Israel says it 'will enforce' ban on 37 NGOs in Gaza
Israel says it 'will enforce' ban on 37 NGOs in GazaListen to this articleHumanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, where Israel will ban 37 NGOs from operating, remain dire despite the ceasefire. (Photo: AFP)JERUSALEM - Israel said on Thursday that 37 international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Gaza had not complied with a deadline to meet "security and transparency standards," in particular disclosing information on their Palestinian staff, and that it "will enforce" a ban on their activities. Several NGOS have said the requirements contravene international humanitarian law or endanger their independence, while Israel has faced international criticism in the run-up to the deadline. Israel says the new regulation aims to prevent bodies it accuses of supporting terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories. The 37 NGOs "were formally notified that their licenses would be revoked as of Jan 1, 2026, and that they must complete the cessation of their activities by March 1, 2026," the ministry said Thursday.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 14:06 UTC
Hong Kong issues first cold weather warning
Hong Kong issues first cold weather warningListen to this articleTourists relax on the waterfront in front of Victoria Harbour, with the iconic skyline buildings as a backdrop, in Hong Kong, China June 28, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)HONG KONG — Hong Kong's forecaster has issued its first cold weather warning of the season on New Year's Day as temperatures are expected to fall to a low of 12 degrees Celsius (53.6°Fahrenheit) in urban areas on Friday. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the warning at 4.20pm on Thursday and said a cold front moving across the coastal areas of Guangdong would bring cooler weather to the city in the coming days. Minimum temperatures in urban areas are forecast to be around 12°C on Friday and a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories. The forecaster, which last issued a cold weather warning on March 29 last year, described December as "unseasonably mild".
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 14:06 UTC
Coach Maresca leaves Chelsea
Coach Maresca leaves ChelseaListen to this articleFormer Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, 45. (Photo: AFP)LONDON — Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge, the Premier League club announced Thursday. "Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company," said a club statement. Maresca said the days leading up to the 2-0 victory over Everton were "the worst 48 hours" of his time at Chelsea. Chelsea won the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup in 2025 and Maresca also led them back into the Champions League.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 14:06 UTC
Thais, foreign tourists seek blessings on New Year's Day
Thais, foreign tourists seek blessings on New Year's DayListen to this articleMany people donate money to make merit with the Ruamkatanyu Foundation at Wat Hua Lamphong in Bangkok on New Year's Day on Thursday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)Thais and foreign tourists flocked to temples, city pillars and shrines across Thailand on New Year's Day to make merit and pay respects to sacred sites, seeking blessings and good fortune for themselves and their families. In Bangkok, large crowds gathered at the City Pillar Shrine to worship and pray for auspicious beginnings to welcome 2026. Nearby, Wat Bowonniwet Vihara was bustling with a steady stream of worshippers making merit and offering prayers for happiness and prosperity. Thais and foreign tourists queue up at Tha Tien pier to take a ferry boat to Wat Arun on the other side of the Chao Phraya River on Thursday.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 10:36 UTC
10 pieces of tech jargon that confused us in 2025
The obvious culprit is the artificial intelligence (AI) boom that has upended the tech industry, birthing a fresh glossary of lingo. Here is a cheat sheet for decoding some of the most parroted tech jargon of 2025, along with terms that have endured over the years. It stands for user-generated content, and the abbreviation has been popular lately among Google employees working on AI search technology. The elusive nature of AGI raises confusion about whether other tech products labelled “AI” are artificially intelligent at all. MagicWhen Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone in 2007, he said the touch screen “works like magic,” referring to how it worked very well.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 10:26 UTC
Sabalenka wants 'Battle of the Sexes' rematch and revenge
Sabalenka wants 'Battle of the Sexes' rematch and revengeListen to this articleAryna Sabalenka, left, wants a re-match of her 'Battle of the Sexes' showdown with Nick Kyrgios. (Photo: AFP)BRISBANE — World number one Aryna Sabalenka Thursday said she wants a rematch of her "Battle of the Sexes" showdown with Nick Kyrgios so she can get revenge. Australia's Kyrgios beat the Belarusian 6-3, 6-3 in a highly-publicised showdown in Dubai last Sunday, with modified rules that divided fans. While keen to face-off with Kyrgios again, Sabalenka said she would want a full court and two serves. The contest bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 09:47 UTC
Several dead as fire ravages bar in Swiss ski resort town Crans Montana
Several dead as fire ravages bar in Swiss ski resort town Crans MontanaListen to this articleLocal media said the toll could be heavy. (Photo: AFP)CRANS-MONTANA — A fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Crans Montana on New Year's Eve, killing and injuring several people, police said early Thursday. (Photo: AFP)Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and people screaming and running in the dark. Swiss media suggested that the fire may have started when pyrotechnics were used during a concert, but police siad the cause was unkown. Several hours after the blast, an AFP photographer saw a number of ambulances on the road from Crans Montana.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 09:32 UTC
Drink driving tops list of New Year road violations
Drink driving tops list of New Year road violationsListen to this articleTraffic is heavily congested on Mittraphap Road as travellers return to Bangkok after New Year celebrations on Thursday. (Photo: FM91 Trafficpro)Over 90% of road traffic violations between Dec 30 and Dec 31, 2025, were linked to alcohol consumption, according to recent data. In total, 1,473 cases were logged during the two-day enforcement period, with 1,366, or 92.74%, related to drink driving. The top three provinces for drink driving incidents were Nonthaburi with 174 cases, Bangkok with 131 and Samut Prakan with 127. His Vespa motorcycle was also retrieved in poor condition.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 09:32 UTC
