He was working closely with Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and the air force chiefs to ready evacuation flights for Thais in high‑risk areas, beginning with Iran. The Foreign Ministry had established a day‑to‑day operations centre to monitor developments, consolidate information, assess risks and draw up systematic evacuation plans. The ministry also advised Thais to avoid travel to the Middle East until the situation stabilises. Meanwhile, the Labour and Foreign Affairs minstries have agreed to suspend the provision of Thai workers to risk areas in the Middle East. At present, 77,495 Thai workers are under the supervision of Thai labour offices in Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Labour Minister Treenuch Thienthong said.

Explosion, gunfire as Afghan forces shoot at aircraft over KabulMonths of cross-border clashes escalated Thursday when Afghanistan launched an offensive along the frontier, with Pakistani forces hitting back on the border and from the skiesKABUL - An explosion followed by successive gunfire were heard in central Kabul on Sunday, AFP journalists reported, with the Taliban government saying Afghan forces were shooting at a fresh incursion by Pakistani aircraft. "Anti-aircraft fire is being directed at Pakistani aircraft in Kabul," Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Sunday, referring to guns being fired overhead. Afghan officials said Thursday's border offensive was a response to earlier air strikes that killed civilians, which Pakistan said targeted militants. Afghan security forces said they had downed a Pakistani fighter jet and captured its pilot, which Islamabad denied as "totally untrue". Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesman for Pakistan's prime minister, told AFP that gunmen he said were associated with the Pakistani Taliban had attacked a checkpoint in the northwest.

Mozilla Firefox, the last major browser still providing security updates for older Microsoft systems, has announced the end of support for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 after February 2026. In a notice published on its official support page, Firefox said security support for these legacy versions of Windows will cease after February 2026. As a result, devices running operating systems older than Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates for the browser. After that, users need to upgrade their Windows operating system if they wish to continue receiving security updates and new features. First launched in July 2023, Firefox 115 was originally scheduled to receive support only until September 2024.

BEVERLY HILLS, United States - Diane Warren has become something of a fixture at Hollywood's annual Oscars ceremony. Performed by Kesha, "Dear Me" is part of the soundtrack to "Diane Warren: Relentless," a documentary about her life and career. "I wanted to write a love letter to her, that you're going to be okay," she said. You know you're scared to go to school because kids want to beat you up, but you know, you're going to be okay'. "'And you're going to go back to your (high school) reunion, they're going to look really old, you're going to still look good, too, on top of it'," she added with a laugh.

Assistance for travellers on flights affected by Middle East warThe Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has given advice on assistance for air passengers whose flights are affected by airspace closures caused by the Iran war. Many airlines must reroute their flights and this could impact international flights via the Middle East. Travellers heading to Europe and the Middle East should keep checking for updates from their repective airlines. The first is a full refund, credit shells, travel vouchers, frequent flyer pointsor equivalents. If flights are cancelled without prior notice and optional flights, airlines must provide affected travellers with the same compensation for flights delayed for more than 10 hours, CAAT said.

US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting after the US-Israeli strikes on IranUNITED NATIONS (UNITED STATES) - The United States and Israel on Saturday defended their attacks on Iran, which called resulting civilian deaths a "war crime" during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. "But where the UN lacks moral clarity, the United States of America will maintain it," he added. Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced the "war crime" of civilian deaths, notably of more than 100 children at Minab School in southern Iran. Russia and China only condemned the US-Israeli strikes, while others principally targeted Iran. Gulf states condemned Iran's strikes against them as "cowardly" in a joint statement read by Bahrain's ambassador.

The mission generated immediate purchase orders worth US$12.2 million (378.6 million baht) from six US importers, with total orders expected to rise to $123.8 million within a year. Key products ordered included canned sardines, canned tuna, jasmine rice and chilli oil. The importers also expressed interest in expanding purchases to other items, such as additional canned seafood, canned fruits, dried fruits, aged rice, broken rice and parboiled rice. "Greater access for Thai food products not only meets US consumer demand but also reinforces cooperation between Thailand and the United States in food security," she said. In the US market, it imports grains and processed food products from Thailand, Vietnam, Peru, Pakistan, Ecuador, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and India.

