Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaichanok Chidchob leads a public consultation on Thursday to address concerns about the ministry’s TH-AI Passport project. (Photo: Ministry of Digital Economy and Society) Amid growing concerns over alleged irregularities, the TH-AI Passport project, the brainchild of Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob, has triggered a wave of criticism and left the Bhumjaithai-led government politically exposed.Earlier this week, the opposition warned it would seek an anti-graft investigation into the 1.6-billion-baht project if the government presses ahead with it. The DES Ministry has insisted it will proceed because the contract has already been signed. The…
Author: Isla
The 2026 Chongqing International Animation Film Week concluded on Friday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality after bringing together animation professionals and enthusiasts from around the world for a week of screenings, awards and industry collaboration. A total of 501 animated works from across the globe were entered into competition during the event. In the final selection, 23 works, including “Nobody”, along with five individuals, received the prestigious “Golden Camellia” honor. Throughout the film week, a total of 53 project agreements were signed. In a significant move, China Media Group (CMG) and the Chongqing municipal government jointly launched the Western Creative…
ndonesia remains among the countries most heavily burdened by diabetes worldwide. According to the latest Diabetes Atlas published by the International Diabetes Federation, Indonesia ranked fifth globally in 2024, with an estimated 20.4 million adults aged 20-79 living with diabetes. This number is projected to rise to 28.6 million by 2050, when Indonesia is expected to remain among the world’s five most affected countries.Even more alarming, the country ranked third globally in the proportion of undiagnosed diabetes cases in 2024, with approximately 73.2 percent of adults aged 20-79 living with diabetes unaware of their condition. This means millions of Indonesians…
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Thai horror sensation Ghost Board hit local screens on June 11, riding a wave of viral success from its digital counterpart.Directed by Chanathip Wongpoltree, the franchise first found its footing on the Roblox platform in May.Roblox has solidified its position as a global entertainment titan, boasting more than 85 million daily active users.Capitalising on this reach, Pall’s Studio developed Ghost Board: Before Dawn following the film’s initial announcement, a move that quickly found favour with the platform’s massive player base.Mirroring its cinematic counterpart, the game pits a group of teenagers against supernatural forces. Players must…
Afternoon light reflects on residential buildings in southern Hong Kong on May 28, 2026. (SHAMIM ASHRAF/CHINA DAILY)HONG KONG – Experts reported that Hong Kong’s residential property market is in the process of bottoming out, and they projected a continued rebound this year, driven by a range of favorable market factors.As the housing market continues to recover, developers have shifted from aggressive discounting strategies toward more assertive pricing.According to real estate advisory firm Jones Lang LaSalle, the average prices listed in the initial price announcements of new development projects have rebounded 15 percent from the low levels recorded over the past…
Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. Tuberculosis (TB) is among the main infectious diseases responsible for global mortality worldwide. Cases in India, markedly contribute to the global TB burden. Despite substantial progress in diagnosis and treatment, challenges such as drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), HIV co-infection, and major gaps in private sector regulation hinder effective disease control. In India, TB control efforts have evolved from the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) to the current National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP), reflecting a strategic shift from disease control to elimination. Although these initiatives have improved case detection and treatment outcomes, operational,…
Move aims to curb road offences and social ills among studentsKUALA LUMPUR: From the school gates to the roads beyond, Kuala Lumpur traffic police will soon keep a closer watch on students at 122 secondary schools in the city under a new advocacy and enforcement programme.City police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said the initiative, which is aimed at curbing traffic offences and social ills, will involve Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) personnel stationed at schools.They will help manage traffic flow during drop-off and pick-up hours while conducting checks to ensure students hold valid driving licences and comply with…
TOKYO – China’s “deflation-is-over” narrative is getting louder, but the foundations are still shaky. Consumer prices rose 1.2% year-on-year in May, while producer prices jumped 3.9%, lifted by higher costs for energy, semiconductors and metals. To many economists, this is the clearest sign yet that the 2025 deflation scare is giving way to reflation. But Japan’s long struggle shows how stubborn deflationary psychology can be. And it’s far from clear that Beijing is delivering the structural reforms needed to ensure China’s weak‑price era is truly ending. Two reforms stand out — and neither is being pursued with urgency. First, resolving…
As Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi heads to the G7 meeting in France next week, she is expected to hear rumblings of discontent over Tokyo’s apparent diplomatic outreach to Moscow.With European Union member states and most Nato nations united in their resolve to push back on Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and isolate Moscow, Japan’s very different approach to Vladimir Putin’s regime has not been overlooked.Senior officials from Japan’s foreign and trade ministries travelled to Moscow for a two-day visit in May and held talks with their Russian counterparts, with representatives from the Japan Business Federation also present. Five of…
A recent incident in Shenzhen that went viral has put China’s widespread smoking habit under renewed scrutiny, reviving a long-running debate over whether Beijing should raise tobacco taxes for the first time in more than a decade.On a rainy afternoon in April, a woman asked a smoker to put out a cigarette at a busy bus stop where nearly 10 people were waiting. The request led to a heated exchange, with the smoker arguing it was a public space, and ended with him throwing a plastic bottle at the woman before later apologising for his misconduct after police intervened.The incident…