30 Jun, 2014

Sydney To Host First Ramadan Festival

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 30 June 2014 (02 Ramadan 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ RAMADAN MUBARAK TO ALL MY READERS Islamic Travel Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil and Assistant […]

30 Jun, 2014

Thai private sector’s wish-list of tourism recovery strategies and actions

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Hua Hin — Senior executives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand from head office and worldwide are to start their 2014-15 marketing planning meetings here today with a clear focus on campaigns to recover from the 8-month political unrest. The recovery campaign is likely to draw upon the recommendations of the Tourism Council of Thailand, […]

30 Jun, 2014

World Cup literally killing people in China

By WANG QINGYUN in Beijing, HUANG ZHILING in Chengdu and FENG ZHIWEI in Changsha

(China Daily) 2014-06-28 – World Cup soccer matches screened live on TV in China throughout the night are taking their toll on fans. Doctors have been treating them for a range of conditions, including coronary spasms, high blood pressure and kidney disease. For example, early on Friday morning, a weary middle-aged woman visited Wei Ming, […]

29 Jun, 2014

Indian doctors wage war on unnecessary medical tests – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Top cardiologists of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here have decided to start an initiative called the Society for Less Investigative Medicine (SLIM) — a movement that aims to take on the growing menace of excessive medical investigations, starting with cardiology. Several studies across the world have conclusively established that […]

29 Jun, 2014

Egyptian journalist gags himself; “only praise is allowed” – Ahram Online

Prominent Egyptian columnist and author Alaa El-Aswany said late on Monday he would be refraining from publishing his weekly column since “only one particular opinion is allowed nowadays.” “Dear readers, I have stopped writing in Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper. Thank you for having read my weekly articles and, God willing, we will meet elsewhere,” El-Aswany declared […]

29 Jun, 2014

New Caledonia, Tokelau, French Polynesia seek “self-determination” from France

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United Nations, 27 June 2014, Department of Public Information – The Special Committee on Decolonization today concluded its 2014 substantive session with the approval, without a vote, of three draft resolutions, including one calling on France, New Caledonia’s administering Power, to consider developing an education programme to inform the people in the Territory about the […]

29 Jun, 2014

Testing times ahead for Modi | Arab News

There are no “ifs” and “buts” about Narendra Modi’s strong communication skills, the positive impact of which has helped him succeed politically to head the new Indian government. Modi was probably not prepared for his leadership being practically challenged through strong protests against his government’s initial moves. These include protests against hike in rail fare […]

29 Jun, 2014

Australian Jewish leaders face cover-up inquest over child sex abuse

Some of Australia’s most senior orthodox Jewish leaders are under investigation for allegedly failing to report multiple instances of child sexual abuse. The Sunday Age has obtained witness statements and tape recordings from this month’s successful prosecution of a former Bondi Yeshiva authority figure, Daniel Hayman, that indicate senior Jewish leaders failed to act on […]

29 Jun, 2014

Israeli spa products company booted from New Zealand mall | Haaretz

Dead Sea Spa cosmetic products have been banned from a New Zealand mall following a hard-hitting TV program about the tactics used by the Israeli salespeople to sell their goods. Dead Sea products are sold from mobile kiosks in malls around the world, typically staffed by young Israelis earning a little money while travelling. Campbell […]

29 Jun, 2014

Who’s benefiting from a never-ending Mideast peace ‘process?’ – Haaretz

The bulk of the discourse and discussion about the “occupation” and the “conflict” in the Middle East overall (and the Israeli-Palestinian case in particular) is focused on history, culture, religion and the “extremists” – such as the “wacky,” “messianic,” “off-the-wall” Israeli settlers and their supporters. Or on the United States, the Israeli defense establishment and […]

29 Jun, 2014

New report reveals detailed demographic profile of Australia

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Canberra, 26 June 2014, (Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) – A new report compiling data from the 2011 Census provides a key statistical picture of the Australian population and the make-up of migrant communities, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Mr Scott Morrison said today. The People of Australia report, based on Australian Bureau […]

29 Jun, 2014

Philippine history as shown in films | Manila Bulletin

The independence that freedom fighters have won for us is being celebrated today with the usual flag ceremony and the public appearance of some local officials. It may be tradition but even that might not be enough. Forget for once that a national holiday means a one-day break from work or double pay for those […]

28 Jun, 2014

ITU pursues global standards to promote adoption of mobile money

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Geneva, 25 June 2014 (ITU media release) –  The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has established a new Focus Group on Digital Financial Services to promote financial inclusion using information and communication technologies (ICT) in response to a proposal from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is a member of ITU’s Standardization Sector (ITU-T). Over 2.5 […]

