Japan PM opposes changing male-only imperial successionJapan's Emperor Naruhito (centre left), Empress Masako (centre right), and other members of the Imperial Family wave to well-wishers during a public audience celebrating the Emperor's 66th birthday, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. (Photo: AFP)TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament on Friday that she opposes changing the imperial family's male succession rules. The premier previously warned that revising the imperial family's succession rules is "an urgent matter", although this would likely involve "adopting" new members. During a policy speech last , she said that she hoped "discussions will deepen on how to ensure stable imperial succession... leading toward the revision of the Imperial House Law". Traditionalists have asserted that the "unbroken imperial line" of male succession is the foundation of Japan, and major changes would divide the nation.

French prosecutors probe Al-Fayeds over sex traffickingScores of women say they were raped or molested by the late Egyptian-born tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed. French authorities began investigating the late Egyptian businessman and his brother Salah last year amid allegations of a vast system of sex trafficking and abuse on French soil. The French investigation, however, is handled by "a unit specialised in human trafficking", she told AFP. Louw told AFP she was first "spotted" by Mohamed Al-Fayed in 1993 while working as a sales assistant at Harrods. "The pattern is the same: selecting vulnerable young women, transport, accommodation, isolation and money, which is used to intimidate or corrupt," she said.

To raise awareness of romance scams, COFACT (Collaborative Fact Checking) organised the forum “Love Or Lie? Supinya Klangnarong, founder of COFACT, said that romance scams are closer to people than they think. “This case made me realise that romance scams are closer to us than we think," Supinya said. Lt Col Peabprom explained that the format of a scammer’s behaviour is to make friends with a victim and quickly claim that they have fallen in love with the victim. When asked what kinds of warning signs can help alert the victims to the fact that they are being scammed, Lt Col Peabprom emphasised that love bombing is the first.

The confiscated haul amounts to about 20,976 baht‑weight of gold (one baht‑weight equals 15.2 grammes), or roughly 319 kilogrammes. The NACC earlier found Satit “unusually wealthy” while he served as chief of the Revenue Department. The Supreme Court subsequently ordered the gold forfeited to the state. The impounded gold is part of a broader NACC investigation into a value‑added tax (VAT) refund fraud that cost the Revenue Department about 3.09 billion baht between 2012 and 2013. The scheme caused losses of over 3.09 billion baht to the state.

CCTV footage shows a hooded man, armed with a knife, entering the townhome of a British national and his Thai wife in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri on Thursday night. He was among three hooded men involved in the robbery. (Screenshot)CHON BURI — A gang of three hooded men armed with knives robbed a British chef and his Thai wife at their house in Bang Lamung district on Thursday night, stealing a safe containing more than 2 million baht in cash before fleeing in a pickup truck. Investigators and tourist police rushed to the scene and found Wesleigh Cyril Russell, 32, a British national working as an overseas chef, and his wife, Chandee, 34, in the townhouse. CCTV footage shows two long‑sleeved, hooded men entering a Bang Lamung townhouse in Chon Buri province on Thursday night before fleeing with a safe containing about 2 million baht.

A polling unit staffer holds up a party-list ballot during the vote count at a station in Bangkok on Feb 8. Of the ballots cast, 35,030,601, or 92.65%, were valid; 1,669,006, or 4.41%, were spoiled, and 1,108,051, or 2.93%, selected no party. In the constituency contests, 37,807,778 voters cast ballots. A small discrepancy between party-list and constituency totals was attributed to some out-of-constituency and overseas ballot envelopes not containing both ballot types, it said. Separately, the EC released results of the referendum, in which 58.64% of voters were in favour of drafting a new constitution, 30.46% supported keeping the existing constitution and 8.34% abstained.

Your spot-on horoscope for work, money and relationship from Guru by the Bangkok Post's famously accurate fortune teller. You'll stay on top of your workload. Expect unexpected travel, unfamiliar tools to master and collaborating with new people. (⚤) You'll stay focused on levelling up your life and boosting your bank account, but your main character energy will radiate effortlessly. Projects will stall, while plans will get pushed back and unexpected work will land on your desk.

Thai woman among suspects arrested in Malaysia border shootingThe Customs House in Sadao district in Songkhla province is opposite the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Kedah state in Malaysia. (Photo: Sadao Customs House)A Thai woman and six other Malaysians have been apprehended by authorities in Malaysia for allegedly involving in the shooting of a vehicle of an immigration officer in the Malaysia border opposite Songkhla province. Mohd Nasaruddin, commander of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, managed to escape from the shooting and was safe. The name of the Thai woman in her 30s has not been released. The Thai section is a tambon in Sadao district in Songkhla and the Malaysian part is in Perlis.

