13 Apr, 2014

Indian PM: BJP has always divided the country – The Hindu

Hitting the campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday made a scathing attack on BJP by describing its ideology as against the composite culture of the state and said the party had always “divided the country.” “BJP leaders want to give a turn to the Lok Sabha elections on communal issues, […]

13 Apr, 2014

Ex-US President Carter uses snail mail to avoid NSA monitoring — RT USA

Former American president is aware his emails could be monitored by US intelligence agencies excessively “liberalized” under President Obama so he prefers to send letters via ‘snail mail’ to ensure the privacy of correspondence. In an interview with the NBC TV channel dedicated to the publication of his new book, ‘A Call to Action: Women, […]

13 Apr, 2014

Australian Navy Sailors sacked over racist and anti-Muslim Facebook posts

Up to six Navy sailors have been sacked or ordered to justify their jobs over racist and anti-Muslim Facebook posts. But despite suspicions raised by Fairfax Media in January, a formal investigation has found that no sailor belongs to the racist Australian Defence League. Chief of Navy Ray Griggs said in a statement on Tuesday […]

13 Apr, 2014

​Big Brother’s Facebook: UK, US intelligence ‘infiltrating’ social media — RT News

American and British intelligence hope to take advantage of social media platforms, like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, in an effort to spread disinformation and propaganda, as well as potentially foment public protests, recent Snowden leaks claim. According to Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who first broke the news on the Snowden NSA leaks, an Orwellian-style dystopia […]

13 Apr, 2014

Snowden and Greenwald: Metadata monitoring more intrusive than eavesdropping — RT News

Whistleblower Edward Snowden and journalist Glenn Greenwald joined forces via video link at an Amnesty International event in the US to speak to a packed hotel ballroom about the dangers of government metadata collection. Both Snowden and Greenwald stated that governmental collection of metadata – that is, monitoring timings of calls, to whom calls were […]

13 Apr, 2014

Stop Blocking Palestinian Rights, Human Rights Watch Tells U.S.

April 6, 2014 — (Jerusalem) – The US government should support rather than oppose Palestinian actions to join international treaties that promote respect for human rights. On April 1, 2014, the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, signed accession instruments for 15 treaties, including the core treaties on human rights and the laws of war. On April […]

13 Apr, 2014

Why Jews must oppose muzzling of Palestine solidarity activists – By Martin Federman

Northeastern University’s administration recently suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a recognized student group whose mission is to educate about the plight of Palestinians living under more than half a century of Israeli occupation. The administration also initially threatened some members of SJP with expulsion from the university. As a former […]

13 Apr, 2014

PM to break promise of ‘no-cuts’ to Australian Broadcasting Corp

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is poised to break a key election promise by cutting funding to the ABC, with the question now being how much money should be cut. In a pledge his colleagues are now wishing he never made, Mr Abbott said on the night before the 2013 election: “No cuts to education, no […]

13 Apr, 2014

Epic fail: Singapore tourism ad pulled after ridicule – Sydney Morning Herald

Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) aim to customise content for different markets proved to be an epic failure in a recent campaign designed to attract Filipino tourists to Singapore. People took to social media to mock the badly filmed, dubbed, acted and scripted piece, which was pulled from the government agency’s official YouTube channel and Facebook […]

13 Apr, 2014

IMF Chief: huge government and bank debts risk new financial crash – theguardian.com

Head of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde issued a warning to world leaders on Thursday that they need to do more to deal with huge government and bank debts that continue to drag on growth and undermine the stability of the financial system. Ahead of a set-piece address at the organisation’s spring conference in […]

13 Apr, 2014

European Commission publishes first EU Transport Scoreboard: Netherlands, Germany lead list

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Brussels, 10 April 2014, European Commission Press release – The European Commission has published today for the first time a scoreboard on transport in the EU. It compares Member State performance in 22 transport-related categories and highlights for most of these categories the five top and bottom performers. The Netherlands and Germany top the scoreboard […]

13 Apr, 2014

China moving ahead with plan for Asian infrastructure bank

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BOAO, Hainan, April 10 -(Xinhua)  – China is ready to step up talks on establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Premier Li Keqiang told the opening ceremony of the 2014 annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia on Thursday. “China is ready to intensify consultations with relevant parties in and outside Asia on the preparations […]

13 Apr, 2014

Domestic violence: NSW reports 94 assaults a day – Sydney Morning Herald

Domestic violence in December reached its highest level in 15 years, bucking a statewide decline in all other major offences. Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show, on average, 94 domestic violence assaults were reported to police each day. Annual crime data released on Thursday showed a 1.9 per cent rise […]

