The pandemic is plunging millions back into extreme poverty

FOR MORE than a decade Suresh Aryal has flogged momos, steamed dumplings from Nepal, on the streets of New Delhi. On a good day the 32-year-old could take home as much as 6,000 rupees ($82). Then in March, as covid-19 spread, India shut down. Mr Aryal waited for things to improve for three months. When they did not, he returned to his home village in Nepal.

India has since eased its lockdown. But Mr Aryal has no plans to return to the Indian capital. While people are still strapped for cash and reluctant to eat on crowded kerbsides, there is little point.

Years spent surviving in a big city and sending money home to his family have left him with no savings. He has been getting by on loans from neighbours, but such generosity has its limits. Jobs are scarce in the village and Mr Aryal does not qualify for government support. “I don’t have a plan,” he says. “I’m going to have to hustle to feed my family.”

Mr Aryal is not alone. According to estimates in June by the World Bank, national lockdowns and the ensuing economic catastrophe will push between 71m and 100m people into extreme poverty this year, defined as subsisting on less than $1.90 a day (at 2011 prices). Its predictions have worsened since the pandemic began, and suggest that three years of progress will be wiped out.

Some countries could be even worse hit, depending on the scale of the recession (see chart). From 1990 until last year the number of extremely poor people fell from 2bn, or 36% of the world’s population, to 630m, or just 8%. Most of those left in poverty were in sub-Saharan Africa (see map) and in countries riven by conflict. By contrast, almost half the newly destitute will be in South Asia.

The United Nations is even gloomier. It defines people as poor if they do not have access to things like clean water, electricity, sufficient food and schools for their children. Working with researchers from Oxford University, it reckons the pandemic could cast 490m in 70 countries into poverty, reversing almost a decade of gains.

The economic crisis caused by the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities more sharply than previous recessions. The pandemic has left them with few fallback options.

Those who lost formal jobs were unable to make a quick buck in the informal sector driving rickshaws, shining shoes or sorting rubbish, because the world had shut up shop. Lockdowns have frozen entire economies-black, white and grey.

Since the disease has struck everywhere, relatives in richer countries may not be able to send extra cash home; remittances may drop by about a fifth this year, the biggest decline in recent history, according to the latest figures from the World Bank.

Worst affected have been the millions who escaped poverty by moving to bustling cities with running water, electricity and schools. Many have lost work and fled to more rural areas, where there are few jobs but at least living costs are cheaper.

Official data in India suggest 10m people have relocated, but others reckon the total is five times more. In Kampala, Uganda’s capital, SafeBoda, a motorbike ride-hailing app, reckons that 40% of its drivers went back to the countryside under the lockdown. Returning to big cities holds little appeal until it is clear that economic activity is picking up and that further lockdowns are unlikely.

With places such as Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, announcing new restrictions in response to rising infections, it is not clear when that will be.

The economic crisis is already turning into a food crisis. Peter Lutalo ran a thriving bar in Kiboga, in central Uganda. His family used to eat meat at the weekend and drink milky tea every day. But since the government ordered bars to close they can afford meat only once in three weeks and take their tea black. He is far from alone.

The number of people unable to afford enough to eat could double as a result of the pandemic, says the UN’s World Food Programme. That would mean an additional 130m people this year suffering from the sort of debilitating hunger that harms adult health in the long term and can stunt children’s development.

Nor have international organisations plugged the gap. Anna Obba is a teacher in the Bidibidi refugee camp in Uganda. When schools shut down, her income disappeared and her children’s education was disrupted. The World Food Programme cut food rations for refugees by 30% in April, citing a financial crunch. Since then the family has been living on one meal a day.

The disruption to education will have awful long-term consequences. Children whose families have fled cities will probably get a worse education in rural areas, if they get one at all.

A survey by the UN’s World Health Organisation found that in August schools were fully open in only six of 39 African countries; only 12 more expect classrooms to reopen this month.

Kenya has closed schools until 2021. As every year of education is reckoned to increase annual earnings by roughly 10%, the consequences for poor children are alarming.

The harm to health-care systems will be long-lasting, too. Clinics have been short of staff as medics have been unable to travel to work safely. People have been nervous about visiting them, too.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says vaccination rates among children are dropping to levels last seen in the 1990s. Some of those jabs can be done once doctors are able to work properly again. But for infectious illnesses like measles, even a temporary pause may be lethal.

