International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
The UK government on Friday apologised to Queen Elizabeth II, after revelations that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s staff broke coronavirus restrictions by partying on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral. “It is deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning and Number 10 (Downing Street) has apologised to the palace,” Johnson’s
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time on Friday saying the world number one tennis champion who has not been vaccinated for COVID-19 may pose a health risk, effectively ending his bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used discretionary powers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked President Joe Biden‘s COVID-19 vaccination-or–testing mandate for large businesses – a policy the conservative justices deemed an improper imposition on the lives and health of many Americans – while endorsing a separate federal vaccine requirement for healthcare facilities. Biden voiced disappointment with the conservative-majority court‘s decision to halt his administration’s rule requiring vaccines or weekly COVID-19 tests...
LONDON (Reuters) – The Royal Family removed Prince Andrew‘s military links and royal patronages on Thursday and said he will no longer be known as “His Royal Highness”, as the son of Queen Elizabeth fights a U.S. lawsuit in which he is accused of sex abuse. Andrew, 61, the Duke of York, was forced to step down from public duties in 2019 because of his connections to convicted
The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions over North Korea’s weapons programs following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week. The sanctions targeted six North Koreans, one Russian and a Russian firm Washington said were responsible for procuring goods for the programs from Russia and China. The U.S.
A judge has — for now — refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Britain’s Prince Andrew by an American woman who says he sexually abused her when she was 17. Stressing Wednesday that he wasn’t ruling on the truth of the allegations, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rejected an argument by Andrew’s lawyers that
Beijing (AFP) – Imagine being on a first date you couldn’t end? That’s what happened to a woman in China whose video blogs about going into a citywide lockdown during a blind date have gone viral. Over 100 virus cases have been reported in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou since last week, as China battles
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for attending a “bring your own booze” gathering at his official residence during the first coronavirus lockdown as opponents said he had to resign. Johnson admitted for the first time he had attended the party at Downing Street on May 20, 2020, when social gatherings were limited to a bare minimum and said
TOKYO (AP) — Twin panda cubs made their first public appearance Wednesday before devoted fans in Tokyo, but they will be on display only briefly for now — over three days — due to a spike in COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron variant. The twins, male cub Xiao Xiao and its sister Lei Lei,
North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile into the sea, South Korea’s military said Tuesday, ratcheting up tensions less than a week after Pyongyang reported testing a hypersonic missile. The early-morning launch came as the UN Security Council met in New York to discuss last week’s test of what Pyongyang called a hypersonic missile, although Seoul has cast doubt on that claim. After an emergency meeting, South Korea’s national security council
NUR-SULTAN (Reuters) – Russian-led forces will begin withdrawing from Kazakhstan in two days’ time after stabilising the Central Asian nation following serious unrest, the president said on Tuesday, in a speech that took aim at wealthy associates of his predecessor. In a video call with parliament after putting down what he has called an attempted coup, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed
(AP) – In a medical first, doctors transplanted a pig heart into a patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life and a Maryland hospital said Monday that he’s doing well three days after the highly experimental surgery. While it’s too soon to know if the operation really will work, it marks a step
