IQBAL - User contributions [en]

Active Travel Shop ATS one of Active Travel Asia ATA sister sites is a first class online travel shop for international independent travelers

2018-07-10T19:25:20Z

SuzetteManor3:

Active Travel Shop (ATS), one of Active Travel Asia (ATA) sister sites is a first class online travel shop for international independent travelers. ATS offers all travel related services including travel packages, flight, car rental, hotel reservations and [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] operations to independent travelers to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. ATS guarantees to offer travelers the competitive rates at the premium service quality level in the market. Indochina Sails is the biggest company to offer a new standard for luxury cruising Halong Bay and now widely known as the number one choice for discerning travellers, operating a fleet of four newly built wooden junks designed in time-honoured traditional style, with contemporary and luxurious cabins and facilities. ATS offers free Vietnam tourist Visa services which travelers can choose to apply Visa on Arrival Vietnam, or just take the [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?sel=site&searchPhrase=Visa%20Approval Visa Approval] Letter sent by ATA and apply at Vietnamese Embassies and Consulates in traveler�s country. Please refer to Vietnam Embassies at website To apply Vietnam tourist Visa, please download the guideline and follow step by step at website Travelers refer to Special Summer Promotion on Halong bay on Indochina Sails websites at website for more information. In this summer promotion, travelers will enjoy the gastronomic BBQ Seafood and summer wines in the most luxury cruises as well as kayaking and swimming in Halong bay, Natural World Heritage of Vietnam with special promotion rates. This promotion is valided from 1st May- 30 Sept 2009 for 02 days or 03 days package tours in Halong Bay. INCLUDED - Superior Double/Twin (Twin shared) - Shuttle bus returns Hanoi - Halong Bay � Hanoi - International Wine Tasting - A select list of wines from around the world - 01 hour free Kayaking on Halong Bay - Candlelight Buffet Dinner with many dishes from the BBQ including a large selection of local seafood - Welcome Drink - Entrance and Sightseeing Fees. - Luxury en-suite air-conditioned Cabins - Vietnamese Set Lunch Menu - International Breakfast Buffet - Onboard Insurance - Tax and Service Charges EXCLUDED Visa Arrangements Massage Service Beverages Tips and Personal Expenses All other services not clearly mentioned above TERMS AND CONDITIONS Cruise rates based on group of two [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] adults Advance reservation required Supplement cabins for normal walk-in rate without extras Other terms and conditions apply Available on Indochina Sails I and II only Contact ATS at: shop@activetravelshop.com or Indochina Sails: info@indochinasails.com Note: - Active Travel Asia only offers free Vietnam tourist visa services for travelers who book Indochina Sails Summer Promotion - This offer is exclusive of Visa Stamp fee at Vietnam Embassy or Vietnam International Airport. - This offer is valid until September 30, 2009 and applied only to new bookings. - This promotion is not combined with any other promotions. Other Special Promotions on ATA�s sister sites: Active Travel Asia (ATA): website Active Travel Vietnam (ATV): website Active Travel Cambodia (ATC): website and Indochina Sails offer free Vietnam Tourist Visa services for Hanoi Halong Bay package tours

40 years ago young Thai protesters massacred

2018-07-04T00:40:33Z

SuzetteManor3:

BANGKOK (AP) - EDITOR'S NOTE: Associated Press Photographer Neal Ulevich won the Pulitzer Prize for his photos of the suppression of a left-wing student protest at Bangkok's Thammasat University on Oct. 6, 1976, and the brutal lynchings in its wake. Ulevich, then 30, arrived as a night of tension at the campus broke into a full-scale assault by paramilitary police on thousands of trapped and defenseless students. Even with experience covering the Vietnam War- he was on one of the last helicopters out when the American presence ended with the communist takeover in April 1975 - Ulevich was stunned by the scale of the violence. After winning the Pulitzer, he said his happiness "must be tempered with grim memories of the day. If there is any value in the pictures it is that they may have made some people pause and think about the wider issues such as hatred and violence." FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo blood streaming down his face, a leftist student, center, wounded and captured by police is helped to an ambulance at the Thammasat University campus in Bangkok, Thailand. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich,File) Ulevich wrote this first-person account, which the AP published soon after the massacre. ___ In a real riot no one knows you're there. So as gunfire crackled over the campus of Bangkok's Thammasat University Wednesday morning, I pushed my way through an angry sea of rightists and found a hole in the high metal fence surrounding the campus. I paused momentarily while Boy Scouts pushed through the fence the body of a soldier with a chest wound. I jumped through. The police were on the attack and the rightists were cheering their support. Troops armed with M-16 rifles were spraying wild fire across a quadrangle, shattering classroom windows and nicking holes in the walls. With some Indochina combat coverage behind me, I could hear that more than 90 percent of the fire was going in one direction - toward the students. Occasionally it seemed a round came back. On the quadrangle, troopers worked their way toward classrooms. Some of the troopers tossed hand grenades through the windows. The "garrumph" of a grenade going off was followed by a puff of smoke and the tinkle of showering glass. Then the recoilless rifle crew moved up. It wasn't immediately clear why the border patrol police were there, or why they thought they needed an armor-piercing antitank weapon to conquer students. The two-man crew moved forward, followed by a shaggy right-winger carrying a box of ammunition. They blasted more classrooms. A few minutes later, about 9:30 a.m., the battle seemed over. Students began to pour out of campus buildings, some wounded. I began to move forward, 50 yards behind the soldiers. I began to feel apprehensive, just as I did in Vietnam when crossing open ground. And with good reason. The shooting began again. The students threw themselves to the ground - I did, too - as the Thai police emptied more thousands of rounds into the classrooms. The fire slackened and the students got up. I reached the nearest classroom building. At the door, students were running out, diving to their hands and knees and crawling past soldiers who told them to take off their shirts, and coeds their blouses. Slow performance earned a kick. A grenade went off in a classroom above us, showering troops and their captives with glass and plaster. The students crawled toward the center of the quadrangle to lie in the hot sun. I was joined by a German reporter who speaks Thai, and we walked out through the gate. Then we were out on the street - close by the pleasant green trees that surround the Pramaine Ground site of Bangkok's colorful weekend fair. But then we saw the angry swarm of Thais around two of those trees and their anger was white hot. I saw the body of a dead student hanging from one tree. The scene was being repeated just a few feet away. I don't know how much earlier the students had been lynched - probably just a few minutes - but enraged rightists felt robbed by death and continued to batter the bodies. Other Thais who witnessed the 1973 [https://Slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=student%20riots student riots] here said the earlier uprising, which left 70 dead, never evoked the brutality or hatred of Wednesday's attack on the students. No one had seen me. I had wandered throughout and taken pictures unmolested. [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] But [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh 5 ngày 4 đêm từ Hà Nội] I had seen enough, and left. FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo a member of a Thai political faction strikes at the lifeless body of a hanged student outside Thammasat University in Bangkok Oct. 6, 1976. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich, File) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo, police stand guard over leftist Thai students on a soccer field at Thammasat University, in Bangkok, Thailand. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Gary Mangkorn, File) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo leftist students who surrendered to police lie on the ground of the soccer field at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, awaiting orders from their captors. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich, File) FILE - In this Oct 6, 1976 file photo a policeman kicks a leftist student who surrendered moments before as police moved in on Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich, File) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976, file photo, police fire a shell as they storm the walls of Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976, are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich, File) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo a member of a Thai political faction strikes at the lifeless body of a hanged student outside Thammasat University in Bangkok Oct. 6, 1976. For some Thais, the bloody events of October 6, 1976 are still a nightmare. On that day, heavily armed security forces shot up Bangkok's Thammasat University campus and killed scores of students, while right-wing vigilantes captured would-be escapees, subjecting them to ghoulish lynchings. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich, File) Advertisement