Just 67% of the world’s children may get a crucial third dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (which is usually administered around the age of six months) this year. Last year 84% did.

Some hope that, as lockdowns lift, economies will start to grow again fast, as they often do after disasters. Large parts of Vietnam were destroyed during the war there, but the country bounced back rapidly thanks to economic reforms: between 1990 and 2015 real GDP per person tripled, according to IMF estimates.

The portion of the population living on less than $1.90 a day has fallen from over 60% in the 1980s to less than 5% just before covid-19 struck.

Poor countries are unlikely to see similar growth in the short term. For the first time in 25 years sub-Saharan Africa will fall into recession this year. The IMF is forecasting a contraction of 3.2% in the region in 2020, and an underwhelming rebound to 3.4% growth next year. Among the G20 economies India’s shrank most in the spring; its GDP is set to fall by about 4.5% in 2020.

It may take some time to catch up. “Historically certainly, growth and poverty reduction have gone hand in hand,” says Carmen Reinhart, chief economist at the World Bank. “But there are enormous question-marks about how much growth we’re going to get.”

There are some signs of improvement. According to recent phone surveys by the World Bank in Ethiopia, 87% of respondents said they had had at least an hour’s work in the week before the interview, though that is still below pre-pandemic levels. Employment levels in Nigeria are almost back to their pre-pandemic level.

But it seems likely that a return to growth will be fitful and uneven. People in poor countries are plainly desperate to return to work. Most are young, and so less vulnerable to covid-19.

The World Economic Forum estimates that just 3% of Africans are over 65 years old, whereas over 40% are under 15. Hunger could kill them before the virus does.

Hungry for work

If these economies were getting going again, those who stayed in cities should be able to find plenty of work, given the exodus to the countryside. Poor workers still have the same skills they had six months ago; most are keen to use them. But demand for labour remains low.

Vishwanath Kamble used to earn around 350 rupees a day as a cobbler in Mumbai. With offices shut and few passers-by, he more often gets only ten rupees nowadays. When he says his daily prayers, he pleads for things to go back to how they were before.

That is still far off. Data from Google Maps show that even in mid-September visits to Mumbai’s restaurants, cinemas and shopping centres were down by over 70% compared with January and early February.

Widespread fears about the spread of the virus are still hampering any recovery. “I’m scared too, but what can I do? I have to go to work,” says Munni Mehra, a maid looking for a job in Mumbai. Her husband is working as a cook, earning 10,000 rupees a month. But if Ms Mehra stays at home much longer they will have to go back to their village in Uttarakhand, in India’s far north.

Domestic workers see the irony in how middle-class employers think they are the ones at risk if they rehire house servants, says Martha Chen of Harvard, who has been interviewing informal workers around the world throughout the crisis.

Cleaners, with their meagre salaries, are not the ones visiting shopping malls, spas and cinemas where covid-19 thrives. Raju, a flower-seller in the same city, can no longer deliver flowers to people’s homes because security guards will not let him into posh blocks of flats.

With no trains running, he has been unable to get to the wholesale market, so has had to use pricier local suppliers. As a result his costs have soared. Since covid-19 took hold in India, his earnings have almost halved, from 13,000 a month to 7,000 rupees.

Nor can poor countries rely on foreign spending. The sharp fall in oil prices earlier this year was enough to slash revenues in countries like Nigeria and Angola that rely on oil exports.

In two-thirds of poor countries, commodities make up more than 60% of total merchandise exports, according to the UN’s latest estimates, rising to 88% in Zambia and 100% in Angola.

Foreign tourists are not booking safaris in east Africa or beach breaks in Bali. Demand for exports such as Kenyan flowers and Bangladeshi garments has slumped, too. These industries can expect to recover when the pandemic subsides and borders reopen. But the poor cannot wait.

For the time being they must rely on help from their own governments. The World Bank reckons that in the past six months 212 countries and territories have rolled out-or made plans to roll out-1,179 social-protection measures that will reach 2bn people.

As well as the usual efforts to hand out food and waive utility bills, poor countries are trying out new ideas. Kenya’s government has started a programme to give temporary jobs to more than 26,000 young Kenyans. Montenegro’s is offering subsidies to the tune of 70% of the minimum wage to encourage employers to create new jobs.

Cash handouts, heralded by policymakers for years as a cheap and effective form of support, are proving most popular. Technology is helping. A new national ID system in the Philippines and a unified digital payment system in Tunisia have been speeded up, so that governments can get cash to the poor faster.

