Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

Archive for May, 2013

31 May, 2013

Minnesota Gives Youth A Voice In Laws That Directly Affect Them

=========

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– May 24, 2013 – For the first time in state history, Minnesota youth have an official voice in legislation that affects them directly, through passage of the Minnesota Youth Council Committee Bill on Wednesday, May 22 — part of the education finance omnibus bill. The Minnesota Youth Council draws 72 youth […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Chinese Teenagers Rush for Overseas Education

By Chen Boyuan (China.org.cn)

May 31, 2013 (Xinhua) – China is experiencing a new craze for overseas education, featuring the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand as the top options. Students born in the 1990s and 2000s are the main participants in this current trend, opting for countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Xinhua Commentary: Strengthening of U.S. dollar could weaken most Asian currencies

=========

SINGAPORE, May 27 (Xinhua) — As the U.S. dollar strengthened further after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated the possibility of scaling back quantitative easing and after discussions among Fed officials of exiting from monetary stimulus during the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting last week were revealed, financial analysts here have predicted that […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Imran wants Nawaz to debut term with strike at drones | DAWN.COM

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has offered public support to prime minister in waiting Nawaz Sharif to stop drone attacks either through negotiations with the US or by force. “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should fulfill its responsibility and begin its tenure from this point,” PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry quoted Mr Khan as […]

more…

31 May, 2013

China Tells Germany: Do Not Judge Or Impose Views, But Seek Common Ground, Shared Prosperity

=========

BERLIN, May 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday published a signed article on German weekly newspaper Die Zeit titled “Open Up New Horizon for China-Germany Relations.”  The following is the full text of the English translation of the article: I will soon be visiting Germany again to boost China’s cooperation with Germany […]

more…

31 May, 2013

China Designates Service Industry New Growth Engine

=========

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) — China will step up efforts to build up its service industry to make it a new engine to power sustainable growth, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday. Speaking at a summit during the second Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services, Li stressed the important role of the service industry […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Commentary: Chinese premier’s strong message to Europe

by Xinhua writer Shang Jun

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — Li Keqiang wrapped up his first official visit abroad as Chinese premier on Monday with a clear and strong message to Europe: more cooperation, less protectionism. In Germany, the last stop of his four-nation tour, Li reiterated China’s firm opposition to the European Union (EU)’s plan to launch a trade […]

more…

31 May, 2013

News Analysis: Hot money behind rising yuan

=========

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — Speculative money lies behind the rising yuan as the relatively high interest rates in China in comparison to other countries are attractive to investors. The Chinese currency Renminbi, or the yuan, retreated 7 basis points to 6.1818 against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, after having gained 56 basis points to […]

more…

31 May, 2013

“Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint”: June 5 World Environment Day Message

Travel Impact Newswire Special Report

The following is the full text of Special Message by the U.N. Secretary-General Message Mr Ban Ki-Moon On World Environment Day We live in a world of plenty, where food production outstrips demand, yet 870 million people are undernourished and childhood stunting is a silent pandemic. To create the future we want, we must correct […]

more…

31 May, 2013

UN Panel Of Eminent Persons Releases Recommendations For World’s Next Development Agenda

Travel Impact Newswire Special Report

(30 May 2013, United Nations News Centre) – The High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda today released “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development,” a report which sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the earth by 2030, and deliver on the […]

more…

31 May, 2013

‘The lectures seemed like dharma teachings’ – Hindustan Times

At ISB, I have learned effective ways of management in an organisation, and would tell other monks what those ways are and how they can be attained. Nowadays, many business schools provide good classes in the field of non profit. Particularly in my major, marketing and strategy, electives regarding CRM or marketing services were very […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Indian hotels, cabbies move to address women’s security concerns – Hindustan Times

As fear and caution sweet working women across India with travelling jobs, the nation’s hospitality industry and associated businesses like taxi services have woken up to the security needs of women, with special measures to make their guests and customers feel safer. The concern is based on sound market logic. Career women at all levels […]

more…

31 May, 2013

CAIR: Virginia Muslim’s No-Fly List Case Clears Legal Hurdle

Council of American Islamic Relations

On May 28, in a decision that has major implications for the U.S. government’s use of the no-fly list, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected government efforts to dismiss U.S. citizen Gulet Mohamed’s challenge to his placement on the list. In siding with Mohamed, the court rejected efforts to subject his claim to a […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Chinese firm plans UKP1 billion Asian business port in East London dockland

=========

LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) — An agreement, worth one billion pounds (1.51 billion U.S. dollars), to transform a dockland in eastern London into a business port for attracting Chinese and Asian companies to develop in Europe was signed in London on Wednesday. ABP Chinese (Holding), a private company founded in 2003, plans to build the […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Well-educated Muslim Minority Will Advance India’s Growth – Indian VP

