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Archive for February, 2013

5 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Hot Money Flows, Commodity Price Cycles, & Financial Repression in US and China

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Synopsis of an Asian Development Bank report: Under near zero interest rates in the United States, the international dollar standard malfunctions. Emerging markets with naturally higher interest rates are swamped with hot money inflows, while central banks in the same countries intervene to prevent their currencies from rising precipitously. They subsequently lose monetary control and […]

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5 Feb, 2013

New Study Reveals: Scorned Ex-Lovers May Share Intimate Data, Images Online

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SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–04 Feb 2013 — McAfee today released findings from the company’s 2013 Love, Relationships, and Technology survey which examines the pitfalls of sharing personal data in relationships and discloses how breakups can lead to privacy leaks online. The study highlights the need for consumers to take steps to protect themselves from cyber-stalking and […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Philippines Plans Nationwide ‘Super Wi-Fi’ | The Manila Bulletin

Due to scant broadband frequencies, the government plans to harness unused Television channels – White Space (TVWS) or “Super Wi-Fi” – nationwide within 3 years to connect rural areas, schools and also for health, disaster migration, e-services and e-business. Between them, Metro Manila and Cebu have 18 unused channels, with 46 percent of spectrum wasted. […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Tapping Vast Renewable Energy Resources | The Manila Bulletin

The Philippines is endowed with an abundance of resources that could propel it as renewable energy (RE) leader in Southeast Asia. Rice, coconut, and sugarcane crops generate volumes of residues that are utilized as fuel. Many provinces harness wind energy; the Philippines holds the largest potential for wind energy among Southeast Asian countries. The country’s […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Betting on Macau – Counting the Cost – Al Jazeera English

Macau’s economy expanded 14 percent last year and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, quite the opposite. If all predictions are correct, the former Portuguese colony will have the fastest growing economy in the world this year with an unemployment rate of two percent. But all this is dependent on gambling, which makes […]

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5 Feb, 2013

China Facing a Year of Challenges

By Zhang Yansheng (China Daily)

2013-02-02 – The tottering global economy and slowing growth rate at home make it important to transform (China’s) economic development model. The decision of the 2013 Central Economic Working Conference is to raise the quality of economic growth and make it more result-oriented by focusing on “six musts”. The first is expediting economic restructuring. The […]

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5 Feb, 2013

China’s anti-food waste campaign revives frugality

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BEIJING, 2013-02-03 (Xinhua)  – A campaign against food waste is sweeping across China, with government officials and netizens in full swing to fight extravagance in the world’s second-largest economy, which still has 128 million people living under the poverty line. The movement echoes Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s call for frugal lifestyles, urging the fine Chinese […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Indo-Pak travel & trade “mother of all confidence-building measures” – DAWN.COM

The clashes along the Line of Control, the first of which took place on January 6, prompted fears that tensions between Pakistan and India could escalate, but a ceasefire agreement on January 16 between commanders from both armies has held. Another attempt to ease the tensions saw trade resuming between the two countries via the […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Sex scandals, lies mar US churches: China Daily

LOS ANGELES – Anyone who rapes teenage boys and girls is a crime, but when priests had sex with teenagers, archbishops tried to cover them up to avoid punishment. That has happened in churches in Los Angeles and other US cities. In 2007, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid at least $660 million to settle […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Iran and Egypt in landmark meeting: China Daily

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Cairo this week as the first Iranian head of state to travel to Egypt since Iran’s revolution in 1979 soured ties. Officials and analysts said the visit is a significant step in restoring Teheran-Cairo ties and an attempt to bring the views of the two most populous countries in […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Book Review: “Australian Universities. A Portrait Of Decline”

“Australian universities. A Portrait of Decline” by Donald Meyers (AUPOD), is an important and hard-hitting book by an Australian neuroscientist and environmental scientist who argues passionately, cogently and with biting irony for a return to decency of a corrupted, dumbing-down, and managerialist Australian university system. The world is running out of time to deal intelligently […]

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5 Feb, 2013

US control is diminishing, but it still thinks it owns the world: Noam Chomsky

To everyone except a dedicated ideologue, it was pretty obvious that we invaded Iraq not because of our love of democracy but because it’s maybe the second- or third-largest source of oil in the world, and is right in the middle of the major energy-producing region. You’re not supposed to say this. It’s considered a […]

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5 Feb, 2013

Chinese Commentary Warns U.S. Against Unilateralism, Power Politics

CHINA DAILY, 4 FEB 2013

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Song Tao made a significant point when he elaborated on a more active role for emerging economies in international affairs at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. Song said emerging economies have thrived within the current international system, and ensuring the smooth voyage of the boat is in the interest of all […]

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5 Feb, 2013

India outlines sweeping measures to combat sex crimes against women

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New Delhi, Cabinet Secretariat, 04-February, 2013 – The Government has initiated a time bound action plan to combat crimes against women. A number of steps have been outlined to improve and strengthen the police and administrative system to ensure that crimes against the women are prevented through quick action, a gender sensitive response mechanism and […]

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4 Feb, 2013

Malaysia Airlines Joins oneworld, Offers DoubleBonus Mileage Until 15 April

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Muqbil

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 04 February 2013 (23 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.

