Will pro-military message bring Thailand’s ‘most hawkish’ party to power?
As Thailand prepares to vote on Sunday in a nationwide election, the country’s months-long border dispute with Cambodia continues to cast a shadow over election proceedings. Brief but deadly armed clashes in May last year on a disputed section of the Thai-Cambodia border escalated into the deadliest fighting in a decade between the two countries, killing dozens of people and displacing hundreds of thousands. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Fallout from the conflict toppled the government of Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra – daughter of the billionaire populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra – before bringing Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to power in September. Now, while the fighting may have ceased, the conflict remains an emotive topic for Thais and a means for Anutin to rally support for his conservative Bhumjaithai Party as a no-nonsense prime minister, unafraid to flex his country’s military muscle when required, analysts say. “Anutin’s party is positioning itself as the party that’s really willing to take the initiative on the border conflict,” said Napon Jatusripitak, an expert in Thai politics at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. “It’s a party that has taken the strongest stance on the issue and the most hawkish,” Napon said of the recent military operations. Anutin had good reason to focus on the conflict with Cambodia in his election campaign. The fighting created a surge in nationalist sentiment in Thailand during two rounds of armed conflict in July and December, while the clashes also inflicted reputational damage on Anutin’s rivals in Thai politics. Chief among those who suffered on the political battlefield was the populist Pheu Thai Party, the power base of Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin and his family. Advertisement Pheu Thai sustained a major hit to its popularity in June when a phone call between its leader, then-Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn, and the strongman of Cambodian politics, Hun Sen, was made public. In the June 15 call, Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen, an erstwhile friend of her father, as “uncle” and promised to “take care” of the issue after the first early clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, according to Reuters news agency. For factions in Thailand’s politics and Thai people, Paetongtarn’s deference to Hun Sen was beyond the pale of acceptable behaviour for a prime minister, especially as she appeared to also criticise Thailand’s military – a major centre of power in a nation of more than 70 million people. Hun Sen later admitted to leaking the call and claimed it was in the interest of “transparency,” but it led to the collapse of Paetongtarn’s government. She was then sacked by the constitutional court at the end of August last year, paving the way for Anutin to be voted in as Thailand’s leader by parliament the following month. The border conflict with Cambodia has given a major boost to Thailand’s armed forces at a time of “growing popular discontent with the military’s involvement in politics, and with the conservative elite”, said Neil Loughlin, an expert in comparative politics at City St George’s, University of London. Anutin’s government focused its political messaging when fighting on the border re-erupted in early December. Days later, he dissolved parliament in preparation for the election. “Bhumjaithai has leaned into patriotic, nationalist messaging,” said Japhet Quitzon, an associate fellow with the Southeast Asia programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. “Anutin himself has promised to protect the country at campaign rallies, signalling strength in the face of ongoing tensions with Cambodia. He has vowed to retaliate should conflict re-emerge and will continue protecting Thai territorial integrity,” Quitzon said. ‘War against the scam army’ During the fighting, Thailand took control of several disputed areas on the border and shelled Cambodian casino complexes near the boundary, which it claimed were being used by Cambodia’s military. Bangkok later alleged some of the casino complexes, which have ties to Cambodian elites, were being used as centres for online fraud – known as cyber scams – a major problem in the region, and that Thai forces were also carrying out a “war against the scam army” based in Cambodia. Advertisement Estimates by the World Health Organization say the conflict killed 18 civilians in Cambodia and 16 in Thailand, though media outlets put the overall death toll closer to 149, before both sides signed their most recent ceasefire in late December. While the fighting has paused for now, its impact continues to reverberate across Thai politics, said the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Napon. Pheu Thai is still reeling from the leaked phone call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, while another Thai opposition group, the People’s Party, has been forced to temper some of its longstanding positions demanding reform in the military, Napon said. Former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra shakes hands with Pheu Thai Party supporters during a campaign event in Bangkok [Patipat Janthong/Reuters] “[The People’s Party] vowed to abolish the military’s conscription and to cut the military’s budget, but what the border conflict with Cambodia did was to elevate the military’s popularity to heights not seen in longer than a decade since the 2014 coup,” Napon told Al Jazeera. “Its main selling point used to be reform of the military, but after the conflict it seems to be a liability,” Napon continued. The party has now shifted its criticism from the military as an institution to specific generals, and turned its focus back to reviving the economy, which is expected to grow just 1.8 percent this year, according to the state-owned Krungthai Bank. In the past two weeks, that messaging seems to be hitting home, Napon said, with the People’s Party once again leading at the polls despite a different platform from 2023. “It will be very different from the previous election,” Napon said. “Right now, there’s no military in the picture, so it’s really a battle between old and new,” he added. Adblock test (Why?)