The Democratic Republic of Congo wants to use mobile-phone data to locate the poor and then send money directly to their e-wallets.In July the central bank also said it would set up special accounts-either through banks or online-to hand out emergency cash.

But such schemes are useful only if governments can afford to hand out serious lumps of cash. Poor countries on average have spent just $4 a head on programmes to help the poor during the covid-19 crisis, compared with an average of $695 per head of the population in rich countries such as Britain, France and America, according to World Bank estimates.

The Congolese government plans to hand out $50m to just two million people in Kinshasa and other badly affected provinces, amounting to $25 for each recipient.

And in other countries governments are doing far from enough. A World Bank survey in Ethiopia in June found that 2% of households had received government help in the previous three weeks.

A poll of people in Indian cities by the London School of Economics at around the same time found that only a fifth of those responding had received any money from the government. The transfers on average made up less than a quarter of their monthly salary.

Other governments are barely doing anything at all. Residents of Cañales, a poor suburb of Cárdenas, a smallish city in the Mexico, say the only help they have received was a single round of food packages from the state government in May.

Marco Antonio González Cruz has been jobless since the pandemic struck. But he isn’t holding out for help from politicians. “They only come when they want the vote,” he says.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a left-wing populist, created a slew of welfare programmes after taking office in 2018, including an expanded pensions system, an apprenticeship scheme for the young and a tree-planting programme in a number of Mexico’s states. But he has provided close to nothing in response to the worst recession the country has seen in a century.

Because the urban poor have been harder hit than those in rural areas, governments need to spend any money they do have more cleverly. The Indian government should expand its rural employment guarantee scheme to urban areas, suggests Abhijit Banerjee, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The programme, which provides 100 days of guaranteed work every year, could deploy low-skilled workers as assistants in primary schools or care workers for the elderly. “If the cities recover, then there is hope,” argues Mr Banerjee, who won the Nobel prize for economics last year.

Governments will struggle to continue funding such efforts as revenues fall. Emerging-market governments issued $124bn in hard-currency debt in the first six months of the year. But there are limits to how much more they can borrow. The recent wave of sovereign downgrades has been startling, even compared with previous crises.

Too little help from their friends

The response from richer governments and international institutions has been patchy. The IMF has disbursed over $30bn in emergency financing to 76 countries since March. It has acted fast, but the sum is far from enough.

Earlier this year African finance ministers got together and calculated that African countries alone will suffer a short-term funding gap of $100bn in 2020, rising to $200bn next year.

The G20 has agreed to suspend payments between May and December on bilateral debt from 73 of the world’s poorest countries, if they want such help. That is a fraction of the $31.5bn in external debt servicing they face in that period.

So far just 42 countries have requested support, which would free up $5.3bn for them to spend on things like health care and welfare programmes. The scheme doesn’t touch commercial lending from banks or bondholders. Nor does it include Asian countries such as India and the Philippines, where many of the newly destitute reside.

Politicians in poor countries, shackled by debt, will struggle to provide meaningful support. The pandemic has shown how flimsy recent progress has been, says Andrew Sumner of King’s College London.

He reckons that the proportion of people in poor countries living on less than $1.90 a day had fallen last year to 17%. But a third were still living on less than $3.20 a day.

Covid-19 has exposed the vulnerability of that group-the poor but not destitute-in the face of a big economic shock. Policymakers must now help people climb back above the poverty line-and devise ways to make them more resilient to future shocks.

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Severe Heatwave Drives Dangerous Ground-Level Ozone Pollution Across Two Thirds of European Union

Record-breaking June temperatures catalyzed chemical reactions that exposed nearly three hundred million people to toxic smog levels, intensifying public health strains.

An unprecedented early-summer heatwave across Western Europe has triggered extensive ground-level ozone pollution, exposing approximately two thirds of the European Union population to toxic atmospheric conditions.

Ground-level ozone, a primary component of industrial smog, forms when high temperatures and intense sunlight accelerate chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides from vehicular traffic and human-driven methane emissions.

What is confirmed by regional atmospheric modeling and census data is that nearly three hundred million individuals, including an estimated one hundred million highly vulnerable children and elderly citizens, breathed air exceeding the European Union recommended maximum daily threshold of one hundred and twenty micrograms per cubic meter between June twenty-first and June twenty-eighth.

