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A tour bus accident in eastern Thailand has left 18 people dead and 23 injured after the vehicle overturned into a ditch, according to police reports. Colonel Sophon Phramaneehe explained the cause of the Wednesday crash: "It was a downhill road and the brakes failed, and the driver lost control of the vehicle before it overturned." He confirmed the deceased were adults participating in a study trip. The bus was carrying 49 Thai nationals, including the driver. Social media showed emergency personnel responding at the scene in Prachinburi province, approximately 155km east of Bangkok, assisting victims near the overturned bus. Local official Somjai Phutthasena reported about 20 injured passengers were hospitalized, with several in critical condition. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra offered condolences and announced an ongoing investigation. She warned on X that legal consequences would follow if safety violations were […]

The death toll from a military aircraft crash in Omdurman near Sudan's capital has risen to at least 46 people, with 10 others injured, officials confirmed. The Antonov plane crashed Tuesday evening during takeoff from Wadi Seidna military airport in northern Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum. The Khartoum Media Office updated the casualty figures on Wednesday, revising the health ministry's initial report of 19 deaths. The aircraft reportedly crashed over a residential house in Omdurman's Karrari district. Major-General Bahr Ahmed, a high-ranking Khartoum commander, was reportedly among those killed. The Sudanese military, currently engaged in conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, confirmed both military personnel and civilians perished in the incident. Military sources told Reuters the crash was likely caused by technical failure, though the official statement provided no specific cause. Local residents reported hearing a […]

South Korea's birthrate, the world's lowest, increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years as policies encouraging companies and citizens to embrace parenthood began showing results. The country had experienced a plummeting birthrate over the past decade as women chose career advancement over marriage and having children, driven by rising housing costs and child-rearing expenses. This trend put the nation of 51 million on a path toward halving its population by century's end. In 2024, South Korea's fertility rate rose to 0.75 children per woman from 0.72 in 2023, breaking an eight-year decline from 1.24 in 2015. According to Statistics Korea, the crude birthrate—babies born per 1,000 people—reached 4.7, interrupting a downward trend that began in 2014. The increase reflected more marriages following pandemic delays and government policies supporting work-family balance, childcare, and housing. "Social values shifted toward […]

An Australian couple has described their "traumatic" experience when a deceased passenger was placed beside them during a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin told Australia's Channel 9 that a woman died in the aisle next to them. The crew then positioned her body, covered with blankets, next to Mr. Ring for the remaining four hours of the journey without offering to relocate him, despite available seats elsewhere. Qatar Airways apologized for "any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused" and stated they were working to contact passengers. The couple claims they've received no communication or support from either Qatar Airways or Qantas, through which they booked their tickets. Mr. Ring explained that staff responded quickly when the woman collapsed but "unfortunately the lady couldn't be saved." Crew attempted to move her toward […]

The parents of an eight-year-old diabetic girl in Australia have each received 14-year prison sentences for manslaughter after denying her insulin for nearly a week, resulting in her death. Elizabeth Struhs was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2019, requiring daily insulin injections. Her parents belonged to a religious group called The Saints, which rejected medical treatment in favor of faith healing. She died from diabetic ketoacidosis at her Toowoomba home near Brisbane in January 2022. Her father Jason Struhs and mother Elizabeth Struhs were among 14 people convicted of manslaughter last month. The Saints' leader Brendan Stevens received a 13-year sentence, with the Queensland Supreme Court judge describing him as a "dangerous, highly manipulative individual." Eleven other members received sentences ranging from six to nine years. Stevens and the girl's father had faced murder charges but were convicted of […]

BP has announced a strategic shift away from renewable energy investments to focus on expanding oil and gas production. The energy giant revealed its new direction Wednesday following pressure from investors disappointed by its underperforming profits and share price compared to competitors. BP plans to increase oil and gas investments by approximately 20% to $10bn yearly, while cutting previously planned renewables funding by over $5bn. This shift mirrors similar moves by Shell and Equinor, who have also scaled back green energy plans, coinciding with President Trump's pro-drilling stance. CEO Murray Auchincloss stated BP had "fundamentally reset" its strategy to prioritize shareholder returns. The company will be "very selective" about future investments in energy transition businesses, reducing funding to between $1.5bn and $2bn annually. Despite climbing earlier, BP's share price fell 2% following the announcement. Five years ago, BP established ambitious […]