28 Jun, 2014

Total US debt soars to nearly $60 trn, foreshadows new recession — RT USA

America – its government, businesses, and people – are nearly $60 trillion in debt, according to the latest economic data from thethe St. Louis Federal Reserve. And private debt – not government borrowing – is the biggest reason for the huge deficit. Total US debt at the end of the first quarter of 2014, on […]

28 Jun, 2014

Bill Clinton paid $105 million for 542 speeches since 2001 | Zero Hedge

In Hillary Clinton’s attempt to seem “one of the people”, she made the public relations debacle of portraying herself as “dead broke” at the time she and Bill Clinton left the White House. Of course, the reason this attempt at populist pandering backfired (certainly not helped by her daughter’s just as mistimed quote that she […]

28 Jun, 2014

How an American spring can save the world in 2016 – English pravda.ru

But of course we cannot fight for the American elector. He has to fight his own fight like in France or in England. And he certainly understands now (especially if his father or his father was an American) that the hostile elite who has taken the control here wants the disappearing of his country: no […]

28 Jun, 2014

Gary Oldman and outraged Hollywood – In the West, courage is now an outrage

Everybody has the right to tackle political correctness, given that he keeps telling politically correct stuff. He is demonized since he talked to famous magazine Playboy. He talked too much, too frankly and the problem is that he had acknowledged that imprudence even during the interview! Since then he can’t stop excusing himself for his […]

28 Jun, 2014

Business course offers certification in responsible alcohol service

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BLACKSBURG, Va., – A Pamplin College of Business course this semester offers students the opportunity to gain a highly sought certification in responsible alcohol service. “Alcohol is an integral part of the hospitality industry, and having our students trained and certified in safe and ethical alcohol policies is critical,” said Rick Perdue, head of Pamplin’s […]

28 Jun, 2014

5 Myths the Media Needs to Stop Spreading About Sharia Law – Mic

One of the defining characteristics of the post-9/11 world has been a ubiquitous fear, in Euro-American countries, of the creepy imperial prowess of Islamic law — a prowess that never seems to exist outside the imaginations of overzealous protesters. The hysteria over Islamic law here in the United States, in particular, started back in November […]

28 Jun, 2014

Report: U.S. drone attacks may lead to perpetual war

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[JURIST], University of Pittsburgh Law School, June 27, 2014 – The use of lethal Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones poses a risk of putting the US on a “slippery slope” to perpetual war, according to a report published Thursday by the Stimson Center. From a one-year extensive study, the report offers eight recommendations for […]

28 Jun, 2014

Fifty things we love about travel right now – Sydney Morning Herald

Fifty things we love about travel right now Read the story: Fifty things we love about travel right now.

28 Jun, 2014

4th Silk Road tourism festival held in Zhangye

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Zhangye (chinadaily.com.cn), 2014-06-23 – The fourth Dunhuang Tour Silk Road International Tourism Festival opened in Zhangye city, Northwest China’s Gansu province, on June 15. The event attracted two international tourism organizations, envoys to China from 25 different countries and regions, about 100 overseas travel agencies, and over 40 members of the media from home and […]

28 Jun, 2014

Xinjiang Uygur writers pen open letter to combat terrorism

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URUMQI, (Xinhua)  June 26 — More than 200 Uygur writers, poets and translators in northwest China’s Xinjiang region have published an open letter to denounce terrorism. The publication, entitled “Our responsibility and mission is to never keep silent — a letter to fellow Uygurs,” says, “We cannot keep silent anymore at a moment when the […]

28 Jun, 2014

Xinhua News Analysis: Globalized RMB will help stabilise world economy

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BEIJING, June 27, (Xinhua) — The globalization of the yuan, or renminbi (RMB), will not only benefit the Chinese economy, but generate global economic stability, a senior banker has said. The yuan did not depreciate during the 1997 Asian financial crisis or the 2008 global financial crisis, helping stabilize the global economy, Tian Guoli, chairman […]

28 Jun, 2014

Russell Brand calls Fox News ‘a fanatical terrorist propagandist organisation’ – The Independent

Russell Brand has branded Fox News “a fanatical terrorist propagandist organisation”, after one of the network’s legal analysts, Jeanine Pirro, described ISIS in the same way. She also gave her ideal solution in dealing with the Jihadist militant group responsible for recent violence in Iraq and Syria. “Bomb them, keep bombing them, bomb them again,” […]

28 Jun, 2014

Ageing society makes Britain the loneliness capital of Europe – The Independent

The walls of Caroline’s house serve as a reminder to the gaping hole in her life: dozens of pictures and posters of trains. Her husband, who died two years ago, was an avid railway enthusiast. Since he passed away, Caroline says that she has felt a searing loneliness. With her few family members all living […]

