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. […]

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

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, […]

31 Mar, 2014

U.S. moves to crush internal dissent | Intellihub News

By Janet C. Phelan (INTELLIHUB) – In yet another legal maneuver to shut down dissent, the attorney disciplinary board in the State of Illinois has suspended Chicago-based activist attorney Kenneth Ditkowsky’s license to practice law for four years, following a hearing where Ditkowsky’s right to speak out against corruption in the courts featured center-stage. Ditkowsky, […]

31 Mar, 2014

Putin’s rating hits record high, Obama’s drops to record low – English pravda.ru

According to opinion polls, President Vladimir Putin’s rating rose again in March and reached the record level of 82.3 percent. The head of state has earned such high approvals primarily in connection with the entry of the Crimea in the Russian Federation, VTsIOM research center said. Most Russians support Putin’s stance on Ukraine. Meanwhile, across […]

31 Mar, 2014

Korean President visits Berlin Wall, pledges to make Korean DMZ “Symbol of Peace”

By Yoon Sojung

Berlin – Mar 28, 2014, Korea.net – Korean President Park Geun-hye visited the Berlin Wall on March 27, a symbol of Germany’s unification and freedom. Looking at the wall’s paintings while walking 20 meters along the East Side Gallery, President Park said, “I have a vision of Korea’s demilitarized zone (DMZ) becoming a symbol of peace.” […]

31 Mar, 2014

Russia thanks West for useful sanctions – English pravda.ru

Lt. Gen. Alexander Mikhailov, a member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, reviewed this issue in a live broadcast of Pravda.Ru.: Today all of our farms are suffering because we import products from abroad. Maybe we should not relegate our food market to foreign manufacturers or deliver dubious foreign products, but should pay […]

31 Mar, 2014

Kep tourism chief on latest plans – Phnom Penh Post

In a recent interview, Som Chenda, the newly appointed director of the Kep tourism department – he was in charge of Sihanoukville before moving to the post in 2012 – talks to the Post’s Chan Muy Hong about recent upgrades, and discusses what’s next. What’s the difference between Kep and Sihanoukville tourism? Kep province is […]

31 Mar, 2014

U.N. rights forum calls for use of armed drones to comply with law | Reuters

GENEVA Fri Mar 28, 2014 (Reuters) – The United Nations called on all states on Friday to ensure that the use of armed drones complies with international law, backing a proposal from Pakistan seen as taking aim at the United States. A resolution presented by Pakistan on behalf of co-sponsors including Yemen and Switzerland did […]

31 Mar, 2014

Morocco: Music festival to honour Mandela

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 31 March 2014 (29 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ THE ISLAMIC IMPERATIVE — SUPPORT MALAYSIA IN ITS TIME OF NEED The tragedy of MH370 […]

29 Mar, 2014

Invasion of the Data Snatchers – Truthdig

Estimates vary, but by 2020 there could be over 30 billion devices connected to the Internet. Once dumb, they will have smartened up thanks to sensors and other technologies embedded in them and, thanks to your machines, your life will quite literally have gone online. The implications are revolutionary. Your smart refrigerator will keep an […]

29 Mar, 2014

To Spy To Live – Inter Press Service

GAZA CITY , Mar 28 2014 (IPS) – “If you want to live and receive medical treatment, you have my number, so you can call me and agree to my request. You will then get medical help, and survive.” The request, the patient said, was from an Israeli intelligence officer looking to recruit him in […]

29 Mar, 2014

Why battleground Varanasi is different – The Hindu

Mr. Modi sees the Varanasi of Hindutva. Mr. Kejriwal claims a more relaxed but lived Hinduism. He signals a holiness, which allows for difference, which generates the secular. He hints at the Varanasi of amity, of many faiths rather than a saffron Varanasi. For Mr. Kejriwal, the colours of Varanasi go beyond saffron and he […]

29 Mar, 2014

Australian galleries embroiled in Indian antiquities scandal – FT.com

Two of the biggest public art galleries in Australia have become embroiled in a controversy over their purchases of allegedly stolen Indian artefacts, amid concerns that the multibillion dollar international trade in looted antiquities continues to flourish. Visitors to the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Friday were greeted with a conspicuous blank space […]