=========

Vice President’s Secretariat, 29-May, 2013 — Following is the text of address by the Vice President of India, Prof Dr M. Hamid Ansari at the inauguration of the “Muslim Educational Conference” in Mumbai today : I am happy to be here today to inaugurate the ‘Muslim Educational Conference’ organized by Maulana Azad Vichar Manch whose […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Sydney to Host 7th Regional Caucus of Indian Diaspora

=========

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 30-May, 2013 — The Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Vayalar Ravi, announced that the 7th Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is to be held in Sydney, Australia from 10-12 November, 2013. The theme is ‘Connecting for a Shared Future – The Indian Diaspora, India and The Pacific’. He said […]

more…

31 May, 2013

One-third of Britons are too poor to ‘join in with society’ – The Independent

Just under a third of people in Britain are excluded from mainstream society because they cannot afford to join in cultural activities such as going to the cinema, taking a holiday or buying consumer goods. Research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that the poorest 30 per cent are also prevented from “participating in society” […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Woolwich backlash: Ten attacks on mosques since murder of Drummer Lee Rigby – The Independent

The number of reported Islamophobic attacks since the Woolwich murder has continued to rise dramatically amid warnings from Muslim community leaders that the backlash which has seen attempted firebombings of mosques is being fuelled by far right groups. As participants in an English Defence League (EDL) march in Whitehall were recorded giving Nazi-style salutes, Faith […]

more…

31 May, 2013

Britain’s “Hidden Hungry”: Welfare cuts force 500,000+ people to use food banks, warns Oxfam – The Independent

More than half a million Britons have resorted to using food banks to stave off hunger and destitution, the Government has been warned. Major charities signalled their alarm over a dramatic rise in the nation’s “hidden hungry” – families who are forced to ask for help to feed themselves – because of wage cuts, the […]

more…

30 May, 2013

Unprecedented U.N. Study of Bedouins “Relocated” by Israel Says Their Situation is Unsustainable

=========

Jerusalem, 28 May 2013, (UNRWA Media release) – The first study of its kind about the transfer against their will of 150 Palestine refugee Bedouin families says that their situation has become socially and economically “non viable”. The joint UNRWA-Bimkom report analyses the consequences of the relocation which started in 1997 in order to expand […]

more…

30 May, 2013

Singapore, Other Financial Centres Sign Convention to Combat Tax Cheats

=========

OECD – Paris, 29 May 2013 – As a further sign of international efforts to crack down on tax offenders, 12 more countries have signed, or committed to sign, the OECD’s Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. In addition, another 6 countries have ratified the Convention. A wide range of countries participated […]

more…

30 May, 2013

New OECD Analysis Highlights Importance of Services to Global Trade

=========

OECD – Paris, 29 May 2013 – New trade data measured in value-added terms shows that services – such as logistics, design, and transportation – are far more important to global commerce than they appear in traditional calculations of exports and imports. OECD data shows that services represented 24% of total gross trade in 2009 […]

more…

30 May, 2013

“People Living in Poverty Must Have Their Say” – UN Expert Urges in New Report

=========

GENEVA (28 May 2013) (UN NEWS CENTRE) – “Participation is a fundamental human right, not a simple policy option that policymakers can choose not to implement,” United Nations Special Rapporteur Magdalena Sepúlveda said today, presenting her annual report* to the Human Rights Council. The independent expert on extreme poverty and human rights urged world governments […]

more…

30 May, 2013

Women Nobel Laureates Hold Historic Meeting, Call for Cuts in Global Military Spending

=========

(Belfast, United Kingdom)—30 May 2013 – Six women Nobel Peace Laureates today urged G8 leaders to reduce spending on weapons of war to ensure a peaceful world for future generations. The six members of the Nobel Women’s Initiative, who gathered in Belfast, Northern Ireland for a historic international conference to discuss strategies for a nonviolent […]

more…

29 May, 2013

Do CEOs have any shame? They’re Firing Workers and Giving Themselves Raises | Alternet

