Thailand Cuts Visa-Free Stay Period for More than 90 Countries Including UK
Thailand announced it will end the 60‑day visa‑free stay for citizens of 93 countries, shifting to a country‑by‑country system that often limits visits to 30 days. The change, driven by security concerns and a confusing exemption matrix, will take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. Tourists from major markets such as the US, UK, Australia and China will now need visas for longer stays. The move comes as Thailand seeks to balance tourism recovery with tighter border controls.
Driver of Crashed Train Tested Positive for Drugs, Thai Police Say
A freight train collided with a public bus at Bangkok's Asoke‑Din Daeng crossing, killing eight and injuring dozens. The train driver tested positive for drugs and faces reckless‑driving charges, while the bus driver and manual barrier guard were also charged....
Indian Model's Understated Met Gala Debut Revives Debate on Cultural Representation
Indian model Bhavitha Mandava made a strikingly understated entrance at the 2026 Met Gala, wearing a silk‑muslin jacket and jeans‑inspired trousers that mimicked denim. The minimalist look divided observers, with some praising its quiet rebellion against the event’s usual excess and others...
Rebel Wilson Accused of 'Complete Revision of History' As Defamation Case Closes
Rebel Wilson faces a defamation lawsuit filed by actress Charlotte MacInnes, who alleges Wilson fabricated a sexual‑harassment narrative to extract professional favors. The case, centered on a September 2023 bath incident with producer Amanda Ghost, includes accusations that Wilson ordered a smear website...
The World Wants to Eliminate Cervical Cancer - How Australian Scientists Led the Way
Australian scientists pioneered the Gardasil HPV vaccine, enabling the world’s first national vaccination programme in 2007 and positioning Australia to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035. The combined strategy of >80% vaccination of adolescents, HPV‑based screening every five years, and self‑sampling...
It's Not Just Oil: Iran War Also Threatens Asia's Food Security
War between the United States, Israel and Iran has shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off roughly a third of global fertiliser shipments. At the same time China imposed a 50‑80% ban on fertiliser exports to safeguard domestic supplies. The...
Two Dead After Small Plane Crashes Into Australia Airport Hangar
A twin‑engine Diamond DA42 crashed into a hangar at Adelaide's Parafield Airport, igniting a fire that killed two people. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has opened an investigation into the accident. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas reported that several others were...
Kim Jong Un Praises Troops Who 'Self-Blasted' To Avoid Capture by Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised soldiers who detonated their own grenades to avoid capture while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, confirming a long‑rumored battlefield policy. South Korean estimates suggest at least 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed,...
The Kashmir Town Trying to Win Back Tourists After a Deadly Attack
A militant attack in Pahalgam killed 26 tourists in April 2025, slashing visitor numbers from nearly three million in 2024 to under 1.2 million in 2025. The tragedy forced the closure of 48 of 87 tourist sites, with the Baisaran meadow still...
South Korea Police Arrest Man for Posting AI Photo of Runaway Wolf
South Korean police arrested a 40‑year‑old man for distributing an AI‑generated image that falsely showed the escaped zoo wolf, Neukgu, on a city road. The fabricated photo prompted officials to issue an emergency alert and temporarily shift search resources, delaying...
Aboriginal Children's Book Pulled over Illustrator's Bondi Attack Comments
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has halted the release of the Indigenous children’s book *Bila, A River Cycle* after illustrator Matt Chun’s Substack essay on the Bondi beach shooting was deemed antisemitic. Thousands of printed copies are now in...
A Rumour, a Lynching in India and a Long Wait for Justice
In August 2018 two strangers – businessman Abhijeet Nath and musician Nilotpal Das – were lynched by a mob in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district after a WhatsApp rumor labeled them child kidnappers. Eight years later a sessions court convicted 20 of...
Sri Lanka Investigates After Hackers Steal $2.5m
Sri Lanka’s finance ministry confirmed that hackers diverted $2.5 million—approximately £1.8 million—intended for a bilateral debt repayment to Australia. The breach, believed to have occurred in January, involved tampering with email‑based payment instructions, prompting the diversion of funds to unauthorized accounts. Four...
Taiwan Minister Makes Rare Visit to Disputed South China Sea Island
Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Minister Kuan Bi‑ling made a rare on‑site visit to Itu Aba, the Taiwan‑controlled island in the Spratly chain, to observe a coast‑guard humanitarian rescue and medical‑evacuation drill. The exercise simulated the interception of a non‑responsive cargo vessel and showcased...
South Korean Fighter Jets Collided Due to Pilots Taking Pictures, Report Finds
South Korean Air Force investigators concluded that two F‑15K fighter jets collided in 2021 after the wingman pilot began taking photos with a personal mobile phone and performed a risky maneuver to improve the shot. The collision damaged the lead...