21 Feb, 2012

Eurobarometer Survey Shows Corruption on the Rise in Europe

Brussels, 15 February 2012 (Europa media release) – Corruption remains a major problem in the countries of the European Union and levels are thought to have risen over the last three years, according to the Eurobarometer survey published by the Commission today. The data shows that almost three quarters of Europeans continue to see corruption [...]

19 Feb, 2012

Facebook Fatigue | The Manila Bulletin Online

A lot of the habitués of the popular social networking site have been deactivating their profiles. “How did you know the fatigue had hit you?” I asked Archie, a confessed Rizaleño-by-choice. “I just woke up one day to find out that I did not want to check my profile and felt good that I did [...]

16 Feb, 2012

Prof Kishore Mahbubani’s Letter to Netanyahu: Time is No Longer on Israel’s Side

Prof Kishore Mahbubani, Dean and Professor in the Practice of Public Policy of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore

The following Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Israel was printed in the Financial Times and posted on Prof Kishore Mahbubani’s website on November 10, 2011. Its contents are of growing relevance today as the US and Israel prepare to start another war against yet another Islamic country. The travel & tourism industry should [...]

15 Feb, 2012

As Trust Frays, Corporate Focus on Sustainability Reporting Grows – KPMG

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Corporate leaders are focusing increasingly on long-term sustainable opportunities to gain a competitive edge, in part by taking a critical look at their operations to manage supply chain and other risks, said John B. Veihmeyer, chairman of KPMG’s Americas region and Chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP (U.S.), in [...]

14 Feb, 2012

Germany Economic Report Issued — Useful Info for ITB 2012 Participants

Paris, 14 February 2012 (OECD News Release) — The German economy recovered rapidly from the 2008-09 recession, with GDP topping pre-crisis rates during 2011 and unemployment falling significantly. According to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of Germany presented today in Berlin by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, Germany has an impressive economic track record, but now [...]

7 Feb, 2012

Declaring Settlements “Illegal,” UN Chief Calls For End To Israeli Occupation of Palestine

New York, Feb 6 2012 (UN News Centre)– Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today renewed his call for progress in the Middle East peace process, citing the toll taken on the economy and lives of the Palestinians by the ongoing Israeli occupation. “Economic progress cannot be reached and sustained absent a credible political solution on the horizon,” [...]

1 Feb, 2012

China’s Firm Stance on Iran Issue: No Nukes, And No War

As Israel, the United States and Europe continue to ratchet up their anti-Iran threats, China has made clear that it does not support a war. The following is the full text of a commentary published in the official media, People’s Daily Online. By Zhong Sheng (People’s Daily) February 01, 2012, Edited and translated by People’s Daily [...]

31 Jan, 2012

World Set to Ponder What Next After Capitalism

(PRWEB) January 26, 2012 — The Millennium Project announces its findings from the report “Some Elements of the Next Global Economic System over the Next 20 Years” found in The 2011 State of Future. The following two paragraphs are excerpts from the report: “Capitalism, socialism, and communism are early industrial-age systems. Surely new systems are [...]

31 Jan, 2012

U.S. Air Travel Becoming Stressful, Frustrating & Exhausting – Survey

Kansas City, Mo. (PRWEB) January 26, 2012 — According to a new America THINKS survey from HNTB Corporation, modern air travel can recapture its glamour and appeal by incorporating new technology and better amenities into passengers’ everyday experience. “For many Americans, air travel has lost its spark,” said Tom Rossbach, AIA, ACI, director of aviation [...]

29 Jan, 2012

Indian Vice-President: Vibrant Journalism is Watchdog Journalism

Dr M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President Of India

Address by the Vice President Of India Dr. M. Hamid Ansari at the Presentation of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards 2010-11 on 16 January 2012, New Delhi. I am happy to be participating in this function to pay tribute to Ramnathji’s memory. Today, as we identify and recognise the excellence and contribution of [...]

28 Jan, 2012

Negotiation US style – Opinion – DAWN.COM

LIKE individuals, nations have a style, an attitude and an outlook. They are reflected most strikingly in the style of their diplomacy. Our region is at a crossroads today. Afghanistan holds the key to regional peace; so does Iran. The United States` diplomacy on both will make the big difference between peace and protracted conflict. [...]

28 Jan, 2012

Indian Realtors plagued by Rs 120,000 cr debt as banks play hardball – Hindustan Times

The (Indian) real estate sector, which has seen a 36% surge in its outstanding debt at Rs 120,000 crore so far in 2011-12, has become a cause for concern to the banking industry. Most real estate firms including the big daddies such as DLF, Unitech, Parsvnath have sizeable debt on their books. While they are [...]