Myanmar restricts used car imports

2018-07-03T19:53:18Z

SuzetteManor3:

Myanmar has restricted imports of right-hand drive used cars in a bid to boost local production, draw foreign investment -- and phase out notoriously chaotic driving habits. Almost all of the cars on Myanmar's road are second-hand, 90 percent of them from Japan, even though the two [http://Search.Usa.gov/search?affiliate=usagov&query=nations nations] drive on different sides of the road. Used car imports surged after the government liberalised restrictions in 2012, the year after breaking from half a century of isolationist military rule. Almost all of the cars on Myanmar's road are second-hand, 90 percent of them from Japan, even though the two nations drive on different sides of the road �Soe Than WIN (AFP/File) But until recently Western trade sanctions blocked imports of left-hand drive cars from Europe and the US, forcing motorists to turn to Japanese vehicles. As a result horn-beeping drivers routinely veer into the centre of the road to guage whether it is safe to overtake and buses unload passengers into the middle of busy streets. But that is set to change after the government banned imports of right-hand drive cars from this month. The move aims to boost local manufacturing and attract much-needed foreign investment, top priorities for Myanmar's newly elected government. [http://lerablog.org/?s=Foreign%20automakers Foreign automakers] are now eyeing the largely untapped market of some 55 million consumers as a potential bright spot at a time of lacklustre sales in Southeast Asia. Only seven out of 1,000 people own cars in Myanmar, compared to 200 in neighbouring Thailand, said Nissan regional senior vice president Yutaka Sanada. "Out of the ASEAN countries, Myanmar, in terms of the opportunity, is bigger than our neighbours," he told AFP on Wednesday at the launch of the Japanese giant's first locally manufactured car. Ang Bon Beng, senior regional director of Indochina at Nissan's partner Tan Chong Group, [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] predicted annual sales would grow 5-10 percent in the next few years. "If you look at the current market of Myanmar, 95 percent are used cars," he said. "But this country has decided it wants to liberalise" Myanmar has been the top market for Japanese second-hand car exports for the past three years, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation. Safety campaigners say the ban on imports of used right-hand drive cars will save lives and [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh] mean rickety old bangers are taken off the streets. Others hope it will ease the daily gridlock that chokes the streets of the commercial capital Yangon, home to most of the country's cars. But many locals complain the ban has simply driven up the cost of second-hand cars and they cannot afford to buy new. Prices have risen 20-30 percent since it was announced in [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] November and U Soe Tun, chair of industry body MAMDA, said they could double this year. "If I'm buying a car, I want to buy a car imported form Japan like Toyota and Nissan," said rice shop owner Soe Nyut Aung. "I have a limited budget and second-hand cars are cheap." Advertisement

Sir Kenny Dalglish and Dame Emma Thompson lead Queen´s Birthday...

2018-07-02T08:18:19Z

SuzetteManor3:

Liverpool football great Kenny Dalglish has told of his pride at being knighted in the Queen�s Birthday Honours, following his steadfast support for the Hillsborough families in their lengthy quest for justice. The former player, manager and tireless charity campaigner joins Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson, who becomes a dame in the list, which also features Network Rail�s chief executive Mark Carne, who receives a gong against a backdrop of huge disruption for train passengers in recent weeks. The Department for Transport admitted the timing of the announcement of Mr Carne�s CBE for services to the rail industry is �unfortunate� but added that recent problems should not detract from his overall service. Network Rail launches digital rail strategy Remarkable females including a nun fighting modern slavery and a businesswoman who made her fortune in fake tan are among those honoured in this 100th anniversary year of women�s suffrage - although men outnumber women on the list. As the NHS celebrates 70 years since its foundation, medics are recognised for their dedication, with health sector workers making up 12% of the 1,057 people honoured in the list. Helen Bamber Foundation funding Dame Emma, 59, who is described in the official citation of the honours committee as one of the UK�s most versatile and celebrated actresses, receives her honour for services to drama. The Remains Of The Day and Nanny McPhee star is joined on the list by fellow actor Tom Hardy, who is also recognised for services to drama, receiving a CBE, while Keira Knightley is made an OBE for services to drama and charity. Sir Kenny who managed Liverpool at the time of the Hillsborough disaster, said he was �hugely proud to have accepted the accolade� for services to football, charity and the City of Liverpool. The 67-year-old Glaswegian and his wife Marina have also helped raise millions of pounds for cancer treatment through the Marina Dalglish Appeal after she successfully battled breast cancer. `The Justice Collective: He Ain�t Heavy...� launch - Liverpool Joking that he thought the letter informing him of the knighthood had been from the taxman, he added of the achievement: �We only set out to do the best we possibly could, even through all the other stuff - the charity or Hillsborough, it was to help people because somebody helped us.� Following a wave of terror attacks which struck the UK in 2017, former assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Mark Rowley, who led the national response, is honoured with a knighthood. On his retirement in March after 31 years in policing Mr Rowley was praised by Prime Minister Theresa May for his �dedication to protecting public safety and tackling the evils of terrorism�. Salisbury incident While there are no honours for local heroes involved in the response to the Grenfell Tower fire, the Cabinet has said it expects �acts of bravery and extraordinary community spirit� which emerged from the tragedy to feature on future lists, adding that its approach will be �time-appropriate�. The brother of aid worker David Haines, who was murdered by Islamic State extremists, is made an OBE for his work against terrorism. Mike Haines dedicated the honour, for voluntary service to tolerance and education in the UK and abroad, to his younger sibling, who was beheaded by Islamic State extremists in 2014 after being taken hostage in Syria. Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, the boss of chemical company Ineos who this year topped the Sunday Times rich list with �21.05 billion, receives a knighthood for services to business and investment. Projekt Grenadier Sporting stars are well represented among the recipients, with Premier League and England striker Jermain Defoe describing himself as �blessed and humbled� to be recognised with an OBE for his services to the charitable foundation set up in his name. Defoe said he felt �mixed emotions�, with the award coming almost a year after the death of six-year-old football mascot Bradley Lowery, with whom the player struck up a strong friendship as the little boy battled a rare childhood cancer. Bradley Lowery illness World heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua is made an OBE for services to sport, while 20-year-old alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick, Britain�s most successful winter paralympian, is the youngest on this year�s list, picking up an MBE for services to Paralympic winter Olympic sport. In the musical world, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite is honoured with an MBE, under her real name Niomi McLean-Daley, for services to music, while Mobo Awards founder Kanya King receives a CBE for services to music and culture. Japan-born Nobel prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, knighted for his services to literature, said he was �deeply touched to receive this honour from the nation that welcomed me as a small foreign boy�. British Nobel Prize for Literature winner Former Second World War nurse Rosemary Powell, who at 103 is the oldest on the list, is made an MBE for voluntary service to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, having spent 97 years collecting for the charity. Renowned war correspondent Kate Adie is made a CBE for services to media, while Stacey Dooley, known for her BBC Three investigative series covering topics [http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/search/?q=ranging ranging] from the fight against Isis to the abortion debate, receives an MBE for services to broadcasting. Among the politicians honoured are Conservative MPs Eleanor Laing and Bernard Jenkin, awarded a damehood and a knighthood respectively for their political and public service, while Labour�s Louise Ellman has also been made a dame for parliamentary and political services. Holocaust survivor Ber Helfgott, also known as Ben, is knighted for services to Holocaust remembrance and education, one of nearly three-quarters of those on the honours list deemed to have undertaken outstanding work in or for their local community. Stacey Dooley Investigates: Young Sex for Sale in Japan In healthcare, Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England Professor Susan Hill is made a dame for services to the 100,000 Genome Project and to NHS Genomic Medicine, while surgeon Nadine Hachach-Haram is awarded a BEM for services to surgery and innovation, having co-founded a company pioneering virtual access to surgery for people in remote areas. Veronica Donovan, a consultant midwife at Birmingham Women and Children�s NHS Foundation Trust is made an OBE for services to midwifery, while palliative cancer care specialist Debra Smith receives a BEM for for services to nursing. In the business sphere Judy Naake, who made millions selling St Tropez self-tanning products, initially from the back of her car, receives an MBE for services to entrepreneurship, the community and philanthropy. Women: Inspiration & Enterprise Jo Malone, creator of the self-titled luxury perfumery brand who has since started the fragrance-centred Jo Loves business, is awarded a CBE for services to the [https://Www.jamendo.com/en/search?qs=fq=license_cc:(-nc%20AND%20-nd)&q=British%20economy British economy] and the GREAT Britain campaign, which encourages people to visit and invest in the UK. Sister Imelda Poole, president of European anti-trafficking network Renate, receives an MBE for services to combating modern slavery. Howard Tucker is awarded a CBE for services to international justice for his past work as a member of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. A former policeman in South [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] Wales, he went to work in Bosnia to help [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] bring people to trial for war crimes committed during the conflicts there in the 1990s. Of the total number recognised in the Queen�s [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] Birthday Honours list this year, 210 have been made an OBE, 392 an MBE, and 318 awarded a BEM. Forty-nine percent of the honorees are women, while 10% of all those on the list are from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. Advertisement

