Amid Ukraine war fallout, fearful Chechen women seek escape routeListen to this articleThe Muslim-majority region in the North Caucasus mountains is one of the most conservative and closed places in Russia. He has sent thousands of men to fight on the front in Ukraine -- a war that rights groups say has worsened condition for women in Chechnya. "The reasons for everything are the 'sheitan'," Asil told Agence France-Presse (AFP), referring to the Arabic word for devil. Asil told AFP the level of fear in Chechnya has intensified with people worrying about being reported for comments about the invasion. But Asil still believes there are "good Chechen families" and hopes that one day -- after the war and Kadyrov rule -- women will have more rights.

Thai Oil maintains flagship projectListen to this articleAn aerial view of the oil refinery complex operated by Thai Oil in Chon Buri's Si Racha district. Thai Oil Plc, the country's largest oil refinery by capacity, is pressing forward with its flagship Clean Fuel Project (CFP) despite a significant delay that has pushed the commercial operation date to the third quarter of 2028. In April 2025, Thai Oil terminated its contract with a joint venture of international firms after they failed to pay subcontractors despite receiving full payment. Thai Oil hired Foster Wheeler, a global engineering and construction firm, to complete the remaining work, which was roughly 97% complete as of June last year, according to Bandhit Thamprajamchit, chief executive and president of Thai Oil. Thai Oil will also conduct a feasibility study on the application of naphtha, a byproduct from CFP, in the non-oil business, said Mr Bandhit.

Public given chance to delay electricity bill paymentsListen to this articleA tangle of overhead telecom and broadcast cables close to a pedestrian bridge in the Rangsit area of Pathum Thani province. Normally bills must be settled within a month to avoid suspension, but under the new scheme payments can be postponed. The project, branded "People's Happiness: Extended Electricity Bill Payment", applies to meter readings taken between Dec 14, 2025 and April 13, 2026. As of November 2024, the MEA reported 4.37 million electricity users, with nearly 3.96 million households making up the majority. In a separate development, the MEA announced plans to tackle Bangkok's notorious tangle of overhead telecom and electricity cables.

Thais off to brilliant start in futsal Asian Cup questListen to this articleThailand's Muhammad Osamanmusa celebrates after scoring against Lebanon. Thailand began their AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 campaign with a composed 2-0 victory over Lebanon in Group B at the Jakarta International Velodrome on Tuesday, underlining their credentials as one of the tournament favourites. Lebanon threatened sporadically on the counter, with Thai keeper Nuttapong Yeemarep forced into a diving stop from captain Mustafa Rhyem. "The score of 2-0 for me is not important, but the important thing is that we did not concede a goal and got three points." Thailand will face Kuwait on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm at the Jakarta International Velodrome.

Local Japanese companies upbeat for the first halfListen to this articleMr Abe, centre, says Japanese companies in Thailand want to see a weaker baht. Mr Abe said Japanese companies are looking to expand their exports to growing markets such as India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Japanese companies identified the top challenges for corporate management as sluggish domestic demand, severe competition with other companies, rising total labour costs and exchange rate fluctuations. Japanese companies want to see a weaker baht," he said. To support business operations in Thailand, Japanese companies are urging the government to implement consumption stimulus measures, address elevated household debt and improve tax refund and tax audit procedures.

Fiscal Policy Office trims 2025 GDP growth forecast to 2.2%Listen to this articleThe Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) cut its GDP growth forecast for 2025 to 2.2% from 2.4%, while maintaining its 2026 projection at 2%, supported by tourism and private sector investment. For GDP in 2026, growth is expected to be driven by the tourism sector, with foreign arrivals projected at 35.5 million, up 7% from 32.9 million visitors last year. Second, the exchange rate is projected to average 32.9 baht per dollar in 2025, and 32 baht per dollar in 2026. Fifth, government consumption last year was projected at 3.16 trillion baht, down 1.9% year-on-year, while 2026 spending is expected to rise to 3.25 trillion baht, up 2.7%. Public investment spending in 2025 is estimated at 1.14 trillion baht, up 7.3% year-on-year, while 2026 spending is projected at 1.13 trillion baht, down 1.5%.

Whoop device ban at Australian Open raises discontentListen to this articleIva Jovic of the United States in action during her quarter final match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday. (Photo: Reuters)MELBOURNE — Aryna Sabalenka said ‍the Australian ‍Open should reconsider its policy on banning wrist-worn fitness trackers after several players were told to remove the devices before ‌coming onto court. "The reason why I was wearing that on court, because we received the email that we got approval from the ITF to ‌wear this device," Sabalenka told reporters on Tuesday. "The whole year we are wearing -- on WTA tournaments, all the tournaments I play -- we wear Whoop. "The Australian Open is involved in ongoing discussions on how this situation could change."