Drafting of new constitution cruises to victory in referendumSupporters move along Bangkok streets with green flags reading "Writing a new constitution" during a walking campaign on Dec 10, 2025. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)The Election Commission (EC) announced on Friday that an official referendum result shows overwhelming support for drafting a new constitution to replace the current charter. The vote returned 58.64% in favour of a new charter, 30.46% for keeping the existing constitution and 8.34% who abstained. iLaw, a civic group advocating for democracy and human rights, welcomed the result, saying the referendum showed support for drafting a new charter. The constitution was approved in a public referendum held in August 2016, with 61.4% in favour and 38.6% against, based on a turnout of 54.6%.

Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council meetingUnited States First Lady Melania Trump is to preside over a United Nations Security Council meeting next week even though Trump has withdrawn support from several major UN agencies, such as the World Health Organisation. (Photo: AFP)UNITED NATIONS — Melania Trump will preside over a UN Security Council meeting next week, her office has announced, in the first such appearance by a US first lady. The meeting at 3pm (2000 GMT) on Monday will focus on education, technology, peace and security and marks the first time a sitting US first lady presides over the Security Council, the statement added. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said Thursday that the visit represents "a sign of the importance that the United States feels towards the Security Council and the subject" of education. Melania's visit comes as the president spearheads his "Board of Peace" initiative, which some critics have said is a way to circumvent the UN Security Council.

A diver from Mu Ko Similan National Park clears a mass of netting and ropes from abandoned fishing gear entangled in sea‑fan corals off Koh Payan (Similan No.3) in Phangnga province on Thursday. (Screenshots from video made by Mu Ko Similan National Park)PHANGNGA - Divers have recovered abandoned fish aggregating devices (FADs) tangled around deep‑sea coral reefs, preventing serious harm to marine life including turtles, dolphins and dugongs in Mu Ko Similan National Park. Rangers spotted two large FADs drifting near Koh Payan (Similan No.3) during a patrol on Thursday. The devices are believed to have dragged lost or abandoned fishing nets — known as ghost nets — into a sea fan coral formation about 45 metres below the surface, park chief Siriwat Suebsai said on Friday. Mr Siriwat warned that ghost nets pose a severe threat to marine habitats.

The title might suggest an introduction to crime, or, for those versed in US culture, a crime film set near US Route 101 in Los Angeles. The latter is correct: Bart Layton's Crime 101 (2026) is a highly stylised thriller that explores the lives of people from different walks of life in the city by the sea. A Mann‑esque crime thriller, Crime 101 is in many ways similar to Michael Mann's 1995 Heat, a critically acclaimed crime drama. Mark Ruffalo as detective Lou in Crime 101 (2026). Barry Keoghan as Ormon in Crime 101 (2026).

Champions League last-16 draw produces Real-Man City, againThe draw for the latter stages of this season’s UEFA Champions League was made on Friday and threw up yet another clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City. They also emerged victorious in the semi-finals in 2022 with City winning at the same stage the following year. Liverpool will have a last-16 rematch against Galatasaray, the Turkish giants having defeated the Anfield club 1-0 in September in the league phase. The teams who qualified directly for this stage after finishing in the top eight in the league phase will all be at home in the return matches. This season’s Champions League final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.

US hockey players regret response to Trump remarks on women's teamUSA's Charlie McAvoy said he was 'certainly sorry' for his team's reaction. (Photo: AFP)LOS ANGELES (UNITED STATES) - Multiple US Olympic men's ice hockey players have apologised for their team's response after President Donald Trump said he would "have to" invite the women's team to the White House, too. We love the women's team, and the women's team loved us. Celebrate this teamDuring his State of the Union address, Trump said the women's team "will soon be coming to the White House." The team has yet to determine whether to visit the White House, Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) reported.

F1 hopes to fuel growth in North America with Netflix and AppleFormula One pre-season testing took place in Bahrain. The Netflix documentary "F1: Drive to Survive", which begins its eighth season on Friday, has already taken motor sport's top discipline into a new dimension. Out of F1's global audience of some 800 million viewers, only some 52 million are in the United States, according to Parker. This year five of the 24 Grand Prix races will be broadcast live at giant-screen Imax cinemas across the United States. But F1 is setting its sights on more than just the United States.