Archive for February, 2012
29 Feb, 2012
India’s ITC Hotels Offers Free Design Manual for Disabled Travellers
Small and medium sized hotels in the developing countries seeking to improve facilities for the physically-challenged have been provided a free design manual, courtesy of Mr. Niranjan Khatri, General Manager, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC WelcomGroup. Mr Khatri forwarded the manual to Travel Impact Newswire in the wake of the free Toolkit on Tourism and Poverty Reduction […]
more…29 Feb, 2012
Free Ernst & Young Report on Investing in “Hot Spot” Indonesia
Indonesia has already come a long way, and between its growing middle class and extensive natural resources, it is clearly a country to watch. Indonesia has stood in the shadow of the massive rise of India, China and South Korea in the past decade. However, if Indonesia were located in any other region of the […]
more…29 Feb, 2012
UN Kicks Off I.T. ‘Hackathon’ To Promote Global Sustainability
Feb 28 2012 (UN News Centre) – A United Nations-backed competition with the goal of uncovering sustainable approaches to information and communication technology (ICT) kicked off today, bringing developers from around the world together in a ‘frenetic’ race of programming. Organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the two-day Green ICT Hackathon opened today in […]
more…29 Feb, 2012
Visa, Vodafone Deal in Bid to Dominate Mobile Payments Market
Barcelona, February 27, 2012 (Visa Media Release) — Vodafone and Visa today announced a worldwide partnership to enable consumers to pay for goods and services using their mobile phones instead of coins and banknotes. The companies will work together to develop a Vodafone-branded proposition that will be offered to consumers across Vodafone’s 398-million customer base […]
more…29 Feb, 2012
“World Tourism Phone” Launched in Mexico
TEMECULA, Calif., Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Hop-on, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: HPNN) today announced what it claims to be the first “World Tourism Phone” through its subsidiary, Hop-on Mobile, S. DE R.L. DE C.V. The Company can now have a US or International phone number, with a local Mexican cell number. Peter Michaels, Hop-on CEO, stated, “Hop-on […]
more…29 Feb, 2012
As Global Cities Grow, Living Conditions for Children Worsen, UNICEF Report Reveals
27 February 2012 – With the world undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history, UNICEF’s annual flagship publication The State of the World’s Children 2012 (SOWC) says that almost half the world’s children now live in urban areas, and it’s calling for greater emphasis on identifying and meeting their needs. “We’re approaching some […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
U.S. No-Fly List Used as Extrajudicial Punishment for Muslims
What if you left the United States for a short trip abroad, but when you tried to come home to your job, family and life in America, your government would not let you on the plane? What if, when you asked when you could fly home, you were told “never”? [Munia Jabbar (mjabbar@cair.com) and Gadeir […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Google, Safari and our final privacy wake-up call – The Washington Post
it’s not just Google that has been caught exploiting privacy loopholes in order to access user data. Social networking giant Facebook seems to undergo privacy fiascos with every new feature launch, as users discover just how much of their personal data is potentially being shared with advertisers and other third parties. While default privacy settings […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Enough of Rick Santorum’s sermons – The Washington Post
Santorum’s views on the place of religion and his quaint ideas about education are so anachronistic they would be laughable. But whenever I start to giggle a bit, I find that some absurd statement resonates with Republican primary voters. On the other hand, when Rick Perry said it was fine to help the children of […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Colonialism in Africa helped launch the HIV epidemic a century ago – The Washington Post
For decades nobody knew the reasons behind the birth of the AIDS epidemic. But it is now clear that the epidemic’s birth and crucial early growth happened during Africa’s colonial era, amid massive intrusion of new people and technology into a land where ancient ways still prevailed. European powers engaged in a feverish race for […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Costa cruise liner adrift after engine room fire – smh.com.au
A liner owned by the same company as the Costa Concordia, on which at least 25 people died when it ran aground off Italy last month, is adrift in the Indian Ocean after a fire in the engine room left it without power, the company said. Costa Cruises said the fire on the 29,000-tonne Costa […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Lockerbie relatives urge inquiry into ‘suppressed evidence’ – The Guardian
Documents given to Megrahi’s defence lawyers a month before he dropped his appeal show that government scientists had found significant differences between a bomb timer fragment allegedly found after the attack and the type supplied to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s former regime, Swire said. A new account of the bombing and Megrahi’s conviction, Megrahi: You Are […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
WikiLeaks releases first 200 of 5m Stratfor emails – The Guardian
