Taliban disperse women protesters with gunfire in KabulThe Taliban pushed back women protesters as they tried to continue with the small demonstration in Kabul, while a foreign journalist was hit with a rifle and blocked from filming. KABUL - The Taliban on Thursday violently cracked down on a small women's rights demonstration, firing shots into the air and pushing back protesters, AFP journalists witnessed. The women unfurled a banner that read "Don't break our pens, don't burn our books, don't close our schools", before Taliban guards snatched it from them. They pushed back the women protesters as they tried to continue with the demonstration, while a foreign journalist was hit with a rifle and blocked from filming. The Taliban follow a strict interpretation of sharia law that segregates men and women, and have also slashed women's access to work.

Search for sunken river tug, missing crewThe overturned tugboat in the Chao Phraya River in front of Wat Phanan Choeng Voraviharn in Ayutthaya province on Wednesday morning. (Photo: Sunthorn Pongpao)A sonar scanner was being used in the search on Thursday for a barge tug that overturned and sank in the deep and muddy Chao Phraya River on Wednesday, trapping the husband-and-wife crew inside the vessel. The boat went down in fast-flowing water about 20 metres deep while manoeuvring with five laden barges near a pier in Nakhon Luang district of Ayutthaya province. Representatives from the Marine Department, the navy and the Ayutthaya marine office drew up a search plan that used side scanning sonar to locate the sunken tug. The tug driver, Somchai Tharnkul, 60, and his wife Naruemol Tharnkul have not been seen since their barge tug sank in the Chao Phraya River opposite Wat Phanan Choeng Voraviharn in Ayutthaya province late on Wednesday morning.

China urges banks to avoid housing speculation to curb Evergrande riskChina's central bank has urged banks to steady the housing market and stressed that 'houses are for living, not speculation'. (AFP photo)BEIJING: China has urged banks to steady the housing market and avoid speculation as fears mount that Evergrande's debt crisis could spill over into the property sector. Saddled with more than $300 billion in liabilities that it is struggling to repay, the Chinese property developer's potential collapse poses systemic risks for the national and global economy. Beijing has so far been reluctant to bail out the conglomerate, but Chinese media reported that the Shenzhen government has begun an investigation into Evergrande's investment arm. Shenzhen's financial regulator said in a Monday letter to investors that a "thorough investigation" was being carried out after collecting information about Evergrande Wealth, Chinese media reported this week.

The bill will introduce changes in rules for value added tax, income tax and excise, as well as introduce a carbon tax, the ministry said in a statement. It was unclear whether it overrides an existing law that sets a 20% corporate tax rate for 2022. A 35% personal income tax rate for those earning more than 5 billion rupiah per year was approved. However, more will be included in a 5% income tax rate, as the income band threshold was raised to 60 million rupiah from 50 million rupiah. The commission and the government also agreed on a different tax rate for the newly introduced levy on carbon emission.

Pickup plunges through 8th floor wallRescue workers and hospital staff gather around the wreckage on the second floor of the parking building after a pickup truck fell from the eighth floor, at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital in Muang district, Nakhon Ratchasima, on Wednesday night. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Two people were injured when a pickup truck crashed through the guard wall on the eighth floor of a hospital parking building and plunged six floors, in Muang district on Wednesday night. The Toyota Vigo pickup truck, registered in this northeastern province, ended its plunge as a wreck in a passageway on the second floor of the building. The other was a person buying food on the ground floor below, hit by a chunk of concrete from the shattered eighth floor wall. He then got into his pickup, which then accelerated through a retaining wall on the eighth floor of the building and plunged to the second floor.

Hakuho's retirement leaves sumo facing 'void' at topRetiring yokozuna Hakuho was sumo's greatest-ever champion, with 45 tournament wins to his nameTOKYO: Sumo will struggle to fill the "void" left by the retirement of its greatest-ever champion Hakuho, experts say, with few new stars emerging and public interest in the ancient Japanese sport likely to wane. But the Mongolian-born 36-year-old handed in his retirement notice on Monday after persistent trouble with his right knee, leaving fans wondering how sumo will cope in his absence. His departure leaves just one wrestler, Terunofuji, at sumo's highest rank of yokozuna -- and even his long-term future is unclear. The 29-year-old Terunofuji only reached the yokozuna rank in July, after an injury-plagued career that saw him drop to the second-lowest division at one point. "Sumo is a sport that has always been based around rivalry at the very top of the rankings," he said.

Flooding ‘will not be like in 2011'A woman's house in Nonthaburi is flooded as the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat discharges more water downstream. They are attempting to allay public concern about flooding and rising waters in several parts of the country. Pakorn Ataphant, executive director of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda), said several factors make a repeat of 2011’s flooding unlikely. In 2011, there were several storms affecting Thailand, compared to the present situation in which only a few storms have arrived, he said. Economic and industrial areas will not be affected as in 2011," Mr Pakorn said.