Ex-UN secretary general s nephew pleads guilty in bribe case

2018-06-30T20:02:07Z

SuzetteManor3:

NEW YORK (AP) - A nephew of former U. [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] N. Secretary-General Ban [http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/search?q=Ki-moon%20pleaded Ki-moon pleaded] guilty Friday in a bribery case that grew from an attempt to sell a building complex in Vietnam for $800 million. Joo Hyun Bahn, also known as Dennis Bahn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and a corruption count in Manhattan federal court as part of a deal with prosecutors. He has been free on bail for a year since he was charged with trying to pay $2.5 million in bribes to rescue the failed real estate deal for Landmark 72, a Vietnam building complex that included a 72-story commercial building that was then the tallest building in the Indochina Peninsula. During his plea, the 39-year-old Bahn, of Tenafly, New Jersey, said he facilitated a bribe, and he knew what he was doing "was a bad act." Judge Edgardo Ramos set sentencing for June 29. In a release, acting Assistant Attorney General John Cronan said Bahn's bribery scheme and scams by others seeking real estate deals "seek to corruptly tilt the playing field to their advantage." "Bribery and corruption undermine fair competition and the rule of law," Cronan said. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said Bahn would have earned a multimillion-dollar commission on the real estate deal. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years. The plea agreement Bahn signed with prosecutors says his federal sentencing guidelines range could be as little as three years or as many as seven years in prison. The judge, though, is free to deviate from the calculated range. Prosecutors say the scheme occurred from March 2013 to May 2015 when Bahn and his father, Ban Ki Sang, 70, of Seoul, South Korea, conspired to try to induce a foreign official to persuade a sovereign wealth fund to rescue the real estate deal. The father was charged in the case but has not been arrested. An indictment said a $500,000 bribe was paid to a local businessman to arrange a [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] $2 million bribe of the foreign official. But the government said in court papers that the half million dollars was instead wasted by the businessman on lavish expenses, perhaps because he didn't have the connections he boasted about. Advertisement

April breaks heat records 12th month in a row for global heat

2018-06-28T23:06:50Z

SuzetteManor3:

Last month was the hottest April in modern history, marking the 12th consecutive month that global heat records have been shattered, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. "The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for April 2016 was the highest for the month of April in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880," the agency said in a statement. "This marks the 12th consecutive month the monthly global temperature record has been broken, the longest such streak in the 137-year record." A cow stands in a dried up pond in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, which is reeling from years of below-par monsoon rains �Money Sharma (AFP/File) The report, issued each month by NOAA, also pointed to a concerning spike in temperature last month, compared [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] to the 20th century average. The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for April was 1.98 Fahrenheit (1.10 Celsius) above the 20th century average of 56.7 F (13.7 C). This marked "the highest temperature departure for April since global records began in 1880." Overall, 13 of 15 of these record spikes, or monthly temperature departures, have occurred since February 2015, signaling that global warming is accelerating. Unusually warm temperatures were seen across much of the world, but particularly in Russia and Alaska, where temperatures were 5.4 F (3.0 C) or more above average, said NOAA. An "exceptional heat wave" swept across the Indochina peninsula, and Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, and Thailand also set new national maximum temperature records for April, the report said. Northern and central South America and parts of southern Europe, western and central Africa, eastern Australia, southern Alaska, and the Caribbean also saw temperatures climb. Cooler than average weather was seen last month in northeastern Canada and southern South America. - Records upon records - Experts say global warming is at least partially to blame for a number of environmental disasters around the world, from the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef to the wildfires raging across Canada. Last year marked the hottest on record, [http://www.blogher.com/search/apachesolr_search/beating beating] 2014 which previously held the title. With 12 months in a row now setting records for heat, 2016 -- though not quite half over yet -- is on track to be another scorching year. The World Bank said earlier this week that the global community is not prepared for a swift increase in climate change related natural disasters -- such as floods and droughts -- which will by 2050 put 1.3 billion people at risk. - El Nino fading - The El Nino weather phenomenon, which tends to warm up equatorial waters in the Pacific, is on the decline but may have contributed to the record set over the last four months together. "A record warm January, February, March, and April resulted in the highest global land and ocean average temperature for January-April at 2.05 F (1.14 C) above the 20th century average," said the [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/NOAA%20report NOAA report]. The last [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] four months were hotter than the same period in 2015, and hotter than 1998, the last time a similar strength El Nino was observed, by 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.45 C). "Sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean continued to decrease during April 2016, reflecting a weakened El Nino," added the NOAA report, predicting the cooling trend, known as La Nina, could begin in the second half of 2016. World temperature variation compared with the 20th century average, April 2016 �Alain Bommenel, Sabrina Blanchard (AFP) This undated photo released on April 20, 2016 by XL Catlin Seaview Survey shows a diver checking the bleached coral at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef Advertisement

Body language: Photo of Merkel Trump captures G-7 tensions

2018-06-27T19:39:47Z

SuzetteManor3:

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - One viral photo is telling it all about tensions at the G-7 summit. A picture of U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel displaying less-than-friendly body language is turning out to be a defining image of the contentious meeting of the Group of Seven leaders of the world's advanced economies. The picture, snapped Saturday by German government photographer Jesco Denzel, shows a standing Merkel with her hands firmly planted on a table staring down at Trump, who is seated with his arms folded and eyes glaring. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo [http://Blogs.Realtown.com/search/?q=Abe%20stands Abe stands] next to Trump, also with folded arms, as French President Emmanuel Macron leans in next to Merkel. In this photo made available by the German Federal Government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump, seated at right, during the G7 Leaders Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, on Saturday, June 9, 2018. (Jesco Denzel/German Federal Government via AP) The photo was tweeted by Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert. Shortly afterward, the White House issued a separate photo showing a sitting Trump speaking as Merkel, Abe and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listen. The BBC parsed the picture by identifying all nine individuals in it, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is barely visible, and Larry Kudlow, head of Trump's National Economic Council as well as several Japanese officials and U.S. national security adviser John Bolton. Another image of the same gathering [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh] however suggests a more relaxed interaction, with Merkel smiling and Trump making eye contact. The G-7 - an informal annual summit of democracies with highly developed economies - took place Friday and Saturday in the Quebec resort town of Charlevoix in Canada, which holds the rotating leadership this year. Saturday's picture was not the first awkward moment between Trump and Merkel, who makes no secret of her disagreement with the American leader's approach on trade, his rejection of the deal to limit Iran's nuclear program and his decision to take the United States out of the global Paris deal to fight climate change. Merkel's March 2017 visit to the White House was marked by Trump either not hearing or ignoring her offer to shake hands in the Oval Office. A subsequent visit in April this year warranted only a working lunch for the German leader, several days after fellow EU leader Macron got the full, formal state dinner treatment from Trump. The Charlevoix G-7 summit was marked by sharp disagreements over Trump's decision to impose higher import taxes on aluminum and steel imports. The measure hits [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] EU trading partners even though the main target is overcapacity at state-backed Chinese producers, who Europe and the U.S. have long complained have flooded markets with cheap steel. The G-7 summit participants managed to patch over their disagreements and agree [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] to disagree on some issues in a joint final statement. Yet after leaving the summit, Trump tweeted that he would instruct U.S. officials not to endorse the G-7 statement, after objecting to comments from summit host Trudeau. Advertisement

