Ishii sacked as Rabbits miss semisJapanese coach Masatada Ishii. (Photo supplied)BG Pathum United have sacked head coach Masatada Ishii after their failure to qualify for the semi-finals of the Asean Cup Championship -- the Shopee Cup -- on Wednesday night. The Rabbits drew 1-1 with 10-man Selangor of Malaysia at the MBPJ Stadium despite having a numerical advantage for over 65 minutes. He was appointed as head coach of the Rabbits in October, shortly after being replaced by Anthony Hudson as head coach of the Thai national team. During Ishii's short era, Pathum were dumped out of three major competitions including the AFC Champions League Two, FA Cup and Shopee Cup.

Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen en route to Olympic downhill gold on the Stelvio course in Bormio, Italy on Saturday. (Photo: AFP)BORMIO, Italy - Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen scorched to victory in the men’s Olympic downhill in Bormio on Saturday, winning the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Then came Odermatt, the in-form Swiss who is the runaway World Cup overall leader with three downhill victories to his name this season. His performance ensured he became the fifth Swiss men’s Olympic downhill champion since 1948 after Beat Feuz, Didier Defago, Pirmin Zurbriggen and Bernhard Russi. The Swiss will look to confirm their fine form in Monday’s Olympic team combined before tackling the super-G on Wednesday.

Jones leads Kingdom's chargeMaximus Jones, left, shakes hands with Puerto Rico's Yannik Alvarez after a draw ceremony on Friday. (Photo supplied)Maximus Jones faces Yannik Alvarez in the opening singles match while Kasidit Samrej plays Marko Mesarovic in the Davis Cup World Group 2 playoff between Thailand and Puerto Rico on Saturday. Sunday's action will begin with a doubles tie, with Jones teaming up with Pruchya Isaro to play Alvarez and Mesarovic. "This is my sixth time playing the Davis Cup so I'm not nervous. "I have never played Yannik Alvarez before but I will do my best," he added.

Against stiffer opposition on ONE Fight Night and numbered events, the 19-year-old has gone 3–3, struggling at times to impose the same explosive dominance that made him an overnight sensation. Originally scheduled to return at ONE Fight Night 39 last month, Ghazali was left frustrated when opponent Sean Climaco withdrew late through injury. Ye Yint Naung, who trains under Mehdi Zatout at Venum Training Camp, pushed Ghazali hard through the opening two rounds, refusing to be overawed by the occasion. Johan Ghazali celebrates his victory over Ye Yint Naung at ONE Friday Fights 141It was not vintage “Jojo” – and Ghazali admitted as much. For now, Ghazali leaves Lumpinee with something he has not always had over the past 18 months – momentum.

The United States also announced new sanctions against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports. “The Iranian nuclear case will only be resolved through negotiations.”He also said Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” because it relates to a “defence issue”. The negotiations were the first since nuclear talks between Iran and the United States collapsed last year following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, which triggered a 12-day war. During the war US warplanes bombed Iranian nuclear sites. He was speaking at the Al Jazeera Forum conference in Qatar, but in his speech made no reference to Friday’s talks in Oman with the United States.

In third place, a further four points behind, are Hull. Their latest loss was a 2-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers, a team they had thrashed 7-1 earlier in the season. After the QPR loss, Lampard was quick to admit his team is suffering from a lack of confidence. While Coventry have been stuttering, Middlesbrough have displayed fine form with five successive wins. However, after four successive wins, they failed to make it five last weekend with a disappointing 0-0 home draw against Watford.

The Swedish streaming giant has partnered with Bookshop.org to introduce a Page Match, available to premium subscribers, allowing them to buy and read full e-books directly within the Spotify app. In 2022 it launched its Audiobook feature, enabling users to purchase and listen to audiobooks through the app. Premium users in the US and the UK can now purchase digital books and read them as complete volumes inside the Spotify app. Spotify said Page Match builds on its existing personalisation tools, including Recaps, and is designed to reimagine the reading experience. These updates, Spotify said, will make it easier for users to discover and enjoy books in ways that suit their preferences and schedules.

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul poses for a selfie with a woman while helping party candidates campaign in Bangkok on Saturday. Polls will close at 5pm and early trends were expected to become visible from around 8 to 9pm, Mr Anutin said. (Story continues below)Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul joins key party figures to formally declare the end of election campaigning on Saturday. (Story continues below)Supporters mob People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut as he campaigns in Nonthaburi on Saturday. Mr Natthaphong urged voters to choose the People’s Party on both ballots on Sunday, before departing shortly afterwards.

