31 Jan, 2014

Grief for Great Barrier Reef, say environmentalists – Sydney Morning Herald

They are two of Australia’s most celebrated places of natural beauty, sitting at either end of the country. Both are world heritage protected. And in the eyes of conservationists both took significant blows on Friday. In Australia’s north, a final permit was granted to allow the dumping of millions of tonnes of dredging sludge in […]

31 Jan, 2014

RT News: Canada’s electronic spy agency tracked travellers at airports – new Snowden leaks

Documents released by US whistleblower Edward Snowden show the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) used airport Wi-Fi to track passengers from around the world. Travelers passing through a major Canadian airport were potentially caught up in a vast electronic surveillance net, which allowed the nation’s electronic spy agency to track the wireless devices of thousands […]

31 Jan, 2014

Chinese ex-World Bank economist calls for global shift away from dollar

By MICHAEL BARRIS in New York, FU JING in Brussels and CHEN JIA in Beijing (China Daily USA)

Beijing,  2014-01-29- (China Daily) The World Bank’s former chief economist wants to replace the US dollar with a single global super-currency, saying it will create a more stable global financial system. “The dominance of the greenback is the root cause of global financial and economic crises,” Justin Yifu Lin told Bruegel, a Brussels-based policy-research think […]

31 Jan, 2014

PressTV – Short people prone to paranoia: Study

Scientists have found that feeling shorter makes people more susceptible to feelings of paranoia and inferiority as well as extreme mistrust. A team of researchers from Britain’s Oxford University used virtual reality (VR) technology to decrease the height of 60 adult women who were travelling on a computer-simulated Tube train by 25 centimeters. The volunteers […]

31 Jan, 2014

FREE Download: First global atlas cites massive unmet need for end-of-life care

28 January 2014 | GENEVA/LONDON,World Health Organisation News release – Only 1 in 10 people who need palliative care – that is medical care to relieve the pain, symptoms and stress of serious illness – is currently receiving it. This unmet need is mapped for the first time in the “Global atlas of palliative care […]

31 Jan, 2014

Chinese President stresses ethnic unity in development

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HOHHOT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed ethnic unity for the economic and social development in minority areas, while extending New Year greetings to people of all ethnic groups. Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, front) watch the winter Nadam Fair with local people in Xilinhot, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. […]

31 Jan, 2014

Coming soon: Clear US customs at Dubai International | GulfNews.com

Dubai: Emirates passengers could be next in line to avail of the American pre-clearance customs procedures in the UAE following the opening of a post in Abu Dhabi last week. Passengers began using the region’s first United States pre-clearance customs checkpoint at Abu Dhabi International on January 24. The post, manned by US customs officials, […]

31 Jan, 2014

Horror in Philippine online child sex abuse village | Manila Bulletin

IBABAO, Cebu (AFP) – In a remote Philippine village, toddlers played oblivious at a nursery as the house next door became part of a horrifying child pornography ring, with live footage of children performing sex acts being streamed online to paedophiles around the world. The depraved scenes in the bungalow were being repeated in many […]

31 Jan, 2014

Why the boycott of Israeli Universities is gaining ground – Veterans News Now

Israel bombed the science center of the University of Gaza during the 2009 assault on the Gaza Strip which also killed 1400 residents of Gaza, one third of whom were children. Two of the main universities on the West Bank, Birzeit University and Bethlehem Universities have been closed repeatedly by the Israeli military for extended […]

31 Jan, 2014

Israel’s Planned Occupation of the Internet | Desertpeace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said at the Cybertech conference in Tel Aviv that he wants to create a coalition of leading companies to turn the internet from a curse into a blessing. In the wake of a reported breach of Defense Ministry computers, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu talked of the importance of cyber […]

31 Jan, 2014

Two U.S. bankers working in London commit suicide in just two days | Mail Online

Two top ranking American bankers working in senior positions in London have committed suicide in the space of two days. Gabriel Magee, a 39-year-old JP Morgan bank executive, died early this morning after he jumped 500ft from the top of the bank’s European headquarters. His body was discovered on the ninth floor roof, which surrounds […]

31 Jan, 2014

Judge Orders NYPD To Begin Turning Over anti-Muslim Spying Documents

A federal judge has ordered New York City to begin a process to hand over investigative documents from the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslims as part of a long-running lawsuit. In an order issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Charles Haight, Jr. said there was a “manifest” need for further legal discovery, which could […]

31 Jan, 2014

China Daily lists “fabulous destinations” with no visa trouble

Visa applications can be cumbersome for Chinese ordinary-passport holders who want to travel abroad, so why not consider destinations with easier or no visa procedures? China has signed mutually visa-free agreements with four countries – San Marino, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Bahamas. Chinese ordinary-passport holders enjoy conditional visa-free treatment in six countries and regions, such […]