28 Jun, 2014

After cleaning up rivers, Chinese officials must take a dip to prove it

By Yan Yiqi

Hangzhou, (Xinhua) 2014-06-27 – Local officials in East China’s Zhejiang province will be required to swim in rivers in their administrative areas to prove to the citizens that the quality of the rivers has been improved. The province’s CPC standing committee has stated that, by July 12, local governments in the province must nominate rivers […]

28 Jun, 2014

World Cup Popularity Upsetting U.S. Workplace Productivity and Wireless Network Management

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LEXINGTON, Mass. June 26, 2014 –(BUSINESS WIRE)–A survey commissioned by Ipswitch revealed that U.S. workers streaming media to watch the World Cup is a serious wireless network bandwidth drain and network management challenge that can have negative implications for critical business applications and overall productivity. Ipswitch polled more than 200 IT professionals in the U.S. […]

28 Jun, 2014

For young winners of UN essay contest, multilingualism makes the world go ‘round

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United Nations, UN News Centre, 27 June 2014 – An Arabic-speaking Chinese woman? A Mandarin-speaking Malagasy lady? A Spanish-speaking Portuguese gentleman from France? At first glance – or “listen”– all this might seem a bit strange, since the subjects come from cultures that are quite different from the languages they have chosen to speak and […]

27 Jun, 2014

FIFA World Cup Fever Helps Build Peace With Football – Costa Rica Star

You don’t need a well-manicured grass pitch. You don’t even need all 22 players, or fancy uniforms … or even shoes, for that matter. All you need is a ball and people willing to play. The most popular sport in the world – football (known as soccer in the USA) – can be played anywhere […]

26 Jun, 2014

Crackdown on China drunk driving during World Cup

By ZHENG JINRAN

Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2014-06-24 – In a span of 11 days since the FIFA World Cup began, traffic police have dealt with more than 11,000 cases involving people driving under the influence of alcohol in the country, the traffic authority said on June 24. There have been around 210 cases of drunken driving and more than […]

26 Jun, 2014

Muslims welcomes ruling that U.S. No-Fly List appeals process is unconstitutional

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(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/24/14) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a ruling by a federal judge in Oregon that those placed on the government’s so-called “no-fly list” are being denied their constitutional right to due process. U.S. District Judge Anna Brown, ruling in a […]

26 Jun, 2014

Alcohol “greatest cause of brain damage in Australian newborns”

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Canberra, 25 June 2014 – The Australian Government will provide $9.2 million to the National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Action Plan to address the harmful impact of FASD on children and families, the Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash announced today. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and FASD describes a range of cognitive, learning, behavioural […]

26 Jun, 2014

Privacy breach: 254,000 Australian online dating profiles hacked

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Canberra, 25 June 2014 (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) – The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has found that Cupid Media Pty Ltd (Cupid) breached the Privacy Act 1988 by failing to take reasonable steps to secure the personal information held on its dating websites. Cupid operates over 35 niche dating websites based on […]

26 Jun, 2014

New generation of Australian passports released

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Canberra, 25 June 2014 (Minister of Foreign Affairs media release) – A new series of Australian passport has been released with innovative security features that make it even more difficult to forge. The P series of passport incorporates technology that assists in combating fraud, terrorism and organised crime, and will assist Australia’s efforts to bolster […]

26 Jun, 2014

FREE Download: The State of Australia’s Health

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Canberra, 25 June 2014 (AIHW media release) – Australia has much to be proud of in many areas of health, but lifestyle-related chronic diseases are taking an increasing toll-and so is the bill, according to the latest 2-yearly national health report card from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The Institute’s report, Australia’s […]

26 Jun, 2014

Arab-Americans denounce FX’s “Tyrant” for “bigoted, stereotypical caricature”

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Washington, DC | www.adc.org | June 25, 2014- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) denounces FX’s new television series “Tyrant” for its deeply entrenched racism against Arabs and the Middle East. The series premiered on Tuesday evening and portrayed Arabs in a bigoted and stereotypical caricature that is not only offensive to millions of Arabs, but also […]

26 Jun, 2014

Presbyterians to divest from companies backing Israeli occupation – by Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh

In the past 10 days, Israeli occupation soldiers murdered 7 Palestinians (including a 13 year old child), injured dozens, kidnapped nearly 400, demolished many houses, destroyed contents and broken doors on hundreds of homes invaded in the middle of the night, blocked travel to hundreds of thousands, and continues to imprison thousands many on hunger […]

