CharlieH

Take a small bottle of skin moisturiser cream with you and just tell them "use this please" something like "Vaseline intensive care" moisturiser. It makes it easy for them and moisturises and softens the feet,

Reported Troll remark removed.

Posts in contravention of community and Topic guidelines have been removed and ALL the conversation/exchanges that followed. PLEASE adhere to the guidance and rules or everything after the issue gets wiped out. Its frustrating for members and a PIA for Moderators to clean up.

You'll probably find the debit card problem resolved for the same reason.

I did mine myself, the only reason being I wasnt happy with the responses I got from an "agent" and didnt want to leave my passport with them for potentially 4 wks or more and trusting Thai postage etc back to me. However, lets look at the cost of doing it myself as I live along way from Bangkok. Early start by Bus to Bangkok return ticket 600bt. You cant travel down and get in to VFS the same day, time wont permit. So its a night in a Hotel and in to VFS next day, then you can if you time it right, get out of VFS across Bangkok and back on a Bus that day but its stressful and takes careful planning. Its far easier to spend another night in the Hotel and return home the next day, So, Bus travel - 600 bt, Hotel 3,000, food etc 1000bt you can say 5,000 all together and 3 days, Then repeat most of that to go collect it, except its a bit quicker and if timed right, can be done with 1 night hotel. It still brings the total to over 7000 bt plus passport fee. If you can use an agent and pay them, it makes more financial sense and certainly less hassle/stress and definitely. less time.

Reported off topic posts removed.

Some Thais dont like it because they can no longer talk about you in front of you.

Multiple posts contravening community guidelines removed.

Meaning many schools (not all) will not accept people for Teaching positions without one.

Ukrainian men between the ages of 25 and 60 living abroad will be asked to report for military service, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov has said. He described this as an "invitation" - but seemed to suggest anyone who did not comply would be sanctioned. However, a spokesman later clarified that no call-up was being considered. President Zelensky told journalists on Tuesday that 450,000-500,000 new soldiers were needed but achieving this was a "sensitive issue". This comes as Ukraine's recent counter-offensive appears to have stalled. Kyiv has also seen setbacks in provisions of aid, with US Republicans blocking a $61bn (€55bn; £48bn) military package and Hungary stopping an EU financial deal worth €50bn ($55bn; £43bn). In an analysis of figures from EU statistics agency Eurostat in November, BBC Ukrainian found that some 768,000 Ukrainian men aged 18-64 had left the country for the EU alone since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The figure does not include citizens living outside the EU, or those resident anywhere abroad since before February 2022. FULL STORY

An Oklahoma judge has exonerated a man who spent 48 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit, the longest known wrongful sentence in the US. Glynn Simmons, 70, was freed in July after a district court found that crucial evidence in his case was not turned over to his defence lawyers. On Monday, a county district attorney said there was not enough evidence to warrant a new trial. In an order on Tuesday, Judge Amy Palumbo declared Mr Simmons innocent. "This court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offence for which Mr Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned... was not committed by Mr Simmons," said Oklahoma County District Judge Palumbo in her ruling. "It's a lesson in resilience and tenacity," Mr Simmons told reporters after the decision, according to the Associated Press. "Don't let nobody tell you that it can't happen, because it really can." Convicted man freed after witness found to be blind Mr Simmons served 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison for the 1974 murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers during a liquor store robbery in an Oklahoma City suburb. He was 22 years old when he and a co-defendant, Don Roberts, were convicted and sentenced to death in 1975. The punishments were later reduced to life in prison because of US Supreme Court rulings on the death penalty. Mr Simmons had maintained his innocence, saying he was in his home state of Louisiana at the time of the murder. Mr Simmons smiled as the court declared his innocence on Tuesday. Dressed in a grey hooded sweater and fedora, a soft-spoken Mr Simmons later told reporters he had been waiting for this moment for a "long, long time". "What's been done can't be undone, but there can be accountability," he said. Asked to describe his emotional state, his lawyer Joseph Norwood told BBC News: "Obviously elation." "The thought of being confined in prison for 50 years for something you had nothing to do with has to just be one of the worst things for a person's mental state," Mr Norwood said in an interview on Thursday. But Mr Simmons was diagnosed with stage four cancer as he was being released, says the attorney. "So it was a mix of elation, gaining his freedom, gaining his name back, clearing his name," said Mr Norwood, adding that Mr Simmons was now responding well to chemotherapy and was "on the mend". "So it's been a heck of a ride." Mr Simmons is currently battling liver cancer, according to his GoFundMe, which has raised almost $200,000 (£157,000) to help support his living costs and medical treatment. A district court vacated his sentence in July after finding that prosecutors had not turned over all evidence to defence lawyers, including that a witness had identified other suspects. FULL STORY