Author George Packer’s “The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America” gets to the bottom of the question. I’m angry at what’s happened to our country and what it’s done to a lot of Americans. I’m angry at the elites who have proved so self-interested and short-sighted that time and again they’ve led us […]

more…

29 May, 2013

The World’s Richest 8% Earn Half of All Planetary Income | Alternet

The lead research economist at the World Bank, Branko Milanovic, will be reporting soon, in the journal Global Policy, the first calculation of global income-inequality, and he has found that the top 8% of global earners are drawing 50% of all of this planet’s income. He notes: “Global inequality is much greater than inequality within […]

more…

29 May, 2013

Regulations Issued to Promote “Civilized Behavior” by Chinese Tourists

=========

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — The Chinese government on Tuesday promulgated a national convention calling on the Chinese people to take note of their behavior and act as civilized tourists when travelling. A combination of detailed regulations, the convention was issued by the National Tourism Administration and posted on the Chinese central government’s website on […]

more…

29 May, 2013

UNWTO Exec Council Recommends Taleb Rifai for 2nd Term As Secretary-General

=========

Madrid, Spain/Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, 28 May 2013 –  The 95th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, meeting in Belgrade, unanimously recommended Taleb Rifai as a nominee for the post of Secretary-General for the four-year-period starting January 2014 (Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, 28 May 2013). The candidature of Mr. Rifai was presented by his country, […]

more…

29 May, 2013

Public Wants Action Against MNC Tax Evasion, Trade Unions Warn OECD Ministerial

=========

28 May 2013: Overwhelming public support for policies to create jobs, develop new industries and reduce unemployment and inequality is at odds with government actions, according to new public opinion polling from international unions. Worldwide unemployment is set to rise above 200 million, with 48 million in the OECD area alone. Young women and men […]

more…

28 May, 2013

Nine Budgeting Tips for Summer Travel Savings

=========

PROVIDENCE, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)- May 22, 2013-As consumers prepare for summer travel after a long winter and a chilly spring, Citizens Bank is recommending 9 Budgeting Tips for Summer Travel Savings. According to AAA, the summer travel season begins this weekend, when 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home over the Memorial […]

more…

28 May, 2013

Silencing the Whistle-Blowers – NYTimes.com

LAST week Pfc. Bradley Manning returned to court for his final pretrial hearing in the WikiLeaks case, an appearance that has renewed debate about how to balance the imperatives of national security against the rights of whistle-blowers. But while Private Manning’s ordeal has received exhaustive news coverage, it may ultimately have a less profound bearing […]

more…

28 May, 2013

Immigration and Border Injustice – NYTimes.com

Those who view fixing immigration as simply a matter of getting tougher on lawbreakers tend to overlook how tough the system already is, an ever-growing web of agents, cops, courts and prisons whose cruelty and deficiencies are appalling. Much attention has focused on the excesses of local law enforcement, exemplified by self-appointed immigration enforcers like […]

more…

28 May, 2013

York mosque counters EDL protest with tea, biscuits and football – guardian.co.uk

A York mosque dealt with a potentially volatile situation after reports that it was going to be the focus of a demonstration organised by a far-right street protest movement – by inviting those taking part in the protest in for tea and biscuits. Around half a dozen people arrived for the protest, promoted online by […]

more…

27 May, 2013

Ihsanoglu on Historic Visit to OIC States in Latin America: Suriname & Guyana

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 27 May 2013 (17 Rajab 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.

more…

27 May, 2013

Expats welcome in UAE but should respect local culture | GulfNews.com

With some 85 per cent of the country’s population made up of foreigners, there remain some concerns among UAE nationals about outside cultures’ influence on local language and culture, which is shaped by Arabic and an Islamic-Arab heritage. Emiratis of the old guard as well as the young generation shared their views in a candid […]

more…

27 May, 2013

When can we call a 17-year-old white kid a terrorist? | ArabNews

Yesterday morning I read a news account of a 17-year-old Portland, Oregon, boy who had planned to detonate bombs at his high school to kill as many of his schoolmates as possible. He had detailed plans, a timeline and a variety of explosive devices. Mass murder was his agenda. Here is what Benton County District […]

more…

27 May, 2013

Neo-imperialist U.S. “Experts” Want Middle East to be at perpetual war – Al-Ahram Weekly

Some neo-imperialists in America have long had the Islamic world in their sights. They know that the real problem lies with extremist Muslims, yet their strategies aimed against the Islamic world as a whole are extraordinarily destructive. They regard the source of the problem as radicals who appear in the name of Islam. Unfortunately, they […]

more…

27 May, 2013

Fishermen pay price in Asia’s volatile sea rifts – Manila Bulletin

Large swarms of fishing fleets are getting entangled in an expanding labyrinth of Asian territorial conflicts. The stakes are rising as China and other rival claimants in the South China Sea pour more air, naval and paramilitary forces into the area, increasing the risk of confrontations. Chinese maritime surveillance ships took control of Scarborough, which […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Global Sports Ministers Conf in Berlin Aims At “Clean-up” and Accessibility