28 Jan, 2012

Torture, lawlessness abound as Libya ‘victory high’ ends | The Jordan Times

Violent crime and clashes between armed militants are running rife in Libya as the jubilation of last year’s liberation fades, to be replaced by the harsh and unromantic reality of building a new state. Although much less frequent than the celebratory shooting in the weeks after Muammar Qadhafi died in October, the sound of gunfire [...]

26 Jan, 2012

Diverse, Flexible Manpower Models Will be Key To Success – HR Consultancy Report

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DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Manpower (NYSE: MAN), a supplier of contingent and permanent recruitment workforce solutions from ManpowerGroup, today called for organizations to adjust their workforce strategy to incorporate a more flexible, agile approach if they hope to successfully navigate the Human Age in a new insight paper published at the World Economic [...]

26 Jan, 2012

UN Outlines Five-Year Action Plan to Build ‘The Future We Want’

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25 January 2012, UN News Centre – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today outlined a series of actions he believes the global community must take over the next five years to build “the future we want.” In a speech to the General Assembly last September Mr. Ban had presented five imperatives – or generational opportunities – that [...]

26 Jan, 2012

Gallup Poll: Americans’ View of Big Business, Big Gov’t At Record Low

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by Frank Newport. www.gallup.com PRINCETON, NJ, January 19, 2012 — Americans’ satisfaction with the size and power of the federal government is at a record-low 29% and their satisfaction with the size and influence of major corporations remains near the all-time low at 30% — making both highly susceptible targets for politicians and presidential candidates [...]

26 Jan, 2012

Europe Seeks Reform of Data Protection Rules to Boost Privacy, Cut Business Costs

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Brussels, 25 January 2012 (European Commission – Press release) – The European Commission today proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s 1995 data protection rules to strengthen online privacy rights and boost Europe’s digital economy. Technological progress and globalisation have profoundly changed the way our data is collected, accessed and used. In addition, the 27 [...]

25 Jan, 2012

Which U.S. Presidential Candidate Would Avoid Another War?

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(PRWEB) January 25, 2012 – If America is truly at a crossroads as many of the GOP candidates hint towards, which of the current presidential candidates would best serve our nation in avoiding war and keeping the peace? LatexMattress.org has sponsored an informative infographic of each candidate’s position on several important issues of our day [...]

23 Jan, 2012

IMF Now Says Asia Can Help Europe Recover From Crisis

David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund

Text of Speech at Asian Financial Forum, Hong Kong, 16 January 2012. (As prepared for delivery) Introduction Good afternoon. It is my great pleasure to be here. I’d like to thank the Hong Kong government for inviting me to this important event and to all of you for taking the time to join us. In [...]

23 Jan, 2012

Palestinian Family Lives in Constant Fear of Jewish Settler Attacks

Burin, Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 2012 — “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person… No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home… Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks,” state Articles 3 and 12 of the Universal Declaration [...]

21 Jan, 2012

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Announces Briefings on Important Civil Rights Issues

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The United States Commission on Civil Rights announces that at its monthly business meeting on January 13, 2012 the eight-member Commission voted in a bipartisan manner to hold four new briefings on important civil rights topics. These topics include the effectiveness of the federal government’s post-9/11 civil rights engagement [...]

15 Jan, 2012

Panel Discussion: The Truth About Islam and Muslims in America

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m., a panel of experts will separate fact from fiction in the current debates about Islam in the United States. Anti-mosque protests, anti-Shariah legislation and related controversies have left many Americans confused about Islam and Muslims in America. During this town hall-style program, the [...]

15 Jan, 2012

Sikhs Win Turban Case Against France at the UN

BOBIGNY, France, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has concluded that France had violated the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh when he was asked to remove his turban for his ID photograph. This was disclosed today at a media conference, in Bobigny, by the UNITED SIKHS legal [...]

14 Jan, 2012

A win for progressives on Israel – Salon.com

Rep. Donna Edwards, a Maryland Democrat who is associated with J Street, which argues for a more progressive U.S. policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict, has staved off a challenge from a fellow Democrat who sought to raise money by running to her right on Mideast issues. via A win for progressives on Israel – Israel-Palestine [...]

14 Jan, 2012

Federer’s Wife at the Center of His Game – NYTimes.com

“I know how fortunate I am,” he said. “And maybe that’s one of the reasons that makes me very happy when I’m playing and makes me very motivated, because I know this is not a normal situation I’m in, being able to play with a healthy, happy family next to me, because the easiest thing [...]