Think you are mixing things up slightly. You cant get many Jobs in teaching without a degree. If you have the job, then the school will generally arrange the work permit.

Rudy Giuliani, a longtime associate of former President Donald Trump, has filed for bankruptcy just days after he was ordered to pay $148m (£116m) in a defamation case. He was ordered to pay the sum after a judge found he defamed two Georgia election workers over false claims they tampered with votes in 2020. The filing shows he owes millions of dollars in legal fees and unpaid taxes. A spokesman said the move should "be a surprise to no-one". In a statement, the spokesman for Mr Giuliani, Ted Goodman, said "no person could have reasonably believed that [Mr Giuliani] would be able to pay such a high punitive amount". He added that Thursday's bankruptcy filing in New York would give Mr Giuliani the "opportunity and time to pursue an appeal, while providing transparency for his finances under the supervision of the bankruptcy court". Mr Giuliani, 79, said earlier this year that he was having financial difficulties because of his increasing legal fees and expenses. Last week, an eight-person jury ordered him to pay $20m to Georgia poll workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea "Shaye" Moss. The pair said Mr Giuliani's false claim that they tampered with votes had a traumatising impact on their lives. Ms Freeman said she would "always have to be careful" because of lingering fears she might be recognised publicly. Ms Freedom and Ms Moss were also awarded more than $16m each for emotional distress. Another payment of $75m in punitive damages was ordered to be split between them. Addressing reporters outside the court after he was ordered to pay the sum, Mr Giuliani said: "I don't regret a damn thing." On Wednesday, a judge ordered him to start paying the two women immediately and expressed concern he might not comply with the judgement. FULL STORY

A gunman has shot dead 14 people and injured another 25 at a university in Prague, officials say, in the deadliest attack in modern Czech history. Police say the 24-year-old gunman was also "eliminated" following the shooting at Charles University in the historic centre of the capital. University staff were told to barricade themselves in rooms during the attack. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said he had cancelled upcoming engagements in light of the "tragic events" on Thursday. The shooting started at about 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at the university's Faculty of Arts building on Jan Palach Square. Dramatic footage later emerged on social media showing some people jumping to safety from one of the building's ledges several storeys up, and gunshots are also heard. In a separate video, terrified crowds are seen fleeing the area popular with tourists. At a briefing on Thursday evening, the country's police chief and the interior minister said the gunman had been a student at the faculty. They said he was from a village 21km (13 miles) outside Prague. The suspect's father had been found dead earlier on Thursday. The gunman's motives were not immediately known. Preliminary information suggested that no police officers were injured in the attack, the authorities said. The police said they were also working on the theory that the gunman may have been responsible for the deaths of two people last week in a forest near Prague. FULL STORY

At least 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been reported killed since Israel began bombing the territory in the wake of Hamas's 7 October attacks. BBC Verify examines what Gaza's death toll reveals about the conflict. On average, nearly 300 people have been killed each day since the start of the conflict, excluding the seven-day ceasefire, data from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry indicates. The World Health Organization's regional emergency director Richard Brennan says he considers these casualty figures trustworthy. Counting the dead is a challenge in any war zone, and doctors in Gaza say the death toll is likely to be significantly higher as it does not include bodies buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings or those not taken to hospitals. BBC Verify has looked in detail at the figures, how they compare with other conflicts and the impact on Gaza's young population. A high death toll The pace of killing in this war has been "exceptionally high", says Prof Michael Spagat, who specialises in examining death tolls in conflicts around the world, such as the 2003 Iraq war, Colombia's civil conflict, wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as previous wars between Israel and Gaza. "Within the series of Gaza wars stretching back to 2008, the current one is unprecedented both for the number of people killed and for the indiscriminateness of the killing," he adds. FULL ARTICLE

Bought 2 items on Lazada, paid COD. when opened wrong item/model humber on both of them so no use. Entered Return reason, uploaded photo of items showing wrong model number. Almost instantly the money was in my Lazada wallet and I don't have to return the wrong items. (Suspect because low value) Anyway, quick easy efficient.process.

