NPO

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered urgent nationwide water drainage as Thailand braces for further heavy rainfall. The directive instructs authorities across the country to clear drainage systems and manage water levels ahead of incoming downpours, as authorities work to prevent flooding in low-lying areas and protect communities from the anticipated severe weather.

A widely shared health item reports that vaccination against chickenpox is more effective than deliberately exposing children to the virus — the so-called 'chickenpox parties' — at preventing shingles later in life. It also notes that having shingles raises the likelihood of cardiovascular death. Some commenters framed the finding as a rebuttal to vaccine-skeptic arguments associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Basketball fans and podcasters in Germany are debating possible new NBA rules, whether the Philadelphia 76ers still need star center Joel Embiid, and potential big changes in Orlando. Discussion also covers the Dallas Mavericks, where the focus is on differing timelines around Kyrie Irving, who at 34 is returning from a serious injury.

Albuquerque International Sunport is preparing for a surge in travelers as the city's annual Balloon Fiesta approaches, one of the busiest events on New Mexico's calendar. The festival draws large crowds and balloon crews from around the world, straining airport capacity. Officials say extra planning is underway to handle the influx of visitors.

A new Dutch television programme called 'Zorg uit handen' is launching on NPO 1, in which well-known Dutch personalities take over care tasks from people who need help. The format follows celebrities stepping into the world of caregiving, and the announcement by De Telegraaf is drawing attention in the Netherlands ahead of the broadcast.

French childrenswear house Bonpoint is launching new sport and couture categories, expanding beyond its core children's collections. The move, reported by WWD, signals the brand's push to broaden its offer and reach new customers through performance-inspired activewear and elevated couture-level pieces alongside its established wardrobe.

Dutch public broadcaster NPO is sticking with its third linear television channel, NPO 3, at a time when the BBC is reportedly considering reducing its number of linear channels. The contrast between the two public broadcasters is drawing attention in the Netherlands, with debate over whether keeping a dedicated youth-and-culture channel still makes sense as more viewers shift to streaming and on-demand viewing.

Dutch public broadcaster platform NPO Start is being searched as viewers look for the NPO Doc documentary 'Fataal Schot', which is available to watch or catch up on via the streaming service. TV listings site TVgids.nl directs audiences to the programme, and interest in the title has pushed more than a thousand searches around the platform in the Netherlands.

The G-7 has agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel from emergency reserves, according to Foreign Policy. The move, which reportedly also involves crude stockpiles, is aimed at easing fuel prices, with former US president Donald Trump's push cited as a factor. Commenters are linking the decision to the Russian war in Ukraine and its strain on global energy supplies.

The Thing, a Soviet listening device hidden in a carved wooden plaque gifted to the US ambassador in Moscow in 1945, is being recalled as a masterpiece of espionage. It contained no battery or electronics — just a resonant cavity and antenna, activated by external radio waves, making it a fully passive microphone that eavesdropped on the American embassy for years.

Bloomberg Government reports that congressional efforts to pass legislation providing regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency industry are fizzling. Lawmakers had been working on bills to define how digital assets should be overseen, but momentum has stalled. The report suggests partisan divisions and competing proposals are preventing agreement on a framework, leaving the crypto industry without the clear rules it has been lobbying for.

Barcelona has been hit by severe torrential rain, with 65.6 mm recorded at Barcelona Airport by midday and reports of up to 100 mm falling in just one hour in parts of the Barcelona region. The intense showers have brought widespread disruption across the area, with residents sharing images and reports of flooding as the storm continues.

New research suggests that embryonic cells determine their own position within a developing embryo by reading signals from neighboring cells. Rather than acting independently, cells appear to compare molecular cues with those around them, allowing them to identify where they are and what they should become. The finding offers fresh insight into how organisms self-organize during early development, a question that has fascinated biologists for decades.

A Minnesota writer describes using environmental archaeology methods to determine when rats first arrived in the state. The account details how analyzing historical environmental evidence allowed an accidental pinpointing of the rodents' introduction, shedding light on how non-native species establish themselves in new regions and what that reveals about early settlement and trade patterns.