26 Jun, 2014

U.S. Congressmen launch Twitter hashtag to combat racial profiling

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6/25/14, WASHINGTON— Co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus (CPC) Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ.) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN.), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA.) joined Senator […]

26 Jun, 2014

Indian judge blasts Modi govt after declining Supreme Court appointment – Hindustan Times

Former solicitor general Gopal Subramanium, who withdrew his consent to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge, on Wednesday said he had faced the government’s hostility for his “independence and integrity” as a lawyer. He also regretted that “the judiciary has failed to assert its independence by respecting the likes and dislikes of the executive”, […]

25 Jun, 2014

Indonesian bushfires flare again, haze threatens to envelop ASEAN neighbours

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JAKARTA, Indonesia June 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bush fires in Riau province of Sumatra Island, Indonesia, has widened, with haze likely to spread to Singapore and Malaysia, an official revealed here on Wednesday. The number of hot spots reached 386 in the island on Wednesday morning, compared with 236 on Monday, according to satellite Tera observation, […]

25 Jun, 2014

Asian credit rating firm planned to break U.S. monopoly

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Beijing, (People’s Daily Online)  June 25, 2014 –  A Summit Forum on the Construction of an Asian Credit System was held in Beijing on June 23 2014. To push forward reform of the international credit rating system, an advisory council of Universal Credit Rating Group, or UCRG, was established during the Summit Forum. On September […]

25 Jun, 2014

Glenn Greenwald: ‘What I Tell People Who Say They Don’t Care About Their Privacy’ | Alternet

June 20, 2014 | Since he obtained and published Edward Snowden’s leaked National Security Agency documents a little more than a year ago, journalist Glenn Greenwald said people have told him over and over that government surveillance does not concern them. “Those people don’t believe what they’re saying,” he told a sold-out audience last week […]

25 Jun, 2014

NGO report blasts Indonesian land grabs in the name of “development”

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Paris-Jakarta, 19 June 2014 – Land conflicts between farmers and plantation owners, mining companies, and developers are raging across Indonesia. In the absence of a clear and strong legal framework to regulate land rights, these conflicts have become a major source of lethal violence and criminalisation targeting in particular community leaders and those who defend […]

25 Jun, 2014

Chinese commentary: Is the U.S. really “building a better future for Asia”?

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People’s Daily Online – June 24, 2014 – The Asia-Pacific strategy, a heated topic in Washington, is a key focus of U.S. diplomacy. As doubts grow about the “U.S. Asia-Pacific Re-balance Strategy”, we ponder the problem of the strategy and the way in which Washington will choose to expand its influence in Asia. We believe that […]

25 Jun, 2014

US$200 billion in illegal wildlife, timber trade funding criminals, armed groups – UN report

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United Nations, 24 June 2014 (UN News Centre) – Global environmental crime, possibly worth more than $200 billion annually, is helping finance criminal, militia and terrorist groups and threatening the security and sustainable development of many nations, notably in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new joint United Nations-INTERPOL report. The report was compiled by the […]

25 Jun, 2014

Survey: Most Americans Underestimate Cost of Nursing-Home Care

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Foster City, Calif. (PRWEB) June 24, 2014 – Although the real cost averages more than $81,000, 57 percent of Americans believe that nursing home care costs less than $75,000 annually, according to a new survey conducted for MoneyRates.com. The survey also finds that 67 percent of respondents have less than $75,000 saved for elder-care expenses […]

25 Jun, 2014

Four Universities to highlight North African spa culture at Global Wellness Summit

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New York, NY (PRWEB) June 24, 2014 – The Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) today announced the unique focus, and participating universities, for its 2014 Student Challenge. While the parameters for each Student Challenge vary each year, the competition always involves students from major academic institutions from the region where the GSWS is being […]

25 Jun, 2014

Report Analyses New HRD Question: Does your job make the world a better place?

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Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) June 24, 2014 – PayScale, Inc. today announced its report “Most & Least Meaningful Jobs” (based on how workers answer the question “Does your job make the world a better place?). The report includes data on how Job Meaning and Median Pay compare for 453 jobs from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) […]

25 Jun, 2014

China’s wealth management products total $2.1 trillion

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QINGDAO – (Xinhua) 2014-06-23- Wealth management products (WMPs) have been booming in China in the past few years, totalling 12.8 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) by the end of May, a senior official of China’s central bank said Saturday. The growth of China’s WMPs market had been at a rate of between 60 and 80 percent […]

25 Jun, 2014

Lost national treasure returns from Christie’s auction house to China

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(CRIENGLISH.com) 2014-06-23 – Chinese art collectors from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and overseas have worked together to bring an ancient ritualistic bronze ware item, lost overseas for nearly a century, back to China on Saturday June 21, 2014, from New York-based fine arts auction house Christie’s, according to CCTV news. A combination photo shows China’s […]