The Supreme People’s Court this week struck down the sentence and ordered a retrial, which lawyers say is unlikely to result in another death sentence. The case of Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was one of several involving Canadians detained in China that the Canadian government condemned as “hostage diplomacy”. A Canadian official familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity in order to comply with strict privacy considerations, confirmed that the court had overturned the death sentence. Weeks after that, Schellenberg was given a death sentence. In 2021, a court rejected an appeal of his case and upheld the death sentence.

Phan district officials, police and Election Commission officials join an activity to encourage voting in Sunday’s general election and constitutional referendum, at the Phan District Office in Chiang Rai on Thursday. A former local councillor in Chiang Rai has been arrested for suspected vote-buying after being caught with 64,000 baht in 500- and 100-baht banknotes and sheets listing local names, according to Phan district police. The suspect, whose name was not released, was reportedly a former member of a tambon (subdistrict) council in the district. The arrest on Friday came after police were informed about illicit activity in tambon San Klang in Phan district, which is part of Constituency 4 in the northern province. If wrongdoing is confirmed, penalties will follow, said Chuchart Suksa-nguan, director of the Chiang Rai EC office.

(Photo: AFP)KYIV - The United States wants Ukraine and Russia to end their four-year war by June, and has offered to host talks between the two sides in Florida next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. But Ukraine says ceding ground will embolden Moscow and so it will not sign an agreement that fails to deter Russia from invading again. “The United States has proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams — Ukraine and Russia — meet in the United States, probably in Miami, in a week’s time,” Zelensky told reporters in comments made public early Saturday. Ukraine will not tolerate Russia and the United States making deals about Ukraine behind its back, Zelensky added. Russia hits Ukraine’s gridThroughout the negotiating progress Russia has launched waves of deadly strikes on Ukraine that have cut heating and power to millions during freezing temperatures.

Army 'ready' after border blastThe Second Army Area has confirmed it is fully prepared to defend national sovereignty following public concern over recent cross-border incidents involving Cambodian forces. According to the Royal Thai Army, the Second Army Area reported an incident at 10.20am on Thursday, when a 40mm grenade landed near a Thai base at Pha Lan Hin Paet Kon in Kantharalak district, Sri Sa Ket. Meanwhile, former National Security Council deputy secretary-general Pongsakorn Rodchompoo said the repeated grenade incidents reflected political intent rather than a lack of military discipline. In a Facebook post, he praised Thai troops for exercising restraint and warned against retaliatory actions that could affect the upcoming election. He also proposed a series of long-term measures after the election, including clearer border demarcation.

The case of 3-year-old Nong Chompoo, who was found dead on a Mukdahan mountain six years ago, will be the subject of the first true-crime documentary by Netflix Thailand, with her uncle-in-law, the convicted killer, making an unexpected onscreen appearance. Netflix Thailand unveiled its 2026 programme lineup on Friday night, closing with a documentary titled Chompoo: Lost & Forgotten. The appeal court upheld the lower court’s acquittal of Chaiphol’s wife, Somporn “Pa Taen” Lappho, the sister of Nong Chompoo’s mother. ‘What makes a suspect turn into a celebrity?’When Nong Chompoo vanished from her remote village, the police investigation quickly became a national spectacle. Last year, more than 90% of Netflix viewers in Thailand chose to watch Thai content, underscoring its popularity, Netflix Thailand said.

Vandalism by duo captured on CCTV submitted by abbot to policePolicemen, the abbot and two arrested Australian vandals are seen next to the defaced outer wall of Wat Dok Euang in tambon Sri Phum of Muang district in Chiang Mai on Friday. (Photo: Panumate Tanraksa)CHIANG MAI – Police have arrested two Australians caught on CCTV spray-painting the wall of a Buddhist temple after the abbot filed a complaint about repeated acts of vandalism that necessitated costly repainting jobs. The abbot said the temple had spent tens of thousands of baht repainting the wall, only for new graffiti to appear soon after. On Friday, police learned the two were coming back to Chiang Mai, with their vehicle scheduled to stop under a bridge in tambon San Phisuea. The duo confessed to having spray-painted the wall of the 400-year-old temple.

Tightened security, alcohol ban ahead of Sunday pollsMotorists drive past signs urging people to exercise their right to vote in Sunday’s election and constitutional referendum, on Phahon Yothin Road near the Sanam Pao BTS station in Phaya Thai district of Bangkok. Polls will be open from 8am to 5pm on Sunday, and the Election Commission has said that preliminary unofficial results should be available by 11pm. Pol Lt Gen Chaiphot said police wanted to remind the public to strictly observe the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages. The Election Commission has also issued restrictions on campaigning and referendum-related activities to ensure a fair and transparent election. Campaigning to encourage or discourage voter turnout in the referendum is prohibited from 6pm on Saturday until 5pm on Sunday.