ICC in Pakistan talks to revive India T20 World Cup clash
Cricket’s global governing body hopes to persuade Pakistan to reverse decision to boycott India T20 World Cup fixtures. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 2 mins info Published On 7 Feb 20267 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The International Cricket Council is in talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board to resolve the boycott of its T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against India on February 15. Any clash between archrivals India and Pakistan is one of the most lucrative in cricket, worth millions of dollars in broadcast, sponsoring and advertising revenue. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list But the fixture was thrown into doubt after Pakistan’s government ordered the team not to play the match in Colombo. The Pakistan Cricket Board reached out to the ICC after a formal communication from the cricket world body, a source close to the developments has told the AFP news agency. The ICC was seeking a resolution through dialogue and not confrontation, the source added. The 20-team tournament has been overshadowed by an acrimonious political build-up after Bangladesh, which refused to play in India, citing security concerns, was replaced by Scotland. As a protest, Pakistan refused to face co-hosts India in their Group A fixture. Pakistan, which edged out the Netherlands in the tournament opener on Saturday, will lose two points if they forfeit the match and also suffer a significant blow to their net run rate. India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said this week that his team would travel to Colombo for the clash. Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for more than a decade, and meet only in global or regional tournaments. Adblock test (Why?)
England vs Nepal: T20 World Cup – teams, start time, lineups
Who: England vs NepalWhat: 2026 ICC T20 World CupWhere: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, IndiaWhen: Sunday, February 8, at 3pm (09:30 GMT)How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 06:30 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. England are undoubtedly among the frontrunners to lift the T20 World Cup title, but, unlike years gone by, they do not start as one of the red-hot favourites. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Despite his undoubted ability with the bat, questions surround the captaincy of Harry Brook, while English cricket as a whole is licking its wounds following recent woes – including the Ashes humiliation in Australia. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at their open against Nepal. What have England said about the pressure on Brooks? All-rounder Will Jacks said on Friday that under-fire England T20 captain Harry Brook had “100 percent” support from the players after going through a “tough time”. The 26-year-old Brook, in charge at a global tournament for the first time, has recently been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. He had to apologise last month for being involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during England’s white ball tour of New Zealand last year, something that had been a “terrible mistake”. Jacks has been close to Brook since they were roommates with England Under-19s. “Obviously, it’s been a tough time, and that’s been well documented in the media,” Jacks told reporters before team training in Mumbai on the eve of the tournament. “I wasn’t actually in New Zealand, so I didn’t know anything about it. Advertisement “He’s obviously made the wrong decision, but he’s accepted that. He’s obviously making amends on the pitch, and we all back him 100 percent.” Brook, a richly gifted run-scorer, has an early chance to shift the focus back onto his batting in England’s opening match against Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday. “He wants his cricket to do the talking,” said Jacks. (Al Jazeera] What is England and Brook’s T20 form before the World Cup? England come into the World Cup in good form in T20, heartened by a 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka – one of the tournament co-hosts – this week. In the preceding ODI series against the same opposition, the explosive Brook bludgeoned 136 off just 66 