bust

The world is watching. Everyone involved should be held accountable for this. And the ones standing by allowing it to happen as well. Bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing. This guy gets it.

WTF

Spinal Tap keyboardist David Kaff, aka Viv Savage, dies 'peacefully in his sleep', aged 79 David Kaff (bottom left) with Spinal Tap in 1984. Kaff played keyboardist Viv Savage in the fictional group's cult favourite mockumentary. (Bob Gruen)

Cambodia mandates military service from 2026 following Thai border tensions Cambodian men aged between 18 and 30 will need to serve for two years. (AP) In short Cambodia will mandate military service for men aged 18 to 30, reviving a 20-year-old dormant law. It follows long-standing border clashes with Thailand over disputed territory. What's next? Mandatory conscription will begin next year and military service will be extended to two years. Cambodian men will need to serve compulsory military service from next year because of rising border tensions with Thailand. Relations with neighbouring Thailand have been tense since May, when a long-standing territorial dispute boiled over into cross-border clashes, killing one Cambodian soldier. "This episode of confrontation is a lesson for us and is an opportunity for us to review, assess, and set our targets to reform our military," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said. The Military Conscription Law was approved in 2006 and required Cambodian men aged 18 to 30 to serve in the military for 18 months, but it was never enforced. Service for women remained voluntary. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announces compulsory military service at a ceremony at the Royal Gendarmerie Training Centre. (AP) Hun Manet said new law extended the service period from 18 months to 24 months to allow for comprehensive training, and logistical and administrative processes, the Khmer Times reported. He said it streamlined military drafts to recruit recent conscripts to ensure that Cambodia maintained an adequate reserve of capable personnel, it reported. After serving, conscripts can return to civilian life but will remain a reservist. The Prime Minister also pledged to "look at increasing" Cambodia's defence budget. "Our national defence, the building of our military, is not to invade anybody's territory but it is to protect our territory," he added. The Cambodian PM says this will ensure the country has a ready supply of trained recruits to serve in the military. (AP: Heng Sinith) Long-standing border skirmishes The Cambodian soldier was killed by Thai troops in May during a firefight in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet. Photo shows A headshot of a man with slicked back hair is next to a headshot of a woman with long black hair The second-largest party in Thailand's ruling coalition has spectacularly pulled out, leaving the country's embattled prime minister with a slim majority. The incident soured relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok — causing the closure of border crossings as Cambodia banned fuel and gas imports from Thailand. It also caused a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct during the row. A diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and Hun Manet's father, former leader Hun Sen, was leaked from the Cambodian side, sparking a judicial investigation. Thailand also mandated two years of military service for able-bodied men when they turned 21 but used an annual lottery draw in April to determine whether they had to serve. Other countries that enact compulsory military service include South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Norway, and Finland. ABC/AFP

