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4 Oct, 2011

Another 9/11 That Changed the World — But In a Non-Violent Way

Mrs Nagma Malik, Charge d'Affaires, Indian Embassy, Bangkok

On the 11th of September 1906, a young lawyer, dissatisfied with the idea of mere passive resistance, unveiled the concept of ‘Satyagraha’ in Johannesburg, South Africa. The young Gandhi described satyagraha as ‘a force which is born of truth and love of non-violence”. For him, it was the end of a quest for a moral equivalent of war.

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4 Oct, 2011

How sleep can save your life – The Independent

Sleeping well is vital for physical, mental and emotional health. But there has been a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take, with research showing that at any one time, one person in five feels unusually tired and one in ten has prolonged fatigue. “Sleep is nature’s way of providing us with […]

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4 Oct, 2011

Why protecting the world’s wildlife is good for our wallets – The Independent

A new world body on wildlife and ecosystems protection being set up by the UN must avoid blaming developing nations, where most of the world’s biodiversity loss is occurring, says a top British scientist. Overconsumption by rich western nations is as big a driver of global environmental degradation as the rapidly growing populations of developing […]

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4 Oct, 2011

Bloggers say Arab Spring has gone global – Africa – Al Jazeera English

TUNIS, Tunisia – New forms of activism that have evolved in the Arab world in 2011 are being picked up by activists in the West, speakers at the Third Arab Bloggers’ Meeting have affirmed. The meeting is the first since the uprisings began, and brings some of the most prominent bloggers in the region together […]

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4 Oct, 2011

Waking up from the American Dream – DAWN.COM

Ronald Reagan’s slogan in his 1984 reelection campaign was “Morning in America.” Looking back at that moment from this distance, it feels as if it’s been downhill ever since. Having found my voice and vocation as a traveling writer who tries to listen patiently and compassionately to ordinary people in countries that are anything but […]

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3 Oct, 2011

Senior PLO Official Saeb Erekat Says US Cannot “Blackmail” Palestine Over UN Bid

“Everyone who believes in the two-state solution should support (the UN bid), as preserving peace should come through accepting Palestine as a member of the UN,” the former chief Palestinian negotiator told a press conference. Palestinians’ right to self determination is “non-negotiable,” he said, slamming US pressure via financial sanctions. The UK newspaper The Independent […]

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3 Oct, 2011

Palestine accuses US of delaying UN bid – chinadaily.com.cn

Reyad al-Malki, the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) foreign minister, told the “Voice of Palestine” radio that the US administration “is following the principle of procrastination and postponement in dealing with our bid in the Security Council.” On September 23, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted the request for full membership of a Palestinian state in the […]

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3 Oct, 2011

International community should help Palestinians and peace | Jordan Times

Instead of halting settlement construction, Israel has announced plans to add another 1,100 homes to the settlement of Gilo in occupied East Jerusalem. The announcement laid bare Israel’s real intentions. The European Union and the United States have condemned the Gilo project. China, Egypt, Russia and other major powers have added their voices to the […]

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3 Oct, 2011

Rich people are being ‘demonized’ for flaunting their wealth. Poor dears! – The Washington Post

        Admirers of the rich, led by pundits and politicians on the right — from Laura Ingraham to Larry Kudlow — have long derided the victimization claims of African Americans, women, gays and the unemployed, but now they’re raising their voices to defend the rich against what they see as an ugly […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Rise in people seeking food handouts – The Independent

Britain has seen a sharp rise in the number of people receiving food handouts, according to a charity. FareShare, which redistributes surplus food from major manufacturers and supermarkets to social care charities, said its donations now go to 35,000 people a day, an increase from 29,000 last year. It follows the largest ever yearly rise […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Invasion of the body scanners – Comment is free – The Observer

We seem to have swallowed the security nightmare of airports without much fuss. Someone uttered the magic words “international terrorism” and we accepted (in traditional British manner: grumbling passivity) that we must now queue for several hours, remove shoes and belts, pick up a few verrucas from the airport floor, submit to any indignity suggested […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Grand Opening of Ayurvedic Wellness Center in Merrifield

Ayurveda, the 5000 year old healing science from India, provides knowledge and tools for cleansing, healing, and balancing the mind, body and soul. Apurva Wellness Center, founded on the the holistic wellness philosophies of yoga and ayurveda, announces the grand opening of its first center in the Merrifield area. The center offers a wide range […]

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2 Oct, 2011

India’s Largest Social Network SMS GupShup Expands Leadership Team, Adds New Locations, Multiplies Reach

SMS GupShup now has over 50 million users, outpacing both Twitter and Facebook in India. To meet the demands of its growing audience, GupShup has doubled its in-house staff this year, going from 100 employees in 2010 to 200 this year. The majority of SMS GupShup employees come from premium engineering and business institutes like […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Zabasearch.com Cautions Citizens to be Careful of ‘Travelers’ and ‘Criminal Gypsies’

