Ukraine claims limited gains, weeks into counteroffensiveRussian forces are on the offensive near eastern AvdiivkaKYIV (UKRAINE) - Ukraine on Monday said its forces clawed back clutches of territory from Russia last week as part of its counteroffensive, as Russia's security service said it foiled an assassination attempt on the head of Moscow-annexed Crimea. Ukraine's forces have gained over 158 square kilometres in the south since the start of the counteroffensive, Malyar said. Russian forces are also on the offensive, and in recent days launched new assaults towards Svatove, in the eastern Lugansk region. Bakhmut was seized by Russian forces spearheaded by the Wagner mercenary group. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine after a referendum widely regarded as a sham by Kyiv and Western countries.

Ideal House speaker is neutral, experienced law graduate: pollMost people think the House speaker must be able to work with all parties with neutrality, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. More than a quarter of respondents believed the speaker should be an experienced MP who graduated in law. The poll was conducted on June 27-29 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions on the selection of the House speaker, head of the legislative branch, to be held on July 4. Asked about the qualities they wanted to see in the person holding the post of House speaker, with respondents allowed to choose more than one answer, the replies varied as follows:• 76.72% - must be able to work with all political parties with neutrality• 28.63% - should have served many times as an MP• 26.34% - should be a law graduate• 24.89% - must be acceptable to MPs• 16.41% - must be from a party in the government• 15.95% - must not necessaily be from the same party as the prime minister• 15.65% - must not necessaily be from the party with the most MPs• 14.05% - can be from either the government or opposition bloc• 13.36% - must be from the party with the most MPs• 10.92% - must not necessarily be a law graduate• 7.10% - must be from the same party as the prime minister• 6.56% - any MP can take the position• 2.90% - must be able to push through draft legislation proposed by his or her party• 0.46% - must be from a party in the opposition blocAsked how MPs should vote to select the House speaker, 52.44% said they should follow a decision reached internally by their own party prior to the selection process; 47.10% said MPs should be allowed to vote freely; and 0.46% had no answer or were not interested.

Army eyes withdrawing security troops from far South by 2027Fourth Region Army commander Lt Gen Santi SakuntanakThe security authorities have outlined a plan for the progressive reduction of military presence and lifting of the emergency in the far South in four years. Fourth Region Army commander Lt Gen Santi Sakuntanak said on Saturday a gradual withdrawal of troops is already underway in the region. Lt Gen Santi said that in the early years of unrest from 2004 to 2010, the military's main mission was to contain security woes and fight insurgent attacks by deploying extra troops mobilised from the First, Second and Third Army regions to assist the Fourth Army region stationed in the far South. Since 2011, Lt Gen Santi said a 1,700-strong combined force made up of non-military officials and police were assigned to safety protection duties in 37 districts of the far South. With more police and defence officials moving in, the soldiers were gradually being withdrawn and returned to their army regions.

Ms Kaur never saw him again. Priyadarshini Ravichandran/The New York TimesMs Kaur is far from alone in her misery. To Ms Kaur, who fled her in-laws' home after five months, it was "like living in a dark dungeon". Priyadarshini Ravichandran/The New York TimesAfter her marriage, Ms Kaur, who is not related to Sharndeep Kaur, lived with her husband for nine months in his parents' home in Kotli. Priyadarshini Ravichandran/The New York TimesMr Dhiman's parents moved to Canada on a business visa after Ms Khural's marriage in 2015.

(Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Move Forward Party (MFP) will step aside and let Pheu Thai Party take the lead in forming the new government if its leader Pita Limjaroenrat fails to get enough support from senators in a prime ministerial vote, according to Pheu Thai sources. Pheu Thai would support Mr Pita's bid for prime minister, but if Mr Pita fails to get sufficient support from the senators, he must step aside and allow Pheu Thai to have its turn at forming a coalition government. Mr Pita said on Friday that talks with Pheu Thai were making progress. "I don't believe Pheu Thai will lay down such conditions. Asked to comment on the report that Pheu Thai would take the premiership if the MFP lacks enough votes from the senators, Mr Srettha said such matters should be addressed by Pheu Thai leader Dr Cholnan and secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong.

Central Westville to open in NovemberThe shopping centre features a new prototype for the next level of semi-outdoor mall development and is the company's first low-carbon mall. Central Pattana Plc has announced it plans to open the Central Westville shopping mall on Nov 29. Located at a strategic location in western Bangkok, Central Westville will help elevate the retail industry and urban life, said Mr Nattakit. There are over 400,000 people in the catchment area of Central Westville, Mr Nattakit said. Central Westville, with a total investment of over 6.2 billion baht, is situated on 40 rai of land with a gross floor area of 93,000 square metres.

(Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The selection of the new House speaker will take place on July 4 as the Move Forward Party (MFP) and the Pheu Thai Party remain deadlocked over who gets the position. According to its official website, the selection of a speaker and two deputies will be on the agenda of the first session. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the new House speaker and two deputies must be chosen within 10 days from the opening of parliament or by July 13. The MFP and Pheu Thai were originally scheduled to thrash out who would take the House speaker role on Wednesday, but the MFP postponed the meeting after Pheu Thai suggested it would not budge. MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said party MPs are ready to attend the House meeting on July 4 to select the new speaker.

