Daily Archives: July 30, 2014

Paris for 80p a night? Hotel in the French capital launches innovative ‘pay want you want’ scheme – and prays not to go bankrupt

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Paris-towerParis is known as many things – a city of romance, fine restaurants, epic landmarks and grand architecture.

But it all comes at a price, boasting some of the most expensive accommodation in the world.

However, one hotel is hoping to change all that, by allowing holidaymakers to pay what they believe is a reasonable rate for their stay this summer.

Hotelier Aldric Duval has launched the enterprising ‘Payez ce que vous voulez’ (‘Pay what you want’) promotion in a bid to draw extra guests to Tour d-Auvergne, his three-star hotel in the central Opera district of the city.

The idea is simple. A visitor can pay exactly what they want to stay the night.

Normally, double rooms at the hotel would cost at least €190 (£150) – but should they decide that it is an appropriate amount, visitors can pay as little as €1 (80p).

The promotion runs until August 10.

The point of the scheme, he says, is to give customers a little financial freedom in a city of notoriously high costs.

He hopes that visitors to the city will treat the scheme as a good deal, but not abuse it.
The scheme has proved sufficiently inspiring that Mr Duval has had enquiries from other hoteliers in Paris – and further afield in Nice and Cannes – as to how it works.

 

Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem Write Open Letter Condemning Israel’s Actions as ‘Genocide’

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bardem-cruzSome celebrities have voiced their opinion over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Penelope Cruz, her husband, Javier Bardem, and Spanish movie director Pedro Almodovar were among some Spanish stars who described Israel’s actions against Palestinians in Gaza as “genocide.”

Penelope, Javier, Pedro and other Spanish actors, directors and writers wrote an open letter to Spanish-language news wire Europa Press.

The group urged Israel to “lift the blockade, which the Gaza Strip has suffered for more than a decade.” They also asked the country to “open border crossings to facilitate the mobility of the population, the entry of medical equipment, medicines and food.”

Meanwhile, Madonna expressed her opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via Facebook on July 23. She posted a picture of flower arrangements and captioned it with, “These flowers are like the innocent children of Gaza! Who has a right to destroy them? No one!!! Cease fire! #peaceinthemiddleeast.”

Official: Landslides trap 150 people or more in western India

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india-landslideLandslides caused by heavy monsoon rains may have trapped 150 people or more in a village in western India, a senior official said Wednesday.

“There are reports that up to 30 to 40 houses have been affected,” said Suresh Jadhav, a district administrator in Maharashtra state.

About 40 ambulances and 200 volunteers were sent to the scene to help with the rescue effort, he said.

The landslides were reported around midnight in Malin, a village in Maharashtra’s Pune district near Mumbai.

HE SECRETARY-GENERAL — MESSAGE ON WORLD DAY AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

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պանգի մուն

 

Human trafficking is a callous global industry that denies victims their rights and dignity and generates billions of dollars for organized criminal networks.  Most of those trafficked are vulnerable women and children deceived into a life of suffering.  They are exploited for sex and forced to work in conditions akin to slavery.

 

This first World Day against Trafficking in Persons is a call to action to end this crime and give hope to the victims, who often live unrecognized among us.  To stop the traffickers, we must sever funding pipelines and seize assets.  I urge all countries to ratify and fully implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.

 

Enforcement, cross-border cooperation and information-sharing can all be effective, but ending human trafficking also means tackling the root causes.  Extreme poverty, entrenched inequality and a lack of education and opportunity create the vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit.  Ultimately, the best protection is to accelerate development for all.

 

Victims of trafficking who are fortunate enough to be freed need assistance to regain their rights and reintegrate into society.  The UN Trust Fund for the Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, works on their behalf but needs additional funding.  I appeal to everyone to support the UN campaign, “Have a Heart for Victims of Human Trafficking”.

 

Let us open our eyes to this crime and our hearts to the victims.  It is time to say no to human trafficking.

Report: Dozens killed, injured in China terror attack

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A gang wielding knives and axes attacked civilians, a police station, government offices and smashed vehicles in a restive region of China, the country’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday, citing local police.

china-xinjiang-police

The incident — called an “organized and premeditated” terror attack — occurred Monday in northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Police officers at the scene shot dead dozens of people in the mob. Thirty-one cars were vandalized, including six that were set ablaze.