WikiLeaks has released the first 200 of a cache of 5m emails obtained from the servers of Stratfor, a US-based intelligence firm. The emails originated not from a whistleblower, but instead from a series of hacking attacks against Stratfor in December 2011, carried out by the online activist collective Anonymous. Anonymous apparently passed the emails […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Supreme court prepares for battle over human rights liability of corporations – guardian.co.uk
America’s top human rights lawyers are gearing up for a crucial supreme court battle that will determine whether US-based and global corporations can be held liable for genocide and other violations of international law. The hearing on 28 February is being seen as the most significant legal tussle over the status of corporations in the […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Police chief tells Leveson the Sun had ‘culture of illegal payments’ to sources – guardian.co.uk
Hours after Rupert Murdoch’s defiant gamble of launching a Sunday edition of the Sun, the head of the police investigations into illegal behaviour by journalists spelled out startling details of what she called a “culture of illegal payments” at the title. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers told the Leveson inquiry that one public official received […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Squeeze the rich! Poll shows UK public want Budget to redistribute wealth – The Independent
A majority of people want George Osborne to increase taxes for the rich in next month’s Budget so he can take more low-paid workers out of tax, according to a survey for The Independent. Some 60 per cent of the public support the Liberal Democrats’ flagship policy and key Budget demand, while 34 per cent […]
more…28 Feb, 2012
Washington, DC ‘best city for extra marital affairs’ – Indian Express
Powerful men and women, especially those in politics, “are massive risk takers”, Noel Biderman, CEO and founder of Ashley Madison, said. “The more successful you are, the more prone to cheating you are…and Washington is full of successful people looking for something outside their marriage,” he added. via Washington, DC ‘best city for extra marital […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
Rabbi Seeks Funds for Ad Campaign Opposing “Crazy” Plan to Attack Iran
A Jewish rabbi who heads an anti-war group based in Berkeley, California, has launched an appeal for US$100,000 to fund an ad campaign in mainstream U.S. papers opposing what he refers to as the “crazy plan” to attack Iran. Calling especially for backing by “the peace-oriented majority of Americans who don’t support another war,” Rabbi […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
U.S. Citizens Outbound Travel Totaled 58.5 Million in 2011
The U.S. Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) has released the final figures of outbound travel by US citizens in 2011. Total outbound travel was 58,496,587, comprised of 27,023,008 to overseas destinations and 31,473,579 to Canada and Mexico. Travel to Asia and Europe is up but Africa, Canada and Mexico is down.
more…27 Feb, 2012
India-European Union Free Trade Agreement – The Pitfalls
The Manmohan Singh government seems bent upon selling out Indian interests so as to satisfy the minority elite to whom liberalization will provide them access to further unparalleled luxuries, and economic access all at the cost of the nearly 800 million who will not be left lagging behind but will suffer huger proportions of deprivation […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
Philippines Marks 26th Anniversary of Protests that Ousted A Dictatorship
Speech of Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippines, during the flag-raising ceremonies held at the People Power Monument in celebration of the 26th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution
more…27 Feb, 2012
3 Important Tips For Selecting A PR Agency, And Avoid Over-Paying
Basingstoke, UK (PRWEB UK) 25 February 2012 – PR agencies around the UK all have different fees, some work on small retainers and some top PR agencies in London have very high fees; but does paying more for PR mean better media coverage? Marketing Quotes looks into why PR agencies all have different rates and […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
Ecommerce Study Reveals: Online Shoppers Ordered More but Spent Less Closer to X’mas
Richmond, VA (PRWEB) February 23, 2012 — The 2011 holiday sales season is over, but planning ahead will help online merchants gear up for 2012. A new report from social analytics ecommerce platform MerchantTribe.com reveals a surprising holiday sales takeaway for web merchants: Shoppers place more orders per-day as the holiday season moves forward but […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
ILO Toolkit on Poverty Reduction Through Tourism Available Free
GENEVA – The International Labour Organisation has released a comprehensive training toolkit designed to promote decent work in the tourism industry and contribute to poverty reduction via the promotion of jobs in rural areas. Designed as training course, the toolkit is aimed at assisting developing and least developed countries to create a sustainable tourism industry […]
more…25 Feb, 2012
ADB Calls Bids to Upgrade Mt Hagen Airport in Papua New Guinea
The Asian Development Bank has invited bids for the construction of a new airport terminal building and associated works at Mt Hagen Airport, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. The deadline for bid submission is 9 April 2012. The project is to be funded by an ADB loan for PNG’s Civil Aviation Development. The potential […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
India, China Boost Youth Exchange To Build Friendship, Mutual Understanding