Dozens of Palestinians reportedly killed while seeking aid as more perish in Israeli air strikes Palestinians go to collect aid from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Khan Younis. (Reuters: Hatem Khaled) In short: At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot while on their way to an aid distribution site, while 28 others were killed in an Israeli air strike, according to officials and witnesses. The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings at the site near Rafah. What's next? There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip, while Israeli air strikes have killed at least 28 Palestinians, including four children, on the same day, according to Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses. There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo shows GHF image Rafah The United Nations says most of those killed had been close to aid sites managed by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Mr Trump had said he was nearing an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would potentially wind down the war. Those shot dead were on their way to a distribution site run by the Israeli-backed American organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah in southern Gaza, hospital officials and witnesses said. The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings, and that the overwhelming majority of the more than 100 people hurt had gunshot wounds. Air strikes in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah killed 13, including the four children, officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said. Fifteen others were killed in Khan Younis in the south, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Intense air strikes continued on Saturday evening in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Palestinian woman Somaya Al-Shaer, pictured with her daughter, mourns her son, who medics say was killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid near a distribution point. (Reuters: Ramadan Abed) Israelis rallied yet again for a ceasefire deal. "Arrogance is what brought the disaster upon us," former hostage Eli Sharabi said of Israeli leaders. Palestinian-American beaten to death in the West Bank Friends and relatives paid their respects a day after 20-year-old Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musalat and local friend Mohammed al-Shalabi were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Mr Musalat was severely beaten to death by Israeli settlers on his family's land on Friday evening. His cousin, Diana Halum, told reporters the settlers blocked paramedics from reaching him. Mr Musalat's family, from Tampa in Florida, said in a statement that medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but that he died before reaching hospital. "This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face," the family statement said. "We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes." The US Department of State said it was aware of the reports of his death but had no comment out of respect for the family. A witness, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid Israeli retaliation, said the settlers descended on Palestinian lands and "started shooting at us, beating by sticks and throwing rocks". Israel's military said Palestinians hurled rocks at Israelis in the area earlier on Friday, lightly wounding two people and setting off a larger confrontation. Teen's first attempt to pick up food ends in death The 21-month war has left much of Gaza's population of more than 2 million reliant on outside aid, with food security experts warning of famine. Israel blocked and then restricted aid entry after ending the latest ceasefire in March. "All responsive individuals reported they were attempting to access food distribution sites," the Red Cross said after the shootings near Rafah, noting the "alarming frequency and scale" of such mass casualty incidents. Israel's military said it fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching. It said it was not aware of any casualties. The GHF said no incident occurred near its sites. Palestinians collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution centre of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah. (Reuters: Stringer) Sumaya al-Sha'er's 17-year-old son, Nasir, was killed, hospital officials said. "He said to me, 'Mom, you don't have flour and today I'll go and bring you flour, even if I die, I'll go and get it,'" she said. "But he never came back home." Until then, she said, she had prevented the teenager from going to GHF sites because she thought it was too dangerous. Photo shows Francesca Albanese holds one finger up while addressing the National Press Club The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on one of the UN's top advocates for Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese, accusing her of "spewing unabashed antisemitism". Mohammed Jamal al-Sahloo, another witness, said Israel's military had ordered them to proceed to the site when the shooting started. Witnesses, health officials and UN officials say hundreds have been killed by Israeli fire while heading toward GHF distribution points through military zones off limits to independent media. The GHF denied there had been violence in or around its sites. But two of its contractors told The Associated Press that their colleagues had fired live ammunition and stun grenades as Palestinians scrambled for food, allegations the foundation denied. The first fuel — 150,000 litres — entered Gaza this week after 130 days, a joint statement by UN aid bodies said, calling it a small amount for "the backbone of survival in Gaza". Fuel runs hospitals, water systems, transport and more, the statement said. AP/Reuters