Finnomena bullish on local equitiesListen to this articleMr Jessada, centre, says Thailand still has multiple fiscal stimulus tools available that could provide further upside to economic growth once implemented. Jessada Sookdhis, chief executive and co-founder of Finnomena Funds, said the outlook represents a clear break from prevailing market sentiment, which has remained cautious on Thai equities despite historically attractive valuations. Finnomena observed foreign investors have slowed net selling of Thai equities, while domestic investors have begun returning to the market. GLOBAL ALLOCATIONChayanon Rakkanjanan, chief executive and co-founder of Finnomena, said global investment dynamics are undergoing a structural shift. As a consequence, Finnomena sees stronger upside in AI-related equities in South Korea, Taiwan, Europe and Japan, particularly chipmakers and power infrastructure providers.

LOS ANGELES — Celebrities from movie stars to pop singers are speaking up with calls to action against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids after two Americans were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Jamie Lee CurtisOscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis also joined the call for national protests against ICE raids. Billie EilishThe 24-year-old singer-songwriter called out other celebrities to speak on Pretti's death. "Hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up?" Eilish has since shared posts denouncing tactics used by ICE during their immigration raids.

The much-anticipated Kaset Fair will return with myriad activities and products for nine days at Kasetsart University, Bang Khen campus, from Friday to Feb 7. The fair is divided into 13 zones covering 2,000 shops from entrepreneurs to community enterprise groups and foundations, 238 student stalls and 19 food shops by student clubs. A highlight is "Eternal Bloom", an exhibition in honour of HM Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, to be held in front of Chakrabandhu Pensiri Hall. It portrays how the university has integrated knowledge and developed the country in a sustainable way in all dimensions. A string of activities includes a painting contest for young students, a dog-grooming competition, a K9 dog show, a dog fancy contest, a wild fighting fish contest, a fruit contest, an aquascaping competition, an ornamental plant competition, and an agricultural innovation and technology competition.

B35m suit splurge questionedListen to this articleSahassawat Kumkong, a People's Party (PP) MP candidate for Chon Buri's Constituency 7, has questioned whether a 35-million-baht budget for tailoring suits for 7,000 Social Security Office (SSO) officials was taken from the Social Security Fund (SSF). Documents surfaced showing the SSO secretary-general in 2023 approved a procurement project worth 35 million baht to produce official uniforms, he said. Each recipient received a blue suit with trousers or skirts, one long-sleeved white shirt and one short-sleeved shirt. The material is a viscose rayon-polyester blend designed to be wrinkle-resistant, breathable, colourfast and resistant to sunlight and chemicals. Although the SSO had previously said only 5 billion baht of the 20-billion-baht ceiling was used, he questioned how contributors' money was being spent.

The move is part of a plan by Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob to release the names of 10 "grey politicians". The order effectively derails the political career of Dr Supat, a known critic of the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration and the current Bhumjaithai-led government. Before resigning, Dr Supat had publicly criticised the caretaker government for failing to deliver compensation to flood victims in Hat Yai. He noted that Dr Supat retains the right to appeal. The fact that the released names belong to members of parties rivalling the Bhumjaithai Party only substantiates accusations of "lawfare".

By the time Mr Trump and his retinue landed in a fleet of four military helicopters, however, the wind had changed. Mr Trump is an instinctive autocrat who demands supremacy in the Western Hemisphere but might not permanently erase US democracy. And while neither Mr Trump nor Mr Putin wants it back, they are both mortal men. Six months ago, Mr Trump might have pulled off this brazen attempt to hijack the UN, at least for a while. Mr Trump has taken to calling Prime Minister Carney "Governor" Carney again, and Canadians know what that may imply.

SCGD invests B599mn in Vietnam plantListen to this articleGlazed porcelain tiles are becoming more popular in Vietnam as its economy grows. Prime Dai Loc, SCGD's joint venture operating the tile plant, reported record sales of glazed porcelain both domestically and abroad. Ideal for residential and commercial use, glazed porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles finished with a glass coating for added beauty and extra protection. SCGD also cut production costs by more than 330 million baht in 2025 through renewable energy initiatives. However, revenue fell by 11% year-on-year in the final quarter of 2025 to 5.3 billion baht, with full-year revenue down 11% to 22.7 billion baht.

People's Party vows B250bn 100-day economic planListen to this articleNatthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, fifth from right, front row, and his team pose for a photo with Kriengkrai Thiennukul, president of the Federation of Thai Industries, sixth from right, and FTI executives after discussions on economic policy at the FTI headquarters in Bangkok's Sathon district on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of People's Party)The People's Party (PP) has pledged to roll out an ambitious "first 100-day" economic plan worth 250 billion baht if elected to form the next government. The plan aims to revive Thailand's economy by boosting liquidity for entrepreneurs, tightening fair competition and stimulating domestic demand, while continuing the current co-payment scheme. Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut outlined the proposal after a meeting on Tuesday with executives of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). He said the initial phase would focus on plugging structural economic loopholes and restoring fairness for Thai businesses and workers.