25 Jun, 2014

Greater role for Chinese lawyers emerging in transnational affairs

By Zhang Yan

(China Daily) 2014-06-23 – More Chinese lawyers will be promoted as legal advisers in State-owned companies for transnational business, amid concerns over national and economic security, a senior officer of the All-China Lawyers Association said. Most State-owned companies have been hiring foreign lawyers and accountants for cross-border lawsuits or transnational transactions, which can potentially compromise […]

25 Jun, 2014

Xinhua commentary: Gaza enters eighth year of crippling Israeli blockade

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GAZA, June 24 (Xinhua) — Tuesday marks the eighth year of a rigid Israeli blockade against the Gaza Strip that led to a sharp economic decline, as well as high levels of poverty and unemployment, and many observers have been calling for an end of the “collective punishment.” The blockade is the longest ever imposed […]

24 Jun, 2014

Chinese commentator: How the U.S. could have better spent its Iraq War money

By Chen Weihua

Washington DC, (China Daily) 2014-06-20 – The Iraq War, which has come back to haunt Americans, Iraqis and the world these days, cost people in the United States some $2 trillion. It has been the worst reflection of US might. Yet a journalism fellowship that has won enormous hearts and minds for the US has […]

24 Jun, 2014

Phuket to get its first hospitality HRD Academy

Imtiaz Muqbil

Phuket – The concept of hotel HRD academies is gaining steam in Thailand with plans to set up what is claimed to be the first hospitality training and education Academy in Phuket, the kingdom’s second most important tourism destination after Bangkok. Former Citibank executive Mr. Narong Pattamasaevi, owner of Thailand’s Montara Hospitality Group, has teamed […]

24 Jun, 2014

Bali to host global forum of UN Alliance of Civilizations in August

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) June 22 2014 – Bali will host the Sixth Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) which will take place at the Nusa Dua Convention Center, from August 29 to 30, 2014. The Global Forum is aimed fostering cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, according to a statement posted on the […]

24 Jun, 2014

Australia to help students put training records online

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20 June 2014, Canberra, Minister for Industry’s office – The Australian Government is delivering more improvements to the skills and training system to ensure students can move more easily from training into paid jobs that boost national productivity. From next year, millions of Australians will be able to build an online record of their vocational […]

24 Jun, 2014

FREE Download: 7th Annual Report on Islamophobia Charts Global Pandemic of anti-Muslim Prejudice

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Jeddah, 18/06/2014 (OIC media release) – The OIC Observatory on Islamophobia has released its Seventh Annual Report covering the period from October 2013 to April 2014 today at the commencement of the 41st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Report illustrates that Islamophobia continues to manifest itself […]

24 Jun, 2014

Applications open for first summer school course on ‘Green Growth and Travelism’

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Brussels – ‘Green Growth and Travelism (GG&T)’ is to be the subject of the first Summer School with specific focus on sustainable mobility and biodiversity to be organized by the Transportation Research Institute, Hasselt University, Belgium, between August 25th to 29th 2014. Today’s world is changing hyper-dynamically – economic, social & environmental challenges compounded by […]

24 Jun, 2014

Plastic Waste Inflicts US$13 Billion in Damage to Marine Ecosystems Each Year: UNEP Report

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Nairobi, 23 June 2014 (UNEP media release) – Concern is growing over the threat that widespread plastic waste poses to marine life, with conservative estimates of the overall financial damage of plastics to marine ecosystems standing at US$13 billion each year, according to two reports released on the opening day of the first United Nations […]

23 Jun, 2014

Gujarat govt to buy Rs 100 crore jet for new Chief Minister – The Times of India

GANDHINAGAR: Chief minister Anandiben Patel is set to get new wings with the Gujarat government likely to spend Rs 100 crore to buy a new aircraft for her. The existing carrier — a nine-seater Super King Air Beechcraft 200 — needs to be grounded in December 2014 after it completes the maximum recommended lifespan of […]

23 Jun, 2014

France seeks to shed renown for rudeness to woo tourists – ft.com

By Hugh Carnegy ft.com — Queueing to go up the Eiffel Tower with her husband and two children, Monica Krishan from Delhi pulls few punches about being a foreign tourist in Paris “We have just come from Barcelona and Madrid. To put it bluntly the people there are much Read the rest: France seeks to […]

23 Jun, 2014

Biggest red light area in Indonesia permanently closed

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 23 June 2014 (25 Sha’baan 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in […]

