19 Sep, 2013

Farmer in Palestinian “breadbasket” works in Israeli settlement to survive | The Electronic Intifada

JIFTLIK, Occupied West Bank (IPS) – In the Jordan Valley, contrasts are stark. Lush agricultural fields and fenced-in greenhouses belong to the Israeli settlements that dot the landscape and benefit from the area’s abundant water supply. Yet Palestinian farmers, denied access to their lands and other resources by the Israeli authorities, struggle to cultivate the […]

19 Sep, 2013

Say goodbye to welfare state, Dutch king says – The Times of India

AMSTERDAM: King Willem-Alexander delivered a message to the Dutch people from the government Tuesday in a nationally televised address: the welfare state of the 20th century is gone. In its place will be a “participation society” in which people must save and invest to create their own social safety net with less help from the […]

18 Sep, 2013

First conference to promote Buddhist-Muslim understanding as key to ASEAN integration

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Although the travel & tourism industry is preoccupied with the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community, it is being alerted to the fact that the creation of “an economically dynamic, politically plural and peaceful ASEAN community will depend on the future of Buddhism-Islam relations.” Precisely in order to promote such relations, the first […]

18 Sep, 2013

Brazil plans to go offline from US-centric internet – The Hindu

Brazil plans to divorce itself from the US-centric internet over Washington’s widespread online spying, a move that many experts fear will be a potentially dangerous first step toward politically fracturing a global network built with minimal interference by governments. President Dilma Rousseff has ordered a series of measures aimed at greater Brazilian online independence and […]

18 Sep, 2013

Indian hospitality floors Pak students – The Hindu

A week-long stay in Delhi and Agra for these Pakistani students has been like a home away from home. They discovered that the two nations share the same culture, language and cuisine. For the 36-member Pakistani delegation that crossed over from the Wagah border on September 10, the parting gift was the birthday celebration of […]

18 Sep, 2013

Riots, violence and the power of perception -The Times Of India

Recently a town called Muzaffarnagar in Northern India has been torn apart by what is labeled Hindu-Muslim sectarian violence. Many people are outraged but sadly, behind a lot of the outrage are the calculations of people who already know how they want to view what happened. Therefore the sad fact is that the conversation about […]

18 Sep, 2013

Muzaffarnagar: Barber’s family with eight children adopts abandoned girl – Hindustan Times

A mother of eight, Rabia Begum of village Paldi near Shahpur, has adopted a few-days’ old baby girl she found abandoned in the bushes two days ago. “On September 15, just when police was removing barricades after the chief minister’s visit, I went to Shahpur for some work. As I was passing near the Basi […]

18 Sep, 2013

Who is the right Hindu and who is the wrong one – Hindustan Times

By Sitaram Yechury This column is being filed on Onam, the universal festival of all Keralites. The Aryavarta tradition informs us that Mahabali is the king of the Asuras, whose elimination was necessary for humans to survive. Hence, Vishnu descends as Vamana avatar to the audience of king Mahabali. The guest is accorded the warmest […]

18 Sep, 2013

Snowden in running for European rights prize – Indian Express

Fugitive US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden is in the running for a European human rights prize whose past winners include Nelson Mandela and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Snowden, who is in hiding in Russia, is one of seven nominations made by members of the European Parliament for the Sakharov Prize for freedom […]

18 Sep, 2013

9 of 10 Indian travellers prefer holiday over luxury spending: study

A study has shown that 90% of Indians would be willing to forego luxuries to fund their vacation, which is in line with global consumers’ willingness to make sacrifices in order to go on holiday (88%). But fewer Indian travellers are planning to increase their travel budget next year, compared to 2013, despite more than […]

18 Sep, 2013

Impact of 2008 global economic crisis on suicide: time trend study in 54 countries

There were an estimated 4884 (95% confidence interval 3907 to 5860) excess suicides in 2009 compared with the number expected based on previous trends (2000-07). The increases in suicide mainly occurred in men in the 27 European and 18 American countries; the suicide rates were 4.2% (3.4% to 5.1%) and 6.4% (5.4% to 7.5%) higher, […]

18 Sep, 2013

Cutting working week would improve well-being and boost economy, say experts – The Independent

It may be the excuse long-suffering commuters have been waiting for, as new research suggests that working fewer hours each week can be good for your health, protect the environment and even boost the economy. A group of economists believes the working week should be reduced from an average of 40 hours to just 30 […]

18 Sep, 2013

Spike in suicide rate in Europe and US linked to financial crisis – The Independent

