19 Jul, 2014

Thailand Rolls Out Recovery MICE Packages in Top Hotels

TCEB media release

Bangkok – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) would like to share the following announcement and special promotions with all our associates, industry partners, meeting planners and organizers. It is important for all of us to work together at this time as Thailand recovers from the impact of political events on our industry along […]

19 Jul, 2014

With Israeli Ambassador Keeping an Eye, Obama Humiliates Muslim Guests at White House Ramadan Event – Alternet

July 17, 2014 | At the annual White House Iftar dinner commemorating the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, President Barack Obama endorsed Israel’s ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip and defended government spying on Muslim-Americans. Alongside dozens of Muslim-American community activists and Muslim diplomats, the White House welcomed Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, an […]

18 Jul, 2014

Thailand chosen for Asian launch of Nelson Mandela Distinguished Lectures

======

BANGKOK: South Africa launched its Annual Nelson Mandela Distinguished Lecture in Asia by inviting former Thai Prime Minister Mr Anand Panyarachun to deliver the inaugural one at Thailand’s prestigious Chulalongkorn University. South African Ambassador to Thailand Ms Robina Marks initiated the lecture at the University’s Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration on July 18, which […]

18 Jul, 2014

Dangerous digital mass surveillance must face independent checks and balances – Pillay

======

GENEVA (16 July 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay warned Wednesday that studies by her office and others have revealed a “disturbing” lack of transparency about governmental surveillance policies and practices, “including de facto coercion of private sector companies to provide sweeping access to information and data relating to private individuals […]

18 Jul, 2014

Gaza: This shameful injustice will only end if the cost of it rises – The Guardian

For the third time in five years, the world’s fourth largest military power has launched a full-scale armed onslaught on one of its most deprived and overcrowded territories. Since Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip began, just over a week ago, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed. Nearly 80% of the dead are civilians, […]

18 Jul, 2014

UN: 67 minutes to take action, inspire change on Nelson Mandela Day

======

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 17 July 2014 – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be among citizens around the world who will be volunteering 67 minutes of their time on Friday, Nelson Mandela Day, to make a small gesture in solidarity with humanity – one minute for every year of the South African leader’s public […]

18 Jul, 2014

UN strengthens safety rules on lead content in infant formula and arsenic in rice

======

17 July 2014, Geneva (FAO/WHO media release) – UN food standards body the Codex Alimentarius Commission this week adopted new standards to protect consumer health worldwide, including setting out maximum acceptable levels of lead in infant formula and of arsenic in rice. Jointly run by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World […]

18 Jul, 2014

Pew survey finds widespread global opposition to U.S. eavesdropping

======

July 14, 2014 (Pew Research Centre) – Revelations about the scope of American electronic surveillance efforts have generated headlines around the world over the past year. And a new Pew Research Center survey finds widespread global opposition to U.S. eavesdropping and a decline in the view that the U.S. respects the personal freedoms of its […]

18 Jul, 2014

Coup, curfew see Thai visitor arrivals take a 24% hit in June

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Visitor arrivals to Thailand plunged 24% to a low of 1.55 million in June 2014, the worst decline of all months so far this year, thanks to the May 22 military coup and the brief period of night-time curfew that followed. Even Phuket was affected, with arrivals by first point of entry falling […]

17 Jul, 2014

PATA Announces 2014 Grand and Gold Award Winners

======

BANGKOK, July 17, 2014 — The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the winners of the 2014 PATA Grand and Gold Awards.  Sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) for the last 19 years, this year’s awards recognise the achievements of 20 organisations and individuals. PATA will present 28 Grand and Gold Awards to such organisations […]

17 Jul, 2014

Having a Facebook Account Is to Beg to Be Manipulated | Alternet

The average Facebook user sees only 20 percent of the 1,500 stories per day that could have shown up in their news feed. The posts you receive are determined by algorithms whose bottom line is Facebook’s bottom line. The company is constantly adjusting all kinds of dials, quietly looking for the optimal mix to make […]

17 Jul, 2014

Shichahai wants college graduates as pedicab drivers – foreigners welcome

======

(People’s Daily Online) July 16, 2014 – An official pedicab team in Shichahai of Beijing’s Xicheng District is planning to recruit drivers with a college diploma. Male, female, and even foreign candidates can apply for the post. According to a person in charge, the pedicab team is called “Houhai Baye”, referring to eight pedicab drivers […]

17 Jul, 2014

What America can do to earn the trust of China

By Greg Cusack

(People’s Daily Online), July 16, 2014 – I am not an “expert” on China. Rather, I am just a reasonably informed elder citizen who is deeply concerned for the welfare of future generations. It is my earnest prayer that China and the United States will successfully find ways to surmount current tensions and old resentments […]

