HM the King becomes fifth Chakri monarch to receive France's highest honour

10 Sept 21:31 Key points summarised by AI

King Maha Vajiralongkorn received France's highest honour, the Grand-Croix de la Légion d'honneur, from President Macron, becoming the fifth Chakri monarch to achieve this distinction.
Queen Suthida was also awarded the Ordre national du Mérite during the state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace.
The state visit commemorates the 170th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and France, strengthening bilateral ties.
The royal couple's itinerary includes significant cultural engagements in Paris, such as laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visiting Paris City Hall.
They will also visit the Musée des Arts Décoratifs for the 'Royal Thai Dress' exhibition and conclude their visit with a trip to Airbus in Toulouse.

China-funded Confucius Institutes deemed US national security threat: Hegseth

Today 08:48 Key points summarised by AI

The US Department of Defense officially designated China-funded Confucius Institutes as a threat to national security, citing their role as Chinese Communist Party propaganda tools.
Despite previous shutdowns, these organizations reappeared under new names across 30 universities, aiming to steal intellectual property and influence American students, but have since been dismantled by the Defense Department.