Thousands of suicides are linked to the global financial crisis, with particularly high numbers of people killing themselves in countries suffering heavy job losses as austerity bites, an international study has concluded. The research found there were about 5,000 more self-inflicted deaths in Europe and North America in 2009 – the first year after the […]

18 Sep, 2013

FBI’s No-Fly List cited as one of “Ten Most Disturbing Things You Should Know Since 9/11”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Washington DC, 18 Sept 2013 – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has issued another blistering report attacking the 12-year “radical transformation” of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation “into a domestic intelligence and law enforcement agency of unprecedented power and international reach” which is now chalking up “a record of extraordinary abuse—particularly targeting racial […]

17 Sep, 2013

Why’s Modi silent about Muzaffarnagar? Hindustan Times Blogs

Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind general secretary Mahmood Madani has already flagged the issue. He said it’s for Modi to reach out to the community to dispel the impression that he cared little for Muslim support. That Modi isn’t planning a visit to the riot affected areas was explicit in the way BJP made light of the PM’s visit […]

17 Sep, 2013

Hope Modi doesn’t give up hardline Hindutva: Uddhav Thackeray

The response among the people to his anointment as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate has been positive and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra should now ensure that he did not give up “hardline” Hindutva, old ally Shiv Sena said here today. “We expect Modi will not keep hardline Hindutva aside. He shouldn’t compromise on the issue of […]

17 Sep, 2013

In Muzaffarnagar, back to the future – The Hindu

Generally, Hindu-Muslim relations are a great deal more robust today than they were in the 1970s when tension was always simmering under the surface — and a riot waiting to happen. While researching a book on the subject, I found a refreshing change in the attitudes of both communities. Young Hindus and Muslims say they […]

17 Sep, 2013

China Focus: Halal food helps Ningxia explore int’l market

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(Xinhua), September 15, 2013 – Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is showing its ambition ahead of Sunday’s China-Arab States Expo, to build itself into a global halal food center. The government of Wuzhong City, the home of Islamic Hui ethnic group, is building a halal industrial park to integrate research, design, manufacture, processing and […]

17 Sep, 2013

NSA ‘Follow the Money’ branch spied on Visa customers, SWIFT transactions – report — RT News

The NSA has been widely monitoring international banking and credit card transactions, a new report says referencing Edward Snowden’s leak. The agency targeted Visa customers and global financial service SWIFT and created its own money flows database. Referring to information leaked by Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee and NSA contractor, German Der Spiegel reports […]

17 Sep, 2013

Chinese President’s trip boosts economic ties with Silk Road states

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Xinhua, September 15, 2013 – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded trip to four Central Asian nations has contributed to upgrading relations between China and these countries on a full scale, said analysts and media organizations in various countries. Xi paid state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan from Sept. 3 to 13, and attended […]

17 Sep, 2013

Time to rethink development advice, create more stable global economies – new UNCTAD chief

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Geneva, 16 September 2013 – The development advice that in the past was given to developing countries about the benefits of liberalised financial markets will now have to be rethought, and UNCTAD plans to be a key resource in this process, the organization’s new Secretary-General said this morning. Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi spoke at the opening […]

16 Sep, 2013

First China-Arab States Expo opens in Ningxia

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YINCHUAN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) — The first China-Arab States Expo, a key platform to promote the relationship between China and the Arab states, kicked off on Sunday morning in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, attended the exposition, which runs until […]

16 Sep, 2013

Global Unions launch website to mark Oct 7, World Day for Decent Work

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12 September 2013: The International Trades Union Congress has today launched a special website for this year’s October 7 World Day for Decent Work (WDDW). Click here: http://www.wddw.org/ Trade unions and other groups holding events on the day can use the site to download WDDW materials, get updates and upload information about their October 7 […]

16 Sep, 2013

Americans express record-low trust in Govt’s ability to solve int’l or domestic problems

by Joy Wilke and Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ, September 13, 2013 (Gallup Polls) — Americans’ trust and confidence in the federal government’s ability to handle international problems has reached an all-time low, with 49% saying they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence, two percentage points below the previous low of 51% recorded in 2007. These new data come […]

16 Sep, 2013

Indonesia Plans “Muslim Miss World”: Young Women Have a Choice

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 16 September 2013 (11 Dhul Qa’dah 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ Registration Fee: ONLY US$100. Great Opportunity for Muslim Entrepreneurs: Attend the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit, […]

16 Sep, 2013

Hispanic Heritage Month 2013 Launched in U.S.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was expanded in 1989 by Congress to a month long celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), America celebrates the culture and […]

