World News
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Hello world! Kim Jong-un resurfaces after 20 day absence
Dispelling recent rumours that he was in a “vegetative state” or even dead after an apparent heart attack and a botched surgery, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has resurfaced and made his first public appearance after a 20 day absence. Well, either him or a very good replica. North Korean state media reported today that he “celebrated the completion of…
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Malaysian authorities round up migrant workers over Covid-19 fears
After the recent debacle in neighbouring Singapore, Malaysian authorities are locating undocumented migrants to contain potential spread of Covid-19. Already around 700 migrants and refugees have been detained in the capital Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia does not formally recognise refugees, regarding them as illegal migrants. Singapore’s recent surge in Covid-19 case numbers has been mainly from migrant workers living in cramped…
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Trump claims “evidence” that virus originated in Wuhan lab, WHO wants to join investigation
US President Donald Trump claimed yesterday in a nationally televised address that he “has seen evidence” the the Covid-19 coronavirus originated in a Wuhan epidmiology lab, an assertion roundly disputed by scientists and intelligence agencies, and which threatens to turn into a diplomatic disaster. He declined to share the evidence, claiming he is “not allowed.” The claim was almost immediately contradicted…
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Antiviral Remdesevir has “significant effect” – VIDEO
The controversial antiviral drug Remdesevir got a boost today after Dr Anthony Fauci, the most trusted voice in the US when speaking of Covid-19, announced the drug has has a “clear-cut” effect in helping Covid-19 patients recover. “The data show that Remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery, proving that a drug can block…
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South Korean fire kills 38 workers – VIDEO
According to reports, at around 1:30pm local South Korean time, a fire at a warehouse in Icheon killed 38 construction workers and left another 10 injured. The fire was reported at a warehouse that was under construction in the city of Icheon, 80 kilometres south of the capital). Local news sources report that “all the victims are believed to be…
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Outgoing UN envoy claims Burmese military may be committing war crimes again
Neighbouring Myanmar’s military is committing atrocities which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the outgoing UN human rights envoy. Fighting between government troops and ethnic minority rebels has flared up again in the country’s Rakhine and Chin states. Burmese military spokesmen did not answer phone calls for comment with Reuters, nor did the official government…
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Singapore robot patrols park with polite social distancing reminder
“Do not loiter at this park. Stay safe, stay home.” A robot, originally procured a year ago to monitor plants and reservoirs in Singapore, is being put to a different use in these strange new Covid-19 times. Boasting a 360 degree, high-definition camera and facial recognition sensors, the robot, known as O-R3, patrols Bedok Reservoir park, politely telling off anyone…
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Dodgy Chinese medical supplies rejected by many countries
Countries across Europe and around the world are rejecting substandard medical supplies from China as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to sweep parts of the globe and the death toll continues to climb. Germany, Belgium and Holland have joined the ranks of other nations, including Canada, Spain and Slovakia, complaining of unreliable test kits, inaccurate thermometers and shoddy Personal Protection Equipment.…
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North Korean leader reportedly in “vegetative state”
For days the government of North Korea has been tight-lipped as speculation about the health of the nation’s leader Kim Jong-un’s health spreads. Now the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Gendai is reporting that a failed surgery has left the 36 year old in a vegetative state. American celebrity tabloid website TMZ has gone a step further and claimed he’s actually…
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Australians and New Zealanders commemorate ANZAC Day with driveway tributes
Australians and New Zealanders have stood outside their homes at dawn this morning to mark the annual ANZAC Day. This year’s tributes and salutes to the fallen who have served their countries at war have been from a distance. A new generation stood quietly at the entrance to their homes, in some cases wearing the medals of their relatives that…
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Japan cruise ship: 14 more crew test positive for Covid-19
The Costa Atlantica, the cruise ship docked in Nagasaki, Japan, has had 14 more crew members test positive for the Covid-19 virus. The additional cases come on top of 34 confirmed cases earlier this week. Thai PBS World reports that the ship has been in Nagasaki since January, when it docked to have maintenance work carried out. It’s believed to…
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China opens 2 more border points to allow transport of Thai fruits
The director-general of the Department of Agriculture announced today that China has opened two more points at its Vietnam border to allow the transportation of Thai fruits during the Covid-19 crisis. The move comes after the existing Youyi Guan checkpoint was overwhelmed with 15 kilometre queues of Thai and Vietnamese goods vehicles. The Department of Agriculture together with National Bureau of…
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Where is North Korean leader Kim Jong Un?