17 Jul, 2014

China bus explosion suspect blames gambling debts

======

GUANGZHOU, (Xinhua) 2014-07-16 – The suspect in Tuesday’s bus explosion in Guangzhou, capital of South China’s Guangdong province has confessed that he set the vehicle on fire in anger after gambling losses, local police said Wednesday. Police caught the suspect, a 25-year-old man surnamed Ou, in downtown Guangzhou in a raid at 11:47 am on […]

17 Jul, 2014

Tit for tat: Malaysia To Impose Entry Permit Charge On Singapore Vehicles Entering Johor

======

JOHOR BAHARU, Malaysia July 16 (NNN-Bernama) — The government has agreed to impose the vehicle entry permit (VEP) charge soon on Singapore vehicles entering Johor, said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Announcing this Wednesday, he said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Wahid Omar, who oversees the Economic Planning Unit, had been informed of the […]

17 Jul, 2014

After World Cup, more Chinese set to travel to Brazil

By Su Zhou

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhuanet) — Charmed by the recently ended World Cup and the coming Olympic Games in 2016 in Brazil, more Chinese tourists are interested in visiting the South American nation. According to the Brazilian embassy in Beijing, more than 5,000 Chinese tourists traveled to Brazil during the World Cup. “The real total is […]

17 Jul, 2014

“Fight For Your Write” crusade launched to highlight benefits of handwriting

======

SHELTON, Conn., July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Amid the evolution of smartphones and a decreased focus on writing in U.S. schools, BIC, a leading manufacturer of writing instruments, is introducing, “Fight For Your Write,” a new crusade to energize parents and educators about the importance of writing and its continued benefits for children. “Writing is an […]

17 Jul, 2014

As bombs rain on Gaza, U.S. Christian Leaders Begin Yearlong Study of Judaism in Israel

JERUSALEM, July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Eighteen American Christian leaders from across the United States, representing diverse religious institutions, have begun studying Judaism in the 13-month Christian Leadership Initiative (CLI) in Israel this week. The intensive educational program is co-sponsored by the American Jewish Committee and the Shalom Hartman Institute (SHI). “CLI provides open space […]

17 Jul, 2014

Two Jakarta International School staffers held for assaulting child – The Jakarta Post

Two Jakarta International School (JIS) teaching staff were declared suspects on Thursday for the alleged sexual assault of a kindergarten pupil. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto confirmed that Canadian Neil Bantleman and Indonesian Ferdinand Tjiong were now suspects after analyzing the result of a medical examination from the hospital and the case reconstruction and […]

17 Jul, 2014

UN human rights chief warns of ‘disturbing lack of transparency’ for digital mass surveillance

======

United Nations, UN News Centre, 16 July 2014 – The top United Nations human rights official today warned of the “disturbing” lack of transparency in governmental surveillance policies and practices, “including de facto coercion of private sector companies to provide sweeping access to information and data relating to private individuals without the latter’s knowledge or […]

17 Jul, 2014

Call for entries: €200,000 awaits young entrepreneurs with ideas to change the world

======

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.-July 10, 2014 -(BUSINESS WIRE)–Building on the success of its first Unilever Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneurs Awards in 2013, Unilever once again invites young people worldwide to create and invent practical and innovative solutions to the world’s biggest sustainability challenges and enter them in this year’s Awards. Through the awards, which are open […]

17 Jul, 2014

How “acting suspiciously” will become a huge problem for the travel industry

By Julia Harumi Mass

What does an 86-year-old art photographer have in common with a young man with a video game habit? Not just a proclivity for perfectly innocuous hobbies, unfortunately. These days, engaging in either activity can get the FBI on your case. Today, the ACLU and our partners at Advancing Justice–Asian Law Caucus and Bingham McCutchen are […]

17 Jul, 2014

Israeli calls for Palestinian blood ring at fever pitch

by David Sheen, The Electronic Intifada

July 15, 2014 – Concerned humanists may have hoped that when a group of Jewish Israelis confessed to kidnapping and killing Muhammad Abu Khudair, a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem — forcing him to drink gasoline and torching him to death from inside his body — that top Israeli legislators and rabbis would have been horrified […]

17 Jul, 2014

Sydney businesses targeting Ramadan revenues, says expert

It is one of the holiest times of the year for Muslims around the world, and for some it is also one of the busiest. In between the feasting and fasting, there is a great deal of buying, selling and, importantly, giving occuring around Australia during the month of Ramadan. Sales of halal meat skyrockets, […]

