31 Jul, 2013

Chinese Commentator: American cyber, hot and cold warring mentality has to go

By Xu Peixi

BEIJING, July 30 (Xinhuanet) (china.org.cn) – In Aesop’s fable about the wolf and the lamb, the wolf wants to eat the lamb yet does not want to convey an unreasonable or greedy self-image. Keeping this in the back of its head, the wolf invents a series of excuses ranging from “you muddle the water from which I […]

31 Jul, 2013

Illegal Chinese tour firms face crackdown

By JIN HAIXING

Beijing, 2013-07-30 (China Daily) – Tour agencies with one-day packages will have to log on through an electronic code with bus operators, according to a plan unveiled last week by the Beijing Commission of Tourism Development. The move targets unqualified tour companies. Tour guides and bus drivers have to keep the itinerary and special code […]

31 Jul, 2013

Corruption Crackdown: 2,290 Chinese officials disciplined for “excessive extravagance”

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Beijing, 2013-07-31 (China Daily) – More than 2,000 Party and government officials have been punished as of late June for breaking new Party rules against extravagance and excess formality, an official from China’s top anti-graft agency said on Monday. A total of 2,290 officials violated the guidelines, said Xu Chuanzhi, head of the department responsible […]

31 Jul, 2013

Asia Times Online: Israel Using Arms Sales to Advance Political Clout

Israel has been using arms sales and other forms of military-security assistance to pursue its wider foreign policy objectives. Such activities of Israel should not only be looked from commercial point of views as they also have political incentives. Because of its limited political, economic and diplomatic leverage, Israel has used arms sales and other […]

31 Jul, 2013

The Important Things the U.S. DOESN’’T Have Money For, And The Crazy Things It DOES Have Money FOR

In an age of “belt tightening” and “budget cuts”, you would think that government officials would be trying to spend our money wisely. Unfortunately, when it comes time to cut spending our politicians tend to do everything that they can to protect their own interests and their own pet projects, but they don’t seem to […]

31 Jul, 2013

How digital photography is ruining travelling – Sydney Morning Herald

As a group, we travellers have become obsessed with taking photos when we’re away, with recording every moment on film. It used to be that the Japanese were made fun of for their compulsion to take photos, but the rest of us have caught up. Digital photography has a lot to answer, its ease and […]

31 Jul, 2013

What Martin Indyk’s appointment as US special envoy tells us – Al Jazeera

There is a sense that Kerry is sincere in seeking to broker a solution to the conflict, yet this way of proceeding does not raise hopes. Perhaps, there was no viable alternative. Israel would not come even to negotiate negotiations without being reassured in advance by an Indyk-like appointment. And if Israel had signalled its […]

31 Jul, 2013

UN: Int’l Day Of Friendship Chance To Build Trust, Inspire Development Efforts

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United Nations,  Jul 30 2013, (UN News Centre) – Marking the International Day of Friendship, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the global community to use the potential of friendship to strengthen common bonds and inspire efforts for peace and sustainable development. “The International Day of Friendship is an important opportunity to confront the […]

30 Jul, 2013

Beijing plans $81b shantytown renovation project

By ZHENG JINRAN and OU HAILIN

Beijing (China Daily), July 30, 2013 – For Zhang Yingfen, 79, who lives in a small house with her 83-year-old husband and three other family members, plans to renovate shantytowns inside Beijing’s Fourth Ring Road seem to promise a great improvement in quality of life. Her one-story house of 18 square meters in Liuhaodi is […]

30 Jul, 2013

Shooting down a drone isn’t so hard to do – DAWN.COM

Numerous Pakistanis have good reason to act boldly against drone strikes. Think of tribal belt civilians who have lost family members (or homes, limbs, or livelihoods), or who have been traumatised by the telltale humming of drones. Some of these people have sought legal assistance. Several months ago, a Pakistani court sided with them and […]

30 Jul, 2013

Path to Happiness Starts in Childhood – Sydney Morning Herald

Australians spend millions in self-improvements, therapies, diets, makeovers and quick fixes to make themselves happier. But are they actually chasing the things that will make them happy? It’s not surprising happiness is the subject of research. The jewel in the academic crown is the Grant Study, which has been tracking the lives of Harvard men […]

30 Jul, 2013

India Launches App to Apply for Passports

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NEW DELHI, July 30 (NNN-Bernama) — Have an android or iOS platforms phone? Then tracking passport application will be just a matter of pushing some buttons with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Monday launching a mobile application. In the next couple of months, people in India will be able to even apply for passport […]

30 Jul, 2013

London’s Recovery: Post-Olympic Legacy or Promotion?

