International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
Istanbul, Turkey – Six-year-old Kuki and one-and-a-half-year old Alita recently joined the staff of Istanbul Airport, one of the busiest in the world, with a mission to provide solace for stressed travellers. At international departures just before passport control, the two dogs welcome passengers, some who are in a hurry, some feeling the tug of anxiety
Manila, Philippines – US and Philippine forces sank a decommissioned China-made Philippine Navy ship Wednesday during South China Sea war games simulating an attack on an enemy vessel, officials said. The exercises are being held near the city of Laoag, around 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Taiwan, amid a backdrop of increased confrontations between Philippine
Outgoing Vice Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangkhetkeow is among the five Thai recipients of the spring decorations from the Imperial Palace this week, according to an informed diplomatic source. He will be awarded “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star” for his invaluable contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and promoting friendship between Japan
(Reuters) – Israeli authorities raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office after the government decided to shut down the Qatari-owned TV station’s local operations on Sunday, an Israeli official and an Al Jazeera source told Reuters. Video circulated online showed plainclothes officers dismantling camera equipment in a hotel room, which the Al Jazeera source said was
Washington, United States – What does Joe Biden have to say about the rowdy student protests against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza that have rocked American college campuses in recent weeks? Almost nothing. The US president has so far avoided the contentious subject as it is likely to complicate his reelection campaign. The 81-year-old Democrat,
New York, United States – New York prosecutors said Friday they had returned to Cambodia and Indonesia 30 antiquities that were looted, sold or illegally transferred by networks of American dealers and traffickers. The antiquities were valued at a total of $3 million, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. Bragg said in a statement that
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the leaders of 17 countries have issued a joint statement calling for the immediate release of all hostages, including 8 Thai nationals, still being held by Hamas in Gaza. In his “X” post on Thursday, the prime minister said he views the release of all the remaining hostages as an
(Reuters) – Five migrants, including a child, died in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France to Britain in an overcrowded small boat on Tuesday, hours after Britain passed a bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda in a move to deter the dangerous journeys. The deaths occurred when a boat carrying 112 people set out to cross one
The US Senate on Tuesday approved legislation requiring the wildly popular social media app TikTok to be divested from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market. The measure was part of a $95 billion foreign aid package, including military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, which has now cleared Congress
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 crew onboard, the country’s rescue agency said. “The two helicopters collided during flight training. All 10 victims on board have been confirmed dead by the medical officers,” Suhaimy Mohamad Suhail, senior operations commander from the fire and
Eleven people are missing following storms that battered southern China, state media said Monday, with tens of thousands evacuated away from the torrential downpours. Heavy rain has descended upon the vast southern province of Guangdong in recent days, swelling rivers and raising fears of severe flooding that state media said could be of the sort
India began voting Friday in a six-week election with an all but assured victory for Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a weakened opposition is pushed to the sidelines. A total of 968 million people are eligible to take part in the world’s biggest vote — a staggering logistical exercise that critics say follows
