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☆ Jailed Former Thai Premier Thaksin to Be Released on Feb 18, PM Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Jailed former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra will be released on Feb. 18, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Saturday. Thaksin has been in hospital detention since August, after making a dramatic homcoming from living abroad for 15 years in self-exile to avoid prison for a conflict of interest. He had his eight-year jail term commuted to a year by the King after his return and has served six months in hospital detention due to an undisclosed health condition. Feb. 18 is the first day of his parole eligibility. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Persons: Premier Thaksin, Srettha Thavisin, Thaksin, King, Panu, Stephen Coates Organizations: Premier Locations: BANGKOK

But — astead herndon You don’t really talk — you don’t really talk about that on the first date? I don’t know how to — I don’t know if that’s the best way to phrase it. I just — they’re not for me if they’re really, really intense about it. And it is really, really important to some people and less important to others. speaker 8 I’m — I’m — I’m more pro-choice, to be honest.

Persons: ashley I’m Ashley, radia I’m Radia, ashley, astead herndon, ashley Yes, radia, we’re, we’ve, hasn’t, Donald Trump, it’s Donald Trump, Joe Biden, ashley Um, BELL, herndon, Elisa Gutierrez, Ashley, Radia, King of Prussia, elisa gutierrez, elisa gutierrez Oh, elisa gutierrez We’re, Don’t, I’m Astead Herndon, Trump, there’s, you’re, — astead herndon, Biden, It’s, that’s, I’m, COVID, didn’t —, aren’t, I’m John, astead, wasn’t, karen, Karen, karen Um, don’t, they’re, — astead, —, Pew, jess grose, Jess Grose, ” astead herndon, anna martin I’m Anna Martin, Elisa, anna martin, Jess, you’ve, astead herndon We’re, Anna, Taylor Swift, anna martin That’s, anna martin You’re, I’ve, anna martin Totally, jess grose Homophily, astead herndon Homophily, astead herndon I’m, — jess grose That’s, it’s, you’ll, anna martin Absolutely, jess grose Yes, anna martin Oh, Wariness, astead herndon Anna, anna martin Good, jess grose Oh, Jessica Grose, Anna Martin, Tom Suozzi, Republican Mazi Pilip, astead herndon He’ll, George Santos, astead herndon Donald Trump, Lara Trump, Sean Hannity, lara, Donald J, Ronna McDaniel, biden, Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce, Mama Kelce Organizations: The New York Times, Biden, Trump, Pew, “ Times, Democratic, Republican Party, Republican, The Boston Globe, Nassau, Nassau County Republican, Republican National Committee, RNC, South, GOP Locations: King, Philadelphia, herndon, astead herndon, It’s, United States, —, Boston, New, Nassau County, Israel

☆ I got Botox because I hated my forehead lines. I regretted it, and was glad when the effects wore off.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Julia Pugachevsky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I got Botox because I hated my forehead lines. I was excited when my Botox started wearing offAfter about a month, the Botox started to gently lose its grip. While the lines didn’t stick, I could move my face as freely as I did before. I lost a part of my face I didn’t know I lovedNow, I’m at the end point of my Botox treatment. I’m relieved that I didn’t love Botox, and that I will always feel ambivalent about it.

Persons: —, “, Um, Nathan Fielder, I’ve, Julia Pugachevsky, Alison Mei, I’m, I’ll Organizations: Service Locations: New York

☆ Opinion: Fani Willis and Nathan Wade need to step aside for the sake of the country
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Opinion William Cooper | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“The optics are horrific,” Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney said about the fundraiser before disqualifying Willis and her staff from pursuing charges against Jones in July 2022. More recently, Willis admitted to having a “personal relationship” with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she hired to help with Trump’s prosecution. Wade hasn’t just billed Fulton County over $650,000 under Willis’ supervision; he’s done so in irregular fashion. Combined with his personal relationship with Willis, they raise significant questions, including whether any of his outsized earnings have benefited Willis. If Willis and Wade step aside, other competent lawyers can make the case that Trump violated the law.