Issued by Tarsh Consulting

London, 30 July 2013 (JacTravel Media Release) – One year on from the Olympic Games, much ballyhoo has been made about the legacy of the Olympics and a resurgence of tourists to London this summer is cited as a positive impact of staging the Games. However, research by online travel wholesaler JacTravel suggests that the […]

30 Jul, 2013

As Egypt Tourism Suffers, Rest of Africa Projected to Boom

STR Media Release

30 July 2013, LONDON— Latest analysis by STR Global, leading provider of data on the hotel industry, reveals that despite high levels of inflation and political uncertainty, Africa is proving that it is a growing tourist and business destination as hotels in a number of key markets are reporting performance increases for year-to-date (YTD) June […]

30 Jul, 2013

A Blow for the Press, and for Democracy – NYTimes.com

The case has real-world consequences not only for journalists but for all Americans. It is part of a troubling trend that includes unprecedented numbers of criminal investigations involving leaked information; the obtaining of reporters’ phone records; and even one government claim that a journalist “aided and abetted” a leak. Mr. Risen says investigative reporting that […]

30 Jul, 2013

Former whistle-blowers struggling | The Japan Times

This is what life looks like for some after revealing government secrets — blowing the whistle on wrongdoing, according to those who did it; jeopardizing national security, according to the government. Heroes or scofflaws, they had to get on with their lives — as Edward Snowden eventually will. The former NSA contractor, who leaked classified […]

30 Jul, 2013

Commentary: Lessons for Indonesia from Egypt | The Jakarta Post

Egyptians can forget about freedom and democracy now. The military, very much back in the saddle after it ousted president Mohamed Mursi this month, is fighting his Muslim Brotherhood party, the winner of Egypt’s first post-Mubarak elections, in the streets. Egypt could have been Indonesia, so many people would argue. But the reverse is also […]

30 Jul, 2013

An Article Every American Should Read

The late professor Morgenthau was a leader in his attempts to reveal the essence of real politics and to explain the search for peace in global relationships. Perhaps he never imagined that America, the most powerful force in moral and intellectual history, could become a nation devoid of the most basic tenets of global political […]

30 Jul, 2013

Australia to be first country to have Ambassador for disability-inclusive development

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Canberra, 29 July 2013, Minister for International Development Media Release – Minister for International Development, Melissa Parke, today announced the Government’s decision to establish a new Australian Ambassador for Disability-Inclusive Development. Minister Parke said the ambassador will advocate for people with disability in developing countries to have access to the same opportunities as others and […]

30 Jul, 2013

Cyber Crime, Data Theft Among Top Concerns For Tax Professionals

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PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 29, 2013 – Handling sensitive consumer data such as social security numbers and bank account information is a core part of a tax professional’s job, yet many feel inadequately protected from cyber crime-related risks, according to a recent poll of National Association of Tax Professionals’ (NATP) members. The survey of 633 tax professionals […]

30 Jul, 2013

China debates internationalizing its education system

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Beijing (China.org.cn) July 26, 2013 – With high school graduates emerging as a conspicuous group pursuing study abroad in recent years, the internationalization of fundamental education has come into the spotlight. Statistics from the Ministry of Education indicate that in 2011, 76,000 high school graduates enrolled in undergraduate programs overseas, and the number has increased […]

30 Jul, 2013

World Economic Forum Business Leaders Back Middle East Peace Talks

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Geneva, Switzerland, 29 July 2013 (WEF Media Release) – The World Economic Forum’s Breaking the Impasse Initiative (BTI), an effort of over 300 Palestinian, Israeli and international business and societal leaders, welcomes and supports the steps announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry for a resumption of direct peace talks between the Israelis and […]

30 Jul, 2013

UN Survey Focuses On How Persons With Disabilities Cope During Disasters

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United Nations, Jul 29 2013 (UN News Centre) – A United Nations online survey launched today seeks to provide insight into how to reduce risk and help persons with disabilities around the world cope with and prepare for disaster events. The first-ever survey of its kind, produced by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction […]

30 Jul, 2013

19 Aug Deadline for Unique Award Recognising Innovative Disabled-Friendly Practises

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Bangkok – Airports, convention centres, hotels, museums and other travel & tourism-related organisations in the Asia-Pacific region which have delivered innovative products and services to cater to people with disabilities (PwDs) are invited to apply for the ESCAP-Sasakawa Disability-Inclusive Business Award. Designed to support the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022, the […]

29 Jul, 2013

Ramadan in Turkey in the eyes of an Indonesian

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Muqbil

A compilation of stories of interesting events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 29 July 2013 (21 Ramadaan 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story.