13 Jan, 2012

Binge Drinking Up Sharply Amongst US Adults, Report Shows

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Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 11, 2012 — New estimates show that binge drinking is a bigger problem than previously thought according to the latest CDC Vital Signs report. More than 38 million US adults binge drink, about 4 times a month, and the largest number of drinks per binge is on average 8. This behavior [...]

13 Jan, 2012

Oil Stock Investors See Profits As Prices and Tensions Rise

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Austin, TX (PRWEB) January 11, 2012 — The price of oil will rise in 2012, according to analysts at Absolute Wealth, an authority site aimed at providing expert advice and news to the investment community and those interested in financial issues. The price of gas is, of course, connected to crude oil prices, and the [...]

13 Jan, 2012

“Occupy” Movement Praised for Honoring Martin Luther King Legacy

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PITTSBURGH, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Occupy protesters across the United States who have planned events for this year’s Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 16) honor his mission and the method he chose to pursue it, United Steelworkers (USW) officers said this week. “By engaging in non-violent demonstration and by seeking economic justice, [...]

13 Jan, 2012

U.S. Tea Party Speaker Says She ‘Loves’ Marines Who Desecrated Corpses

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/12/12) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned remarks by Pamela Geller, the leader of an anti-Muslim hate group and a frequent speaker at Tea Party events, applauding the alleged desecration of Afghan corpses by U.S. Marines. On her hate blog, Geller wrote in response to CAIR’s condemnation of the desecration: [...]

13 Jan, 2012

India’s Opportunity: To Lead As A New “Champion of Globalisation”

In this oration at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012 in Jaipur, Professor Kishore Mahbubani Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, said that the Western leadership and domination of the world is ebbing, providing a golden opportunity for India to take up the mantle.

11 Jan, 2012

US Muslims To March In Protest Against Growing Islamophobia

SEATTLE (Washington, USA),15 Safar/Jan.9 (IINA)-Hundreds of Washington State Muslims are planning to march together to the Capitol Building on January 16, meet state lawmakers in their offices and urge their legislators to speak out against Islamophobic rhetoric and hate crimes. “This event will provide an opportunity for Muslims from the majority of our state’s legislative [...]

11 Jan, 2012

Global Civil Society Under Attack, Says New Report

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 03, 2012  - From the Arab Spring to the Occupy Wall Street movements, 2011 witnessed an incredible expansion of the use of the internet for social activism and change. But less frequently reported are the increasing cyber-attacks on human rights activists. From communications blackouts, to Denial of Service attacks, to [...]

11 Jan, 2012

Danish Presidency of EU: Key Task to Prepare Europe for Tomorrow

BRUSSELS, (EU Media release) — From January to June 2012, Denmark will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU. During that time, it wants to bring Europe together and make it more resilient for the tough challenges ahead. Denmark is taking the helm at a difficult time for the EU. Along with other [...]

7 Jan, 2012

AIPAC: The Voice of America — Part 2 The Treasonous Dollar Drain | Intifada Palestine

Clearly, Israel does not want peace with the Palestinians or anyone else in their region, yet the membership of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, support, aid and abet these criminals in their disregard for the lives of others. They have done their best to suppress the Goldstone Report on the 2008/9 attack on [...]

7 Jan, 2012

25 Predictions For 2012 – 2015

By Mike Adams Carrying on with this new year tradition, here’s a new round of predictions for 2012 and beyond. Before you read these, keep in mind that while these are primarily “negative” predictions, there will always be a positive backlash in terms of the awakening of the People who need to be shaken back [...]

30 Dec, 2011

Japanese drinks company launches vending machine with free Wi-Fi – Yahoo! News

In a country where vending machines can be found not only on every street corner, but in between every street corner, across from every street corner and beside every street corner (in other words, there are a lot of vending machines), the idea of turning them into Wi-Fi hotspots is a stroke of genius. The [...]

30 Dec, 2011

Corporate psychopaths still occupying positions of power – Business Comment – The Independent

He then makes an astonishing confession: “At one major investment bank for which I worked, we used psychometric testing to recruit social psychopaths because their characteristics exactly suited them to senior corporate finance roles.” Here was one of the biggest investment banks in the world seeking psychopaths as recruits. Mr Ronson spoke to scores of [...]

25 Dec, 2011

Gulfnews : Experts warn of worse financial crisis in 2012

Abu Dhabi: A new global financial crisis is in the making and could unleash its fury as early as 2012, a year when bond rollovers in the US, Asia and Europe worth a combined $6.5 trillion (Dh23.87 trillion) are due, experts warn. The Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has entered a critical new phase with France’s [...]