31 Jan, 2014

The world’s hottest destinations for 2014: Sydney Morning Herald

Traveller’s globetrotting contributors cast their votes for the big six countries set to make their presence felt next year. Read the rest: The world’s hottest destinations for 2014

31 Jan, 2014

Saddle up for a bumpy Year of the Horse, warn astrologers | Manila Bulletin / AFP

by AFP, January 29, 2014 – Conflicts, disasters, record high temperatures, an economic chill in Asia and more trouble for Justin Bieber — the upcoming Year of the Horse is set to be a dramatic one, say Hong Kong feng shui masters. With the Year of the Snake slithering into history, they say that the […]

31 Jan, 2014

70% of Chinese tourists to head overseas during Spring Season festival

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Beijing, (Xinhua), January 30, 2014 – Global tourism destinations expect to see a bigger influx of visitors from the Chinese mainland during the Spring Festival holiday. More than 70 percent of mainland tourists plan to travel overseas during the seven-day holiday, which starts on Jan 31. It is the first time that more tourists have […]

30 Jan, 2014

Leaked document records 330 U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan – Bureau of Investigative Journalism

The Bureau for Investigative Journalism is today publishing a leaked official document that records details of over 300 drone strikes, including their locations and an assessment of how many people died in each incident. The document is the fullest official record of drone strikes in Pakistan to have yet been published. It provides rare insight […]

30 Jan, 2014

Matt Miller: The real state of the union is inescapable – The Washington Post

I’m always torn when watching a State of the Union speech. I agree with the vision of America that Barack Obama laid out. Trouble is, I’ve agreed with it since I first heard Bill Clinton lay out the same vision when I followed Clinton into the White House as an aide in 1993. Yet in […]

30 Jan, 2014

Angela Merkel: US surveillance “violates trust, spreads mistrust” – theguardian.com

Angela Merkel has used the first, agenda-setting speech of her third term in office to criticise America’s uncompromising defence of its surveillance activities. In a speech otherwise typically short of strong emotion or rhetorical flourishes, the German chancellor found relatively strong words on NSA surveillance, two days before the US secretary of state, John Kerry, […]

30 Jan, 2014

FREE Download: UNDP report says humanity “deeply unequal” despite impressive progress

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United Nations, (Jan 29, 2014) UNDP media release– A sustained reduction in inequality requires a shift to more inclusive growth patterns – supported by redistributive polices and changes in social norms – says a report launched today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark. The richest one percent of the world population […]

30 Jan, 2014

FREE Download: UNESCO report says global learning crisis will impact generations of children

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PARIS, (UNESCO media release) 29.01.2014 – The 11th Education for All Global Monitoring Report reveals that a global learning crisis is costing governments $129 billion a year. Ten per cent of global spending on primary education is being lost on poor quality education that is failing to ensure that children learn. This situation leaves one […]

30 Jan, 2014

Photos prove Islam’s most holy relics being demolished in Mecca – The Independent

The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion. Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid […]

29 Jan, 2014

Rich Man’s Club caucus at Davos still failing workers, Unions say

International Trades Union Congress media release

An International Trades Union Congress Global Poll of 13 countries has found 87 percent of people say their wages are falling behind the cost of living or stagnant. One out of eight respondents said they are struggling financially and can no longer pay for basic living expenses. John Evans, Chief Economist, International Trade Union Confederation, […]

29 Jan, 2014

India to Boost Nationwide Museum Excellence In Pact with Art Institute of Chicago

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New Delhi, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Culture, 29-January-2014 – The Vivekananda Memorial Programme for Museum Excellence is the result of a landmark agreement signed between the Ministry of Culture and the Art Institute of Chicago on 28th January 2012. It was decided to create a living testament of Swami Vivekananda’s legacy by establishing a […]

29 Jan, 2014

Survey: Demographics, Technology Spurring Pace of Change in U.S. Shopping Landscape

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 28, 2014 — Acosta Sales & Marketing, a full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, has released its bi-annual The Why? Behind The Buy™ report. Identifying the top trends affecting the grocery industry, the ninth edition of The Why? Behind The Buy — compiled by AMG Strategic […]

29 Jan, 2014

U.S. Ageing Society Seeks Immigration Reform to Allow in More Care-givers

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 28, 2014 – With close to one-quarter of voters this November expected to be over age 65, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) suggests five ways Congress can help seniors this year—especially those in greatest need. 1. Restore funding for and modernize aging services The Older Americans Act (OAA) funds critical services that […]