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, 24 February, 2012 – A 500 member Chinese Youth Delegation will arrive in New Delhi on 25 Feb on a nine-day visit as a part of Indo-China Youth Exchange Programme. The exchange programme involves interaction with local youth, visits to tourist and cultural sites and introduction to economic and […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
iPhone App Unveiled for Global Travel Healthcare Services
February 21, 2012 (Radnor, PA) — GeoBlue, which serves the medical needs of expatriates and world travelers, announced today that it has launched what it claims is the first iPhone application for finding and paying for quality healthcare services worldwide. GeoBlue Mobile is now available in the iTunes App Store for downloading onto iPhones, iPads […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
India Sets Up “Virtual Labs” to Spread Knowledge, Cut Costs, Alleviate Poverty
Ministry of Human Resource Development, 23 Feb 2012 – The Union Minister for Human Resource Development today launched Virtual Labs — a collection of 91 virtual laboratories containing hundreds of experiments in nine disciplines of science and engineering. As part of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)’s National Mission on Education through Information and Communication […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Car Specially Designed, Built for Wheelchair Accessibility Launched
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — MV-1, claimed to be the first vehicle designed from the ground up for wheelchair accessibility is being launched at the 2012 Greater Milwaukee Auto Show from Feb. 25, 2012 – March 4, 2012. “Aptly named the MV-1 for the ‘first Mobility Vehicle,’ the car is designed specifically for the more […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Not Wearing Make-up Makes Women Feel Insecure – Survey
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Renfrew Center Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to advancing the education, prevention, research and treatment of eating disorders, today announced survey results which revealed that nearly half of all women have negative feelings about their image when not wearing makeup and associate a “bare face” with feeling unattractive […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Chinese Housewives Spent More in 2011, Mostly on Travel & Investment
BEIJING – Chinese housewives, who traditionally hold the purse strings, spent more last year, with most of the increase going into trips and investments in stocks and real estate, a report has found. In 2011, more than 60 percent of the average household income went into consumption, six percentage points more than in 2010. Another […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Indian Govt Sets 20% Procurement Target from SMEs in 3 Years
Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, 23-February, 2012 – The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises play a pivotal role in the overall industrial economy of India. MSME constitute more than 80% of the total number of industrial enterprises and support industrial development. With globalization, there is an urgent need of a dynamic and self-sustaining […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Myanmar Business Conference to be Held in May
SINGAPORE, Feb 23 (NNN-Bernama) — Myanmar companies are keen to meet up with the foreign business community expected to tap business potentials at the upcoming 5th Myanmar Business Conference 2012 in Yangon from May 15 to 19. William Tan, managing director of Foreign Recruitment Centre Pte Ltd (FRC), which is organising the conference, said, “There […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
CEOs Now Making Incredible Money in Incredible India
New Delhi/Mumbai, February 22, 2012: Global management consultancy Hay Group released the Top Executives Compensation report today, revealing that the average CEO’s compensation in India has crossed the INR 2 crores / USD 400,000 mark, on a cost to company (CTC) basis. The study also shows that compensation is pegged to be more than INR […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Global Unions Mobilise for Rio+20 And An Equitable, Just, Sustainable World
With just 4 months to RIO+20 the International Trades Union Congress is calling on all affiliates to mobilize for a more equitable, just and sustainable world. What is Rio+20? The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (so called Rio+20) will take place over three days, 20-22 June 2012. World Leaders are asked to ’revitalise commitments’ […]
more…23 Feb, 2012
UK Unions Win Fair Deals for Workers Making London Olympics Merchandise
LONDON 23 February 2012 – The organisers of London 2012 are to introduce new measures designed to protect workers producing merchandise for this summer’s Olympic Games, following allegations of exploitation by researchers working for the TUC and the Labour Behind the Label-led Playfair 2012 campaign. As a result of the research findings published Thursday – […]
more…23 Feb, 2012
Pennsylvania Study Shows Historic Preservation Boosts Tourism Income, Local Economies
HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) today released a new study titled “Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation Activities in Pennsylvania.” (Click on the title to download free). The study provides evidence about the benefits of historic preservation for economic development. The report gathered and analyzed data on five […]
more…23 Feb, 2012
Amadeus Free Report Released on “The Future of Travel Search”
Bangkok, 23 February, 2012: A new industry study released today, Empowering Inspiration: The Future of Travel Search identifies trend-setting consumers´ behaviour and motivations when shopping for travel online, and identifies their experience during the destination selection, shopping and booking processes. The study also details the key trends and predictions for how consumers want to be […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Hotel Booking Channel Study: Hotel Websites, Third Party Sites Ranked Highest
