Alarm over Kurdish civilian casualties in operation Turkey says is targeting militants
By Seamus Kearney



"We stand by our people who resist the tanks and shelling"

LONDON: -- Kurdish groups are sounding the alarm over rising civilian casualties as the Turkish army intensifies a large-scale operation it says is targeting militants in the country’s southeast.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880914-alarm-over-kurdish-civilian-casualties-in-operation-turkey-says-is-targeting-militants/

Getting lucky with El Gordo

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880915-spain-getting-lucky-with-el-gordo/

White Christmas cancelled due to warm weather

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880916-white-christmas-cancelled-due-to-warm-weather/

Bosnian police arrest 11 with Islamic State links
By Everton Gayle | With REUTERS



LONDON: -- Police in Bosnia have detained 11 people suspected of links to the self-titled Islamic State group and militants fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880917-bosnian-police-arrest-11-with-islamic-state-links/

Police and protesters clash in Djibouti
By Everton Gayle | With REUTERS



LONDON: -- An opposition group in Djibouti claims that 19 were killed after a clash between police and revellers celebrating a religious festival turned violent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880918-police-and-protesters-clash-in-djibouti/

Police search offices of Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky
By Everton Gayle | With REUTERS



MOSCOW: -- Russian police have raided the offices of the pro-democracy movement founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, less than two weeks after he was accused of organising a contract killing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880919-police-search-offices-of-putin-critic-mikhail-khodorkovsky/

Soul-searching in Germany over printing of new edition of Hitler’s Mein Kampf
By Seamus Kearney



"I find this really really awful. I'm absolutely lost for words. I never dreamed that such a thing would come back"

BERLIN: -- There’s soul-searching in Germany over the printing of a new edition of Hitler’s Nazi manifesto, which has not been in publication since the Second World War.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880920-soul-searching-in-germany-over-printing-of-new-edition-of-hitlers-mein-kampf/

Africa: 'catastrophic' malnutrition amid Boko Haram violence



"The World Food Programme is scaling up its operations, as more and more displaced people are arriving, people fleeing the violence on the islands near the border with Nigeria"

NEW YORK: -- Boko Haram’s violent militancy in Africa’s Lake Chad region has caused “catastrophic” levels of malnutrition, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880922-africa-catastrophic-malnutrition-amid-boko-haram-violence/

Refugees v migrants: the desperate battle to stay in Europe



"There's no solution for us to continue our journey. One must be found for all of us Moroccans. If we stay here, we will die"

PARIS: -- Arriving at a gateway to Europe, boats packed with migrants and refugees continue to land on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880923-refugees-v-migrants-the-desperate-battle-to-stay-in-europe/

Iraq army moves to oust ISIL militants from Ramadi
By Everton Gayle | With REUTERS



BAGHDAD: -- The Iraqi army has begun a final offensive to retake Ramadi from the self-proclaimed Islamic State, according to state television and government sources.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880924-iraq-army-moves-to-oust-isil-militants-from-ramadi/

Trump uses crude language to mock Clinton
By TOM COYNE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump labeled Democrat Hillary Clinton "disgusting" for using the restroom during a commercial break at the last Democratic debate and used crude language to describe her primary loss to now-President Barack Obama in 2008.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880925-trump-uses-crude-language-to-mock-clinton/

UPDATE:

Bowe Bergdahl arraigned at North Carolina Army base
By JONATHAN DREW

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — Wearing a dress blue uniform, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl faced a military judge Tuesday for the first time since the U.S. Army decided to proceed with a military trial that could result in a life sentence for his disappearance in Afghanistan in 2009.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880913-accused-army-deserter-bowe-bergdahl-appears-in-court/#entry10223429

Woman charged with murder, hit-and-run in Vegas Strip crash
By KEN RITTER

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A woman accused of intentionally plowing a car carrying her young daughter through crowds of pedestrians on the Las Vegas Strip was charged Tuesday with murder, child abuse and hit-and-run.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880926-woman-charged-with-murder-hit-and-run-in-vegas-strip-crash/

British troops deploy to Afghan province amid Taliban battle
By LYNNE O'DONNELL

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — When Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani took office, it ushered in a period of hope for the country's traumatized people that decades of violence would soon end. But just one year later, a mood of crisis prevails: British troops are being sent to help the army maintain control of a strategically important district and many Afghans believe the Taliban are winning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880927-british-troops-deploy-to-afghan-province-amid-taliban-battle/

