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 Travel vs international health insurance: Which coverage do you need overseas?
The Thaiger key takeaways Travel insurance is ideal for short-term trips, covering emergencies, cancellations, and lost luggage, but not routine care. International health insurance suits expats and long-term residents, offering full medical coverage, including checkups, maternity, and chronic care. Choosing...
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Saudi Arabia fights to rehabilitate its image after Khashoggi murder
Tuesday’s arrest in France of one of the possible killers of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi has brought Khashoggi’s gruesome murder to international attention once more. But up until now, Saudi Arabia has slowly but surely been emerging from underneath the shadow of that crime. In October 2018, global headlines about the assassination, allegedly committed inside the Saudi Consulate in…
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AfricaLink on Air – 07 December 2021
South Africa’s Ramaphosa says his country will stop sharing COVID info after Omicron fallout +++ How is Zambia’s new President Hakainde Hichilema doing? +++ South Africa fish management per app +++ What Eric Zemmour’s presidential candidacy means for France SOURCE: DW News
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India: Are ‘anti-Muslim’ attacks becoming the norm?
Indian Muslim comedian Munawar Faruqui hinted at quitting the comedy scene last week after dozens of his shows were canceled over vandalism threats from hardline Hindu groups. “Hate has won, the artist has lost,” Faruqui said in a post on social media. Faruqui spent a month in jail after he was arrested on January 1, just as one of his…
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Joe Biden and Russia’s Putin to discuss Ukraine tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden are expected to discuss the growing tensions in Ukraine, in a video call on Tuesday. The West is concerned over Russian troops massing along the Ukrainian border and cautions that tensions could spill into a major war. Video calls have become the new normal since the coronavirus pandemic began. Yet…
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Indonesia and Malaysia expected to launch vaccinated travel lane early next year
The governments of Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to agree a vaccinated travel lane, or travel bubble, by early 2022, according to a Coconuts report. The arrangement would permit vaccinated people to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine on arrival. The Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, confirmed the plan during a press conference yesterday. He says the…
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Rohingya accuse Facebook of promoting hate speech in US$150 billion lawsuit
Facebook is being sued in a California court by Rohingya refugees, who accuse the social media platform of failing to combat hate speech. In a US$150 billion lawsuit, court documents allege Facebook is powered by algorithms that allow the seeds of disinformation and extremism to grow and cross over into real-life violence. “Facebook is like a robot programmed with a…
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US confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights abuses
The US government has confirmed a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest ongoing human rights violations, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “US diplomatic or official representation would treat these games as business as usual in the face of the PRC’s egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang, and we simply can’t do that.…
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Ethiopia claims strategic gains despite opposition skepticism
Ethiopia’s government claimed on Monday it had recaptured strategic towns from forces aligned to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Dessie and Kombolcha have been “freed by the joint gallant security forces,” the government’s communication service tweeted. TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda, however, tweeted their forces left the two towns “as part of our plan.” The towns are on the main…
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Opinion: Gambians use their marbles to vote for stability
The marbles have been cast: In Gambia’s unique voting system, marbles instead of paper ballots are counted for each candidate. The marble rolls down a small pipe into a cylindrical container marked with a picture of the candidate’s face. Each marble triggers a little bell, which notifies election observers of a successful vote. Smuggled marbles would be spotted immediately, and…
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AfricaLink on Air – 06 December 2021
Incumbent Adama Barrow secures comfortable win in Gambia’s election +++ Lekki toll “massacre” – Nigerian activists and celebrities push for justice +++ Omicron virus and impact on Africa +++ WHO official weighs on malaria in Africa amid COVID SOURCE: DW News
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India: UN slams anti-terror laws amid controversial arrests
The UN has raised concerns about India’s use of counter-terrorism legislation to crack down on rights activists. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Rupert Colville last week warned about India’s “crackdown on civil society actors” and use of “sweeping counter-terrorism measures” under its counter-terrorism legislation — the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The warning…
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Cambodian PM plans a visit to Myanmar to smooth divisions in ASEAN
The PM of Cambodia has announced plans to visit Myanmar to help smooth divisions in ASEAN. PM Hun Sen says he will talk with military rulers, recently commenting that Myanmar was a “family member of ASEAN” and that it was time to strengthen the grouping. Myanmar is part of the 10-country ASEAN alliance, but has created waves after the military…
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Germany removes Thailand from its list of high-risk countries
The Thai embassy in Berlin says Thailand has been removed from Germany’s list of Covid-19 high-risk countries, according to a Thai PBS World report. Provided they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine, travellers from Thailand can now enter Germany without having to quarantine. The accepted vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. In addition…
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Death toll rises to 14 in volcanic eruption in Indonesia
At least 14 people have been killed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Semeru in Java, Indonesia, according to an AFP report. Rescuers continue to search for survivors in villages that lie covered in molten ash. In the district of Lumajang, East Java, houses have been submerged and livestock smothered to death in at least 11 villages. At least 10…
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SIPRI: Global arms industry flourishing despite COVID