Zabasearch.com, a leading online public records and people search engine, wishes to alert and educate consumers about roving bands of criminals called ‘Travelers’ or ‘Criminal Gypsies’. According to a recent article from The Chicago Sun-Times, these door-to-door scam artists roam around the country in large groups, living together in roving bands that proudly make a […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Sexual health misconceptions among young Australians

Young Aussies are unaware of important sexual health facts and it’s putting them at risk, according to results from the Bupa Sexual Health Survey 2011* released last month. The survey of 18-35 year old Australians has revealed a series of myths and misconceptions regarding sexual health, highlighting the need for young Australians to stay up […]

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2 Oct, 2011

Heathrow Losing Asian Flight Links To Paris, Frankfurt, Research Shows

London’s Heathrow airport is losing is European hub status to Frankfurt and Paris will need to boost connections with cities in Asia and numerous other “emerging market” cities if it hopes to narrow the gap, according to an economic research paper published on September 30.

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1 Oct, 2011

Global Youth Campaign to Make Rio+20 a Green Economy Hit

Bandung, 1 October 2011 (UN Environment Programme) – While some UN conferences can become over-preoccupied with commas and square brackets, young people from across the globe today underlined their singular and committed preoccupation–action to save and fast track a future for planet Earth.

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1 Oct, 2011

Prison Planet.com » 12 Signs That Americans Who Love Liberty And Freedom Should Watch Their Backs

Just like the rest of the western world, America is being transformed into a “Big Brother” police state control grid. Nearly everything that you do is being watched and monitored. A whole host of organizations know that you are on this website right now. If you want to go to an NFL game next weekend, […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Libya and the Big Lie: Using Human Rights Organizations to Launch Wars

The claims of the Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR) were never supported or verified. The credibility of the United Nations must be questioned as well as the credibility of many humanitarian and human rights organizations that have virtually pushed for a war. At best the U.N. Security Council is an irresponsible body, but it […]

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1 Oct, 2011

American Awakening Cometh: US Steelworkers Support the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Protest Movement

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America‘s largest industrial union with 1.2 million active and retired members, today issued the following statement in support of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement:

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1 Oct, 2011

Hollywood Film Awards Gives Back

In addition to celebrating accomplishments on screen, the Hollywood Film Awards established the “Hollywood Gives Back” program to expand and continue highlighting and assisting important local and national charities to fundraise. Over the years, the Hollywood Film Awards has contributed to such charities as: The Art of Elysium; Artists For Human Rights; Artists for Peace […]

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1 Oct, 2011

The Strong Woman’s Approach to Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Managing RA: The Strong Woman’s Approach, is an online resource designed to educate and empower women living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), launched today at HealthyWomen.org. There are 1.3 million Americans living with RA, and women are two to three times more likely to develop the disease than men. Managing RA: The Strong Woman’s Approach provides […]

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1 Oct, 2011

AJC Applauds Canadian Foreign Minister’s Support for Israel at UN

The foreign minister reiterated Canada’s firm opposition to the Palestinian bid for UN recognition of statehood without first reaching an agreement with Israel. “Our government’s position has been clear. The only solution to this issue is one that is negotiated by the parties themselves,” said Baird. AJC Executive Director David Harris, who, together with an […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Leading Palestinian IT Outsourcing Company ASAL Joins Cisco-Sponsored Delegation to USA

ASAL Technologies is the largest ICT company in Palestine and a premiere software solutions provider. ASAL’s clients include a large number of local, regional and international companies such as Cisco Systems, Intel, Volvo and Mellanox. “The Quality of the work is high and good relationships have been formed between or R&D team and ASAL’s team. […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Australian activists put Palestine travel ban on trial – The Electronic Intifada

They had no trouble boarding an Aegean Air flight from Athens which arrived at Ben Gurion Airport at 4:30am on Monday, 11 July. “I think we took them totally by surprise,” says Hale. “When they said, ‘What is the purpose of your visit to Israel?’ And we said ‘We don’t want to visit Israel, we […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Holiday to be boon for places overseas – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – Even as some travel destinations struggle to attract tourists, flocks of Chinese are expected to go overseas during the National Day holiday, according to the country’s top tourism think tank. The China Tourism Academy, a research institute, forecasts that 2.2 million Chinese tourists will travel overseas during the weeklong holiday that starts on […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Full-blown economic crisis unlikely in China – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – A global recession could be the biggest risk facing China, but a full-blown economic crisis is unlikely, given the nation’s relatively healthy balance sheets, said Huang Yiping, chief economist of emerging Asia at Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of Barclays PLC, on Thursday. “A global economic recession could cause a hard landing […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Study: Israeli Occupation Costs Palestinian Economy $7 Billion