23 Jun, 2014

New UK taxi rules undermine safety for women, warn campaigners – The Independent

Ministers have been accused of undermining women’s safety by weakening the regulation of private-hire taxi drivers. Measures being put to a vote in the Commons tomorrow aimed at cutting bureaucracy could make it easier for sex predators to pose as minicab drivers, it is alleged. Despite warnings from women’s safety groups and Labour, three clauses […]

23 Jun, 2014

Sharp rise in babies born in England with foetal alcohol syndrome – The Observer

The number of diagnosed cases of foetal alcohol syndrome in those born to women who drink during pregnancy has tripled since records of the debilitating condition were first kept 16 years ago. In 2012-2013 there were 252 diagnoses of the syndrome, which can leave victims severely mentally and physically impaired, compared with 89 in 1997-98. […]

23 Jun, 2014

Australia seeks to boost offshore market development of China’s currency

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Canberra, 20 June 2014, (Ministry for Trade and Investment) – The Treasurer Joe Hockey and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb will travel to China over the weekend for the inaugural Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue. The Dialogue provides an opportunity for Australia and China to explore opportunities for closer economic ties and to discuss […]

23 Jun, 2014

China’s Grand Canal, Silk Road Inscribed As World Heritage Sites

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DOHA, June 23 (NNN-XINHUA) — The famous ancient Silk Road and China’s Grand Canal, the world’s longest artificial waterway, have been inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites at a session of the Unesco World Heritage Committee here. Jointly submitted by China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the application for adding part of the Silk Road […]

23 Jun, 2014

Report: Asia-Pacific hotel pipeline up by nearly 600,000 rooms in one year alone

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23 June 2014, Lodging Econometrics – The Asia Pacific pipeline hit a new high in Q1 2014 with 2,610 projects/593,963 rooms, up 4% by projects and 2% by rooms Year-Over-Year (YOY). The total pipeline is up more than 40% compared to five years ago. Consequently, new hotel openings should also set record highs in 2014 […]

22 Jun, 2014

Almost A$90 million reported lost to Australian scams in 2013

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Canberra, 16 June 2014 – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Targeting Scams Report 2013 reveals that over 90,000 Australians reported scams to the ACCC last year, with $89,136,975 million reported lost. National Consumer Fraud Week starts today and the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, led by the ACCC, will be urging consumers to ‘Know who […]

22 Jun, 2014

How Summer Vacation Travel Boosts Student Success

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 18, 2014 – In the face of education inequality and spending cuts, students are opting for outside-the-classroom experiences during summer vacation that yield long-term educational and career benefits. This summer, a record number of over 600 US high school students will boost their grades and increase their chances of college […]

22 Jun, 2014

Report Reveals Health & Wellness Still Top Marketplace Priority

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- June 19, 2014 -(BUSINESS WIRE)–Acosta Sales & Marketing, a full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, released Health & Wellness 360°, a comprehensive report dedicated solely to the mega trend of health and wellness. The report takes an all-encompassing look at health and wellness in the CPG industry, […]

22 Jun, 2014

FREE Download: Leadership study reveals optimum time to spend with the boss

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Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 18, 2014 – According to a new study “Optimal Hours with the Boss” from Leadership IQ, most people spend only half the time they should be spending with their boss. People who do spend an optimal number of hours interacting with their direct leader (six hours per week) are 29% more […]

22 Jun, 2014

Record paddlers for world’s longest non-stop canoe/kayak race along the Missouri in July

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June 19, 2014, ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On July 8, about 620 paddlers will launch their boats in the Missouri American Water Missouri River 340 (MR340) river race. From Kansas City, Ks. to St. Charles, Mo., the racers will travel 340 miles across the state – celebrating the importance of the longest river in the U.S. to […]

22 Jun, 2014

Visa Report: Int’l Visitors Spent $27M on Visa Card During World Cup Opening Weekend

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SAO PAULO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 18, 2014 – Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), the leader in global payments, today released the Visa Everywhere Travel Report for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, which analyzes travel data and cross border spend on all Visa products, including credit, debit and prepaid payment cards. During the four-day opening period of the tournament […]

22 Jun, 2014

War’s Human Cost: 51 million displaced by conflict and violence, UN refugee agency reports

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United Nations, 20 June 2014, UN News Centre – World Refugee Day is being marked by yet another sombre milestone in a year that has seen crisis after crisis force desperate people to flee their homes ahead of bullets and bombs: a new UN report reveals that the number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced […]

20 Jun, 2014

Global violence in 2013 cost US$9.8 trillion in lost GDP or $1,350 per person – Global Peace Index