13 Apr, 2014

AsiaTimes Online: Broken-down US could go any minute

The greatest dangers for the United States do not lurk in terrorist cells in the mountains surrounding Kandahar that are planning assaults on American targets. Rather, the vulnerabilities are homegrown. The United States plays host to thousands of nuclear weapons, toxic chemical dumps, radioactive waste-storage facilities, complex pipelines and refineries, offshore oil rigs, and many […]

13 Apr, 2014

UK Police officers despise fiddling crime statistics, says expert | The Observer

A significant number of police officers and government officials “despise” their role in the widespread practice of massaging official crime figures, according to a leading criminologist. Marian FitzGerald, a visiting professor of criminology at the University of Kent’s crime and justice centre, said many ethically minded senior officers were “scandalised” and detested their part in […]

13 Apr, 2014

Second UK army officer quits to reveal ‘human cost of Afghan War’ – The Independent

A second Army officer has resigned his commission so he can publish an eyewitness account of the human cost endured by the British Army in Afghanistan. Former reserve Captain Christian Hill has written a book on his experiences with the Media Operations Group, where his main role was to “promote” the war to the public […]

12 Apr, 2014

Rabbi Yisrayl Hawkins Predicts Nuclear War, Offers Place of Safety

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Abilene, Texas (PRWEB) April 11, 2014 – Yisrayl Hawkins, Pastor of The House of Yahweh in Abilene, Texas, wrote a new article this week discussing where people can find protection from nuclear war, which he says is soon to come. “We see this generation in prophecy. I am surprised no one has noticed this before, […]

12 Apr, 2014

Starwood Hotels Pledges Shark Fin Ban in All Hotels Worldwide by Year-end

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STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 07, 2014 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced that, beginning July 2014, it will no longer procure shark fin in any of its nearly 1,200 hotels or 1,300 restaurants around the world. The company has committed to completely eliminating the consumption of shark fin, without exception, in all […]

12 Apr, 2014

Travel Insurance First offers “Green Travel” Tips for Earth Day

East Hartford, CT (PRWEB) April 11, 2014 – Earth Day, which is on April 22, 2014, was founded in 1970 by Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, whose ultimate goal was to mobilize the globe and bring together environmental activists to promote education and awareness. Over the years, Earth Day has become a global phenomenon, from […]

12 Apr, 2014

A Perfect Storm of Online Fraud Disasters Looms – Report

Cork, Ireland (PRWEB) April 11, 2014 – Online retailers lost $3.5 billion in sales last year through avoidable fraud, according to the first Global Fraud Briefing from Trustev, the global leader in real-time identity verification. As of April 2014, more than 250 million compromised credit-card numbers are being offered for sale online – a growing […]

12 Apr, 2014

Now Everyone can Skip Flying: Enhanced Business Class on VIA Rail Canada

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MONTRÉAL–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 08, 2014 – Business class travelers on VIA Rail’s Corridor routes can now experience many of the upgrades recently made to its Business class service – refurbished lounges, a more spacious environment on-board, a greener and more comfortable trip, new meals and more personalized service. The improvements to Business class, have been rolling […]

12 Apr, 2014

Stressful Life Increases Risk of Delivering Low Birth Weight Baby

ANN ARBOR, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 10, 2014 – Stressful life events prior to conception can result in an increased risk of giving birth to a very low birth weight baby, a new nationwide U.S. study reveals. A research team, lead by Whitney Witt, PhD, MPH of Truven Health Analytics, is the first to study the relationship […]

12 Apr, 2014

Big Data frenzy: Beware the hype-cycle – Japan Times / The Observer

by John Naughton Apr 11, 2014 LONDON – Concepts of enduring utility rarely emerge from the market-research business, but the Gartner hype cycle is an exception that proves the rule. It is a graph that describes the life cycle of a technological innovation in five phases. First, there’s the “trigger” that kicks off the feverish […]

12 Apr, 2014

Eisenhower’s military-industrial warnings ring as true as ever | The Japan Times / The Oberver

by John Naughton Mar 27, 2014, LONDON – On Jan. 17, 1961, the outgoing U.S. President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, went on TV to deliver his valedictory address to the American people. Ike had been a relatively uncontroversial president. He had overseen a period of astonishing prosperity and economic growth. He had impeccable military credentials, having […]

