The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a marketing campaign to net about 69 billion USD from both local and foreign visitors by 2015.

U.S. State Secretary John Kerry convinced Afghanistan's feuding presidential candidates on Saturday to agree to a total recount of last month's presidential election, which has threatened to split the country along ethnic lines.

Rebel military leader Igor Strelkov was quoted as saying his forces had beaten off columns of government armour attacking from the south and west.

An airstrike outside a family home on July 12 pushed the Palestinian death toll past 100 in four days of cross-border fighting as Israel showed no sign of pausing despite international pressure to negotiate a ceasefire with the militants. Israeli firefighters extinguish a fire that broke out after a rocket hit a petrol station in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod July 11. (Credit: REUTERS)An Israeli airstrike killed five youths and wounded 15 people outside a family home in the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip early on July 12, witnesses and medical officials told Reuters. A rocket seriously wounded one person and injured another seven Israelis when a fuel tanker was hit at a service station in Ashdod, 30 km (20 miles) north of Gaza. Palestinian militants warned international airlines they would fire rockets at Tel Aviv's main airport. Medical officials in Gaza said at least 75 civilians, including 23 children, were among 106 people killed in the aerial bombardments that Israel began on July 8. They included 12 killed on July 11.                                                                                                                                              REUTERS

Dengue fever can cause high temperatures, severe headaches and intense joint pain

Jakarta governor Joko Widodo took a slim lead in Indonesia ’s July 9 presidential election with 53 percent of the votes while his rival, ex-general Prabowo Subianto earned 47 percent, according to quick-count results.

A powerful typhoon forced Japanese authorities to cancel flights and urge more than 100,000 people to evacuate their homes on Tuesday as the storm threatened to bring torrential rain and high winds to Japan's southern islands. Waves are seen as super typhoon Neoguri approaches the region, at Cape Kyan in Itoman on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, in this photo taken by Kyodo July 7, 2014.

American officials have ordered some overseas airports with direct flights to the US to intensify screening of electronic devices. Germany is among the countries to say it will abide by the new procedures. Transport officials said in a statement passengers could be asked to switch on devices, and equipment that does not power up would not be allowed on board. An official told the BBC that London's Heathrow was among the airports. The US announced new security measures last week, apparently in response to a terror threat, but gave no details. Analysts say the changes appear to be in response to intelligence that Islamic militants in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs that could evade airport security. American officials said earlier that there was a "credible" threat, but did not link the security changes to any specific intelligence. Phones singled out The US does not directly control security at overseas airports. But airlines and airports are obliged to meet security standards set by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in order to carry on operating non-stop flights. The TSA's statement for the first time gave details of enhanced screening of electronic equipment. "During the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones," it said. "Powerless devices will not be permitted on board the aircraft. The traveller may also undergo additional screening." Reuters news agency reported that officials had singled out mobile phones made by Apple and Samsung for extra checks. The UK, France and Germany have all said they would comply with the American demands. But it is still not clear how many airports will be affected, or if passengers will be delayed.                                                                                                                                                      BBC

Rising demand for Thai silk in the international market has helped sericulture in Thailand maintain a steady growth, according to the Thai Government’s Public Relations Department (PRD) website.

The wage will be set at 8.50 euros (£6.80) per hour, which is higher than the equivalent in the US and UK.

The stepped-up checks were ordered as the US embassy in Uganda warned of a "specific threat" to attack Kampala's Entebbe international airport between 1800 and 2000 GMT.

Muscle flexing by China in the East Sea is feeding regional insecurity, an Australian senior government minister was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal at a recent conference.