Thailand Live Wednesday 20 Jan 2016

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UPDATE:

UN report: Iraqi civilians dying at a 'staggering' rate
By SUSANNAH GEORGE

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq witnessed a sharp increase in civilian deaths following the fall of large swaths of territory to the Islamic State group in the summer of 2014. Now despite a string of recent battlefield losses for IS, civilians in Iraq continue to die at a "staggering" rate, according to a new United Nations report.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/887997-un-report-reveals-iraqis-suffered-horror-before-fleeing-to-europe/#entry10329319

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Election-year clash on immigration heads to Supreme Court
By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court stepped into a boiling political dispute over immigration Tuesday, setting up a likely decision in the middle of a presidential campaign marked by harsh rhetoric about immigrants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888001-election-year-clash-on-immigration-heads-to-us-supreme-court/

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Cruz dons face paint in appeal to hunters, gun owners
By MICHAEL BIESECKER and WILL WEISSERT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's an image football fans in Iowa are likely to see this weekend: Ted Cruz, his face smeared with black greasepaint, sitting in a Louisiana duck blind with a borrowed shotgun.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888003-cruz-dons-face-paint-in-appeal-to-hunters-gun-owners/

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Polish PM rebuffs EU criticism of media laws



BRUSSELS: -- Poland’s prime minister has rebuffed EU criticism of her government’s media and judicial reforms.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888005-polish-pm-rebuffs-eu-criticism-of-media-laws/

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Champagne flowed when released Americans finally left Iran
By CHRISTOPH NOELTING and FRANK JORDANS

LANDSTUHL, Germany (AP) — Pale but smiling, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati recounted Tuesday how disbelief turned to joy when he and three fellow Americans realized that they were being released as part of a deal with Iran and reunited with their families after spending years in Iranian prison.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888006-champagne-flowed-when-released-americans-finally-left-iran/

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Jews welcome in Russia, Putin tells Europe's Jewish leaders



"They emigrated from here under Soviet Union, but now they can come back."

MOSCOW: -- Russian president Vladimir Putin has met with European Jewish leaders to discuss their concerns over rising anti-Semitism on the continent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888007-jews-welcome-in-russia-putin-tells-europes-jewish-leaders/

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Illegal Casino in Fang Raided
by CityNews

CityNews – Soldiers surrounded a local underground casino in Fang district, arresting 25 gamblers and seizing around 200,000 baht in cash.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888008-illegal-casino-in-fang-raided/

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Aborted Baby Found in Trash Fire
by CityNews

CityNews – The body of an aborted baby was found burned in a trash pile in Chiang Dao by villagers on January 18.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888009-aborted-baby-found-in-trash-fire-in-chiang-dao/

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North Korea's latest boast: Alcohol without the hangover
Lin Taylor, for CNN

(CNN)It put the world on edge after its supposed hydrogen bomb test. But perhaps we can learn to love North Korea now that it claims to have invented a revolutionary liquor that won't leave you bleary-eyed and hungover.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888011-north-korea-invents-hangover-free-alcohol/

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Donald Trump presidential bid gets Sarah Palin backing

WASHINGTON: -- Donald Trump's Republican presidential bid has received the backing of Sarah Palin, the populist ex-governor of Alaska who was the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888014-donald-trump-presidential-bid-gets-sarah-palin-backing/

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Woman's Day Ruined When Husband's Pre-Paid Mobile Had No Credits

JABALPUR: -- Vodafone India, the second largest cell phone provider in the nation, is unhappy with the company’s recent bout of media attention.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888026-indian-womans-day-ruined-when-husbands-pre-paid-mobile-had-no-credits/

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Tusk gives the EU two months to 'save Schengen'



"The March European Council will be the last moment to see if our strategy works. If it doesn't, we will face grave consequences such as the collapse of Schengen"

STRASBOURG: -- The EU has “no more than two months” to solve the migrant crisis and save its passport-free Schengen zone.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888027-tusk-gives-the-eu-two-months-to-save-schengen/

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The last great master of Italian cinema, Ettore Scola dies aged 84



ROME: -- The Italian screen writer and director Ettore Scola has died in Rome at the age of 84.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888029-the-last-great-master-of-italian-cinema-ettore-scola-dies-aged-84/

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Cabinet approves rubber purchase plan, effective on Jan 25



BANGKOK, 20 January 2016 (NNT) – The Cabinet has given the green light to the plan under which 100,000 tons of rubber will be bought at 45 baht per kilogram from January 25 onwards.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888032-thai-cabinet-approves-rubber-purchase-plan-effective-on-jan-25/