But 13-year-olds are already welcome on social media with few protections and sometimes tragic effects, experts and parents said. He was referring to some of the long list of harms attributed to steady social media use among young people. However, Alex Stamos, a former chief security officer for the social media giant, said that the problems online go beyond software and apps. Behind the fear and outrage directed at social media are horrific accounts of online bullying, self-harm and toxic body obsessions exacerbated by posts. But a lack of protection for children online means they will remain sought after targets for social media, especially the youngest users.

Six Pumas banned from Wallabies clash for Covid breachArgentina's scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra (C) was among the six players ruled outBRISBANE: Argentina's Rugby Championship clash with Australia was thrown into chaos Thursday with six players and two staff ruled out after breaching health orders with an unauthorised trip into New South Wales from Queensland state. Under Covid-19 rules, anyone wishing to enter Queensland from a designated Covid hotspot area, like neighbouring New South Wales, must have permission or face mandatory quarantine. "This travel across the state border is a direct breach of the present Queensland government health orders and Sanzaar's Rugby Championship tournament biosecurity plan," governing body Sanzaar said in a statement. "All members of this group are now ineligible to participate further in the Rugby Championship as they have breached tournament rules. Argentina Rugby told AFP the players and staff were in all in "perfect good health".

(Photo: ITTIKORN PANATKOOL)To boost local tourism and the economy, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is holding "Thailand SHA: The Memory @ Phuket, Phang-nga and Krabi" from today until Oct 3. The goal of the event is to promote tourism among local travellers and expats who can travel safely within secure tourist-friendly destinations. This will help to bring back confidence in tourism and national healthcare, as well as assisting businesses affected by Covid-19. Thailand Sha Sha Sha (Photo © Tourism Authority of Thailand)Accor, a world leading hospitality group, has joined the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a global organisation that brings engaged hospitality companies together and uses the industry's collective power to address key challenges affecting the planet and its people. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance drives collaborative action and develops free practical resources and programmes to enable the wider industry with leading hospitality companies and strategic partners to operate responsibly and grow sustainably.

(Photo © The Workshoppers by Empathy Sauce)More than ever, society plays a role in mental health. Yet to succeed in a complicated society requires stability and balance to enable us to release stress as we receive it. Our systems of stress management and mental release need an upgrade for the world of 2021. Today's workshop focuses on "Mind Detoxification And Hatha For Breath". Topics for the next classes include "Self Empowerment And Mindfulness Flow Yoga" on Oct 7; "Energising Flow And Let Go" on Oct 14; "Deep Inspiring Vinyasa For Inner Thoughts" on Oct 21; "Dynamic Yoga For Inner Strength" on Oct 28; "Yin Yoga For Self-Love" on Nov 4; and "Mindfulness Flow Yoga For Self-Empathy" on Nov 11.

SET-listed Ratch Group is on its way to hitting a target of 10,000 megawatts in total electricity generation capacity, as it expects to have additional capacity of 1,000MW from three domestic and overseas power plant projects worth 31 billion baht by the end of this year. Its current capacity stands at 8,292MW from power plants in Thailand and countries overseas, including Laos, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam. "If all projects become successful, the company will be able to achieve the power generation capacity target," said Mr Kijja. At present, 63% of Ratch's power generation capacity is produced in Thailand and 37% is produced overseas. The company wants to increase its overseas investment proportion to 50% by 2025.

Uniqlo remains committed to expansionMr Tomoyoshi says the company plans to open two new Uniqlo stores this year at CentralPlaza Sri Racha and Central Ayutthaya. Uniqlo Thailand, a Thai unit of the global casual apparel retailer, remains committed to continuing its business expansion in the country despite lingering uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Mr Tomoyoshi, the company plans to open two new Uniqlo stores this year at CentralPlaza Sri Racha and Central Ayutthaya. Mr Tomoyoshi said the provision of a drive-thru service at Uniqlo roadside stores, the Uniqlo app and website were generated in order to meet new normal lifestyles. Currently, there are 54 Uniqlo stores in Thailand with sales of 10 billion baht, recording a profit of 2 billion baht in 2020.

Solar module maker opts for Amata City HalongRepresentatives from Amata City Halong congratulate Jinko Solar Vietnam on receiving the investment registration certificate. Amata VN Plc, a subsidiary of SET-listed Amata Corporation, Thailand's biggest industrial estate developer, predicts bright business prospects in Vietnam after the company's Amata City Halong industrial estate was selected by solar module manufacturer Jinko Solar Hongkong as its production base with an investment valued at US$866 million. The new factory, located on a 52.7-hectare plot, is Jinko Solar Hongkong's third manufacturing plant. Amata City Halong officially opened in 2018. The industrial estate, located in an economic zone of Quang Ninh, is one of the region's largest industrial parks.

El Salvador's Bitcoin bet is a dangerous follyEl Salvador this month became the first country to adopt a cryptocurrency -- in this case, Bitcoin -- as legal tender. But adopting Bitcoin as legal tender makes little sense for El Salvador. El Salvador already accepted this when it adopted the dollar. And at least half of El Salvador's population have no internet access. But El Salvador's adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender is perhaps the strangest and potentially most worrying example of all.