Convict chic? US store bids to cash-in on El Chapo's shirt fashion
By Chris Harris | With AFP



LOS ANGELES: -- Could one of the world’s most notorious drug kingpins be seen on the catwalks of Paris, New York or Milan?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886432-convict-chic-us-store-bids-to-cash-in-on-el-chapos-shirt-fashion/

EU to discuss Polish media laws



BRUSSELS: -- Poland’s new conservative government faces further scrutiny on Wednesday as the European Commission debates new laws seen as reining in the country’s state media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886433-eu-to-discuss-polish-media-laws/

Paris attack suspects rented homes with cash, say prosecutors



BRUSSELS: -- Belgian prosecutors say some of the suspects in November’s Paris attacks rented properties in three cities in Belgium using cash and false documents.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886434-paris-attack-suspects-rented-homes-with-cash-say-prosecutors/

Obama and Juncker's State of the Union: a tale of two styles



WASHINGTON: -- The State of the Union speech has been a regular feature in the US political calendar since George Washington addressed Congress in 1790. The practice has been copied in Europe; the President of the European Commission has given an annual State of the Union speech to the European Parliament every year since 2010.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886436-obama-and-junckers-state-of-the-union-a-tale-of-two-styles/

Rajoy calls for broad coalition as split parliament reconvenes



MADRID: -- A split parliament reflecting a tricky political landscape in Spain held its first session on Wednesday (Jan. 13).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886437-spains-rajoy-calls-for-broad-coalition-as-split-parliament-reconvenes/

Ocean search for Malaysian airliner finds 2nd shipwreck
By ROD McGUIRK

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The undersea search for the Malaysian airliner that vanished almost two years ago has found a likely 19th century shipwreck deep in the Indian Ocean off the west Australian coast, officials said Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886438-ocean-search-for-malaysian-airliner-finds-2nd-shipwreck/

US Navy sailors released unharmed by Iran in less than a day
By ADAM SCHRECK and ALI AKBAR DAREINI

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — It turned out to be the international crisis that wasn't.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886439-us-navy-sailors-released-unharmed-by-iran-in-less-than-a-day/

US, Iran forge new relationship as nuke deal advances
By MATTHEW LEE and BRADLEY KLAPPER

WASHINGTON (AP) — For diplomats from countries without diplomatic relations, Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javid Zarif sure are doing a lot of diplomacy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886441-us-iran-forge-new-relationship-as-nuke-deal-advances/

Al Jazeera America to shut down cable news channel

LONDON: -- Al Jazeera America will shut down its cable news channel despite spending heavily to break into the US market.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886460-al-jazeera-america-to-shut-down-cable-news-channel/

Turkey: car bomb at police headquarters in Diyarbakir. Media report many casualties. /Euronews

US turning to UN over flow of Central American migrants

WASHINGTON: -- The US is looking to the United Nations for help in dealing with thousands of migrants fleeing to the US to escape violence in Central America.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886462-us-turning-to-un-over-flow-of-central-american-migrants/

Lawyer says jailed Guzman treated worse than Hitler, minister denies
Source: Xinhua

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is being treated worse in prison than Adolf Hitler would have been, one of his lawyers said Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886463-lawyer-says-jailed-el-chapo-guzman-treated-worse-than-hitler-minister-denies/

Obama, Putin discuss Ukraine, Syria, DPRK nuke test
Source: Xinhua

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday made a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine crisis, Syria peace talks and the recent nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886465-obama-putin-discuss-ukraine-syria-n-korea-nuke-test/

Chinese tourists spend $229 billion in 2015

NUREMBERG, Germany - GfK's latest analyses of the Chinese market show that China produced 109 million outbound tourists in 2015 - with retail spend of $229 billion. This is a key milestone in China's outbound tourism history.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886468-chinese-tourists-spend-us229-billion-in-2015/

Anonymous drives Nissan offline in dolphin hunting protest

(BBC) Two of Nissan's main websites have been driven offline by a cyber-attack.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886470-anonymous-drives-nissan-offline-in-dolphin-hunting-protest/

Pennsylvania girl, 12, killed after father aims gun at constable
By Greg Botelho

(CNN)Ciara Meyer stood directly behind her father as he raised a .223-caliber rifle and pointed it at the chest of a constable who'd come to serve an eviction notice at their apartment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886471-pennsylvania-girl-12-killed-after-father-aims-gun-at-constable/