The scale of the pollution represents an immediate public health crisis, as ground-level ozone causes severe respiratory inflammation, damages lung tissue, and triggers acute asthma attacks.

The European Environment Agency previously attributed over sixty-three thousand annual deaths and billions of euros in agricultural crop damage to this specific pollutant.

During the late June climate anomaly, which the Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed as the hottest June on record for Western Europe, more than seventy-two million people were subjected to extreme ozone concentrations exceeding one hundred and fifty micrograms per cubic meter, with peak levels reaching two hundred and thirty-three point seven micrograms in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Controlling this invisible atmospheric threat remains a complex regulatory challenge because ground-level ozone relies heavily on volatile organic compounds like methane, which accounts for one third of its formation.

While the European Union has successfully curbed urban nitrogen dioxide emissions over recent decades, the trading bloc currently lacks legally binding targets to reduce methane emissions stemming from its agricultural sector.

Environmental researchers note that the compounding pressure of high humidity, extreme temperatures, and elevated ozone creates a severe cumulative strain on human cardiovascular systems.

To mitigate immediate physiological risk during these escalating heat events, public health officials are advising citizens to restrict outdoor activities and avoid physical exercise during peak daylight hours as a critical safety measure.

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Bangkok Prepares to Host InfoComm Asia Twenty Twenty-Six Technology Exhibition

Thailand's Aviation Recovery Gains Momentum With Expanding International Routes

Nestlé Expands Local Agricultural Sourcing Through Smart Factory Investment

Fulltech Fiber Glass Invests in Specialty Materials Production for Electronics Industry

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Regional Semiconductor Investment Continues to Strengthen Thailand's Manufacturing Base

Thai AirAsia and Tourism Authority Expand Community Tourism Initiative in Songkhla

Bangkok Launches Pilot Program for Card Payments on Tuk-Tuks

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South Korea's Doosan Electro-Materials Expands Printed Circuit Board Materials Production in Thailand

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Japan's Datasection to Build High-Performance Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure in Bangkok

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Nestlé Invests Six Hundred Eighty-Eight Million Dollars in Smart Manufacturing Hub in Thailand

Thailand and Malaysia Open New Border Link to Strengthen Trade and Regional Connectivity

Thailand Approves Nearly Two Billion Dollars in High-Tech Investment Across Artificial Intelligence, Electronics and Clean Energy

Flight Instructor Jumped to His Death — Student Landed the Plane: "You Know What You Need to Do"

An experienced flight instructor in Argentina died after jumping from a training aircraft during a lesson, leaving his twenty-two-year-old student to land the plane alone. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

Authorities in Argentina are reporting an extraordinarily rare and tragic incident in which a flight instructor jumped to his death during a training flight, leaving his stunned student to land the aircraft by herself.

According to reports from the South American country, Leandro Bertazzo, forty-two, jumped from a Cessna C-150 light aircraft on July 4 after taking off with his twenty-two-year-old student, whose identity has not been released, from an airport near the city of Córdoba.

The student told investigators that, moments before jumping, Bertazzo said to her, "You know what you need to do.

Keep going." He then removed his headset, unfastened his seat belt, opened the aircraft door, and leapt from the plane.

His body was found about twenty minutes later in the area where the student had informed authorities he had likely fallen.

Eduardo Álvarez, director of the flight school in Córdoba where Bertazzo had worked as an instructor for the past four years, said the student was deeply shaken but remained composed throughout the emergency.

"She was extremely distressed, but with complete professionalism she flew the aircraft back to the airport and executed a perfect landing," Álvarez said.

"She maintained an exceptionally high level of professionalism."

According to the reports, Bertazzo was an experienced pilot who had previously worked as a flight instructor in Chile.

Earlier on the day of his death, he had also conducted another training flight with a different student.

Álvarez described him as a highly professional instructor who "was always smiling" and was well liked by his students.

"He was a wonderful person with a big smile," he said.

However, he added that Bertazzo had been struggling with mental health issues and had received counseling at a psychiatric hospital during the week before his death.

According to Álvarez, Bertazzo's father said his son had been going through "a difficult period." Reports also stated that he had no children and had been living with his parents in Córdoba.

Álvarez emphasized that neither he nor anyone at the flight school had noticed any warning signs that might have prevented the tragedy.

"He made this tragic decision while aboard an aircraft with another person beside him," he said.

"It's impossible to comprehend or make sense of it, but the human mind is an extraordinarily complex thing."