=========

UNESCO Press Release – Fighting corruption and manipulation in sport, increasing public investment, and with it the impact and standards of mega events and the provision of equal access to physical education and sport for all, will be the focus of the International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport […]

more…

25 May, 2013

India Plans Rs12,500 Crores Outlay for Nationwide Sports Complexes

=========

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, 25-May, 2013 – A two-day conference of Ministers of States/UTs in charge of Youth Affairs and Sports concluded here today. The Conference was chaired by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sport, Mr Jitendra Singh, in the presence of Ministers and Secretaries from different State […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Indian President: Every University Should Make At Least One Department Into “Centre of Excellence”

=========

President’s Secretariat, 25-May, 2013 – The President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated Maharaja Agrasen University at Kalujhanda, Solan today (May 25, 2013). The University is established by Maharaja Agrasen Technical Education Society to promote quality technical and professional education. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that with two-third of its population expected to […]

more…

25 May, 2013

United Airlines refuses to apologize after insulting Chinese passengers – People’s Daily Online

People’s Daily Online reporters did a research about the service ratings of UA. We found that the airline’s services and staffs’ attitudes are extremely poor. And their manner is worst when dealing with Chinese passengers, who are usually timid and reticent when outside of China. A Chinese couple once had an argument with a crew […]

more…

25 May, 2013

China Unveils Civil Aviation Plan to Break Airbus, Boeing Duopoly

By Wang Wen (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-05-24 – Chinese narrow-body aircraft manufacturers will break the market duopoly of Boeing and Airbus by grabbing at least 5 percent of the domestic market by 2020, according to an industry plan unveiled on Thursday. Officials at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said the plan is the country’s first national development outline […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Paterson, New Jersey, First US City with Palestinian Flag on City Hall

=========

PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, May 22, 2013 (WAFA) – For the first time in the history of American cities, the Palestinian flag was officially raised Sunday at Paterson city hall, according to witnesses. Paterson, a city of approximately 150,000 people in the State of New Jersey, has become the first American city to raise a Palestinian […]

more…

25 May, 2013

WHO: Gaza Patients Await Treatment Permits After Israeli “Security Interviews”

=========

JERUSALEM, May 23, 2013 (WAFA) – Israeli permit approval rate for Gaza patients during April reached 83%, the lowest since January 2011, reflecting a dramatic increase in delays in responding to applications, said the World Health Organization (WHO) in its monthly report on referral of patients from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment abroad published […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Terrorism Set to Create $544.02 Billion Homeland Security Market by 2018 – Report

=========

(PRWEB) May 25, 2013 – Global homeland security market is estimated to be US$415.53 billion in 2013 and is expected to register a CARC of 5.54% to reach US$544.02 billion by 2018, according to a new market report,”Global Homeland Security and Emergency Management Market, 2013–2018″, published by MarketsandMarkets. The cumulative market for homeland security during […]

more…

25 May, 2013

For Indian carriers, season of new hope | The Hindu

Alliances with foreign carriers, a new revenue stream from “unbundling” services, and inducting newer and more efficient aircraft: the aviation industry in India is hoping for a turnaround after a few disastrous years. Survival was first on the agenda for the major carriers which posted a total debt of over $13 billion. Air India, the […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Neo-Nazi Denial in Myanmar: Asia Times Online

Myanmar has a newly registered Nazi party, the Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP), created ceremoniously in the wake of last year’s anti-Muslim ethnic cleansing in western Rakhine State. Naypyidaw has incubated the party, while opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has wined and dined publicly with controversial RNDP leaders, including party chairman and member of […]

more…

25 May, 2013

Island allure: The tax secrets of big business – Sydney Morning Herald

Very few Australians will have heard of Burdekin Investments, one of the thousands of low-profile post-box companies that makes its home at Ugland House, a resort-style office building in George Town, the capital of Caribbean tax haven the Cayman Islands. It keeps a much lower profile than its parent, Australia’s biggest company, Commonwealth Bank, whose […]

more…

24 May, 2013

FREE Download: UN Report Says Global Economic Growth Still Sluggish, “Gradual Improvement” Likely

