Listen to this articleA still taken from a video posted on social media on Jan 6 shows Iranian security forces using tear gas to disperse demonstrators in a Tehran bazaar. (AFP Photo/UGC/Anonymous)Security forces used tear gas to disperse protesters in Iran as people angered by the economic situation in the Islamic republic kept up their challenge to the authorities and the exiled opposition Thursday urged them to step up their actions. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution and a key exiled opposition figure, said that the turnout during Wednesday’s protests had been “unprecedented” and called for major new protests Thursday evening. HRANA said according to its count protests had taken place in 348 locations over the last 11 days in all of Iran’s 31 provinces. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said security forces on Wednesday “opened fire on protesters, used tear gas and violently assaulted civilians” during a protest in the key southeastern hub of Kerman.

(Photo: Reuters)MOSCOW — Russia said on Thursday that any troops sent to Ukraine by Western governments would be "legitimate combat ‌targets", after Britain and France announced plans ​to deploy a multinational force there in the event of a ceasefire. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said "militaristic declarations" by a coalition of pro-Ukraine Western governments were becoming increasingly dangerous. Law enforcement officers stand guard near the Spasskaya tower of the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral during New Year celebrations in central Moscow, Russia, on Dec 31, 2025. Russia has consistently said that it will never accept the stationing of Western forces there. They say Ukraine needs firm security guarantees as part of any peace settlement to prevent another Russian invasion in future.

'Dome' learns harsh lessonListen to this articleSinger and online influencer Pakorn "Dome" Lam has earned the dubious honour of being the first major test of Thailand's newly amended sexually harassment law. Details about the post -- and the excuses subsequently offered -- should serve as a cautionary tale for online users. The amendment recognised verbal and online sexual harassment as stand alone criminal offences, punishable by penalties of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both. On Tuesday, police questioned Ms Yossuda and will summon Pakorn for interrogation next week. The newly amended law is designed to protect all individuals from sexual harassment, regardless of their backgrounds or social standing.

Saudi fined for obscene actsListen to this articlePHUKET: A Saudi Arabian tourist has been detained and fined for committing acts of public indecency in Patong, Kathu district. He admitted to the offence during questioning and was fined 5,000 baht, settling the criminal case on Tuesday. Further investigation revealed Mr Alharbbi entered Thailand on Dec 27 on a tourist visa valid until Feb 24. Immigration officials determined his actions violated Thai cultural norms and public morality, causing serious damage to the country's image. Immigration Division 6 notified him of the cancellation and transferred him to the Phuket Immigration Detention Centre pending deportation.

(Photo: AFP)WASHINGTON - If President Donald Trump is serious about bolstering the US presence in Greenland, he has options — but he may still want the most provocative one. Its integration would catapult the United States past China to having the third largest land mass after Russia and Canada. The issue had appeared moot with the creation of NATO, the alliance that Trump has belittled as unfair to the United States. Greenland’s leaders have made clear they do not want to be part of the United States. “There are a lot of hurdles to incorporating Greenland into the United States and it’s hard to know how much of this is bluster from Trump and trolling,” he said.

‘Love Thailand, Care for the World’ is motto for annual celebrationListen to this articleStudents take a group selfie with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at Government House on Thursday. He encouraged young people to be courageous, to do what is right, and to dare to try new things. The prime minister also urged them to play sports, not necessarily to be champions, but to learn discipline, respect rules, show sportsmanship and treat others with respect. Young representatives thanked the prime minister for prioritising their development, and some brought him souvenirs, such as drawings and craftwork. The Office of the Basic Education Commission, together with private-sector partners, will organise Children’s Day activities across all 76 provinces on Saturday, including in border areas, to promote learning opportunities, happiness and inspiration.

Department of Mineral Resources warns of landslidesListen to this articleThe Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has issued an alert identifying Satun, Phatthalung, and Songkhla as high-risk provinces for landslides and flash floods due to heavy rainfall. The warning was issued by the Environmental Geology Division, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The department said accumulated rainfall in vulnerable areas could trigger landslides, requiring immediate vigilance. Cold to very cold weather with strong winds is forecast in the North and Northeast where temperatures to drop 1–3C. In the Central Plains, cool to cold weather with strong winds is expected with lows of 14–18C.

Physicians stress that biological sex remains a foundational variable in medicine, shaping everything from differential diagnoses and drug dosing to referral pathways and screening schedules. If clinicians infer biological sex from honorifics or legal gender markers rather than medical records, they say, the risk of error rises significantly. “Biology does not change,” he said, noting that cancer does not “read constitutions or ID cards,” but targets organs that exist. Trans women may still have a prostate and require prostate cancer screening, while trans men may retain a uterus and ovaries, making cervical or ovarian cancer screening essential. A responsible healthcare system, he said, must uphold two principles at once: respecting gender identity while retaining sex assigned at birth for medical accuracy.