12 Apr, 2014

Malaysia: Air Passenger Traffic Up In March Despite MH370

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia April 11 (NNN-Bernama) — Despite a decline in the growth rate for air passenger traffic towards the last 10 days of March due to the recent Flight MH370 incident, the overall growth momentum remains positive, said Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). Passenger traffic grew by 13 per cent in March, bringing the […]

12 Apr, 2014

Smog clouds tourists’ appreciation of big Chinese cities

By Jin Haixing (China Daily)

Beijing, 11 April 2014 (China Daily) – Smog is being blamed for a drop in the Chinese domestic tourism satisfaction index. The tourist satisfaction index for domestic destinations stood at 72.6 in the first quarter, down five points from the same period last year, according to a report released by the China Tourism Academy, affiliated […]

12 Apr, 2014

BBC News: Leading artists, academics, MPs warn against Modi

Prominent Indian artists and academics have written an open letter warning against the possible election of Hindu nationalist politician Narendra Modi. The letter – signed by writer Salman Rushdie and sculptor Anish Kapoor among others – attacked Mr Modi’s record in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Mr Modi, a candidate for the opposition BJP in the […]

11 Apr, 2014

How Israel’s war industry profits from violent US immigration “reform” | The Electronic Intifada

Im/migrant rights advocates in the US organized a national day of action on 5 April, the day they expected President Barack Obama’s record-breaking rate of deportations to reach a total of 2 million during his administration. But scant attention has been paid to the list of global benefactors awaiting the profits from legislation escalating border […]

11 Apr, 2014

Indigenous Leaders Targeted in Battle to Protect Forests – Inter Press Service

WASHINGTON, Apr 9 2014 (IPS) – Indigenous leaders are warning of increased violence in the fight to save their dwindling forests and ecosystems from extractive companies. Indigenous representatives and environmental activists from Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas met over the weekend here to commemorate those leading community fights against extractive industries. The conference, called […]

11 Apr, 2014

When Medicines Don’t Work Anymore – Inter Press Service

by Martin Khor GENEVA, Apr 10 2014 (IPS) – The growing crisis of antibiotic resistance is catching the attention of policy-makers, but not at a fast enough rate to tackle it. More diseases are affected by resistance, meaning the bacteria cannot be killed even if different drugs are used on some patients, who then succumb. […]

11 Apr, 2014

BBC misreports John Kerry quotes on Mideast talks failure

For once, US Secretary of State John Kerry was not mincing his words when he blamed Israel for the breakdown of talks with the Palestinians. But you would not have known this if you were following the story from the BBC News website. Read the rest: BBC misreports John Kerry on talks failure | Redress […]

11 Apr, 2014

Jewish Voice for Peace: What They Don’t Want You to Know (Academics Take Note)

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The following Call to Action was issued by the activist group Jewish Voice for Peace on April 10. It is being circulated verbatim by Travel Impact Newswire in solidarity with the message. Action Update The right to criticize Israel is at stake on campuses across the country. Boston-JVP rallies hundreds to defend SJP. © Pat […]

11 Apr, 2014

UK spy agency monitored reservations at 350 top hotels worldwide – Snowden leaks

By Gerald Greenwald One of the programs described by the newly released GCHQ document is dubbed “Royal Concierge,” under which the British agency intercepts email confirmations of hotel reservations to enable it to subject hotel guests to electronic monitoring. It also contemplates how to “influence the hotel choice” of travelers and to determine whether they […]

11 Apr, 2014

Alcohol a major cause in nearly half a million murders in 2012: UN study on global crime

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Vienna, 10 April 2013 (UNODC media release) – Almost half a million people (437,000) across the world lost their lives in 2012 as a result of intentional homicide, according to a new study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Launching the Global Study on Homicide 2013 in London today, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, […]

10 Apr, 2014

Building a culture of tolerance – The Hindu

What has complicated the project of secularism in India are two issues. First, the state may be neutral towards religion, but this does not mean that state actors and individuals in society are neutral towards religion. Second, there is no agreement in India that religion should be relegated to the private sphere. In fact, the […]

10 Apr, 2014

If Modi comes to power, the whole nation will witness riots: Mayawati – The Hindu

BSP supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday took a dig at BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi over Gujarat riots and said if such a person is voted to power “the whole nation will witness riots”. Addressing an election rally in Lakhimpur Kheri, Ms. Mayawati cautioned the people against electing Mr. […]

10 Apr, 2014

“Way of St James” heritage city in Spain to host 1st UNWTO Congress on Tourism & Pilgrimages

