Indonesian Erwiana Sulistyaningsih called for equal rights for all migrant workers in Hong Kong at a news conference on Tuesday (February) after her former employer was found guilty of abusing her. Erwiana stood with migrant worker representatives at the news conference holding up signs that said “End Slavery”. The landmark case triggered outrage over mistreatment of maids and shed light on abuse that many women face in overseas jobs. Former beautician Law Wan-tung, 44, sobbed […]
International
Malaysia’s Anwar jailed for five years after losing appeal in sodomy trial
(Reuters) – Malaysia’s highest court rejected on Tuesday an appeal by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim against a 2014 sodomy conviction, sending the politician who poses the greatest threat to the long-ruling party back to prison for five years. Human Rights Watch condemned the court decision, decrying what it called Anwar’s persecution which it said put at risk the democratic freedom of all Malaysians. Anwar, the ruling party’s rising star in the mid-1990s before he fell […]
Obama readying request to use force vs Islamic State
(Reuters) – The White House will ask Congress by Wednesday for new authority to use force against Islamic State fighters, congressional aides said on Monday, paving the way for lawmakers’ first vote on the scope of a campaign that is already six months old. The United States is leading an international coalition against Islamic State, and PresidentBarack Obama launched an air campaign in August against the militant fighters, who have killed thousands of people while […]
Polar bear aids scientists in research
Tatqiq, a 14-year-old polar bear at the San Diego Zoo, is helping scientists gain knowledge of her endangered species by simply wearing a specialized collar. Over several months, the 520-pound polar bear has been fitted daily with a collar that essentially tracks her movements so biologists can understand the behaviors of polar bears. The 2.5-pound white collar is outfitted with an accelerometer, which measures her movements, and Tatqiq is wearing it as part of a […]
Chilean mountaineers find plane lost in Andes over 53 years ago
After a grueling journey up into the rarefied air of the Andes mountains, an expedition team announced on Sunday (February 8) it has discovered the fuselage of a passenger plane that went missing over a half century ago. The LAN Chile Douglas DC-3 twin-propeller aircraft was reported missing on April 3, 1961, near the city of Linares, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of the Chilean capital of Santiago. The airline, now part of Latam […]
Madonna, Beyonce, Sia rock Grammys
The Grammy awards, music’s biggest night, is as much about the lively performances and often rare collaborations between big names as it is about the awards handed out across 82 categories. The evening opened with a medley songs by Australian hard rockers AC/DC. Numerous artists opted to strip down their performances to showcase their music. Known to be a stage where veterans and current music stars come together, British singers Jessie J and Tom Jones […]
DTI backs PH fashion retail brands’ entry in ASEAN market
MANILA – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its commercial offices abroad, has been supporting Philippine companies such as fashion retail brands to get a foothold of the ASEAN and Asian market in keeping with this year’s full integration of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). “We intend to assist local companies with established brands, expand in the international market by partnering with foreign companies particularly in ASEAN countries, and promote the Philippines as a reliable […]
Gunmen fire on Marseille police as PM Valls visits city
(Reuters) – Gunmen fired on a police car in Marseille on Monday in what local officials said was a drug-related incident, just hours before a visit by Prime Minister Manuel Valls to hail a drop in crime in France’s second city. Residents of the La Castellane neighborhood on the north side of the city, home to some 7,000, were told to stay indoors. A creche was evacuated as troops from the GIPN special forces unit […]
Nigerians flood into Niger to escape Boko Haram attacks
Video released by the United Nation’s World Food Programme(WFP) on Monday (February 9) showed the desperate situation of refugees and displaced people fleeing attacks by Islamic sect Boko Haram in the Diffa region of southeast of Niger, near the border with Nigeria. Relief agencies are scaling up their response to the refugee influx but insecurity is making it increasingly difficult to operate, especially in remote areas. “There has been fierce fighting and the challenge is […]
‘American Sniper’ Texas murder trial nears as jurors’ screening completed
Final jury selection began on Monday (February 9) in a Texas courtfor the trial of the U.S. veteran accused of fatally shooting former Navy SEALChris Kyle, whose best-selling autobiography was turned into the hit movie “American Sniper.” The screening of about 800 potential jurors began last week in a court in rural Erath County for the trial of Eddie Ray Routh, 27, charged with murdering Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield in 2013 at a […]
Obama says has not made a decision on lethal weapons for Ukraine
(Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama signaled on Monday he will wait for the results of high-stakes talks on Ukraine before deciding whether to arm the Kiev government, saying diplomacy and sanctions remain his preferred tools to resolve the crisis. Obama, at a White House news conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said providing weapons to Ukrainewas among the options he and his advisors were considering. But he made clear he had reservations about […]
IS hostage John Cantlie appears in new propaganda film
Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria released a video on Monday (February 9) apparently showing captive British journalist John Cantlie “reporting” from Syria’s largest city of Aleppo. The documentary-style 12 minute video was posted on social media sites. It is called ‘Inside Aleppo’ and features Cantlie touring the city, which he calls by its ancient name, Haleb. Speaking directly to the camera, a pale looking Cantlie, dressed in a brown jacket and black […]