29 Jul, 2013

Remarkable inventions amongst finalists of Australia’s 7th National Disability Awards

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Canberra, 25 July 2013,  Media Release, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers – Australia’s first ever fully accessible theatre performance for deaf, blind, sighted and hearing audiences, an apprenticeship employment program for people with disability and an iPad and iPhone application that personalises care needs for use by all people with disability are among the […]

29 Jul, 2013

Airport Security Without the Hassle

The New York Times Editorial Board

July 27, 2013 – The chance of dying in an airplane is vanishingly small. The chance of being killed by a terrorist in an airplane is smaller still. Mark Stewart, a civil engineer who studies probabilistic risk, has put the odds at one in 90 million a year. Looking at these figures dispassionately, one might […]

29 Jul, 2013

India Pledges More Policy Stimulus for Real Estate Sector

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Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, 27-July, 2013 – Dr Girija Vyas, Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has stated that the Government will continue to play a pioneering role in providing policy stimulus to real estate sector. She was delivering a keynote address on theme of “Reality Favours the Brave – Surviving […]

29 Jul, 2013

U.S. Poverty Levels “Spreading Everywhere,” According to Urban Institute

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Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) July 28, 2013 – The Urban Institute Center for Research recently released a series of maps charting the progression of poverty in the United States since 1980. Using census data for all of the country’s large metropolitan areas, the maps illustrate that poverty is spreading everywhere — up 29 percent in […]

28 Jul, 2013

Chinese Online Giant Alibaba Plans Big Expansion in Lifestyle Services

By Shen Jingting and Meng Jing

Beijing, July 26, 2013, (China Daily) – Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plans to boost its presence in China’s online market, and is adding services to ease consumers’ daily lives, from ordering food to booking movie tickets. Online shopping has become a new way of life for many Chinese consumers looking for greater […]

28 Jul, 2013

U.K. Visa bond scheme to go ahead despite Cameron’s promise – The Hindu

Despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s assurance to exempt India from the controversial visa bond scheme following a diplomatic row between New Delhi and London, the British government has reportedly decided to go ahead with it though the Home Office insisted that it was meant to target only “high-risk” applicants. An official told The Hindu that […]

28 Jul, 2013

Robert Fisk on Egypt: The Near Future Does Not Look Good – The Independent

One point that stood out – and it may be unfashionable to say so – is that the Brotherhood supporters were generally poor and looked poor in their grubby abayas and plastic sandals. Some of the Tahrir demonstrators, who were truly revolutionaries against Mubarak in 2011, trooped over the Nile bridges waving posters of General […]

28 Jul, 2013

Take our economies off their stimulants and they aren’t really growing at all – The Independent

In the UK, yesterday’s figures showing 0.6 per cent growth in GDP for the last quarter are terribly weak. As my colleague Ben Chu points out elsewhere in the paper, the economy is still 3.3 per cent smaller than it was in early 2008. In normal times, based on averages going back to the Second […]

27 Jul, 2013

Vietnamese President to U.S. President: Mutual Respect Needed in Guiding Future Ties

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WASHINGTON DC, (Vietnam News Agency) – Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang used the word “respect” four times in a keynote speech outlining his country’s future relations with the United States. Speaking at the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on July 25 during his just-concluded official visit to the US, he said: “What we […]

27 Jul, 2013

Hays Releases Quarterly List of HotSpot Jobs in Japan

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Tokyo, July 24, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Accountancy, sales and compliance professionals are in demand in Japan’s jobs market as organisations invest selectively in headcount, according to recruiting experts Hays in Japan. The recruiter has released its latest Hays Quarterly Hotspots list of jobs in demand, and a driving factor is the focus of […]

27 Jul, 2013

Jakarta Fashion Week Oct 19-25: Indonesia’s Muslim Wear To Lead World Market

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Jakarta, Indonesia, July 25, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Jakarta Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion weeks in Southeast Asia, will once again raise up the best creations of Indonesian designers to world in 2013. JFW 2014 will present the latest collections of local and foreign designers which will inspire next year’s fashion trends. […]

27 Jul, 2013

Radiation in water leakage at Fukushima plant as high as 2011 crisis | Kyodo News

TOKYO, July 27, Kyodo — Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Saturday it has detected 2.35 billion becquerels of cesium per liter from water in an underground passage at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that is seeping into the sea, roughly the same level as seen in a contaminated water leak into the sea […]

27 Jul, 2013

Israelis Show Europeans Who’s The Boss

In response to the European Union’s new guidelines banning cooperation with Israeli settlements, Israel has decided to limit the movement of EU representatives in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon ordered defense officials to halt cooperation on the ground with EU representatives. This includes any assistance to EU infrastructure projects in […]