Thailand punches above its weight in film creativity and cross-border appeal. Here's why A Useful Ghost tells the story of a widower and his dead wife who returns to haunt a vacuum cleaner. (Supplied: 185 Films) A Useful Ghost, an internationally acclaimed new film from Thailand, features a woman who dies from dust pollution and returns to possess her husband's vacuum cleaner to protect him from suffering the same fate. It's a sly commentary about power inequality, queer love, and pollution. Written and directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, the indy film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and was the first Thai film to win a Critics' Week grand prize, or Grand Prix. The award recognises early filmmakers. A Useful Ghost was Boonbunchachoke's debut feature and the first "proper film shoot" he had been on. Judges described the film as bold, free and unclassifiable, "a first feature that plays with genres, bends the rules, and offers a vision that is both intimate and universal." It's just the latest in a slew of Thai drams turning heads abroad as the industry builds on its reputation for distinctiveness and creativity. Last year, humorous tear-jerker How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies set a new Thai record for international box office takings. Mad Unicorn — a series about a start-up courier service — reached fourth on Netflix's weekly top 10 for non-English series last month. A Useful Ghost was the first Thai film to win the Critics' Week Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. (Supplied: Pakkawat Tanghom) Other successful productions included Master of the House and Ready, Set, Love, and Hunger, both on Netflix. According to audience analytics firm Media Asia Partners (MPA), Thai content among South-East Asian nations had the most cross-border appeal in Asia. The "travelability" of Thai content (how much of it was consumed overseas vs domestically) was even catching up to Japan, the agency found. So, what is it about Thai cinema that’s pulling audiences from around the globe? 'Thai film is like Thai food' Thai people loved a good drama, A Useful Ghost writer-director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke told the ABC. He said they measured a film's success by how emotive it was, driving creators to make dramatic and emotionally rich films. "One of the criteria of whether a film is good or not, is do I cry when I watch it?" "Thai film is like Thai food — the flavour needs to be strong," he said. Thai film is bold and strong, like its food, another cultural export by the government. (Supplied) "Culturally authentic" hyperlocal elements in film also resonated with audiences, said Mary Ainslie, an associate professor in film and media studies at the University of Nottingham. Besides seeing representations of local identity, these depictions appealed to foreign audiences because that knowledge made them "cultural insiders", she said. "That's about constructing yourself as a very cosmopolitan person, and that's very attractive." Unbridled creativity Being over-the-top is not limited to drama series or movies. Advertising is often where film directors cut their teeth before producing feature films and Thai commercials have a reputation for being "consistently" creative and unconventional, said Paul Nagy, the chief creative officer at VML Asia Pacific. Mr Nagy judged the film adverts at the 2024 Cannes Lions awards when Thailand won nine awards from 210 entries — the second highest win-to-entry ratio in the Asia-Pacific. A Useful Ghost was Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's first feature film. (Supplied: 185 Films) "One of the major takeaways for me last year was just how incredibly creative and joyful the work coming out of Thailand was," he said. "It stood out head and shoulders above the rest of the world compared to what everyone else is doing." He said the Western world often followed formulaic narratives in storytelling, whereas Thai creators threw out the rule book and leaned into what felt most interesting. "They don't feel the same kind of constraints as the rest of the world in the same way to tone things down," Mr Nagy said. This made it fertile ground for creative story telling as nothing was too over-the-top he said. He cited as an example a government road-safety advertisement where a motorcyclist's brain came out the back of his head the faster he went, a metaphor for him losing control. Thai advertising is known for its creativity. "If you're learning your film trade in the advertising industry in Thailand you're unconstrained. "That's why they do such exciting film work when they leave the advertising industry." He said with how sophisticated AI has become at creating traditional advertisements, the rest of the world needed to quickly learn from what Thailand was doing to remain competitive. "We are moving into an era where average is going to be invisible and that's one thing the Thais never are … and that's their starting point." Economic growth and digital connectivity Much of the latest wave in Thai cinemas was the result of a rapid modernisation and an increasingly affluent middle class, said Dr Ainslie. Thailand has the eighth-fastest broadband internet in the world and 91 per cent of its population is connected to the internet, according to the Digital 2025 report by Meltwater and We Are Social. The global average is 68 per cent. Dr Ainslie said modernity was no longer limited to large cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai because the provincial rural population was now affluent, middle-class who were "globally savvy", well-connected, and had travelled overseas. Thai directors were also being trained abroad and returning home and studios had started conglomerating into oligopolies creating an ecosystem of cinema and production companies, she said. Film as 'soft power' Thailand is recognised by international film producers as an attractive filming destination because of its scenery, affordability, and labour force with mature production and English-language skills, aspects the Thai government is capitalising on. Dr Mary Ainslie says the Thai government has been pivotal in supporting the film industry's growth through incentives. (Supplied: Mary Ainslie) This has created even more opportunities for Thai crew to work alongside international productions to hone their craft to an even higher standard, Booncunchachoke said. Last year, 491 foreign films like Jurassic World: Rebirth and shows like White Lotus were shot in Thailand which generated THB 6.58 billion ($309.8 million) for the economy. Along with Pad Thai, mango and sticky rice and Muay Thai, the Thailand's government has identified film as another cultural export instrumental to its influence by persuasion, or soft power. In November 2024, the prime minister met with executives from Netflix, HBO, Disney, and the Motion Picture Association, The government also announced increases in cash rebates of up to 30 per cent for eligible foreign productions if they employed Thai cast and crew, used designated tourist areas as film locations, and portrayed Thailand or its culture in a positive light. A Useful Ghost draws on a famous Thai ghost story of Mae Nak. (Supplied: 185 Films) Becoming Thai-pecast The Thai Film Office is part of the government's tourism department and has been integral in growing the industry, but Dr Ainslie warned the incentives biased certain productions which could also lead to a typecasting of Thailand. This could be frustrating for filmmakers wanting to make other kinds of films, she said. The lack of diverse depictions could also result in the curating a history to fit a certain state agenda. "If you construct an image, the image ultimately becomes truth, becomes a representation," Dr Ainslie said. "It becomes an imagined community. It becomes invented tradition." One example was the "salacious and hedonistic" depictions of Thailand associated with sex tourism, lawlessness, and drugs seen in The Hangover Part II and The Beach. A Useful Ghost takes on local and universal topics like pollution, power dynamics, grief, and a famous ghost story. (Supplied: 185 Films) "It is an image that is very profitable, but in some ways, it is an image that is based upon exploitation," Dr Ainslie said. After the pandemic, young Thai people participated in widescale anti-government protests. Boonbunchachoke hoped media and cinema would follow suit in challenging the establishment, but felt that traction for freer expression had waned. Nonetheless, he noticed some commercial film studios beginning to take risks beyond their "comfort zone" of crowd-pleasers and join independent films in taking on darker and grittier topics. He has also noticed independent film houses starting to censor themselves less and becoming more creative in how they criticised the status quo. "I think nowadays [these film makers] kind of know and [are finding] new ways to speak and talk about the issue without compromising too much," he said.