Two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine are nearly as effective against the highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant as they are against the previously dominant Alpha variant, a study published on Wednesday showed.

Khamenei killed as US and Israel strike Iran in widening warA man displays a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite armed groups gather to show support for Iran on the day the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, in Basra, Iraq, February 28, 2026. Iran quickly responded by firing missiles on Israel, US military bases and Persian Gulf countries including the financial hub of Dubai. Iranian media reported strikes on defensive and civilian sites, including one that killed 64 people at a school in Hormozgan. OPEC+ will consider the option of a larger oil supply increase when key members meet on Sunday, after the Israel strikes, according to a delegate. Trump on Friday downplayed concerns about the likelihood of oil prices spiking if he attacks Iran, saying, “I’m concerned about people’s lives.

Man City win to close on Arsenal as Liverpool hit fiveManchester City beat Leeds 1-0 to close within two points of ArsenalLONDON - Manchester City shrugged off the absence of Erling Haaland to close to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 1-0 win at Leeds on Saturday, while Liverpool beat West Ham 5-2 to climb into fifth. Antoine Semenyo instead proved to be the match-winner with his sixth goal in 11 games since joining City last month. "It was a huge victory to still be there (in the race)," said Guardiola, whose side and Arsenal are still involved in four competitions. Cody Gakpo added another goal after the break before an Axel Disasi own goal capped off the win for Liverpool. Everton notched another excellent away win to maintain their hope of European football next season with a 3-2 victory at Newcastle.

Red Cross calls for donorsPeople donate blood at the Thai Red Cross Society as part of a Halloween campaign in October last year. Donors receive a T-shirt that says ‘Don’t Be Scared To Donate Blood’ as a souvenir. Nutthawat WichieanbutThe Thai Red Cross Society has called for blood donations after national reserves fell below minimum levels. The public is urged to donate blood, and Buddhists are invited to join the "Make Merit by Donating Blood on Makha Bucha Week" campaign from today until Tuesday. Eligible donors must be aged 17 to 70, with first-time donors no older than 60, weigh at least 45kg and be in good health without conditions that could pose risks to recipients.

Recalling the 'the quick brown fox' eraEvery day of the year has its own niche in history and March 1 is no exception. I was particularly amused by the fact that the only words of English he knew were "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog's back". After the battle Bobbie was missing, presumed dead. Months later when the regiment returned, Bobbie was taken to see Queen Victoria and she personally pinned the Afghanistan Medal on the dog. A year later, Bobbie was killed after being run over by a horse-drawn carriage near Portsmouth.

Elephant dies for no good reasonA wild bull elephant known as Hu Pab died from over-sedation. On Feb 3, Seedor Hu Pab ("the folded ear"), as he was also known, died during a translocation. Hu Pab had reportedly strayed into settlements and was linked to two deaths. Translocation -- moving a so-called "problem" elephant -- has become the default solution here. The DNP said Hu Pab was being returned to his "original home" at Phu Luang National Park in Loei.

Foreign minister updates Asean chair on border ceasefire as Second Army Area resumes limited fuel exports to LaosMr Sihasak during the phone call. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign AffairsForeign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to regional peace efforts during talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa P Lazaro, thanking Manila for its leadership of the Asean Observer Team (AOT). He reiterated Thailand's readiness to act as a bridge between Asean and Myanmar to help facilitate dialogue and confidence-building measures. Both sides welcomed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and agreed to maintain close coordination on regional and international issues. The Second Army Area has held meetings with local security agencies, authorities and affected entrepreneurs involved in fuel exports through the Chong Mek border checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani.

Govt issues heatstroke warningPeople, particularly vulnerable groups, those with chronic illnesses and outdoor workers, are being urged to take precautions against heat stroke, as temperatures are forecast to rise above last year's levels. People are advised to limit outdoor activities between 11am and 3pm, drink water frequently and wear "comfort clothing" to reduce the risk of heat stroke, which can be fatal. High-risk groups include the elderly, infants and young children, people with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, lung disease and obesity, and those working outdoors. Heat stroke occurs when the body overheats and affects vital systems. Air pollution levels remain low to moderate due to moderate ventilation and expected rainfall, the department said.