28 Mar, 2014

Watch the US Drop 2.5 Million Tons of Bombs on Laos | Mother Jones

Between 1964 and 1973, the United States dropped around 2.5 million tons of bombs on Laos. While the American public was focused on the war in neighboring Vietnam, the US military was waging a devastating covert campaign to cut off North Vietnamese supply lines through the small Southeast Asian country. The nearly 600,000 bombing runs […]

28 Mar, 2014

FREE Download: OECD report asserts balance is critical for Travel & Tourism policy-making

Exclusive report by Imtiaz Muqbil

A major report on travel & tourism policies in the OECD countries abounds with distinct references to the importance of balance in policy-making to manage everything from taxation to facilitation, branding to customer profiles, sustainability to seasonality. Released at ITB Berlin earlier this month, the report proves 100% accurate the February 1999 forecast by Travel […]

28 Mar, 2014

Half of Americans Say U.S. Headed Back to Cold War: Gallup Polls

by Rebecca Riffkin

WASHINGTON, D.C. March 27, 2014 (Gallup Polls) — Fifty percent of Americans believe the U.S. and Russia are currently heading back toward a Cold War. During his trip to Europe, President Barack Obama acknowledged increasing tension with Russia but said he has no interest in entering into another Cold War. Spurred by increased international apprehensions […]

28 Mar, 2014

Narendra Modi cult threatens to swamp even his own organisation – Hindustan Times

Dravidian politics is full of blind hero worship of leaders. Devoted followers do not just believe in a leader but venerate him/her. The mega cutouts, the temples, the almost tribal rituals create a larger than life personality which then dwarfs everyone and everything around it. A signal from the Supreme Being can send the hordes […]

26 Mar, 2014

Sex Trafficking Victims Go Unnoticed in Laos | The Diplomat

VIENTIANE – Like many girls in Laos, where almost one-third of the population lives below the poverty line, Vahn* was desperate to earn money for her family. This made her a prime target for sex traffickers. As an uneducated 15-year old, Vahn said she was convinced by her stepsister to work at a farm in […]

26 Mar, 2014

After years of humiliation, Israeli Arabs say getting better treatment at airport | Haaretz

A new security system at Ben-Gurion International Airport seems to have suspended the invasive and humiliating security checks that have until now been routine for Palestinian and Israeli Arab travelers. For the past two weeks, these passengers say, they have been treated exactly the same as Jewish passengers, instead of being subjected to interrogations, searches […]

26 Mar, 2014

A one-man show all the way: Dileep Padgaonkar – The Times Of India

The adage that you can’t make an omelette without breaking an egg or two is all too apposite in the BJP’s domestic turmoil at present. Given his antecedents in Gujarat, Narendra Modi will do better than break an egg or two. He will ensure that hens who preen their feathers are consigned to a coop […]

26 Mar, 2014

Govt plans to cut number of elderly kept alive on feeding tubes | The Japan Times

For the first time, Japan is trying to hold down the number of bedridden elderly people kept alive, sometimes for years, by feeding tubes. The government is planning to cut payouts on insertions in new patients and encourage home care. About 260,000 elderly live on feeding tubes nationwide. Faced with a heavy public debt burden, […]

26 Mar, 2014

Stores looking to tourists for big sales | The Japan Times

Many major department stores are zeroing in on foreign tourists and other visitors exempt from paying the consumption tax if they spend over a certain amount, anticipating that sales of luxury items will plunge following the sales tax hike next Tuesday. Department stores have enjoyed solid growth in the past few months thanks to robust […]

25 Mar, 2014

Time to Show Support: Visit Thailand for Songkran, Malaysia for Easter

Imtiaz Muqbil

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Today, two ASEAN countries (Malaysia and Thailand) need as many friends as they can get. There is no better time than now to show them friendship and support. Thailand is recovering from a three-month political crisis. It’s not yet over but common sense has prevailed and a […]

25 Mar, 2014

Migrants to Australia fear racism, being victims of crime

Australians are no longer just a weird mob – they are also seen as racist and discriminatory, a survey of new migrants says. Asked to nominate what they ”least like” about Australia, racism and discrimination was listed among migrants’ chief concerns. Those from non-English speaking backgrounds were almost twice as likely to report suffering discrimination […]

25 Mar, 2014

What happens to a relationship when people stop kissing? – The Independent

Some studies suggest that many people remember their first kiss better than the first time they had sex. But if you’re in a long-term relationship, can you remember your last one? One British Heart Foundation study revealed that 18 per cent of married people don’t pucker up with their partner for an entire week, while […]

