Trump regime 'overcommitted' outside the USListen to this articleHere's what's probably happening in Venezuela today. Without them, Mr Trump has extremely limited leverage on the Venezuelan regime, which has not been decapitated or even seriously crippled by the kidnapping of former bus-driver Nicolás Maduro and his wife. And even there, he's wrong, because no American oil company will want to get involved in reviving the moribund Venezuelan oil industry. Does Mr Trump understand this? Mr Trump says that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is terrified of the drug cartels, which he alleges are running Mexico.

Democrats oppose Land Bridge projectListen to this articleChaichana DetdachoThe Democrat Party said it opposes the Land Bridge megaproject, insisting that local residents in the affected areas must first approve any development. Chaichana Detdacho, deputy leader of the Democrat Party overseeing the southern region, together with Meesak Pakdikong, the party's MP candidate for Chumphon Constituency 3, on Tuesday met with locals to discuss economic development issues, particularly the Land Bridge megaproject. Representatives from local environment groups Rak Phato Network and the Rak Ranong Network joined the discussion, reaffirming their opposition to the project. They also submitted a letter to the Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva calling for a clear policy on sustainable southern development. Mr Abhisit commented on the candidates' objection to the Land Bridge, stating that the project is not economically justifiable.

Trump considering military options to acquire GreenlandListen to this articlePresident Donald Trump has long spoken about his desire for the United States to acquire GreenlandWASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) - President Donald Trump is exploring how to take control of Greenland and using the US military is "always an option," the White House said Tuesday, further upping tensions with NATO ally Denmark. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen again insisted that the island was not for sale and only Greenlanders should decide its future. The statement was signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland," the statement said. Trump has claimed that Denmark cannot ensure the security of Greenland, saying it had bought just one dog sled recently.

Nine dead in clashes between Syria govt, Kurdish forces in AleppoListen to this articleFlights have been suspended for 24 hours at Aleppo's international airport, seen in March 2025, due to the clashesDAMASCUS - Clashes between government troops and Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria's Aleppo killed at least nine people on Tuesday, mostly civilians, in one of the worst flare-ups between the sides in months. Both sides traded blame over who started Tuesday's fighting, which continued into the night and is among the deadliest violence between the government and Kurdish forces since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad more than a year ago. On Tuesday morning, the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said factions affiliated with the government "targeted the Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood". A close ally of the new authorities, Turkey shares a 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Syria and has launched successive offensives to push Kurdish forces from its frontier. On Sunday, SDF chief Mazloum Abdi held further talks with officials in Damascus on integrating the Kurdish-led forces, but state media reported no tangible results.

New cave-dwelling springtail identifiedListen to this articleResearchers at Thaksin University have identified a previously unknown cave-dwelling springtail, marking a significant addition to global biodiversity records. It has been identified as a new species of insect from southern Thailand. Their findings confirmed that Lepidonella sirindhornae is the first springtail species of its kind recorded from a Thai cave. "Their presence reflects the stability and fertility of underground ecosystems due to their responsiveness to environmental disturbances," she said. Its elongated appendages and reduced eyes demonstrate clear adaptation to life in total darkness, offering valuable evidence of evolutionary processes in cave environments.

The move marks the first visible progress since the Supreme Administrative Court issued its final ruling ordering the demolition in November 2025. But in 2012, a lower Administrative Court first ordered the demolition of the building, and in 2016, the BMA posted a demolition order at the site. In 2021, Larppratharn Co Ltd, the owner of the Aetas hotel, filed a lawsuit against the district director for gross negligence for issuing an incorrect certification. In November 2025, the Supreme Administrative Court dismissed Larppratharn's case and upheld the demolition order. The court determined that the plaintiffs were deemed to have acknowledged the original demolition order on Nov 4, 2016, when it was publicly posted at the site.

Listen to this articleThe government has greenlighted a new expressway linking Bang Bua Thong district in Nonthaburi province to Ayutthaya's Bang Pa-in district. He said the M9 construction had been reviewed before being included in the 2026 budget. The Ministry of Transport has already consulted with the Council of State regarding the approval process and has been informed that it can be submitted to the cabinet for consideration. He said the government was trying to secure budget approval during the election season and that the project has been in place for quite some time. There should be no concern that a complaint will be raised with the Election Commission regarding the approval, since the M9 motorway was earlier planned, he said.

