Officials: 'Affluenza' teen, mother planned flight to Mexico
By EMILY SCHMALL and E. EDUARDO CASTILLO

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A teen fugitive known for using an "affluenza" defense and his mother attempted to disguise themselves and disappear among the American tourists thronging a Mexican resort city for the holidays, but are now in custody and will be returned to the U.S., authorities said Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882597-us-officials-affluenza-teen-mother-planned-flight-to-mexico/

THAI aims to cut costs by 5 billion baht next year and to up load factor



BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International, the national flag carrier, has set a target to cut costs by 5 billion baht and to increase its load factor by 6 percent to almost 80 percent the coming year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882598-thai-aims-to-cut-costs-by-5-billion-baht-next-year-and-to-up-load-factor/

UPDATE:

Saudis brace for ‘prolonged period’ of low oil prices



PARIS: -- Saudi’s Arabia’s planned cuts in spending and energy subsidies show the world’s largest crude oil exporter is bracing for a prolonged period of low oil prices.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882341-saudi-arabia-budget-deficit-swells-on-oil-price-fall/#entry10250046

Greek drivers surrender car plates to avoid heavy taxation
By Keith Walker



ATHENS: -- Greek car drivers queue with their car number pates at tax offices around the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882599-greek-drivers-surrender-car-plates-to-avoid-heavy-taxation/

Chechens charged in Nemtsov murder



MOSCOW: -- Russian prosecutors have formally charged four Chechens in connection with the February assassination of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882600-russia-chechens-charged-in-nemtsov-murder/

Warm Alpine weather brings fires and flowers



ROME: -- Wildfires sweeping through a forest in the Venetian Alps have destroyed some 100 hectares of woodland.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882601-warm-alpine-weather-brings-fires-and-flowers/

Rajoy still hoping for Spanish coalition



"A wide spectrum government where we can agree on the fundamental issues is going to generate confidence here and abroad."

MADRID: -- Spain’s acting prime minister says he’s still hoping to build a broad coalition government – despite being rebuffed by both the Socialist Party and the anti-austerity party Podemos.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882602-rajoy-still-hoping-for-spanish-coalition/

Motorbike bomber kills at least 23 people in Mardan, Pakistan
By Keith Walker



MARDAN: -- A suicide bomber riding a motorbike laden with explosives blew himself up outside a government office in Pakistan killing at least 23 people and wounding about 70 others.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882603-motorbike-bomber-kills-at-least-23-people-in-mardan-pakistan/

UPDATE:

2 Cleveland officers still in jeopardy over Tamir Rice case
By MARK GILLISPIE and JOHN SEEWER

CLEVELAND (AP) — Despite the grand jury decision not to charge a white patrolman in the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, the case is far from over for the city of Cleveland, the officers involved in the shooting, or the black boy's grief-stricken family.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882592-no-charges-for-cleveland-police-officers-in-shooting-death-of-tamir-rice/#entry10250093

Guinea declared free of Ebola, step to end spread of disease
By BOUBACAR DIALLO and CARLEY PETESCH

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak over in Guinea Tuesday, a huge step in the fight against the world's largest epidemic and the first time there are no known cases anywhere since the virus emerged in Guinea two years ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882605-guinea-declared-free-of-ebola-step-to-end-spread-of-disease/

Download the Thaivisa Calendar 2016/2559



This is the 2016/2559 complimentary Thaivisa calendar and includes all public holidays.

Download: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/files/file/718-thaivisa-calendar-20162559/

North Korea says top official Kim Yang-gon killed in car crash

SEOUL: -- A top aide to the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has died in a car crash, state news agency KCNA has said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882621-north-korea-says-top-official-kim-yang-gon-killed-in-car-crash/

Sonny Bill Williams tweets graphic photos of dead children

(BBC)Rugby union star Sonny Bill Williams has posted graphic images of dead children on Twitter after a visit to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882625-rugby-star-sonny-bill-williams-tweets-graphic-photos-of-dead-children/

Trump defends attacks on Bill Clinton

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he doesn't believe Bill Clinton is a racist, just hours after tweeting that the former president had been described that way.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882626-trump-defends-attacks-on-bill-clinton/

Amid attendance attacks, Rubio focuses on Iowa
By CATHERINE LUCEY

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Amid new criticisms about his Senate attendance record, Marco Rubio says some of his rival candidates are getting "a little desperate and a little nasty."