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The First International Congress on Tourism and Pilgrimages is to be held between 18 – 20 September 2014 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It is co-organised by the UN World Tourism Organisation, the Spanish Secretariat for Tourism and the Regional Government of Galicia. The capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain, Santiago […]

9 Apr, 2014

Huge turnout for International Halal Food Expo in Malaysia

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KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (BERNAMA) — 43 companies from Saudi Arabia are participating in the 11th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2014), being held here from 9 -12 April 2014 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), making it the largest foreign participation so far. MIHAS is organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) under the […]

9 Apr, 2014

Easter Services: Jerusalem Christians Complain of Israel Denying Access to Religious Sites

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JERUSALEM, April 6, 2014 (WAFA) – The Christian institutions and denominations in occupied East Jerusalem Sunday complained about denial of access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and its vicinity during Easter Holidays. The Christians described the harassment as discriminatory, racist, and targets the Holy season, said the Christians of East Jerusalem in a […]

9 Apr, 2014

U.S. sailors sue Japanese N-power company for $1 billion over alleged radiation exposure | The Japan Times

SAN DIEGO – Nearly 80 U.S. sailors are seeking $1 billion from Tokyo Electric Power Co., operator of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, alleging the company lied about the high level of radiation in the area where they were carrying out a humanitarian mission following a tsunami that touched off a nuclear crisis […]

9 Apr, 2014

Victims’ sister recounts hammer hotel attack in London | GulfNews.com

Dubai: Three Emirati sisters who were bludgeoned in a bloody hammer attack at a London hotel on Sunday remain in critical condition and are under constant watch in an intensive care unit in a London hospital, said a fourth sister who was not part of the attack. The family who was staying at the hotel […]

9 Apr, 2014

Global Rankings Study Depicts an America in Warp Speed Decline | Alternet

April 8, 2014 | If America needed a reminder that it is fast becoming a second-rate nation, and that every economic policy of the Republican Party is wrongheaded, it got one this week with the release of the Social Progress Index (SPI). Harvard business professor Michael E. Porter, who earlier developed the Global Competitiveness Report, […]

9 Apr, 2014

New global coalition emerges to keep surveillance technologies in check

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Brussels, 4 April 2014, – World leaders must commit to keeping invasive surveillance systems and technologies out of the hands of dictators and oppressive regimes, said a new global coalition of human rights organizations as it launched today in Brussels. The Coalition Against Unlawful Surveillance Exports (CAUSE) – which includes Amnesty International, Digitale Gesellschaft, FIDH, […]

9 Apr, 2014

Xi’an becomes 8th Chinese city to allow 72-hr visa exemptions

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XI’AN, (Xinhua) 2014-04-05 – A city in northwest China’s Shaanxi province will allow 72-hour transit visa exemptions for foreign nationals to make it more accessible to the outside world, local authorities said on Friday. Foreigners from 51 countries in Europe, America, Oceania and Asia will be able to visit Xi’an, Shaanxi’s capital city, and Xianyang […]

9 Apr, 2014

Israeli Embassy Sending Home Diplomats Who Assaulted Indian Immigration Officer

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Three Israeli diplomats accused of assaulting an immigration official at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here are being sent back home by their embassy. The decision to send back the diplomats, who have been slapped with criminal charges by the police, was taken by the embassy on “its own”, sources said. The police are also […]

9 Apr, 2014

MH370: ICAO to hold Special Meeting May 12-14 on Global Airline Flight Tracking

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MONTRÉAL, 7 April 2014 (ICAO media release) – As the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 370 continues, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has announced that it is convening a special meeting of State and industry experts on the global tracking of airline flights. The Council President of ICAO, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, noted […]

9 Apr, 2014

New US reality: An empire beyond salvation – Asia Times Online

US Secretary of State John Kerry couldn’t hide his frustration anymore as the US-sponsored Palestinian peace process continued to falter. After eight months of wrangling to push talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority forward, he admitted while on a visit to Morocco on April 4 that the latest setback had served as a “reality […]

8 Apr, 2014

UK shoppers waste 15m tons of food a year – The Independent

Supermarkets and food retailers are today accused of failing to take responsibility for the UK’s food-waste crisis, contributing to 15 million tons of produce being thrown away unnecessarily every year. A report published today by the House of Lords EU Committee concludes British retailers are shifting the blame on to customers by luring them in […]

8 Apr, 2014

8 Things Mainstream Media Doesn’t Have the Courage to Tell You | Alternet

April 6, 2014 | The following are all relevant, fact-based issues, the “hard news” stories that the media has a responsibility to report. But the business-oriented press generally avoids them. Read the rest: 8 Things Mainstream Media Doesn’t Have the Courage to Tell You | Alternet.