SET-listed satellite operator Thaicom expects the Indian market to account for 30% of its total revenue by the end of 2027, up from 15% currently, driven by the operation of the Thaicom 9 and Thaicom 10 satellites. According to Thaicom chief executive Patompob Suwansiri, Thaicom operates a satellite service in India via its wholly-owned IPSTAR India subsidiary. The Thaicom 4 broadband satellite serves the Asia-Pacific market and contributes 40% of total revenue to Thaicom. He added that India is currently the biggest international market for Thaicom, contributing 15% of total revenue to the company. "The Indian market marks a significant milestone for Thaicom, since we have remained dedicated to India as our strategic market.

In the second quarter of 2025, Thailand's household debt-to-GDP ratio was 86.8%, limiting borrowers' ability to access additional credit. This poses a direct risk to banking operations, particularly in an environment of slowing economic growth, he said. Despite subdued GDP growth and high household debt, SCB plans to pursue positive loan growth in 2026 under a selective strategy. He noted that ongoing government efforts are likely to help to reduce debt burdens and mitigate the country's household debt. "Investment is the key engine for driving economic growth, strengthening Thailand's economic structure, and enhancing its competitiveness within the region," he said.

Amata preps B5.7bn project in VietnamListen to this articleAn industrial estate developed by Amata VN in Vietnam. Amata City Phu Tho will cater to electronics and technology companies seeking to expand or relocate operations to northern Vietnam, she said. Covering roughly 476 hectares, Amata City Phu Tho will be developed in two phases. Amata VN already operates three industrial estates -- Amata City Bien Hoa, Amata City Ha Long and Amata City Long Thanh -- while Quang Tri Industrial Park is under construction. Strategically located in the "Northern Gateway", Amata City Phu Tho offers strong connectivity and is positioned to become a key industrial hub, he said.

Listen to this articleGiven continued volatility in the global rice market, the cabinet approved extending interest compensation for stockpiling paddy rice for another six months. The cabinet has approved an extension of the government's rice support measures, citing ongoing volatility in the global rice market. The first was a request to extend the interest compensation programme for rice traders who stored paddy from the 2023-24 production year. The interest compensation programme for rice stockpiling is a government measure to support rice traders by increasing liquidity to buy rice from farmers. This programme requires a one-off supporting budget of 1.68 billion baht, drawn from the central budget and contingency funds.

Ratchanok off to flying startListen to this articleThai seventh seed Ratchanok Intanon will play Mia Blichfeldt of Denmark in the last 16. The Thai seventh seed took 35 minutes to defeat Malvika Bansod of India 21-11, 21-11 to reach the second round of the US$1,450,000 (approx 46,400,000 baht) World Tour Super 1000 event. Ratchanok will next play Mia Blichfeldt after the Danish player edged past Natsuki Nidaira of Japan 21-15, 23-21, 22-20. In the buildup to the tournament, Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut told the media his goal for 2026 is to finally win a Super 1000 title. There are four Super 1000 tournaments in a season, including the Malaysia Open, the All England Open in March, the Indonesia Open in June and the China Open in July.

Ruling on pilot training charges creates legal precedentListen to this articleNok Air planesOver a dozen student pilots won a lawsuit against Nok Air regarding a requirement for additional training charges outside a contract for co-pilot employment, while the Court of Justice ordered compensation of one-third of 32.5 million baht in total damages. Early last year, 13 student pilots filed the lawsuit claiming a breach of a hiring contract. Mr Teerawat said the lawsuit stemmed from a student pilot programme launched by the airline prior to the pandemic. He said the student pilots deemed this unfair treatment and a violation of their contract. "This shows the airline intentionally refused to repay debts owed to the student pilots, or declared them unfit for work," said Mr Teerawat.

Mr Kobsak urged political leaders to appoint professionals with proven expertise to navigate these uncertainties. "Political party platforms should place greater emphasis on these strategic considerations, rather than focusing solely on conventional policies such as cash-handout schemes," said Mr Kobsak. The source noted the operation is not expected to affect global oil production levels or prices in the short term. Oil prices are on a downward trend primarily due to excess supply. Venezuela's oil production in November 2025 averaged 930,000 barrels per day, while its average production in 2024 tallied 870,000 barrels per day, accounting for 2.12% of total global oil production.

EC seeks to combat underhand campaigningListen to this articleThe Election Commission (EC) has launched an Electronic Campaign Management Centre, nicknamed the "E-War Room", to monitor online content and crack down on false accusations and defamatory information targeting political parties and election candidates. EC Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee said the E-War Room uses digital monitoring programs to detect fake news and defamatory messages circulated during election campaigns. The system focuses specifically on defamation under election campaign laws. Cases involving libel fall under criminal law and must be handled directly by the affected political parties, he said. The EC has used a similar system since the 2023 general election and has already succeeded in removing a large number of misleading posts.