Thailand is preparing for new elections early next year after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved the House of Representatives. Anutin's move received endorsement from King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday, and the dissolution became effective with its publication on Friday in the Royal Gazette. Elections must be held within 45 to 60 days. Anutin will now lead a caretaker government with limited powers. His decision comes amid political tension and ongoing armed conflict with Cambodia over border disputes. Anutin's move follows a promise to dissolve Parliament by January and organize a referendum on drafting a new constitution in an unusual deal that had the opposition People's Party back his September bid to become prime minister.

Archaeologists in Britain say they have found the earliest known evidence of deliberate fire-making, dating to around 400,000 years ago. The findings published in the journal Nature predate previous evidence by about 350,000 years. The team identified heated sediments, fire-shattered flint tools and rare fragments of iron pyrite brought to the site to strike sparks. Researchers say the discovery sheds new light on early Neanderthal behavior and suggests fire making played a major role in human evolution, from diet and survival to social life and cognitive development.

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — The Chinese government is using an increasingly powerful tool to control and monitor its own officials: Surveillance technology, much of it originating in the United States, an Associated Press investigation has found. Among its targets is…

Retired Chinese official Li Chuanliang fled to the U.S. seeking asylum, fearing persecution from the Chinese government. He was warned not to return to China after being accused of corruption. Li claims he is targeted for criticizing the government. The Associated Press reports that China uses surveillance technology to track and intimidate officials and dissidents abroad. This technology, often originating from U.S. companies, has been used to monitor Li and his family. Beijing's operations, known as "Fox Hunt" and "Sky Net," aim to bring back fugitives.

Onesmas Ainebyona tracks chimpanzees in a Ugandan rainforest. He has built trust with a chimp leader named Jean. It took Ainebyona four years to connect with Jean. The chimp now feels comfortable around humans. Wildlife authorities call this process "habituation" which helps chimps like Jean live longer. Ainebyona and others follow chimps daily even in rain to ensure their safety. Kibale National Park is known for its high concentration of apes. The park attracts tourists who can see habituated chimps. This conservation effort not only protects chimps but also boosts tourism revenue that supports the park's thriving ecosystem.

Fire officials say six people have been taken to hospitals after a gas explosion started a major fire in a San Francisco Bay Area suburb. The explosion in the Hayward area obliterated at least one home and sent heavy smoke into the air. Video shows a home sitting under a blue sky before it suddenly exploded, sending wood and debris skyward. A spokesperson for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said construction workers damaged an underground gas line around 7:35 a.m. Thursday. The utility stopped the gas flow at 9:25 a.m. The explosion occurred shortly afterward.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence. He argues that heavy regulations could stifle the industry, especially given competition from China. Trump says the U.S. needs a unified approach to AI regulation to avoid complications from state-by-state rules. The order directs the administration to draw up a list of problematic regulations for the Attorney General to challenge. States with laws could lose access to broadband funding, according to the text of the order. Some states have already passed AI laws focusing on transparency and limiting data collection.

Storm Byron has hit Gaza and worsened the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. Heavy rains have flooded tent camps and have left Palestinians in dire conditions on Thursday. Aid groups say Israel hasn't met its ceasefire agreement to allow 600 trucks of aid into Gaza daily. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees warns that cold, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions increase illness risks. The Palestinian Civil Defense has reported more than 2,500 distress calls because of storm damage. Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashaal has urged for more aid and infrastructure rehabilitation. The ceasefire agreement remains at a critical point with both sides facing obstacles.

Sherrone Moore was once a promising young leader. He was a rare Black head coach at the top of the sport — a rugged lineman at Oklahoma who climbed the ranks to Michigan, the winningest program in college football. His downfall has been even more stunning. The 39-year-old Moore was fired and arrested hours apart on Wednesday, and remained jailed with an arraignment expected Friday as police investigate an alleged assault. His firing was related to what the school called an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Moore has been through a lot in his career, but scandal abounds.

Michigan has quite a mess on its hands. Sherrone Moore spent the night in jail awaiting arraignment while college football’s winningest school suddenly started searching for a new coach to lead the Wolverines. The NCAA put the program on probation less than four months ago, stemming from a sign-stealing scandal. And now, the Wolverines are scrambling to find a new leader for their shaken football team. Athletic director Warde Manuel informed the team of his decision to fire Moore on Wednesday for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new guidance stating airlines don't have to cover passenger expenses like meals or lodging when a flight is canceled or significantly delayed by an aircraft recall. The guidance released on Wednesday follows disruptions last month due to inspections and software updates on Airbus A320 aircraft to fix a glitch that the manufacturer said could affect flight controls. In the U.S., airlines must refund canceled flights but aren't required to cover lodging or meals. Instead, airlines offer voluntary compensation for some expenses if a disruption is caused by something within their control, such as crew delays. The new DOT guidance clarifies that disruptions from aircraft recalls aren't considered within an airline's control.

A grand jury has declined for a second time to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, refusing to resurrect a mortgage fraud prosecution encouraged by President Donald Trump, according to a person familiar with the matter. It’s a another major blow to the Justice Department after the dismissal of earlier charges against James and another longtime Trump foe, former FBI Director James Comey, in a stunning rebuke of the Trump administration’s efforts to prosecute the president’s political opponents. James says the case is politically motivated and has denied any wrongdoing. The person who confirmed the failure to secure an indictment was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

American farmers are feeling the strain from trade disputes under President Donald Trump, particularly with China. Trump has announced $12 billion in aid for U.S. farmers, but many farmers say that's not enough. South Dakota farmer Gene Stehly believes the aid is insufficient to cover losses from low commodity prices and declining sales. Farmers such as Charlie Radman in Minnesota and Bryant Kagay in Missouri say they need more certainty and new markets, not just temporary payments. The aid is seen as a stopgap. Many farmers want solutions to rising costs and market access beyond China.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela to the Trump administration's counterdrug efforts. During testimony Thursday to the House Homeland Security Committee, Noem lauded the U.S. forces' unusual move to take control of a merchant ship. Noem describes it as a successful move that's part of President Donald Trump's efforts to combat drug trafficking. The Republican president told reporters Wednesday the tanker was seized “for a very good reason.” Venezuela's government has called the seizure an act of international piracy.