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the market research and consultancy firm HawkPartners, LLC released results from its 2012 Hotel Channel Usage Study, based on survey data from over 1,200 business and leisure travelers, which provides insight into how hotel marketing executives can most effectively reach specific customer segments. The proliferation of marketing […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Chinese Online Travel Giant Ctrip Revenue Soars 21% in 2011
SHANGHAI, Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTRP), a leading travel service provider of hotel accommodations, airline tickets, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year ended December 31, 2011. Highlights for the Fourth Quarter of 2011 Net […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Android Now the Most Targeted Mobile Platform by Cyber-criminals
SAN JOSE, Calif. and BEIJING, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — A new report from NQ Mobile Inc., (NYSE: NQ), a leading global provider of consumer-centric mobile Internet services focusing on security and productivity, indicates that from 2010 to 2011, Android officially overtook Symbian as the most targeted mobile platform in the world by cyber criminals. […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Half of Global Languages Face Extinction – Int’l Mother Language Day Message
21 Feb 2012 – Have you ever heard of kalkoti? An endangered language identified in 2011 by the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, it is spoken by only around 4000 people in a village on the north-western border of Pakistan. It is estimated that nearly half of the approximately 6,000 languages spoken […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Global Small Farmers Forum: Climate Change Damage Will Hit Food Supplies
ROME, 21 Feb 2012 (IFAD) – Representatives of the millions of smallholders, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers around the world have agreed at a United Nations forum in Rome on the need to jointly address the global challenges of food insecurity and climate change. “As we have seen from the droughts in the Horn of […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Flood Warning in Europe As Danube Thaws Rapidly
GENEVA, 21 February 2012 – The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR, today said the European Flood Alert System could soon be put to its greatest test since widespread flooding ten years ago led to its creation by the European Commission. The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, said […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
UNCTAD’s Lone-Voice Early Warnings Ignored At First, But Proven Right Today
Geneva, 21 February 2012 – Experts marking the 30th anniversary of one of the world’s more influential economic annuals said Monday that themes long sounded in UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report retain current prominence – particularly those citing the questionable wisdom of unbridled free markets. Other prominent themes concerned the persistence of trade imbalances, the […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
U.S. Introduces Legislation to Help Small Businesses Win Govt Contracts
St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) February 19, 2012 — The Contractor Opportunity Protection (COP) Act, introduced to the House yesterday, will battle government contract bundling in order to protect small businesses. Sponsored by Republican lawmakers Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo) and Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), the COP will require government agencies to justify and […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
European Court: Insolvent Tour Firms Must Refund Clients, Even If Fraud is Involved
Luxembourg, 16 February 2012 — The European Court of Justice has ruled that the protection of travellers against the risk of insolvency on the part of the package travel organiser also applies where the insolvency is attributable to the organiser’s fraudulent conduct. It is the obligation of the travel organiser to hold sufficient security to […]
more…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 […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
UN Says Social Justice, Economic Progress Must Advance in Tandem
Feb 20 2012 (UN News Centre) – Calling on people to tap into the spirit of recent public protests worldwide against inequality, corruption, repression and a lack of decent jobs, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed the need for economic development to ensure greater social justice for everyone. Mr. Ban, in a message marking World Day […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
World Conf on Women & Sport calls for More Women in Leadership Roles
(PRWEB) February 20, 2012 — Participants in the 5th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport called on sports leaders to take a more proactive role in advancing the cause of women in and through sport as the event came to a close in Los Angeles, California, on Feb 19. The three-day conference, whose theme […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
Australia Proposes First Regulatory Package to Curb Problem Gambling
The Australian Government on 17 February released the draft National Gambling Reform Bills 2012 which will deliver long-lasting reforms to help the five million Australians affected by problem gambling. This is the first time the Commonwealth has taken national action to help problem gamblers and their families. The package is designed to “deliver the most […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Helping Tribals Alleviate Poverty by Enhancing The Value of Forest Products
Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 17 February 2012 – This report describes the work of the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) which began operating in 1988 to market tribal products. Forests provide 60% of the food & medicinal needs of tribals and 60% of their income — their food, fodder, fruits, medicines, […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Extensive Policy Research to Boost Job-Creation for Indians Overseas
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 14 February 2012 – The following report outlines the work and activities of the Indian Council of Overseas Employment (ICOE), set up by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in 2008 with a mandate “to devise and execute medium to long term strategies to enable Indian emigrant workers and professionals […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Indian Population Expected to Stabilise by 2045
Nairobi, Kenya, 14 Feb 2012, (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) – The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and Chairman, Partners in Population Development (PPD), Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad today addressed a gathering here on the occasion of Re-Launch of Family Planning Campaign of Government of Kenya during the ongoing three day meeting of […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
India Should be Free of Open Defecation by 2022: Minister
New Delhi, 15 Feb 2012 (Ministry of Rural Development)- Union Minister for Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Mr. Jairam Ramesh has called for making India an open defecation free country in 10 years and announced major restructuring of the Total Sanitation Campaign, TSC. Addressing a National Consultation on scaling up sanitation here, the […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
China Seen as Big Market for Indian Handmade Carpets
New Delhi, 17 Feb 2012 (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) – India and China have decided to promote export of Indian handmade carpets to China to diversify the trade basket and address the imbalance in the trade between the two countries. The matter was discussed during a meeting between Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Govt: “Almost All Major Terrorist Incident Cases Solved”
New Delhi, 16 Feb 2012 – The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued the following statement regarding number of major terror incident cases solved by investigating agencies. “Government’s attention has been drawn to a statement made by the spokesperson of a political party that no case of terror has been solved by the investigating […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Push to Promote Movies as Medium to Market “Incredible India” Campaign
NEW DELHI, 16 Feb 2012 (Ministry of Tourism) – In a major initiative to promote the ‘Incredible India Campaign’ and Cinemas of India as a sub brand of Incredible India at various international film festivals and markets abroad, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Tourism today signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Site Index Annual Study 2012 Reveals Optimism and Technology Trends
The Site International Foundation has published the Site Index: Annual Survey 2012. The Site Index studies seek to identify insights and measure significant changes in the business performance of the motivational events industry. The results of the 2012 report reflect a stable situation with minor fluctuations since the last annual survey, and also conveys an […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
KPMG Report: Expect the Unexpected – Building Business Value in a Changing World
NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Policymakers and the business community should ramp up collaboration and demonstrate renewed leadership in order to achieve sustainable and equitable growth objectives, according to recommendations released today from KPMG’s “Business Perspective on Sustainable Growth: Preparing for Rio+20” global summit. Summit attendees agreed to the recommendations as part of […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Global Survey Reveals Companies Not Investing in “Game-Changer Strategies”
NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — A survey of 500 C-suite executives worldwide conducted by global brand consultancy Wolff Olins has revealed that, although companies recognize the important factors required to generate long-term growth, many are not investing resources and energy into them. “Traditional ways of doing business are not generating growth and global […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Australia Seeks Public Comment on Future of Great Barrier Reef
18 February 2012 – One of the world’s most treasured icons – the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – will undergo a joint assessment to ensure future development along Queensland’s coastline is well-planned and its unique values are protected. The Bligh and Gillard Governments with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) have […]
more…20 Feb, 2012
Millions of Dollars in Australian Tourism Grants To Generate “Innovative Ideas”
17 Feb 2012 – Tourism businesses across Australia can apply for grants of up to $100,000 to develop and refresh their products as the 2012 round of the T-QUAL Grants – Tourism Quality Projects program opens today. T-QUAL Grants – is designed to spur private investment in tourism experiences, from eco-cabins and farm stays to […]
more…19 Feb, 2012
Bangkok attack: Iranians warn of another web of lies, and ask who’s really responsible?