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882630-amid-attendance-attacks-rubio-focuses-on-iowa/

Conservatives call for Tony Abbott's return to frontbench

CANBERRA: -- Supporters of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have made calls for him to return to a senior government position.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882631-conservatives-call-for-tony-abbotts-return-to-frontbench/

Ex-'Glee' star Mark Salling accused of child porn possession

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say former "Glee" star Mark Salling has been arrested in Los Angeles for investigation of possessing child pornography.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882632-ex-glee-star-mark-salling-arrested-in-us-for-child-porn-possession/

National Archives' files reveal what happened to the UK's moon dust
By Nick Higham
BBC News

LONDON: -- Ever wondered what happened to the UK's piece of the moon? Four fragments which were given to the UK as a present?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882634-national-archives-files-reveal-what-happened-to-the-uks-moon-dust/

Donald Trump 'to spend $2m a week on campaign'

(BBC)US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump says he is planning to spend $2m (£1.3m) a week on campaign advertising.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882635-donald-trump-to-spend-2m-a-week-on-campaign/

Close encounter between U.S. warship and Iranian rocket
By Jamie Crawford, National Security Producer

Washington (CNN)A U.S. aircraft carrier came within about 1,500 yards of an Iranian rocket while operating in the Strait of Hormuz, a Pentagon official told CNN.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882637-close-encounter-between-us-warship-and-iranian-rocket/

UPDATE:

5,000 police to be deployed for New Year countdown at CentralWorld



BANGKOK: -- The Metropolitan Police will deploy up to 5,000 police officers to ensure security for the New Year countdown activities at the CentralWorld shopping centre which is expected to be attended by a large number of revellers, both Thai and foreign nationals.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882565-police-say-they-are-prepared-for-bangkok-countdown-events/#entry10250710

UPDATE:

Top North Korean aide dies in car crash
By K.J. Kwon and Archith Seshadri, CNN

(CNN)Kim Yang Gon, a high-ranking North Korean official tasked with easing the fractious relationship with South Korea, has died in an automobile accident, the state-run KCNA news agency said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882621-north-korea-says-top-official-kim-yang-gon-killed-in-car-crash/#entry10250732

How Donald Trump destroyed the Republican Party in 2015
By Eugene Robinson, Opinion writer
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON: -- History will remember 2015 as the year when The Republican Party As We Knew It was destroyed by Donald Trump. An entity called the GOP will survive — but can never be the same.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882639-how-donald-trump-destroyed-the-republican-party-in-2015/

Aceh's most wanted man surrenders



ACEH: -- The Jakarta Globe reported that the leader of an armed group that has launched a series of attacks against security officials in Aceh has surrendered, citing Indonesia's spy chief.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882643-acehs-most-wanted-man-surrenders/

Search ends for capsized KM Marina Baru ferry in S. Sulawesi



JAKARTA: -- Officials of Wajo district, South Sulawesi, have called off their search and rescue efforts for the remaining victims of a capsized ferry in the waters off North Kolaka port, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882645-indonesia-search-ends-for-capsized-km-marina-baru-ferry-in-s-sulawesi/

Indonesian charged with possessing materials relating to IS terror group

KUALA LUMPUR: -- An Indonesian national has been charged with possessing materials relating to the Islamic State terror group at the magistrate’s court in Pontian of Johor province, Malaysia, The Star Online reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882646-malaysia-indonesian-charged-with-possessing-materials-relating-to-is-terror-group/

SET up 3.13 points at opening /Bangkok Post

UPDATE:

Koh Tao verdict protest in Yangon



YANGON: -- Around 500 protesters, including monks from Buddhist nationalist organization Ma Ba Tha, gathered in Yangon on Tuesday to voice their opposition to the death sentence handed down to two Myanmar migrants by a Thai court last week, The Irrawaddy reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882593-protests-grow-in-myanmar-against-thai-beach-murder-verdict/#entry10250897

Worries grow over humanitarian impacts of 'strongest El Nino'
By Matt McGrath
Environment correspondent

LONDON: -- The strongest El Nino on record is likely to increase the threat of hunger and disease for tens of millions of people in 2016 aid agencies say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882647-worries-grow-over-humanitarian-impacts-of-strongest-el-nino/

DFA confirms OFW’s execution in Saudi Arabia



MANILA: -- The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on death row was executed in Saudi Arabia, philstar.com reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882648-philippines-dfa-confirms-ofws-execution-in-saudi-arabia/