It claims Roast Turkey is the top element, while Pigs in Blankets are in fifth place It's a meal that many of us look forward to all year. But what exactly are the best items in a British Christmas Dinner? While many of us see the Roast Turkey, Goose or Ham as the main event, others prefer the trimmings, whether it's pigs in blankets, stuffing, or even Brussels Sprouts. With just 10 days to go before we get to devour our Christmas Dinner, MailOnline asked ChatGPT to rank the elements on the meal. So, do you agree with the AI chatbot's ranking? The best items in a British Christmas Dinner, according to AI Roast Turkey Stuffing Roast Potatoes Gravy Pigs in Blankets Brussels Sprouts Carrots and Parsnips Mashed Swede and Mashed Potatoes Cranberry Sauce Christmas Pudding or Mince Pies To get to the bottom of the Christmas Dinner ranking, MailOnline simply asked ChatGPT: 'How do you rank the elements of a British Christmas dinner?' Within seconds, the AI bot began to reply, diplomatically stating that 'the ranking of elements can vary based on personal preferences and regional traditions.' However, it eventually landed on 10 key items. Roast Turkey was named the best element, although ChatGPT said that Roast Beef, Goose, or Ham would also suffice. 'The roast main course takes the top spot and is often the centerpiece of a British Christmas dinner,' ChatGPT said. Stuffing took the second spot, described by the AI bot as a 'popular and flavorful accompaniment to the roast.' The 'beloved side dish' of roast potatoes came in third place, with ChatGPT stipulating that they must be 'crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside,' Meanwhile, 'rich and flavorful' gravy was deemed the fourth most important element on Christmas Dinner. SOURCE

Never liking or commenting on social media is linked to anxiety disorder Passive users are less tolerable of unfamiliar situations because of social anxiety Browsing through social media but never liking or commenting on posts may be a sign of a mental health condition, a new study has revealed. Researchers at the Central China Normal University found that people who use platforms 'passively' are more likely suffer from social anxiety compared to people who use it actively - uploading posts and sharing life updates. The team surveyed more than 500 college students on their mental health and social media use, finding that 'voyeurs' were more afraid of unfamiliar situations in their physical lives. The study, published in BMC Psychology, included 571 students from Shanxi Province and Hubei Province in China from May to July 2022. The group completed questionnaires measuring openness, active and passive social media use, self-evaluation and social anxiety. To measure openness, subjects were asked to rank a series of statements: one for strongly disagreed to four for strongly agreed. These statements included: 'I see myself as someone who is inventive' and 'I see myself as someone who has an active imagination.' The next measurement, active and passive social media use, was a nine-item questionnaire that asked how much they post, such as status updates, likes and comments. The study noted that 'active use refers to information-generating behaviors that enhance communication, such as posting status updates or comments. FULL STORY

Apple has launched a $17 billion rescue mission to save its smartwatches from being banned in the US due to patent infringement claims. Engineers will use the funds to adjust how devices' algorithms measure oxygen saturation and show data to users before the clock runs out on December 24. That is when all Apple Stores in the US must stop selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models after an order by America's trade watchdog, which ruled the tech giant stole copyrighted tech. The blood oxygen feature is the focus of a legal dispute involving Apple and California-based biotech company Masimo, which says Apple poached its staff and stole IP to use in its own devices. Apple will stop selling the watches on its website on Thursday and pull devices from its roughly 270 brick-and-mortar outlets by December 24. But customers who placed orders can collect them at stores before the deadline. The move is expected to lose Apple around $200 million around the holiday season. The company's wearable industry is worth around $18 billion in revenue a year. And if the White House does not veto the ban, Apple would have to wait until 2028 to begin sales because that is when Masimo's two patents expire. The company's retail locations have already been told to swap out signs for the wearable, promoting the device without showing images of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 - Apple's latest smartwatches that are the focus of the ban. A report from Bloomberg revealed Apple's rescue mission, stating Apple could settle with Masimo, the Irving-based company that filed the suit, but the move is improbable. FULL STORY

