31 Oct, 2011

Journey of a Lifetime: In The Footsteps of the Buddha

Imtiaz Muqbil on the Buddhist Circuit

In a world of ceaseless turmoil, the pursuit of peace and security is becoming a global human objective, triggering a surge in religious tourism. India, home to four world religions and philosophies, is capitalising on this trend big time, especially the Buddhist circuit. With thousands of devotees flocking in from around the world, major improvements are being made in facilities and services to cater to them.

31 Oct, 2011

After The Floods: Will Thai Tourism Now Ponder the “Karma” Factor?

Imtiaz Muqbil

The devastating floods is the latest in a series of almost back-to-back crises that have struck the Thai travel & tourism industry over the last 10 years. As a Buddhist country, Thailand knows all too well the deeper meaning of cause-and-effect. Is it time for travel & tourism to indulge in some self-introspection and identify the root causes of this ceaseless suffering?

25 Oct, 2011

Transparency Is A Good MICE-Catcher, Says Indian Dental Association Secretary

Imtiaz Muqbil at the ITB Asia 2011

Singapore: The Secretary of an Indian dental association says that transparency is a critical factor in both earning membership trust as well as in winning bids for international conventions.

20 Oct, 2011

Buses, Coaches “Beat Cars, Planes for Greening Travel & Tourism”

International Road Transport Union Press Release

Kortrijk (Oct 20, 2011) – About 200 European transport and travel political and business leaders have met here for the 7th European Bus and Coach Forum to discuss best policies and operational practices to further green the travel and tourism chain. They say that buses and coaches offer the “best transport solution” for ensuring the […]

20 Oct, 2011

ITB Asia Edges PATA Mart As Region’s Leading Trade Show

Imtiaz Muqbil

SINGAPORE: When the ITB Asia opened on Oct 19, the largest delegation of sellers was from Indonesia and the largest delegation of buyers from India. Business was in full swing on the trade floor and the various side-events packed to capacity. Europe may be facing a huge debt crisis, the US economy is in dire […]

18 Oct, 2011

Ban Sees Switzerland’s Decreasing Glaciers From Helicopter Over Bern

Oct 16 2011 — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today took a helicopter flight over the Swiss city of Bern to observe the decreasing volume of the country’s glaciers and later exchanged views with President Micheline Calmy-Rey on sustainable development and the forthcoming United Nations conference on climate change in South Africa. They also discussed various regional […]

18 Oct, 2011

UN Chief: Richer Countries Have Greater Responsibility To Restore Financial Stability

Oct 17 2011 — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that the world’s major economies must shoulder greater responsibility to restore global financial stability, urging them to follow the model of the 2008 London summit of the Group of 20 (G20) when leaders agreed to back the financial system for the benefit of all with more […]

18 Oct, 2011

Speakers Stress Reversing Desertification To Combat Poverty

Oct 17 2011 — Key speakers at the United Nations conference in the Republic of Korea on combating desertification today stressed that restoring degraded lands is crucial to addressing some global challenges, including poverty, food scarcity and the loss of the world’s biodiversity. “If we protect, restore and manage land and soils we can tackle […]

18 Oct, 2011

World Leaders Urged To Heed Public Calls For Global Economic Justice

Oct 17 2011 — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reiterated his call for the leaders of the world’s biggest economies to restore public confidence in the global economic system, saying that mass protests in numerous cities around the world are the result of frustrations with inequality. Responding to a reporter’s question in Bern after a meeting […]

18 Oct, 2011

Food Price Swings Threaten To Push Millions More Into Hunger, UN Warns

Oct 17 2011 — The United Nations and international figures marked World Food Day today with calls for immediate aid and longer-term solutions, and warnings of factors that keep hundreds of millions mired in hunger, such as price swings and gender discrimination. In a message delivered to a ceremony at the UN Food and Agriculture […]

18 Oct, 2011

UN Calls For Global Six-Week Truce During 2012 Olympic Games

Oct 17 2011 — The United Nations today called for the traditional age-old truce to be observed during next summer’s Olympics in London, urging warring parties around the world to lay down their arms as the Games’ ancient Greek founders did some 2,700 years ago. In a resolution co-sponsored by all 193 Member States, the […]

