World

TripAdvisor has come a long way since its inception in a Boston pizza restaurant some two decades ago. When the site launched in 2000, it served simply as an aggregation of established sources—guidebooks, newspaper and magazine reviews, and the like. Customer reviews, by contrast, were rejected as a risky foundation for ranking: Could the people of the internet be trusted with their taste? A lot has changed since then. Like so many other websites, customer reviews are now the center of the site’s success—and the basis for its annual, much anticipated list of the “Top 25 hotels in the world.” Few websites are better placed to judge. Its rise from new kid on the block to largest travel site in the world within a decade has been remarkable. According to its website, it now boasts an average of 390 million unique visitors a month. More than 10,000 new businesses join its inventory every week. Every minute, over 280 new posts are published on the site. Its … [Read more...] about The World’s 25 Best Hotels in 2019, as Ranked by TripAdvisor

World An outspoken politician in Australia has suggested that homsexuality is nothing more than a fashion trend, arguing that the legalization of same-sex marriages in the country had spawned a new wave of gay people. Bob Katter, the head of the eponymous right-wing Katter Australia Party, made his latest homophobic comments while on the campaign trail in the northwestern state of Queensland ahead of an upcoming federal election. Read More: Mormon gay conversion therapist now "choosing to pursue life" as homosexual According to news.com.au, Katter said it had become “popular” to become homosexual in recent years, suggesting, “In my whole life up to 50, I had never seen or heard of a homosexual person.” The 73 year old was speaking in the town of Dalby, which was one of just three areas in the state to reject same-sex marriage proposal in the December 2017 national vote. “Now it’s fashionable, it’s just like a fashion … [Read more...] about Politician Says Being Gay Is a ‘Fashion Trend’: ‘in My Whole Life up to 50, I Had Never Seen or Heard of a Homosexual Person’

World Police in the British city of Derby enlisted the help of armed officers to rescue a “very hungry” gerbil early Sunday. The small rodent was left without food for almost a week when its owner went to prison. Law enforcement officers stepped in to save the critter after its owner refused to give access to an animal protection charity. Read more: Parrot uses Alexa to order watermelon, light bulbs while owner is out “Tonight our officers have been on the sharp edge of policing as always,” the Derby City Police Safer Neighbourhood Team wrote on Facebook soon after the rescue. “Our officers forced entry to the address with some help from the Armed Response Unit and found the gerbil who was thankfully still alive but very hungry. The gerbil was taken to a nearby vet where it will be looked after by the RSPCA. “We’re not just about arresting bad guys and posing for photos on Facebook. Sometimes we’re a bit soft and caring” Some … [Read more...] about Police Rescue ‘Hungry Gerbil’ By Force After Jailed Owner Refuses Entry to Animal Organization

World Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, an annual event where the global elite meet to discuss topics like poverty and economic inequality, former Secretary of State John Kerry issued a one-word message to President Donald Trump: “Resign.” Kerry made the comment during his talk on Tuesday, when a reporter asked him what he would say to Trump if the president were sitting next to him. “He doesn’t take any of this seriously,” Kerry added, noting that Trump “doesn’t have the ability” to have serious conversations. He also slammed Trump’s decision to abandon the commitments made in the Paris Climate Accords, from which Trump withdrew the U.S. shortly after taking office. “People will die because of the president’s decisions,” he noted. Trump had canceled his trip to Davos due to the government shutdown, which he has insisted on prolonging until Democrats in Congress … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Should Resign, Former Top Diplomat John Kerry Says at Davos World Economic Forum

World Soldiers in Zimbabwe are using “systematic torture” in a widespread crackdown on protesters railing against a proposed increase in fuel prices, a human rights organization has alleged. The demonstrations broke out more than a week ago in the capital city of Harare and the southwestern city of Bulawayo in response to government efforts to tackle fuel shortages. Government troops have responded violently to try to quell the unrest. Related: Domestic violence survivors, known as "the Brave Ones," use sharpshooting skills to fight poachers in Zimbabwe The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has issued fierce criticism of the military's role in responding to the protests. It alleged that security services were forcing their way into homes at night and ordering groups of men and boys to lie on the ground to be beaten. Some of the victims were reportedly as young as 11. “The deployment of the army in quelling civilian disturbances leads to loss of life and … [Read more...] about Zimbabwe Soldiers Using ‘Systematic Torture’ to Suppress Mass Protests: Report