Persons: William Cooper, Substack, Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Sen, Burt Jones, Willis, Robert McBurney, disqualifying Willis, Jones, Nathan Wade, Michael Roman’s, Wade, Attorney Willis, Trump’s, Brad Raffensperger, “, ” Trump, Raffensperger, team’s misjudgments, Wade’s, Wade hasn’t, Willis ’, ”, Scott McAfee, Trump, it’s Organizations: CNN, District, Republican, Trump, Attorney, Fulton County prosecutorial Locations: California, Fulton County , Georgia, Republican Georgia, Fulton County, United States, Georgia, Fulton

☆ How to fight dementia, according to neurologists
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

What about diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease, high blood pressure or heart disease? Some of the questions might seem unexpected to those who don’t write about brain health. However, my risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common type after Alzheimer’s disease, is elevated. "Such spikes cause brain inflammation, disrupt brain metabolism and increase shrinkage of the thinking part of the brain," Isaacson said. The National Institute on Aging currently supports nearly 500 active clinical trials on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Persons: Louise Dittner, Krysta, Ryan LaMotte, It’s, ”, Natalia Rost, “, Rost, ” Rost, Richard Isaacson, ” Isaacson, mockingbird …, birthed, it’s, I’ve, Isaacson, Sandee LaMotte Organizations: CNN, Comprehensive, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, American Academy of Neurology, Boca Raton, Weill Cornell Medicine, Presbyterian, Mayo Clinic, Volunteers, Alzheimer’s, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Locations: Massachusetts, Boston, neonatologists, Florida, United, New York, New York City, Nature

☆ Opinion | Talk to Us, President Biden, but Not About Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Frank Bruni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden curses. It drew a spasm of attention last week, when Politico reported that in private, on the subject of Donald Trump’s depravity, Biden is hardly at a loss for words — he’s ready with four-letter ones. If that doesn’t give Biden a point of connection with tens of millions of Americans, I don’t know what does. He should go after Trump more viscerally. How — and how often — to talk about Trump?

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump’s, Trump, doesn’t, That’s Organizations: Politico, Trump

But the judge angrily told prosecutors that their questions to the witness had crossed the line. Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was shot dead in his recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002. After lengthy discussion, DeArcy Hall decided the trial could continue, with a caveat: She told jurors to disregard the two questions and their answers. Misorek was cleared to ask whether Washington “said anything else about Jam Master Jay's murder.”“Um, he just said that he killed him,” McDonald said, and that answer was allowed to stand. Prosecutors and an eyewitness say Jordan shot the rap star while Washington stood at the door and brandished a gun.

Persons: Jay, LaShann DeArcy, Jason Mizell, Ronald Washington, Karl Jordan Jr, Daynia McDonald, Mizell, Washington, “, ’ ”, Mark Misorek, ”, McDonald, Susan Kellman, Artie McConnell, DeArcy Hall, Misorek, Washington “, Jay's, ” McDonald, Jordan, gunning Organizations: — Defense, District, Washington, U.S, Prosecutors Locations: U.S, Jordan, Washington

☆ Convicted Thai Ex-PM Thaksin Facing Possible Royal Insults Charge
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's attorney general is considering prosecuting convicted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra over an alleged insult of the powerful monarchy, an official said on Tuesday, just weeks away from his possible release on parole. The lese-majeste law is among the world's strictest, with each perceived offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The influential Thaksin, prime minister from 2001-2006, made a dramatic homecoming last August from 15 years in self-imposed exile to serve an eight-year jail sentence for abuse of power, later commuted to one year by the king. Prayut Petchkhun, spokesperson for the attorney-general's office, told reporters the seven-year delay in acting on the royal insults complaint was because Thaksin had been abroad. Thailand current government is backed by the Shinawatra family, with Thaksin's return coinciding with ally and real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin becoming prime minister that same day.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Thaksin's, Thaksin, Prayut Petchkhun, Prayut, Srettha Thavisin, Panu, Martin Petty Organizations: Thaksin Locations: BANGKOK, Thai, South Korea, Thailand