17 Jul, 2014

Living in Gaza as the bombs fall – a personal story

by Omar Ghraieb The last two nights have been terrible. So many explosions have occurred close by that there is now a constant ringing in my ears. But I can’t complain too much, especially when entire families around me are being killed. We have become refugees in our own country. Many families have left their […]

17 Jul, 2014

Find freedom: How to take a year off to travel – Sydney Morning Herald

The first piece of advice for anyone considering taking a gap year, or a sabbatical, or whatever you want to call it, is the simplest: do it. Take a year out of your life to devote to travel. Sure, it might set you back a little in your financial plans. It might halt your career […]

17 Jul, 2014

New Australian security laws bid to gag media over spy leaks – theguardian.com

Australian journalists could face prosecution and jail for reporting Snowden-style revelations about certain spy operations, in an “outrageous” expansion of the government’s national security powers, leading criminal lawyers have warned. A bill presented to parliament on Wednesday by the attorney general, George Brandis, would expand the powers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio), including […]

16 Jul, 2014

Israel dehumanises its own society each time it pummels Gaza – Hindustan Times

The world has been looking on aghast while Israel bombs Palestinian civilians in Gaza in the name of fighting the militant group Hamas. Two tragic incidents — the killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank and the retaliatory abduction and burning of a Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem — have triggered events that […]

16 Jul, 2014

Rio recognizes Japanese football fans who picked up post-match litter – The Japan News

RIO DE JANEIRO—The environmental bureau of the State of Rio de Janeiro recently gave a certificate of commendation to Japanese Consul General Yasushi Takase in Rio de Janeiro, recognizing the Japanese supporters who collected litter at stadiums after World Cup matches in which the Japanese team played. In the award ceremony, the director general of […]

16 Jul, 2014

Indian Environmentalist Awarded Gandhi Peace Prize: “Economics No Use Without Ethics”

======

New Delhi, President’s Secretariat, 15-July-2014 – The President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee presented the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2013 to Mr Chandi Prasad Bhatt today at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The following is the full text of the President’s speech on the occasion: It gives me immense pleasure in presenting the […]

16 Jul, 2014

Australian government covers up CBA bank scandal

Following a damning report on losses of life savings by customers of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)—one of the country’s big four banks—the Abbott government is working closely with the management to protect the bank. At the same time, it is trying to push through new financial advice regulations that will lead to even […]

16 Jul, 2014

Not In Our Name: The Jewish duty to stand with the people of Gaza | Mondoweiss

“Justice, always justice, shalt thou pursue,” my family says each year, quoting the prophet Micah as we bring a match to the third Hanukkah candle, adhering to a tradition in which each night’s light is dedicated to a different virtue in Judaism. In the wake of over 150 reported deaths in Operation Protective Edge, I […]

16 Jul, 2014

New PKF Calculator Helps Predict Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenues

======

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PKF Hospitality Research, LLC (PKF-HR) today announced the release of the “Hotel Occupancy Tax Calculator,” an Excel-based tool that gives local agencies the ability to incorporate objectively developed forecasts into their estimates of future hotel occupancy tax collections. “The calculator helps agencies improve their projections and avoid operational inefficiencies, such as unjustified budget cuts, […]

16 Jul, 2014

Hacking Online Polls and Other Ways British Spies Seek to Control the Internet – The Intercept

The secretive British spy agency GCHQ has developed covert tools to seed the internet with false information, including the ability to manipulate the results of online polls, artificially inflate pageview counts on web sites, “amplif[y]” sanctioned messages on YouTube, and censor video content judged to be “extremist.” The capabilities, detailed in documents provided by NSA […]

16 Jul, 2014

Xinhua chief: BRICS news organizations must boost their global clout

======

BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) — President Li Congjun of China’s Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday published an article urging news organizations in the world’s leading developing countries to join hands to play a bigger role in international communication. The full text of the article, titled “BRICS news organizations can play a bigger role in international […]

15 Jul, 2014

A Palestinian Saved My Life – NYTimes.com

It’s hard for me to oppose an Israeli strike on Gaza while Hamas continues to intentionally fire rockets at civilians. On the other hand, it’s easy to see things that way from where I sit. If I imagine living in destitute conditions for years, without even having a country to call my own, I might […]

15 Jul, 2014

Former Israeli soldier: I’ve seen how shockingly we treat Palestinians – The Independent

The politicians that send us to perform these tasks don’t even pretend to promise hope for a better future. Just further use of force and violence. Our doubts about logic and justice don’t even interest us anymore, as our red moral lines are constantly moving in the face of our reality – much like mine […]