7 Apr, 2014

Chilling story of one Malaysian woman’s battle against the U.S. “no-fly list”

(Rahinah Ibrahim) did nothing wrong and so should have had nothing to fear. She even has a court decision declaring that she never was nor is a threat to the United States, yet she remains outside America’s borders. Her mistaken placement on the no-fly list plunged her head first into a nightmarish world that would […]

7 Apr, 2014

Thailand Claims Title as ‘Top Tippers’ in Asia Pacific: MasterCard Survey

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April 7, 2014 – Thai consumers have proven to be the most generous when it comes to tipping, overtaking Bangladesh and claiming the top spot, according to research conducted across 16 Asia/Pacific markets by MasterCard. The research is based on a survey conducted between October and November 2013 with 7932 respondents aged 18 – 64 […]

7 Apr, 2014

Zionist casino billionaire eyes buying the next US president | Redress Information & Analysis

By Uri Avnery The casino mogul, Sheldon Adelson, organized a public display of his power. He summoned to his Las Vegas betting paradise the four most probable Republican candidates for the next presidential elections, in order to choose one of them. All the invitees heeded the summons, of course. It was a shameless exhibition. The […]

7 Apr, 2014

New York Times exposes Narendra Modi’s “controversial past”

Narendra Modi from the Bharatiya Janata Party could possibly be India’s next prime minister. An explainer on his controversial past and economic promises. Click here: http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/asia/100000002805547/narendra-modis-past.html?emc=edit_th_20140407&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=21651183

7 Apr, 2014

Sharjah illustrates true story of Islam through epic musical

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 07 April 2014 (07 Jumaada al-Thaani 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. THE ISLAMIC IMPERATIVE — SUPPORT MALAYSIA IN ITS TIME OF NEED The tragedy of MH370 has […]

7 Apr, 2014

We need to talk about this (BJP) Manifesto – By N. Ram, Editor, The Hindu

What is clear by now is that the message is quite different from the reality: the BJP’s failure to unveil its Manifesto weeks after most other parties, national and regional, have come out with their mostly elaborate exercises is no small deal. So what’s the real reason for this negation of the very idea of […]

7 Apr, 2014

Indian General Elections: Back to sectarianism – The Hindu

The USP of the Modi campaign has been its promise to deliver efficient governance. Yet, slowly the campaign has veered towards issues with the potential to divide the polity. Meat exports are hardly the stuff of the citizen’s aspirational dreams that Mr. Modi undertook to fulfil. And yet, what should have been a non-issue has […]

7 Apr, 2014

Palestinian Olympian has to seek an Israeli court’s OK to compete in a marathon

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GAZA CITY, Palestine, Apr 4 (NNN-WAFA) – A Palestinian Olympian from the Gaza Strip said, he had asked Israel’s Supreme Court to overturn a ban on him passing through Israel, to join a marathon in the occupied West Bank. Nader al-Masri, who was prevented from participating in the first Bethlehem marathon in 2013, again sought […]

7 Apr, 2014

Israeli diplomats beat Indian immigration officer at Delhi airport – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Three Israeli diplomats allegedly assaulted an immigration officer at IGI airport on Saturday because he was taking a long time to clear passengers. One of the diplomats is alleged to have slapped the official while his two colleagues roughed him up. The three, believed to be junior-level officials, were charged with assault and […]

6 Apr, 2014

The Fukushima disaster: Three years on, who’s fooling whom? | The Japan Times

Japan’s new Basic Energy Plan sees nuclear power as an important base load energy source. But whatever “base load” means politically, the public is lulled — fooled — into a sense that, despite Fukushima, nuclear will remain a logistically viable long-term option. Yet the realities of Japan’s nuclear power industry show keeping nuclear are likely […]

6 Apr, 2014

3 major tech giants paying ”very low or no taxes” in Australia – Sydney Morning Herald

An Australian Tax Office crackdown on ”corporate tax erosion” has revealed that at least three major multinational technology companies are paying ”very low or no taxation” in Australia. Tax audits of the three high-tech companies could see them hit with large tax bills. The Tax Office is targeting large companies shifting local profits overseas to […]