He also noted that opening the door of an aircraft in flight is extremely difficult, comparing it to trying to open the door of a car traveling at two hundred kilometers per hour.

According to the reports, the authorities' investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.

If someone in your surroundings is experiencing a crisis and may be at risk of suicide, do not hesitate to speak with them, encourage them to seek professional help, and emphasize the importance of doing so.

Try to help them connect with mental health professionals or national support services, including ERAN's hotline at 1201 or via WhatsApp at 052-8451201, or through the SAHAR website or www.headspace.org.il.

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The Physical and Electronic Barriers Disrupting Domestic Wireless Networks

An analysis of electromagnetic attenuation, appliance interference, and structural limitations affecting modern home router efficiency.

The systemic architectural framework of unlicensed radio frequency allocation and the immutable physics of electromagnetic wave propagation dictate the performance limits of modern wireless local area networks, or Wi-Fi. Operating primarily within the globally saturated two-point-four gigahertz spectrum, standard domestic internet routing systems must perpetually navigate structural, electronic, and environmental impediments that weaken or alter signal integrity.

While newer protocols like Wi-Fi Six-E and Wi-Fi Seven introduce less congested five and six gigahertz bands to bypass legacy interference, the fundamental mechanics of wave attenuation, absorption, and reflection continue to present persistent challenges for consumer-grade connectivity.

Electromagnetic interference from everyday consumer electronics represents one of the most pervasive systemic disruptions within the two-point-four gigahertz frequency.

This specific slice of spectrum is legally designated for unlicensed public utility, meaning household routers directly compete with appliances that rely on identical wavelengths.

Microwave ovens are a primary culprit; despite internal metal shielding designed to confine radiation, minor degradation of door seals or structural aging frequently allows radiation leakage during operation.

What is confirmed is that this leakage introduces intense localized electromagnetic noise, overwhelming the router's transmissions and severely degrading data throughput.

Similar co-channel degradation regularly emanates from poorly shielded fluorescent light ballasts, vehicle ignition architectures, and legacy short-range wireless devices like older baby monitors or cordless telephony systems.

Beyond active electronic interference, physical structures and domestic materials induce severe signal attenuation through an effect known as shadowing.

Radio waves interact with physical matter based on atomic density and molecular composition.

Liquid volumes, such as large household aquariums, act as highly effective electromagnetic absorbers due to the dielectric properties of water molecules, which polarize and sap the kinetic energy of passing radio signals.

Similarly, structural engineering components such as reinforced concrete, brickwork, and wire-mesh stucco lath present dense physical boundaries that resist wave penetration.

A clear consequence of routing wireless signals through these dense matrices is the immediate creation of dead zones, where the amplitude of the signal falls below the threshold required for multi-link connectivity or reliable data packets.

Specular reflection further distorts signal propagation when radio waves encounter flat, highly conductive surfaces.

Because radio signals are a form of non-visible electromagnetic radiation, they mimic light when contacting reflective boundaries.

Large mirrors, which utilize thin metallic backings, do not merely obstruct the signal; they reflect waves away from their intended trajectory, causing multi-path distortion where overlapping signals arrive at receiving devices out of phase.

Large liquid crystal display panels and architectural metallic frames cause identical reflective deflection.

To resolve these spatial limitations without modifying architectural layouts, network deployment increasingly relies on hardware-level adjustments.

Integrating localized range extenders or deploying dynamic mesh network topologies with interconnected nodes effectively bypasses obstructions by routing signals via alternative physical pathways.

Environmental and meteorological extremes present the final systemic barrier to domestic and wide-area wireless infrastructure.

While internal building environments remain somewhat isolated, the macro-networks supplying data to residential routers face direct exposure to seasonal atmospheric disruption.

Severe winter storms can compromise data delivery infrastructure through thermal contraction of physical cabling or the accumulation of frozen precipitation on satellite reception hardware.

Conversely, high-temperature anomalies strain local network infrastructure and accelerate hardware degradation.

As localized grid strain and severe weather events become more frequent, telecommunications providers face growing regulatory and operational pressure to winterize infrastructure and harden regional distributions against environmental volatility.

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France and Morocco Open World Cup Quarter-Finals as Collina Defends Refereeing

France face Morocco in the opening World Cup quarter-final while FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina rejects allegations of bias, and football developments continue across the tournament and beyond.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup enters the quarter-final stage with France meeting Morocco in Boston in a repeat of their 2022 semi-final.