18 Oct, 2011

New Era Dawns – East Tells West: Put Your House In Order

Imtiaz Muqbil

The Bangkok-based UN Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific convened a high-level consultation amongst the region’s ministers, central bank governors and senior policymakers between 11-12 October to formulate an Asia-Pacific perspective for the G20 Summit to be held in Cannes, France on 3 and 4 November 2011. The meeting reflected a growing […]

17 Oct, 2011

UN Women’s Fund Invites Proposals For Grants, Especially From Arab Countries

Oct 16 2011 (UN News) — The United Nations women’s fund for gender equality on Sunday invited organizations and government agencies to apply for grants, adding that first phase of its 2011–2012 funding cycle will give priority to proposals that seek to empower women and their communities in Arab countries. “UN Women supports the participation […]

17 Oct, 2011

Young Environmental Leaders from Developing Countries Showcase Sustainable Solutions

Leverkusen (Germany) / Nairobi, 17 October 2011 – Young environmental leaders from 18 developing countries are gathering in Germany this week to showcase their own, innovative solutions for sustainable development. The 47 young people were selected from over 800 applicants to represent their countries at the UNEP-Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme, which kicks off today […]

17 Oct, 2011

Transparency & Accountability: UNWTO Raises Industry Standards to New Level

Imtiaz Muqbil

The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) ended its 19th biennial General Assembly in Seoul last week by setting new standards of transparency and accountability for the global travel industry as well as its many membership-based associations, both public and private.

14 Oct, 2011

Gateway to Krakatau – A New ASEAN Destination Takes Flight

Imtiaz Muqbil in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia

Bandar Lampung, Indonesia’s gateway city to the famous Krakatau volcano, hosted its first international tourism event during October 12-14. Inaugurated with a colourful, pulsating ceremony of spectacular music and dance that even surprised the country’s tourism marketing director, the Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) has helped the city of just under one million people […]

13 Oct, 2011

Cagle Post » Willful Deafness When it Comes to Occupy Wall Street

The media have gone “Grampa with a telemarketer” on Occupy Wall Street. That hasn’t hindered the Occupiers from resonating with Americans. The protests have been growing. The movement has been growing. Occupy LA is down the street from my home. Their numbers have nearly quadrupled from the first week. They now count 253 tents at […]

12 Oct, 2011

The Asia-Pacific Statistical Yearbook 2011 Released – Download FREE!

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok, Oct 12, 2011 (UN ESCAP Strategic Communications and Advocacy Section) – Asia and the Pacific is undergoing major demographic transformation, according to United Nations statistical data released here today. “At some point this month, October 2011, a child will be born and the world’s population will have reached seven billion. There is a good […]

12 Oct, 2011

Identity Thieves Find New Ways To Steal Personal Information

Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 11, 2011 — Americans go to great lengths to protect against being robbed. We lock our doors, install alarm systems in our homes and cars, and insure our valuables. Many, however, do not pay an equal amount of attention to the crime that impacted more than eight million consumers last year, […]

12 Oct, 2011

10 Things to Do with Your Obsolete iPhone 4 Now That the iPhone 4S is Here

RENO, Nev., Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Our houses, pockets and bags are filled with gadgets. We collect them, placing ever growing faith in their sleek metallic casings and cleverly designed features, and we upgrade them as often as our bank balance will allow; justification be damned!

12 Oct, 2011

Business Travel Sees “Comeback Year” in 2011 But Tougher Climb in Turbulent 2012

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Business travel will maintain its upward trajectory in 2012, but a stagnant U.S. economy is driving increasing corporate uncertainty and leading to projections of slower U.S. business travel spending growth next year, according to the latest Business Travel Quarterly Outlook – United States from the Global Business Travel […]

12 Oct, 2011

US Cabin Crew Union Backs Occupy Wall Street Movement, Blasts “Corporate Greed”

Imtiaz Muqbil

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) International President Veda Shook issued the following statement after AFA leadership applauded the Occupy Wall Street movement: “As the world’s largest Flight Attendant union, we stand beside our sisters and brothers who are participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement in cities across […]

11 Oct, 2011

Special Report: Travel & Tourism In The New World Order

=============

How will the emerging new world order impact the global travel & tourism industry? Today, the world is tightly inter-connected but clearly split into three power blocs — one rising, one declining and one comprised of countries caught in the middle. In the years ahead, the inter- and intra-bloc conflicts will have a critical impact […]