6 Apr, 2014

MH370 Tragedy: Test Of Malaysia’s Capability To Manage Media

By Rosmarie Khoo Mohd Sani dan Soon Li Wei

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -6 April 2014 – The incident of the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 aircraft since March 8, has put the country’s capability to manage local and international media to test to ensure the news is correct, accurate and verified. Information Department director-general, Datuk Ibrahim Abdul Rahman said the incident exposed the […]

6 Apr, 2014

MH370: Malaysians United In Warding Off Unkind Remarks

By S. Kisho Kumari and Nur Aimidiyana Zuher

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -6 April 2014 – The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 episode has put to test the patience of Malaysians and the country’s administration. No thanks to the irresponsible reporting of some media on how the Malaysian government handled the crisis and the unkind remarks from the next of kin of the Chinese […]

6 Apr, 2014

April 7 World Health Day: “No-one in the 21st Century Should Die from a Mosquito or Tick Bite”

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2 April 2014 | Geneva – (World Health Organization) – More than half the world’s population is at risk from diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and other vectors. Every year, more than one billion people are infected and more than one […]

6 Apr, 2014

World Bank Report: South Asia Has World’s Highest Rate of Open Defecation

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Washington, April 2, 2014 – World Bank media release —South Asia needs to spend as much as $2.5 trillion on infrastructure by 2020 to bring its power grids, roads and water supplies up to the standard needed to serve its growing population, a World Bank report says. The report, “Reducing Poverty by Closing South Asia’s […]

6 Apr, 2014

New Report Highlights Looming Public Pensions Crisis in U.S.

GENEVA-April 02, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–International insurance economics think tank The Geneva Association today issued an analysis of the growing crisis facing state and municipal pension systems in the U.S. The report suggests that the non-payment of annual required contributions and excessive reliance on one pillar of funding in pension planning are among the most significant challenges […]

6 Apr, 2014

Noam Chomsky: Ecology, Ethics, Anarchism | Alternet

Back in 1977, US Steel, a major corporation, decided to close its operations in Youngstown, Ohio, which was a steel town that had been built by steelworkers, by the union; it was a major steel town. That was going to destroy everyone’s occupation, the community, the society, everything — and it’s a decision made by […]

6 Apr, 2014

Noam Chomsky: The Dimming Prospects for Human Survival | Alternet

The corporate sector is carrying out major propaganda campaigns to convince the public that climate change, if happening at all, does not result from human activity. These efforts are aimed at overcoming the excessive rationality of the public, which continues to be concerned about the threats that scientists overwhelmingly regard as near-certain and ominous. To […]

6 Apr, 2014

New Index Finds Youth Worldwide Face Challenges to Health, Happiness & Prosperity

April 03, 2014, MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and International Youth Foundation (IYF), with support from Hilton Worldwide, has released a groundbreaking tool, The Global Youth Wellbeing Index, that examines the quality of life for youth in 30 countries. The Index assesses youth wellbeing across six interconnected areas: citizen […]

6 Apr, 2014

China puts brakes on testy taxis

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Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn), 2014-04-04 – New state regulations for China’s taxi drivers were put in place this week to boost efficiency and raise standards, but some cabbies feel the rules are misdirected. Some of the new directives, which went into effect on Tuesday by the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China, reinforce guidelines from […]

5 Apr, 2014

If You Do Not Conform, The Thought Nazis WILL Get You | InvestmentWatch

If you do not conform to the new politically correct moral code in America, you cannot be a CEO of a major corporation. If you think that I am joking, just read on. I am actually deadly serious. If you are a young person in America today, what you believe about certain issues is going […]

5 Apr, 2014

The mirage of peace in the Middle East | Arab News

As the US-imposed April 29 deadline for a “framework” agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority looms, time is also running out for the American administration itself. The Obama administration must now conjure up an escape route to avoid a political crisis if the talks are to fail, as they surely will. Chances […]

5 Apr, 2014

Child abuse ring busted in UK had spread from US to Philippines – The Independent

It takes a long time to unravel the secrets of a computer, even one where little obvious attempt has been made to hide what was on it. The examination of Ford’s revealed 600 images of children, both stills and videos. Some included adults conducting and orchestrating sexual acts. It was clear that some of the […]

5 Apr, 2014

The Vineyard of the Saker: A new Cold War has begun – let us embrace it with relief!

