Trump, Zelensky speak before Ukraine-US talks in GenevaVolodymyr Zelensky thanked Donald Trump for his 'active involvement' in negotiationsKYIV (UKRAINE) - US President Donald Trump spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of a fresh round of talks Thursday aimed at ending Russia's invasion, a White House official told AFP. Zelensky wrote on social media that he had spoken with Trump, and that his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were on the call. - Preparatory talks -Zelensky said his call with Trump "discussed the issues that our representatives will address tomorrow in Geneva during the bilateral meeting, as well as preparations for the next meeting of the full negotiating teams in a trilateral format at the very beginning of March". "We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders' level. This is the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war," he added.

Cuba coastguard kills 4 on Florida-registered boatHAVANA - Cuba's coastguard shot dead four people and injured six others travelling in a US-registered speedboat in an exchange of fire off the Cuban coast on Wednesday, the interior ministry in Havana said. The "illegal" Florida-registered boat was detected one nautical mile from Falcones Cay in Villa Clara province, the ministry said in a brief statement. As a coastguard vessel approached to identify the boat "shots were fired from the boat," injuring the commander of the Cuban vessel, the ministry added. Before Maduro's capture by US forces on January 3, Cuba had relied on Venezuela for about half its fuel needs. Faced with an outcry from Caribbean leaders, worried that starving Cuba of oil would cause the economy to quickly collapse, Washington said it would allow shipments of Venezuelan oil for "commercial and humanitarian use."

Bodo/Glimt knock Inter out of Champions LeagueBodo/Glimt players celebrate after their stunning Champions League win against Inter Milan at San Siro. But Bodo/Glimt survived at the back before finishing off the tie in the second half. We knew it would be very hard against Inter who are a very strong team and played in the final last season,” said Hauge. Meanwhile, Leverkusen followed a 2-0 win away to Olympiacos in Greece last week with a 0-0 draw at home in the return. Meanwhile, Leverkusen followed a 2-0 win away to Olympiacos in Greece last week with a 0-0 draw at home in the return.

Built into the Claude desktop application, Claude Cowork is designed to accept a job brief, break it into steps and then carry out the work using approved folders and tools. Anthropic says Claude Cowork runs locally inside an isolated virtual machine and stores its conversation history on the user’s device. Claude Cowork remains in what the company calls a “research preview”, with agent safety still under development. Claude Cowork is marketed as a system that can “think, see and act”, interpreting screens, interacting with interfaces and carrying out multi‑step workflows. In recent weeks, more than US$830 billion have reportedly been wiped from the market value of global software companies, as traders reassess what happens when AI can use software on a user’s behalf.

Khanom krok named Thailand’s best dessert of 2026Khanom krok, or coconut rice pancakes, has been ranked Thailand’s No.1 dessert of 2026 by TasteAtlas. (Photo: Nittaya Nattayai)Khanom krok, or coconut rice pancakes, has been ranked Thailand’s No.1 dessert of 2026 by TasteAtlas, a globally recognised culinary platform often described as a “world food atlas”. Khanom krok stands out for its distinctive qualities — the rich aroma of coconut milk, a crisp exterior with a soft centre, and its meticulous preparation process — all of which embody Thai culinary wisdom passed down through generations. The success of khanom krok represented a collective achievement for the Thai people, particularly local communities, entrepreneurs and custodians of traditional dessert-making, she added. The Ministry of Culture has pledged to continue promoting Thailand’s cultural capital to generate both spiritual and economic value, she said.

He is flanked by Suphajee Suthumpun (left) and Sihasak Phuangketkeow, both expected to serve as deputy prime ministers in the new government. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)The Bhumjaithai Party will convene the first official meeting for all 193 of its MPs in Buri Ram on March 8 and 9, with party leader Anutin Charnvirakul expected to outline priorities for the next government and its policy statement for presentation to parliament. The meeting in Buri Ram will set the working direction for Bhumjaithai MPs as leaders of the incoming government. MPs from all constituencies will also be asked to share issues raised by their local electorates. The sources said the highlight of the two-day meeting will be a clear announcement of Bhumjaithai’s stance on coalition formation.

Inside the Mexican resort that was the final hideout of 'El Mencho'Mexican drug lord "El Mencho" stayed in this house at Tapalpa Country Club in Tapalpa, Jalisco state before his death. (Photo: AFP)TAPALPA — The roar of machine guns and drone of helicopters shook the luxurious resort where Mexico's most-wanted cartel boss hid on Sunday, plunging tourists enjoying the picturesque western Mexican town of Tapalpa into panic. "It gradually increased, and then the weapons were loud," the man said, estimating the shootout lasted a couple of hours. Last dateOseguera had his last date in the cabin resort with a girlfriend, who officials say was key to tracking the drug lord. Mexican media outlets published images of the cabin's luxurious interior, showing furniture with open drawers and unmade beds.

Public health experts have said weakening school vaccine mandates would result in more children being sickened by preventable diseases. The poll shows stronger support for federal efforts to tackle unhealthy eating habits than to reduce the number of recommended childhood vaccinations. Scepticism of mandatesThe poll showed division among Republicans on vaccine mandates and the number of shots given to children. Two-thirds of self-identified Republicans said they backed vaccine mandates in schools, while nine ​in ‌10 Democrats backed mandates. The poll shows support for curbing the influence of large food companies on federal policy.