15 Sep, 2013

Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh: “We live in an age of universal deceit”

Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh

We just concluded a conference in Warsaw, Poland on Arab Revolts, two years later. Speakers included people from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Russia, France, US and more including Zionists and orientalists (list with biographies here http://www.geremek.pl/index.php?id=408&lang=en). It was a very good discussion anyway. The following is the full text of my talk. […]

15 Sep, 2013

How PATA’s slick CEO “salesman” missed a chance to become a visionary “statesman”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Nearly two years after becoming CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Mr. Martin Craigs has proved to be a formidable “salesman” but has a long way to go to attain “statesman” status. With his contract up for renewal, Mr. Craigs will have to work a lot harder to put the “Asia” back into the […]

15 Sep, 2013

China warns: US phase-out of QE to ‘split’ emerging markets, destablise currencies

By WEI TIAN

Beijing, 2013-09-14, (China Daily) –  The United States plan to taper its quantitative easing policy will “split” emerging economies, with some — including China — better-placed to withstand the change while others will face currency depreciation and capital flight, experts said. “QE tapering by the US will be the single biggest uncertainty for the world economy,” […]

15 Sep, 2013

Dutch apologise 66 years after atrocities – Al Jazeera Blogs

“She is more than 100 years old.” Relatives point at the frail old lady staring blankly from a flowery sofa in her house in Bulukumba in South Sulawesi. When she sees me 93-year-old Nani I find out her real age later starts hugging me. A weird feeling for a journalist from the Netherlands to be […]

14 Sep, 2013

India’s Tourist Visa on Arrival issuance +29.4% in Jan-Aug

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Ministry of Tourism, 13-September, 2013 – A growth of 29.4 percent has been recorded in the number of tourists availing of the tourist Visa on Arrival (VoA) Scheme during the period January to August, 2013. A total number of 12,176 VoAs have been issued in this period as compared to 9,412 VoAs during the corresponding […]

14 Sep, 2013

US security agency masqueraded as Google to spy on web users – report — RT News

The NSA used ‘man in the middle’ hack attacks to impersonate Google and fool web users, leaks have revealed. The technique circumvents encryption by redirecting users to a copycat site which relays all the data entered to NSA data banks. Brazilian television network Globo News released a report based on classified data divulged by former […]

14 Sep, 2013

Hindutva Marches Ahead As Modi Named Prime Ministerial Candidate – CounterCurrents.org

Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat and a strong proponent of Hindutva was anointed by BJP as its candidate for Prime Minister in 2014 Indian Parliament elections. Conspicuously absent, was the BJP’s senior-most leader LK Advani, a hardline Hindutva adherent and another prime ministerial aspirant, who refused to support the decision, holding out till the […]

14 Sep, 2013

On Yom Kippur, Rabbi Michael Lerner Pens a Prayer for Jews to Atone for their Sins

A Prayer by Rabbi Michael Lerner, Network of Spiritual Progressives

Many people report feeling that the sins listed in traditional prayer books don’t really confront what people need to confront, and that even many of the alternative religious communities end up avoiding the most controversial and provocative issues (which are often where the issues about which we are in denial often reside). So we invite […]

14 Sep, 2013

US Retail Federation raps swipe-fee ruling which “rewards perpetrators and traps victims”

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 12, 2013 – The National Retail Federation today asked a federal judge to “right or reject” a proposed settlement of an antitrust lawsuit over credit card swipe fees, saying the measure needs to be rewritten to do more to bring the soaring fees under control and that retailers who don’t support it should […]

14 Sep, 2013

Headhunters Association Protests Impact of US Immigration Bill on Executive Hiring

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New York, 09/11/2013 – The Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC), the worldwide trade association representing the retained executive recruitment industry, responded in a letter to United States Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), highlighting the impact of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, also known as or S. 744, […]

14 Sep, 2013

India Releases ‘Economic Outlook 2013-14’ Report

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Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister released the document ‘Economic Outlook 2013-14’ at a Press Conference in New Delhi on 13 Sept. Following are the highlights of the document: Ø  Economy to grow at 5.3% in 2013-14 Agriculture projected to grow at 4.8% in 2013-14 as against 1.9% in 2012-13. […]

14 Sep, 2013

Pakistan preparing to take up US drone attacks at UN

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 12 (NNN-APP) — Pakistan on Thursday said preparations are underway to raise the issue of drone attacks at the United Nations in accordance with the recommendation of the resolution adopted in the All Pakistan Conference hosted by the government. Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry at the weekly briefing Thursday said necessary directives […]