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4 Feb, 2013

Islamophobia incidents on the rise in US : GulfNews.com

In Oklahoma City, a Muslim family placed a sign on their lawn wishing “as-salaamu alaykum” or peace be upon their neighbours. On Friday night, just after 8pm, the neighbours answered. A volley of high-calibre shots ricochetted off the walls and ripped through windows, spreading fear and terror to the family inside. Luckily, no one was […]

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4 Feb, 2013

China’s English TV news channel expands in the U.S.

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — CCTV America, the U.S. production arm of the Beijing based global news channel CCTV News, will expand programming on Monday February 4th. Broadcast live from Washington D.C., CCTV News launches a new two hour edition of BIZ ASIA AMERICA, 7pm to 9pm eastern standard time.In its new format, BIZ ASIA […]

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3 Feb, 2013

Israeli Tourism Ad Seeks to Wipe Muslim Mosque Off the Map

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Ramallah, 02 February 2013 (IINA) – An ad produced by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to promote tourism in occupied Jerusalem has shown Haram Al-Sharif or the “Dome of the Rock” being replaced by a Jewish temple. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who takes a pivotal role in the ad by explaining all aspects that […]

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3 Feb, 2013

Good Terrorist, Bad Terrorist – Malaysian Jurist Exposes Western Double Standards

Chandra Muzaffar, President, International Movement for a Just World (JUST)

The French military operation in Mali has brought to the fore the blatant double standards in the approach of certain Western nations to the whole question of terrorism. In the case of Mali, France, with the support of Britain, Germany and the United States, has committed itself to combating diehard militants who are determined to […]

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3 Feb, 2013

Israel, a “democracy,” no-shows at UN meeting to review its human rights record

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 29 January 2013 – The top United Nations human rights body today voiced regret at Israel’s decision not to participate in the scheduled review of its human rights record, and called on the Government to resume its cooperation with the mechanism set up for this purpose. The UN Human Rights […]

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3 Feb, 2013

Independent UN inquiry blasts Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory

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UNITED NATIONS, (UN News Centre), 31 January 2013 – An independent inquiry mandated by the United Nations has called on Israel to halt all settlement activity and to ensure accountability for the violations of the human rights of the Palestinians resulting from the settlements. The report (click here to download) of the International Fact-Finding Mission […]

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3 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Study Finds 58% of Organizations Lack Social Media Strategy During Crises

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GLENDALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE) – January 24, 2013 – Everbridge, a provider of interactive communication and mass notification solutions, conducted a survey of over 400 organizations spanning a variety of public and private sectors to see how emergency and crisis communications planners incorporate social media as part of their communications strategy. The survey included key stakeholders such as employees, customers […]

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3 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Hottest U.S. Growth Industries by Decade 1890-2020

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SCHAUMBURG, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE) – January 28, 2013 – Zurich in North America today released a new report highlighting what are anticipated to be the next decade’s Hottest Growth Industries, in collaboration with Philip Auerswald, an Associate Professor at George Mason University, adviser to the Clinton Global Initiative, and the founding president of the National Center […]

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2 Feb, 2013

PATA Thailand Chapter Debate: Is Thai Culture Good or Bad for the Thai Tourism Industry?

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Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil and Bangkok Post columnist Voranai Vanijaka participated in a no-holds-barred debate on this topic organised by the PATA Thailand Chapter Chairman Bert van Walbeek on 30 January 2013. They did not disagree on much, but the event certainly advanced a culture of debate within PATA and highlighted the […]

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2 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Australian report “An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century”

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Canberra, 31 Jan 2013 (Ministry for Industry and Innovation) – The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, has welcomed the latest GE Global Innovation Barometer, which shows Australia’s standing as an innovative economy is improving. The GE Barometer shows Australia has improved its innovation ranking from 16th place in 2012 to 13th place in […]

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2 Feb, 2013

Most Countries Unprepared To Prevent, Manage Cancers, Says WHO Survey

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1 February 2013, GENEVA/LYON (World Health Organisation) – More than half of all countries worldwide are struggling to prevent cancer and provide treatment and chronic care to cancer patients, warns a recent WHO survey for World Cancer Day (Feb 4). This means, currently many of these countries do not have a functional cancer control plan […]

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2 Feb, 2013

U.N. Marks Annual Inter-Faith Week, Calls On All Faiths To Unite For Common Good

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UNITED NATIONS, (UN News Centre), Feb  1 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the followers of all faiths to work together to achieve common goals for peace, prosperity and physical and spiritual well-being, as he kicked off an annual event known as World Interfaith Harmony Week. “We live in times of turmoil and […]

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