Syria

NOVANEWS   "Lawyers allowed into the closed session of the court in Damascus said Ms Mallohi was motionless after hearing her sentence. Her mother, who was waiting outside the court building, burst out crying after being told. The judge did not give evidence or details as to why she was convicted, they added. However, when she was charged, one official claimed that "her spying led to an attack against a Syrian army officer". "Trumping up charges that imply treason as a lesson for others is quite old fashioned," one human rights activist told the Reuters news agency. "Sadly, the regime has not learnt any lessons from Tunisia or Egypt." There has so far been no comment from the Syrian authorities. Ms Mallohi, the granddaughter of a former minister, has already served one year of her sentenc...

NOVANEWS Pain In The Pocket As Charity Sabotages Asda   20 July 2010 Clothes shoppers at Asda (NYSE: WMT - news) could find messages in the pockets of new purchases as a charity attacks the chain's record on pay for foreign factory workers. Campaigners from ActionAid are slipping secret messages into thousands of items of clothing at stores around the country. Their aim is to highlight what they call Asda's "lamentable record on paying poverty wages to factory workers in developing countries". Asda denies the group's accusations, claiming it has taken measures it believes will lead to higher wages, better working conditions, fewer working hours and a more highly skilled workforce in places such as Bangladesh. Under the charity's campaign, any customer who finds a message will receive...