Thai Headline News: Recently, Thai Minister of Public Health Chong Lanan announced a proposed bill on the use of marijuana, which clearly stipulates that marijuana can only be used for medical purposes. This move will further promote the positive effect of marijuana in medical health. Given the potential abuse of marijuana in entertainment, Chong Lanan stated that the authorities will introduce clear guidelines to monitor and prevent such incidents. Meanwhile, Chong Lanan also emphasized that any use of marijuana for medical purposes in China must strictly follow accurate medical procedures and research. Once the bill is passed by the cabinet, it will be submitted to the House of Commons for review.

On the other hand, Thailand will also increase its contacts with overseas drug enforcement personnel and comprehensively prohibit the use of marijuana for entertainment purposes. Previously, tax inspectors found packages worth nearly285000 euros and 14.2 kilograms of marijuana drugs.

According to the French Presidential Office,On January 8th, French President Macron accepted the resignation submitted by Prime Minister Borne. Until the appointment of the new prime minister is announced, Borne will still fulfill his duties as prime minister. It is reported that after Macron was elected as the President of France in 2017, Borne successively served as Minister of Transport, Minister of Ecology, and Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. In May 2022, Borne became the Prime Minister of France, and she is also the second female Prime Minister in French history. Her work style is strong and sharp, and she has rich experience in urban planning and public transportation reform. During her tenure, the unemployment rate in France dropped to its lowest level in 15 years, and the youth unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in 40 years.

Previously, rumors about the restructuring of the French cabinet had been circulating for several days. Analysts believe that as FrancetwentyThe 23 year retirement system reform and the new immigration law have been passed, and French President Macron needs a new government leader in the new year.

military affairs

01Expansion of the Savannah River Nuclear Facility in the United States

Nikkei Asia News: Recently, the Biden administration of the United States plans to continue the project of former President Trump and upgrade and expand the nuclear facility located on the Savannah River in Aiken County, South Carolina. This approximately 800 square kilometer complex is about the size of New York City and contains five abandoned nuclear reactors. It was once the only production site for plutonium and tritium used in US nuclear weapons.

It is understood that the nuclear facilities on the Savannah River were put into operation during the Korean War in the 1950s and were not closed until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In June 2023, the US House Budget Committee approved the Department of Energy's 2024 new fiscal year budget draft, which includes spending on this nuclear facility to strengthen the production and inventory of nuclear weapons, with a focus on updating plutonium pits, which are a key component in causing nuclear bullets to explode. The estimated cost of upgrading construction is about $20 billion, making it the most expensive project in American history.

Director of the National Museum of Atomic Testing and Nuclear Safety in the United StatesExpert Kent stated that the government is testing nuclear reserve components and studying how to extend the use of these existing onesA weapon with a 50 year history. But there are also some people who hold opposing views, believing that restarting nuclear facilities will bring environmental pollution and waste of funds.

01Lazada is undergoing a new round of layoffs in Southeast Asia

According to Caixin News, Lazada, the flagship e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia under Alibaba, has recently started a new round of layoffs. According to insiders, employees at all levels in all Southeast Asian markets have been affected, with Singapore being the most affected. At present, Lazada has not confirmed rumors of layoffs, but they have stated that they are actively adjusting their workforce to meet future business needs in a more flexible and streamlined way. This round of company transformation will reassess employee needs and operational structure to better respond to future challenges.

It is reported that,Lazada's business is extensiveIn addition to Southeast Asian countries, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam have the widest business distribution. This layoff includes all functional departments including business, retail, and marketing. Currently, Lazada is facing fierce competition from e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and TikTok Shop under Sea. In the past few years, Lazada's leadership team has undergone many changes. In June 2022, Chun Li, CEO of Lazada Group, stepped down and was replaced by James Dong, who had previously served as CEO of Lazada Thailand and Vietnam.

Reuters reported that recently, the Modi government in India has been working to rectify valuesThe $50 billion pharmaceutical industry has issued a notice requiring pharmaceutical companies to be responsible for drug quality, ensuring that drugs are suitable for their intended use, meet licensing requirements, and do not pose risks to patients due to insufficient safety, quality, or efficacy. The notice also requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to obtain "satisfactory results" in drug ingredient testing before selling finished products, and pharmaceutical factories must retain sufficient quantities of intermediate and final product samples for repeated testing or validation of a certain batch of products.

Data display, fromSince December 2022,Indian authorities have inspected 162 pharmaceutical factories and found that they have not tested the incoming raw materials. The Ministry of Health pointed out that less than a quarter of the 8500 small pharmaceutical factories in India have met the international pharmaceutical production standards set by the World Health Organization. At least 141 children in the Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Cameroon have died after taking cough suppressants produced in India.

The notice stipulates that large Indian pharmaceutical companies must solve the above-mentioned problems within six months, while small pharmaceutical companies have12 months of time. But small Indian pharmaceutical companies claim to be heavily indebted and need to invest additional funds to meet new production standards. Nearly half of the factories will be unable to bear the burden and may be forced to shut down.