Air strike on Buddhist monastery in Myanmar kills more than 20 people An aerial attack has reportedly killed more than 20 people and injured about 30 others. (AP) In short: An air strike has killed 23 people sheltering at a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar's central Sagaing region, according to witnesses. The attack injured about 30 other people, of which 10 were in a critical condition, a resistance group member said. Myanmar's military junta did not immediately comment on the incident at the monastery. An air strike on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar's earthquake-struck Sagaing region has killed 23 people, including four children, according to witnesses. A member of a resistance group said the overnight aerial attack on the monastery in Lin Ta Lu village, in Sagaing township, injured about 30 other people, of which 10 were in a critical condition. The resistance member — who spoke on condition of anonymity — said 23 civilians were killed when a jet fighter dropped a bomb on a building in the village's monastery at about 1am. They said more than 150 people from nearby villages had been taking shelter there to avoid recent fighting in the region. Myanmar's independent Democratic Voice of Burma online media reported the death toll could be as high as 30, however the number could not be immediately confirmed. The Buddhist monastery was bombed in the early hours of the morning, according to witnesses. (AP) Hlaing Bwa, the head of the pro-democracy group that administers parts of the central region, and a local resident both described the attack as an air strike by the State Administration Council, Myanmar's military junta. The military did not immediately comment on the incident at the monastery, located about 35 kilometres north-west of Mandalay, the country's second largest city. In the past, the army has said it only attacks legitimate targets of war and has accused the resistance forces of being terrorists. The monastery housed about 200 people displaced by nearby fighting between the army and pro-democracy forces, Hlaing Bwa said. The nature of the attack could not immediately be verified. Military conducting air strikes despite quake Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, triggering a civil war. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms. Large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. Days after a devastating magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit Sagaing on March 28, the junta announced a temporary ceasefire to provide humanitarian relief and help rebuild the region, after similar moves from armed anti-junta groups. The earthquake has damaged buildings in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city. (Supplied: Ko Myo) However, the military has continued to launch air strikes and artillery attacks on rebel-controlled areas, including those already destroyed by the quake, which killed almost 3,700 people. The military has increasingly used air strikes to counter opposition forces, including the armed People's Defence Force in Sagaing region, a stronghold of armed resistance. Photo shows A long line of people, including children, hold silver bowls in a queue The UN is investigating 53 alleged attacks launched by Myanmar's military after it called a ceasefire against rebel groups. The resistance has no effective defence against air attacks. The monastery attack comes weeks after hundreds of soldiers took part in an offensive with tanks and aircraft in an area about 5km from Lin Ta Lu to regain territories controlled by the resistance groups. Thousands of people from nearby villages were displaced to the other towns and villages including Lin Ta Lu, the resistance fighter said. Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the opposition's National Unity government, said the military had been trying to retake areas controlled by the resistance ahead of a planned general election later this year. The poll is widely seen as an attempt to normalise the military's seizure of power through the ballot box and to deliver a result that ensures the generals retain control.