=========

United Nations, May 23 2013, UN News Centre – Global economic growth will continue to be “below potential” this year, according to a report released today by the United Nations that adds that job creation will be vital to spur recovery. The UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013 (click here for FREE download) mid-year […]

more…

24 May, 2013

160+ U.S. Organizations Seek Immigration Bill Changes to End Racial Profiling

=========

Washington DC., (23 May 2013) –  A broad coalition of 160+ U.S. national, state and local organizations sent a letter today to all 100 members of the U.S. Senate to advocate for an effective and inclusive prohibition on profiling and discrimination in the immigration bill. The letter contends that the current version of the immigration […]

more…

24 May, 2013

U.S. Retailers to Reject ‘One-Sided’ Credit Card Swipe Fee Settlement

=========

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The National Retail Federation announced today that it will formally oppose a proposed settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit over credit card swipe fees charged by Visa and MasterCard, and urged retailers to carefully consider their own decisions before next week’s deadline set by the court. “The proposed settlement does nothing to bring swipe […]

more…

23 May, 2013

Prisoners who starved for art honored by Gaza show | The Electronic Intifada

For former Palestinian detainee Abdelfattah Abu Jahil, prison art is a victory. “At the beginning, it was really hard,” he said of painting, embroidery and sculpture during his first detention by Israeli forces in 1983. “It wasn’t allowed. We had to keep it hidden from the guards. And we had to smuggle the tools, like […]

more…

23 May, 2013

Japanese 80-year-old breaks Everest record | Sydney Morning Herald

An 80-year-old Japanese mountain climber who has had four heart surgeries reached the top of Mount Everest on Thursday, becoming the oldest person to conquer the world’s highest mountain. Yuichiro Miura, who took the standard southeast ridge route pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay 60 years ago, reached the top of the 8,848 […]

more…

23 May, 2013

Teenagers ‘burdened’ by Facebook are turning to Twitter says new study – The Independent

A new report from the Pew Research Centre in America has shown that teenagers “have waning enthusiasm” for Facebook, and that social-networks are increasingly seen as a burden. The report cited a number of reasons for the decreased enthusiasm in Facebook including an “increasing number of adults on the site” (70 per cent of teenagers […]

more…

23 May, 2013

Baby-Boomer Thai-Indian Writer Pens “Simple Steps for Being Healthy and Looking Great”

Bangkok – In a world of omnipresent complexity and confusion, attempts to solve problems are often stymied by the claim: “It’s not that simple.” But Thai-Indian writer Beena Hora has penned a book proving that claim fundamentally flawed. Launched in a simple event at the private residence of Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa, the book “Simple […]

more…

22 May, 2013

Traditional Cultures Can Show Wasteful World How to Preserve Food

=========

Nairobi, 20 May 2013 (UNEP Media release) – From condensing the meat of whole cow to the size of a human fist, to preserving seabirds in sealskins, there are hundreds of ways in which traditional cultures can teach the wasteful developed world how to preserve and conserve one of our most-precious yet most-squandered resources: food. […]

more…

22 May, 2013

Palestinian film of love and betrayal breaks new ground at Cannes – Ahram Online

=========

A tragic love story between two Palestinians living under Israeli occupation received a standing ovation at the Cannes film festival on Monday and broke new ground as the first film fully funded by the Palestinian cinema industry. Omar by director Hany Abu-Assad, known for the 2005 award-winning film Paradise Now, is a political thriller interwoven […]

more…

21 May, 2013

Post-2015 Development Agenda: Equality, Justice, Social Security & Accountability

UN News Centre

United Nations, May 21 2013 – United Nations independent experts today called on countries to ensure the post-2015 development agenda focuses on equality, social protection and accountability, noting that one billion people around the world are still living in poverty. “The rise of inequality has severely undermined the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals, or […]

more…

21 May, 2013

Where’s all the money gone? Asia Times Online

By David Vine Outside the United States, the Pentagon controls a collection of military bases unprecedented in history. With US troops gone from Iraq and the withdrawal from Afghanistan underway, it’s easy to forget that we probably still have about 1,000 military bases in other peoples’ lands. This giant collection of bases receives remarkably little […]

more…

21 May, 2013

Rashtrapati Bhavan to levy Rs 25 for Mughal Garden tour

=========

NEW DELHI, PTI, May 20, 2013: Come August, people visiting Rashtrapati Bhavan and Mughal Gardenswill be levied a registration charges of Rs 25 which will be spent to maintain and improve services to public. Nominal registration charges of Rs 25 will be levied upon visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan and Mughal Gardens from August 1, a […]

more…

21 May, 2013

Political dysfunctions spells trouble for democracies – The Washington Post

By E.J. Dionne Jr. We know American politics are dysfunctional. But after a week of scandal obsession during which the nation’s capital and the media virtually ignored the problems most voters care about — jobs, incomes, growth, opportunity, education — it’s worth asking if there is something especially flawed about our democracy. Our circumstances certainly […]

more…

21 May, 2013

How Egypt lost the Suez Canal – Ahram Online

by Wael Gamal When built, the Suez Canal contributed to transforming desert into an economic hub. But capitalist-imperialist schemes prevented Egypt from benefiting from the infrastructure it created. Read the rest:  How Egypt lost the Suez Canal – Opinion – Ahram Online.

