THAILAND
After Srettha Thavisin's departure, the Thai Parliament this morning appointed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister. The 37-year-old is the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, the country's most influential and divisive politician. The new PM’s party, Pheu Thai, has long dominated Thai politics but in last year's election it came behind Move Forward, a progressive and reformist party now called the People's Party.
MALAYSIA
On 1 December, civil servants will benefit from a new public service compensation scheme, with salaries rising from 7% to 15%, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today. The government is seeking to implement several tax reforms, which include cuts to fuel subsidies and higher taxes, while increasing financial aid to those in need.
JAPAN
The Japanese city of Toda has experimented with the use of artificial intelligence to help prevent school dropout by analysing student data (non-attendance, infirmary visits, grades) to predict who might stop attending classes due to anxiety, bullying, or other reasons. In Japan, the number of school dropouts has been increasing over the past 10 years, reaching almost 300,000 in 2022.
SOUTH KOREA
Seoul experienced 26 “tropical nights” in a row, local authorities reported. A tropical night occurs when the nightly minimum temperature is greater than or equal to 25 °C. This is the longest stretch of such minimum since modern weather observation began in the city in 1907. Even in South Korea's second largest city, Busan, temperatures continue to be above normal. Meanwhile, Seoul’s Office of Meteorology expect the heat wave to continue in the coming days.
ISRAEL – GAZA
Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza that began yesterday will resume today in Doha, Qatar, while Israel continues to carry out attacks Gaza. According to local health authorities, the number of deaths now tops 40,000 in just over 10 months of conflict. Yesterday, dozens of Israeli settlers set fire to houses in a Palestinian town near Nablus, West Bank.
RUSSIA
According to a poll by the Foundation for Public Opinion, the campaign to increase Russia’s birth rate is faltering, as couples tend to postpone having children due to economic problems. In the past decade, Russia’s birth rate has dropped by 20 per cent, and continues to fall, despite greater state subsidies to mothers.
GEORGIA
Aleksandre (Aleko) Elisashvili's Citizens party officially joined the opposition Strong Georgia alliance, which already includes Lelo, For the People, and Freedom Square, ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. At a rally in Gudiashvili Park in Tbilisi, Elisashvili said that “it is no longer the time for accusations, but for reconciliation”.
