A life-saving 'game': Bosnia trains world's mine-detecting dogs
A life-saving 'game': Bosnia trains world's mine-detecting dogsBosnia has become a key centre for dogs to be trained in mine detectionVOGOšćA (BOSNIE-HERZéGOVINE) - With her nose in the grass of a Bosnian field, Orna sniffs furiously until she finds her target. The exercise is only a game for the two-year-old dog, but the mine-detection skill is saving lives in Bosnia and around the world. One of the important first tests is to confirm the dog's interest in the rubber toy, known as a cong, that helps motivate their work. No mine-sniffing dogs trained in Bosnia have ever been killed, in the country or in missions abroad. Dogs can work for a dozen years if they are healthy, but a lifelong training is crucial, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 26, 2020 02:03 UTC
Halep heads into 'weird' French Open as clear favourite
Halep heads into 'weird' French Open as clear favouriteSimona Halep won her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2018 French Open after three previous finals defeatsPARIS - Former champion Simona Halep arrives at the rescheduled French Open as the player to beat in a women's draw missing title holder Ashleigh Barty and recent US Open winner Naomi Osaka, two of the world's top three. - Gloomy conditions await -A sore hamstring has sidelined three-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, while Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open winner, will miss the tournament as well. "As I said always, many girls from the top 10, top 15 have a chance to win a Grand Slam," said Halep. As for Williams, who turns 39 on Saturday, she has not added to her Grand Slam haul since winning the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant. She is set to face fellow American Kristie Ahn in a rematch of their first round encounter at the US Open.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 26, 2020 01:30 UTC
A saga of half-lives and half-truths
The residents of Ongkharak share one wish [and a plea to the powers-that-be] that there will be no nuclear reactor in their hometown. After years of protracted scandals, in 2006 the OAEP eventually shelved the 10-MW nuclear reactor project at Ongkharak (intriguingly the same year when TINT was established). Prior to the decision to halt the project in 2006, OAEP had already paid GA about 1.8 billion baht. Meanwhile, GA requested OAEP to increase the budget from 3.3 billion baht in 1997 to 6.8 billion baht in 2001. Even at that, the total budget would still be far smaller than the pricey nuclear reactor scheme.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 26, 2020 01:18 UTC
DSI agrees to probe legality of Sri Panwa
Pool villas at the Sri Panwa Phuket resort are seen on a hill overlooking the Andaman Sea in the island's Muang district. (Photo: Sri Panwa Phuket website)The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Friday agreed to probe the legality of title deeds issued several years ago for the hilltop location of Sri Panwa Phuket, a luxury pool villa hotel in Muang district. Mr Veera also submitted to the DSI some pictures of businessmen involved with the Sri Panwa project taken with high-profile officials. "The Sri Panwa resort has been investigated before but these investigations have gone nowhere because those state officials dared not to play it straight," he said. However, Watchara Buathong, Phuket's current land official, yesterday insisted the Sri Panwa resort had legally acquired its 56-rai, none of which was ever state land.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 26, 2020 01:07 UTC
The right to clean air
During this season, low air pressure from China causes air stagnation, which leads to more air pollution as particles from factory emissions and vehicle engine fumes hover in the atmosphere. The first chapter of the bill clearly defines clean air and makes access to it a basic right. Making clean air a basic right will allow citizens to sue air polluters. Meanwhile, a clean air fund will be established to support activities such as coverage of expenditure to file cases with courts, fund research and development, and other local activities to promote clean air. A right to clean air is the most important of all rights, something we all deserve and cannot live without.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 23:26 UTC
Charter rewrite backtracking a mistake
Charter rewrite backtracking a mistakeAnti-government demonstrators led by the Free People group gather at the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue to push for charter amendment on Aug 16. Arnun ChonmahatrakoolA political crisis seems unavoidable after politicians in the government coalition and the military-appointed Senate colluded in a charter rewrite vote which, in effect, slows down the rewrite process by another month. Backtracking on the charter rewrite has simply fuelled public anger, and only given the pro-democracy activists a solid reason to mobilise people for another major rally in revenge to the dirty political game that tricked the public into believing the government actually supported the charter rewrite. Earlier this year, it set up a panel under Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, adviser to the PM, to study a charter amendment. The panel recommended the amendment of section 256 of the charter to pave the way for the formation of a charter drafting committee.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 23:26 UTC
Japan PM Suga 'determined' to hold Olympics despite pandemic
Japan PM Suga 'determined' to hold Olympics despite pandemicJapan's new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, seen here at his first press conference on September 16, 2020, has vowed to go ahead with the Olympic Games despite uncertainties over the coronavirus pandemic. UNITED NATIONS: Japan is "determined" to host the postponed Olympic Games in 2021 despite the coronavirus pandemic, the country's newly elected prime minister told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. "In the summer of next year, Japan is determined to host the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as proof that humanity has defeated the pandemic," Yoshihide Suga said in his first international address since taking office last week. But medical experts have warned that the massive international event could be difficult to hold if the pandemic is not under control by next summer. Organizers and officials are discussing a long and complex list of possible coronavirus countermeasures that they hope will make it possible to hold the Games, even if a vaccine is not available.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 21:56 UTC
'Masks up, emissions down' as climate demos restart
'Masks up, emissions down' as climate demos restartGreta Thunberg returned to her usual spot outside the Swedish parliamentBERLIN - Thousands of young people across Europe joined a global day of climate protests on Friday, many wearing masks and keeping their distance against the coronavirus. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who launched the school strikes two years ago, led the protest in Stockholm. With masks and socially distant, hundreds of thousands returned to the streets, demanding climate action, in over 3200 places on all continents, including Antarctica! Previous global Fridays for Future demos have seen millions of young people pour into cities to demand action against global warming. Protest organisers said that a further 2,000 people had rallied in other parts of Austria using the slogan: "Masks up, emissions down!"
