International News
Thai Tycoon Leads Pack As Parliament Votes For New PM
Thailand’s parliament is set to vote in a right-wing tycoon as prime minister on Friday, ousting the nation’s dominant political dynasty from office after its figurehead was sacked by court order.
The Pheu Thai party of the powerful Shinawatra family has monopolised Thailand’s top office since the 2023 elections, but dynasty heiress Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sacked as prime minister by a court ruling last week.
Rushing into the power vacuum, construction magnate Anutin Charnvirakul has secured backing from enough opposition blocs to likely give him a comfortable majority in the fractured lower house.
Dynasty patriarch Thaksin Shinawatra flew out of the country in the hours ahead of Friday’s parliamentary vote and was bound for Dubai, where he said he would “visit friends” and seek medical treatment.
Debating began around 12:30 pm (0530 GMT) ahead of the scheduled vote in the parliament building constructed by the family firm of Anutin, who needs the backing of 247 lawmakers to secure the premiership.
“It’s normal to feel excited,” he told a scrum of reporters as he arrived for the vote.
Anutin, 58, has served as deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister — but is perhaps most famous for delivering on a promise in 2022 to legalise cannabis.
Charged with the tourist-dependent kingdom’s Covid-19 response, he accused Westerners of spreading the virus and was forced to apologise after a backlash.
The largest opposition bloc, the People’s Party, has pledged to back Anutin.
With his Bhumjaithai Party the third largest in parliament, support from a smattering of other allies should give him the numbers to take the helm.
However, the People’s Party has made its support conditional on parliament being dissolved for fresh elections within four months.
His elevation to office would nonetheless be another major blow to the Shinawatra clan, which has been a mainstay of Thai politics for the past two decades.
Their populist movement has long jousted with the pro-military, pro-monarchy establishment — but is being increasingly bedevilled by legal and political setbacks.
Dynasty In Flight
The Supreme Court is due to rule on Tuesday in a case over Thaksin’s hospital stay following his return from exile in August 2023, a decision that could affect the validity of his early release last year.
While his guilt is not the subject of the case, some analysts say the verdict could see him jailed.
Thaksin said on social media he will return from Dubai to attend the court date “in person”.
Anutin once backed the Shinawatras’ Pheu Thai coalition but abandoned it this summer in apparent outrage over Paetongtarn’s conduct during a border row with neighbouring Cambodia.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court found on August 29 that she had breached ministerial ethics and fired her after only a year in power.
Pheu Thai is still governing in a caretaker capacity and made a last-ditch effort to forestall Friday’s vote by requesting the palace dissolve parliament.
Royal officials rejected the bid, according to acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai, citing “disputed legal issues” around Pheu Thai’s ability to make such a move as an interim administration.
With the ballot due, Pheu Thai has pledged to put forward its own candidate for prime minister — Chaikasem Nitisiri, who served as justice minister under a previous Shinawatra prime minister.
“It does not matter if we win or lose the vote,” party secretary general Sorawong Thienthong told AFP, striking a fatalistic tone on Thursday.
AFP
June 5th, Transfermarkt updated. The new market values of Barcelona players. Three players increased and nine decreased, with Raphinha dropping by 10 million to 70 million euros.
Increase (Euros)
Joan-Garcia increased by 5 million to 45 million
Eric-Garcia increased by 5 million to 40 million
Gerard-Martin increased by 10 million to 35 million
Decrease (Euros)
Raphinha decreased by 10 million to 70 million
Kounde decreased by 5 million to 60 million
Balde decreased by 5 million to 50 million
De Jong decreased by 10 million to 35 million
Casado decreased by 2 million to 18 million
Christensen decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Cancelo decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Lewandowski decreased by 1 million to 7 million
Szczesny decreased by 100,000 to 800,000
Unchanged (Euros)
Yamal 200 million
Pedri 150 million
Fermin 100 million
Cubarsi 80 million
Olmo 60 million
Ferran Torres 50 million
Rashford 40 million
Gavi 30 million
Bernal 30 million
Araujo 20 million
Bardghji 15 million
Bitcoin dropped below $60,000 on Friday, its lowest level since October 2024, just before Donald Trump’s election which propelled it to a record high.
The currency fell by about 6 percent around 1615 GMT, to $59.7709, before paring its losses slightly.
The election of Trump, a staunch advocate of cryptocurrencies, to the White House in November 2024 for a second term sparked a wave of enthusiasm in the sector, sending the price of bitcoin soaring to nearly $110,000.
AFP
Man City are considering taking legal action after a Real Madrid presedential candidate said he would sign Erling Haaland, if elected.
What actually happened?
Real presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme, who faces current president Florentino Perez in Sunday’s vote, claimed on Spanish TV show El Hormiguero on Wednesday night that Haaland had a release clause and wants to move to the Bernabeu. He also held up a Real shirt with ‘Haaland 9’ on the back.
Riquelme, who also promised to sign Haaland’s City team-mate Rodri, said: “If I break my promises regarding either of these players, I’ve signed a guarantee where I’d pay 100 per cent of membership costs for next season.
“Haaland has a release clause, and he wants to come to Madrid.”
What was City’s response?
However, Manchester City have moved quickly to refute those claims, saying in a statement that there is “no chance” Haaland will be leaving the Etihad Stadium any time soon. The Premier League club also said they are considering legal action over the shirt stunt.
A City spokesperson said in a statement: “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue.
“There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it.
“We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”
Haaland is under contract at the Etihad until the summer of 2034 and Haaland’s agent Rafaela Pimenta and his father Alfie Haaland laughed off suggestions the 25-year-old could soon be heading to the Spanish capital.
A joint-statement released in the early hours of Thursday morning said: “All very entertaining but not true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Real Madrid elections.”
What was Perez’s response?
Meanwhile, current Real president Florentino Perez made his own election pledge on Wednesday night, seemingly confirming Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid as manager, if he wins next Sunday’s presidential election.
Perez posted a video on X in which Mourinho features in a Real shirt saying: “Yes”, while the only other words to accompany it say: “Meanwhile, on TV, they just keep talking and talking and talking. So much history to be made.”
The video was posted in response to Riquelme’s TV apperaance promoting his rival bid.
Perez has made no secret of his intention to name Mourinho as head coach should he win the vote and remain for an eighth term in the role, but his social media post appears to have made it official.
Mourinho is widely expected to agree a three-year-deal to return to the Bernabeu Stadium and replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who was appointed in January after Xabi Alonso’s departure.
Benfica have yet to confirm Mourinho’s departure, while speculation has been mounting that Marco Silva is being lined up as his successor after the Portuguese announced he will leave Fulham when his contract expires in June.
Real Madrid’s presidential election on Sunday will be decided by the club’s members. It is the first contested election since 2006 as club members will choose between incumbent Perez, 79, and businessman Riquelme, 37.
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