15 Jul, 2014

Palestinian Human Rights Groups to European Union: Practise What You Preach

======

Text of Open Letter from Palestinian Human Rights Organizations regarding the EU’s responsibility to stop Israel’s targeting of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip TO: Baroness Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ambassadors of the EU Political and Security Committee Date: 14 July 2014 Your Excellencies, On 8 July 2014, the European Union […]

15 Jul, 2014

Putin to Hindustan Times: BRICS nations need to cut dependence on US$

In the modern world the factor of common borders does not play a defining role. On the contrary, global processes encourage us to join efforts as challenges and problems become shared. In the BRICS case we see a whole set of coinciding strategic interests. First, this is the common intention to reform the international monetary […]

15 Jul, 2014

Modi anti-visa pressure came from multiple U.S. sources – The Hindu

Lobbying by U.S. lawmakers, concern over extra-judicial deaths in Gujarat and the tenth anniversary of the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the state combined into a multi-year wave of pressure against any possibility of the White House revising its decision to deny Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi an entry visa, according to U.S. State Department cables […]

15 Jul, 2014

Extremism thrives when America is absent, or the other way around? – The Hindu

In her autobiographical work, based on her tenure as U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton makes a startling statement while explaining the need for U.S. intervention around the world, despite the “dangers” to American lives. “While we can and must work to reduce the danger,” writes Ms. Clinton, “the only way to eliminate risk entirely […]

15 Jul, 2014

Poison pen: Attempt to rewrite India’s history is dangerous – Hindustan Times

Apart from trying to erase from official record, any evidence pertaining to the role of the RSS or its members, both active and former then, in Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, the current efforts are a clear attempt by the RSS/BJP to advance its ideological political project of converting the secular-democratic character of the Indian Republic into […]

15 Jul, 2014

Colonialism never ended in Palestine – The Daily Star

Israeli behavior provides the best window we have into the mindset of the Western colonial powers a century ago, when foreigners with superior military equipment and an equally grand sense of their own national superiority killed, occupied, jailed, slaughtered, and exiled Arabs at will, treating them more like animals than human beings. What we are […]

15 Jul, 2014

Jewish passenger thrown off U.S. flight after argument with Palestinian

…a commenter on the website Gothamist, who identified herself as the passenger who confronted Rosenberg, said that Rosenberg “was the only person yelling and actually said a Palestinian on the flight was a ‘danger to her’. She was removed from that flight for making a scene, refusing to sit in her seat and not complying […]

15 Jul, 2014

Debris cleanup at Fukushima reactor may have contaminated rice crops | The Japan Times

Debris cleanup work by Tokyo Electric Power Co. at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant may have led to the contamination of rice crops in nearby areas, agriculture ministry officials said Monday. Radioactive cesium exceeding the government limit of 100 becquerels per kilogram was detected in rice crops from Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, last year, including […]

15 Jul, 2014

‘Money is not the only thing affecting people’s happiness’ – The Independent

* Treating someone for depression or anxiety disorders costs on average £650. The success rate is 50 per cent. If they then come off Employment Support Allowance as a result, the saving to the taxpayer is £650 a month. So, a single outlay of £650 can save £650 a month. * People with mental health […]

15 Jul, 2014

Embraer Releases 20-Year Market Outlook Projecting 6,250 New Jet Deliveries

======

Farnborough, UK, July 14 , 2014– Embraer has released its Market Outlook 2014-2033 which details the Company’s forecast for deliveries of new 70 to 130-seat jet aircraft over the next twenty years. The report examines the main drivers contributing to air transport growth and reviews projected deliveries by world region. The Market Outlook identifies a […]

15 Jul, 2014

How work-life balance can boost productivity | Entrepreneur.com

Entrepreneurs are naturally hard workers. It’s what makes them successful in the first place. But founders have a tendency to overextend themselves, and when they model this behavior for their employees, they create a perfect storm of stress and burnout among their team. I remember working overtime and weekends for one job. I had less […]

15 Jul, 2014

Online gambling: EC recommends principles to protect consumers

======

Brussels, 14 July 2014, European Commission Press release – The European Commission has today adopted a Recommendation on online gambling services. It encourages Member States to pursue a high level of protection for consumers, players and minors through the adoption of principles for online gambling services and for responsible advertising and sponsorship of those services. […]

15 Jul, 2014

UNICEF: “No child should have to suffer the terrifying impact of such violence”