11 Oct, 2011

UN Hails Refugee Champion Fridtjof Nansen As Bearer Of World’s Conscience

Oct 10 2011 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed the renowned Norwegian explorer and refugee champion Fridtjof Nansen, on the 150th anniversary of his birth, as the very embodiment of the world’s collective conscience that brings succour to the downtrodden, the afflicted and the oppressed. “The greatest barriers in life are not walls around buildings, […]

11 Oct, 2011

Scientific And Financial Backing Essential To Fight Droughts And Famine

Oct 10 2011 (UN News) – Scientific and financial resources are needed to counter the growing risks of droughts that all too frequently lead to famine and poverty, the United Nations said today as a conference opened in the Republic of Korea on desertification. During the two-week session of the Conference of the Parties to […]

11 Oct, 2011

Systematic Torture In Afghan Detention Facilities – UN Report

Oct 10 2011 — A new United Nations report released today cites evidence of the “systematic” torture and mistreatment of detainees in Afghan detention facilities, including of children, and provides recommendations which it hopes will spur the necessary reforms. The report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is the result of extensive interviews […]

11 Oct, 2011

Algerian Soccer Great Rabah Madjer To Become UN Goodwill Ambassador

Oct 10 2011 (UN News) – Retired Algerian soccer striker Mustapha Rabah Madjer, who played in two World Cups and starred on the Portuguese club team FC Porto in the 1980s, is to become a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in recognition of his work with young people and promotion of sports values. UN Educational, Scientific […]

11 Oct, 2011

States Urged To Fulfil Obligation To Prevent Violence Against Women

Oct 10 2011  (UN News) – An independent United Nations human rights expert told the General Assembly today that violence against women across the world continues to be pervasive and widespread and reminded States of their obligation under international law to protect women. “Whether it occurs in times of peace and conflict, the various forms […]

11 Oct, 2011

Obama’s Israel problem | Jordan Times

What is it about Israel that reduces America’s president to Jell-O? Why, for that matter, are all American politicians so afraid to be critical of Israeli policies? Is it fear of being called an anti-Semite? Or is it the “Jewish vote”? On the face of it, Democrats don’t have that much to fear. Polls suggest […]

10 Oct, 2011

Gulfnews : America’s misreading of the Arab Spring will backfire

The pending American veto at the UN Security Council against the Palestinian application for full membership to the UN and the Congressional move to block $200 million Dh734 million in financial aid to the Palestinian National Authority shows the extent to which US policy towards the Arab World is helplessly stacked in the pre-Arab Spring […]

10 Oct, 2011

Facebook’s power should worry us all

If Facebook was a government agency, its power would be as undisputed as it would be frightening. For a single organisation to know as much as it does about the habits, interests and behaviour of 10 million Australians is unsettling. If a government department had so much up-to-the-minute information about who we know, where we […]

10 Oct, 2011

Scipione slams ‘drink until you drop’ culture

NSW needs to debate the manner in which alcohol is advertised and marketed to ensure children and teenagers are not getting the wrong message about drinking according to the Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione. Deeply concerned about a prevalence of drinking to excess among young people, Mr Scipione warned that the ”drink until you drop” culture […]

10 Oct, 2011

China wins battle against ‘four evils’ – People’s Daily Online

China has investigated 7,165 places and arrested more than 17,000 involved the “four evils” since a campaign was launched. A crackdown was set to begin on the “four evils” on Aug. 22. The “four evils” include“black workshops” that make and sell bogus food and medicine, “black factories” that make counterfeit goods, “black markets” that sell […]

10 Oct, 2011

Opinion: Is 3rd round of Quantitative Easing coming? – People’s Daily Online

The U.S. Federal Reserve had a meeting in Washington in August when officials of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were also having meetings there. The whole world turned their eyes to whether the Fed chairman Ben Bernanke would announce a decision about initiating the third round of Quantitative Easing monetary policy. The […]

10 Oct, 2011

Rich, poor divide at heart of Wall Street protests – People’s Daily Online

The “Occupy Wall Street” demonstration, which has lasted three weeks, has spread to all parts of the Untied States. The Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg recently warned that street riots might occur in the Untied States due to the high unemployment rate. Apparently, it is the gloomy economy and high unemployment rate of the […]

10 Oct, 2011

US media blackout of protest is shameful – chinadaily.com.cn

One of the best-kept secrets in the United States over the past two weeks seems to be the protest on and near Wall Street in New York. More than 1,000 people protested on the first day, September 17, marching and chanting slogans. Yet the demonstration, known as Occupy Wall Street, did not appear on the […]