29 Jan, 2014

Survey: High Correlation Between Response to Feedback and Perception of Being Valued

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MELVILLE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE) – January 28, 2014 — Verint® Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VRNT) today announced the results from an Ipsos* survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers that explored customer satisfaction and engagement experiences with service providers and brands. The study highlights a link between customers receiving attention from service providers and feeling valued. It also reveals […]

29 Jan, 2014

Nielsen: Global Consumer Confidence Holds Steady, Spending Intentions Retreat

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NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)- January 29, 2014  – Global consumer confidence held steady at 94 for three consecutive quarters, ending 2013 one point higher than it started (Q1 2013) and three points higher than the same time period the previous year (Q4 2012), according to consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information […]

28 Jan, 2014

A Green Challenge to America’s Asia-Pacific Pivot – FPIF

Cetacean lovers are celebrating the recent, brash statement of newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, in her condemnation of Japan’s “inhumane” tradition of dolphin slaughter. Now that she finds herself professionally and geographically smack-dab in the middle of President Barack Obama’s “Pacific Pivot” toward Asia, she has the opportunity to cast more light […]

28 Jan, 2014

“Within Every Crisis Lies an Opportunity” — Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor

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Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia – 27 January, 2014: Looking to convert a crisis into an opportunity, Thailand is urging travel trade buyers and guests to take their business to the provincial destinations, where the situation is perfectly normal. Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik (3rd from right) Addressing a packed media conference at the […]

28 Jan, 2014

Brit stockbroker fired, flees Singapore over “poor people” comments – The Independent

A British businessman who mocked the poor has fled Singapore after receiving death threats and losing his job as a wealth fund manager. Anton Casey caused an uproar in the country after posting a series of abusive photographs on Facebook where he called a local taxi driver a “retard” and referred to commuters as “the […]

28 Jan, 2014

Lifestyle disorders top health issues in Arab world – Arab News

PARIS: Heart disease and stroke have replaced infectious disease as the top causes of early death in the Arab world, tracking the West in a trend toward lifestyle disorders, The Lancet reported Monday. An international consortium of scientists compared the state of health in the 22 countries of the Arab League in 1990 and in […]

28 Jan, 2014

U.S. exporting anti-Muslim sentiment worldwide – Dispatches from the Underclass

Gadeir Abbas, Staff attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): I agree wholeheartedly that the fear of Islam, the fear of Muslims, is a notion I think has been cultivated by policy choices at the federal level. The use of airport screenings, that inevitably cultivates and reflects the bias that people have against Muslims, has […]

28 Jan, 2014

Spy Agencies Scour Phone Apps for Personal Data – NYTimes.com

When a smartphone user opens Angry Birds, the popular game application, and starts slinging birds at chortling green pigs, spies may be lurking in the background to snatch data revealing the player’s location, age, sex and other personal information, according to secret British intelligence documents. In their globe-spanning surveillance for terrorism suspects and other targets, […]

28 Jan, 2014

Scarlett Johansson ad becomes online meme for Israeli-Palestinian conflict — RT News

The web has been flooded with images featuring Scarlett Johansson Photoshopped into some grim pictures of West Bank territories. A major political meme these days has been inspired by the actress’s cooperation with an Israel-based company. The images appeared following announcements of Johansson becoming brand ambassador for SodaStream, a firm which operates a factory in […]

27 Jan, 2014

European businesses rushing to find Iran bonanza

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 27 January 2014 (26 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ EXHIBITION ON GOLDEN AGE OF MUSLIM CIVILISATION NOW SHOWING IN KUALA LUMPUR UNTIL 28 FEB […]

27 Jan, 2014

China accelerates global hunt for top skills

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Beijing, (China Daily) January 26, 2014 – China will speed up the exploration of immigration policies this year to attract skilled foreign workers, a senior official said on Thursday. However, Zhang Jianguo, head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, did not give details on when the policies will be introduced. Experts said Zhang’s […]

27 Jan, 2014

Ariel Sharon: The legacy of a psychopath | GulfNews.com

In a display of political and diplomatic hypocrisy, most western leaders praised the late Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon for his transformation from a fierce fighter for Israel to a man who took initiatives to make peace with the Palestinians. Israeli President Shimon Peres described him as a “brave military leader”, while Swedish Foreign Minister […]

27 Jan, 2014

China braces for 100 million travellers over Spring Festival holiday

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BEIJING, Jan. 26, (Xinhua) — The number of Chinese passengers is expected to top 100 million a day during the next few days as the week-long Spring Festival holiday approaches, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on Sunday. “We forecast that travelers on roads and waterways on Sunday will reach more than 99 million and one […]