balls. “It’s not so much we are taking momentum from that, but team unity, feeling strong within ourselves,” said Jacks. “We have been performing well over the last 12 months, since Harry’s become captain, and we’re very happy with that. “What we did in the last few weeks in Sri Lanka is another stepping stone.” Who else is in England and Nepal’s group? England are expected to make the Super Eight stage from a Group C that also features two-time winners West Indies, debutants Italy and Scotland. “We come into here full of confidence and belief that we can go a long way in this tournament. “But that doesn’t guarantee us anything. We know that there’s amazing teams in this World Cup.” “India, on home soil, I think everyone knows who’s favourites.” What is England’s T20 World Cup record? England are the joint-record winners of the T20 World Cup with two trophy lifts to their name, alongside West Indies and holders India. Paul Collingwood captained the English to the third edition of the competition, before Jos Buttler’s side sealed their second win in 2022. [Al Jazeera] What is Nepal’s T20 World Cup record? Nepal made their debut at the 2014 edition of the competition, but had to wait until the West Indies and US co-hosted tournament in 2024 to make a second appearance. On both occasions, the Nepalese were eliminated at the first stage, with 12th- and 17th-placed rankings. Salt passed fit for England’s opener Hard-hitting batsman Phil Salt was passed fit as England named their team on Saturday for their first match in the T20 World Cup. He will open the batting alongside wicketkeeper Jos Buttler against Nepal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday in Group C. Salt missed Tuesday’s third T20 against Sri Lanka with a back spasm, but trained successfully on Friday and will take his place at the top of the order. Tom Banton, fresh from a sparkling 54 off 33 balls against Sri Lanka five days ago, is preferred to Ben Duckett and will bat at number four. Advertisement Left-arm fast bowler Luke Wood gets the nod ahead of Jamie Overton and joins express man Jofra Archer and Sam Curran in the seam attack. England have opted to have four spinners at their disposal, with spearheads Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson backed up by all-rounders Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks. England’s starting lineup Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood England squad Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt (captain), Josh Tongue, Luke Wood Nepal squad Rohit Paudel (captain), Aarif Sheikh, Aasif Sheikh (wicketkeeper), Dipendra Singh Airee, Basir Ahamad, Kushal Bhurtel, Sundeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Gulshan Jha, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla, Lalit Rajbanshi, Nandan Yadav Adblock test (Why?)
BJP names Ritu Tawde as Mahayuti candidate for Mumbai Mayor, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Ghadi is named as her Deputy
The Mahayuti alliance has announced BJP leader Ritu Tawde as Mumbai’s next mayor, ending days of speculation. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shankar Ghadi will be the deputy mayor after the alliance secured a majority in the BMC civic elections.
Delhi Police arrest Jal Board sub-contractor in Janakpuri pit death; FIR registered for fatal negligence
Delhi Police arrested a DJB sub-contractor after a 25-year-old biker died falling into an uncovered pit in Janakpuri. An FIR for culpable homicide has been filed as police probe safety lapses, alleged negligence, and accountability of officials involved.
Uttar Pradesh: Yamuna City to get Rs 3.5 lakh crore AI hub near Noida Airport, here’s all you need to know
The foundation for the AI hub was laid during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, where the company’s representatives met with Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna and expressed their interest in developing the AI hub in the state.
Who is Ritu Tawde? 2-time Ghatkopar corporator set to be BJP’s second-ever Mumbai mayor
This is the first time in more than two decades that the position would be held by a member of a party other than the Shiv Sena. The elections for India’s richest municipal body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), were held on January 15.
