World Cup marks 100-day countdown amid political upheaval
World Cup marks 100-day countdown amid political upheavalThe MetLife Stadium outside New York will host the July 19 final of the 2026 World CupLOS ANGELES (UNITED STATES) - The 100-day countdown to the biggest World Cup in history gets under way on Tuesday against a chaotic backdrop of global unrest, from US-Israeli strikes on Iran to surging violence in Mexico and anxiety over Donald Trump's domestic agenda. The Trump administration's immigration crackdown meanwhile has seen enhanced visa restrictions on dozens of countries including four World Cup qualified nations -- Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast. The surging violence gripped Guadalajara, Mexico's second biggest city, which is hosting four World Cup matches. Both Infantino and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have both given assurances that the recent unrest will not disrupt World Cup games taking place in the country. Argentina's hopes of winning back-to-back World Cup titles will face a stern challenge from 2018 champions France and reigning European champions Spain.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 10:07 UTC
Mideast war affects 54 flights at major Thai airports
Mideast war affects 54 flights at major Thai airportsTourist police give advice on flights affected by the war in the Middle East, at Phuket airport on Sunday. (Photo: tourist police)The war in the Middle East has affected 54 flights at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports since Saturday, primarily airlines based in the conflict region. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) said on Sunday that the Mideast situation affected 32 flights, 16 inbound and 16 outbound, operated by nine airlines from Saturday to Sunday morning. They were operated by Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and Unicair, a private air ambulance service. On Saturday flight ETD 417 of Etihad Airways left Phuket airport for Abu Dhabi at 3.30pm and returned to Phuket at 8.30pm on Saturday for passenger safety, Phuket airport authorities said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 07:19 UTC
Thailand has a two-month oil reserve, says Energy Ministry
Thailand has a two-month oil reserve and the energy supply is unlikely to be affected by the latest Mideast conflict, says the Energy Ministry. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The Ministry of Energy said on Sunday that Thailand has a two-month oil reserve and it will search out alternative sources to ensure energy security if the Iran war escalates to other countries in the Mideast. This could meet demand in Thailand for an additional 23 days. If the Iran war was prolonged, or escalated, the Ministry of Energy would take action to stabilise energy reserves and prevent an oil shortage, he said. 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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 07:16 UTC
Strikes on Iran continue after US, Israeli assault kills supreme leader
Strikes on Iran continue after US, Israeli assault kills supreme leaderA photo released by US Central Command shows shows a US drone being readied during the operation dubbed "Epic Fury", an attack by the United States and Israel on Iran. (Photo: Centcom/ Reuters)DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON - Israel said it had launched another wave of strikes on Iran on Sunday, as Iranians faced uncertainty after the killing of the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic in US and Israeli attacks that threatened to destabilize the wider Middle East. Israel's military said its strikes on Sunday morning targeted Iran’s ballistic missile and air defense systems. The Pentagon said there were no US deaths or injuries, but the strikes raised concerns of new risks for Americans. - Failed negotiations -Israeli military operations over the past two years had already killed some of Iran's senior military officials and severely weakened several of Tehran's once-feared proxy forces across the Middle East.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 05:24 UTC
PM orders evacuation flights for Thais in Mideast
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 05:05 UTC
Explosion, gunfire as Afghan forces shoot at aircraft over Kabul
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 03:53 UTC
Firefox ends support for Windows 7 and 8
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 03:35 UTC
Will Oscars be 17th time lucky for songwriter Diane Warren?
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 03:35 UTC
Assistance for travellers on flights affected by Middle East war
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 02:59 UTC
US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 02:50 UTC
Govt eyes B3.8bn in export deals
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 02:18 UTC
Two Pfizer, AstraZeneca doses work against Delta: study
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 01:57 UTC
Khamenei killed as US and Israel strike Iran in widening war
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 00:30 UTC
Man City win to close on Arsenal as Liverpool hit five
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 00:00 UTC
Red Cross calls for donors
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.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 01, 2026 00:00 UTC