Apple has released a new iPhone update called iOS 17.2.1 The tech giant recommends it for all users because it has bug fixes READ MORE: iPhone users in uproar over Apple's new Journal app Apple is closing the year with a new iOS update that the tech giant recommends to all users. iOS 17.2.1 is now available for download on the iPhone and includes 'important bug fixes,' according to the release note. In Japan , the update says it fixes battery drain issues - something that has plagued users since the previous iOS system was released earlier this month. But the English notes do not mention the problem. Apple released iOS 17.2.1 on Tuesday to address issues found in the previous update, iOS 17.2, which arrived with the Journal app earlier this month. iOS 17.2.1 is available now for iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later. To install it on your device, open the Settings app, then General and Software Update. If your device is compatible, you'll see iOS 17.2.1 listed. You can either download it immediately or overnight, although you'll need to make sure your iPhone is on charge for this to happen. FULL STORY

President Joe Biden has said there's 'no question' Donald Trump engaged in an 'insurrection' on January 6 as he sided with the Colorado Supreme Court justices who disqualified him from the 2024 ballot. In his first public comments since the staggering ruling, Biden said it is now up to the Supreme Court to decide if Trump violated the 14th Amendment and should be barred from holding public office. The president responded as outraged Republicans across the country vowed to kick him off their ballots as revenge for the unprecedented decision and strategists suggested it would boost Trump's chances in 2024. The 4-3 decision from Democratic-appointed justices was that Trump engaged in an insurrection on January 6 and disqualified himself from running for public office. It is the first time in history that the insurrection clause has been used to prevent a presidential candidate from appearing on a state's presidential ballot. Biden, who beat Trump by 13 points in Colorado in 2020, avoided getting into the legal details of the case when he walked over to the press on his trip to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday. A recent DailyMail.com poll showed Biden is ahead of Trump by five points in the swing state that will be crucial in crowning the general election winner next November. FULL STORY

Prince Andrew may be facing his own nightmare before Christmas, as the names of dozens of his chum Jeffrey Epstein's associates are set to be released in the New Year. At least Andrew needn't sweat it on the financial front. I hear one of his perennially unsuccessful business ventures is finally likely to end the year out of debt — thanks to a mysterious donor's bail out. Indeed, I can disclose that a corporate filing published this week shows a company set up to manage Prince Andrew's private investments has somehow secured £210,000 worth of funding in the form of non-redeemable shares. Urramoor Limited, of which the Duke of York is listed as having 'significant control', incorporated in 2013 and was £208,000 in the red when latest accounts were revealed. However, according to a recently filed share allotment document, a total of 210,402 shares, with a nominal value of £1 each, were allocated on December 14, 2023 — which just about pulls the company out of debt, providing it's not lost even more money since 2022. This would be a first for Urramoor, which has never been profitable in the nine sets of accounts it has filed since its creation. The company's director, Arthur Lancaster, also runs Doug Barrowman's firm AML Tax Ltd, which was found to be running tax avoidance schemes earlier this year by HM Revenue and Customs. Barrowman himself, meanwhile, faced the media spotlight this week, after a car crash interview with his wife, disgraced Conservative peer and lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone, revealed the couple stands to benefit from £60million in profits from a notorious PPE deal that she previously denied any connection with. Andrew, 63, however, is sure to be delighted with the inexplicable investment — and would likely have a few words of advice for Barrowman, should Lancaster put them in touch. FULL STORY