10 Oct, 2011

Israeli settlements a thorn – chinadaily.com.cn

When Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas formally presented the application to the world body on Friday, disregarding the strong opposition from Israel and the United States, opponents predicted that the move would ignite a new round of violence in a region beset by decades of bloodshed. In the past week, however, the Palestinian response has been […]

10 Oct, 2011

Income divide causes fiscal crises in Europe, US – chinadaily.com.cn

The United States is facing three big difficulties currently. The first one is the high unemployment rate. At present, the unemployment rate of the Untied States runs high at nearly 10 percent. The second one is the high federal debt. The governmental debt keeps inflating, the debt ceiling keeps popping up and rising, and the […]

10 Oct, 2011

US protesters march against war – chinadaily.com.cn

Ten years of war took a heavy toll on all military families around the country. Pat Alviso, a Marines mom whose son Beto has been deployed four times — twice to Iraq, and twice to Afghanistan — said the war left deep scars on his son. “Every time we see him, he is different,” Alviso […]

9 Oct, 2011

Policy difficult to defend | Jordan Times

It cannot be easy for the new American ambassador Stuart Jones and other ambassadors in Arab capitals to defend their government’s political stands. They see that decision makers in Washington make it a point to alienate the Arab masses who used to be friendly to the American people. One answer to the question “why they […]

9 Oct, 2011

‘There is no sensible alternative to a two-state solution’ | Jordan Times

Against the backdrop of the expansion of settlements, I asked myself whether a two-state solution was feasible. The optimists still think it is – just. But time is running out. There are still Palestinians who, despite the wall that separates their villages from Israeli settlements (but often also from their land) and the daily restrictions […]

9 Oct, 2011

Occupy Wall Street exposes underlying US problems – People’s Daily Online

“Occupy Wall Street” is an ongoing series of demonstrations in New York City which has lasted for three weeks since September 17. The headquarters of the protest is based in Zuccotti Park, formerly “Liberty Plaza Park”, and was originally called for by the Canadian activist group Adbusters. The participants of the event are mainly protesting […]

9 Oct, 2011

Gulfnews : Asian languages in demand at Zayed University

While English remains the dominant language people learn in addition to their mother tongue, an ever-increasing number of students are learning Asian languages. A survey at Zayed University (ZU) showed Korean and Chinese as the most desired languages to learn. Asian languages look more appealing to ZU students this academic year than it was last […]

9 Oct, 2011

Plenty in Murdoch’s pockets despite missing bonus millions – SMH

The earnings of the News Corp executives are extreme examples of the types of remuneration that have angered investors around the globe. If any part of News Corp’s move from Adelaide to Delaware in 2004 was a desire to avoid scrutiny, rather than just reflecting that the centre of gravity of its business is now […]

9 Oct, 2011

States push for student visa change – Sydney Morning Herald

THE NSW government will join with Victoria to push for wider changes to visa restrictions after the federal government was accused of ”effectively strangling” the overseas student market. Only weeks after Canberra said it would fast-track student visas and give foreign students two years of post-study work – provided they graduated with a degree – […]

7 Oct, 2011

Michael Moore: How I Became Anti-War | Truthout

I can’t quite remember when I turned against the idea of war, but I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I didn’t want to die. From pretty much the sixth grade on, I was firmly, solidly, against dying. But up until then, I spent many years dying with verve in our […]

7 Oct, 2011

An Open Letter to Wall Street | Truthout

Now is the time to bone up on your coping skills, because three weeks is nothing. The people camped out on Wall Street are not leaving unless and until they are cleared out by force. They look all kinds of silly in their outfits, and some of their statements don’t make a whole lot of […]

7 Oct, 2011

It is Time to Keep Marching to Take Back America’s Dream | Truthout

Attendees at the Take Back the American Dream conference piled into buses at high noon Wednesday and took their stand on the grounds of the Capitol, joined by hundreds of other demonstrators, from grassroots activists to dozens of unemployed people. The above video tells the story better than words. The rally was dominated by the […]

7 Oct, 2011

Fear of an Islamic Planet | Truthout

You can’t support democracy only when it produces results that you like. You have to support the whole deal, and that includes fusions of religion and politics, some more noxious than others. In his survey of the Arab world called The Arabs, updated in 1985, the journalist Peter Mansfield concluded in his final chapter that […]