25 Dec, 2011

Japan government debt poised to hit all-time high ¥937 trillion in 2012 | The Japan Times Online

The outstanding balance of central and local government debt at the end of fiscal 2012 is expected to rise to an all-time high of ¥937 trillion, the government said Saturday, leaving Japan with the worst fiscal health among major developed countries. The total debt will be equivalent to 195 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product, [...]

25 Dec, 2011

Japan Economy sees first signs of nasty drop | The Japan Times Online

For two decades now, Japan has managed to endure the economic downturn largely because the slope felt so gentle. But in recent months, with the record-strong yen cutting sales and profits of major exporters, the world’s third-largest economy is seeing the first signs of a nastier drop. via Economy sees first signs of nasty drop [...]

25 Dec, 2011

Georgetown University Professor Calls for Attack on Iran

With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq winding down and the United States facing economic hardship at home, Americans have little appetite for further strife. Yet Iran’s rapid nuclear development will ultimately force the United States to choose between a conventional conflict and a possible nuclear war. Faced with that decision, the United States should [...]

6 Dec, 2011

The Cost of War: 18 U.S. Military Veteran Suicides Per Day

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) December 06, 2011 – Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) told the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health a decade of war has placed unprecedented demands and stressors on the nation’s warriors and their families that will challenge health systems serving the military for generations to come. René Campos, MOAA [...]

6 Dec, 2011

Civil Society Call to Oppose “False Solutions”, Mobilise For Río+20 And Beyond

Durban, December 5, 2011 (JubileeSouth) – Social movements and networks from throughout the Americas and beyond, including among them Jubilee South/Americas, launched from the midst of the People’s Space convened in Durban, South Africa, in parallel to the ongoing UNFCCC climate negotiations, a Call to popular movements and organizations around the world to join together in [...]

6 Dec, 2011

Occupy DC Protester Runs Full-Page Ad Challenging Obama to Debate

Washington D.C. (PRWEB) December 05, 2011 — Inspired by participating in the Occupy DC movement, and after almost 2 years spent developing a better solution to the issue of high premiums and swelling ranks of uninsured than Obamacare, Glenn Morton is attempting something never before tried by a non-political American: directly confronting a sitting United [...]

6 Dec, 2011

Ex-Chairman of Congressional Terrorism Panel Urges Senate to Defend Constitutional Liberties

Alexandria, Virginia (PRWEB) December 01, 2011 — Today, James S. Gilmore III, former Chairman of the Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess the Domestic Response Capabilities involving Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction (http://www.usasecure.org/resources-industry.php), denounced the provisions of the Defense Authorization Bill that would enable the U.S. Military to detain individuals suspected of terrorist activities inside [...]

6 Dec, 2011

Debate: Sino-US ties – chinadaily.com.cn

American people will thus have to greet the New Year worrying that their country will loose more coveted positions on the international stage, which will aggravate their already pessimistic views on their economy. US President Barack Obama has a close-to-zero chance of fulfilling his pledge of reindustrializing his country before his term ends, and the [...]

6 Dec, 2011

Time for US to make plans for the future – chinadaily.com.cn

Increasingly, Americans are blaming the government for the lack of any long-term plan, pointing to the country’s crumbling infrastructure such as airports, highways and railways, declining education quality and lack of industrial policy. On the other hand, the US is not totally without planning. It does have a plan, and a grand one at that, [...]

6 Dec, 2011

India To Host Ministers Of Mekong-Ganga Countries

NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (NNN-IANS) — In a boost to its Look East policy, India will host the meeting of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation grouping that will bring together foreign ministers of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia here later this month to explore ways to boost economic and cultural linkages in the region. The ministerial meeting [...]

6 Dec, 2011

An irrelevant superpower | Opinion | DAWN.COM

Moral power stems from the natural attraction of an entity’s cultural, political and economic prowess which encourages others to voluntarily follow it without the use of the other powers. This is the arena where America’s stock has depreciated the most. As the world discovers America’s gridlocked and money-dominated political system, its ecologically damaging, socially unequal [...]

23 Nov, 2011

UN Chief Urges Asia To Lead On Global Issues

Bali, Nov 19 2011 (UN News Centre) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today challenged the Asia and Pacific region to assume global leadership on issues of international concern, including climate change, sustainable development, access to food and energy, human rights and the empowerment of women. “Now is the moment for Asia, and ASEAN (Association of [...]