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LONDON, June 18, 2014 Vision of Humanity media release – Terrorist activity, the number of conflicts fought, and the number of refugees and displaced persons were the key contributors to the continuing deterioration in global peacefulness last year. This confirms a seven year gradual, but significant downward slide, which overturns a 60-year trend of increasing […]

20 Jun, 2014

Myanmar in focus at OECD 2014 Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct

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OECD – Paris, 19 June 2014 – Responsible business conduct is crucial for open and stable international investment climates. OECD Secretary-General Ángel Gurría will open the 2014 OECD Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct on 26-27 June 2014, together with Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation Lilianne Ploumen and French Minister for Finance […]

20 Jun, 2014

ADB’s US$225,000 funding to revamp Mekong Tourism Office

Imtiaz Muqbil

Mandalay – Alongside the appointment of a new executive director, the Mekong Tourism Coordianting Office (MTCO) is to undergo an operational and administrative revamp with the help of a US$225,000 Technical Assistance (TA) grant from the Asian Develoment Bank. Effective July 1, Social media Jens Thraenhart, a German-Canadian national who specialises in digital media, will […]

19 Jun, 2014

Mass surveillance of UK citizens on social media is legal, says UK official – The Independent

The mass interception and surveillance of UK citizens’ activity on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google is legal, the government’s top anti-terror chief has said. In the first detailed defence of the UK’s surveillance policies since the Snowden revelations, Charles Farr, the director general of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, has said that the surveillance […]

18 Jun, 2014

Indian Police should not waste time hounding Kerala’s crossword players – The Times of India

Kerala police is of course not alone in acting with worrying alacrity when it comes to harassing those who are accused of anti-Modi comments. In Karnataka and Goa, there has been a rash of police action against people who have posted criticism of the new PM on social media. At the centre of such intimidation […]

17 Jun, 2014

Commentary: Is a declining US good for China?

By Chen Weihua

(China Daily)  2014-06-13 – When the Asia Society’s ChinaFile online magazine invited me to discuss whether a declining United States is good for China, my feeling was the question was loaded and confusing. Loaded because it seems to assume that Chinese will celebrate a declining US, given the sensational headlines of strategic rivalry between the […]

17 Jun, 2014

UNWTO to hold milestone conference on accessible tourism in November

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Madrid, 16 June 2014 – The 1st UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism in Europe is scheduled to take place in San Marino on 19-20 November 2014.  Even though this Conference has its primary focus placed on concrete achievements in terms of universal accessibility in travel & tourism in European countries, the UNWTO is encouraging tourism […]

17 Jun, 2014

‘Presbyterians please divest!’ Palestinian artists urge in paintings on apartheid wall

Rae Abileah on June 16, 2014 – This week the 221st Presbyterian Church USA General Assembly will vote on divestment from key US corporations complicit in the Israeli military occupation of Palestine. What do Palestinians, the “living stones” in the biblical land of our forefathers and foremothers, have to say about this overture? “Freedom is […]

17 Jun, 2014

FREE Download: Global Theme Park and Museum Attendance Numbers for 2013

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Burbank, Calif. USA (PRWEB) June 17, 2014 – The annual TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index, the definitive annual attendance study for the themed entertainment and museum industries, has been published. Theme park numbers for calendar year 2013 show substantial growth internationally, with the top North American parks surpassing pre-recession days, water parks emerging in […]

17 Jun, 2014

Australian watchdog permanently bans veteran investment adviser for “dishonesty”

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Canberra, Monday 16 June 2014, Australian Securities Investment Commission – ASIC has permanently banned Mr Nigel Keith Flowers, 49, of Coolangatta, Queensland, from providing financial services and engaging in credit activities. Mr Flowers was banned from providing financial services after ASIC found he had engaged in dishonest conduct and was not of good fame and […]

17 Jun, 2014

Chinese corruption crackdown reveals how the women operate

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Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2014-06-16 – To date, a total of 12 female officials in key posts were announced as being under investigation for duty-related crimes by the central and provincial anti-graft watchdogs in 2014. Some of them are involved in trading sex for power, the Beijing News reported on Monday. A recent case is the investigation […]

17 Jun, 2014

Australian Nuclear Science Organisation develops smart phone radiation detector ‘app’

The popularity of smartphones continues to grow with the availability of an ever-growing range of applications. The app, Radioactivity Counter, is designed to measure a person’s exposure to radiation. It claims to accurately detect the dose in the radiation unit microGray per hour (μGy/h) using the phones in-built camera, which is not only sensitive to […]

17 Jun, 2014

Xinhua Insight: Businessmen claim heritage sites for protection

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TAIYUAN, June 14 (Xinhua) 2014-06-14 — The Dragon King Taoist Temple in north China’s Shanxi Province is being restored. The temple dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and is not entitled to government protection. Local businessman Huang Wensheng claimed the right to manage the temple two years ago, invested more than 3 million yuan (483,000 […]

