U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday (February 10) and made clear his position that it's "unacceptable" that Canada will "control" what crosses a new bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday.
Venezuelan peasant leader and engineer Carlos Alberto Azuaje described systematic torture with baseball bats inside Venezuelan prisons after his release in January following more than a year of detention.
Moderna says US refusing to review mRNA-based flu shotThe second Trump White House has sowed doubt over mRNA technology, which was credited with saving millions of lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. NEW YORK - Vaccine manufacturer Moderna said on Tuesday the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was refusing to review an application for its first mRNA-based flu shot. In the large trial Moderna had compared its new vaccine with Fluarix, an approved flu shot from the company GSK. Moderna said it had received a Refusal-to-File letter, which would indicate the application did not meet the requirements for substantive review. The letter did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns regarding the mRNA vaccine, said Moderna, which added the shot was accepted for review in the European Union, Canada and Australia.
(Photo: Reuters)The cabinet has been instructed to start preparing to void a 25-year-old memorandum of understanding (MoU) used by Thailand and Cambodia as a framework to settle their overlapping maritime boundaries. Thailand and Cambodia signed the document, popularly known as MoU 44, in 2001 (2544 in the Buddhist calendar) to set the direction for negotiations to resolve overlapping territorial claims offshore. It came a year after the signing of another agreement, MoU 43, to be used in resolving contested land boundaries. The two countries hoped to use MoU 44 to pave the way to jointly develop offshore areas believed to be rich in natural gas, following the successful model used by Thailand and Malaysia. Critics have said MoU was made in haste, signed just 44 days after negotiations started, compared to seven years for a similar agreement with Malaysia.
Ex-media boss Jimmy Lai jailed for 20 years under national security lawHong Kong's High Court jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for 20 years on Monday for national security crimes, in what mainland Chinese authorities described as a "powerful declaration" that severe punishment awaited those who dared to challenge the law. Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office hailed the penalty as a "powerful declaration" that "whoever dares to challenge the national security legislation will be severely punished". Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong also rejected "hypocritical double standards" in the West, citing online comments hailing Monday's sentences as "Hong Kong's best Lunar New Year gift". "It shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong," he said. Lai was convicted of two conspiracy counts of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious articles.
New Mekong riverside road due March next yearConstruction of the Naka Vithi Mekong riverside road is now 44% finished. Department of Rural RoadsThe Naka Vithi Mekong riverside road project, aimed at boosting cross-border trade, transport and tourism between Thailand and Laos, is expected to be completed by March next year, the Department of Rural Roads (DRR) said. The project runs from the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge in Mukdahan to the iconic Phra That Phanom monument in Nakhon Phanom, covering 43.5 km. Once completed, the road will enhance connectivity in Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom, support cross-border commerce, improve transport efficiency, and promote tourism along the Mekong. The road will serve as a scenic route, offering safer travel while boosting the local economy.
MP candidate blames ants for burning his houseFlames engulf the house in Muang district, Chaiyaphum, early on Wednesday morning. Photos: Makkawan WannakulCHAIYAPHUM: An MP candidate in this northeastern province blamed ants for causing a fire that completely razed his house early on Wednesday morning. He said that ants often built nests inside power outlets and he had to frequently clean the sockets. However, lately he was not at home and ants' nests packed wall sockets and possibly caused the fire. Mr Sochoke was an MP candidate of the United Thai Nation.
India look forward to Pakistan 'challenge' after T20 World Cup U-turnPakistani and Indian cricket fans. NEW DELHI - India said on Tuesday it would be "a challenge" to face a "quality" Pakistan team in Colombo after Islamabad U-turned and decided to play the blockbuster T20 World Cup clash. It means a quick turnaround for Sunday's match, the biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket. The last time the teams met, at last year's T20 Asian Cup, India beat Pakistan three times on their way to lifting the trophy in Dubai. "We want strong teams to play so that the charm of the World Cup is not lost," he added.