Why did they all leave their homes? Loikaw and Demoso become a fierce theatre of war between the Myanmar Army and the opposition. Similarly, Khamhom, 16, decided to leave Laihka, south of Shan State, even though she needed to complete her last year of high school. At present, the people in Shan State do not just have to endure harassment by the Myanmar Army. This has prompted many people in Shan State to decide to leave behind their homes.

Tourism firms cash in on travel boomForeign tourists visit Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, in Bangkok. Businesses involved in foreign currency exchange registered a 389% increase, followed by travel agency businesses with a 281% increase, while tour guide firms gained 225% and restaurants jumped 67.2%. For the same period, registered capital amounted to 389 billion baht, up by 50% year-on-year. The combined registered capital for the month was 28.4 billion baht, up by 97.9% from the same month last year. The department said 5,438 companies ceased operations during the period with a combined registered capital of 43.3 billion baht, down by 19%.

The venue is Bangkok 1899, a cultural and civic hub located on Nakhon Sawan Road, tambon Wat Sommanat. Lopez utilises his philosophy of exploring the sensorial and ontological reality with blind, profound and transcendental listening, reinterpreting what he calls an "anthropoEXcentric" understanding of wilderness sounds and sonic creatures. His new performances will creatively work with new original materials and live sound spatialisation to expand our reality and give rise to a new and unique immersive experience of Thailand's rainforests. The chef will prepare a seven-course Peruvian dinner accompanied by curated sounds from Lopez. The venue is Na Cafe, located on the same premises as Bangkok 1899.

Anxious wait for news after 41 dead in Uganda school attackAt least 41 people were massacred at a secondary school by militants linked to the Islamic State group, officials said. MPONDWE, Uganda: Distraught families gathered at a mortuary in western Uganda on Sunday for any news of their loved ones after a militant attack left dozens of students dead and others missing. Officials say at least 41 people, mostly students, were massacred at a secondary school near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo late Friday by militants linked to the Islamic State group. Victims were hacked, shot and burned to death in a brutal attack at Lhubiriha Secondary School in Mpondwe that has shocked Uganda and drawn condemnation from around the globe. In June 1998, 80 students were burnt to death in their dormitories in an ADF attack on Uganda's Kichwamba Technical Institute near the DR Congo border.

Talks with senators going well: MFPRangsiman RomeThe Move Forward Party (MFP) has expressed confidence that senators will support its leader Pita Limjaroenrat to be the next prime minister. MFP spokesman and party-list MP-elect Rangsiman Rome said on Saturday the party has been lobbying the senators. I believe Mr Pita will become prime minister,'' Mr Rangsiman said. "It is likely that we will also be able to switch off Section 272 under the constitution,'' Mr Rangsiman said. The best way is to respect the decision of voters in the May 14 election," Mr Rangsiman said.

Investigation of Pita's media shareholding could be extended further if needed, says EC chiefPita: May face more delaysA 20-day deadline has been imposed on the Election Commission (EC) probe into the alleged violation of the organic law on the election of MPs by Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat, said EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong on Friday. The inquiry launched into Mr Pita's alleged violation of Section 151 of the organic law is equivalent to a criminal investigation conducted in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, he said. As for the EC's endorsement of the May 14 election results, the EC will next week still have to discuss further the results of the election in both the constituency and party-list systems, said Mr Ittiporn. "The election results will definitely be endorsed within the 60-day time frame." The report of the shareholders' meeting, meanwhile, is required to affirm that the financial report submitted was properly approved by shareholders, he said.

Portugal win in Euro 2024 qualifying as Scotland stun Haaland's NorwayBruno Fernandes celebrates with Ruben Dias after scoring one of his two goals as Portugal beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 in Euro 2024 qualifying. PARIS - Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Portugal won in Euro 2024 qualifying on Saturday after Scotland produced a stunning late comeback to beat Erling Haaland's Norway in Oslo. Fernandes headed in the second from a Ruben Neves cross in the 77th minute and scored his second, and Portugal's third, in added time. Scotland have three wins out of three in Group A after following a famous victory over Spain in March by coming from behind late on to beat Norway 2-1 on Saturday. Belgium are three points behind group leaders Austria but have a game in hand.

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat shakes hands with Federation of Thai SMES president Sangchai Theerakulwanich at a meeting with representatives of the federation on Tuesday. The company said the meeting minutes are not a word-by-word transcription but a summary of questions and answers concerning the company's business activities. The statement came after Executive Director Kim Siritaweechai ordered iTV committee members to launch an investigation into the minutes of the shareholders' meeting. Many MFP supporters believe that iTV ceased to operate as a media company, which would enable Mr Pita to avoid legal disqualification. The discrepancy between what was in the video clip and in the minutes has triggered a fierce debate over whether the company was still functioning as a media company.