Originally Published: 19 February 2012 Although the anti-Iran campaign is in full swing, major holes are emerging in the story spun so far. Although facing media criticism, the Indian and Thai governments’ cautious handling of the matter is putting counter-pressure on the U.S. and Israeli governments to prove that they are not behind what appear […]
more…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 […]
more…18 Feb, 2012
The Nightmare of Terror-Related Blacklisting (And Its Impact on Travel)
JURIST Guest Columnist Maureen Duffy of the University of Calgary Faculty of Law says that the use of “blacklists” as a tool for counter-terrorism efforts does not increase public safety, and instead may result in a form of legal punishment based on a subject’s associations alone…
more…18 Feb, 2012
Airports Training Challenges: No Longer Just About Operating an Airport
The aviation industry appears to be on the path to recovery and the upturn in fortunes means that despite the tough economic times airports should once again start preparing for traffic growth and the extra demands that this will bring. And with money tight, an airport’s ability to meet that service delivery challenge will be […]
more…18 Feb, 2012
UNCTAD Conf Gives Boost to Global Trade in Organic Products
Nuremberg, 17 February 2012 – The European Union (EU) and the United States signed a landmark “organic-equivalency” agreement here following a conference on opening markets to organic products. And an Asian group of government officials and representatives of organic farmers and marketers adopted an Asian Regional Organic Standard that should greatly expand trade in such […]
more…17 Feb, 2012
UN Chief Calls on Countries to Heed Voices of Women and Young People
Feb 16 2012 (UN News Centre) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today the need to empower women and youth, who have been at the centre of recent social protest movements worldwide, and warned countries against ignoring their voices as they are critical to countries’ development. “Tahrir Square [in Cairo] and the fight for democracy throughout […]
more…17 Feb, 2012
Will US Ever Accept The Truth?
Beijing, 2012-02-16. — It is a matter of routine for the media in the United States to carry articles written by top US scholars at the end of a year and the beginning of the next, expressing concern over the country’s prospects. In one such article, “The end of the American era”, Stephen M. Walt, […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
The “Rise of the Planet of the Apps”: 7 Key Trends
Hong Kong, China (PRWEB) February 16, 2012 — Today App Annie (appannie.com), an app store provider of analytics and market intelligence, unveils the 7 key trends in the “Rise of the Planet of the Apps”. App Annie’s premium service – ‘App Annie Intelligence’ – employs statistical and data models to generate what it claims to […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Research: Four Guiding Principles To Help Employees Navigate Through Change
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 15, 2012 — Recent global research conducted by TNS Employee Insights names four guiding principles to improving an organization’s chance of success in times of change. Based on the notion of “moving the needle” in engagement, their findings maintain that employees must understand how engagement relates to bringing about change. Change, […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
New Study: Consumers Poised for Radical Shift in TV Consumption
Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 15, 2012 — A new study of over 1,400 consumers, from market research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, uncovers major changes in how people are watching TV and movies, and the choices they make when it comes to the content they watch online. Once the domain of early adopters, more than half […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Agoda Unveils 10 Fresh Asian Destinations 2012
Singapore (PRWEB) February 15, 2012 — The global hotel booking site Agoda.com, a part of NASDAQ-listed Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), today announced its Fresh Destinations 2012. Launched in 2011, agoda.com’s Fresh Destinations list aggregates traveler booking data and customer reviews and ratings to identify Asian cities that have showed a marked increase in popularity over […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
UN Chief Urges More Companies To Embrace Business Sustainability Ideals
Feb 14 2012 (UN News Centre) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today encouraged more businesses to embrace the principle of sustainability in their strategies, noting that with the most of the world’s ecosystems in decline, widening social inequality and climate change, global prosperity, productivity and stability was at stake. “We need corporate sustainability to be […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Bid to Open Markets for Organic Products From Developing World