Short of waging war on Russia as it did in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Libya or Syria – the USA has pretty “maxed out” its anti-Russian policies, and the fact is they don’t amount to much. So what do you call a little bit of something bad, but not enough to really hurt […]

5 Apr, 2014

MH370: Who has means & motive to take a plane full of people? — RT Op-Edge

The Malaysian government does not have the most sophisticated satellite and radar surveillance systems and it took several days for them to admit that they had indeed tracked MH370 back in a westerly direction across the Malay Peninsula. From that last point of contact on, the Malaysian authorities have been entirely reliant on ‘help’ from […]

4 Apr, 2014

PressTV – Malaysian protesters slam ‘irresponsible’ US media

Malaysian activists have staged a rally to protest what they call unprofessional reporting by US news outlets on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The demonstration was held on Thursday outside the US Embassy in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The protesters called on the United States to take action against CNN and Fox News […]

4 Apr, 2014

The endless calamity in West Asia – The Hindu

If not for the blind support by the United States, Israel would be considered one of the planet’s most undesirable states. Israel has disregarded more U.N. Security Council resolutions that sanction its behaviour than any other state. But with U.S. protection, these resolutions come without any pressure — no sanctions, no retribution, and certainly no […]

4 Apr, 2014

Study: Vegetarians are less healthy and have lower quality of life – The Independent

Vegetarians are less healthy than meat-eaters, a controversial study has concluded, despite drinking less, smoking less and being more physically active than their carnivorous counterparts. A study conducted by the Medical University of Graz in Austria found that the vegetarian diet, as characterised by intake of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products, appeared to carry elevated […]

3 Apr, 2014

Statement by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on US Efforts to Curb Freedom of Speech

2 April 2014 – I am writing today to express grave concern about a wave of legislative measures in the United States aimed at punishing and intimidating those who speak their conscience and challenge the human rights violations endured by the Palestinian people. In legislatures in Maryland, New York, Illinois, Florida, and even the United […]

2 Apr, 2014

European Parliament Members Call for Boycott of Israeli settlements

BRUSSELS, March 27, 2014 (WAFA) – In a letter sent to EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, 29 members of the European Parliament have called upon the European External Action Service (EEAS) to take action to discourage European businesses from trading with illegal Israeli settlements. “There are several examples of the many ways in which […]

2 Apr, 2014

Working Mother Generations Report Reveals Wide Disparity On Attitudes Towards Work-Life Balance

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NEW YORK, April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey of 2,163 moms and dads about the impact their generational status has on their own work life choices and satisfaction was released today by the Working Mother Research Institute. The study, which examines attitudes of Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers, finds Millennials are the […]

2 Apr, 2014

Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem Hotel Opens on Site of Islamic Council Building

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JERUSALEM, April 2, 2014 – (WAFA) – The Israeli authorities announced Wednesday the opening of a Waldorf Astoria branch hotel, part of the Hilton chain of hotels, which manages the Waldorf brand, on the site of the Supreme Islamic Council building in West Jerusalem, said Al-Aqsa Foundation of Waqf and Heritage in a press release. […]

2 Apr, 2014

Palestine Foreign Ministry Files Applications to Join International Treaties

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RAMALLAH, April, 2, 2014 (WAFA) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, have officially filed letters of accession to 15 multilateral treaties and convention before the relevant international parties. The ministry said in a statement on Wednesday: “On Tuesday 1st April, following a unanimous decision by the Palestinian leadership, including the PLO Executive Committee, President […]

2 Apr, 2014

Report shows what, where and why Russians are investing in property – Thailand tops list in Asia

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FARO, Portugal, April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Algarve property website Meravista has conducted an extensive analysis of Russian buying trends. They have produced a report which exposes the truth about what, where and why Russians are investing in European property and highlights what Portugal and other countries could be doing to increase their market share. […]

2 Apr, 2014

‘Game, not war’ as Pakistan, India lock horns at Street World Cup – Hindustan Times

Not a cricket bat in sight. Instead, a taste of the “Maracana” atmosphere as Pakistani and Indian street children met Tuesday at the Street Child World Cup in Rio. The result, a thumping 13-0 win for the Pakistanis, was immaterial, team delegations stressed, as they eschewed traditional rivalries. Star of the show was 15-year-old Raziq […]

2 Apr, 2014

Clapper: NSA performed warrantless searches on Americans’ calls and emails – The Guardian

US intelligence chiefs have confirmed that the National Security Agency has used a “back door” in surveillance law to perform warrantless searches on Americans’ communications. The NSA’s collection programs are ostensibly targeted at foreigners, but in August the Guardian revealed a secret rule change allowing NSA analysts to search for Americans’ details within the databases. […]