Co-payment scheme ends, injecting B84bn into Thai economy
Co-payment scheme ends, injecting B84bn into Thai economyListen to this articleA woman uses a mobile application to pay a food vendor under the Khon La Khrueng Plus co-payment scheme at Pak Nam Market in the Muang district of Samut Prakan province on Oct 29, 2025. Spending under the scheme reached 84.18 billion baht, contributing to an estimated 0.2% boost in economic growth, according to the Ministry of Finance. The total spending comprised two parts:Public spending: 42.81 billion baht, including 41.25 billion baht at general stores and 1.56 billion baht via food delivery platforms. Government co-payment: 41.38 billion baht, with 39.90 billion baht spent at general stores and 1.48 billion baht through food delivery platforms. The injection of about 84.19 billion baht into the economy helped lift economic growth by an estimated 0.2% in 2025 compared to a scenario without the programme.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 06:22 UTC
Jakarta ranks world's largest city as Tokyo slips to 3rd
Listen to this articleFile photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2025, shows skyscrapers in Tokyo. Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, saw its population grow by nearly 2% per year during 2015–2025, compared to the much slower growth of the total population of the country of 0.2% annually. Two-thirds of the world's population growth from 2025 to 2050 is projected to occur in cities, with most of the remainder in towns. While Japan's total population shrank by around 4 million between 2015 and 2025, Tokyo still added over 300,000 people during that period. Tokyo and Seoul are the only cities among the 10 largest in 2025 that are expected to experience a population decline by mid-century, the report said.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 05:09 UTC
Eight dead in US strikes on alleged drug boats: US military
Eight dead in US strikes on alleged drug boats: US militaryListen to this articleThis screen grab from a video posted on the X account of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) shows a strike on one of three boats alleged to be trafficking drugs on Tuesday. (Image via AFP)WASHINGTON — The US military said Wednesday that eight people were killed in multiple new strikes on alleged drug boats, bringing the death toll in Washington's campaign against what it says are narcotics traffickers to at least 115. On Tuesday, "three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy" were targeted in "international waters," it said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. Hours later, it issued a second statement about strikes on two more vessels conducted on Wednesday, killing five people. Since September, the US military has carried out more than 30 such strikes on what it says are boats used to smuggle drugs to the United States, without providing any concrete evidence that the targeted boats are involved in trafficking.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 04:03 UTC
Five energy market trends for 2026
Here are five trends likely to shape the energy landscape in 2026 and beyond. The boom generated enormous profits for LNG producers and traders, but that may not be the case moving forward as global export capacity ramps up. DIESEL OUTPERFORMANCE PERSISTSDiesel profit margins have risen this year, gaining steam in the last six months as the refined-product market faced supply constraints even as the world is increasingly awash with crude oil. Benchmark European diesel refining margins rose 30% in 2025, compared with a 20% drop in Brent crude prices in 2025, according to LSEG data. Major Middle East oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are also gearing up for a new era of upstream investments.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 04:03 UTC
EC wraps up MP candidate registration
Listen to this articleCampaign posters of MP candidates have been put up along Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. The Election Commission (EC) has confirmed that over 5,000 candidates and 94 prime ministerial nominees are contesting in the Feb 8 general election. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The Election Commission (EC) has concluded the registration for constituency and party-list candidates in the Feb 8 general election, with more than 5,000 candidates and 94 prime ministerial nominees from political parties. Acting Sub Lt Phasakorn said the commission will forward candidate details to 26 relevant agencies for qualification verification before returning results to district election directors and the EC board. Of these, 4,325 registered for advance voting within their constituencies, 758,306 for outside voting and 68,155 for overseas voting.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 04:03 UTC
Stars in your eyes
From June 2 to Oct 31, income remains solid, but expenses may rise due to lifestyle upgrades or new responsibilities. From June 2 until Oct 31, you can expect increased wealth which comes from more incomes and savings. From June 2 until Oct 31, the love lives of those planning a marriage based on love should be sweet. From the start of the year until June 2, you are likely to get good results from your efforts. (♥) Love and Relationships: Love life is generally smooth, but doubt or indecision should be avoided.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 03:59 UTC
EDC returns to Phuket with a three-day spectacle
After an unforgettable debut early last year, the world-renowned Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) is set to return to Thailand with even greater energy for three days. The "EDC Thailand 2026" will take over a brand-new location, Rhythm Park, in Phuket, transforming the island into a dazzling universe of lights, music and creativity from Jan 16-18. It's a space for pure self-expression -- where music, art and individuality come together to create unforgettable memories and meaningful connections. For the first time, Hotel EDC expands beyond Las Vegas to Thailand at Angsana Laguna Phuket. Also, special accommodation and ticket bundles are available for those looking to enjoy the full EDC journey, from eventpop.me.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 01, 2026 03:43 UTC