France have impressed throughout the tournament despite a difficult victory over Paraguay, while Morocco arrive after eliminating the Netherlands and defeating Canada, becoming the first African nation to reach consecutive World Cup quarter-finals.

French authorities appealed for calm ahead of the match.

Sports minister Marina Ferrari urged supporters to act responsibly, describing the occasion as a celebration, while interior minister Laurent Nunez warned that misconduct would not be tolerated following the disorder that accompanied Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final victory.

FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended match officials following criticism from Egypt after Argentina's 3-2 victory in the round of 16. In an interview published by inside.fifa.com, he rejected suggestions that refereeing decisions could be influenced.

"Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport," Collina said.

"Nobody can question the integrity of the Fifa World Cup match officials ...

Nobody can claim that Fifa refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the Fifa president (Gianni Infantino)."

Egypt argued that Mostafa Zico's second-half goal had been wrongly disallowed and believed Mohamed Salah should have received a penalty shortly before Argentina scored the winner.

Collina said VAR correctly identified a foul by Marwan Attia on Lisandro Martinez during the attacking phase before Zico's goal.

"We believe that a foul is a foul," Collina said.

"Regardless of whether the foul appears 'obvious', if the referee did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene."

He also defended the decision not to award Egypt a penalty, saying officials considered the incident involving Salah and Julian Alvarez to be normal football contact.

Away from the pitch, reports showed the France national team has used Global Crossing Airlines for several domestic World Cup flights.

The airline has also operated more than half of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights during 2024 and 2025.

England continued preparations for their quarter-final against Norway.

Dan Burn said his side must improve on its performance against Mexico to stop Erling Haaland, while Morgan Rogers described Ezri Konsa as "one of the best centre-backs in football." Reece James remained a doubt through injury and Djed Spence was expected to replace the suspended Jarell Quansah.

Elsewhere, Steve Cherundolo was appointed head coach of the United States men's under-23 team through the 2028 Olympics.

Arsenal signed goalkeeper Illan Meslier after the expiry of his Leeds United contract, Newcastle United completed the signing of Sean Steur from Ajax and agreed a £51.5 million deal for Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi, while Manchester United acknowledged that plans for a proposed 100,000-capacity stadium could increase the club's debt.

The United States also expressed interest in hosting the 2029 Club World Cup following the commercial and sporting success of staging the 2026 World Cup.

Elsewhere, an inquest into the death of Sheffield United midfielder Maddy Cusack was adjourned again after additional documents were lodged.

Campaigners also warned that increasingly divisive political rhetoric is contributing to rising levels of racism directed at footballers during the tournament.

The day's coverage also featured analysis of Norway's youth development model, previews of France against Morocco and England against Norway, transfer news, fan reaction, tournament statistics and features examining the wider political, cultural and sporting stories surrounding the World Cup.

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Vietnam Hosts Regional Talks on Occupational Safety and Health

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto Meets Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

ASEAN Secretary-General Calls for Stronger Indo-Pacific Cooperation

Thailand's Businesses Step Up Artificial Intelligence Adoption to Support SME Growth

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and AI Connect 2026 Set for Major Bangkok Expansion

Thailand Calls on Farmers to Prepare for Intensifying Monsoon Conditions

Maritime Security Expected to Dominate ASEAN Agenda in Manila

Philippines Prepares to Host Key ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings in Manila

Thailand Warns of Heavy Rain and Flash Flood Risk as Southwest Monsoon Strengthens

Asian Development Bank Cuts Southeast Asia's 2026 Growth Forecast to 4.6 Percent

ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Meet Myanmar Counterpart in Bangkok for Informal Talks

Tech Pulse: The Future of AI and Screen Culture

A radio briefing on the latest developments in artificial intelligence, digital wellbeing, and the tech industry.

Welcome to today’s tech briefing.

We’re starting with a big question about the future of artificial intelligence. Experts are debating whether AI is really as smart as we think, and they’re asking what’s actually next for the field. We’re also seeing a massive surge in robotics; robots are becoming available to rent, which is a fast-moving trend, but there's still a lot of confusion about what these machines can actually do for us.