Gloomy outlook dampens prospects for eateriesListen to this articleMr Thitid recommends restaurant operators consider closing down underperforming establishments. The outlook for the restaurant industry in 2026 appears grim as there are no new positive factors. A Thai Michelin-starred chef urged restaurant operators to think carefully about business expansion. He advised restaurant operators to consider closing down underperforming establishments, saying it is nothing to be ashamed of. He said government stimulus measures such as the "Khon La Khrueng Plus" co-payment scheme did help small restaurant operators.

Listen to this articleDSI officials arrive at a location targeted for raids on Thursday. (Photo supplied)Officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Thursday raided five locations in Bangkok linked to an iris-scanning cryptocurrency initiative suspected of illegally harvesting personal data from 1.2 million Thai citizens. According to a DSI source, the raided sites included four companies and a residence. Authorities believe the locations were used to store personal data, “Orb” iris-scanning devices, financial records and other equipment connected to the scheme. Previous investigations suggested that the local affiliate of the company behind Worldcoin (Tools for Humanity) might have become entangled with a money laundering network.

Listen to this articleMotorcyclists ride past a branch of the Prince Bank in Phnom Penh on Oct 15, 2025. (Photo: AFP)A Cambodian bank founded by accused scam boss Chen Zhi, who was extradited to China after being arrested in Cambodia on Tuesday, has been ordered liquidated, the central bank said on Thursday. Prince Bank “has been placed under liquidation in accordance with the laws” of the country, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) said in a statement. Customers who have deposits at Prince Bank “can withdraw money normally by preparing documents for withdrawal”, and borrowers “must continue to fulfill their obligations as normal”, the NBC added. Outside a Prince Bank location in the capital Phnom Penh, among 36 branches nationwide, an AFP journalist did not see any customers on Thursday morning.

More than 400 Thais attended the event to receive consular services, including applications for Thai national ID cards and passports. The total of 139,535 Thai nationals registered to vote abroad was one of the highest figures on record, he said. Australia recorded the highest number of registrations for the general election, followed by the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany. For the referendum, a total of 95,660 people registered, with Australia again topping the list, followed by the US, Japan, Germany and the UK. The official list of eligible overseas voters for both the election and the referendum will be announced starting from Thursday, said the spokesman.

(Photo: Chanat Katanyu)Well-known virologist Yong Poovorawan has warned that a mutating influenza strain A H3N2 is spreading in Thailand. The A H3N2 strain has been spreading widely throughout the northern hemisphere in the cold season, he said, and its resistance to vaccines means there is a larger number of patients than usual. The ministry’s Department of Disease Control recorded 1.09 million influenza cases from Jan 1 to Dec 6, 2025. However, Prof Dr Yong wrote, although the mutation spurred transmission, the severity of the disease did not rise and the efficacy of antiviral medicines did not decline. The virologist still recommends that people be vaccinated, saying the available vaccines are safe because they are inactivated vaccines.

Pol Maj Gen Jruykiat Pankaeo, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said on Wednesdsay that the force is awaiting instructions from the NACC on whether the case file will be returned for further inquiry. The swift submission of the case was intended to prevent allegations of interference, Pol Maj Gen Jruykiat said, noting its sensitivity as it involves a senior official of the NACC. Addressing public attention surrounding Pol Gen Surachate’s former aide, Pol Col Phakphum Phisamai, Pol Maj Gen Jruykiat said the officer had suffered severe stress due to pressure and reputational damage. All witness testimony will be assessed alongside forensic and financial evidence, to ensure credibility, Pol Maj Gen Jruykiat said. The former deputy chief has denied the allegations, saying they were concocted by rivals on the force to block his path to the police chief’s position.

Venezuelan opposition blindsided by Trump, waiting it outListen to this articleVenezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been snubbed by Donald TrumpCARACAS - Its leaders in exile and frozen out by US President Donald Trump, its supporters too scared to claim the streets: Venezuela's opposition finds itself in limbo despite the weekend ouster of authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. Analysts and insiders say Venezuela's opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, lacks the organized structures and expertise needed for governing, and crucially, the support of the military. The United States supported successive opposition claims to election victory, by Juan Guaido in 2018 and Gonzalez Urrutia in 2024. Yet with Maduro finally out, Trump turned not to Machado or Gonzalez Urrutia, but to the deposed leader's cronies. And unless they too are deposed, there is little hope of the opposition running Venezuelan institutions in any meaningful way.