14 Sep, 2013

FAO report: 1.3 billion tonnes of food, worth $750 billion, wasted annually

fao media release

Rome, 11 September 2013 – The waste of a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year is not only causing major economic losses but also wreaking significant harm on the natural resources that humanity relies upon to feed itself, says a new FAO report released today. Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources is […]

13 Sep, 2013

Largest Post-9/11 Veterans Study shows U.S. Ill-Prepared for Rising Tide of Long-Term Care

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. & WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 10, 2013 – Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) today released the findings of their 2013 Annual Alumni Survey based on responses from nearly 14,000 Iraq and Afghanistan service members – a resounding 52 percent response rate. Working in conjunction with RAND and Westat research organizations for this multi-year study, WWP’s data […]

13 Sep, 2013

First Sree Narayan Guru Global Secular & Peace Award Conferred on Dr. Shashi Tharoor

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Vice President’s Secretariat, 10-September, 2013 – The Vice President of India Prof M. Hamid Ansari has said that Secularism and Democracy are the fundamental principles on which the Indian republic is founded. They are enshrined in the preamble of our Constitution. So are the principles of justice social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, […]

13 Sep, 2013

U.N. Forum Cites Role of Credit Rating Agencies as Arbiters of Global Risk

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United Nations, 10 September 2013, Department of Public Information – Reform of the international financial system should include reducing its overreliance on credit rating agencies and increasing competition among them, speakers said today, as the General Assembly held its first ever thematic debate on the role of those institutions as arbiters of creditworthiness. “Over the […]

13 Sep, 2013

Film-maker Abigail Disney: U.S. responsible for an almost eroticized “mythology of violence”

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United Nations, Department of Public Information, 6 September 2013 – Education was a primary tool for building a culture of peace, and the United Nations had rightly placed it at the forefront to that end, speakers said today as the General Assembly held a high-level forum on that topic. Assembly President Vuk Jeremić (Serbia) recalled […]

13 Sep, 2013

Abercrombie hijab firing highlights Muslim concern about discrimination

By Michael Lipka

(Pew Research Centre), September 11, 2013 – A federal judge ruled this week that the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch wrongly fired a Muslim employee in San Mateo, Calif., for wearing a headscarf. The retailer said the look of its employees is part of its marketing strategy, but, according to the Associated Press, the judge found […]

13 Sep, 2013

World Heritage status sought for Silk Road corridor

By Zhang Zixuan

Beijing, (China Daily) 2013-09-11, In August, a team of 20 cyclists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan departed from Xi’an, Shaanxi province, to traverse the ancient Silk Road. The journey took them to many Chinese cities before they arrived at their destination, Kazakhstan’s Masanchi, where the Dungan people – a branch of China’s Hui ethnic group […]

13 Sep, 2013

Hurun wealthy list 2013 shows China’s rich getting richer

By Shi Jing in Shanghai (China Daily)

Shanghai, 2013-09-12, China Daily – Wang Jianlin, chairman and president of Dalian Wanda Group Corp Ltd, overtook Zong Qinghou to become the richest man in China, according to the Hurun Rich List 2013, which was released on Wednesday. This is the first time that Wang, 59, tops the list. His personal wealth has doubled to […]

13 Sep, 2013

Dalian Economic Forum hears: “Uncertainty, volatility remain the norm for global economy”

World Economic Forum media release

Dalian, People’s Republic of China, 13 September 2013 – Emerging markets will still lead global economic growth, said Min Zhu, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but there will continue to be challenges. As the world pulls itself out of the financial crisis, uncertainty and volatility remain the norm for the global […]

13 Sep, 2013

‘Free’ May Not Mean Free: Global sweep for apps targeting children

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Canberra, 10 September 2013, (ACCC media release) – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission news release) The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is joining a concerted international effort to identify smartphone and tablet apps that may mislead young children into making unauthorised in-app purchases. Over 50 consumer protection agencies around the world are searching through […]

13 Sep, 2013

PressTV – US whistleblower Edward Snowden nominated for Sakharov Prize

Former NSA (National Security Agency) contractor Edward Snowden, who exposed the US’s worldwide espionage activities, has been nominated for the European Parliament’s prestigious Sakharov Prize. Members of the European Parliament announced Wednesday that they would officially nominate the whistleblower for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The European MPs said Snowden risked his freedom […]