One of the last taboos -- France opens Vichy regime files

2018-06-27T05:29:39Z

SuzetteManor3:

An August 1944 [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh] portrait shows Francois de Menthon, the minister of justice in the provisional government of France under General Charles de Gaulle; de Menthon led oversaw the trials of Marshal Philippe P�tain and other members of the [http://www.Ajaxtime.com/?s=Vichy%20regime Vichy regime] � AFP/File Paris (AFP) - France's decision to open up archives from its World War II collaboration with Nazi occupiers is being seen as breaking one of the last taboos that has poisoned debate about the era for years. "This brings an end to the fear of scandal. We are taking responsibility and we will have a better understanding of the issues," said Gilles Morin, a historian who heads the association of users of national archives. From this week, the government has opened up the police and justice archives from 1940 to 1944 when the Vichy regime, led by Philippe Petain, collaborated with the invading German army. While the Nazis occupied the north of France, Petain -- a hero of World War I -- led so-called Vichy France in the centre and the south of the country, with its [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] headquarters in the genteel city of the same name. Despite having autonomy from German policies, Petain passed legislation that saw Jews -- around 150,000 of whom had fled to the south believing it to be safer -- subjected to severe discrimination similar to that in the Nazi-occupied north. Advertisement

Ideal destinations in Vietnam this hot summer

2018-06-24T21:02:37Z

SuzetteManor3:

Summer is coming in Vietnam. These days also welcome national celebrations taking place throughout the country. If you are going to visit Vietnam from April to May, there are plenty of options to vary your Vietnam holidays. Vietnam has been known as a beautiful country with a lot of wonderful, primitive, mysterious and charming landscapes and seascapes. April is the month when Vietnamese people through the country have national days off on Liberation of Southern Vietnam and Vietnam Reunification Day(April 30) and Labor Day (May 1). This year, the holiday lasts in several days, therefore tourism sites have the best preparation to welcome travelers. This is really an occasion for foreign travelers to join in the joyful time with local people. Northern Vietnam If you have Vietnam tour packages in Northern part, Hanoi, Halong Bay, and some places in northwest such as Sapa are great options. Sapa is a foggy town in the northwest of Vietnam, about 300km from Hanoi. Now, with the convenience of Hanoi - Lao Cai Highway, visitors can travel Sapa easier and faster by private car. There are some other ways to travel Sapa: by train and by air. If traveling by air, visitors will take flights from Hanoi to Dien Bien. Before approaching Sapa by taxi or private car (or coach), let's take a tour to famous historical sites in Dien Bien. In April, Sapa weather is portrayed by cool and fresh atmosphere. You will feel a beautiful Sapa town and four seasons in a day. There are many unique characteristics of local people reflecting through interesting and sophisticated brocade and silver jewelry. In Vietnam tours to Sapa, you can wander around famous attractions in Sapa such as Cat Cat village, Love Waterfall, Sapa Love Market, and Sapa specialties. It is sure that Sapa is an ideal destination with very economical travel expense. Traveling Halong Bay will bring unforgettable memories to visitors. The Natural Word Wonder possesses a stunning beauty that make visitors enraptured with "pearls" floating on the sea, delicacies of seafood, and local specialties. Coming to Halong Bay in April, you can easily explore pristine islands [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh] and beaches such as Titov Island, Co To Island, and Quan Lan Island. Such natural landscapes as Thien Cung Cave, Fighting Cocks Islet, and Tuan Chau Island will make your holidays in Vietnam more exciting and meaningful. Central Vietnam After traveling Hanoi, Sapa or Halong Bay in northern Vietnam, visitors may want to have more experiences and discover new lands. Let's come to famous destinations in Central Vietnam to enjoy pleasant weather and beautiful landscapes, which helps visitors to relax. In Central Vietnam, many fascinating destinations appeal a large number of visitors such as Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An. Each destination possesses interesting things looking forward to visitors' exploration. When traveling Hue City, you have chances to discover a unique cultural space of Hue Imperial court nearby [http://Blogs.Realtown.com/search/?q=Perfume Perfume] River, and to take a boat tour on Perfume River to enjoy beautiful Hue traditional folk songs at night. Hue Citadel, royal tombs, Thien Mu Pagoda, and Dong Ba Market will make you stay here longer and longer. As being one of the "hottest" points of interest in Vietnam with countless landscapes and charming beaches, Da Nang is an indispensable destination in Vietnam travel. You can drop by My Son Sanctuary, Linh Ung Pagoda, Non Nuoc Beach, Ba Na Hills, Vinpearl Land, My Khe Beach, and Bac My An Beach to admire the beauty of the worthiest city to live in Vietnam. Hoi An Ancient Town is another perfect choice. Being used to be an international busy commercial port with modern architectural features, the town will make your soul more blithe and mild. Coming to Hoi An, visitors have the opportunity to admire the romantic city by sitting on boat along Thu Bon River, to contemplate colorful shimmering lanterns at night, or ride a bike to explore lush green fields. Southern Vietnam You will have many interesting choices to explore a modern and dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, immense Mekong River Delta, or charming beaches in Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Con [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html vtr.org.vn] Dao and Phan Thiet, or romantic Dalat. They are interesting options for the holiday. Depending on the interest of each people, they will have suitable vacation spot to visit during the great national holiday of Vietnam. In late April, Ho Chi Minh City will be the most exciting place in Vietnam, as it is the time when this city celebrates the biggest anniversary [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html tour bắc kinh từ hà nội] of Liberation Day of [http://Www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?sel=site&searchPhrase=Southern%20Vietnam Southern Vietnam] and Vietnam Reunification Day in this country. Choosing the modern and dynamic Ho Chi Minh City will be ideal experience for you. Coming here, do not forget to drop by outstanding historical sites such as Independence Palace, Vietnam War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, Binh Tay Market, or Cu Chi Tunnels to know more about Vietnam history and people. On the occasion of Vietnam Reunification Day's anniversary, there are a plenty of cheap Vietnam tickets sold to meet the demand of domestic and international tourists. AloTrip - one of reputable travel agent with its official website of AloTrip.com, is providing all information and consultant about tours and tickets, along with many high-quality services to tourists to enjoy a perfect holiday. Let's quickly plan your trip and book flights to Vietnam now!

User:SuzetteManor3

2018-06-24T21:02:25Z

SuzetteManor3: Created page with "Hi, everybody! My name is Suzette. It is a little about myself: I live in Australia, my city of Frances. It's called often Northern or cultural capital of SA. I've mar..."

Hi, everybody! My name is Suzette. It is a little about myself: I live in Australia, my city of Frances. It's called often Northern or cultural capital of SA. I've married 3 years ago. I have two children - a son (Patrick) and the daughter (Hellen). We all like Travel. Take a look at my web page [http://www.vtr.org.vn/cam-nang-du-lich-bac-kinh-5-ngay-4-dem.html du lịch Bắc Kinh]