7 Oct, 2011

Occupy Your City and Make History | Truthout

The Occupy Wall Street protest is a full bore indictment against corporate greed and dysfunctional government. It’s a demand for nation building here at home. People young and old are taking the streets, sleeping in tents, donating pizza, even publishing their own Occupy Wall Street Journal newspaper, to let our government and corporations know that […]

7 Oct, 2011

Something Big Is Happening: Occupy Together | Truthout

To paraphrase one of Bob Dylan’s songs of youthful protest, “Something’s happening here, and you don’t know what it is, do you Ms. Bellafante?” A New York Times writer, Ginia Bellafante, is but one of many establishment reporters and pundits who’ve been covering the fledgling “Occupy Wall Street ” movement — but completely missing the […]

7 Oct, 2011

Economic “Experts” Got Crisis All Wrong | Truthout

It took bad thinking and bad policy by many players to get us into the state we’re in; rarely in the course of human events have so many worked so hard to do so much damage. But if I had to identify the players who really let us down the most, I think I’d point […]

7 Oct, 2011

The Week Politics Changed | Truthout

Washington – American politics reached a pivot point this week. A new story line will now define how voters and the media see what’s going on. Since Election Day in 2010, the prevailing narrative has been about a resurgent conservatism, a president on the defensive, big government under attack, the deficit as the dominant issue, […]

7 Oct, 2011

Got Class Warfare? Occupy Wall Street Now! | Truthout

Warren Buffet is certainly right in claiming that there is class warfare in the United States and the rich are winning. while at the same time claiming that his billionaire friends “have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress.”(16) What Buffet misses in spite of the best of intentions is that his billionaire friends […]

7 Oct, 2011

Bids Open for 2012 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awards

Bangkok (UNESCO Media release) – Entries are now being accepted for the 2012 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The Awards recognize the achievement of the private sector and public-private initiatives in conserving or restoring structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region. The deadline is 31 March 2012. Since the Awards […]

7 Oct, 2011

UN Chief Cites ‘Often Inspiring’ Arab Spring In Message To Governance Forum

Oct 3 2011 (UN News) — A three-day United Nations-sponsored forum on democratic governance opened today in Oslo, Norway, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon citing the revolutions of the so-called Arab Spring in North Africa and the Middle East as “dramatic and often inspiring changes.” “The issues you have come together to discuss are critical to […]

7 Oct, 2011

New Delhi Meeting Prepares For 2012 UN Summit On Sustainable Development

Oct 3 2011 (UN News) – A United Nations-sponsored meeting on a green economy and inclusive growth opened in New Delhi, India, today with a senior official warning that a summit on sustainable development in Brazil next year will not succeed without renewed political commitment on a global scale. “As an international community and as […]

7 Oct, 2011

Cities At The Frontline Of Global Fight Against Climate Change

Oct 3 2011 (UN News) – United Nations officials today urged the international community to take action against mounting threats posed by climate change on the world’s urban areas, warning that climate-related events could force up to 200 million people worldwide to flee their homes by 2050. But the officials also noted that while cities […]

7 Oct, 2011

States To Grasp Last Chance Ahead Of Major Conference on Climate Change

Oct 3, 2011 (UN News) – The United Nations climate change chief today called on governments taking part in negotiations this week to urgently scale up their efforts to combat the problem ahead of a UN-led conference on the issue starting next month in Durban, South Africa. The preparatory negotiations, which started today in Panama […]

7 Oct, 2011

UN Calls for Integration of Social Concerns Into Economic Recovery Policies

Oct 3 2011 (UN News) — A senior United Nations official today urged countries to pursue economic policies that take social considerations into account to ensure that the poor, youth, persons with disability and the elderly do not continue to bear the brunt of fiscal austerity measures and unemployment in the uncertain global economy. “Successful […]

7 Oct, 2011

Democracy And Rule Of Law Can Help Cut Annual Global Weapons Expenditure of US$1.6 Trillion

Oct 3 2011 (UN News) — The twin forces of democracy and the rule of law can help advance progress on disarmament and positively impact the work of the United Nations committee that deals with the issue, a top United Nations official said today. “Democracy and the rule of law are two powerful forces in […]

7 Oct, 2011

New UN Study Shows Murders Highest in Parts of The Americas and Africa

Oct  6 2011 — Young men in Central and South America and southern and central Africa are most at risk of being killed in cases of intentional homicide, while women face increased likelihood of being murdered in domestic violence, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in a report unveiled today. Evidence […]