27 Jul, 2013

Gallup Poll: Palestinians Have Little Trust in U.S. Role as Middle East Peace Broker

by Jihad Fakhreddine

BEIRUT, July 26, 2013 (Gallup Organisation) — Ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement last week that Israel and the Palestinians have agreed in principle to resume peace talks, most Palestinians remained skeptical about the U.S. commitment to brokering a solution. Nearly three in four Palestinians Gallup interviewed in late May and early […]

27 Jul, 2013

India Holds First National Fair on Assistive Devices for Disabled

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New Delhi, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 25-July, 2013 – The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Kumari Selja inaugurated the National Fair on Aids & Assistive Devices “SWAVALAMBAN” here today. Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that this is the first fair of its kind, being organised by Department of Disability […]

27 Jul, 2013

Pressure to Perform: Cyclists Who Dope Are Same As Wall Street Cheats, UC Davis Study Finds

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DAVIS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–23 July 2013 –Cyclists who dope in the Tour de France do so for the same reason traders on Wall Street might cheat—because of extreme pressure to perform, according to a new University of California, Davis, study. The study, co-authored by Professor Donald Palmer, an expert on organizational wrongdoing at the UC Davis […]

27 Jul, 2013

Europeans get useful tips to enjoy a worry-free summer holiday

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European Commission Release, Brussels, 26 July 2013 — With the holiday season already starting and millions of Europeans intending on travelling within and outside the European Union, there are certain travel considerations that every European should be aware of. Whether these concern having a health insurance, resolving travel disputes with an operator or travelling with […]

27 Jul, 2013

Does your workplace have a drinking problem? – Sydney Morning Herald

Around 9 per cent of workers admit to drinking alcohol at work, with tradespeople (17.9 per cent), managers (19.6 per cent) and professionals (19.3 per cent) the occupational groups with the largest proportion of short-term risky drinkers. Phillip Collins, head of workplace services at the Australian Drug Foundation, says more research needs to be done […]

27 Jul, 2013

UN Unveils ‘Free & Equal’ Campaign To Promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights

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United Nations, Jul 26 2013 (UN NEWS CENTRE) – With consensual, same-sex conduct a criminal offence in more than one-third of the world’s countries, the United Nations human rights office today launched its first global public education campaign to raise awareness and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. ‘Free & Equal,’ a […]

26 Jul, 2013

Hindu family in UAE observes Ramadan fast for 14 years | GulfNews.com

Dubai: A Hindu family in Abu Dhabi has been fasting this Ramadan. And not for the first time. They have been doing it for 14 years. “We cannot imagine a Ramadan without fasting. It is like an inner call,” said Indian expat Vakkam Jayalal, 54, who along with his wife Yamuna, 43, and two grown-up […]

26 Jul, 2013

Smartphones set to overtake digital cameras for common photo tasks

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LOS ALTOS, Calif., July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Today’s photography ecosystem is a complex one involving digital cameras, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Photo-taking consumers make pragmatic decisions about which of their devices to best use for specific tasks – such as taking photos, editing photos, sharing photos, or ordering photo products – under specific conditions. As […]

26 Jul, 2013

University Survey reveals what workers would change if they were the boss

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PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 25, 2013  – According to a recent University of Phoenix survey, more than half (51 percent) of working adults in the U.S. either currently own or want to own their own business. Of those working Americans who do not currently own their own business, 41 percent hope to do so in the […]

26 Jul, 2013

UK Students Now Take over £2,000 Worth of Gadgets and Possessions to University

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 24, 2013 – Research released by Endsleigh, the student gadget insurance provider, shows that the average student now takes over £2000 worth of possessions to university, with high tech gadgets proving to be the most popular by far. Endsleigh’s 2013 Student Survey, which was carried out by the National Union of Students, surveyed […]

26 Jul, 2013

FREE McAfee Program Educates Youth, Teachers on Online Safety, Ethics

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SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 24, 2013 – McAfee today announced that it has reached more than 100,000 youth, parents and teachers around the globe with its cyber education program. The McAfee Cares – Online Safety for Kids Program is a free school initiative that utilizes McAfee employees, partners and customers who volunteer to train school-age […]

26 Jul, 2013

Missouri Court Rejects Monsanto Claim that It Had No Duty to Cancer Victims

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ST. LOUIS, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 24, 2013  – Attorneys at Dallas-based Allen Stewart, P.C. have announced that a panel of three judges from Missouri’s Eastern District Court of Appeals have unanimously rejected Monsanto’s claim that the PCB producer owed no duty to individuals who developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma from exposure to toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Reversing […]