16 Jun, 2014

Young Myanmar female hotelier wows MTF with passionate, powerful presentation

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MANDALAY – Young Myanmar business leader Yin Myo Su, owner and initiator of Thahara Inle Heritage hotel on the shores of Inle Lake, was one of the “next generation” leaders to speak at the Mekong Tourism Forum. It was a powerful, passionate speech, an expression of both fear at the pace of change but also […]

16 Jun, 2014

Yangon at risk of becoming “just another big Asian business city”

Imtiaz Muqbil

MANDALAY: Just three years after the reform process was initiated, the Myanmar commercial hub city of Yangon is hearing urgent appeals from conservationists to safeguard its historic heritage and prevent it from becoming “just another big Asian business city.” The call was heard a number of times in a talk by a representative of the […]

16 Jun, 2014

19 cities to develop Silk Road tourism

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ZHANGYE, (Xinhua), 2014-06-15 – Nineteen Chinese and foreign cities along the Silk Road on Sunday issued a declaration that they will jointly develop tourism along the ancient trade route. The cities will promote tourist itineraries and explore tourism resources to rejuvenate the area and seek mutual benefit, according to the declaration, issued at the opening […]

16 Jun, 2014

Cool Weather Cape Town Woos Muslim Tourists For Ramadan

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 16 June 2014 (18 Sha’baan 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines BELOW to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in Malaysia […]

15 Jun, 2014

UN agency concerned about reported abuse as thousands continue to flee Myanmar

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United Nations, 10 June 2014, UN News Centre – The United Nations refugee agency said today it was receiving increasing reports of abuse and exploitation as people continue to seek safety overseas two years after inter-communal violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Several waves of clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, the first […]

15 Jun, 2014

​Israel curbs travel for Palestinian football players — RT News

Israel’s sports minister has defended the country’s travel restrictions against Palestinian football players in a letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, citing security concerns. Tel Aviv indicates potential attacks by Palestinian militants as the pretext for the prohibitive travel rules that affect most Palestinians, including athletes. Israel has barred travel between the West Bank and […]

15 Jun, 2014

Facebook seeks nod to not disclose its A$60 million a year earnings in Australia – SMH

US tech giant Facebook has sought immunity from corporate rules in Australia requiring companies to disclose their earnings. It is also understood to be booking its local revenue in Ireland, amid growing concern over profit-shifting by international companies. The company applied for an exemption from parts of the Corporations Act in 2009, according to documents […]

15 Jun, 2014

Research cites rise in domestic violence during England’s World Cup matches – The Independent

Police forces across the country have set up initiatives aimed at preventing violence in the home during England’s World Cup matches after research found that there is a significant rise in the number of domestic violence cases when the national team play in the tournament. According to the study published this week by Lancaster University, […]

15 Jun, 2014

A Muslim reporter’s icy welcome from Texas GOP: ‘Where are you from?’

By Bud Kennedy Even conservatives were quick to criticize a Keller school trustee’s bigotry. But while most of north Tarrant County denounced Jo Lynn Haussmann’s Muslim-bashing last week, another story unfolded in downtown Fort Worth. UT Arlington senior Heba Said, opinion editor of The Shorthorn, wrote Wednesday about the disgusted looks and comments of “you […]

15 Jun, 2014

CITES report finds ‘alarmingly high’ levels of elephant poaching across Africa

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13 June 2014, UN News Centre – The level of elephant poaching across Africa remains alarmingly high, according to a new United Nations-backed report release today, which also found an increase in the number of large seizures of ivory. “Africa’s elephants continue to face an immediate threat to their survival from high-levels of poaching for […]

15 Jun, 2014

Asianophobia in UK | The Asian Age

by Farroukh Dhondy The UK Electoral Commission has launched an investigation to “ascertain the vulnerability of Asian communities to electoral fraud.” It names 16 local authorities — Municipal Corporations — with substantial-enough populations of “Asians” to affect the results of a public election. The list, in alphabetical order names Birmingham, Blackburn, Bradford, Burnley, Calderdale, Coventry, […]

15 Jun, 2014

Thai-American hotel magnate blasts foreign envoys, media for “distorted and unrealistic” picture of Thailand

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Bangkok – An American businessman with Thai nationality has published an open letter blasting “certain Western nations and elements of the international media” for “gross misinterpretations of the current situation in Thailand” and urging them to show more integrity and responsibility by “present(ing) the situation accurately and in proper context.” The letter by William E. […]