☆ I thought I was cutting all toxic people in my life. Turns out, I was being the toxic one.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Phoebe Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementIt was 2017, and I was at a kids' pool party my friend had put together for her son. AdvertisementI blocked toxic person after toxic person. Oddly, however, despite cutting all these toxic people out of my life, I didn't seem to get any peace of mind. The more toxic people I cut from my life, the more toxic I became. AdvertisementI now have a no-block policyI have now realized that cutting "toxic people" out of my life was doing damage to my mental health.

Persons: —, Phoebe, Harry Potter Organizations: Service, Facebook

☆ Thailand Deports Dissident Russian Rock Band to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Human rights activists had warned that the seven members of the self-exiled rock band Bi-2 would face harsh punishment if they were sent to Russia. Several band members, however, hold both Russian and Israeli citizenship, and the group had been based in Israel in the 1990s. Earlier this week, Thai immigration officials said the band could choose to be deported to another destination if they felt unsafe to return to Russia. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, welcomed the decision to send the band to Israel. "Human rights concerns won out in Thailand's to let all the Bi-2 band members travel to the safety of Israel," he said(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; editing by Miral Fahmy)

Persons: Surachate Hakparn, Surachate, Igor Bortnick, Vladimir Putin, Phil Robertson, Panu, Miral Fahmy Organizations: Thai, Deputy Police, Reuters, Tel Aviv ., Russia's, Human Rights Locations: BANGKOK, Russian, Ukraine, Thailand, Israel, Moscow, Phuket, Russia, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Asia, Thailand's

☆ New Blow for Thai Election Winners as Lawyer Launches Dissolution Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The constitution states the king is enshrined to be held in a position of "revered worship". The election commission will weigh the merits of the complaint and whether to send it to the Constitutional Court to decide on party dissolution, which could see its executives banned from politics for a decade. Its predecessor, Future Forward, had championed similar policies and was disbanded in 2020 for violating campaign funding rules. "The election commission must take into account (yesterday's) case ... the commission must carry out its duties and cannot remain idle," Ruangkrai told reporters. Move Forward has rejected accusations that it sought to undermine the monarchy and says it wanted to prevent the wrongful use of the royal insults law.

Persons: Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, Ruangkrai, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu, Martin Petty Organizations: Thailand's, Party, Constitutional Locations: BANGKOK, Thailand

☆ The demise of the UN’s Palestinian agency could spell disaster for millions. Here’s why Israel wants it dismantled
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Here’s what that could mean for the millions of Palestinians that rely on UNRWA for sustenance. The agency provides a wide range of aid and services to Palestinian refugees and their descendants. While its purpose is to support Palestinian refugees, UNRWA does not have a mandate to resettle them, a mandate that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does have. Millions more Palestinian refugees live in neighboring countries like Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, and rely on aid from the agency. At one UNRWA school shelter in Deir al Balah, Gazans said they were worried about the suffering to come if UNRWA’s aid is suspended.

Persons: Leo, ”, Majdi, Deir al Balah, Gazans, Um Mohammad Al Khabbaz, “ What’s, António Guterres, “, Yuval Shany, ” Shany, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Katz, ” Katz, Israel doesn’t, …, Shany, ” Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, United, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Israel, UNRWA, United Nations, UN, Refugees, UNHCR, Palestinian, CNN Sunday, Hebrew University, Jerusalem’s, State Department, US, Gaza Locations: United Nations, United States, Israel, Gaza, New York, Geneva, Brussels, UNHCR, Palestine, UNRWA’s, Crescent, Deir el, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Deir al, Palestinian