26 Jul, 2013

Oath Keepers Campaign Urges More U.S. Govt Whistleblowers to Come Forward

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ARLINGTON, Va., July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Oath Keepers has placed three back-lit signs on the subway platform in the Washington Metro Pentagon Station, group founder Stewart Rhodes announced today. “The first sign at the Pentagon Station is done in the style of the theater scene from George Orwell’s 1984 and features Director of National […]

26 Jul, 2013

Chinese Tea tops shopping list of foreign tourists

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Beijing, 2013-07-25 (China.org.cn) – Chinese tea was the most purchased commodity among foreign visitors to Beijing in 2012, according to the 2013 Beijing Tourism Green Paper published July 9 by the Social Sciences Academic Press of China. A survey of 4,800 foreign tourists’ purchases found that nearly 40 percent of respondents bought Chinese tea while […]

26 Jul, 2013

Time To Recalibrate the Europe-China Strategic Partnership

By Wang Yiwei (China Daily)

The world’s largest developing country and biggest bloc of developed countries need to deepen their strategic partnership Beijing, 2013-07-25  – Many Europeans believe that China, one of the European Union’s 10 so-called strategic partners, behaves more like a competitor. And many Chinese, for whom the EU is just one of more than 70 strategic partners, […]

26 Jul, 2013

Japan women return to top spot in longevity rankings | The Japan Times

Japan returned to the top spot in terms of women’s average life span in 2012, a year after falling to second place behind Hong Kong, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said in an annual report released Thursday. The average life span for Japanese women stood at 86.41 years, up 0.51 from the previous […]

26 Jul, 2013

January-June foreign visitors to Japan hit record 4.95 million | The Japan Times

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in the first half of 2013 reached a record high of 4.95 million, up 22.8 percent from a year earlier, helped by the yen’s weakness and the popularity of low-cost carriers, a government body said Wednesday. The figure eclipsed the previous high of 4.33 million recorded in the […]

26 Jul, 2013

40% of Japanese feel financially uncomfortable: survey | The Japan Times

Some 40 percent of Japanese aged 20 or over feel they are not well off, while fewer than 10 percent think they are financially comfortable, a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry poll showed, pointing to particularly high rates among unemployed men, whose ranks include those aged 80 and older. Released Wednesday, the survey, conducted last […]

25 Jul, 2013

New “National Gunfire Index” Can Track Illegal Gunfire in Major U.S. Cities

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July 16, 2013, NEWARK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SST, Inc., today announced the launch of its National Gunfire Index which offers the most detailed record available of illegal gunfire activity, including non-homicide firearm violence, in major cities across the United States. This previously unattainable data on gunfire activity provides a more comprehensive data set than has ever been […]

25 Jul, 2013

More nations turn to Chinese currency for investment and trade settlement

By WANG XIAOTIAN and LI XIANG

Beijing, 2013-07-22 (China Daily) – Although the money markets have gone into a tizzy recently, there have been some unrelated developments that clearly underscore the growing global influence of China’s currency, the yuan also known as renminbi. Indications that the yuan is well on its way to becoming an “international” currency heightened after important currency […]

25 Jul, 2013

Chinese President eyes ‘golden water route’ along the Yangtze

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(China Daily), July 22, 2013 – President Xi Jinping called for increased cooperation among Yangtze River ports to transform the region into a “golden water route”, during a surprise visit to the Yangluo Container Port, in Wuhan New Port, on Sunday morning. “We were not informed about President Xi’s visit in advance, so our workers […]

25 Jul, 2013

Amsterdam Airport to Deploy Europe’s Largest Zero-Emissions, “eBuses”

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AMSTERDAM–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 16, 2013  — BYD Company, Ltd. has been selected to supply Europe’s largest, ZERO emissions, all-electric bus fleet. The fleet will be used to transfer passengers between airport terminals and aircraft at one of Europe’s leading airports,  Amsterdam Schiphol. These 35 BYD buses will enter service in July of 2014 and will […]

25 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: China’s booming insomniac numbers

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NANNING, July 24 (Xinhua) — Since she was recruited two years ago, falling asleep has been a big headache for Yang Shuai. The 24-year-old woman usually gets home at around 10 p.m., but cannot fall asleep until two or three o’clock in the morning. “It’s hard to fall asleep because I’m always thinking of job-related […]

25 Jul, 2013

Gulf Grows in Black-White Views of U.S. Justice System Bias

by Frank Newport

July 22, 2013, PRINCETON, NJ, (Gallup Organization)  — While 68% of blacks say the American justice system is biased against blacks, 25% of whites agree. Blacks’ attitudes about the justice system have remained virtually constant over the past 20 years, but whites have become less likely to perceive bias. The new results are based on […]