Feb 13 2012 (UN News Centre) – A United Nations-backed conference addressing the future of access to markets for organic products began today with delegates and experts gathered to examine the impact that trade standards are having on organic farmers in the developing world. The two-day forum, held in the German city of Nuremberg, will […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
“Blue Economy” Needed To Protect Mediterranean Sea And World’s Oceans
Feb 10 2012 (UN News Centre) – The Mediterranean Sea is a “key pillar” for the development of the countries in the region, a senior United Nations official said today, warning that continued degradation of the aquatic environment could put its entire ecology at risk. The call came as delegates from 22 Mediterranean and European […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Call for Universal Ratification Of Treaty To End Use Of Children In Conflict
Feb 13 2012 (UN News Centre) – The United Nations envoy for children and armed conflict today called for universal ratification of a treaty protocol that outlaws the use of minors to fight wars and encourages States to set 18 years as the minimum age for recruitment. “So far, almost three fourths of the world […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Emerging Economies Need To Play Greater Role In Global Governance
Feb 13 2012 (UN News Centre) – Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today called for the wider inclusion of emerging economies in global governance mechanisms, noting that powerful decision-making bodies do not sufficiently reflect the growing impact of developing and new markets on the world economy. “We need to ensure both greater synergies among, as well […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Women Must Be Empowered To “Create The Future We Want”
Feb 14 2012 (UN News Centre) – United Nations Member States must boost economic empowerment for women to help them realize the global community’s common goals, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro urged today, warning that gender discrimination around the world was still too widespread. “Too many countries still have discriminatory laws on the books. Laws that […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
WHO Expands European Centre to Monitor Health Impact of Environment; Poor Worst Hit
Copenhagen and Bonn, 14 February 2012 (World Health Organisation) — One citizen out of five dies from environment-associated diseases in the WHO European Region. The environmental burden of ill health varies significantly across the Region, however, ranging from 14% to 54%. Within countries, the poor can be exposed to environmental risks five times more often […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
UN Postal Union Acquires World’s First Postage Stamp Issued In 1840
Feb 15 2012 (UN News Centre) – The United Nations postal union reported today that it has acquired what is probably the world’s best-known stamp – the Penny Black – which was issued 172 years ago and shows a profile image of United Kingdom’s Queen Victoria on a black background. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Finland Has Largest Share Of Economy Based On Information Technology
Feb 15 2012 (UN News Centre) – Finland has the world’s largest portion of domestic economic activities related to information and communication technology, with almost a tenth of the European country’s non-agricultural business workforce employed in the ICT sector, according to United Nations data released today. The data, released by the UN Conference on Trade […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Prof Kishore Mahbubani’s Letter to Netanyahu: Time is No Longer on Israel’s Side
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 […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Israel’s Leaders Are The Real Liars — Times of India Commentator
15 February 2012 – In Oliver Stone’s JFK, Kevin Costner, playing an attorney who wants to dig out the truth behind President Kennedy’s assassination, meets X, a former CIA operative, to know who really pulled the trigger on JFK. ‘X’ chuckles and says, “The real question isn’t “Why?”… The “how” is just “scenery” for the suckers…, […]
more…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 […]
more…15 Feb, 2012
Financial Markets A “Systemic Threat” To Global Economic Stability – UNCTAD Chief
Bangkok – Dr Supachai Panitchapakdi is not very well-known to most people in travel & tourism, except perhaps to my readers in Thailand. The 65-year-old former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister was closely involved in rebuilding the devastated Thai economy in the wake of 1997 currency attack by the Jewish market speculator George […]
more…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 […]
more…13 Feb, 2012
FAO Food Price Index Rebounds in January
9 February 2012, Rome (Food & Agriculture Organisation) – The FAO Food Price Index rose by nearly two percent or four points from December to January – its first increase since July 2011. Prices of all the commodity groups in the index registered gains last month with oils increasing the most, followed closely by cereals, […]