27 Jan, 2014

Airlines to ease rules on liquids, gels in carry-on items of transit pax – Japan Times

CHIBA, Jan 26, 2014 Kyodo – The transport ministry has decided to ease carry-on restrictions for liquids and gels carried by travelers who are catching connecting flights from abroad, ministry sources said. The restrictions are being loosened in line with the global trend toward relaxing baggage controls that were put in place for international flights […]

27 Jan, 2014

German TV: Snowden says NSA also spies on industry – DAWN.COM

BERLIN: Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden claimed in a new interview that the US agency is involved in industrial espionage. In the interview aired Sunday night on German public television broadcaster ARD, Snowden said if German engineering company Siemens had information that would benefit the US, but had nothing to do with national security needs, […]

27 Jan, 2014

Gallup Polls: In U.S., Dissatisfaction With How Gov’t System Works At Highest Point Ever

by Justin McCarthy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — January 22, 2014 – (Gallup Polls) – Sixty-five percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the nation’s system of government and how well it works, the highest percentage in Gallup’s trend since 2001. Dissatisfaction is up five points since last year, and has edged above the previous high from 2012 (64%). These findings […]

27 Jan, 2014

Gallup Polls: Baby Boomers Put More Money Than Trust in Banks

by Daniela Yu and Julie Ray

This article is part of an ongoing series analyzing how baby boomers — those born from 1946-1964 in the U.S. — behave differently from other generations as consumers and in the workplace. The series also explores how the aging of the baby boomer generation will affect politics and well-being. WASHINGTON, D.C. — January 21, 2014 […]

27 Jan, 2014

Gallup Polls: Baby Boomers to Push U.S. Politics in the Years Ahead

by Frank Newport, Jeffrey M. Jones, and Lydia Saad

This article is part of an ongoing series analyzing how baby boomers — those born from 1946-1964 in the U.S. — behave differently from other generations as consumers and in the workplace. The series also explores how the aging of the baby boomer generation will affect politics and well-being. PRINCETON, NJ — January 23, 2014 […]

26 Jan, 2014

Academics unlock the secret behaviour of Britain’s contract killers – The Observer

They are classified as novices, journeymen, dilettantes or masters. They are Britain’s hitmen – killers who ply their deadly trade in return for cash, and who for the first time have become the subject of a major academic study. The killers typically murder their targets on a street close to the victim’s home, although a […]

26 Jan, 2014

The Independent Exclusive: Eating disorders soar among teens – Social media blamed

The number of children and teenagers seeking help for an eating disorder has risen by 110 per cent in the past three years, according to figures given exclusively to The Independent on Sunday. ChildLine says it received more than 10,500 calls and online inquiries from young people struggling with food and weight-related anxiety in the […]

26 Jan, 2014

Australian Tax Office nets $430m from the rich – Sydney Morning Herald

Scores of the country’s wealthiest people have been caught up in a huge government blitz that has recouped more than $430 million in unpaid taxes and fines last year. High-profile figures recently caught up in the crackdown include racing identity Sean Buckley, art dealer John Ioannou and entrepreneurs Bob Jane and Geoffrey Edelsten, who together […]

26 Jan, 2014

What do Israel and Australia have in common? – Al Jazeera

By Dr Vacy Vlazna, Coordinator of Justice for Palestine Matters. Is it just me, or do you also see a thread of colonial superiority and racism binding US, Australia, and Canada to Israel? Think about it. All are ex-British colonies and like Israel, have a dark history of atrocities committed against their respective indigenous peoples […]

26 Jan, 2014

Qatar World Cup: 185 Nepalese died in 2013 – The Guardian

The extent of the risks faced by migrant construction workers building the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been laid bare by official documents revealing that 185 Nepalese men died last year alone. The 2013 death toll, which is expected to rise as new cases come to light, is likely to spark […]

26 Jan, 2014

Copenhagen: The Happy Capital – The Guardian

Copenhagen is the happiest city in the world, but why? Is it the parks, the city beaches, safe cycling or award-winning food? Locals tell The Guardian where visitors can tap into the city’s happy vibe. Copenhageners are really opening up. Culturally Danes are not as restrained as other Scandinavian countries and you see that in […]

26 Jan, 2014

Study helps scientists quantify positive effect of meditation

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Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 24, 2014 – A new study of meditation confirms that this ancient practice aimed at achieving wellbeing can also reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and even pain. The research, conducted at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, was published January 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine. “The findings are very encouraging […]