25 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Depression Costs U.S. Workplaces $23 Billion in Absenteeism

by Dan Witters, Sangeeta Agrawal, and Diana Liu

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2013, (Gallup Organization) — Workers in the U.S. who, at some point in their lives, have been diagnosed with depression miss an estimated 68 million additional days of work each year than their counterparts who have not been depressed — resulting in an estimated cost of more than $23 billion in […]

25 Jul, 2013

Chinese Commentator Questions Value of English Courses Abroad

By Li Xiang (People's Daily Online)

July 24, 2013 (Source/Jiefang Daily) – The excessive costs of studying overseas have begun to attract public concern. Research into overseas travel and study agencies indicates that a substantial proportion of families who sponsor their children on further education courses abroad are low-income wage earners. Mr. Zhu works at a state-owned enterprise. Last year, he […]

25 Jul, 2013

Safety worries mount for Chinese tourists, residents abroad

He Na in Beijing, Li Xiang in Paris and Chen Jia in San Francisco

2013-07-24, (China Daily) – A series of incidents involving Chinese citizens overseas has shocked the country and prompted public concern about the safety of Chinese people when traveling abroad. Six students from the nation were attacked at a house in Hostens, southwestern France, on the night of June 15 by three local men who had […]

25 Jul, 2013

India Publishes Tourism Stats for 2012

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Ministry of Tourism, 23-July, 2013 – The number of domestic tourist visits (DTVs) to States/UTs registered an increase of 19.87% during the year 2012 over 2011 as compared to an increase of 15.6% in 2011 over 2010. According to the latest statistics on tourism in India released by Ministry of Tourism here today during the […]

25 Jul, 2013

China Plans Robust Reform to Expand Railway Network

By WEI TIAN

Beijing, 2013-07-25, (China Daily) – Premier Li Keqiang called on Wednesday for reform of funding methods for railways and for accelerated rail construction in central and western regions. Experts said the measures are part of efforts to stabilize economic growth, which slowed to 7.5 percent in the second quarter, and will help China’s industrial sector […]

25 Jul, 2013

U.S. Must Curb “Step-Motherly” Treatment of Chinese Investors

Commentary By Mei Xinyu

Beijing (China Daily), 2013-07-24 – The fifth China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, held earlier this month, has produced tangible results in a wide range of areas of long-term strategic importance. One of the most important outcomes of the meeting was the decision to resume negotiations on a “Bilateral Investment Treaty”, because it will have a […]

25 Jul, 2013

Against Backdrop of Taj Mahal, India Launches Campaign to Clean Up Tourist Sites

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Agra, Ministry of Tourism, 24-July, 2013 – Union Tourism Minister Mr K Chiranjeevi launched the Project “Clean India Campaign” at Taj Mahal, Agra today. Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. The first project was at Qutub Minar Delhi which was adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June […]

25 Jul, 2013

U.N. Designates 19 Nov As World Toilet Day To Boost Sanitation Upgrades

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United Nations, Jul 24 2013 (UN News Centre) – In a bid to make sanitation for all a global development priority, the United Nations General Assembly today designated 19 November as World Toilet Day, urging changes in both behaviour and policy on issues ranging from enhancing water management to ending open-air defecation. Adopting a new […]

25 Jul, 2013

Exclusive: Formula One pays just £1m corporation tax on £300m profit – The Independent

The company that runs Formula One has used a complex technique to legally avoid paying tens of millions of pounds in corporation tax despite racking up annual profits of £305m last year, The Independent has learned. F1, which is run by billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, made a net contribution of £945,663 $1,468,000 in corporation tax in […]

24 Jul, 2013

World’s oldest and largest species in decline – IUCN Red List

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Geneva, 02 July 2013, International Union for Conservation of Nature news release – The latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows worrying declines for conifers – the world’s oldest and largest organisms – freshwater shrimps, cone snails and the Yangtze Finless Porpoise. The Santa Cruz Pupfish, a lizard known as the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Medication for ageing conditions not matching needs

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16 JULY 2013 | GENEVA/COPENHAGEN (World Health Organization media release) – For the first time, EU countries have more people over 65 years of age than under 15 years of age. Echoing the trend seen in Europe, much of the rest of the world, including low-and middle-income countries, is moving in a similar direction. A new […]

24 Jul, 2013

European Consumer Protection Survey Monitors Online Purchasing Trends, Trust Factors

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Brussels, 23 July 2013, European Commission Press release – Protection of consumer rights still varies greatly between EU countries. Only 35% of Europeans are confident buying online from sellers in other EU countries and seven out of ten consumers do not know what do to when they receive products that they did not order. These […]

24 Jul, 2013

European Commission & Council tell G20 summit: Global economy needs REBALANCING

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Brussels, 23 July 2013 (European Commission media release) – In a joint letter to the 28 EU Heads of State and Government European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy inform about the key issues coming up for discussions at the G20 summit in Saint Petersburg on 5-6 September 2013. […]