25 Mar, 2014

On World Meteorological Day, UN Rallies Youth To Take On Climate Change

United Nations, (UN News Centre) Mar 23 2014 – Seeking to increase awareness among young people about climate change and mobilize them as champions for action, the United Nations is marking this year’s World Meteorological Day with a call for more young people — especially women — to become meteorologists, a profession which makes a […]

25 Mar, 2014

How the US dream of world supremacy was buried in Crimea

The main thing to understand about the US foreign policy is that it is basically run by people who have no experience or even understanding of diplomacy and its purposes. It’s not only Mrs Nuland and her famous “fuck the EU!” – it’s also Kerry and his constant lies and zig-zags, it is Mrs Rice […]

25 Mar, 2014

Chinese become world’s top tipplers of red wine

=========

LONDON, (Agencies) 2014-01-29 – China has overtaken France and Italy to become the world’s number one consumer of red wine, although the United States remains the world’s biggest tippler of all types of wines, the wine and spirits trade association VINEXPO said on Tuesday. China drank 1.865 billion bottles of red wine last year, or […]

25 Mar, 2014

China identifies six major uncertainties facing global economy

By Dong Guanyang, Chinanews.com

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) March 24, 2014 – The global economy in 2014 is fraught with six major uncertainties, said Zhu Guangyao, Vice Minister of Finance, when delivering a speech at the “2014 Global Economic Outlook” session of the “China Development Forum 2014” in Beijing, March 22, 2014. These six uncertainties are : The Fed’s […]

24 Mar, 2014

Western hypocrisy: Crimea and Israeli War Crimes – Al Jazeera

by Vacy Vlazna The West hits Russia with sanctions for annexing Crimea, but it has yet to punish Israel for war crimes in Palestine. Dr Vacy Vlazna is Coordinator of Justice for Palestine Matters. She was also a convenor of Australia East Timor Association and coordinator of the East Timor Justice Lobby as well as serving […]

24 Mar, 2014

Electronic Warfare Technology Could Explain Disappearance of Malaysian Airliner

Renowned government cover-up expert Richard Dolan shared fresh ideas in a GaiamTV.com interview this week about a possible clue to explaining the March 8 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370. Dolan says 20 electronic warfare experts were among the 239 passengers and crew members aboard the plane that disappeared from radar 45 minutes after takeoff […]

24 Mar, 2014

Reconstruction of World Heritage mausoleums starts in Timbuktu

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 24 March 2014 (23 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in Malaysia […]

24 Mar, 2014

German parliament confirms NSA inquiry to start in April – Deutsche Welle

Germany’s four major parties have unanimously approved a parliamentary inquiry into surveillance by the NSA. A German newspaper reported that whistleblower Edward Snowden, currently in Russia, may testify via Skype. No parliamentarian voted against the establishment of a special Bundestag committee investigating the global spying activities of the National Security Agency NSA in the US […]

23 Mar, 2014

Dry bars – is England sobering up? – The Guardian

Alcohol is omnipresent,” says Catherine Salway, handing me something called a Beetroot Coco-tini. “You can’t even go to the cinema now without considering having a glass of wine. But I thought: ‘There’s a way to cut through that, and do the opposite.’” Salway is 40, and the founder of a new “gastrobar” called Redemption, located […]

23 Mar, 2014

Another stolen generation: How Australia still wrecks Aboriginal families – John Pilger, The Guardian

The tape is searing. There is the voice of an infant screaming as he is wrenched from his mother, who pleads, “There is nothing wrong with my baby. Why are you doing this to us? I would’ve been hung years ago, wouldn’t I? Because [as an Aboriginal Australian] you’re guilty before you’re found innocent.” The […]

23 Mar, 2014

Will the real America please stand up? – Arab News

By Aijaz Zaka Syed There is a little America in all of us. And we all love and admire in various degrees what America ostensibly stands for or once stood for: Democracy, freedom, civil liberties, freedom of speech and action and a celebration of individualism and doing your own thing. If you are born with […]

22 Mar, 2014

Obama launches online poll to gauge public concerns on privacy vs big data

Imtiaz Muqbil

For the first time, the Obama administration has launched online opinion poll to gather public views on the “complicated issue” of balancing privacy, security and trust. The simple five-question survey first probes the level of trust respondents have in those who maintain “big data” records and queries their level of concern about how that data […]

21 Mar, 2014

Lessons from the Ukraine crisis: How Many Wars Does the West Seek to Wage?