26 Jan, 2014

China confident of weathering QE exit shocks

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BEIJING, Jan. 24 -(Xinhua)- China is capable and confident of withstanding possible shocks from the U.S. exit from quantitative easing (QE), said an official of China’s foreign exchange regulator on Friday. The remarks were made by Guan Tao, head of the Balance of Payments Department of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, at a press […]

26 Jan, 2014

China identifies the Top Ten international security issues in 2014

(People's Daily Online)

Beijing, January 25, 2014 — In 2014, is there any possibility that the U.S. will use force against Syria? The situation in Afghanistan may well spiral out of control after US troops withdraw from Afghanistan. Will the U.S. show some restraint after the PRISM scandal? There are many such questions. In brief: compared with 2013, […]

26 Jan, 2014

China Daily commentator: US should stop lecturing China

By Chen Weihua

Beijing, 2014-01-24, (China Daily) – The China-US Asia-Pacific Consultations held in Beijing this week was inaugurated in 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii, to reflect the commitment by the two nations’ leaders to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship. The proper phrase for which is building a new type of major country relationship. However, rhetoric and […]

26 Jan, 2014

Are global cities now too big for their own good?

By Zhang Zhouxiang

Beijing, 2014-01-25 (China Daily) – Air pollution, traffic congestion, high realty prices… one after another, the problems every resident in Beijing faces have come up for discussion at the ongoing annual meeting of the Beijing municipal people’s congress. Actually, what Beijingers are enduring is typical urban angst, something that has been experienced by people in […]

26 Jan, 2014

Understanding the boycott of Israel’s universities – The Washington Post

U.S. academics are not in the lead here. Matters are far more developed in Europe, where faculties have fought to divest and boycott Israel and where the European Union is moving toward labeling products from illegal Israeli settlements. But U.S. academics recognize a special mission: Israeli institutions that benefit from the occupation do so with […]

26 Jan, 2014

South African PR leak exposes how big pharma subverts govt policy – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Pharmaceutical industry’s machinations to interfere in a country’s policymaking to protect their interests have been exposed yet again, this time in South Africa. The leaked plans of a public relations firm hired by the American and South African pharmaceutical multinational companies revealed how pharma planned to launch a campaign to discredit and subvert […]

25 Jan, 2014

Global Leaders Finally Wake Up, Agree that Health is Wealth

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Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 25 January 2014 (WEF media release) – On the last day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014, public and private sector leaders affirmed the strong economic case for investing in health as a means to achieving long-term growth. “The very title of the session says it all,” said moderator Arianna Huffington, […]

25 Jan, 2014

Fujitsu Labs Develops Technology Capable of Searching Encrypted Data to Maintain Privacy

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Tokyo, Jan 15, 2014 – (JCN Newswire) – Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of a technology that can perform concealed searches of encrypted data in its encrypted form. Searching data while it is encrypted makes it possible to maintain a high level of privacy with no risk of leaks – particularly important for […]

25 Jan, 2014

Future of the Digital Age: “Europe can prove it is more trustworthy than U.S.”

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World Economic Forum, Davos, 22 January 2014 – The global revelations of spying by the US National Security Agency have undermined the competitive position of American companies and opened up a big opportunity for Europe to become “known as the world’s safest, securest online space.” Speaking at the Davos World Economic Forum, Neelie Kroes, Vice-President […]

25 Jan, 2014

Bali attracted 3.27m foreign tourists in 2013 – Bali Daily

Bali has exceeded its target of attracting 3.1 million foreign tourists last year, as the number of direct foreign tourist arrivals to the island reached 3.27 million. The provincial Tourism Agency on Wednesday released the official data on the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali from January to December 2013, which amounted to 3,278,697 people. […]

24 Jan, 2014

Children with Disabilities present a unique Ramayana on wheels – The Hindu

If you think that a wheelchair is a sign of disability, watch the children of Ability Unlimited Foundation take to their ‘wheeled legs’, for their knack, talent and aptitude for classical dance and music would make people sitting in the audience feel edgy. With steely nerves of experiencing the pleasure of fine arts, these “differently […]

24 Jan, 2014

Changing the rules of the game in India – The Hindu

India is yet again on the cusp of a battle for deeper democratisation. The data from nationwide surveys have repeatedly shown that Indians increasingly view their elected representatives and political parties as uncaring, unreachable, unresponsive, untrustworthy, and unrepresentative. This overarching anger against the functioning of legislative institutions (particularly Parliament), political parties, and elected representatives has […]

24 Jan, 2014

U.S. Unwinding of Quantitative Easing Prompts Risk Warnings in Leading Economies

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Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January 2014 (WEF media release) – As the US Federal Reserve begins its tapering of quantitative easing, and the sharp drop in UK unemployment suggests that the Bank of England may soon follow, leading finance officials and experts in a session on monetary policy at the 44th Annual Meeting of the World […]