7 Oct, 2011

5 October World Teachers’ Day – Seeking At Least Two Million Teachers

Paris, 04 October – Ahead of World Teachers’ Day, 5 October – dedicated this year to the theme of “teachers for gender equality” – UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics has published data demonstrating that at least two additional million teachers will be needed to meet the internationally agreed goal of universal primary education by 2015. Shortages […]

6 Oct, 2011

Global Trade Unions Seek End To Garbage-In, Garbage-Out Economic Policies

Imtiaz Muqbil

If world leaders really wish to stop the repeated cycle of economic and financial crises and create a new agenda for change, they need to start listening less to the people at the top and more to those at the bottom, according to global trades unions.

5 Oct, 2011

Abbas to Europe, Latin America over UN statehood bid – Jordan Times

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas flew to Europe on Tuesday to kick off a week-long tour which will also take him to Latin America to shore up support for his UN membership bid, Agence France-Presse reported. The UN membership request, which Abbas formally presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 23, is being studied […]

5 Oct, 2011

Australian Reserve Bank officials in evidence cover-up

SOME of the Reserve Bank’s most senior officials were involved in covering up extensive evidence of corruption at the central bank’s subsidiaries, Note Printing Australia and Securency. An investigation has found top Reserve officials suppressed damaging information in 2007 and 2008 about the payment of secret commissions to middlemen hired by the Reserve firms to […]

4 Oct, 2011

Another 9/11 That Changed the World — But In a Non-Violent Way

Mrs Nagma Malik, Charge d'Affaires, Indian Embassy, Bangkok

On the 11th of September 1906, a young lawyer, dissatisfied with the idea of mere passive resistance, unveiled the concept of ‘Satyagraha’ in Johannesburg, South Africa. The young Gandhi described satyagraha as ‘a force which is born of truth and love of non-violence”. For him, it was the end of a quest for a moral equivalent of war.

4 Oct, 2011

How sleep can save your life – The Independent

Sleeping well is vital for physical, mental and emotional health. But there has been a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take, with research showing that at any one time, one person in five feels unusually tired and one in ten has prolonged fatigue. “Sleep is nature’s way of providing us with […]

4 Oct, 2011

Why protecting the world’s wildlife is good for our wallets – The Independent

A new world body on wildlife and ecosystems protection being set up by the UN must avoid blaming developing nations, where most of the world’s biodiversity loss is occurring, says a top British scientist. Overconsumption by rich western nations is as big a driver of global environmental degradation as the rapidly growing populations of developing […]

4 Oct, 2011

Bloggers say Arab Spring has gone global – Africa – Al Jazeera English

TUNIS, Tunisia – New forms of activism that have evolved in the Arab world in 2011 are being picked up by activists in the West, speakers at the Third Arab Bloggers’ Meeting have affirmed. The meeting is the first since the uprisings began, and brings some of the most prominent bloggers in the region together […]

4 Oct, 2011

Waking up from the American Dream – DAWN.COM

Ronald Reagan’s slogan in his 1984 reelection campaign was “Morning in America.” Looking back at that moment from this distance, it feels as if it’s been downhill ever since. Having found my voice and vocation as a traveling writer who tries to listen patiently and compassionately to ordinary people in countries that are anything but […]

3 Oct, 2011

Senior PLO Official Saeb Erekat Says US Cannot “Blackmail” Palestine Over UN Bid

“Everyone who believes in the two-state solution should support (the UN bid), as preserving peace should come through accepting Palestine as a member of the UN,” the former chief Palestinian negotiator told a press conference. Palestinians’ right to self determination is “non-negotiable,” he said, slamming US pressure via financial sanctions. The UK newspaper The Independent […]

3 Oct, 2011

Palestine accuses US of delaying UN bid – chinadaily.com.cn

Reyad al-Malki, the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) foreign minister, told the “Voice of Palestine” radio that the US administration “is following the principle of procrastination and postponement in dealing with our bid in the Security Council.” On September 23, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted the request for full membership of a Palestinian state in the […]

3 Oct, 2011

International community should help Palestinians and peace | Jordan Times

Instead of halting settlement construction, Israel has announced plans to add another 1,100 homes to the settlement of Gilo in occupied East Jerusalem. The announcement laid bare Israel’s real intentions. The European Union and the United States have condemned the Gilo project. China, Egypt, Russia and other major powers have added their voices to the […]