By Wang Yiwei

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) March 19, 2014 – Ukraine has become the final battlefield in the “cold war”, and it is becoming a possibility that the crisis will trigger a second “cold war”. The Crimean parliament’s declaration of independence from Ukraine ahead of the March 16 referendum indicates that Crimea may go ahead and join […]

21 Mar, 2014

How three major political players in India are using social media – The Hindu

In India, the mass social media revolution is being led by politicians who have grasped the medium and are now utilising it. Narendra Modi enters this election with a first-mover advantage and over three million twitter followers. Arvind Kejriwal is a social media wonder who has successfully used the medium for fund raising and increasing […]

20 Mar, 2014

US tech giants knew of NSA data collection, agency’s top lawyer insists – The Guardian

The senior lawyer for the National Security Agency stated unequivocally on Wednesday that US technology companies were fully aware of the surveillance agency’s widespread collection of data, contradicting months of angry denials from the firms. Rajesh De, the NSA general counsel, said all communications content and associated metadata harvested by the NSA under a 2008 […]

20 Mar, 2014

Australian Minister lists full range of measures to balance facilitation <> security interests

Scott Morrison MP, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection

Full text of speech delivered at the Tourism and Transport Forum leadership summit in Canberra, 19 March 2014 I would like to acknowledge the presence of The Hon Bruce Baird AM, Chairman of TTF, Ken Morrison, CEO of TTF and Trent Zimmerman, Deputy CEO of TFF and thank them for their invitation to speak to […]

19 Mar, 2014

“Keeping the Lid on the Lie”: Growing Influence of the 9/11 Truth Movement

It is impossible to keep the lid on a lie forever – especially a major deception carried out in full view of witnesses and cameras. The last article in the Media Response series was published in February 2010, when public broadcasters in eight countries were reporting doubts about the official 9/11 story, and nine corporate […]

19 Mar, 2014

Why parents should embrace date nights | The Guardian

Welcome to child-centric family life where time alone has all but vanished. Adult recreation – supper, a glass of wine and Newsnight – now merges amorphously with last-minute maths revision, packing sports kits and urging children to get ready for bed – a ritual they are true masters at protracting. Couples therapists would say parents […]

19 Mar, 2014

Martin Amis: Money has finally defeated British obsession with social class – The Independent

An American-style pursuit of wealth has finally defeated the British obsession with social class, the author Martin Amis has claimed. Sending a child to Eton College was once a class statement. But now it is a display of mere spending power, the novelist argues in a BBC4 documentary, Martin Amis’s England. Amis, who moved to […]

19 Mar, 2014

Saudi Arabia to invest $750 mn in Indian infrastructure – Hindustan Times

In what will channelise investments from oil-rich Saudi Arabia into India’s infrastructure sector, India and Saudi Arabia have formalised the structuring of the $750-million (about Rs. 4,650-crore) India-Saudi Investment Fund that was announced during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Riyadh in 2010. The infrastructure sector requires an estimated $1 trillion (or Rs. 62 lakh […]

19 Mar, 2014

Israelis restrict Muslim entry to Al Aqsa mosque – GulfNews.com

Ramallah: The Israeli occupation’s security authorities have been banning Palestinians from entering the Al Aqsa Holy compound in the mornings. The move restricts access to Muslim worshippers and students who study at the compound, also known as Al Haram Al Sharif. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the Israeli move. While Palestinians have […]

19 Mar, 2014

Airlines use technology to keep tabs on you | GulfNews.com

London: As the door of his limousine opened outside Virgin Atlantic’s business class lounge at Heathrow Airport one recent afternoon, Declan Jones was startled to be greeted by more than just a smiling face. Kenneth Charles, a Virgin customer service agent, picked up Jones’ suitcase and peered at him through a Google Glass headset, which […]

19 Mar, 2014

As confidence in Thai tourism resumes, major hotel conf returns to Bangkok

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – A major hotel industry conference in Bangkok that came dangerously close to being moved to Phuket has now been reconfirmed for the Thai capital following the return to normalcy and the scaling down of anti-government protests. The move will further boost confidence for the MICE sector, which was one of the worst hit […]