Budget deal done, Obama and Congress go their own ways
By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY and ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five days after Paul Ryan was sworn in as House speaker, the White House promised to invite him to meet President Barack Obama for a perfunctory but traditional photo opportunity. It would be a chance for the leaders to shake hands for the cameras and exchange pledges to work together.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880928-budget-deal-done-obama-and-congress-go-their-own-ways/

Carson looks for right campaign balance on foreign affairs
By BILL BARROW and CATHERINE LUCEY

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson rode his outsider image, calm demeanor and compelling life story to the top of a chaotic GOP field earlier this fall.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880929-us-ben-carson-looks-for-right-campaign-balance-on-foreign-affairs/

Weird weather pattern turns weather upside-down across US
By GENE JOHNSON

SEATTLE (AP) — A weather pattern partly linked with El Nino has turned winter upside-down across the U.S. during a week of heavy holiday travel, bringing spring-like warmth to the Northeast, a risk of tornadoes in the South and so much snow across the West that even skiing slopes have been overwhelmed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880930-weird-weather-pattern-turns-weather-upside-down-across-us/

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Real estate heir Robert Durst agrees to be extradited to California by August on murder charge.

Saudi-led strikes in Yemen criticised by the UN for hitting civilian areas
By Seamus Kearney



"I have observed with extreme concern the continuation of heavy shelling from the ground and the air in areas with a high concentration of civilians"

NEW YORK: -- The Saudi-led military coalition operating in Yemen has been criticised by the UN over the number of civilian casualties and the infrastructure destroyed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880931-saudi-led-strikes-in-yemen-criticised-by-the-un-for-hitting-civilian-areas/

India toughens up rape laws for youths
By Everton Gayle | With REUTERS



NEW DELHI: -- India’s upper house of parliament has passed a bill lowering the age at which youths can be tried for serious crimes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880932-india-toughens-up-rape-laws-for-youths/

France: security tightened at places of worship ahead of festive season



- Worshippers to be searched on entry
- Churches to open only one door
- Congregations asked to flag up “suspicious” behaviour

PARIS: -- France is tightening security around its places of worship amid concerns about potential extremist violence during the festive season.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880934-france-security-tightened-at-places-of-worship-ahead-of-festive-season/

Analysts Focus on Thailand’s Tax Reforms and Government Investments for 2016
BY JACOB MASLOW



BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand, along with several other financial institutions in Thailand, are forecasting that economic growth in the country will rise at least 3% in 2016. The rising GDP is expected to be fueled by tax reforms and government investments in the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880935-analysts-focus-on-thailands-tax-reforms-and-government-investments-for-2016/

Dying Pakistani student's family denied Australia visa

LONDON: -- Australian authorities have refused to grant a visa to the family of a Pakistani student dying of skin cancer.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880941-dying-pakistani-students-family-denied-australia-visa/

SHENZHEN, China (AP) - Rescuers pull man out alive after more than 60 hours buried in landslide in southern China.

Minister of Foreign Affairs chairs reception celebrating ASEAN Community’s establishment



BANGKOK, 23 December 2015 (NNT) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai on Tuesday presided over the reception ceremony to celebrate the establishment of the ASEAN Community which is due to take effect on 31 December 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880958-thai-foreign-min-chairs-reception-celebrating-asean-communitys-establishment/

UPDATE:

Dying Pakistani student Hassan Asif denied final visit from family by immigration department
Kate Aubusson

SYDNEY: -- A terminally ill student who wanted to see his family one last time has had his request rejected by Australia's immigration department.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880941-dying-pakistani-students-family-denied-australia-visa/#entry10223961

Greek Parliament legalizes same-sex civil partnerships
DEREK GATOPOULOS, Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's parliament has overwhelmingly approved legislation legalizing civil partnerships for gay couples, two years after the country was condemned by a European human rights court for discrimination.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880963-greek-parliament-legalizes-same-sex-civil-partnerships/

Man found alive after more than 60 hours in China landslide
PAUL TRAYNOR, Associated Press

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — A migrant worker was pulled out alive Wednesday after he was buried for more than 60 hours in a massive landslide that swept through part of a major manufacturing city in southern China.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880966-man-found-alive-after-more-than-60-hours-in-china-landslide/

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand judge rules Kim Dotcom and 3 others can be extradited to US on copyright charges.

New Zealand judges rules Kim Dotcom can be extradited to US

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand judge has ruled that colorful Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom and three of his colleagues can be extradited to the United States to face criminal copyright charges.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/880968-new-zealand-judges-rules-kim-dotcom-can-be-extradited-to-us/