24 Jul, 2013

Japan Post postcard contest shows some traditions still surviving

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09 July 2013, Universal Postal Union — Japan Post has announced the winners of a postcard-design competition, which put a twist on a New Year’s tradition and the UPU among the judges. Nobuhiro Sato won the best photo card category (above) and thanked the world for their sympathy during the Japan earthquake of 2011. Fumiko […]

24 Jul, 2013

UNWTO to organise 1st International Congress on Pilgrimages and Tourism

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Madrid, July 2013, UNWTO –To raise awareness among the international community about the growing importance of pilgrimage and spiritual tourism in the light of tourism development is among the main objectives of the first International Congress on Pilgrimages and Tourism, to be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in September 2014. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, […]

24 Jul, 2013

IMF Adopts New Measures to Enhance Transparency, Openness

Gillian Nkhata

Washington D.C., (IMF Strategy, Policy, and Review Department) July 22, 2013 – In the latest review of its Transparency Policy, the IMF’s Executive Board has endorsed new measures aiming to increase the amount, timeliness, and accessibility of information that the IMF makes available to the public, the institution announced. Under the Transparency Policy, the publication of […]

24 Jul, 2013

Chris Hedges: ‘Wall Street and Corporations Are Pulling the Strings’ – Truthdig

In the latest installment of a series of interviews on The Real News Network’s “Reality Inserts Itself,” Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges says that the Democratic Party once looked out for the interests of labor and the poor. But that changed, he says, when Bill Clinton entered the White House, and it’s getting worse under President […]

24 Jul, 2013

Death by Corporation, Part II: Companies as Cancer Cells

The financial industry, chemical industry, drug companies, nuclear industrial complex and dirty energy empire work “like tumor cells for the relentless destruction of the environment that they themselves depend upon for their very lives. And the rest of us stand by and watch it happen.” Read the rest: Death by Corporation, Part II: Companies as […]

24 Jul, 2013

One drink too many – The Hindu

Spread awareness about alcoholism in schools. It is never too soon to sensitise kids about its dangers, say those who have been closely associated with the problem. Read the rest: One drink too many – The Hindu.

24 Jul, 2013

Report exposes “Hasbara” courses at Israeli universities | The Electronic Intifada

Various Israeli academic institutions have introduced courses and programs on hasbara — the Hebrew-language term used to describe Israel’s attempts to re-brand its image as its occupation and military aggression makes it increasingly unpopular worldwide. A new report from the Academic Watch Project shows that instead of promoting critical thought and inquiry, these courses at […]

24 Jul, 2013

In photos: Palestinian workers’ everyday nightmare at Israeli checkpoints | The Electronic Intifada

The Eyal terminal at the city of Qalqiliya is one of forty fixed checkpoints located along the boundary between the occupied West Bank and Israel. The terminals are part of an elaborate system of physical and administrative obstacles that Palestinians must navigate in order to enter Israel to work. Every Sunday thousands arrive to the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Israel’s apartheid wall recreated in London art gallery | The Electronic Intifada

The freshness and ingenuity of young Palestinian artists’ work shines through in two new exhibitions in London. Whole in the Wall at Ayyam Gallery is the latest offering by Khaled Jarrar, exemplifying his signature interest in Israel’s wall in the occupied West Bank and his irreverent and yet entirely serious approach to it. Entering the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Experts call for Asia-based models – The Nation

Asian companies need to invent their own business models for long-term sustainability, models that address social and environmental costs, highlight brand building, and capitalise on the diversity of Asian culture, said panellists at an international conference. New models are a must as Asia has to strengthen its resilience to global uncertainties, which are not likely […]

23 Jul, 2013

Secret document reveals scores of civilians killed in US drone strikes – DAWN.COM

A classified Pakistani government document has revealed that scores of civilians died in dozens of CIA-led drone strikes between 2006 and late 2009 in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and that Pakistani officials were “aware of those deaths for many years”. The secret government document was quoted by the London Bureau of Investigative Journalism […]

23 Jul, 2013

Treasure: Australian Tax system at risk – Sydney Morning Herald

The Treasury has admitted it is virtually powerless to stop multinational companies such as Apple and Google dodging tax, saying Australia must focus its efforts on an international crackdown led by the G20 and the OECD. It warned that many of the risks posed by profit shifting by multinationals were underpinned by ”deeply entrenched features […]

23 Jul, 2013

China’s Imports of French wine go sour

By Lyu Chang

Beijing, (China Daily), July 22, 2013 – China’s imports of French wines have fallen amid fears that a trade spat between the European Union and China – the world’s fifth-largest wine market – might lead to higher import tariffs on European wine. Last month, China opened an anti-dumping probe into European wine, which could lead […]