3 Oct, 2011

Rich people are being ‘demonized’ for flaunting their wealth. Poor dears! – The Washington Post

        Admirers of the rich, led by pundits and politicians on the right — from Laura Ingraham to Larry Kudlow — have long derided the victimization claims of African Americans, women, gays and the unemployed, but now they’re raising their voices to defend the rich against what they see as an ugly […]

2 Oct, 2011

Rise in people seeking food handouts – The Independent

Britain has seen a sharp rise in the number of people receiving food handouts, according to a charity. FareShare, which redistributes surplus food from major manufacturers and supermarkets to social care charities, said its donations now go to 35,000 people a day, an increase from 29,000 last year. It follows the largest ever yearly rise […]

2 Oct, 2011

Invasion of the body scanners – Comment is free – The Observer

We seem to have swallowed the security nightmare of airports without much fuss. Someone uttered the magic words “international terrorism” and we accepted (in traditional British manner: grumbling passivity) that we must now queue for several hours, remove shoes and belts, pick up a few verrucas from the airport floor, submit to any indignity suggested […]

2 Oct, 2011

Grand Opening of Ayurvedic Wellness Center in Merrifield

Ayurveda, the 5000 year old healing science from India, provides knowledge and tools for cleansing, healing, and balancing the mind, body and soul. Apurva Wellness Center, founded on the the holistic wellness philosophies of yoga and ayurveda, announces the grand opening of its first center in the Merrifield area. The center offers a wide range […]

2 Oct, 2011

India’s Largest Social Network SMS GupShup Expands Leadership Team, Adds New Locations, Multiplies Reach

SMS GupShup now has over 50 million users, outpacing both Twitter and Facebook in India. To meet the demands of its growing audience, GupShup has doubled its in-house staff this year, going from 100 employees in 2010 to 200 this year. The majority of SMS GupShup employees come from premium engineering and business institutes like […]

2 Oct, 2011

Zabasearch.com Cautions Citizens to be Careful of ‘Travelers’ and ‘Criminal Gypsies’

Zabasearch.com, a leading online public records and people search engine, wishes to alert and educate consumers about roving bands of criminals called ‘Travelers’ or ‘Criminal Gypsies’. According to a recent article from The Chicago Sun-Times, these door-to-door scam artists roam around the country in large groups, living together in roving bands that proudly make a […]

2 Oct, 2011

Sexual health misconceptions among young Australians

Young Aussies are unaware of important sexual health facts and it’s putting them at risk, according to results from the Bupa Sexual Health Survey 2011* released last month. The survey of 18-35 year old Australians has revealed a series of myths and misconceptions regarding sexual health, highlighting the need for young Australians to stay up […]

2 Oct, 2011

Heathrow Losing Asian Flight Links To Paris, Frankfurt, Research Shows

Imtiaz Muqbil

London’s Heathrow airport is losing is European hub status to Frankfurt and Paris will need to boost connections with cities in Asia and numerous other “emerging market” cities if it hopes to narrow the gap, according to an economic research paper published on September 30.

1 Oct, 2011

Global Youth Campaign to Make Rio+20 a Green Economy Hit

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bandung, 1 October 2011 (UN Environment Programme) – While some UN conferences can become over-preoccupied with commas and square brackets, young people from across the globe today underlined their singular and committed preoccupation–action to save and fast track a future for planet Earth.

1 Oct, 2011

Prison Planet.com » 12 Signs That Americans Who Love Liberty And Freedom Should Watch Their Backs

Just like the rest of the western world, America is being transformed into a “Big Brother” police state control grid. Nearly everything that you do is being watched and monitored. A whole host of organizations know that you are on this website right now. If you want to go to an NFL game next weekend, […]

1 Oct, 2011

Libya and the Big Lie: Using Human Rights Organizations to Launch Wars

The claims of the Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR) were never supported or verified. The credibility of the United Nations must be questioned as well as the credibility of many humanitarian and human rights organizations that have virtually pushed for a war. At best the U.N. Security Council is an irresponsible body, but it […]

1 Oct, 2011

American Awakening Cometh: US Steelworkers Support the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Protest Movement

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America‘s largest industrial union with 1.2 million active and retired members, today issued the following statement in support of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement:

