Bankruptcy Judge that customers owned their deposits in BlockFi’s Wallet programme, a non-interest-paying scheme that maintained customer deposits…
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Pakistan court appearance for ex-PM Khan after unlawful arrest ruling
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, 70, was due to appear in court today after the Supreme Court deemed his arrest earlier this week, which led to deadly clashes across the country, to be unlawful. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared Khan’s arrest invalid yesterday, necessitating a review of the entire process. Khan was ordered to remain in the bench’s…
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Astronomers identify largest cosmic explosion ever observed
A colossal cosmic explosion, now identified as the largest ever witnessed, has left astronomers puzzled and eager to conduct further research. The fireball, known as AT2021lwx, is a hundred times the size of our Solar System and initially started blazing in the distant universe over three years ago. Although not the brightest explosion ever registered, AT2021lwx is considered the largest…
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YouTuber pilot faces jail for crashing plane as stunt
A YouTube pilot who bailed out midair and deliberately sent his plane crashing into the ground to boost viewership on his channel could face up to 20 years in prison, US authorities announced recently. In a video watched by nearly three million people titled “I crashed my airplane,” Trevor Jacob, 29 years old, appears to experience engine trouble while flying…
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Sudan’s warring parties commit to humanitarian principles amid ongoing conflict
Sudan’s warring factions signed a commitment to adhere to humanitarian principles in their intensifying conflict but did not agree to a ceasefire during challenging talks mediated by US diplomats in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Representatives of the military and paramilitary forces, responsible for a conflict that has claimed over 750 lives and displaced numerous citizens, signed the agreement while continuing negotiations.…
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Pakistan’s supreme court declares Imran Khan’s arrest invalid
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled on May 11 that the arrest of former prime minister, Imran Khan, was “invalid”. This decision was made two days after his apprehension ignited severe protests and deadly clashes across the nation. For his safety, the court ordered Khan to remain in their custody under police protection until his appearance in court the following day. Chief…
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WhatsApp in-chat payments roll out in Singapore: A new chapter for SMEs or a security risk?
Digital payments are transforming rapidly, and WhatsApp’s recent decision to launch in-chat payments in Singapore highlights this change. The move by Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, is expected to have a significant impact on local businesses and increase competition among the region’s e-payment providers. However, concerns also arise around security, privacy, and the potential for scams and fraud. With a user…
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Biden and senior Republicans meeting postponed for further staff discussions
Crunch negotiations between US President Joe Biden and senior Republicans have been delayed until early next week, allowing staff to continue their discussions, according to a statement from the White House yesterday. An insider familiar with the talks between the Democratic and Republican leaders described this as a positive development, implying that it was not the right time for the…
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Revolut CFO Mikko Salovaara resigns amid banking licence delays
Financial technology company Revolut announced yesterday that its Chief Financial Officer, Mikko Salovaara, aged 31, will be departing the firm after two years in the position. A spokesperson for the London-based start-up cited “personal reasons” as the cause for his resignation. At this time, no successor has been named by Revolut. The company has been going through a challenging period…
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Elon Musk announces new CEO for Twitter and transition to CTO role
Elon Musk revealed yesterday that he has appointed a new CEO for Twitter, though he did not disclose the individual’s identity. He also stated that he will assume the position of Chief Technology Officer for the social media platform within the next few weeks. “Excited to announce that I’ve hired a new CEO for X/Twitter. She will be starting in…
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Brothers, 6 and 3, take parents’ car for joyride in Malaysia
A six year old boy in Malaysia put his three year old brother in the passenger seat of his parent’s car and took it for a 2.5 kilometre joyride before crashing into a lamppost late Tuesday night. The motive? They wanted to buy a toy car. After the boys’ father fell asleep, they waited for their mother to go to…
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Austrian billionaire’s Nazi-linked jewel collection fetches over $155 million at auction
Jewellery once owned by Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten, who passed away last year at the age of 81, has fetched over US$155 million in a recent controversial auction held in Geneva by Christie’s. The auction faced criticism from Jewish groups due to connections to Horten’s husband, who made his fortune under the Nazis. However, Christie had argued that the sale…
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Gaza violence escalates as Israel and militants trade heavy fire
Overnight, Israel’s army and Gaza militants exchanged heavy cross-border fire, resulting in at least 22 Palestinians killed over two days. This marks the worst escalation of violence to impact the coastal territory in months. In response to incoming rocket attacks, sirens blared in the Tel Aviv area and Israel’s south. There were reports of launches from Gaza, while Israeli officials…
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Imran Khan’s duel with Pakistan military and its impact on nation’s democracy
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has become a controversial figure in Pakistan, causing tension with the country’s military, long considered the primary power broker in the nation. His arrest this week comes after a series of critical statements against a senior intelligence officer, escalating the conflict between Khan’s popularity and the military’s significant influence. According to US-based Stimson Center analyst…
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Iran’s traditional wooden lenj boats face extinction as modern vessels take over
Hassan Rostam, a 62 years old Iranian captain, has navigated the Strait of Hormuz aboard his traditional wooden lenj for four decades. However, he sadly witnesses these hand-built vessels being replaced by more economical, faster boats. Lenjes have sailed Gulf waters for centuries, their unique form reflecting regional maritime customs similar to the dhows of the Arabian Peninsula. Rostam, who…
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Streaming platforms battle for anime market dominance
As anime’s popularity continues to reach new heights, major streaming platforms are vying for dominance in the lucrative market. Fuelled partly by the pandemic, this animated genre has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with the global market valued at US$28.6 billion in 2022, according to Grand View Research, and expected to double by 2030. Aya Umezu, CEO of Tokyo-based entertainment…
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China increasingly uses yuan for trade with Russia, sidelining the dollar
China has significantly raised its use of the yuan for purchasing Russian commodities in the past year, with almost all its procurement of oil, coal, and some metals from the neighbouring country now settled in the Chinese currency instead of US dollars, multiple trading executives with direct knowledge of the situation have revealed. The shift towards using the yuan to…
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Philippine economy grows 6.4 per cent in first quarter, beating expectations
The economy of the Philippines experienced a 6.4% expansion in the first quarter compared to the previous year, according to the country’s statistics agency. This development surpasses expectations, with analysts previously predicting a 6.1% annual growth in the gross domestic product (GDP). On a quarterly basis, growth slowed to 1.1% compared to the earlier reported 2.4% expansion in the previous…
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China’s consumer price index sees slowest growth in two years
China’s consumer prices experienced a slow increase over the past two years in April, with factory gate deflation becoming more pronounced, according to recent data. This outcome has prompted conjecture that additional stimulus activities may be necessary to enhance the uneven post-pandemic economic recovery. In April, the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.1% year-on-year, making it the lowest level…
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Extreme rainfall impacts China’s rice yields, study reveals
Extreme rainfall has reduced China’s rice yields by 8% over the past two decades, according to a study led by researchers from the country. The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Food, discovered that the effects of extreme rainfall on rice yields were similar to those of extreme heat. Projections show that by the end of this century, extreme…
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China’s shrinking birth rate impacts baby product manufacturers
A decline in China’s population is creating a challenging environment for the country’s baby and children’s product manufacturers, as domestic sales plummet and companies grapple with finding alternative revenue streams. As the world’s largest market for baby food and diapers, valued at US$37.9 billion annually, prepares to contract for the first time, firms are turning their attention to products for…
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