======

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake on impact of violence on children in Gaza and Israel NEW YORK, 13 July 2014 – Children are bearing the brunt of the worsening violence in Gaza and Israel with at least 33 children killed in Gaza in recent days, and hundreds more injured. No child should have […]

15 Jul, 2014

Weapons supply to Israel makes U.S. taxpayers complict in the Gaza carnage – Jewish Voice for Peace

Safa' Abdel Rahman-Madi, a Palestinian mother of three

The following letter of appeal was circulated by Jewish Voice for Peace. Dear Supporter, My name is Safa’, I am a mom of three little girls, Zeena, Yasmeen, and Leena. I live in Ramallah but am originally from Gaza. I wrote this letter Sunday night, after a long and bloody day – one of many. […]

15 Jul, 2014

Has CNN officially become Israeli State TV?

Since the initial disappearance of three Israelis feared kidnapped when hitchhiking in occupied Palestinian territory almost three weeks ago, Israel unleashed a wide-scale campaign of arrests and raids that resulted in ten Palestinian deaths and over 500 arbitrarily arrested Palestinians, and the destruction of property in countless homes. Yesterday, the news broke that the bodies […]

15 Jul, 2014

BRICS Development bank will help end U.S. dominance of global finance

By Chen Weihua (China Daily)

Washington DC,  2014-07-11 – The BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, are expected to pursue a development bank during a summit in Brazil next week. This is in addition to the idea of an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that is being mooted by countries in the region. World Bank President Jim Yong […]

15 Jul, 2014

Ceaseless conflict in West Asia – The Hindu

Anew dance of death has started in Gaza after Israel began ceaseless rounds of air strikes, following rocket attacks by the Palestinian Hamas. The complete disproportionality of force in response to Hamas’ strikes can be measured in numbers. Over 500 missile strikes by Hamas have not resulted in a single Israeli death. But in sharp […]

14 Jul, 2014

How “mad, sad and glad sessions” helped Air NZ become Australasia’s most profitable airline

Norris, who was parachuted into the chief executive role after serving on its board, ­initially focused on the thousands of staff. He ran a series of two-day sessions with 800 employees at a time, explaining the tough external environment meant change was needed and laying out a strategy for the future. But first, he gave […]

14 Jul, 2014

Arab-Americans to boycott 2014 Ramadan Break-of-Fast event at White House

======

Washington, DC | www.adc.org | July 14, 2014 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) will not be attending this year’s government iftars and calls upon members of the Arab and Muslim communities to join us in the boycott, including tonight’s White House Iftar hosted by President Barack Obama, given the government’s condoning of the current slaughter […]

14 Jul, 2014

Chris Hedges: Israel Is Captive to Its ‘Destructive Process’ – Truthdig

The Palestinians over the past few decades have endured a similar “destructive process.” They have gradually been stripped of basic civil liberties, robbed of assets including much of their land and often their homes, have suffered from mounting restrictions on their physical movements, been blocked from trading and business, especially the selling of produce, and […]

14 Jul, 2014

Eighty jobs to go at ABC News and Australia Network – Sydney Morning Herald

About 80 jobs at the ABC will go following the federal government’s decision to axe the Australia Network international broadcasting service. The vast majority of the jobs will be lost in Melbourne, where the ABC’s Asia Pacific News Centre (APNC) is based. Staff working across TV and radio will be affected, including journalists, producers, technical […]

14 Jul, 2014

Tourism Malaysia Promotions Back to Normal In China

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 14 July 2014 (16 Ramadan 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ RAMADAN MUBARAK TO ALL MY READERS Islamic Travel Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil and Assistant Editor […]

13 Jul, 2014

Israelis with popcorn seen ‘cheering as missiles strike Palestinians’ – The Independent

An image that appears to show a group of Israelis on a hilltop cheering and applauding as they watch the deadly aerial bombardment of Gaza has caused international outrage after it was shared by thousands on Twitter. Taken by the Middle East correspondent for a Danish newspaper, the picture shows rows of people sitting on […]

13 Jul, 2014

The Handset Holiday – Just 30 Minutes to Book a Break on the Mobile

======

LEEDS, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)-July 11, 2014 -It used to be something we spent weeks planning, now speedy Brits take less than 30 minutes to book their ‘Handset Holidays’. This summer a tech-savvy one in seven of us will make all our travel plans on the move – using a mobile phone to browse, choose and pay […]

13 Jul, 2014

UK bars Russian delegates from Farnborough Airshow – The Independent

The Russian embassy in London has reacted angrily after a number of its delegates were barred from attending this year’s Farnborough International Airshow. According to a spokesman for the British Government, representatives from Russia were not given visas to enable them to travel to this year’s Airshow because of the “Russian government’s actions in the […]