24 Jan, 2014

Thai monk wows ASEAN travel show with “Punch-Line” bone-therapy

Imtiaz Muqbil

Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia — A 49-year-old Thai Buddhist monk wowed the ASEAN Tourism Forum Travel Exchange here this week with free “Punch-Line” bone therapy massages that saw dozens of participants walking away refreshed and energetic. Indeed, the surprise first-time presence by the Thai Tradition Alternative Medical Centre has paved the way for a significant broadening […]

22 Jan, 2014

India Approves Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor

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New Delhi, 20-January-2014 – The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for setting up the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) and formation of the AKIC Development Corporation (AKICDC). The AKIC is proposed to be developed in a band of 150-200 kms on either side of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC), in a phased manner, and would […]

22 Jan, 2014

Europe Worries About Its Poverty Levels, and Related Social Issues

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Brussels, 21 January 2014 – European Commission Press release – A significant increase in poverty among the working age population is one of the most tangible social consequences of the economic crisis. A gradual reduction of unemployment levels may not be enough to reverse this situation if wage polarisation continues, notably due to a rise […]

22 Jan, 2014

Pope Calls on Travel Industry to Indulge in “Deeper Reflection” of Global Problems

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Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January 2014 – In a message that should be heard and heeded by travel & tourism industry leaders worldwide, Pope Francis sent a special message to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, expressing hope that the world’s business and political leaders would use the meeting to reflect more deeply on […]

21 Jan, 2014

FREE Download: Report Shows How #GenMobile Is Shaking up Traditional Work Patterns

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SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)-January 21, 2014-Aruba Networks (NASDAQ:ARUN) today asks businesses across the globe ‘Are you ready for #GenMobile?’ by launching a report that explores a new breed of employee that is changing the workplace as we know it. The report, which surveyed 5,000+ respondents worldwide1, reveals characteristics of the newly dubbed #GenMobile, a group of […]

21 Jan, 2014

CEOs Spend a Night on Los Angeles Streets To See How It Feels to be Poor

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LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — On November 21, 2013, Global Holdings CEO, Sam Solakyan, joined business leaders across North America for the Annual Covenant House Sleep Out. The Sleep Out was a nationwide event orchestrated by Covenant House, where for one night CEOs and prominent businessmen and women left behind the comforts of their […]

21 Jan, 2014

Engaged, financially-struggling baby boomers reluctant to retire, more likely to work longer

by Jim Harter and Sangeeta Agrawal

This article is part of an ongoing series analyzing how baby boomers — those born from 1946-1964 in the U.S. — behave differently from other generations as consumers and in the workplace. The series also explores how the aging of the baby boomer generation will affect politics and well-being. WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 20, 2014 […]

21 Jan, 2014

In U.S., 67% Dissatisfied With Income, Wealth Distribution

by Rebecca Riffkin

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 20, 2014 (Gallup Polls) — Two out of three Americans are dissatisfied with the way income and wealth are currently distributed in the U.S. This includes three-fourths of Democrats and 54% of Republicans. President Barack Obama spoke about income disparities in a Dec. 4, 2013, speech, saying he wanted to prioritize lowering income […]

20 Jan, 2014

Borneo World Music Expo 2014 Invites Proposals for Performances

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 January 2014 (19 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ EXHIBITION ON GOLDEN AGE OF MUSLIM CIVILISATION NOW SHOWING IN KUALA LUMPUR UNTIL 28 FEB […]

19 Jan, 2014

ASEAN Tourism: The Power of 10 and the 10 Factors Driving Growth

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KUCHING, MALAYSIA: Research and the very latest data released today by the Thammasat University College of Innovation shows that the 10 ASEAN countries will have welcomed the historic number of tourism arrivals of 100 million during 2013 and will likely show a significant increase on that in 2014, given the trajectory of the previous year’s […]

18 Jan, 2014

Why clean toilets are important for the future of ASEAN Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Kuching — It may sound like a laughing matter, but the move to start an ASEAN tourist toilet clean-up is actually a serious issue, with broad ramifications for the future of ASEAN tourism. In 2015, if current levels of tourism growth are sustained, ASEAN visitor arrivals will cross the 100 million mark (click on the […]

18 Jan, 2014

Food aplenty, but 840 million people still go hungry every day – FAO

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17 January 2014, Berlin, FAO media release – Creating healthy and sustainable food systems is key to overcome hunger and malnutrition around the globe, said Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General at the Green Week in Berlin today. “Food production has tripled since 1945 and average food availability per person has risen by 40 percent,” Semedo […]