☆ Consumers Feel Better About the Economy. Why? Gas Prices, Eggs, Stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Listen, I'm not saying that all the good vibes Americans are suddenly feeling about the economy boil down to stocks, gas prices, and eggs. What improved America's economic vibes was basically three things: the soaring stock market, falling gas prices, and eggs. Research shows that consumers feel more pessimistic when gas prices go up — James Surowiecki points out in The Atlantic that high gas prices also make people less happy and more likely to hate the president. If oil prices stay relatively low and, in turn, keep gas prices down, less exasperated drivers could help Joe Biden keep his job come November. There are all sorts of geopolitical threats and unknowns that could throw global trade and oil prices (and thus gas prices) into chaos.

Persons: I'm, there's, There's, Jordan Weissmann, —, It's, James Surowiecki, Joe Biden, they're, Emily Stewart Organizations: University of, Dow, Federal Reserve Bank of San, AAA, Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Times, Business Locations: America, The

Torrential rain in Gaza is making an already brutal existence even harder for the tens of thousands of people displaced and camping in the open air. Raging flames engulfed the walls of a UN shelter west of Khan Younis, after the facility was shelled on Wednesday. “Persistent attacks on civilian sites in Khan Younis are utterly unacceptable and must stop immediately.”Smoke rises after an attack on an UNRWA facility in Khan Younis on January 24, where more than 10,000 civilians were taking shelter. The ICRC warned the collapse of Nasser Medical Complex and the European Gaza Hospital could lead to "thousands of preventable deaths." The ICRC highlighted the deficiencies in the current healthcare system in Gaza where only two referral hospitals – Nasser Medical Complex and the European Gaza Hospital – providing advanced medical services are operational.

Persons: Deir, ” Jamal Ramadan, Ashraf Amra, Balah, “, ”, Ahmad Al Rebai, Um Muhammad, It’s, Khan, Khan Younis, Thomas White, Ramez, Crews, Mahmoud, Mohammed Al, Rifi, Al Amal, PRCS, Fatima Shbair, Cross, Ashraf Al, ” Al, Qidra Organizations: CNN, “, Getty, Israel Defense Forces, Humanitarian Affairs, of Health, IDF, Israel Meteorological Service, UN, Palestine, Gaza’s Civil Defense, Al Shifa, ” CNN, Nasser, Al Amal Hospital, Palestine Red Crescent Society, ICRC, European Gaza, International Committee, Hamas, Nasser Hospital, Al Locations: Gaza, Deir Al, Anadolu, Israel, Khan, ”, Gaza City, Gaza Civil, Kuwaiti, Palestine, Rafah

☆ Opinion | Poor Nikki, Poor Us
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Gail Collins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two possible ways of looking at New Hampshire’s vote:A: Face it, Nikki Haley is toast. B: … Except that she’s the only thing saving us from a full year of just Trump vs. Biden. But face it, you’d rather not start reliving the 2020 campaign already. Right now, we turn our attention to the South Carolina Republican primary — at least there’s going to be one. It is not the last in the nation,” Haley told her supporters after she came in, well, second, in her one-on-one race against Donald Trump.

Persons: Nikki Haley, Biden, Joe Biden’s, ” Haley, Donald Trump, ”, Haley Organizations: Trump, South Carolina Republican, Republican Locations: “ New Hampshire

☆ Julie and Jake flirted their way through Netflix's 'The Trust,' but did they actually date after filming? Here's what we know about their relationship today
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Julie Theis and Jake Chocholous started to build a romantic rapport in the first several episodes of "The Trust." And in turn, it started to affect the game: In episode three, Julie chooses to vote to eliminate Simone, fearing that Jay is going to vote Jake out. Eventually, Julie chooses to disclose some of that information to Jake, leading the other women to begin to distrust her. Jake and Julie are playing coy about their relationship on InstagramBoth Jake and Julie still follow each other on Instagram ahead of the finale, but they're being coy about the status of their relationship. @jakechocholous/InstagramAnother follower explicitly asked him whether or not he had a relationship with Julie.