19 Mar, 2014

Leaked File Details U.S. Phone Monitoring Abroad – NYTimes.com

The National Security Agency is recording all telephone calls and their routing data in one foreign country and retaining that information for a month so that it can be analyzed later, according to a report based on a top secret intelligence document. Similar but less comprehensive efforts exist in at least four other foreign countries, […]

19 Mar, 2014

Did you catch your bad mood from Facebook? – Hindustan Times

Can you “catch a mood” from spending time on social media? Researchers from the University of California, San Diego believe so. Their study, published in PLOS ONE, analysed over a billion anonymised status updates from more than 100 million Facebook users located in major US cities. It took place over 1,180 days, between January 2009 […]

19 Mar, 2014

Glare from world’s biggest solar power plant is blinding pilots in-flight – Quartz

Airplane pilots reported that they were blinded by the intense sunlight reflecting off some of the 340,000 mirrors at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System on the California-Nevada border. Yet six months elapsed before their reports reached the regulator that oversees the plant, which is located near the Las Vegas airport. The mirrors, called heliostats, […]

18 Mar, 2014

BJP: Fascism in the garb of patriotism – Seema Sengupta – Arab News

Politics over appropriation of patriotism is going on in full swing in India, currently gripped by high election fever. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh and the controversial retired Army Gen. VK Singh have bombarded the Union government recently for failing to address the legitimate concerns of the armed forces. Gen. Singh, […]

18 Mar, 2014

Guardian editor receives European Press award for Edward Snowden story

Alan Rusbridger, the editor in chief of the Guardian, has been honoured at the European Press awards for leading the team which masterminded a series of remarkable disclosures from the files leaked by the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. The Guardian was given “The Special Award” by judges at the European Press Prize – Europe’s equivalent […]

18 Mar, 2014

As massive travel shift looms, Asia, Africa, Latin America set to gain big-time from Ukraine crisis

Imtiaz Muqbil

The geopolitical confrontation between Russia and the United States / Europe over Ukraine is almost certain to generate a significant boost for Latin America, Asia and Africa as both European and Russian travellers shift towards destinations where they may feel more welcome. Good geopolitical relations between countries are the bedrock of travel & tourism flows, […]

18 Mar, 2014

Australian Insider trading laws in spotlight again – Sydney Morning Herald

The startling ramp-up in Leighton Holdings’ share price last week – ahead of Hochtief’s takeover move on Monday – is just the latest in a series of events that have sparked questions about the enforcement and strength of Australia’s insider trading laws. Last month, the corporate regulator was questioned for not taking action after two […]

17 Mar, 2014

Chris Hedges: Israel’s War on American Universities – Truthdig

The banning of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Northeastern University in Boston on March 7, along with a university threat of disciplinary measures against some of its members, replicates sanctions being imposed against numerous student Palestinian rights groups across the country. The attacks, and the disturbingly similar forms of punishment, appear to be […]

17 Mar, 2014

German tour operator reports major Iran tourist boom

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 17 March 2014 (16 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in […]

16 Mar, 2014

Gallup Polls: In U.S., Most Do Not See Global Warming as Serious Threat

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ — March 13, 2014 — Gallup Polls — The majority of Americans continue to believe that the effects of global warming are happening or will begin to happen during their lifetimes. At the same time, many fewer, currently 36%, believe global warming will pose a serious threat to their way of life during their […]

16 Mar, 2014

Role of anti-gay U.S. evangelicals exposed in Uganda – The Independent

Last month, the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni finally signed his country’s controversial anti-gay bill into law, outlawing homosexuality and threatening offenders with up to 14 years in prison. Mr Museveni claimed the measure was “provoked by arrogant and careless western groups that are fond of coming into our schools and recruiting young children into homosexuality.” […]

16 Mar, 2014

Excess weight blamed for eighth of UK hospital admissions for women over 50 – The Guardian

One in eight admissions to hospital of women over 50 are caused by overweight and obesity, according to research that highlights toll our modern lifestyles are taking of the NHS. The figures come from the biggest health research project in the UK, which found that obesity-related diseases and ill-health in women were responsible for 2m […]

16 Mar, 2014

Egypt sees 28% drop in tourism in Jan/Feb 2014 – Ahram Online

The number of tourists visiting Egypt in the first two months of 2014 has dropped 28 percent to 1.3 million in comparison to January and February 2013. The majority of the decline in visits is attributed to Middle Eastern countries, specifically Syria, Libya and Bahrain. Visits from Arab countries fell 58 percent, mostly depicting an […]

