The US made the perfect start in its bid to reclaim the Ryder Cup Friday — but Europe served notice that it will not easily loosen its eight-year stranglehold on international golfing dominance. Source: Sports

Pakistan urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday to personally intervene to help defuse rising tensions with India over disputed Kashmir. Source: Asia Pacific

Pentagon Chief Ashton Carter met Friday with Southeast Asian defense ministers to discuss regional security issues and reassure them America’s “rebalance” to Asia will continue under the next US administration. Source: Asia Pacific

The Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) has capped the interest rate of a planned 170-billion-baht loan from China to finance the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed train project at 2%, and has threatened to seek domestic funding if China charges a higher rate. Source: Business

The government is seeking to double investment by state enterprises to 600 billion baht next year in a fresh attempt to jump-start private investment, a key engine of sustainable economic growth. Source: Business

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Chinese tourist arrivals during China’s week-long National Day holidays to fall 21% below target due to the recent zero-dollar tour crackdown. Source: Business

In a move to upgrade community products, the government has granted geographical indication (GI) registrations to Tak Bai dried salted fish from Narathiwat and Pone Yang Kum beef from Sakon Nakhon. Source: Business

Two Chinese internet giants, Alibaba Group and WeChat, have a lock on Thailand’s mobile third-party payment services for Chinese travellers as they strive to get a bigger slice of a market worth 500 billion baht a year. Source: Business

The economy in the third quarter is expected to expand at a softer pace than the second quarter as temporary stimulus measures lose steam, says a senior Bank of Thailand official. Source: Business

Thai Airways International (THAI)’s inauguration of its Bangkok-Tehran service today is expected to help ramp up passenger traffic between the two countries. Source: Business