First Winter Games gold goes to Swiss skier
BORMIO, Italy - Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen scorched to victory in the men’s Olympic downhill in Bormio on Saturday, winning the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.

Iran looks to more nuclear talks, but warns US
PARIS - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday he hoped talks with the United States would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran's red lines and warning against any American attack.

US ‘pressing Ukraine and Russia to end war by June’
KYIV - The United States wants Ukraine and Russia to end their four-year war by June, and has offered to host talks between the two sides in Florida next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.

Party leaders end campaigns with pleas to vote
Campaigning for Sunday’s general election drew to a close on Saturday evening, with leaders of the major parties making a last-minute dash around the capital region and urging the public to exercise their rights at the polls.

China overturns Canadian man’s death sentence
China’s highest court has overturned a death sentence against a Canadian man convicted of drug smuggling, a sudden reversal in a case that has been a years-long source of diplomatic friction between Beijing and Ottawa.

Vote-buying suspect held in Chiang Rai
A former local councillor in Chiang Rai has been arrested for suspected vote-buying after being caught with 64,000 baht in 500- and 100-baht banknotes and sheets listing local names, according to Phan district police.

Crane collapse injures two workers in Bangkok
Two construction workers were injured after a tower crane collapsed at a construction site near the Terminal 21 shopping mall at the Asok intersection in Bangkok on Saturday morning.

Tightened security, alcohol ban ahead of Sunday polls
Police have stepped up preparations to ensure safety and order during the general election and referendum on Sunday, warning that the sale of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited from 6pm on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.

Australians caught spray-painting Chiang Mai temple wall arrested
CHIANG MAI – Police have arrested two Australians caught on CCTV spray-painting the wall of a Buddhist temple after the abbot filed a complaint about repeated acts of vandalism that necessitated costly repainting jobs.

‘Nong Chompoo’ true-crime film coming to Netflix
The case of 3-year-old Nong Chompoo, who was found dead on a Mukdahan mountain six years ago, will be the subject of the first true-crime documentary by Netflix Thailand, with her uncle-in-law, the convicted killer, making an unexpected onscreen appearance.