16 Mar, 2014

Kejriwal: Media has no guts to expose Modi’s Gujarat – Hindustan Times

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday the media has no guts to expose the darker side of Gujarat under the leadership of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. “Has media guts to expose Modi? They are only repeating all the lies he tells in campaign speeches about the so-called development in […]

16 Mar, 2014

How many times must the Palestinians recognize Israel? – Hussein Ibish| Haaretz

Many commentators, including this author, have carefully picked apart the myriad problems involved with Israel’s new demand that the Palestinians formally recognize it as a “Jewish state.” But at least one of its most problematic aspects has been significantly under-examined and underappreciated. The new demand negates, both in effect and intention, the greatest of Palestinian […]

16 Mar, 2014

Will Crimean tourism survive? – English pravda.ru

Political instability in Crimea can scare away all the tourists who annually vacation in the autonomy. Holiday season is approaching fast, but the number of tourists in Crimea this year may fall by nearly 30 percent. Koktebel, Evpatoria, Yalta and other resorts may lose both Russian and Ukrainian tourists. How will the referendum change the […]

15 Mar, 2014

Veteran Indian actor calls for ban on anti-Pakistan, anti-India films – ANN

Veteran Indian film artiste Om Puri has demanded a ban on films produced by India or Pakistan which carry venom against each other. Puri was addressing a crowded press conference with Indian actress Divya Dutta at a local hotel on Wednesday. Asked whether he would accept any film offer from Pakistan, he replied in the […]

15 Mar, 2014

Zuckerberg tells Obama: Facebook slams US spying | The Australian

FACEBOOK chief Mark Zuckerberg yesterday said he had called US President Barack Obama to complain that the US government was undermining confidence in the internet with vast, secret surveillance programs. In a post on his own Facebook page, the founder of the huge social network expressed anger towards Washington, in what appeared to be a […]

14 Mar, 2014

Something Very Wrong with Official Story About Boston Bombings | Alternet

An exclusive WhoWhatWhy investigation has found serious factual inconsistencies in accounts provided by the only witness to the alleged confession of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. Why does this matter? Because this witness is the sole source for the entire publicly accepted narrative of who was behind the bombing and its aftermath—and why these events […]

14 Mar, 2014

55 Things About America You May Not Know | InvestmentWatch

Is America the greatest nation on the planet? Before you answer that question, you might want to check out the statistics in this article first. The reality is that the United States is in a deep state of decline, and it is getting harder to deny that fact with each passing day. Mentally, emotionally, physically, […]

14 Mar, 2014

How palm oil could kill orangutans – The Hindu

Greenpeace has spent the last few years furiously campaigning against Indonesia’s palm oil companies, which have been the main drivers of massive deforestation across the once-thickly forested archipelago. The NGO is currently investigating linkages between the global consumer goods giant, Proctor and Gamble, and companies in its palm oil supply chain that are still involved […]

12 Mar, 2014

Arvind Kejriwal’s right fight – Vidya Subrahmaniam – The Hindu

With his decision to go gale speed at Mr. Narendra Modi, the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, has buried his own ambiguous past, and, in a first for any anti-corruption campaign, chosen to fight the “right” rather than fight on the same side as the “right.” All of India’s anti-corruption mobilisations […]

12 Mar, 2014

Modi win will worsen communal mayhem, crony capitalism and mega-corruption – Sitaram Yechury – Hindustan Times

Recollect Steven Spielberg’s hallmark film Schindler’s List. While the businessman protagonist leveraged his support to the fascist regime to prepare a list of Jews and save them from Hitler’s horrendous concentration camps and certain death, he justifies his support saying, “war is the best time for business”. Notwithstanding occasional humanitarian expressions like this, at the […]

11 Mar, 2014

Four in 10 wealthy Americans “don’t feel good about the money they have to spend”

by Andrew Dugan

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7 2014) Gallup Polls — While Americans’ average daily self-reported spending increased in 2013, many Americans nonetheless expressed anxiety about how much money they had to spend. Less than half (45%) said they felt “pretty good” about it. Lower-income Americans were least likely to feel good about their amount of disposable income, […]

11 Mar, 2014

UK Legoland hotel shuts over anti-Muslim threats | The Jakarta Post

Legoland in Britain will close its hotel this weekend after far-right extremists made threats against the theme park for agreeing to host a Muslim family fun day. The resort had been hired out by the Muslim Research and Development Foundation, and 1,000 Muslim families were due to attend. Legoland canceled the private event last week […]