13 Sep, 2013

Secret Deal Allows NSA to Share Americans’ Data With Israel | Alternet

September 11, 2013 | The National Security Agency routinely shares raw intelligence data with Israel without first sifting it to remove information about US citizens, a top-secret document provided to the Guardian by whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals. Details of the intelligence-sharing agreement are laid out in a memorandum of understanding between the NSA and its […]

13 Sep, 2013

Noam Chomsky: 9/11 Is the Basis for ‘Obama’s Massive Terrorist War’ | Alternet

“[9/11] was very significant, a major terrorist act, thousands of people killed,” Chomsky says. “It’s the first time since the War of 1812 that U.S. territory had been attacked. The United States has had remarkable security, and therefore was, aside from the horrible atrocity, a very significant, historical event. And it changed attitudes and policies […]

11 Sep, 2013

Global Peace March To Damascus Planned

Once again innocent children & entire populations are going to be subjected to the role of helpless guinea pigs, whilst the latest weaponry is yet again tested. Once again residential areas, hospitals, schools, bridges, water supply systems, electric plants, will be targeted by the Cruise missiles, even as the entire civilian & social infrastructure of […]

11 Sep, 2013

Footage Of Chemical Attack In Syria Is Fraud, Says Mother Superior Of Monastery In Syria

There is proof the footage of the alleged chemical attack in Syria was fabricated, Mother Agnes Mariam el-Salib, mother superior of St. James Monastery in Qara , Syria , told RT. She says she is about to submit her findings to the UN. Mother Agnes, a catholic nun, who has been living in Syria for […]

11 Sep, 2013

UN survey of 10,000 men in Asia-Pacific reveals psyche that triggers violence against women

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Bangkok, 10 September 2013  — A UN study of 10,000 men in Asia and the Pacific, released today, found that overall nearly half of those men interviewed reported using physical and/or sexual violence against a female partner, ranging from 26 percent to 80 percent across the sites studied.  Nearly a quarter of men interviewed reported perpetrating […]

10 Sep, 2013

Best Times to Post on Social Media – Free Tips in New Infographic

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Seattle, WA (PRWEB) September 10, 2013 Countless internet users have asked at one time or another what the best times are to post on various social media websites. The question is a valid one, as posting at particular times of day allows one to reach a far more extensive online audience than otherwise possible. Fannit.com […]

10 Sep, 2013

In U.S., Opponents Say Action in Syria Not America’s Concern – Gallup Poll

by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ (Gallup Organization) 09 September 2013 — Americans who oppose U.S. military action in Syria are most likely to explain their position by saying that the events in Syria are none of the United States’ business, that the U.S. does not need to be involved in another war, or that the action is not […]

9 Sep, 2013

After 30 Years, International Road Transport Re-activated in Afghanistan

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 09 September 2013 (04 Dhul Qa’dah 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ Registration Fee: ONLY US$100. Great Opportunity for Muslim Entrepreneurs: Attend the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Kuala […]

8 Sep, 2013

Students Think They Have Clean Facebook Page, but Recruiters Aren’t Impressed

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SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 05, 2013 – Recruiters and college students have conflicting opinions on what is appropriate to post on Facebook, according to a recently released survey of 500 U.S. college juniors and seniors conducted by Persona, Inc., a social media utility designed to help users protect professional reputations online. Fifty-seven percent of college students do […]

8 Sep, 2013

US investment guru warns of economic slowdown as “printing of artificial money” ends

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XIAMEN, Fujian 2013-09-07, (Xinhua) – Another economic slowdown will impact the world including China in the next two years as the United States and other major economies halt the printing of artificial money, according to investment guru Jim Rogers Saturday. Even though the turmoil will affect China, the long term future of the RMB is […]

8 Sep, 2013

Chinese commentator asks U.S.: Oh, when will they value the lives of others?

By Wen Zongduo (China Daily)

2013-09-07 – Human life seems to have lost its value, outside the United States, of course. Men in the thousands are killing one another faster and more efficiently in mid-air, on open squares, inside vehicles, behind ruined walls, from windows, during prayers and at burial grounds, and the victims are often women and children. Those […]

8 Sep, 2013

People of Power and Authority Must Reject Violence, Promote Dialogue, UN meeting on Culture of Peace hears

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United Nations, Sep 6 2013 (UN News Centre) – People in positions of power and authority have a moral and political responsibility to improve understanding across borders and cultures, top United Nations official said opening a day-long General Assembly forum on the promotion of a ‘culture of peace.’ At UN Headquarters in New York, Deputy […]