Iran negotiators head to Geneva for US talksIran has dismissed US President Donald Trump's claims about its missile and nuclear programmes. 'Historic opportunity'The West believes Iran is seeking an atomic bomb, but Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful. He vowed Iran would "under no circumstances" develop atomic weapons, but insisted on its right to peacefully use nuclear technology. Iran and the US held five rounds of nuclear talks last year, but those negotiations ended after Israel's unprecedented attack on Iran triggered a 12-day war that Washington briefly joined. "It looks like President Trump has cornered himself," Hokayem said, adding the US leader may have predicted the "Iranians would cave quickly", which they have yet to do.

New Louvre chief named after jewellery heistChristophe Leribault, who has been running the Chateau de Versailles, is expected to "restore a climate of trust" at the Louvre. Christophe Leribault replaced Laurence des Cars as the Louvre chief, with government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon saying he would "lead major projects for the institution's future" such as security and modernisation. As director of the Louvre, Leribault will seek to turn around the fortunes of the vast former royal palace. "Since the theft on October 19, 2025, we have been caught up in a media and political storm of unprecedented proportions," des Cars told Le Figaro newspaper. "We need social calm," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union told AFP, adding that talks with the previous management were at a dead end.

Fruit tycoon shot to death in debt-related argument(Photo: Jakkrit Waewkraihong)Police have arrested a 33-year-old man in Chanthaburi on charges of shooting a local fruit tycoon to death and stealing five baht-weight of gold worth about 375,000 baht. The victim, Thassana Boonui, was found shot in the eye inside his pickup truck near a mangrove forest in Trat province on Tuesday. He reportedly confessed, saying the crime stemmed from a personal debt dispute and was not related to drugs. (Photo: Jakkrit Waewkraihong)Police on Wednesday brought the suspect back to the crime scene, where he indicated the location of the discarded firearm. The victim’s family said they believed the motive for the slaying was solely related to the debt dispute and had no further concerns regarding the case.

‘Blood moon’ event on March 3 will be last total lunar eclipse anywhere until end of 2028A “blood moon” total lunar eclipse seen at 7.51pm on Jan 31, 2018 in the Thai northern province of Chiang Mai. (Photo: The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand)People across Thailand will be able to witness a “blood moon” total lunar eclipse on Tuesday, March 3, which coincides with Makha Bucha Day, one of the most important Buddhist holy days. The total eclipse will be seen across the western United States and Canada, Australia and much of Central and East Asia. A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth aligns between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface. Next Tuesday’s event will be the last total lunar eclipse visible anywhere on Earth until New Year’s Eve 2028.

(Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Election Commission on Tuesday certified the results of the Feb 8 polls in 396 out of Thailand’s 400 constituencies — 17 days from election day and faster than the time required to endorse the results of the 2019 and 2023 general elections. Only four constituencies are waiting for revotes or recounts before their MPs can be certified, a process expected to be completed over the weekend. The four constituencies where results have not yet been endorsed are Phayao Constituency 1, Suphan Buri Constituency 2, and Constituencies 1 and 2 in Chanthaburi. The Election Commission last week shut down its Ectreport69 website containing unofficial results. It directed the public to visit its far less user-friendly “official” results site, where PDFs of tally sheets from individual polling stations can be downloaded.

Muay Thai prospect fights through poverty, bullying and hunger to turn heads on the ONE Friday Fights stageSalai Htan Khee Shein celebrates his TKO win at ONE Friday Fights 139Lumpinee Stadium roared for Myanmar’s new golden boy. Salai Htan Khee Shein fought on the same card – last month’s ONE Friday Fights 139 in Bangkok. “I didn’t fit in.”Salai Htan Khee Shein is told he has earned a 350,000 baht bonus at ONE Friday Fights 139At that time, he was afraid of fighting. “I didn’t have parents to stand up for me.”The old lethwei club – Kyar Ma Naing – where Salai Htan Khee Shein used to train, with coach Shwe PhalarThe insults became fuel. Salai Htan Khee Shein is hoping to inspire the next generation of Myanmar fighters – like ONE Championship legend Aung La N Sang inspired himThe children from his old orphanage were watching, too.

PHETCHABURI - Construction is proceeding on the Tanao Sri Kiri Phat tourism road, a 37.2-kilometre route linking Ban Khao Bandai and Ban Namphu Ron in Phetchaburi, aimed at boosting the local economy. Director-general Phichit Hunsiri said the new road will provide an alternative to Highway 4 (Phetkasem Road), reducing congestion during peak travel periods. Section 1 comprises Ban Khao Bandai–Ban Namphu Ron (Km 21.6 to Km 43.7), built with asphalt concrete, two lanes, three bridges, and safety features. In Section 3, a replacement road (Km 37.6 to Km 38.4) will be built with asphalt concrete, two lanes with shoulders. Section 4 will connect to Highway 3510, covering 1.1km and built as a two-lane asphalt concrete road with safety features.