Our relationship with our screens is under the microscope, too. Some tech leaders are pushing a new vision for a world where we spend way less time looking at our phones. It’s a hot topic: is this the real solution to screen addiction, or is it just a new kind of dystopia? People are even talking about "phone body," which is a term for physical issues like weak hands and blurry vision caused by our addiction to our devices. On top of that, there’s growing alarm about the dangers of sharing photos of our children online, especially with AI abuse risks on the rise.

In the business world, things are a bit of a rollercoaster. Samsung’s profits are up a huge 1,800%, largely thanks to soaring AI chip sales. On the flip side, Microsoft is going through a significant restructure, which means they’re cutting 4,800 jobs, including 1,600 roles at Xbox.

Here are a few other stories making waves today:.

Meta is facing a lot of backlash for letting users create AI images using public Instagram profile photos, with privacy campaigners calling it a "recipe for disaster".

The consumer group Which? found that online marketplaces are still selling unsafe baby products, like pillows and sleeping bags that have already been flagged for safety issues.

If you’re looking at the housing market in San Francisco, prices have hit a record high of $1.7 million, and reports suggest that wealthy AI workers are a major reason why.

Finally, on a more positive note, a UK hospital has become the first to use AI to help spot infections. The staff there say it’s been a big help because it frees up their time so they can focus on actually caring for their patients.

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Global News Briefing: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions and Corporate Shakeups

A comprehensive radio report detailing renewed US-Iran conflict, NATO defense shifts, and major developments in the global tech and financial markets.

We begin with breaking news from the Middle East, where the United States has launched a second day of strikes against Iran. This escalation comes just hours after US President Donald Trump told a NATO summit that the ceasefire with Tehran is officially "over".

The renewed conflict follows recent attacks on oil tankers and has already sent shockwaves through global markets, with oil prices rising sharply after Washington renewed hostilities. Analysts are warning of a dangerous, ongoing cycle of tit-for-tat strikes between the two nations.

Meanwhile, at the NATO summit, President Trump’s surprise shift on foreign policy regarding Ukraine has steadied nervous allies. As part of this defense shift, Trump has granted Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles to aid in their ongoing war. Simultaneously, Ukraine is intensifying its own military operations, stepping up attacks on Russian ships in the Azov Sea.

Turning to the global economy and finance, inflation fears are mounting following Kevin Warsh’s first Federal Reserve meeting. In commodities, an exclusive report reveals that rare earth minerals from Trump-backed US mines are being sold to Asia. In corporate finance, UniCredit has secured a massive 48 percent stake in Commerzbank, while a complex M&A environment is fueling historic paydays for megadeal traders due to a rising "complexity premium".

In political news from Europe, Marine Le Pen has revived her French presidential bid, heavily echoing Donald Trump's political style. Over in the UK, political drama is unfolding as Nigel Farage was ridiculed in parliament while a controversial by-election received the official go-ahead.

Farage will face a highly unusual opponent in the race: the satirical candidate Count Binface, in what critics are calling a "farce" by-election. In technology and corporate news, Meta is pushing boundaries by testing new "super sensing" AI glasses designed to capture every moment. Meanwhile, Apple has committed to buying 30 billion dollars worth of US-made microchips from Broadcom.

However, the rapid expansion of technology is drawing scrutiny; a prominent opinion piece by Pilita Clark takes aim at "The Great AI Data Centre Cover-Up". In aerospace, Alphaville LLC has officially initiated coverage of Elon Musk’s SpaceX with a definitive "Buy" recommendation. Looking at global developments, an outspoken Chinese economist who famously doubted Beijing’s official GDP data has died. In South America, Argentinian President Javier Milei has issued a stark warning, declaring that Argentina should completely shut down the state if the national budget runs out. Finally, in banking overhauls, Santander has axed its top China banker and scrapped traditional perks across its Asian operations.

That is your global news update. Thank you for listening.

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Global News Brief: Escalating Conflicts, Public Health Crises, and World Cup Drama

A comprehensive roundup of today's top international headlines, covering breaking news, global sports, tech updates, and human interest stories.

This is your global news update.

We begin with breaking news from the Middle East, where the US has launched more strikes on Iran. Local media are reporting explosions along the south coast. This follows statements from US President Donald Trump, who warned the US would "hit them hard again" after both nations exchanged fire the previous night.

Meanwhile, at the NATO summit, the NATO chief Mark Rutte has downplayed friction, telling reporters that Trump’s recent comments are like a "family argument." Rutte insisted that the alliance is stronger than ever and expressed complete confidence in the US president’s commitment. In a separate development from the summit, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was gifted a gun and ammunition by the Turkish president. On the defense front, President Trump also announced that Ukraine will receive a licence to produce Patriot missiles. While highly effective against Russian ballistic missiles, officials note they come with lengthy production times.