11 Mar, 2014

Schools must teach students emotional resilience: Australian study

An alarming snapshot of the mental health of high school students has found one in three girls and a quarter of boys are depressed, with many turning to violence, alcohol and unwanted sex to cope with problems. The study of almost 4500 year 7 to 12 students, also revealed that 34 per cent of girls […]

11 Mar, 2014

Palestinian hotel at heart of legal battle – Al Jazeera Blogs

The Ayyads’ fight for Cliff Hotel is existential, literally. Ali Ayyad and his siblings have been battling in Israeli courts for over a decade to reclaim the property that’s been in the family for generations. Originally the family’s residence, the four-storey building overlooking occupied East Jerusalem was established in 1953. Turned into a hotel in […]

11 Mar, 2014

Narendra Modi’s turf flops on education, health – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: One key issue in the upcoming general elections is state governments’ track record, with Gujarat receiving the most attention because it is BJP PM designate Narendra Modi’s biggest publicity plank. Gujarat’s economic growth, its prosperity and its efficient administration are being showcased across the country. A closer look at two important aspects of […]

11 Mar, 2014

Cashed-up Chinese are pricing the young out of the Australian property market

We need the Chinese. But the growth of the Chinese middle class has been so explosive, and on such a scale, that it has the capacity to affect Australia in ways that will need to be controlled if some trends continue to accelerate. Notably home buying. There has never been a lower percentage of first-home […]

11 Mar, 2014

Do politicians think we’re fools? – Karan Thapar – Hindustan Times

‘Do politicians think we’re fools?’ It was an odd question but then I’m used to Pertie springing surprises. This, however, was exceptional. “What’s prompted that question?” I felt I had to first understand his thinking. “Just look at what the government tried to do. Having failed to use Parliament effectively for five years they now […]

10 Mar, 2014

Australia’s First Islamic Museum Opens

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 10 March 2014 (09 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in […]

10 Mar, 2014

Islamophobic Hate Groups Become More Prominent in Germany – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Stachus is one of Munich’s nicest squares. It is rich in tradition and filled with pedestrians — and perfect for Michael Stürzenberger’s purposes. Hand balled into a fist, he paces back and forth and screams, “The Koran is the most dangerous book in the world.” Because a couple dozen people have come to demonstrate against […]

9 Mar, 2014

Australian supermarket chain reveals customers’ data is shared with third parties overseas – Sydney Morning Herald

Customers using the Coles Flybuys card or online shopping service are having their personal details sent to up to 30 other companies owned by the same corporation and to third parties in at least 23 other countries. Last week, Coles unveiled plans to invest $1.1 billion over the next three years building 70 new supermarkets […]

9 Mar, 2014

Italian campaigners call for housewives to be paid a salary | theguardian.com

If you happen to be one of the stars of the reality television franchise The Real Housewives, you can expect to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars as payment for every season of dirty laundry washed in public. If, however, you are an actual housewife and your daily chores are done quietly behind closed doors, […]

9 Mar, 2014

Has the NSA’s mass spying made life easier for digital criminals? – theguardian.com

Thousands of the world’s security professionals, most of them middle-aged white males, gathered in San Francisco last week for the annual RSA Conference. Traditionally, it’s the time of year vendors hawk their gear in halls containing a perturbing whiff of ammonia, research announcements provide relief from the festival of commerce, and government mandarins hobnob with […]

9 Mar, 2014

Xinhua Commentary: The West’s fiasco in Ukraine

by Xinhua writer Ming Jinwei

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — For a brief moment, Western leaders might have stopped to congratulate themselves for their “accomplishments” in Ukraine. With their backing, Ukrainian opposition protesters successfully toppled the pro-Russian government, forcing out the president they loathe and dealing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin. The West might have scored a major victory […]

9 Mar, 2014

How Governments Track “Targets”, Which Could Include YOU | American Civil Liberties Union

Most governments don’t have the resources to manufacture the surveillance technology that’s required to hack into the computers of unsuspecting citizens. In recent years, surveillance software firms have stepped in to fill that gap, proliferating into what has become a $5 billion industry. In the TED talk below, ACLU Principal Technologist Chris Soghoian discusses the […]