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U.S. Supreme Court to hear case challenging Obama's executive actions on immigration

Source: Xinhua

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888001-election-year-clash-on-immigration-heads-to-us-supreme-court/

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Finnish police investigate 15 suspected sexual offenses on New Year's Eve
Source: Xinhua

HELSINKI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Finnish police are investigating 15 suspected sexual offenses which occurred in Helsinki on New Year's Eve, said the Helsinki Police Department on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888034-finnish-police-investigate-15-suspected-sexual-offenses-on-new-years-eve/

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White House says missing American may no longer be in Iran
Source: Xinhua

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Tuesday the U.S. has reason to believe that missing former FBI agent Robert Levinson is no longer in Iran.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888036-white-house-says-missing-american-may-no-longer-be-in-iran/

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BBC journalist Rana Rahimpour stopped from flying to US

LONDON: -- A BBC journalist with dual British-Iranian nationality has been prevented from flying to the US after falling foul of changes to visa rules.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888038-bbc-journalist-stopped-from-flying-to-us/

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Clinton receives endorsement from largest LGBT organization
By KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign was endorsed Tuesday by the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888042-clinton-receives-endorsement-from-largest-lgbt-organization/

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Myanmar memorial service for murdered women

YANGON: -- Hundreds of people have attended a memorial service in the city of Yangon, Myanmar, for two young women who were raped and murdered a year ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888043-myanmar-memorial-service-for-murdered-women/

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Migrant crisis: Norway begins deportations to Russia

OSLO: -- Norway has sent 13 migrants back to Russia under new rules expected to see thousands deported by bus, reports say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888044-norway-sends-migrants-back-to-russia/

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Navy SEAL allegedly kept picture of Osama bin Laden's corpse

By Eric Bradner and Ryan Browne, CNN

Washington (CNN)A Navy SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden allegedly kept an unauthorized photo of his corpse, The Intercept reported Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888046-us-navy-seal-allegedly-kept-picture-of-osama-bin-ladens-corpse/

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Saudi foreign minister deeply skeptical of Iran deal
By Ashley Fantz, CNN

(CNN)In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister expressed cautious optimism about the Iran nuclear deal and defended his country's execution of a Shiite cleric beloved by Iran.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888047-saudi-foreign-minister-deeply-skeptical-of-iran-deal/

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British MPs debate Trump ban, label him 'crazy,' a 'buffoon,' a 'wazzock'
By Tim Hume, CNN

London (CNN)Donald Trump is used to being the one doing the tough talk.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888049-british-mps-debate-trump-ban-label-him-crazy-a-buffoon-a-wazzock/

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UPDATE:

Sarah Palin: 'No more pussyfooting around' if Trump elected
By JILL COLVIN

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump received the endorsement Tuesday of conservative firebrand Sarah Palin, giving the billionaire businessman a potential boost less than two weeks before Iowa's kick-off caucuses.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888014-donald-trump-presidential-bid-gets-sarah-palin-backing/?p=10329973#entry10329973

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Los Angeles to pay $24.3M to 2 wrongly convicted men

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to pay a total of $24.3 million to two men who each spent decades in prison for murder before they were exonerated.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888050-los-angeles-to-pay-243m-to-2-wrongly-convicted-men/

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Indonesia to revise anti-terrorism law



JAKARTA: -- The Jakarta Globe reported that leaders of the executive and legislative bodies of Indonesia have agreed to revise the 2006 Anti-Terrorism Law in order to strengthen preventative measures.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888053-indonesia-to-revise-anti-terrorism-law/

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Joko vows actions against police, military officials who fail to prevent forest fires



JAKARTA: -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo has threatened to punish police and military officials who fail to prevent forest and land fires for recurring this year, reported The Jakarta Globe.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888055-joko-vows-actions-against-police-military-officials-who-fail-to-prevent-forest-fires/

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Canada excluded from anti-Islamic State coalition meeting
By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — Canada has been excluded from a meeting of defense ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants. The apparent snub follows new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that he would remove the country's six fighter jets from the anti-IS coalition at a time the U.S. is looking for its allies to step up their contributions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888056-canada-excluded-from-anti-islamic-state-coalition-meeting/

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Asean-Russian eminent people meet in Vientiane

VIENTIANE: -- The first meeting of the Asean-Russia Eminent Person Group (AREPG) was held in Vientiane on Tuesday, Jan 19, to review the Asean-Russian dialogue partnership and cooperation over the past two decades, Lao News Agency reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888057-asean-russian-eminent-people-meet-in-vientiane/