Trump says nuclear talks in Oman were ‘very good,’ claims Iran wants a deal ‘very badly’
The indirect nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran mediated by Oman were “very good,” according to President Donald Trump. “Iran looks like it wants to make a deal very badly. We’ll have to see what that deal is. But I think Iran looks like they want to make a deal very badly, as they should. Last time they decided maybe not to do it, but I think they probably feel differently,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday. The president added that the U.S. had a “big Armada” heading towards Iran, something he has spoken about in the past. When he was pressed on how long the U.S. would be willing to wait to make a deal with Iran, the president indicated some flexibility, saying that he believes the two nations can reach an agreement. TRUMP WARNS IRAN, DELAYS STRIKES AS RED LINE DEBATE ECHOES OBAMA’S SYRIA MOMENT “It can be reached. Well, we have to get in position. We have plenty of time. If you remember Venezuela, we waited around for a while, and we’re in no rush. We have very good [talks] with Iran,” Trump said. “They know the consequences if they don’t make a deal. The consequences are very steep. So we’ll see what happens. But they had a very good meeting with a very high representative of Iran,” the president added. American and Iranian representatives held separate meetings with Omani officials on Friday amid flaring tensions between Washington and Tehran. Oman’s Foreign Ministry said that the meetings were “focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations.” IRANIAN OFFICIAL SAYS NUCLEAR TALKS WILL CONTINUE AFTER US, TEHRAN NEGOTIATIONS HAD ‘A GOOD START’ IN OMAN On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that indirect nuclear talks were “a good start” and that there was a “consensus” that the negotiations would continue. “After a long period without dialogue, our viewpoints were conveyed, and our concerns were expressed. Our interests, the rights of the Iranian people, and all matters that needed to be stated were presented in a very positive atmosphere, and the other side’s views were also heard,” Araghchi said. “It was a good start, but its continuation depends on consultations in our respective capitals and deciding on how to proceed,” he added. IRAN SEIZES OIL TANKERS, THREATENS ‘MASSACRE’ IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ HOURS BEFORE US TALKS While both sides expressed optimism about a possible deal, the U.S. moved to impose fresh sanctions on Iran after the talks. The State Department announced that the U.S. was sanctioning “15 entities, two individuals and 14 shadow fleet vessels connected to the illicit trade in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.” “Instead of investing in the welfare of its own people and crumbling infrastructure, the Iranian regime continues to fund destabilizing activities around the world and step up its repression inside Iran,” the statement read. “So long as the Iranian regime attempts to evade sanctions and generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund such oppressive behavior and support terrorist activities and proxies, the United States will act to hold both the Iranian regime and its partners accountable.” The Iranian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment on the sanctions.
DeSantis celebrates end of ‘witch hunt’ as Trump DOJ reportedly drops Hope Florida Foundation probe
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated how the Department of Justice reportedly decided to dismiss a complaint into the Hope Florida scandal that rocked the former presidential candidate and became a talking point for DeSantis critics. The Floridian reported that President Donald Trump’s DOJ looked into the controversy in late 2025, but a source within the agency told the local outlet that there is “no predicate to open up an intake on this” and that “no further action is anticipated.” “The witch hunt against the Hope Florida Foundation was orchestrated by left-wing media and their RINO allies,” DeSantis said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital in response to the report. “As we’ve said from day one, all agency actions were appropriate and legally sound.” “The Hope Florida initiative continues to be the most successful conservative anti-poverty initiative of any state in the country,” DeSantis added. TRUMP-BACKED DONALDS VOWS TO MAINTAIN DESANTIS ‘TRAJECTORY,’ TAKE FLORIDA TO ‘WHOLE NEW LEVEL’ The Justice Department has not publicly confirmed the complaint has been dropped. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment. The controversy originated after Centene, a major health insurance company focused on government-sponsored programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, agreed to return $67 million to Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration to settle allegations that it overbilled Medicaid. After the settlement was finalized in September 2024, $10 million of the recovered funds was directed to the Hope Florida Foundation. The Hope Florida Foundation then distributed the $10 million as two $5 million grants to 501(c)(4) organizations: Save Our Society from Drugs and Secure Florida’s Future, Inc. Of the funds distributed, $8.5 million ultimately flowed to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee known for its efforts to defeat