Persons: —, Julie Theis, Jake Chocholous, Jake, Julie, Simone, Jay, she's, Jake hasn't, coy, Jake nodded Organizations: Service, Business, coy, Netflix, Cosmopolitan

☆ I hope Renée Rapp never succumbs to media training
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But her press tour for "Mean Girls" may be one of her best performances yet. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Take this clip from the "Mean Girls" junket. Advertisement"So, I love Megan Thee Stallion. On "Today," she reflected on how she felt after being cast as Regina George in "Mean Girls" on Broadway in 2019.

Persons: —, Renée Rapp, she's, Rapp hasn't, celeb, Regina George, she'd, Buddy, Megan Thee Stallion, Rapp, Meg, Tory Lanez, Megan, Megan Thee, Mark Cuban, Lindsay Lohan, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez's Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Dashing Through These Films
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Elisabeth Vincentelli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The most fun entry on the BET+ slate is Terri J. Vaughn’s comedy about friendship. When Wyvetta (Tichina Arnold, from “The Neighborhood”) is dumped at the altar on Christmas Eve, she and her supportive bestie Dione (Tami Roman) publicly swear off romance on their podcast. Um, did these two women really intend to remain chaste for the rest of their lives? Filmed largely in Atlantic City, this breezy movie benefits from Arnold and Roman’s believable camaraderie. And we could have used a lot more of Michael Colyar and Jackée Harry as Wyvetta’s forbearing parents.

Persons: Terri J, Tichina Arnold, Dione, Tami Roman, Clarence, Robert Christopher Riley, —, Arnold, Michael Colyar, Harry, Wyvetta’s Organizations: BET Locations: Atlantic City

☆ Opinion: ‘The Golden Bachelor’ women gave me what I needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Opinion Amy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Yet I was one of the millions tuning into “The Golden Bachelor” premiere because I wanted to know how they would handle aging. As an older mom, I am fascinated by the media’s portrayal of older women. Consider this: the women of “The Golden Girls” — Blanche, Dorothy and Rose — were in their 50s in 1985, when the show about old women began. “Is anyone watching ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and thinking, ‘maybe I shouldn’t be so scared to get older…. “I feel like as someone in her 20s it’s scary, like how am I going to look when I’m older?

Persons: Amy Klein, “, Amy Klein Mira Zaki, Gerry Turner —, —, it’s, Mary McNamara, Michelle Cottle, They’re, they’re, Xer, I’m, ” Cottle, John Fleenor, Vladimir ”, she’s, frailty, Alice, — Blanche, Dorothy, Rose —, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Manolo Blahnik, ” Charlotte, Galit Nimrod, ”, ” It’s, Gerry, ’, Eva Gutowski, ” Ellen Goltzer, Marina Perera Organizations: CNN, Nation, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Walt Disney Company, Max, verve Locations: Worth

☆ I'm a Nespresso guy, and I'm trying to make a latte that's as good as Starbucks. It's not going well.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Henry Blodget | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I love my Nespresso machine, but it makes me sad to throw all those pods away. I love the simplicity and speed of my Nespresso machine. AdvertisementMy marvelous Nespresso machine. So imagine my surprise when, separated from my Nespresso machine by a trip, I got a Starbucks latte and found it… delicious. AdvertisementAnd then she explained the difference — water vs. steam, drip vs. pressure, Italy vs. France, night vs. day, etc.

Persons: —, Henry Blodget, I'm Organizations: Service, milli Locations: Ethiopia, Italy, France

☆ Jack Dorsey is getting rid of annual reviews and PIPs at Block. I asked our workplace correspondent if it's a trend.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jack Dorsey says Block will no longer do performance reviews or performance-improvement plans. She told me she thought PIPs — performance improvement plans — were underused because companies don't necessarily want to do the legwork that often goes with them. Jack Dorsey's Block just announced that they're going to stop doing PIPs and just fire people who aren't up to snuff. So, having some ability to correct your things you're doing wrong — that's important. Block is also getting rid of annual performance reviews.