more…

21 May, 2013

CAIR Welcomes State Department’s Recognition of Rising Islamophobia

=========

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/20/2013) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which claims to be the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today welcomed a new State Department report on international religious freedom, which recognizes that “[a]nti-Muslim rhetoric and actions were clearly on the rise — particularly in Europe and Asia.” According […]

more…

21 May, 2013

Pressure and job insecurity felt by UK workers at 20-year high | guardian.co.uk

British workers are feeling less secure and more pressured at work than at any time in the past 20 years, with pay cuts and diminished control over their jobs among the biggest concerns, according to a national survey of employees’ wellbeing. More than 3,000 workers aged between 20 and 60 were interviewed in 2012 for […]

more…

20 May, 2013

First Industry Professional Appointed to Lead Pakistan Tourism

=========

Islamabad: Mr. Zafarullah Siddiqui, Economic Analyst / Joint Secretary (Dev) (BS-20) has assumed charge as Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC), Mr. Siddiqui will look after the work of MD PTDC till appointment of a regular incumbent to this post. This […]

more…

20 May, 2013

Abu Dhabi entepreneur promotes Falafel as fast-food chain

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 20 May 2013 (10 Rajab 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.

more…

20 May, 2013

Chinese “Birth Tourists” in U.S. Facing Scrutiny

By June Chang (China Daily)

2013-05-17 – Li lives in a boarding house in the affluent California city of Arcadia, about 13 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. She isn’t alone. The other 29 units in her housing complex are either occupied or booked, all by Chinese women who are pregnant. Like Li, who declined to disclose her real name, […]

more…

20 May, 2013

China cuts red-tape for self-drive, airports, education clearances

By CHEN XIN, LAN LAN and WU WENCONG (China Daily)

Beijing, May 17, 2013, China Daily – The State Council, China’s cabinet, on Thursday published a list of items that no longer require central government approval, or have been delegated to lower-level authorities. The cabinet’s list follows Premier Li Keqiang’s pledge to streamline the government since he took office in March. Approval required for 133 […]

more…

20 May, 2013

WTO Chief Urges More Opening Of Europe Services Sector to Boost Economies

=========

World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy, in a speech at the European Business Summit in Brussels on 15 May 2013, said that “a big part of the answer to improving European competitiveness lies in a greater and better leveraging of Europe’s comparative advantage: the size of its internal market”. He added that “a further effort […]

more…

20 May, 2013

China’s UNESCO Heritage Site, Mogao Grottoes, to limit tourist flows

=========

DUNHUANG, Gansu, May 17 (Xinhua) — The administration of the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northwest China’s Gansu Province, is to introduce new measures to control visitor flows and prevent damage to the caves’ Buddhist frescoes. A stricter mechanism will be introduced in 2014 to control daily tourist volumes at the 1,600-year-old […]

more…

20 May, 2013

Chinese Vice Premier stresses polite behavior by Chinese tourists

=========

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang on Thursday advocated polite tourist behavior and stressed that a good image of Chinese tourists should be projected. Wang made the remarks during a teleconference held by the State Council, China’s cabinet, on implementing the new Tourism Law. Wang also urged relevant authorities to develop […]

more…

20 May, 2013

Chinese Calligraphy Helps Language Learning

By Caroline Berg (China Daily)

New York,  2013-05-17 –  Two years ago, the Confucius Institute at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina initiated a trial calligraphy immersion course in a K-8 language school to accelerate their learning of the Chinese language. “Our mission is to teach Chinese language and to promote the culture,” said Yan Weihong, director of the Confucius Institute […]

more…

20 May, 2013

Music Heritage Can Help India, China Bond Better

By Mu Qian (China Daily)

May 17, 2013 (China Daily) – The name Bombay Jayashri might not be too well known in China, but if you say “singer of the theme song of the film Life of Pi”, many realize who she is. Jayashri recently completed a six-show tour of China, and was warmly welcomed everywhere she went, in Shanghai, […]

more…

20 May, 2013

Gaza: We will keep coming back – Al-Ahram Weekly

By Bill Dienst I’ve been coming to Gaza for a long time. My first was in 1985 and this is now my seventh trip to the region. In the 1980s, there were no substantial physical barriers between Gaza and Israel. Many Gazans worked as day labourers in Israel and many spoke Hebrew. Group taxis travelled […]

more…

19 May, 2013

U.S. Groups Blast Israeli Bias Against Americans of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim Origin

