Palestinians aim to push tourism beyond Bethlehem

FEATURE 02/14/2010 BETHLEHEM — For your next getaway, you might consider this: four nights and five days in sunny “Palestine: Land of miracles.” It’s a tough sell for a place that has become synonymous with Middle East violence, for a country not yet a country which does not even control all of its territory, let alone its major tourist attractions. And yet the figures are up for the third year running

AFP torture team above the law?

FRONTLINE 02/14/2010 There can only be one reason the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deliberately snubbed the court approved habeas corpus petition for it to physically present the health workers whose seminar was raided and who were arrested and detained by the military that has accused them of being members of the New People’s Army (NPA): Those health workers have been tortured and perhaps even have been sexually molested. That claim coming from the military that it couldn’t possibly have brought the detained health workers to court due to security reasons is pure bull

Filipinos in Dubai launch typhoon relief efforts

Dubai: The Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano has advised his community organisations to send their cash donations directly to their preferred recipients. The advice comes to guard against any issues that might arise while sending large amounts of money from Middle East with regard to the anti-money laundering regulations

New local carrier picks Clark as base

CLARK FREEPORT — FIVE months ahead of its operations to serve the Taiwan, Macau and Middle East routes, Spirit of Manila Airlines unveiled here recently its MD-83 plane.

Biometrics for Saudi visa seekers

Saudi Arabia will be using biometrics for visa applicants from 2010, the Department of Foreign Affairs has announced for the guidance of Filipinos applying for visas to go to the Middle East country.