Persons: Jack Dorsey, Block, Tim Paradis, Dorsey, —, BI's, who's, you've, Gen Z, Korn, they're, Jack Dorsey's Block, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Valley

☆ Truce gives Gazans moment to breathe – and reveals scale of devastation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The pause in hostilities has given Gazans a moment to breathe – and take stock of the devastation around them. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter southern Gaza through the Rafah crossing on November 25, 2023. On Saturday, 61 trucks delivered food, water, and emergency medical supplies to northern Gaza, according to the United Nations. “We need 200 aid trucks a day continuously for two months at least to meet the needs. Today we are also sending convoys towards Gaza City and northern Gaza.

Persons: Al Qarara, Bassam Masoud, Deir, Deir El Balah, Ihab, ”, Um Mohammad, Abu Udai, Mohammed Abed, Adnan Abu Hasna Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Reuters CNN, Trucks, Getty, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, UNRWA, Gaza Locations: Gaza, Al, Israel, Khan, Gaza City, Deir El Balah, Deir, Rafah, AFP

☆ Opinion | ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Is a Fantasy. Aging in America Isn’t.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

michelle cottleSo we’re dealing with this 72-year-old widower named Gary Turner —archived recording (gary turner) I’m Gary. archived recording (gary turner) Yeah. archived recording (gary turner) Um — [LAUGHS]michelle cottleAnd I am just like, oh —archived recording (gary turner) Oh, my goodness. archived recording 12 OK. archived recording 13 I can’t climb up. archived recording (gary turner) Here’s to you, ladies.

Persons: michelle cottle, Michelle Cottle, I’m, It’s, leslie, I’m Leslie, Gary Turner, gary, Gary, michelle cottle —, I’ve, Gary —, it’ll, Theresa, Gary it’s, gary turner, they’re, that’s, They’re, don’t, you’re, we’ve, — Organizations: Social Security Locations: America, Minneapolis , Minnesota, Indiana

☆ Hundreds of Thais to be evacuated from Myanmar via China amid heavy fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (Reuters) - More than two hundred Thai nationals trapped by the surge in fighting in northern Myanmar between junta soldiers and armed ethnic-minority groups are being evacuated to Thailand via China, the Thai foreign ministry said on Sunday. The Thai foreign ministry said a group of 266 Thais and an unspecified number of Filipinos and Singaporeans are being evacuated from Laukkaing in northern Shan State to the Myanmar-China border with help from the Myanmar authorities. The ministry did not specify the timing of the repatriation flights but said the group is travelling to the Chinese border on Sunday. Thai authorities earlier said some trapped in Myanmar were victims of human trafficking and some might be involved with telecom fraud gangs. The evacuation to China comes a day after 41 Thai nationals were repatriated by land back to Thailand after a coordination between the Thai authorities and Myanmar army.

Persons: Panu, Tom Hogue Organizations: United Nations, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Thai, Laukkaing, Shan State, Kunming, Bangkok, Southeast Asia

☆ Spotify plans to split with its longtime ad agency as it looks beyond music streaming for growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Spotify is quietly looking for a new ad agency to handle its media planning and buying as it takes steps to broaden its business beyond music and podcasts and push further into performance marketing. The audio streaming company is planning to part with its global agency of record since 2017 , ad holding company IPG Mediabrands' UM, according to two knowledgeable sources. Spotify shared a statement saying: "Today, UM is Spotify's agency of record. In October, Spotify posted an operating profit, its first since 2021, as user and advertising growth along with price hikes boosted results. Spotify has since pivoted away from heavy spending on podcasts and made some of its shows available on other platforms to spur audience growth.

Persons: Daniel Ek, Publicis, Joe Rogan, Michelle Obama, Dawn Ostroff Organizations: Spotify, UM, Business Locations: North America

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