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) CNN takes stock of a 'Planet in Peril'
It's a tough world, all right.Too bad it's not tougher. Right now Earth is looking pretty fragile as it suffers from increasing human punishment.
This isn't really news, of course. But CNN has packed the two-night, four-hour "Planet in Peril" with information and images that give a familiar story new urgency. Here is an eye-opening, often heart-wrenching exploration.
Airing Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m., "Planet in Peril" dispatched correspondents Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as well as Animal Planet wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, to report on far-flung instances of "environmental change." This term encompasses four key areas: climate change, vanishing natural habitats, disappearing species and human overpopulation.
By taking on so much, the series risks becoming a catchall bin of environmental woes. More>>
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) Weekend Beat/ LIFESTYLE & MORE: Mission (almost) impossible: Keeping guests happy
Wherever you travel, finding "a friend for a moment who will offer a helping hand" makes things a lot easier. And that, Kay Abe says, is exactly what a good hotel concierge should do--be it suggesting a hip bar in Roppongi or helping a guest fly live Japanese goldfish to Thailand.
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) Asian markets rattled by US concerns
TOKYO - Asian stocks fell sharply Monday as jittery markets took their cue from a slump on Wall Street, where lacklustre US corporate earnings rattled investors still nervous about a credit squeeze. Even a drop in oil prices failed to calm market nerves after the steep US decline Friday, when worries about the outlook for the world's largest economy grew on the 20th anniversary of the New York market crash. Hong Kong shares suffered their biggest fall in one day in more than seven years, while Tokyo, Seoul and other major bourses also dropped sharply. Global finance chiefs said over the weekend that the recent financial market turbulence, high oil prices and a US housing downturn were likely to "moderate" global growth from its recent robust levels. "Uncertainty about the prospects for the US economy has increased after disappointing earnings amid the credit tightening concerns," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, equity general manager at Daiwa Securities SMBC. More>> - (
) Thai Court Orders Canadian Pedophile Suspect To Be Held For 12 Days
BANGKOK, Thailand - A court has ordered that a Canadian schoolteacher suspected of having sex with dozens of young boys be held in a Thai jail for at least 12 days pending trial. Christopher Neil denied he did anything wrong following his arrest yesterday in Thailand. He was found at a house he rented with a Thai transvestite friend whose phone calls police had traced. A judge signed a police order to extend his detention to 12 days, and could move later to keep him behind bars up to 84 days. Neil arrived in court wearing a red-striped T-shirt, baseball cap and sunglasses. Looking tired, he said "no comment" when reporters asked if he had anything to say to his family. Neil's arrest ended a global manhunt that started three years ago when German police discovered hundreds of photos online showing a man -- his face obscured in a swirl -- having sex with Asian boys. More>> - (
) (AFX UK Focus) 2007-10-22 04:45 GMT: Thai shares open sharply lower after sell-off on Wall Street
BANGKOK (Thomson Financial) - Thai shares opened sharply lower Monday amid fears over a recession in the US economy, as selling spread across the board following a plunge on Wall Street.Sentiment was also downbeat due to a regional slump Monday amid concerns over rising global oil prices, which hit a record 90.07 US dollars a barrel last week.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index dropped 14.96 points or 1.7 percent to 860.87 in the first 15 minutes of trade and the blue-chip SET 50 index lost 12.47 points to 632.18.
"Investors were dumping shares on fears over a recession in the US economy," said Kavee Chukitkasem, a senior market analyst at Kasikorn Securities.
Wall Street shares took a dive Friday as fresh worries about the outlook for the world's largest economy and earnings heightened skittishness on the 20th anniversary of the New York market crash. More>>