23 Jul, 2013

Korean, Asiana Pilots: Avoid Speculation, Await Final Report on SF Crash

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SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 21, 2013 – The Asiana Pilots Union (APU) and Air Line Pilots Association of Korea (ALPA-K) today issued the following statement on the events and investigation surrounding the crash of Asiana Flight 214. “Accidents that occur in aviation are not due only to a single cause, but from many causes. The list […]

23 Jul, 2013

Reaction to Guangdong airport bomber: Each unfairly treated person is a potential bomb

By Zheng Caixiong and An Baijie

Beijing, (China Daily), July 22, 2013 – Guangdong provincial authorities promised on Sunday to look into the alleged unjust treatment of a disabled man who police say set off an explosive device the day before at Beijing Capital International Airport. The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department said in a statement that the police must thoroughly […]

23 Jul, 2013

Boost for VFR Travel: China Launches New Visas to Boost Family Reunions

By ZHAO YINAN

Beijing, 2013-07-23, (China Daily) – Relatives of foreign residents in China will soon have more opportunities to visit their loved ones, thanks to new visa rules announced on Monday. Under regulations from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, an S visa will be created for family members of professionals from overseas. Spouses, young […]

23 Jul, 2013

Controversy’s Child: Why I Fast During Ramadan – By Punam Mohandas

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My name is Punam, and I am not a Muslim. Paraphrasing Shahrukh’s Khan’s popular film dialogue: “My name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist,” it’s that time of year again when I am impelled to give this somewhat long-winded introduction for myself. But, I digress. We are in the holy month of Ramadan. […]

23 Jul, 2013

Iraq Tourism Minister Blasts U.S. For Not Returning Stolen Relics

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BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 22 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Tourism Minister, Lava al-Samism, lashed out at the US for taking out and keeping tens of thousands of Iraq’s artifacts illegally. “The US is illegally and illicitly keeping about 90,000 pieces of Iraq’s archaeological artefacts, and Washington has refrained from returning them to Iraq,” al-Samism said. He noted […]

23 Jul, 2013

New overhead facility at Mecca Grand Mosque to help disabled, elderly – Arab News

The new mataf bridge around the Holy Kaaba opens for pilgrims this week. Only disabled and elderly pilgrims will be allowed to use the circular bridge that can hold 7,000 wheelchair-borne pilgrims per hour. “Since the bridge would be set apart for weak, infirm and disabled pilgrims, the movement of able-bodied pilgrims below on the […]

23 Jul, 2013

PressTV – US, Israel seeking Palestinian surrender

On Monday, the White House admitted that getting the two sides to agree a peace deal remained an “enormous challenge.” Palestinians are under Israeli military occupation. The Israeli regime has been accused of replicating the former South African Apartheid regime by the UN investigators, politicians and human rights groups. Last month, Ismail Coovadia, outgoing South […]

23 Jul, 2013

Big Data: Fool With A Tool Is Still a Fool

Nate Silver, the poster child for analytic predictions, told a recent conference that the financial crisis was as much about bad modelling as greed. The ratings agencies, he said, based assumptions on past mortgages, not the number of people who would default. Welcome to the world of bad data, something that’s caught on in Australia, […]

23 Jul, 2013

Pentagon shifts drone army to new hot spots worldwide | The Japan Times

As the administration of President Barack Obama dials back the number of drone attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, the U.S. military is shifting its huge fleet of unmanned aircraft to other hot spots around the world. This next phase of drone warfare is focused more on spying than killing and will extend the Pentagon’s […]

23 Jul, 2013

Fukushima operator now admits radioactive water entering the sea – The Japan Times

Fukushima nuclear plant operator Tepco on Monday admitted for the first time that radioactive groundwater is flowing into the sea, fueling fears that marine life is being poisoned. The admission came a day after voters handed the largely pro-nuclear Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — and ally New Komeito — a handsome […]

23 Jul, 2013

Amartya Sen: As an Indian, I don’t want Modi as my PM – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Coming out strongly against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday said he does not want him to become India’s Prime Minister as he does not have secular credentials. The prominent economist also criticised Modi’s model of governance saying he did not approve of it. “Yes, I don’t want […]

23 Jul, 2013

Secret court lets NSA extend its trawl of Verizon customers’ phone records – The Guardian

The National Security Agency has been allowed to extend its dragnet of the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon through a court order issued by the secret court that oversees surveillance. In an unprecedented move prompted by the Guardian’s disclosure in June of the NSA’s indiscriminate collection of Verizon metadata, the Office […]