A ghost tower in the sky: Bangkok's creepy abandoned skyscraper
BY ELISABETH TILSTRA (THE LINEUP)

BANGKOK, Jan 14 — Its official name is the Sathorn Unique Tower, though many know it by a different name — the Ghost Tower. What was supposed to be a symbol of class and culture in downtown Bangkok, Thailand is instead a derelict building marred by graffiti, debris, and more than a few haunted rumours.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886472-a-ghost-tower-in-the-sky-bangkoks-creepy-abandoned-skyscraper/

UK a long way from transgender equality, MPs say

LONDON: -- Transgender people in the UK face "high levels of transphobia" on a daily basis and they have "a long way to go" to achieve equality in the UK, MPs say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886476-uk-a-long-way-from-transgender-equality-mps-say/

Australia resists US pressure to boost efforts against IS
ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia said Thursday that it was among 40 countries urged by the United States to increase their military contributions in Iraq and Syria following the Paris attacks in November. But Australia told the U.S. that its commitment would remain largely unchanged.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886477-australia-resists-us-pressure-to-boost-efforts-against-is/

Evacuation ordered as volcano on Flores rumbles to life



JAKARTA: -- Officials have ordered an evacuation of residents living at the feet of Mount Egon on the island of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara province, following an increase in volcanic activity, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886478-indonesia-evacuation-ordered-as-volcano-on-flores-rumbles-to-life/

Joko's public approval improves



JAKARTA: -- Public approval of President Joko Widodo's administration has improved in the last six months even despite the unconvincing performance of his cabinet members, The Jakarta Globe reported, citing a recent survey.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886480-jokos-public-approval-improves/

Luang Prabang improving tourist sites

VIENTIANE: -- Luang Prabang, a tourist destination town, has earmarked US$10 million for the improvement of 20 priority tourist sites, which is now taking place in the two districts of Pak Ou and Chomphet, Lao News Agency reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886482-luang-prabang-improving-tourist-sites/

Fifth Hpakant landslide in one-month span kills three



YANGON: -- Three people were killed in the latest landslide at the jade mines of Kachin State's Hpakant Township on Tuesday night, the fifth in the span of a month, The Irrawaddy reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886485-fifth-hpakant-landslide-in-one-month-span-kills-three/

Philippines, US to fully implement EDCA after SC ruling



MANILA: -- The Department of Foreign Affairs said that with the Supreme Court's endorsement of the constitutionality of the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, the Philippines and the United States are now set to discuss the arrangements for its full implementation, philstar.com reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886488-philippines-us-to-fully-implement-edca-after-sc-ruling/

SET down 13.48 points at opening /Bangkok Post

VN aims to rise to Asean top half by 2020

HANOI: -- Viet Nam News reported that Vietnam is striving to boost its development in the Asean bloc and rise to the upper half within five years, citing the country's latest strategy on international integration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886490-vietnam-aims-to-rise-to-asean-top-half-by-2020/

Hollande's nightmare over nationality
By Hugh Schofield
BBC News, Paris

PARIS: -- Determined to act tough after November's attacks, France's President, Francois Hollande, finds himself trapped in a damaging ideological fix over French nationality, and whether certain convicted terrorists can be made to give it up.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886491-hollandes-nightmare-over-nationality/

Motorbikes to be seized from Phuket’s helmet-less drivers


Phuket Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada.

PHUKET: -- Phuket Governor Chamroen Tippayapongtada on Tuesday (Jan 12) announced a war on helmet-less motorcycle drivers and ordered all departments to put in place checks for 100 per cent helmet wearing in order to promote road safety on the island. Motorcycles will be seized from those who do not adhere to the law.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886492-motorbikes-to-be-seized-from-phukets-helmet-less-drivers/

TOKYO (AP) - Strong earthquake shakes northern Japan with preliminary magnitude of 6.7; no tsunami warning.

Six fishermen died mysteriously at sea



RANONG: -- Six fishermen, one Thai and five Cambodians, have died from mysterious sickness, while they were on board two trawlers fishing in high sea near the Indian Ocean.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/886494-six-fishermen-die-from-mysterious-illness-at-sea/