=========

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2013 (WAFA) – Over 50 American organizations signed a letter asking US senators to oppose the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act on the ground Israel mistreats US citizens travelling to its country, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation said in a press release on Friday. It said section nine of […]

more…

19 May, 2013

Worldwide Luxury Goods Market In Double-Digit Annual Growth, Tops €200 Billion

=========

MILAN–(BUSINESS WIRE)– May 16, 2013 – Worldwide luxury goods market revenues will grow as much as 50 percent faster than global GDP, with an expectation of four to five percent growth in 2013 and five to six percent annual average through 2015, on track to break the €250 billion sales threshold by mid-decade. This according […]

more…

19 May, 2013

UNESCO Releases Hangzhou Declaration on Culture

=========

HANGZHOU, May 17 (Xinhua) — UNESCO concluded the International Congress of Hangzhou on Friday by issuing a declaration recognizing the power of culture for sustainable development. Alissandra Cummins, chairwoman of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said the declaration was a positive outcome of the congress and it […]

more…

19 May, 2013

First Dating Site Catering to Over-60 Senior Citizens Launched

=========

(PRWEB) May 18, 2013 – A dating site catering to over 60 senior citizens has been launched by Successful Match Inc on May 13 to help the over 60 group find love & companionship again. According to Successful Match, the original service provider powering online dating sites, Over60dating.org is the first online dating site catering […]

more…

19 May, 2013

Destitute, orphan students outclass rest in Andhra Class 10 exams – Indian Express

POOR, destitute and orphan students from the SC and ST community, studying in schools run by the Andhra Pradesh government’s social welfare department, have performed extremely well in the SSC or class 10 exams this year, beating the general pass percentage and outperforming students tutored in expensive private coaching classes. Results for the 2012-13 academic […]

more…

19 May, 2013

Eight countries submit action plans to combat illegal trade in elephant ivory

=========

Geneva, 16 May 2013 (CITES Media release) – The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has received National Ivory Action Plans from the first group of countries identified as primary source, transit and import countries affected by illegal trade in ivory: China, Kenya, Malaysia, the […]

more…

19 May, 2013

U.S. Legal System Is World’s Most Costly and Primarily Benefits Lawyers: Study

=========

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–15 May 2013 – The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today released a study by NERA Economic Consulting showing that the U.S. has the world’s most costly legal system as a share of its economy. The study (click on the link for FREE download) compared liability costs as a percentage of GDP […]

more…

19 May, 2013

Obama’s media shield law makes prosecuting journalists even easier — RT USA

Now as the White House shifts focus from one scandal to another, free speech advocates are concerned that the shield law, as written, wouldn’t do much more than current legislation in terms of thwarting future subpoenas sent to journalists. Trevor Timm, an activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a board member of the Freedom […]

more…

19 May, 2013

Heading for America? Prepare for longest US immigration queues ever – The Independent

Welcome to America: now stand in line for three hours. Millions of British holidaymakers and business travellers heading for the US this summer face longer waits than ever to be processed by immigration. Research by The Independent reveals that budget cuts at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have sharply increased airport queues, with the […]

more…

19 May, 2013

The price of pacifism: Refusing to go to war is finally being recognised as a brave act – The Independent

The conscientious objector is a popular trope in any drama touching on the First World War: Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs and more recently The Village have been awash with young men persecuted for their moral stance, the white feathers they were shamed with fluttering about TV screens as if war was a pillow fight. As […]

more…

18 May, 2013

Afghans recall US soldier’s killing rampage – Dawn.com

Masooma said that the soldier returned to the family’s bedroom after killing her husband. She stood in terror. Her children hid under their blankets. The soldier moved slowly and seemed angry. Gesturing to show how he hit her in the arms and shoved her to the ground, Masooma said he then moved toward her son […]

more…

18 May, 2013

‘Unhealthy’ drinking culture among British MPs: Survey – The Times of India

LONDON: Grabbing a drink at one of many parliament bars or pubs down the road is common practice among many UK parliamentarians but now some of them fear this seemingly harmless British pastime may be getting out of hand. A quarter of MPs believe there is an “unhealthy” culture of drinking in parliament, a new […]

more…

18 May, 2013

Harvard Business School to Convene 200+ Leaders to Discuss U.S. Competitiveness

=========

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 15, 2013 – Today, Harvard Business School (HBS) will convene Paths Forward Boston, an event that is part of the school’s U.S. Competitiveness Project. Paths Forwardevents allow HBS faculty members to share the latest research and data on U.S. competitiveness and convene leaders in economic centers throughout the country to discuss actionable steps to […]

more…

18 May, 2013

Arab-American Group Asks “Newseum” to Reinstate Palestinian Journalists in Memorial