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 18:33 UTC
Driver kills official who disrespected him at party | Bangkok Post: learning
Sa-ngad Ninsuwan, 53, a driver who worked in the same office as the victim, appeared to be drunk, police said. Mr Sa-ngad left and went to his room and returned to the table shortly afterwards. Mr Sa-ngad told police he was also drunk and it was an impulsive act. SONGKHLA: A farewell party turned violent in the early hours of Friday, when a drunk driver shot dead a drunken colleague. Rescue workers prepare to take the body of a slain official from the farewell party in Hat Yai district, Songkhla.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 08:03 UTC
Kim Jong Un 'very sorry' over killing of South Korean, Seoul says
Kim Jong Un 'very sorry' over killing of South Korean, Seoul saysApologies from the North -- let alone attributed to Kim Jong Un personally -- are extremely unusualSEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a rare apology Friday over what he described as the "unexpected and disgraceful" killing of a South Korean at sea, Seoul's presidential office said. The fisheries official was shot dead on Tuesday by North Korean soldiers, and Seoul says his body was set on fire while still in the water, apparently as a precaution against coronavirus infection. North Korean defector turned Seoul-based researcher Ahn Chan-il said it was "extremely rare for the North's supreme commander to offer an apology, especially to South Koreans and their President". Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, added: "Kim Jong Un's supposed apology reduces the risk of escalation between the two Koreas and keeps the Moon government's hopes for engagement alive." South Korean media reports said he was in his forties with two children, but had recently divorced and had financial problems.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 07:41 UTC
Messi, Inter, Camavinga -- what to look out for in Europe this weekend
Messi, Inter, Camavinga -- what to look out for in Europe this weekendLionel Messi returns to La Liga action with Barcelona this weekend after failing to get the move away from the Camp Nou he wanted. While Messi stayed against his will, Luis Suarez has departed for Atletico Madrid, following Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Nelson Semedo out of the door. Barcelona are a team in transition but there is no doubt that, as long as Messi is still there, anything is possible. Dortmund are the most likely contenders, while it remains to be seen if Leverkusen or Leipzig can mount a real challenge this time. Nagelsmann's side were 3-1 winners against Mainz on the opening weekend but Leverkusen were held 0-0 at Wolfsburg.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 05:15 UTC
New cases include people previously recovered from Covid-19 | Bangkok Post: learning
The government reported on Friday that two of three new Covid-19 cases were people who previously had the disease. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)The government on Friday reported three new cases of Covid-19, all quarantined returnees and including two who previously had the disease. The man had Covid-19 in Kuwait, had been treated at a local hospital and later rested at a workers' camp until his return. Infection rates were 8.09% among returnees from Kuwait, 2.93% from Singapore and 9.64% from the US. Global Covid-19 cases rose by 314,855 in 24 hours to 32.41 million while the worldwide death toll was up by 5,872 to 987,724.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 04:52 UTC
BMA blames flooding on power outage | Bangkok Post: learning
Several areas of Bangkok experienced floodingA combination of problems, from a power outage to the lack of maintenance of public drainage pipes under private property, contributed to widespread flooding in Bangkok on Wednesday evening, City Hall said. Many city residents complained about flash floods which caused traffic jams in several areas of Bangkok, prompting the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to explain the problem. It took more than two hours to drain floodwater in Din Daeng and Chatuchak districts. The Bang Sue water tunnel is also there to help with water drainage but the floods continued. The BMA added the city's drainage operation was hampered by a power outage which shut off four major pumps.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 02:26 UTC
Shorter quarantine if tourist test succeeds | Bangkok Post: learning
The Tourism and Sports Ministry has sought help from private hospitals to carry out testing of tourists arriving at airports. "Only 300 tourists per week will not be enough," Mr Phiphat said. "However, the figure has to comply with the capacity of the healthcare workforce from the Public Health Ministry to prepare swab tests." If the tourism plan runs smoothly, the ministry will consider shortening the quarantine period to seven days in mid-November, Mr Phiphat said. "In the event there are five positive cases from 300 tourists, the plan to welcome foreigners has to move forward anyway," Mr Phiphat said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 25, 2020 02:20 UTC
JD Central steps up game
JD Central steps up gameJonathan Kang, second right, general manager of Xiaomi Thailand, and Ms Rvisra, centre, at the launch of the POCO X3 NFC smartphone in Thailand. She said JD Central saw its gross merchandise value grow 500% over the past year with 8 million users, 90% of whom engage via the mobile app and the rest by PC. Lastly, JD Central wants to assist brands in marketing by using affiliated marketing channel Joy Pay app. JD Central expects to announce soon a collaboration with Central Group on O2O strategies. To celebrate its second anniversary, the 9.28 Birthday Fest campaign from JD Central provides 100 million baht in discounts on the platform throughout this month.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 24, 2020 23:26 UTC