Although North Korean media has not mentioned anything about Kim Jong Un’s health, or whereabouts, there is intense international speculation that Kin Jong Un has fallen ill due to cardiovascular problems. It was first mentioned after CNN’s chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto kept claiming that “Kim Jong Un was in grave danger after surgery.” However, South Korea’s presidential office…
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Study finds no benefit from hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 treatment
“The experiments and report has limitations, but adds to growing doubt over the efficacy of the drug.” There was plenty of hype, even shared by the US President. But a study published yesterday, the biggest of its kind to date, found no benefit from a malaria drug earlier touted as a potential treatment for Covid-19. It ended up being associated with…
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At least 18 dead in Canada’s worst-ever mass shooting
It is the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history. Royal Canadian Mounted Police rushed to more than a dozen crime scenes yesterday after a shooting rampage by a gunman disguised as a police officer left at least 18 dead and homes in smoldering ruins in rural Nova Scotia. Officials say the suspect, 51 year old Gabriel Wortman, died in the…
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Singapore battles to control new surge in Covid-19 cases
The tiny island state, earlier seen as a vanguard for Covid-19 containment, has now seen a recent spike in cases pushing it to the top of the list in south east Asia’s tally of total number of cases. Singapore yesterday recorded 1,426 new COVID-19 infections, bringing its total to 8,014 (as of 9am Thai time) in a population of just…
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Indonesian man arrested for fraud
Police in Bangkokk’s Don Mueang district say revealed a 72 year old Indonesian man has been arrested for “misappropriation of funds.” The victim filed a report after realising he’d been scammed. In his complaint the victim claims that “Ricky” Hartono Widjaj invited him to invest in the metal business, importing metal into Thailand from Malaysia. The victim handed Ricky about…
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Sweden’s massive public health gamble is failing
Whilst much of Europe, and the world, is currently in varying states of lockdown, one Scandanavian country has gone it alone with its own take on handling the Coronavirus pandemic. Sweden has no mandatory quarantines and relatively few limitations on moving around. Some schools remain open. Cafes, restaurants and shops, for the most part, remain open and stocked. Same with…
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Yangon applies curfew despite low reported case
Burmese authorities in the largest city Yangon have announced a night curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Like Thailand, the curfew runs from 10pm to 4am, starting from last night, affecting some 7 million people. The curfew will remain in place “until further notice”. Mandalay, a city of around 1.5 million, has also imposed a similar curfew from…
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AirAsia will resume some flights beginning April 29
With a dozen or more airlines, including national flag carrier Thai Airways suspending flights or completely grounding their fleets due to the Covid-19 crisis, there is a ray of sunshine. AirAsia is set to resume domestic flights, starting with the home base in Malaysia on April 29, followed by Thailand and the Philippines on May 1, India on May 4…
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Extreme weather threatens already virus-stricken Asian and Pacific countries
Experts are warning that South and Southeast Asian nations, from India to Indonesia, already slammed by Covid-19, could now face a looming weather crisis in coming months, from heat waves to monsoons and cyclones. India, with a population of some 1.4 billion is currently under “lockdown,” with more than 12,000 confirmed cases (though due to low testing rates, the real…
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‘Smart helmets’ for Chinese epidemic prevention officers
As China shows signs of recovering from its initial Coronavirus outbreak, epidemic prevention and control officers (yeah that’s a thing now) have been equipped with futuristic “smart helmets” that can detect potential patients without officers needing to get too close. It’s a new AI approach to tracking and prevention. The smart helmet is a product developed by Kuang-chi whose company…
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Thai-Malaysian border set to open this weekend
The Thai-Malaysian border is set to reopen this weekend to assist the struggling rubber trade, causing locals to express concern that a spike in new Covid 19 cases could result in Thailand because of the move. Security officials, however, are assuring the public that intensive screening measures are in place in anticipation of the re-opening. Commander of the Fourth Army…
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Taiwan considers rebranding its flag carrier, China Airlines
Taipei is considering changing the name of its flag carrier: China Airlines. Perhaps an opportunistic excuse to distance itself from any anti-Chinese ‘Covid’ fallout or just a political ploy whilst China has, well, other things to worry about at the moment. It seems the Covid-19 pandemic has reignited calls to change the name after the airline sent a series of…
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Canadian students create hotline to cheer up quarantined elderly
Quarantine might not be so terrible for Gen X, Y, or Millennials with subscription services such as Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime and other streaming services, plus fads like TikToc, et al to keep them busy. But for the elderly, isolation can be quite lonely. Canadian High school students wanted to change that by creating a hotline that plays pre…
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China moves to second phase of successful vaccine trials
An adenovirus vector vaccine clinical trial in China has successfully concluded its first phase, and a more intensive second phase studying hundred of patients in now taking place. It is the first Covid 19 vaccine that has entered phase two of clinical trials, according to the WHO. A 84 year old man in Wuhan was vaccinated Monday, becoming the oldest…
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Singapore hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases
Singapore was a paragon of coronavirus containment. Covid-19 was under control in the island state. Case number were flattening out. But the virus has made a resurgent return with the previous ‘flattening’ of new cases now spiking. As Italy, Spain, the UK and US founder under a seemingly relentless pandemic, despite lockdowns and best intentions, several Asian nations stand out…
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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…
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Fire in Kanchanaburi sends foul smoke over Burmese border
Yesterday, a large area of the province of Kanchanaburi was engulfed in stinking toxic smoke after a garbage fire ripped through a 3-rai (51,667 squared metres) garbage dump in the district of Sangkhlaburi, right on the Burmese border. The garbage tip is located next to a sugarcane farmer’s village. 2 fire trucks were sent by Kanchanaburi officials to extinguish the…
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Still here, there and everywhere. The Beatles bringing joy 50 years after break-up.
BTS, Bangtan, RM, Jimin, V, Jin, Suga, J-Hope and Jungkook The Beatles may have broken up 50 years ago, on April 10, 1970. But the music is still bringing happiness around the world, to the generation that were around when the Fab Four were at the pinnacle of their career, and to a new generations who are just making the…
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