One for MPIH See how many landmarks you can name ? You should do better than me. 😊

See what happens when the Epstein subject comes up. The World is Watching

55555 Hippo Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday. Thailand's internet-famous pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday. Crowds have been invited to a four-day festival at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Her handlers are scheduled to auction off her belongings — though it's unclear what Moo Deng owns. Thailand's internet-famous pygmy hippo Moo Deng has celebrated her first birthday, leaving behind the animal infancy which boosted her to worldwide fame. Crowds have been invited to a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo where Moo Deng — meaning "Bouncy Pork" in Thai — frolicked to stardom and amassed five million social media fans. The first day of the extravaganza falls on a Thai public holiday and the agenda includes a lecture on "Moo Deng's cheekiness" while a skincare beautician has paid $4,500 to sponsor her fruit-festooned cake. Her handlers are also scheduled to auction off her belongings — but it is unclear what possessions Moo Deng has accumulated in her short life at the Chonburi province zoo. A visitor wears a hat of hippo Moo Deng while celebrating her birthday. There were hopes her stardom would spotlight the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo, native to West Africa, with only about 2,500 left alive according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But social media and search engine metrics suggest Moo Deng's popularity peaked around late September last year before dramatically declining. "Moo Deng went viral very quickly when she was born," said Joshua Paul Dale, an academic who teaches courses on the phenomenon of "cuteness" at Japan's Chuo University. "Maybe part of our appreciation of cuteness is knowing that it's something that doesn't last very long." Moo Deng at the height of her fame last year. Moo Deng's blubbery rose-blushed face launched a thousand memes and a plethora of merchandise including piggy banks and popsicles — prompting her owners to trademark her likeness. The pint-sized pygmy hippo quadrupled ticket sales for the zoo where her small and sparse enclosure was once broadcasted by a 24/7 live stream. Moo Deng is part of a pantheon of captive animals who have enjoyed flash-in-the-pan popularity for their cuteness online, including Melbourne's Pesto the penguin. Pygmy hippos have a life span of between 30 and 50 years. While Mr Dale predicts she may lose the limelight to longevity, he says Moo Deng could enjoy enduring appeal as fans recall "how unbearably cute she was when she was very, very small and just born". "That can kind of continue on and affect our relationship with cute things, even when they grow up," he said. AFP

Been binging on Goliath. First 2 seasons 👍.....Second 2 seasons took on a bit of an arty direction. Enjoy anything with BBT

I've got probably around 3 years to go unless of course I win Lotto 😛. As MPIH said, $ are important and will determine the lifestyle you live. However routine and some form of hobby or recreational activity are paramount. I have watched many an expat lose it all financially, emotionally and mentally moving to LOS. One to the point he bought a bar, got robbed blindly by his Thai business partners and drank to a point where he needed a liver transplant. No thank you. Personally I would probably do some volunteer work probably on the boarder. That and photography which I excel at in comparison to Old Hippie and his appalling efforts 😊 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER

Retirement = Having a Plan. Seen many fade away due to the fact they didn't have one, especially if you are planning on spending it in LOS

I believe Trump's Space Force and Reality are galaxies apart 😊

https://stampaday.wordpress.com/2017/12/08/atoms-for-peace/

No mention of AMF in that list 😊 And if you do get in the shit it will be Biden's fault just like the Texas floods.

I really don't think foreign countries are tripping over themselves to assist the US in anything at the moment.

The history of Iran's nuclear program. Bowling anyone?

Why would you think they have the right to access your devices traveling to anywhere outside the USA? US law enforcement agencies do not have any powers or authority overseas and based on their current relationship with most foreign countries, unless you're planning on traveling to Russia, I wouldn't be too concerned.