Xi reportedly expressed to Biden during last month's APEC Summit in San Francisco, California, that China would 'reunify' with Taiwan Top lawmakers are expressing concern that the U.S. is projecting 'weakness' The White House downplayed the report, saying Xi's reported remarks are not 'different or new' Top lawmakers are expressing concern that the U.S. is projecting 'weakness' after a new report revealed Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden he is planning to take over Taiwan soon. Xi expressed to Biden during last month's APEC Summit in San Francisco, California, that China would 'reunify' with Taiwan, but the timing was still not determined, according to NBC News. The Chinese president added that his preference is that Taiwan would be taken over 'peacefully' and not by force, according to three U.S. officials. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who serves as the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee called the report 'beyond unnerving.' 'To communist China, if you think you can bully your way into destroying world order without consequences, you will be making Putin's decision to invade Ukraine look wise,' he said in a statement to DailyMail.com. The top Republican pledged to work with his Democratic colleagues to first push through a 'robust' defense aid package to Taiwan and also draft 'pre-invasion' sanctions on China. He said imposing 'sanctions from hell' on China will deter the nation from trying to seize Taiwan. The South Carolina senator added that 'apparently China sees weakness' when it comes to the Biden-led United States. Another top Republican, Rep. Mike Waltz, echoed concerns that the Biden administration is projecting weakness. 'China's dictator came to American soil and told Biden his face he's taking Taiwan,' Waltz, R-Fla., wrote on X. 'The world will not survive 5 more years of this WEAKNESS in the White House!,' he continued. FULL STORY

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland Sir Keir Starmer believes the law on assisted dying should be changed, opening the door for Labour to end the ban if it is voted in. He has previously said that, if safeguards are in place, people who want to end their lives could be helped by someone 'acting out of compassion'. It is understood that his view is unchanged. While Labour is not planning to set aside legislative time to change the law if it wins the next election, Sir Keir's personal views suggest he could allow a free vote on the issue. Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence, but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to a murder charge. A bid to change the law was brought before Parliament in 2015 when Sir Keir described the ban as an 'injustice' and voted in favour of the Bill, which failed. He told the Commons: 'I understand those who say that we should revert to a position where nobody should be given any assistance at all, but we have arrived at a position where compassionate, amateur assistance from nearest and dearest is accepted but professional medical assistance is not, unless someone has the means and physical assistance to get to Dignitas.' Sir Keir, who issued the current guidance on assisted dying when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, has also stated the law 'needs to be changed'. But he has stressed the importance of safeguards to protect vulnerable people, while letting those who 'wish to die be assisted by someone acting out of compassion'. Dame Esther Rantzen, who has lung cancer, said this week she had joined the Dignitas assisted-dying clinic in Switzerland. Since then, politicians including ministers Michael Gove and Mel Stride have said it was time for another parliamentary debate. The Commons health and social care committee is due to publish a report into assisted dying and assisted suicide. FULL STORY

Hamas says it will only discuss a permanent ceasefire in exchange for hostages Leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo for talks prompting hope for progress Israeli PM Netanyahu said Israel would not stop until Hamas is eliminated Hamas has threatened to not release any more hostages unless Israel agrees to end its war in the Palestinian territories. The warning came as the terror group's chief landed in Cairo for talks over a ceasefire. Ismail Haniyeh flew into Egypt from his home in Qatar – prompting hopes that a new wave of releases could be imminent. The militant leader typically wades publicly into diplomacy when progress seems likely. But US President Joe Biden warned last night that he did not expect a deal to be struck soon given the great divide between Israel and Hamas. Israel has insisted all remaining women and infirm men must be released and accepts it may have to release Palestinians convicted of serious offences in return. But Hamas says it will only discuss a permanent ceasefire in exchange for hostages, rather than a temporary halt to hostilities, which Tel Aviv will not agree to. A Palestinian official said: 'Hamas's stance remains, they don't have a desire for humanitarian pauses. Hamas wants a complete end to the Israeli war on Gaza.' Responding to the claims, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said: 'We won't stop fighting until we've achieved all the objectives we've set ourselves – the elimination of Hamas, the release of our hostages and the end of the threat from Gaza.' Negotiations are also complicated as another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, has some of the 129 hostages in Gaza. It said its leader would also visit Egypt to try to bring a possible end to the war. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the world must pressure Hamas, not just Israel, after wide global criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. 'There seems to be silence on what Hamas could do, should do, must do if we want to end the suffering of innocent men, women and children,' he said. 'It would be good if the world could unite around that proposition as well.' Mr Blinken also said he was hoping for a positive outcome on a second UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire. FULL STORY