Colombian senator kidnapped, president targeted in election run-upThis video grab taken from handout footage released by the Colombian Defense Ministry shows Colombian Indigenous senator Aida Quilcue hugging people after being freed from kidnapping in Cauca department, Colombia on February 10, 2026BOGOTá - A Colombian senator was rescued from kidnappers Tuesday as the country's president reported an attempt on his own life in the run-up to elections that observers have warned could be marred by violence. President Gustavo Petro had earlier warned the kidnappers to release Quilcue or risk crossing "a red line." Last week, a Colombian observer group said more than 300 municipalities -- a third of the national territory -- are at risk of electoral violence. There has been a surge in violence in Colombia ahead of this year's presidential elections, with bomb and drone attacks in parts of the country and the assassination of a presidential hopeful. The country is slated to hold legislative elections on March 8 and presidential elections on May 31, with a runoff planned for June if needed.
New York model, carved in a basement, to on displayJoe Macken spent more than two decades creating the scale model of New York City in his basement. NEW YORK - A painstakingly detailed model of New York City will go on display this week after a US truck driver spent 21 years building it in his basement as an evening hobby. The exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York opens on Thursday and runs through the summer. The final display joins together more than 300 of the polystyrene boards to depict the entirety of New York City, including its waterways. The largest model of New York is the Panorama, which is also the world's largest architectural scale model -- spanning more than 836m².
(Photo: Army Military Force Facebook Page)The cabinet on Tuesday acknowledged updated regulations governing export-controlled goods along Thailand’s eastern border, including construction materials such as cement and steel. The measures are aimed at preventing such materials from being used to repair buildings linked to cyber-scam operations in Cambodia, acting Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit said. The proposal also builds on controls already enforced along the Thailand–Myanmar border, where regulations were strengthened to curb scam-related activities. By contrast, he said, oversight along the Thai–Cambodian border still relied on outdated rules, some of which primarily cover fuel and no longer reflect current conditions. The updated regulations are intended to modernise and standardise enforcement across both borders, ensuring consistency in the control of goods that could be exploited by criminal networks, he said.
Roaring global growth is emergingA pedestrian walks past an electronic quotation board displaying the foreign exchange rate of the Japanese yen against the US dollar in Tokyo, yesterday. AFPThe chaotic newsflow, geopolitical shape-shifting and wild market swings of 2026 have clouded one basic signal: the global economy is racing forward. Financial stocks, too, have risen more than twice that of their global stock benchmarks, and small caps are revving up as well. Meanwhile, the catalysts for a global cyclical upswing are mounting. It's also entirely possible these loose global conditions will eventually come back to haunt the financial world via bond market ructions.
Japanese PM Takaichi comes out on topJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has just scored an unprecedented victory in the country's general election. Only moments after Ms Takaichi became the LDP's president last October, the party's coalition partner of a quarter-century, Komeito, abruptly defected. Ms Takaichi survived the first shock by forming a new coalition with a smaller party closer to her own policy line. Ms Takaichi wants to abolish this practice and rely on a single budget at the start of the year. Ms Takaichi wants to correct this, and she has made explicit recognition of the constitutionality of Japan's armed forces central to the LDP's identity.
NACC timing questionedAs winning political parties begin forming alliances and the public waits for a new government to address bread-and-butter issues, the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) decision to move against former MPs from the People's Party is, to say the least, poorly timed. On Monday, the NACC issued a statement announcing its unanimous decision to refer former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and 43 other former lawmakers to the Supreme Court for alleged serious ethical violations. Regardless of political ideology, the case raises serious questions about the role of independent agencies in relation to parliament and elected lawmakers. Among them are People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, widely tipped to become leader of the opposition in the new House, deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun, and outspoken MP Rangsiman Rome. Leaving political ideology aside, the final court ruling could have far-reaching consequences for the parliamentary system.
Reinvent Thailand to revive growthThe Thai flag is seen against the skyline of the capital, the day after the general election on Monday. The message is simple but urgent: if Thailand is to return to a path of high, inclusive, and sustainable growth, economic reform is unavoidable -- but economic reform alone will not be enough. International indicators show that Thailand delivers relatively solid outcomes in infrastructure provision, macroeconomic management, public health, and poverty reduction. Thailand performs far less well in areas that matter most for future growth -- education and environment quality, innovation, and industrial policy. Especially in industrial policy, which is crucial to reviving economic growth and depends heavily on state capacity, several indicators show that Thailand scores below the global average and behind regional peers.