Turning to public health and environmental disasters in Asia, a severe healthcare crisis is unfolding in Bangladesh, where more than 120,000 suspected and confirmed measles cases have been reported. Hospitals are completely overwhelmed in a country that had previously made huge progress against the disease. Tragedies continue in the region as heavy monsoon rains batter Bangladesh's south-eastern coast, causing a devastating landslide that hit a girls' school, killing eight people. In neighboring India, motorists are expressing widespread unhappiness over the government adding biofuels to petrol. Drivers claim the E-20 fuel blend has significantly reduced vehicle fuel efficiency and will lead to higher maintenance costs. In Pakistan, the Airports Authority reports that five crew members remain missing after the wreckage of a private cargo plane was located.

Over in China, extreme weather is causing chaos as a typhoon triggers severe floods and rare tornadoes. Stranded villagers have told reporters they are struggling to get basic food and emergency help. In a major legal development out of China, a high-ranking official has been sentenced to death after being convicted of taking 325 million dollars in bribes.

In the United States, a staggering medical mystery is making headlines. An Arizona toddler who was declared dead from drowning was miraculously found alive inside a hospital morgue. In the US legal system, a 67-year-old former US judge has been spared prison time after being arrested for helping an undocumented migrant evade federal immigration agents by ushering them out of a courtroom side door.

Looking at European news, Russian fuel shortages are beginning to bite, with authorities even in Moscow unable to guarantee supplies. This leaves experts wondering if mounting economic pressure will force President Vladimir Putin to change tack in the Ukraine war or lead to further escalation. In Germany, a doctor has been jailed for the murder of 15 patients and is currently suspected of more. And in the UK, a historic legal milestone has been reached as a conditional pardon has been granted for Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the United Kingdom.

Now to the business and technology desk. Meta is facing a massive public outcry after revealing that it is allowing users to generate AI images using public Instagram profile pictures. While the tech giant states users can opt out, privacy campaigners have labeled the move a "recipe for disaster." Meanwhile, artificial intelligence has taken center stage in Australian labor relations, as dock workers call for a 28-hour work week during AI automation talks, stating that port workers are firmly in the crosshairs of automation.

In UK politics, questions are being raised about an upcoming by-election. Following the announcement that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will quit his Clacton constituency to stand in a by-election, serial election candidate Count Binface posted online, "Game on, Nige."

In entertainment, the Emmy nominations are out. Drama series The Pitt is leading the pack, though fan-favorite Stranger Things was completely snubbed in the top categories. Also trending, DJ Greg James spilled details on Taylor Swift's star-studded wedding in New York City, describing multiple cakes and stolen keepsakes.

Finally, we turn to sports and the 2026 World Cup, where fans and players have experienced three weeks of joy and despair at the biggest World Cup in history. Drama is brewing off the pitch as Egypt has alleged bias and favoritism toward Argentina and their star player, Lionel Messi. On the pitch, England is preparing to meet Norway in a highly anticipated quarter-final clash, a fixture reviving memories of historic football rivalries. Co-hosting duties have officially come to an end for a "forgotten" host, Canada, following an eventful journey for their national team. Meanwhile, in Gaza, hundreds of football fans were seen watching the tournament and cheering for neighboring Egypt from atop the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The tournament's closing festivities are also locked in, as Justin Bieber is set to join Madonna, Shakira, and BTS for a Super Bowl-style FIFA World Cup final half-time show, marking the Canadian singer's latest massive performance following his Coachella comeback. Meanwhile, the race for the Golden Boot is shaping up to be one for the ages.

In other sports news, Great Britain's most-decorated Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, has announced her retirement from international competition with immediate effect. In tennis, Wimbledon witnessed an extraordinary day on Centre Court as British wildcard Arthur Fery defied the odds to reach the semi-finals. In women's football, London City Lionesses have pulled off one of the biggest signings in WSL history by persuading Alexia Putellas to move from Barcelona to Bromley. However, England batter Tammy Beaumont has announced her retirement, stating she has lost the fire to regain her spot in the new-look side. And in mixed martial arts, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt has publicly called on the UFC to offer better healthcare and transition support for retired fighters.

That is your latest world news update.

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