13 Jul, 2014

The World We’ve Constructed Is Far Beyond George Orwell’s Worst Nightmare | Alternet

By John Pilger July 11, 2014 | The other night, I saw George Orwell’s 1984 performed on the London stage. Although crying out for a contemporary interpretation, Orwell’s warning about the future was presented as a period piece: remote, unthreatening, almost reassuring. It was as if Edward Snowden had revealed nothing, Big Brother was not […]

13 Jul, 2014

Poverty and abuse in Cambodia’s ‘virginity trade’ – The Independent

Danet* is fourteen, and lives in a house built on wooden stilts, with no walls, and only tarpaulin for shelter. There are eleven of them who live in the family home, next to a mosquito-infested pond in a poor, rural community in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She loves to read fairy tales but she frowns a […]

12 Jul, 2014

Modi drops Press delegation for BRICS meet – The Hindu

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi deciding to not take the media along with him to Brazil for the BRICS Summit mid-July, it could be curtains down for the well-established practice of Premiers travelling with a large contingent from the Fourth Estate. Only representatives of the government media and wire services are likely to accompany the […]

12 Jul, 2014

Human rights activists rally in New York to push anti-Israel boycotts

======

New York, NY, July 9, 2014— As Israel escalated its assault on the Palestinian people, more than 100 human rights activists gathered Monday evening near New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge to mark the 9th anniversary of the July 9, 2005 Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. The protestors spoke out […]

12 Jul, 2014

US defence agency develops world’s first self-guiding bullet – The Independent

A US military agency has conducted its first successful tests of guided bullets which can track a target regardless of external factors or even where the sniper rifle is aimed. The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an arm of the Department of Defence, is developing a smart .50-calibre bullet which can not only compensate […]

12 Jul, 2014

Why I’m on the brink of burning my Israeli passport – The Independent

She is young. She is pretty. She is a university graduate and a computer engineer. She is also an Israeli Parliamentarian – and the reason why I am on the brink of burning my Israeli passport. Because behind that wide-eyed innocent face lurks the Angel of Death. Ayelet Shaked represents the far-right Jewish Home party […]

12 Jul, 2014

Lotte Hotel refuses to hold party by Japanese embassy

In the latest sign of tension between South Korea and Japan, the luxury Lotte Hotel in Seoul has refused to hold a reception by the Japanese embassy to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Hotel officials said the party, which was scheduled for Friday night and which is usually […]

11 Jul, 2014

Bangladesh Prevails in Maritime Boundary Dispute with India

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 08, 2014  – An international arbitral tribunal in The Hague today awarded Bangladesh the vast majority of waters in the Bay of Bengal that were also claimed by India. By a vote of 4-1, the five-member tribunal agreed with Bangladesh that the “equidistance” method proposed by India for dividing the Parties’ maritime zones […]

11 Jul, 2014

World’s poor hardest hit by chronic diseases, says top UN health official

======

United Nations, UN News Centre, 10 July 2014 – At a high-level review and assessment by the United Nations General Assembly of progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Margaret Chan today expressed deep concern about projected trends, especially as poor populations, the least able […]

11 Jul, 2014

As Mega-Cities Grow, World Is Becoming Over-Urbanised, UN Report Warns

======

United Nations, UN News Centre, 10 July 2014 – An additional 2.5 billion people are predicted to live in urban areas by 2050, the United Nations today reported, highlighting the need for a successful urban planning agenda and greater attention to be given to smaller cities where nearly half of all people currently reside. “Today, […]

11 Jul, 2014

700 Workplace-Violence Deaths a Year in U.S.: Report Flags Ways To Curb the Terror

======

KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — With an average of 700 workers killed while at work each year, and an estimated 572,000 nonfatal crimes occurring annually in the workplace, no industry is free of the possibility of severe workplace violence. This is a concern that should be addressed by companies nationwide. In their […]

11 Jul, 2014

Interfaith Alliance: Why an Orthodox rabbi is fasting this Ramadan | Jewish Telegraphic Agency

A few hours into the 10th day of Ramadan, Rabbi Natan Levy was swapping fasting tips with a Muslim fellow passenger aboard the London Northern train line. Specifically, they were debating the merits of having a very large meal before sunrise — a technique adopted by many observant Muslims who are trying to cope with […]

10 Jul, 2014

A Christian Call for Courageous Change in the Holy Land

Issued by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15). A reality of violence and mourning Israel […]