9 Mar, 2014

Stern Israeli airport security measures questioned – The Times of India

While standing in long lines, walking through scanners and removing belts and shoes are a fact of post-Sept. 11 travel worldwide, Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport seems to stand alone in the developed world with its security techniques, often leaving travelers dumbfounded. Though Israel denies profiling travelers, business executives, journalists and especially Arabs and visitors to Palestinian […]

9 Mar, 2014

Irish student union endorses Israel boycott | Haaretz

A motion supporting a blanket boycott of Israel was passed by students of the National University of Ireland on Thursday . The referendum results at the NUI Galway Students Union make it the first student body in Ireland to endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, campaign against Israel, according to the local news […]

8 Mar, 2014

Emerging Indian leader trashes “Gujarat growth model” myths – Hindustan Times

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attacked BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s Gujarat model of development, claiming it is “overhyped” as he has seen “crumbling” infrastructure and “poor” healthcare facilities in the BJP-ruled state. Addressing the India Today Conclave, he claimed that during his visit he found that talk of all-round development is not […]

8 Mar, 2014

How to save the US – Simon Kuper – FT.com

It’s time to save America. The solution is obvious. The US needs to model itself on its most sanctified institution: the military. I speak from experience. In 2007 and 2008 I spent time on a US military base in a southern state, giving seminars to officers. Being a typical pinko anti-war European, I’d expected to […]

7 Mar, 2014

The full truth of UK police incompetence and corruption – The Independent

Had he lived, Stephen Lawrence would have been celebrating his 40th birthday this year. We do not know how his promising life would have turned out, but we do know that the decades since his murder have been a bleak, bleak tale of official incompetence interrupted only by the taint of corruption and racism. What […]

7 Mar, 2014

AIPAC, the Kremlin of U.S. Jewry – Gideon Levy | Haaretz

Like at similar conventions held in Romania by Nicolae Ceausescu, all they do is praise the great leader. Welcome to Bucharest in Washington, to the Kremlin of American Jewry, behold the yearly AIPAC conference. Only here can Netanyahu use his old tricks and gimmicks and be met with a full auditorium on its feet. “I […]

6 Mar, 2014

Chris Hedges: Suffering? Well, You Deserve It – Truthdig

OXFORD, England—The morning after my Feb. 20 debate at the Oxford Union, I walked from my hotel along Oxford’s narrow cobblestone streets, past its storied colleges with resplendent lawns and Gothic stone spires, to meet Avner Offer, an economic historian and Chichele Professor Emeritus of Economic History. Offer, the author of “The Challenge of Affluence: […]

6 Mar, 2014

PressTV – US denies senior Israeli officials entrance visas

The United States has refused to issue entrance visas to senior Israeli officers and agents, according to an Israeli newspaper. Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed on Tuesday that senior Israeli security personnel, including Mossad and Shabak officers, have been denied an entrance visa to the US. According to the report, in the past 12 months there […]

6 Mar, 2014

Europe sets new standards to monitor bankers’ pay and risk profiles

=========

Brussels, 4 March 2014, European Commission Press release – The European Commission has today adopted Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on criteria to identify categories of staff whose professional activities have a material impact on an institution’s risk profile (so-called ‘material risk takers’). These standards identify risk takers in banks and investment firms. This matters because […]

6 Mar, 2014

FREE Download: IPK reports record global tourism in 2013, more to come in 2014

=========

Berlin; March 5, 2014 (IPK International media release) – Spirits were upbeat in most global tourism destinations in 2013. Great numbers of new jobs were created and figures on pending tourism investments are high. Hence, again in 2013, tourism has proven to be one of the main growth drivers in an otherwise somewhat languishing world […]

6 Mar, 2014

First EU survey shows shocking level of violence, harassment directed at women

=========

Vienna / Brussels, 05/03/2014 – A new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presents results from the world’s biggest-ever survey on violence against women, revealing the extent of abuse suffered by women at home, work, in public and online. As well as demonstrating the wide prevalence of violence against adult women, […]

5 Mar, 2014

Transition: Ram Kohli, the man who shook up PATA

=========

Mr Ram Kohli, Chairman & Founder of Creative Travel India, passed away in the early hours of March 4, after suffering two major cardiac arrests from non-related procedures at a hospital. He is to be cremated on Wednesday March 5. In a message to their friends and colleagues worldwide, his sons Rajeev and Rohit said: […]