8 Sep, 2013

Noam Chomsky: Bombing Syria Would Be a ‘War Crime’ – Alternet

September 3, 2013 – A U.S. strike on Syria without a United Nations mandate would be a war crime, Noam Chomsky told the Huffington Post. The nation’s leading left-wing thinker made the comments after President Barack Obama announced that he would go to Congress to ask for authorization for an attack on Syria in response […]

8 Sep, 2013

10 Ways America Has Come to Resemble a Banana Republic – Alternet

Saying that the U.S. had a robust middle-class in the 1950s and ’60s is not to say it was devoid of poverty, which was one of the things Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was vehemently outspoken about. King realized that the economic gains of the post-World War II era need to be expanded to those […]

8 Sep, 2013

Inside America’s Dark History of Chemical Warfare | Alternet

September 5, 2013 – As the Obama administration presses ahead with its mission to punish the Syrian government for its alleged gassing of civilians in suburban Damascus, the particulars of the attack remain unclear. All too clear, though, is the role of the United States as a supplier, supporter and even employer of a wide […]

7 Sep, 2013

It’s Official: India, China, Indonesia, Russia, S. Africa, Brazil, all oppose attack on Syria

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Leaders of the world’s most populous countries, India, China, Indonesia,  S. Africa, Brazil, plus Russia, all oppose an attack on Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear at his post G20-summit conference. He also went out of his way to specifically note that Indonesia was the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. The following is the full […]

7 Sep, 2013

Zubin Mehta conferred India’s Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony 2013

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Ministry of Culture, 06-September, 2013 – President of India Mr Pranab Mukherjee here today conferred the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony, 2013 on Maestro Zubin Mehta. The award ceremony was held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 Crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an […]

7 Sep, 2013

Shanghai’s visa-free policy lifts tourism

By Wang Zhenghua

Shanghai, (China Daily) 2013-09-06 – Shanghai authorities said the city’s policy allowing citizens from 45 nations to stay up to 72 hours in the city without a visa has noticeably boosted tourism. But business insiders said a lot more can be done to bring more transit passengers to the city amid an overall drop in […]

7 Sep, 2013

Obesity, Malnutrition Pose Twin Threats to Asia-Pacific’s Food Future: ADB Study

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5 September 2013 (ADB media release) – Asia and the Pacific’s drive for food security has focused too narrowly on quantity, with a surge in obesity and still high levels of malnutrition in some countries highlighting the need for a new approach, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) study (Click here to download free). […]

7 Sep, 2013

In Statement at G20, India Cites Root Causes of Global Financial Instability

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Prime Minister’s Office, 05-September, 2013 – Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address at the St. Petersburg G-20 Summit offered a comprehensive wrap-up of the root causes of global financial instability, and identified the key actions that need to be taken to fix it. The full text of his comments, reproduced below, offer some unique […]

7 Sep, 2013

No Country Allowed To Take Law Into Its Own Hands: UN-Arab League Envoy

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United Nations, Sep 6 2013, (UN News Centre) – The Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States today stressed that he and other senior diplomats were working “extremely hard” bring Syrian and other concerned parties together for a conference to find a political path out of the crisis in […]

7 Sep, 2013

UN Chief Warns Of ‘Tragic Consequences’ Of Military Action in Syria

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United Nations, Sep 6 2013 (UN News Centre) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged leaders at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in St. Petersburg to explore ways to avoid further militarization of the conflict in Syria and to revitalize the search for a political settlement, warning that “tragic consequences” could follow military action. Mr. […]

6 Sep, 2013

6 Major Players Who Turned Syrian Crisis Into a Proxy War Nightmare – Alternet

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What started out as a civil uprising against years of repression, poverty and government corruption turned into a regional proxy war that is now engulfing the entire Middle East, with the nonviolent section of the opposition withering under the weight of civil war. Refugees have poured into Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, and Lebanon has […]

6 Sep, 2013

Obama versus the world – pravda.ru

Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, states that what is at stake is universal values because “I didn’t set a red line. The world did” in his words. Let us then examine the opinion polls and draw a conclusion as to whether Barack Obama is in synchrony with the world, or whether he stands pitifully alone, […]

6 Sep, 2013

9 Ways America Has Fueled the Bloody Civil War in Syria – Alternet

September 4, 2013 – President Obama’s threats against Syria are framed by the carefully crafted image of a responsible superpower reluctantly drawn into a horrific conflict caused by others. But the reality is very different. For more than two years, U.S. policy has quietly fueled the escalation of the conflict in Syria and undermined every […]