1 Oct, 2011

Hollywood Film Awards Gives Back

In addition to celebrating accomplishments on screen, the Hollywood Film Awards established the “Hollywood Gives Back” program to expand and continue highlighting and assisting important local and national charities to fundraise. Over the years, the Hollywood Film Awards has contributed to such charities as: The Art of Elysium; Artists For Human Rights; Artists for Peace […]

1 Oct, 2011

The Strong Woman’s Approach to Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Managing RA: The Strong Woman’s Approach, is an online resource designed to educate and empower women living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), launched today at HealthyWomen.org. There are 1.3 million Americans living with RA, and women are two to three times more likely to develop the disease than men. Managing RA: The Strong Woman’s Approach provides […]

1 Oct, 2011

AJC Applauds Canadian Foreign Minister’s Support for Israel at UN

The foreign minister reiterated Canada’s firm opposition to the Palestinian bid for UN recognition of statehood without first reaching an agreement with Israel. “Our government’s position has been clear. The only solution to this issue is one that is negotiated by the parties themselves,” said Baird. AJC Executive Director David Harris, who, together with an […]

1 Oct, 2011

Leading Palestinian IT Outsourcing Company ASAL Joins Cisco-Sponsored Delegation to USA

ASAL Technologies is the largest ICT company in Palestine and a premiere software solutions provider. ASAL’s clients include a large number of local, regional and international companies such as Cisco Systems, Intel, Volvo and Mellanox. “The Quality of the work is high and good relationships have been formed between or R&D team and ASAL’s team. […]

1 Oct, 2011

Australian activists put Palestine travel ban on trial – The Electronic Intifada

They had no trouble boarding an Aegean Air flight from Athens which arrived at Ben Gurion Airport at 4:30am on Monday, 11 July. “I think we took them totally by surprise,” says Hale. “When they said, ‘What is the purpose of your visit to Israel?’ And we said ‘We don’t want to visit Israel, we […]

1 Oct, 2011

Holiday to be boon for places overseas – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – Even as some travel destinations struggle to attract tourists, flocks of Chinese are expected to go overseas during the National Day holiday, according to the country’s top tourism think tank. The China Tourism Academy, a research institute, forecasts that 2.2 million Chinese tourists will travel overseas during the weeklong holiday that starts on […]

1 Oct, 2011

Full-blown economic crisis unlikely in China – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – A global recession could be the biggest risk facing China, but a full-blown economic crisis is unlikely, given the nation’s relatively healthy balance sheets, said Huang Yiping, chief economist of emerging Asia at Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of Barclays PLC, on Thursday. “A global economic recession could cause a hard landing […]

1 Oct, 2011

Study: Israeli Occupation Costs Palestinian Economy $7 Billion

BETHLEHEM, Sept 30 (NNN-Ma’an) — A Palestinian Authority ministry and national research institute released a joint study Thursday which estimates that the Israeli occupation cost the Palestinian economy around $7 billion in 2010. “Without the occupation, the Palestinian economy would be almost twice as large as it is today,” the PA Ministry of National Economy […]

1 Oct, 2011

Social network websites ‘pose a challenge’ – People’s Daily Online

Networks such as Facebook and Twitter pose new problems for social management, Wang Chen, minister of the State Internet Information Office, said in a keynote speech at the 4th UK-China Internet Roundtable. “Many people are considering how to prevent the abuse of these networks following violent crimes that took place in some parts of the […]

1 Oct, 2011

Covert agreements with US be made public — DAWN.COM

ISLAMABAD: PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif asked the government on Friday to disclose terms of engagement with the United States under which the so-called war on terror was being fought. He said at a press conference that the nation had the right to be informed about the covert agreements. According to official estimates, he said, […]

1 Oct, 2011

Anti-US protests in Pakistan follow defiant declaration – DAWN.COM

Charges by a top US general that Pakistan’s spy agency had supported this month’s attack on the US mission in Kabul has added to anti-American sentiment in a country where a poll in June showed that almost two-thirds of the population considered the United States an enemy. “The prevailing view in Pakistan is that because […]

1 Oct, 2011

America’s Dangerous Game at the UN

An American veto would be neither a big deal nor a bad thing. It would unequivocally confirm the sad and humiliating reality, now almost universally recognized, that the United States of America is enslaved to Israel, paying tribute and taking orders. By doing so, an American veto would definitively disqualify the United States from playing […]