Florida Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana through a constitutional change. Casey DeSantis, the governor’s wife who has been floated as a potential candidate for governor herself, has consistently expressed opposition to the legalization of marijuana. Critics argue that the funds that wound up at Keep Florida Clean, which existed due to a government settlement, should never have been funneled into a political action committee for political campaigning. The funds were originally unearthed by Florida state Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, who told Fox News Digital in June that DeSantis’ then-chief of staff turned attorney general, James Uthmeier, was allegedly the lead culprit of the movement of funds. Andrade noted at the time that he didn’t “see how Casey or [Ron] DeSantis are involved.” DESANTIS SIGNALS RESET WITH TRUMP AS FLORIDA BACKS ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ PLAN Trump’s DOJ reportedly dismissing the complaint is yet another example of the president breaking bread with a governor who was once a fierce opponent for the Oval Office. DeSantis’s relationship with Trump has evolved since the two faced off in what was thought to be a toss-up GOP primary election for the White House. DeSantis’s highly anticipated run was stopped short just before the New Hampshire primary, with the Florida governor stating he didn’t see a path to victory. Rumors continue to swirl whether Casey DeSantis will enter the race for Florida governor in 2026, though Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., has already declared his candidacy and received an endorsement from Trump. June 12 is the filing deadline to run for governor in the Sunshine State, should Casey DeSantis decide to enter the field.
DHS fires senior CBP official for allegedly leaking sensitive information
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security fired a senior Customs and Border Protection official on Thursday after it was revealed that the officer was allegedly leaking sensitive, personal information about CBP personnel, as well as negotiations regarding the border wall to the press, sources within the department told Fox News Digital. The official, who was unnamed, was marched out of his CBP office in Washington D.C., after DHS discovered the leak, sources said. “As DHS law enforcement face an 8000% increase in death threats, leaking law enforcement sensitive information is abhorrently dangerous,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “DHS is agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment, or status as a career civil servant — we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” The news comes just days after a Fox News Digital investigation uncovered an underground communications network being used by anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitators across the country. Tactics include the doxxing of agents, the tracking of license plates and releases of personal information about agents. NOEM PRAISES DHS OFFICERS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY AS ATTACKS ON FEDERAL AGENTS SPIKE NATIONWIDE Fox News Digital also learned that at least 13 database systems are now known to store the data, which includes personal information as well as photographs, uniform details, behavior patterns, phone numbers, and other sensitive items. Last week, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the now widely known Signal messaging chats that have allowed agitators to communicate to obstruct and confront federal agents in Minneapolis and in cities across the country. It is unclear whether the officer who was fired on Thursday had any involvement in Signal group activities, as sources at DHS could only confirm leaks to the press. THE FAR-LEFT NETWORK THAT HELPED PUT ALEX PRETTI IN HARM’S WAY, THEN MADE HIM A MARTYR The same Fox News Digital investigation reveals that sensitive information is at the center of what’s driving vigilante-type agitators to travel to hot spots where demonstrations are taking place. A nationwide web of hundreds of anti-ICE groups facilitates a “rapid response” system to train civilians and call them to action. Federal law enforcement officers have clashed with the trained and allegedly well-funded agitators on multiple occasions. These clashes have led to assaults on agents, raising concern over potentially physical and potentially deadly outcomes for both agitators and agents. One such arrest was that of Kyle Wagner, a self-described Antifa member and Minneapolis resident who was arrested after Wagner allegedly encouraged followers to attack ICE agents. In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, he is heard telling followers they should “get your guns” and identify agents. In announcing his arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wagner “allegedly doxxed and called for the murder of law enforcement officers, encouraged bloodshed in the streets, and proudly claimed affiliation with the terrorist organization Antifa before going on the run.” Wagner’s case and the uncovering of a multichannel communications network allegedly used to push and promote agitators to confront ICE agents are being investigated by a number of federal agencies. The senior CBP official’s firing is just the latest development by individuals exposing the identities of federal law enforcement officers that could ultimately put agents or their families in danger.