6 Sep, 2013

It’s Official: Israeli Lobby in U.S. Backs Attack on Syria to Protect Israel

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the lobby group that is often cited as the power which controls the U.S. Congress, has issued a statement calling on America’s elected representatives to approve an attack on Syria. In a statement on September 3, AIPAC claimed that it is in order to protect American national security interests […]

6 Sep, 2013

Economic Cost of U.S. Military Strike on Syria: More Than US$36,000 an Hour

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5 September 2013 (National Priorities Project) – As federal lawmakers and the American people grapple with the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Syria, National Priorities Project (NPP) announces the release of a new interactive tool tracking the Cost of National Security. The site features counters displaying the real-time running cost of U.S. military programs, […]

6 Sep, 2013

Pew Survey: U.S. Public, Especially Women, Overwhelmingly Against Strike on Syria

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Washington DC, (Pew Research Centre), 3 September 2013 – President Obama faces an uphill battle in making the case for U.S. military action in Syria. By a 48% to 29% margin, more Americans oppose than support conducting military airstrikes against Syria in response to reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. The new national […]

5 Sep, 2013

No decent human being can ignore conflict that will shape the future of humanity

Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh

31 August, 2013 – It is not difficult to understand the power-game being played in Syria and no decent human being should stand on the sideline in a conflict that will shape the future of our humanity. The global intifada (uprising) is spreading and it is rejecting war and hegemony and now even President Obama […]

5 Sep, 2013

Kairos Palestine statement condemns Syria warmongering: Remember the tragedy of Iraq

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Once again, the drums of war are sounding in our region. Once again, the US is leading the campaign for this war, this time on Syria. And once again, the US and some European and Arab countries are justifying it in the name of democracy, human rights, and humanity itself. We have heard all this […]

5 Sep, 2013

The stupidity of porn-watching UK MPs should worry us – The Independent

More than 300,000 attempts were made to access porn websites at the Houses of Parliament in the past 12 months. That’s an average of 820 times a day. That’s a lot of busy wankers. As John McCain proved this week – caught playing poker on his iPhone during the three-hour hearing of the Senate committee […]

5 Sep, 2013

Bombardment of Syria clichés shows no sign of stopping – Robert Fisk, The Independent

Missiles maybe. But the bombardment of clichés is real enough – and low enough quality not to do anyone any harm except for the gentlemen who utter them. Really, who writes this stuff for Kerry? There was “armchair isolationism”. Why an armchair? And who was the target of the weird reference to post-First World War […]

5 Sep, 2013

China’s prosperity brings diabetes epidemic – The Independent

Diabetes in China may have reached “ alert level”, health researchers have warned, with nearly 12 per cent of adults, or 114 million people, suffering from the disease – and the majority of them unaware of their condition. The Journal of the American Medical Association has just published results of the most comprehensive survey for […]

5 Sep, 2013

Volume of flights over UK leaves air thick with greenhouse gas – The Independent

The ozone pollution caused by flights over the UK is among the lowest of any country in the world – but only because the sheer volume of flights to and from the country have already left the atmosphere so thick with the greenhouse gas that it has become relatively much more difficult to generate more […]

5 Sep, 2013

China: US planned military action against Syria runs grave risks

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BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — The U.S. military action against Syria loomed larger as President Barack Obama on Tuesday secured the key backing of House leaders in his push for military action in Syria. Though the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has, in a draft authorization for the use of military force in Syria, set a […]

5 Sep, 2013

U.S. expected to launch cyber attacks against Syria: report

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — The United States is certain to launch cyber attacks on Syria if it goes ahead with its military action to punish Damascus for the alleged chemical weapons use, a report said Wednesday. U.S. cyber experts believe that the U.S. government could use computer viruses to destroy Syrian defenses and equipment […]

5 Sep, 2013

US ignoring logic as it beats war drums

Global Times

September 04, 2013 – Once again, Washington has effortlessly beaten down Russian President Vladimir Putin in the arena of public opinion. In recent days, media from the US and Europe have chimed in with official accounts from the US and France, claiming that it was Syrian government troops who used chemical weapons. Some media even […]

5 Sep, 2013

National Security Concerns Do Not Justify Curbing Press Freedoms In UK, Say UN Experts

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United Nations, Sep 4 2013 (UN News Centre) – Two United Nations independent experts today called on the United Kingdom to ensure journalists can perform investigative work without fear of intimidation, and stressed that national security concerns do not justify curtailing press freedom. “The protection of national security secrets must never be used as an […]

5 Sep, 2013

In St. Petersburg, UN Chief says: “People everywhere are worried about the future”