2 Apr, 2014

Benefits of employing people with disabilities: One man’s story

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GENEVA (ILO News) 31 March 2014 – Yves Veulliet, who had an accident that deprived him of the use of his legs when he was 21, knows all about the barriers people with disabilities face in finding a job, which often result from misconceptions about what they can and cannot do. And when they do […]

2 Apr, 2014

MH370: ITU to build standards for future real-time ‘black box’ data recorders

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Dubai, 1 April, 2014 (International Telecommunications Union media release) – The Malaysian Minister for Communications and Multimedia called upon ITU to develop leading edge standards to facilitate the transmission of flight data in real time. He was speaking at the opening of the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference taking place in Dubai. This follows the tragic […]

1 Apr, 2014

How to Prevent Songkran Fun from Becoming Songkran Funerals

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Editor’s Note: In a few days, Songkran New Year fun and frolic will begin big time. Yet, every year, the fun leads to hundreds of funerals right across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, the main Buddhist-majority countries where Sonkgran is celebrated.  Most of the deaths are caused by road-accidents, primarily related to over-consumption of alcohol. […]

1 Apr, 2014

No brand-name hotel chains or airlines on Forbes list of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies

“The focus has always been on people who cheat, lie, and steal,” says Kaplan, “so we thought it could be good to focus some light on those companies that are transparent and consistent.” Kaplan says that companies that make this list are reporting accurately on their outcomes, good or bad. While there’s no guarantee that […]

1 Apr, 2014

MH 370: Respecting One’s Friends

By Dr Chandra Muzaffar

Kuala Lumpur, April 1, 2014 – There is an irony in this. On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, Sino-Malaysian ties are at their lowest ebb. In the wake of the MH 370 tragedy, relatives of some of the Chinese passengers on that ill-fated flight, […]

1 Apr, 2014

Peace to unleash agricultural, tourism potential of Mindanao

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Manila, March 28, 2014 (Manila Bulletin) – The signing of the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro will unleash the vast potentials of Mindanao in the areas of agriculture, agribusiness investments, tourism and natural resource development and enable the region to catch up with the country’s economic momentum. This was stressed by both Trade and Industry […]

1 Apr, 2014

Study: Snowden’s Revelations Have Changed ICT Decision-Makers’ Behaviour Towards Cloud

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HONG KONG and TOKYO, Mar. 31 /Kyodo JBN/ — Almost nine tenths of ICT decision-makers are changing their cloud buying behaviour as a direct result of Edward Snowden’s allegations of large scale clandestine cyber-surveillance, a study published on March 31 by NTT Communications claims. NSA Aftershocks: How Snowden has Changed IT Decision-Makers’ Approach to the […]

1 Apr, 2014

Chinese Media Calls For Rationality Over Missing MH370

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia March 31 (NNN-Bernama) — The Chinese media has appealed to the families of passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 aircraft “not to let their anger prevail over facts and rationality”, no matter how distressed they are. In an opinion column headlined, ‘Treat MH370 Tragedy Rationally’ published in the China Daily […]

1 Apr, 2014

MH 370: Malaysian Govt Urged To Rebuff Negative Reports By Foreign Media

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia March 31 (NNN-Bernama) — The Foreign Ministry and the Communications and Multimedia Ministry have been asked to act swiftly to rebuff adverse reports involving the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 by the foreign media. Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) said both the ministries must play a more proactive role in defending the image […]

1 Apr, 2014

Intelligence agencies behind MH370 “disappearance”?

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The following post, written by an unknown editor, was circulated by Mr Luzi Matzig, founder and investor in VIP Jets, to his list of friends with the following comment: “Below report written in poor English sounds crazy at first – but when you think about it – really posssible!  Well – if you have a […]

1 Apr, 2014

US spying on Huawei an undeclared invasion – China Daily Deputy Editor

By Chen Weihua (China Daily)

2014-03-28 – The world’s attention has been so focused elsewhere lately that the United States’ latest aggression has gone largely unnoticed by many people. I am not talking about the huge number of US troops being sent to Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and Grenada to invade and intervene, but an infiltration, codenamed Shotgiant, conducted by the […]

1 Apr, 2014

Airports eager to cater to Muslims’ needs | The Japan Times

For the most devout followers of Islam, traveling to Japan has often spelled trouble. Some may recall entering clothing shops in a desperate search for fitting rooms where they could perform one of their five daily prayers. Others may cringe at the times they had to prostrate themselves in the corner of an airport lounge, […]