It was not immediately known how many people were killed and injured.

The location, Shache County, is where nine people authorities describe as terrorists attacked a police station, hurled explosives and torched police cars in December. Police shot and killed eight people in that attack.

There have been other attacks in the region in recent months.

 

Australia Must Dismiss Foreign Minister For Denying the Armenian Genocide

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Հարութ Սասունյան

By Harut Sassounian

www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

 

The Turkish Sabah newspaper published last week the following disturbing news: “Australian FM: Armenian Case not Genocide.”

 

Sabah described the events that led to its nefarious headline. Gunay Evinch, board member and past president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), had recently visited Australia to brief local Turkish groups on the Movsesian lawsuit. He told them that “the United States Supreme Court let stand a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision invalidating a California law that had defined the Armenian case as genocide, because it was US federal policy not to define the Armenian case as genocide.”

 

Sabah also reported that Evinch’s visit was “a part of a broader Anglo-Turkish Diaspora Cooperation Program in which Turks in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Jersey (sic) share best practices based on a common jurisprudential and political heritage.”

 

Following Evinch’s advice, Ertunc Ozen, President of Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance, wrote to Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on May 5, “expressing concern at motions passed by the parliament of New South Wales in May 2013 regarding Turkey and the fate of various communities of the Ottoman Empire during and after World War I.”

 

Foreign Minister Bishop wrote to Ozen on June 4: “The Australian Government acknowledges the devastating effects which the tragic events at the end of the Ottoman Empire have had on later generations, and on their identity, heritage and culture.” Astonishingly, she added: “We do not, however, recognize these events as ‘genocide.’ Australian states and territories have no constitutional role in the formulation of Australian foreign policy. While respecting the rights of individuals and groups to have strong views on the matter, the long-standing and clear approach of the Australian Government has been not to become involved in this sensitive debate.”

 

The Foreign Minister is wrong on three counts: 1) She erred in stating that Australia does not recognize the Armenian Genocide. While the Australian government prefers not to use the term genocide in order not to antagonize Turkey, no other official has ever stated that it was not genocide; 2) She incorrectly wrote that the Australian states that recognized the Armenian Genocide were formulating foreign policy. These states had simply acknowledged a historical fact; and 3) She contradicted herself by stating that the Australian Government does not get involved “in this sensitive debate,” yet she did permit herself to get involved by stating that it was not genocide!

 

Vache Kahramanian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia, immediately dispatched a strongly-worded letter to the Foreign Minister, calling her ‘misguided statement’ ‘deeply insulting and hurtful to the Armenian-Australian community.’ He also characterized Bishop’s views as ‘intolerable,’ ‘inexcusable,’ ‘a grave offense,’ and ‘a disservice to all Australians.’ Kahramanian justifiably wondered, “How can Australia’s moral conscience become so corrupted?”

 

ANC-Australia’s Executive Director reminded the Foreign Minister that her statement was in stark contrast to “the views held by many senior ministers in the current government. As recently as April 2014, Australia’s Treasurer, the Hon. Joe Hockey MP, issued an official statement on the 99th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide marking April 24 as the day ‘we gather to remember the 1.5 million people who perished in the genocide.’ Ministers Turnbull, Morrison, along with ranking members from Labor, the Greens, minor parties and Independents have called on the Australian Parliament to officially recognise the events of 1915 as genocide. Australia’s Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, during his years as Opposition Leader, issued an annual statement referring to the Armenian Genocide with no qualifiers or euphemisms.”

 

Kahramanian also told the Foreign Minister: “By denying the Armenian Genocide you are also denying Australia’s very own history. Located within Australia’s National Archives are countless numbers of testimonies by ANZAC prisoners of war who were held captive in the Ottoman Empire…. These testimonies vividly recall the suffering and annihilation of the Armenian people.”

 

ANC-Australia Chairman Greg Soghomonian urged the Foreign Minister to “immediately reverse this critical error of judgment,” and requested a meeting with her.

 

I suggest that Australian-Armenians ask Prime Minister Tony Abbott whether the Foreign Minister had cleared her deeply offensive letter with him beforehand. If she had not, the ANC-Australia should demand her immediate dismissal. ANC should ask all three Australian state parliaments that have recognized the Armenian Genocide to adopt a new resolution condemning Foreign Minister Bishop’s denialist stand and urging the Prime Minister to fire her!