International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
Four months after barely avoiding a catastrophic default, the world’s largest economy is once again on the verge of a major fiscal crisis. President Joe Biden’s Democrats are engaged in a bitter feud with Republican rivals in Congress over spending bills, which, if not passed into law soon, may trigger a government shutdown. US lawmakers
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has promised a new chapter in Thailand’s democratic development by strengthening its democratic institutions and values, while improving the well-being of Thai people. Srettha has pledged that Thailand will play a proactive and constructive role, in partnership with the international community, and will forge closer ties and greater prosperity through
Thailand and the United States will further enhance Thai-US relations and trade development, said Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin after he briefly met US President Joe Biden in New York. Srettha said about their meeting during the reception for leaders attending the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, saying that the atmosphere
A mystery illness is decimating the chicks of New Zealand’s endangered yellow-eyed penguins, and scientists say they may have found the cause. The flightless birds, endemic to New Zealand, stand lower than knee-high, have pale yellow eyes and sport a band of yellow feathers around the head. There are about 2,400 of the adult birds
Speaking in New York, Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that his government will amend the law on cannabis, to restrict its use to medical purposes and to control retail cannabis outlets, within six months. During his interview with Bloomberg, the prime minister said that, since cannabis was decriminalised in Thailand last year, by removing
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says he is satisfied with his meeting with Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock Inc., which could lead to the firm making tangible and sustainable investments in Thailand, especially in the Government’s Sustainability Linked Bonds. Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said Srettha met with Fink of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management
Joe Biden, America’s oldest ever president, said Monday he understood a focus on his age but that he was running for re-election because Donald Trump wanted to “destroy” US democracy. The 80-year-old usually avoids the age issue but addressed it during a fundraiser at a Broadway theatre in New York, saying his experience helped him
Fourteen people were killed Saturday when a plane crashed in the Brazilian Amazon while attempting to land in stormy weather in the popular tourist town of Barcelos, the incident fatal for all aboard, officials said. The small plane’s pilot was approaching the town in heavy rain, with low visibility, and appeared to inadvertently start his
The European Union said Saturday that its top official Ursula von der Leyen will head for the Italian island of Lampedusa, after Rome called on Brussels for help after a surge in migrant arrivals. The president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, will visit the island on Sunday with Italy’s Prime Minister
This week’s visit to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is extraordinary, given the circumstances in both countries. The meeting was intended to strengthen bilateral strategic and tactical cooperation further, supporting solidarity in their struggle against the West. It is the result of intensifying competition among nuclear armed powers.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un discussed the possibility of sending a North Korean into space, Russian news agencies quoted Putin’s spokesman as saying. President Putin and the North Korean leader held talks on Wednesday at a spaceport in Russia’s far east. “We talked about the fact that if the North Korean side wishes, a
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un said Wednesday that his country would make bilateral ties with Russia its “number one priority”, as he held a rare summit with President Vladimir Putin. “We will prioritise the North Korea-Russia relationship and put it as the number one priority of our foreign policy from now on,” said Kim, who