17 Jan, 2014

ASEAN Moves to Provide Quality Toilets to Attract Quality Tourists

By Imtiaz Muqbil at the ASEAN Tourism Forum

Kuching, Malaysia – The process of ASEAN tourism integration could yield its finest result by 2015 with moves to upgrade and standardise the quality of public toilets at all places of tourist interest, transit points and popular shopping areas across the 10 member countries. For the first time, heads of ASEAN national tourism organisations were […]

17 Jan, 2014

Smog, strong yuan, blamed for sharp fall in tourism to Beijing

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Beijing, (China Daily) – January 13, 2014 – Beijing witnessed an unexpected sharp drop in inbound tourism in 2013, as tourism officials looked for ways to reverse the trend. From January to November, the city recorded 4.2 million visitors, down 10.3 percent year-on-year, the Beijing Tourism Development Commission reported. The commission blamed the weak global […]

17 Jan, 2014

European Economic Committee backs criminal sanctions against financial terrorists

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Brussels, 9 January 2014, European Commission memo – The leading committee of the European Parliament for Economic matters has today given its support to a European Commission proposal for criminal sanctions to tackle the abuse and manipulation of financial markets (IP/11/1218). The Parliament’s Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) unanimously backed an agreement on the […]

17 Jan, 2014

Only One in Four Americans Satisfied With Direction of U.S.

by Joy Wilke

PRINCETON, NJ, Jan 13, 2014 (Gallup Polls)– Twenty-three percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the U.S. at this time, unchanged from December and within one percentage point of the 24% average for 2013. This month’s reading is seven points higher than last year’s low of 16% in […]

17 Jan, 2014

FREE Download: Study says NSA Bulk Surveillance Programs Do Little to Prevent Terrorism

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WASHINGTON, DC January 13, 2014, (New America Foundation media release) – In the wake of the uproar caused by the leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, President Obama, the NSA director and members of Congress defended the NSA surveillance programs by claiming they helped thwart more than 50 potential terrorist events in more than […]

16 Jan, 2014

Video-surveillance: European watchdog ensures privacy compliance

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Brussels, 13 January 2014 (European Commission media release) – In a report issued today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) highlights his overall satisfaction with the video-surveillance systems of four Luxembourg-based EU bodies that were inspected on 9 and 10 July 2013. Giovanni Buttarelli, Assistant EDPS, says: “Since we issued our video-surveillance Guidelines in 2010, […]

16 Jan, 2014

Indonesian migrant workers’ remitted US$7.35 billion in 2013 | The Jakarta Post

The National Labor Placement and Protection Agency BNP2TKI said the realization of overseas remittances by Indonesian migrant workers amounted to Rp 88.6 trillion (US$7.35 billion) during the period of January-December 2013, with an exchange rate assumption of Rp 12,000 per dollar. The amount is greater than the money remitted by foreign workers in the same […]

16 Jan, 2014

Beijing sets sights on park venues in corruption drive

By JIN HAIXING

Beijing (China Daily ) 2014-01-16  – Private clubs and high-end entertainment venues in Beijing‘s public parks have become the latest target of the nation’s clean-governance campaign. Authorities in the capital asked such establishments on Wednesday to close, one day after President Xi Jinping said that “regulations should not become paper tigers or scarecrows”. Recent Chinese […]

16 Jan, 2014

Hong Kong bid to better manage “excessive number” of Mainland China visitors

Read the rest:

HONG KONG, (Xinhua), 2014-01-15 — Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung said Wednesday that Hong Kong needs to attract mainland visitors in an appropriate and orderly manner in light of Hong Kong’s economic and social situations. Delivering his annual policy address at the Legislative Council, Leung said that tourism is one of Hong Kong economy’s […]

16 Jan, 2014

China moving to grow bilateral visa-free travel pacts

Editor：WangXin、Gao Yinan）

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), January 15, 2014 – All of us like things to be simple when we travel, but Chinese citizens normally need to spend months preparing lots of documents and doing some serious leg-work in terms of organizing their paperwork ahead of their overseas holidays. Now here is the good news: China is […]

16 Jan, 2014

UN Says Pace Of Fanatic Jewish Settler Attacks on Palestinians Up Fourfold

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QUSRA, West Bank, Palestine, Jan 15 (NNN-WAFA) – The annual rate of Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians has almost quadrupled in eight years, U.N. figures show, buttressing claims that Israeli security forces have largely failed to stem the so-called “price tag” campaign, in which Jewish fanatic thugs cut down trees, deface mosques and beat Palestinian […]

