England cricketers snap 15-year Test losing streak in AustraliaListen to this articleEngland’s Jamie Smith (left) and Harry Brook celebrate after seeing England to a four-wcket victory in the fourth test in Melbourne on Saturday. “A good feeling, a tough tour up to now,” said England skipper Ben Stokes. But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test brimming with confidence. England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak — play ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style. Nightwatchman Boland edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith but the bowler left the field soon after clutching his left hamstring.

(Screenshot)Two military officers have been taken into custody after they were accused of sexual assault and filming of threats against a female first lieutenant, police in Bangkok said on Saturday. The victim filed a complaint on Friday at the Bang Phlat police station, accompanied by Pavena Hongsakula, founder of the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women. The army pledged full cooperation to ensure fairness for the female officer. After receiving the complaint on Friday, police obtained arrest warrants for the duo on charges of sexual assault, physical assault, coercion and unlawful detention. Investigators at the Bang Phlat police station said both accused individuals were taken to the Taling Chan Criminal Court on Saturday for detention hearings.

The exodus, led by high-profile artists, highlights growing fears over intellectual property theft and the potential for harassment through Elon Musk’s Grok AI integration. The new feature "Edit Image" enables any user to select a public image and issue text commands to alter it. The Grok AI then generates a new version, which can be reposted or sent back to the original creator as a reply. Photo: Platform XThe tension reached a breaking point following an incident involving an artist using the account name Iomaya. The AI-generated version also stripped away the original watermark and added what the artist described as "low-quality AI content."

Six Australia wickets fall as England fight backListen to this articleTravis Head is bowled by Brydon Carse after frustrating England to reach 46. (Photo: AFP)MELBOURNE - A pumped-up England grabbed six wickets before lunch to stay in the hunt on another chaotic day at the fourth Ashes Test Saturday as a fragile Australia built a 140-run lead. Australia resumed on 4-0 after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110. Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Weatherald whipped his full ball for three. Australia have already retained the Ashes after crushing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run win in Adelaide.

(Photo: Army Military Force Facebook)Thailand and Cambodia have again signed a ceasefire agreement in Chanthaburi province following Phnom Penh’s acceptance of previously agreed terms. The joint statement reiterated both sides’ commitment to implementing the ceasefire agreement and working towards peace, stability and security along the border. Gen Natthaphon said that Cambodia had agreed to all four points of the agreement discussed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in October. On Friday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reaffirmed that Thailand would accept a 72-hour ceasefire but would not agree to resume border negotiations at positions held before the latest clashes, insisting that Thailand “cannot retreat” from secured areas. The agreement, ‌signed ‍by the Thai and Cambodian defence ministers, ​ended 20 days of fighting that has killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides.

(File photo: Reuters)NAY PYI TAW - ‍Myanmar heads to the ‍polls on Sunday as ‍it battles a civil war that has ravaged parts of the country as well as one of Asia's worst humanitarian crises. Myanmar's humanitarian crisis is one of the most severe in Asia, driven by the intensifying civil war and repeated natural disasters, including a massive earthquake in March. US cuts to humanitarian aid are having a crushing impact on people, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has said. More than 16 million people across Myanmar are acutely food insecure, meaning that their ‌lack ‍of food threatens lives and livelihoods, WFP estimates. They are the fifth-largest group needing aid anywhere in the world, making Myanmar "a hunger hotspot of very high concern," the agency said.

At least 7 killed in Vietnam after bus overturnsListen to this articleHANOI — At ‍least seven people died on Saturday when ‌a ​bus carrying 19 passengers overturned on a mountainous road in Vietnam's northern province of Yen Bai, state-run ‌media reported. The 29-seat bus carrying a charity group was travelling downhill ‌when it flipped and was crushed, according to Vietnam News Agency (VNA). Rescue teams ⁠pulled 10 survivors from the wreckage, while others remained trapped as of 10.30am (0330 GMT) as heavy equipment was deployed to cut through the vehicle, Hoang ‌Anh Tuan, ‍chairman of Phinh Ho commune, told the agency. Calls to authorities of Yen Bai province and Phinh Ho commune went unanswered. Police, military ⁠units, local officials and ​residents were mobilised for rescue efforts, while authorities said an investigation into the cause ​of the accident was ‍ongoing, according to VNA.

For Cambodia, exploiting Thai political instability — through both diplomacy and information campaigns — represents part of a broader strategy. The survey was carried out after Mr Yodchanan was formally introduced as a party candidate on Dec 16. Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chantraruangthong recently said Mr Yodchanan has seen a notable rise in support since Dec 16. A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Mr Yodchanan is recognised as a researcher specialising in brain–computer interface technology. “It is a warning that Pheu Thai must rethink its strategy and do so fast,” he said.