Lockdowns, crumbling supply chains, jittery consumers: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about massive economic slumps around the world. One sector, however, has proved immune to the virus: The arms industry. This is confirmed by the latest report on the world’s 100 largest arms manufacturers by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). SIPRI researcher Alexandra Marksteiner told DW that she…
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Foreign Ministers of China and Malaysia agree over South China Sea
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia said the country has come together with China in agreement that peace and stability must be maintained in the South China Sea, an often-contested area that has caused international clashes. Yesterday the Minister held a joint press conference with the Foreign Minister and State Councillor where they agreed that debate over the South China Sea…
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Boeing’s Max 737 returns to Chinese skies
The beleaguered Boeing 737 Max will resume services in China next year after being certified as “airworthy” by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The paperwork sets the stage for the accident-prone jet to return to China’s airline schedules following months of negotiations between Beijing and Boeing. The decision clears the way for 100s of the best-selling US-manufactured planes to…
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Omicron variant and surging Covid-19 affect European nations
Following on our reporting on Covid-19 and the Omicron variant spreading throughout the US and in Africa and Australasia, here are some updates on European reactions to the new strain and dealing with a renewed Covid-19 threat. ENGLAND & IRELAND The UK Health Security Agency reported 75 more infections of the Omicron variant bringing the total throughout the country to…
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Australia, Asia, and Africa deal with the Covid-19 Omicron variant
With Omicron spreading around the world, many countries are seeing the new variant spread, as well as Covid-19 in general on the rise. Here are some updates from around Australasia and Africa (a roundup of Europe can be found here): AUSTRALIA 13 cases of Omicron have been identified in a cluster in Sydney after finding the first infection just Friday,…
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Omicron spreads to 38 countries, 10 US states; Remdesivir recalled
Omicron, the worrisome new variant of Covid-19 first identified in South Africa, has now been found in at least 38 countries and 10 US states, though it still has not been detected in Thailand. The figure increased sharply after being found in only 23 countries in the middle of last week. The spread seems to be accelerating as scientists study…
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EU criticized for move to relax asylum rights at Belarus border
“We are a family. When one of us is under attack, the rest of us will be there for him,” said Margaritis Schinas, vice president of the European Commission, speaking to reporters earlier this week. Schinas, the former EU spokesman who now represents Greece in the Commission, described a proposal to “temporarily” reduce some asylum rights in EU member states…
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EU criticized for move to restrict asylum rights at Belarus border
“We are a family. When one of us is under attack, the rest of us will be there for him,” said Margaritis Schinas, vice president of the European Commission, speaking to reporters earlier this week. Schinas, the former EU spokesman who now represents Greece in the Commission, described a proposal to “temporarily” reduce some asylum rights in EU member states…
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Volcano eruption in Indonesia; 1 dead, thousands flee
Mount Semeru in East Java, Indonesia erupted today, causing havoc and darkness in the surrounding community, with one death and 41 burn injuries from the eruption reported so far. Smoke and ash billowed into the air and blackened the sky and thousands of local residents were forced to flee their homes for safety. The eruption took place at around 3…
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DW exclusive: Belarus dissident Maria Kolesnikova speaks from jail
Leading Belarus opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova has been held behind bars for over a year in a Minsk penitentiary. In 2020, Kolesnikova coordinated Viktor Babariko’s campaign in the run-up to Belarus’ presidential election. When Babariko, a prominent banker, was arrested on money-laundering charges, Kolesnikova became a key figure in the opposition’s Coordination Council. In August 2020, the group backed mass…
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Red Cross leader says Omicron variant result of vaccine inequality
The head of the Red Cross pointed to the Omicron variant as the ultimate evidence that vaccine inequality around the world is a danger to every country globally. The president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that much more work is needed to balance the inequality in the global approach to vaccination against the…
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AfricaLink on Air – 03 December 2021
Gambia set for presidential elections +++ Gambia: Vox Pops +++ Gambia: The women who wanted to run for president, and why they didn’t +++ Nigeria: Taking up weapons in self-defense +++ Decline of grasshopper population worries Ugandan grasshopper eaters +++ Sports SOURCE: DW News
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South Africa: Omicron causes concern
Kirst Dalton had her gym slot already booked. But then she discovered her COVID test from the previous day had returned a positve result. “I could drastically feel that I was not okay. And my other half was having a raging fever of nearly 39 degrees,” the 32-year-old woman told DW. “It’s been a rough six days but I’m hoping…
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Indonesia: Groundwater exploitation threatens livelihoods
The overexploitation of groundwater on Java’s northern coast has left impoverished local residents fighting for survival. Many have already been forced to flee their homes. SOURCE: DW News
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Malaysia reports first case of Omicron variant
Every nation’s fear finally arrives in Malaysia, as its health minister today announced that a foreign student in her quarantine after arriving from South Africa two weeks ago had tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus. Following the World Health Organisation’s announcement on November 24 that Omicron was causing a variety of concerns, authorities re-tested earlier positive samples, according to minister…
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Taiwan sets up nighttime vaccination spots with gifting plans
In an effort to enhance the Covid-19 vaccine coverage, a number of hospitals in Taiwan have started giving evening appointments yesterday, and the Central Epidemic Command Centre, or CECC, is considering setting up vaccine booths at PX Mart supermarkets. At a news conference held yesterday, CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang said that hospitals established by Taiwan’s Armed Forces, Ministry of Health…
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