16 Jan, 2014

One Aussie student’s tips on how to survive a gap year – Sydney Morning Herald

By Harriet Forster Of the 220,000 young Australians offered a university place last year, almost one quarter deferred their study. Many of these will head overseas for their gap year. I’m now safely ensconced back home in Sydney with my family, and can reflect on my 12-month gap year in Britain. I spent 2013 at […]

16 Jan, 2014

Australia plans to put Big Business in charge of own tax – Sydney Morning Herald

The Australian Taxation Office wants to allow big business to oversee its own tax returns, internal documents reveal, despite the potential for conflict of interest, greed and even corruption. The Tax Office has been working on a “transformational” plan to fundamentally change Australia’s corporate tax system with companies allowed to use their own accountants to […]

16 Jan, 2014

Awaiting Santi Claus: Can Thailand Walk the Talk of Its Tourism Slogans?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand last year launched a new two-part slogan “Amazing Thailand: It Begins with the People.” The “Amazing Thailand” part was launched in 1998. The add-on part, “It Begins With the People,” is confusing those watching the political drama on the streets of Bangkok and some provincial cities. The question […]

13 Jan, 2014

Peace Prevails on Day One of “Bangkok Shutdown” Political Protests

Imtiaz Muqbil

A round-up of key developments on Day 1 of the Bangkok Shutdown anti-government protests. (+) The day passed peacefully, with plenty of fiery rhetoric but no clashes or conflicts. Anti-government protestors blockaded intersections at 7 key city spots and spent the day listening to thundering speeches and being entertained by popular Thai musicians and performers, […]

13 Jan, 2014

Religious Faith Relieves Work Stress: Study

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 13 January 2014 (12 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ EXHIBITION ON GOLDEN AGE OF MUSLIM CIVILISATION NOW SHOWING IN KUALA LUMPUR UNTIL 28 FEB […]

11 Jan, 2014

Character at heart of global leadership – The Jakarta Post

Most people think that the higher you go, the more authority and control you have. But our research finds that in today’s complex, global environment, the higher you go, the more you get things done because of the goodwill and trust you develop, not because of your formal authority. Global leaders need to establish personal, […]

11 Jan, 2014

To cut budget deficit, U.S. govt making airline pax its “personal ATM”

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 09, 2014 – Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, issued the following statement urging Members of Congress to reject any new taxes or fee increases on airline passengers under consideration in the Omnibus appropriations bill: EDITOR’S COMMENT Ever wondered why IATA, PATA, UNWTO, WTTC and other […]

11 Jan, 2014

The U.S. hourly-job market: Four key trends for 2014

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KIRKLAND, Wash.-January 07, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–The hourly jobs segment will continue to grow in 2014, particularly in part time and temporary positions, and more people will search and apply for jobs from mobile devices than from computers. In this environment it will be critical for companies to embrace mobile technology and streamline the hiring processes. More […]

11 Jan, 2014

New Integrated Terminal Raises Mumbai International Airport to World-Class Level

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Mumbai – A New Integrated Terminal (T2) has opened at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai. Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address at the inauguration: “I believe today marks a very important special occasion in the development of the civil aviation sector in our country. I am delighted to […]

11 Jan, 2014

How Would Dr. Martin Luther King React to NSA Spying?

By Robert McCaw

How would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., have reacted to recent revelations that the U.S. government is collecting and storing nearly every citizen’s phone records and gathering their electronic data? From 1958 until his 1968 assassination, the FBI conducted extensive surveillance on Dr. King, amassing over 17,000 pages of material on his day-to-day activities. Today […]

11 Jan, 2014

Ontario man says U.S. wrongly put him on no-fly list – CBC News

A Whitby, Ont., business owner is growing frustrated about his inability to fly overseas to visit family, which he says is a result of his name wrongly appearing on the U.S. no-fly list. Omer Qureshi was supposed to catch a flight to visit family in Pakistan last Saturday, but was to find out he wouldn’t […]

10 Jan, 2014

Thai Travel Industry Advisories on Airport Commutes for “Bangkok Shutdown Day” and beyond

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Bangkok – The Association of Thai Travel Agents is coordinating with the Airports of Thailand to provide alternative transportation facilities for visitors who will need to commute to and from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports and various points in the city during the anti-government “Bangkok shutdown” period on Monday 13 January 2014, and possibly […]

10 Jan, 2014

11 Early Warnings to Prepare for the Tsunami of Change

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Bangkok – Exactly 10 years ago this year, a devastating tsunami struck numerous parts of Asia, causing extensive death and damage in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries with coastal areas bordering the Indian Ocean. Of the many preventive and protective measures taken in its aftermath, one of the most important was the setting […]