10 Jul, 2014

Sharp drop in Chinese tourists to Vietnam since May

======

HANOI, (Xinhua) 2014-07-09  – The number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam increased 34 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2014, but the number has declined sharply since May, a Vietnamese tourism official said on Wednesday. “Although fewer Chinese tourists came to Vietnam in May and June than during the January-April period, Vietnam saw an […]

10 Jul, 2014

India issued 15.3mn passports between 2010-14, more coming

======

New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs, 09-July-2014 – As part of the Passport Seva Project (PSP), a  Mission Mode Project, implemented by the Government with a view to comprehensively overhaul passport issuance system, 77 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) have been set up and operationalised as extended arms of the existing 37 Passport Offices across the […]

10 Jul, 2014

London Tops MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index 2014, Bangkok #2

LONDON-July 09, 2014 -(BUSINESS WIRE)–London tops the list as the destination of choice for international travellers for the third time in four years, according to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index released today. Now in its fourth year, the index provides a ranking of the 132 most travelled cities from around the world. Rounding […]

10 Jul, 2014

What’s the U.S. Govt Doing Targeting Civil Rights Leaders? – ACLU

The NSA and FBI are targeting prominent American Muslims, including civil rights activists, academics, and a former government official, we learned in a troubling report released last night. Their emails have been stored, their movements have been monitored, and their relationships have been tracked. No detail has proved too remote for the prying eyes of […]

10 Jul, 2014

U.N. to Confront U.S. on Persistent Racial Discrimination – ACLU

Imagine receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for serving as a go-between in the sale of two small $5 bags of marijuana. That’s exactly what happened to Fate Vincent Winslow, an African American homeless man who says that he accepted the offer of an undercover police officer for a $5 commission in […]

10 Jul, 2014

Gays join Sikhs, Christians, Jews in protesting U.S. surveillance of Muslim-Americans

Imtiaz Muqbil

Four gay, lesbian and transgender rights groups have signed up on a letter of protest sent by a coalition of 44 civil rights, human rights, privacy rights, and faith-based organizations to U.S. President Barack Obama seeking accountability and full disclosure over the U.S. government’s continued discriminatory surveillance of American Muslims. Agreeing that discrimination on the […]

10 Jul, 2014

Rich Chinese travellers set sights on overseas game hunting

By YANG YAO/SU ZHOU

Beijing, (China Daily) – 2014-07-09 – The number of Chinese going abroad for trophy hunting has grown tenfold in the past five years, as wealthy Chinese travelers increasingly seek out wild and exotic experiences. Scott Lupien, CEO of 52 Safari International Hunting Club, a leading outbound hunting company based in Beijing, said that few people […]

10 Jul, 2014

Australians drink, smoke less but getting fatter and worry more: study

======

SYDNEY, July 9 (Xinhua) — Australians are smoking and drinking less but are getting fatter and more anxious, according to a new study released on Wednesday. The study by Roy Morgan Research blames unemployment rates for Australia’s high anxiety. Roy Morgan chief executive Michele Levine told the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) there has been a […]

10 Jul, 2014

Inside a Goldman Sachs trader’s twilight zone – Sydney Morning Herald

“Let’s be very clear,” Salem testified, “I was one of the most sought-after investment professionals in the mortgage industry.” Goldman Sachs, he claimed, was punishing him for his 2007 “self-evaluation” form, later made public by a US Senate investigation, in which he boasted of having manipulated the market for subprime mortgage bonds so that he […]

10 Jul, 2014

Ban says Israel’s construction of West Bank wall violates international law, fuels Mid-East tensions

======

UNITED NATIONS, (UN News Centre), 9 July 2014 – At a special meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory ruling declaring illegal Israel’s construction of a separation wall in the West Bank, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today called for a halt to the current violence between Israelis and […]

9 Jul, 2014

Another Glenn Greenwald Scoop: The Muslim-American Leaders the FBI and NSA Have Been Spying On

The individuals appear on an NSA spreadsheet in the Snowden archives called “FISA recap”—short for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Under that law, the Justice Department must convince a judge with the top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that there is probable cause to believe that American targets are not only agents of an international terrorist […]

9 Jul, 2014

EC smartphone app upgraded to uphold passenger rights during summer holidays

======

Brussels, 8 July 2014, European Commission Press release – The Commission’s free smartphone application for passenger rights has been upgraded just before the summer holidays to make it easy for all travellers to be informed about their rights in case something unexpected happens during their journey. Featuring existing EU rules on passenger rights, the app […]