more…13 Feb, 2012
As Thai Tourism Rebounds, An Old Crisis Lurks in the Shadows
BANGKOK – As Thailand’s tourism industry gets set to soar again, a regional meeting on the global AIDS pandemic organised here last week has refocussed attention on a rarely-discussed subject: the extent to which Thailand’s nightlife and entertainment industry contributes to the global spread of HIV/AIDS. Although the Thai tourism industry robustly touts its contribution […]
more…13 Feb, 2012
What’s Cooking? New Study on Food Trends Can Boost Culinary Tourism
What and how we eat today might look quite baffling to anyone who’s missed the past decade: buying gluten-free treats from a food truck, for instance, or “Foodspotting” an order of locally sourced, heirloom vegetables. Yet at the same time we’re reconnecting with our past, looking to eat more communally and celebrating regional food traditions, […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
Cruise Survey: Couples Have Better, More Frequent Intimate Moments Onboard
Miami (PRWEB) February 10, 2012 — For couples looking to rekindle the spark in their romance, the sea is calling with a million ways to fall in love again. According to a recent survey commissioned by Royal Caribbean International*, most Americans (90%) astoundingly ranked sex as the top activity on their cruise itinerary. Respondents also […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
New Book Exposes How “Pirates of Manhattan” Hijacked America’s Savings Plans
(PRWEB) February 09, 2012 — Barry James Dyke, author, speaker and financial consultant has released the sequel to his first best-selling book, The Pirates of Manhattan is being released as of February 7, 2012 off the author’s website, http://www.thepiratesofmanhattan.com. The sequel, The Pirates of Manhattan II: Highway to Serfdom, The Hijacking of America’s Savings is […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
Wikipedia Co-founder’s Top 3 Business Startup Tips
(PRWEB UK) 10 February 2012 — Jimmy Wales co-founded free online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia in 2001. By 2006, Time magazine had named him in its list of the world’s most influential people and today, Wikipedia is the largest information resource on the web (ranking 6th globally). CambridgeElevator.com – the free social network for startups – met […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
World Bank Launches “Women of the World” App
Washington DC, February 8, 2012 – The World Bank and Fotopedia, the publisher of popular iOS apps and winner of the Best Tablet App of the Year Crunchies Award, today announced their collaboration on a new free app titled “Women of the World” for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. “Women of the World” takes users on an […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
World Bank Hails Role of Diaspora as a Resource for Development
Buenos Aires, February 2, 2012 (World Bank News Update) – Some years ago, the immigration from China, India, Taiwan, and Israel to Silicon Valley contributed to transforming sectors in these countries, through activities such as consultancy, policy recommendations, the establishment of new government departments, and participation in advisory committees and discussion groups. Could other diasporas […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
UN Wraps Up Year Of Forests By Highlighting Their Social, Economic Value
Feb 9 2012 (UN News Centre) – The United Nations will wrap up today its year-long campaign to raise awareness on the importance of forests and the people who depend on them with a series of events that spotlight their role and impact in socio-economic activities. “Each of us, all seven billion people on Earth, […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
Report Warns Of Dangers Of Increasing Electronic Waste In West Africa
Feb 10 2012 (UN News Centre) – West Africa is facing a significant increase in waste generated by electronic equipment which poses mounting health and environmental risks, according to a United Nations report released today. About 85 per cent of the waste produced in the region comes from domestic consumption, the report reveals. However, the […]
more…12 Feb, 2012
UN Invites Countries To Tune In For First World Radio Day On Feb 13
Feb 10 2012 (UN News Centre) – The role of radio as a facilitator of education, freedom of expression and public debate will be celebrated as World Radio Day is observed for the first time on Monday by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “In a world changing quickly, we must make […]
more…11 Feb, 2012
Islamophobia is America’s Real Enemy
The hysterical campaign to stigmatise US Muslims poses a far greater threat than radicalisation to America’s civic union. Daisy Khan is executive director and co-founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement and co-founder of the Cordoba Initiative 9 February 2012 — A report released this week has at last confirmed what we Muslim Americans […]
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