Eateries slam new alcohol lawListen to this articleThe Restaurant Association opposes the new alcohol law requiring restaurant operators to share some responsibility for any issues caused by drunk patrons. The revised Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of 2025 prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to people under 20, as well as those who are already drunk. Under the new legislation, alcoholic beverage sellers must verify a buyer's age when there is reasonable doubt, using a national ID card or other officially issued identification. Alcoholic beverage sellers are advised to assess a person's level of intoxication only when necessary. Chanon Koetcharoen, president of the Restaurant Association, said the new law poses a major challenge for restaurants.

In foreign and security policy, this translated into a markedly tougher posture towards Cambodia. For Cambodia, exploiting Thai political instability -- through both diplomacy and information campaigns -- represents part of a broader strategy. Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chantraruangthong recently said Assoc Prof Yodchanan has seen a notable rise in support since Dec 16. A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Assoc Prof Yodchanan is recognised as a researcher specialising in brain–computer interface technology. "It is a warning that Pheu Thai must rethink its strategy and do so fast," he said.

Election safeguards extend to border areasListen to this articleThe Royal Gazette has published an Election Commission (EC) announcement outlining special arrangements to ensure the upcoming general election can proceed in seven Thai provinces affected by unrest along the Thai–Cambodian border. Signed by EC Chairman Narong Klunwarin on Thursday, the announcement sets out guidelines for managing polling, voter access and administrative procedures in areas where normal election operations may be disrupted. Local election directors and district election committees in the seven provinces are instructed to adapt procedures to ensure eligible voters will not lose their rights while maintaining safety as a priority. Under the guidelines, required election announcements and notices should be posted at polling places or nearby locations as stipulated by law. The EC also instructs officials to facilitate early voting registration for eligible voters currently sheltering in evacuation centres, at the nearest safe polling stations.

Pheu Thai flags low public referendum awarenessListen to this articleThe Pheu Thai Party has warned that many voters remain unaware that a national referendum on drafting a new constitution will be held on the same day as the Feb 8 general election, cautioning that poor public communication could jeopardise the outcome and make future constitutional change far more difficult. If approved, the referendum would give parliament strong legitimacy and momentum to draft a new constitution, he said. Under the Referendum Act, political parties, civil society and other groups are allowed to campaign freely and equally, he said. Pheu Thai has outlined five operational frameworks, including building campaign networks, preparing explanatory materials, producing outreach media and urging the EC to set clear rules to ensure fair, safe and comprehensive public participation. Pheu Thai is ready to work with other parties, civic groups and the public in every possible forum, he added, warning that the coming month would be a race against time to inform voters.

Police roll out new app for NYListen to this articlePolice have launched a new mobile application allowing residents to entrust their homes to police patrols during the New Year holiday, with real-time updates aimed at enhancing public safety. National police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch has ordered the enforcement of three key measures covering public safety, traffic management and command oversight, alongside the rollout of four schemes designed to boost public confidence. One of the schemes is the "Vacation House Watch" service, which allows residents to register their homes for police patrols via an app from Dec 22 to Jan 5, with real-time status updates. Another is the "Police Care" app, which integrates services such as filing complaints, checking traffic tickets and freezing bank accounts. The remaining schemes include "Cyber Check", a tool to verify suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts to prevent online fraud, and free rest facilities nationwide, with advance booking available at booking.hwpdth.com.

Myanmar poll to test regionListen to this articleTomorrow, eligible voters in Myanmar will return to the polls in a general election organised by the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC), the military-appointed body overseeing the process. It remains to be seen how Asean, chaired by the Philippines, will re-engage with Myanmar. With powerful partners, Myanmar may no longer need Asean -- or Bangkok -- as it once did. Complaints over water pollution linked to rare earth mining in Shan State have largely gone unanswered by both the Myanmar authorities and ethnic armed groups. Bangkok must also intensify cooperation with Myanmar authorities to tackle call-centre scams and other transnational crimes.

The Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival was born out of the tremors of an earthquake 20 years ago. For context, Thailand had an arguably stronger film industry two decades ago, but over the years we struggled to put together an annual signature film event that promoted local talent, lifted the industry and asserted ourselves as a force in the international film culture. Jogja-Netpac Asian Film FestivalA movie ticket cost around 90 baht. Since 2024, the significant addition to the festival is JAFF Market, an on-site trade platform that strengthened the push to turn Jogja into a regional film hub. Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.