International news with relevance to Thai and regional readers
One of the rare African-born figures to head a German cultural institution, Bonaventure Ndikung is aiming to highlight post-colonial multiculturalism at a Berlin arts centre with its roots in Western hegemony. The “Haus der Kulturen der Welt” (House of World Cultures), or HKW, was built by the Americans in 1956 during the Cold War for
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government collapsed Friday over “insurmountable” differences on how to tackle migration, with elections expected in November. Rutte, 56, the Netherlands’ longest-serving leader and one of Europe’s most experienced politicians, said days of crisis talks between the four parties failed to produce a deal. They fell out over Rutte’s plans
Electric-vehicle maker Tesla TSLA.O rolled out a new program globally allowing buyers to get extra incentives through referrals from existing customers, a strategy long used by traditional automakers to boost sales. The incentive, which Tesla dubbed as “Refer and Earn” on its websites, is equivalent to $500 in cashback for buyers in the U.S. who
Three more countries have expressed a desire to sign up to the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), signed into force by the leaders of the original members of ASEAN as a regional code of conduct, according to a senior Thai official. Usana Berananda, Director General of the ASEAN Department, said today (Thursday), during
Children experienced the highest number of “grave violations” in conflicts verified by the United Nations in 2022, with the conflicts between Israeli and Palestinians and in Congo and Somalia putting the most youngsters in peril, the U.N. children’s agency said Wednesday. UNICEF also expressed particular concern about their plight in Haiti, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique and
Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in a large-scale operation Monday in the occupied West Bank that the army labelled an “extensive counterterrorism effort,” involving air strikes and hundreds of troops. The raid, launched under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government, targeted the northern city of Jenin and was the biggest in the West Bank for
Oil prices reversed into the red Monday on global growth concerns, despite fresh output cuts by key producers Saudi Arabia and Russia aimed at propping up prices. Although Asian stock markets advanced as easing inflation data fuelled hopes that central banks could be nearing the end of their interest rate hiking cycle, European stocks ended mostly lower. Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks edged up
Sweden on Monday ordered four companies to stop using a Google tool that measures and analyses web traffic as doing so transfers personal data to the United States, fining one company the equivalent of more than $1.1 million. Sweden’s privacy protection agency, the IMY, said it had examined the use of Google Analytics by the firms following a complaint by the Austrian data privacy group noyb (none of
Taiwan will kick off a two-day missile live-firing test on Monday ahead of its largest annual military exercises as the island ramps up preparations against an increasingly assertive China. The 23 million Taiwanese people live under constant threat of invasion by Beijing, which views the self-ruled democracy as part of its territory to be seized one
Asia’s factory activity slumped in June, business surveys showed on Monday, as sluggish demand in China and advanced nations clouded the outlook for the region’s exporters. While manufacturing activity expanded marginally in China, it contracted in powerhouses Japan and South Korea as Asia’s fragile economic recovery struggled to maintain momentum. The surveys underscore the toll
Ukraine said on Sunday that Russian troops were advancing in four areas in the east of the country amid “fierce fighting” but reported its forces moving forward in the south. Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Maliar said that Russian troops were advancing near Avdiivka, Mariinka, Lyman and Svatove. “Fierce fighting is going on everywhere,” Maliar wrote
The Pheu Thai party’s executive committee and MPs will meet on Monday to discuss the House speakership issue, as Pheu Thai’s leader, Chonlanan Srikaew, insists that the Speaker of the House must not represent any specific party. Meanwhile, Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat said that the party has offered Pheu Thai an opportunity to provide