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United Nations, Sep 4 2013 (UN News Centre) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized the need for global cooperation, particularly towards accelerating progress on agreed goals in education, poverty eradication and sustainable development, as leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) prepare to meet in the Russian city of St. Petersburg to discuss pressing global […]

5 Sep, 2013

Use Courts, Not Cruise Missiles to Settle Syria Crisis: Women Nobel Peace Laureates

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(Ottawa) September 4, 2013 – One the eve of the G20 meeting in Russia, the six Nobel peace laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative today called upon the US and its allies to use the international legal system in place of military intervention to respond to any use of chemical weapons in Syria. In a […]

5 Sep, 2013

Pepe Escobar: US Again Ready to Go To War For Israel

Nobel Peace Prize winner and prospective bomber Barack Obama has already implied – via hardcore hedging of the “I have decided that the United States should take military action” kind – that he’s bent on attacking Syria no matter what Congress says. Obama’s self-inflicted “red line” is a mutant virus; from “a shot across the […]

4 Sep, 2013

An Unprecedented Gathering Deep in the Amazon Jungle

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PUERTO HUAMÁN, Peru (ILO News) – 06 August 2013 – “Palo Duro” (Hard stick) is an almost unbreakable tree that grows in north-eastern Peru, in the Amazon region close to the Colombian border. It is also the symbol of the Maijunas, a community that has struggled since the time of the Spanish conquest to reclaim […]

4 Sep, 2013

AmEx Survey Finds More Business Travelers Balancing Work and Play While On the Road

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NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE) — September 03, 2013  – Business travelers are taking to the skies just as much as in previous years, but they are increasingly taking time out for themselves, according to new research released today by American Express Global Business Travel.1 The survey, which analyzed the habits of business travelers in the United […]

4 Sep, 2013

Asia-Pacific on the road to middle-class employment

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GENEVA, 30 August 2013 (ILO News) –Strong economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region over two decades has helped lift millions of people out of poverty, with middle class jobs now accounting for nearly two-fifths of all employment in the region. However, there’s also been an increase in inequality. According to a recently published ILO working […]

4 Sep, 2013

Married or single, Japan is a desolate country | The Japan Times

“The past century is a history of sexual distortion,” social psychologist Hiroyoshi Ishikawa told Time Magazine in 1983. “A small portion of young people in Japan are sexually very, very active,” he added, “while the vast majority are sexually repressed.” What would he say if he surveyed the scene today? Probably that not much has […]

4 Sep, 2013

Russia warns citizens against visiting countries that extradite to the US — RT

With Russian citizens being arrested abroad and being subsequently extradited to the United States become more frequent, the Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a warning advising travelers to carefully choose their destinations. “The incidents in which Russian citizens are detained in various countries of the world upon request of US law enforcers who seek to […]

4 Sep, 2013

Full border passport checks hit illegal migrant screening and drugs seizures – The Guardian

The home secretary’s drive to ensure that full passport checks are carried out at Britain’s borders has only been achieved at the expense of less rigorous screening for illegal migrants and fewer seizures of some types of drugs and weapons, says Whitehall’s spending watchdog. The National Audit Office reveals today that a “culture of fear” […]

3 Sep, 2013

India Launches Gandhi Heritage Portal to Spread Message of Non-Violence

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Ministry of Culture, 02-September, 2013 – Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here today dedicated the Gandhi Heritage Portal to the nation. The Minister of Culture Mrs. Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Communications & IT Minister Mr Kapil Sibal, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations Dr. Sam Pitroda, Mr Narayan Desai, Mr Kartikeya […]

3 Sep, 2013

Peace Tourism CEO Urges Collective Industry Voice to Avert Wider Syrian Conflict

Imtiaz Muqbil

The Founder and President of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) has called on the travel & tourism industry to raise its collective voice in averting yet another conflict, this time in Syria. In a special message to the industry at the request of Travel Impact Newswire, Mr Louis d’Amore said it is […]

3 Sep, 2013

World Water Week Highlights Its Role as a Source of Life and Death

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United Nations, Sep 2 2013 (UN News Centre) – Now is the time for accelerated, energized and concerted action on water and sanitation, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson today urged, calling for renewed cooperation on water management and access to adequate sanitation for the more than 2.5 billion people around the world without it. In a […]

3 Sep, 2013

China: Unilateral military action will only make Syrian situation worse

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Beijing, (Xinhua) September 02, 2013 – Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Monday that China was seriously concerned about any unilateral military action against Syria. At a regular press briefing, Hong said, “China is firmly opposed to the use of chemical weapons by any party in Syria and expresses serious concern about preparations by relevant […]