=========

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2013 (WAFA) – An Arab-American organization Tuesday called on Newseum, a Washington-based memorial for fallen journalists, to re-evaluate its decision to remove the names of two Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli airstrike from the list of fallen journalists honored at its memorial. Newseum removed on Monday the names of Mahmoud al-Kumi and […]

more…

18 May, 2013

Palestinian Jobless Rate Hits 27.5% in First Quarter of 2013

=========

RAMALLAH, May 16, 2013 (WAFA) – The unemployment rate in the Palestinian Territory increased from 26.7% in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 27.5% in the first quarter of 2013, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Thursday. Using International Labor Organization standards, the number of unemployed persons was 271,000, distributed to 152,000 in […]

more…

18 May, 2013

Deluxe Reveals Unique “DNA” of America’s Small Business Owners

=========

ST. PAUL, Minn.– (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 16, 2013  — Small businesses (SMB) have long been seen as the nation’s economic engine – but what really makes that engine run? A new, independent survey has found that SMB owners share several distinct attributes – a sort of unique “DNA” – that help them live their […]

more…

16 May, 2013

Road Safety: European Commission Speeds Up Roll-out of Info Services for Motorists

=========

Brussels, 15 May 2013, European Commission Press release – The European Commission today adopted two regulations to promote the roll-out of ‘intelligent information services’, such as real-time warnings about dangerous road conditions ahead and information on safe and secure parking places for truck drivers. They can be provided through different means such as variable road […]

more…

16 May, 2013

Don’t Expand the War on Terror – NYTimes.com

One of the most troubling consequences of an open-ended authorization to use force is that it might actually undercut intelligence gathering. Already, key allies are nervous about sharing intelligence with the United States because it might be used in drone strikes; Germany, in fact, restricted information sharing as a result. These concerns would most likely […]

more…

16 May, 2013

‘Recessions can hurt, but austerity kills’ | The Guardian

The austerity programmes administered by western governments in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis were, of course, intended as a remedy, a tough but necessary course of treatment to relieve the symptoms of debts and deficits and to cure recession. But if, David Stuckler says, austerity had been run like a clinical trial, […]

more…

16 May, 2013

FREE Download: World Health Statistics Report 2013

=========

15 May 2013 | Geneva – The world has made dramatic progress in improving health in the poorest countries and narrowing the gaps between countries with the best and worst health status in the past two decades, according to the World Health Statistics 2013. The WHO annual statistics report highlights how efforts to meet the […]

more…

16 May, 2013

Trade In Creative Products Reached New Peak In 2011, UNCTAD Figures Show

=========

Geneva, 15 May 2013, UNCTAD Media release – World trade in creative goods and services totaled a record US$624 billion in 2011, up from $559.5 billion in 2010, according to the UNCTAD Global Database on the Creative Economy. Global exports of such goods and services as arts and crafts, books, graphic and interior design works, […]

more…

16 May, 2013

EU Group recommends doubling use of buses, coaches & taxis to save lives, cut emissions

=========

Brussels 15 May 2013, IRU Media Release – The EU public-private Smart Move High Level Group (HLG) presented recommendations on doubling the use of buses, coaches and taxis to save lives and cut carbon emissions, to European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, at a concluding public debate today at the European Parliament and called on […]

more…

15 May, 2013

Kashmir Festival Being Held Until May 29

=========

Ministry of Tourism, 13-May, 2013 – As a major initiative to promote Tourism in Kashmir Valley the Union Minister Tourism Mr K Chiranjeevi announced here today that “Kashmir Festival 2013” will be held for a fortnight from May 14 to May 29 at different places in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The Minister said […]

more…

15 May, 2013

Chinese Landscape Expo, With Many Garden Designs, Opens in Jinzhou

By Liu Ce and Wu Yong in Jinzhou, Liaoning (China Daily)

2013-05-11 – The 2013 World Landscape Art Exposition kicked off in Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, on Friday, after attracting more than 300 artists from home and abroad. The exposition will showcase 20 of the best-designed gardens selected from 103 works worldwide. A performance is held at the venue of the 2013 World Landscape Art Exposition, which […]

more…

15 May, 2013

China Railway to issue 150 Billion Yuan worth of bonds for funding

By Mao Jing (Chinadaily.com.cn)

2013-05-10  – China Railway Corp may soon issue its first batch of bonds after it was founded in March, as railway construction across the country slowed down due to inadequate funds, 21st Century Business Herald reported. “This year’s quota for China Railway in railway construction bonds is 150 billion yuan, the same as last year,” […]

more…