9 Jul, 2014

Britain’s Largest Trade Union Slams Israel as Apartheid State

======

LIVERPOOL, July 8, 2014 – (WAFA) – Britain’s largest trade union, Unite, condemned Tuesday Israeli crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory and joined the international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. At the three-day annual meeting held in Liverpool, Unite adopted several motions in regard to the Palestinian cause. The first motion, […]

9 Jul, 2014

Beijing to invest 50 billion yuan to tackle air pollution

======

Beijing (chinadaily.com.cn) 2014-07-08 – The Chinese capital plans to invest 47.858 billion yuan ($7.662 billion) to combat air pollution in the next five years, with a special focus on coal-fired pollution, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution and dust, authorities have said. The funds were allocated by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance to support the city’s […]

9 Jul, 2014

UN report calls for urgent “decarbonisation”, says “Time is not on our side”

======

United Nations, UN News Centre, 8 July 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, introducing a new United Nations-backed report outlining pathways major industrial economies can use to cut their carbon emissions by mid-century, called today for broad cooperation and “bold” action or the world will face dangerous and irreversible climate disruption. “We know that we are […]

9 Jul, 2014

Thai Tourism Expenditure Stats Show Europeans are Cheapest Charlies

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – With the Thai tourism industry set to shift its KPI targets to expenditure over arrivals, an analysis of the newly released visitor expenditure figures for 2013 shows that Europeans are by far the lowest spenders per person per day. The figures will come as a shock to the system, especially because they show […]

9 Jul, 2014

How to reduce overwork-related deaths – The Japan Times

In its latest session the Diet enacted a law that requires the central government to take measures to prevent deaths resulting from overwork, including suicides. These problems have long been a serious issue in Japanese society, and the legislation won unanimous support of all the parties in both chambers. But the law fails to set […]

9 Jul, 2014

Carrefour exits India, in talks to sell its 5 wholesale stores – Hindustan Times

French retail giant Carrefour on Tuesday said it will exit its India business and has initiated talks with Reliance Retail and Bharti Enterprises to sell its assets in the country. Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer, operates five cash-and-carry wholesale stores in India, and has invested around `300 crore in the country. “Carrefour announced its […]

9 Jul, 2014

Junk food gets encoded in DNA of future children, scientists discover — RT News

The next time you wolf down that Big Mac with large fries consider you may be affecting more than your own waistline. Scientists now say an unhealthy diet can be encoded into DNA, which is passed down to future generations. By now, most people have heard various negative things about a Western diet: it is […]

9 Jul, 2014

Russian companies ‘de-dollarize’, switch to yuan, other Asian currencies — RT Business

Russia will start settling more contracts in Asian currencies, especially the yuan, in order to lessen its dependence on the dollar market, and because of Western-led sanctions that could freeze funds at any moment. “Over the last few weeks there has been a significant interest in the market from large Russian corporations to start using […]

9 Jul, 2014

France lashes out against US$, calls for ‘rebalancing’ of world currencies — RT Business

The French government wants to break the monopoly the dollar has on international transactions after the country’s largest bank, BNP Paribas, was slapped with a record $9 billion fine and a 1-year dollar trading ban. Michel Sapin, the French finance minister, called for a “rebalancing” of the currencies used for global payments, saying the BNP […]

9 Jul, 2014

Muslims break the fast in the churches of Bandung – The Jakarta Post

Hundreds of Muslims from grassroots and marginalized communities joined breaking of the fast events held recently at two separate churches in Bandung, West Java, as a part of efforts to create a forum for interfaith dialogue. Running for 14 years, the program was initiated by the Puan Amal Hayati Foundation. Led by former first lady […]

8 Jul, 2014

Chinese Commentary: Japan set to send younger generation back into battle

======

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) July 07, 2014  – Despite strong resistance from many Japanese and the Kōmeitō party, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a historic step away from Japan’s postwar pacifism on Tuesday afternoon by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since 1945. On the surface this appears to be a […]

8 Jul, 2014

Wulong Scenic Area to sue “Transformers” producers for damaging tourism

By Huang Ying

Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2014-07-07  – Chongqing Wulong Scenic Area announced on July 7 that it will sue producers of the Hollywood blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction for failing to show its logo in the movie. Wulong Scenic Area said it signed a deal with producers of the movie in October. The movie’s producers promised to show […]

8 Jul, 2014

Philippines: Bangsamoro Peace Pact to remain bright spot amidst global conflict

======

Statement of GPH Panel Chair Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on the Proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law MANILA, July 7 (PNA) — “The implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro is in the critical stage of processing a draft Bangsamoro Basic Law that the President can confidently submit to Congress and certify as urgent upon its adoption […]