BETHLEHEM, Sept 30 (NNN-Ma’an) — A Palestinian Authority ministry and national research institute released a joint study Thursday which estimates that the Israeli occupation cost the Palestinian economy around $7 billion in 2010. “Without the occupation, the Palestinian economy would be almost twice as large as it is today,” the PA Ministry of National Economy […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Social network websites ‘pose a challenge’ – People’s Daily Online

Networks such as Facebook and Twitter pose new problems for social management, Wang Chen, minister of the State Internet Information Office, said in a keynote speech at the 4th UK-China Internet Roundtable. “Many people are considering how to prevent the abuse of these networks following violent crimes that took place in some parts of the […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Covert agreements with US be made public — DAWN.COM

ISLAMABAD: PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif asked the government on Friday to disclose terms of engagement with the United States under which the so-called war on terror was being fought. He said at a press conference that the nation had the right to be informed about the covert agreements. According to official estimates, he said, […]

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1 Oct, 2011

Anti-US protests in Pakistan follow defiant declaration – DAWN.COM

Charges by a top US general that Pakistan’s spy agency had supported this month’s attack on the US mission in Kabul has added to anti-American sentiment in a country where a poll in June showed that almost two-thirds of the population considered the United States an enemy. “The prevailing view in Pakistan is that because […]

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1 Oct, 2011

America’s Dangerous Game at the UN

An American veto would be neither a big deal nor a bad thing. It would unequivocally confirm the sad and humiliating reality, now almost universally recognized, that the United States of America is enslaved to Israel, paying tribute and taking orders. By doing so, an American veto would definitively disqualify the United States from playing […]

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30 Sep, 2011

International star Natacha Atlas announces Israel boycott – The Electronic Intifada

International singer and songwriter Natacha Atlas has announced publicly that she is canceling a planned concert in Israel and will boycott the country “until this systemised apartheid is abolished once and for all.” In a statement on her official Facebook page, Atlas wrote: Read the rest International star Natacha Atlas announces Israel boycott | The […]

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30 Sep, 2011

Palestinian olive trees destroyed in West Bank attack – Jordan Times

HEBRON, Palestinian Territories (AFP) – Dozens of Palestinian olive trees were destroyed in an attack near the city of Hebron, local residents said on Thursday, calling it an act of revenge carried out by Israeli settlers. The Israeli military confirmed that “about 40” trees were burnt and uprooted in the village of Shuweikeh, south of […]

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30 Sep, 2011

Census count finds decreasing white population in 15 states – The Washington Post

A Census Bureau analysis of the 2010 count showed that the number of non-Hispanic whites rose over the decade from 194.5 million to 197 million, but the 1.2 percent growth rate fell far short of the national increase of 9.7 percent. Non-Hispanic whites are now 64 percent of the population, down from 69 percent a […]

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30 Sep, 2011

US ‘threat’ unites Pakistan – DAWN.COM

US accusations that Pakistan is supporting Afghan insurgents have triggered a nationalist backlash and whipped up fears of an American invasion, drowning out any discussion over the army’s long use of jihadi groups as deadly proxies in the region. The reaction shows the problem facing the United States as it presses Pakistan for action: Strong […]

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30 Sep, 2011

Oil, Palestine and a Pathan cabbie | Opinion | DAWN.COM

Thousands of Pathans from Pakistan drive taxis in the Gulf states. They are mostly scrupulously honest and hardworking individuals. Unlike other expatriates from Asian countries who submit tamely to the occasional road rage of a brash petrodollar rich Arab youth, the hardy Pathans would offer stiff resistance. For this they were sent home occasionally only […]

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30 Sep, 2011

Tony Blair: Time to go? – Opinion – Al Jazeera English

There is always something for Tony in what Tony does, and nowadays he’s trying to renew his tenure as the International Quartet’s point man on Palestine. The Quartet, composed of the US, EU, UN and Russia, is supposedly responsible for making pace between Israel and the Palestinians. If I remember correctly, Blair negotiated his salary […]

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29 Sep, 2011

Juan Cole: Palestine Vote Showcases the Decline of American Power – Truthdig

The United States, castigated by its critics as recently as a decade ago as a “hyper-power,” is now so weak and isolated on the world stage that it may cast an embarrassing and self-defeating veto of Palestinian membership in the United Nations. Beset by debt, mired in economic doldrums provoked by the cupidity and corruption […]

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29 Sep, 2011

Michael Moore: Arrest Wall St. Bankers, Not Wall St. Protestors – AlterNet

MICHAEL MOORE: Well, it’s highly ironic that now over 100 of the protesters have been arrested and not a single banker, a CEO from Wall Street, anyone from corporate America — nobody, not one arrest of any of these people who brought down the economy in 2008. Who created schemes, financial schemes that not only […]

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29 Sep, 2011

100 Days of Solidarity to End the U.S. Occupation of Iraq | | AlterNet

Despite the fact that there is a Bush-era agreement with the Iraqi government to leave, despite the fact that the majority of Iraqis and Americans don’t support a continued U.S. presence, and despite the fact that Congress is supposedly in an all-out austerity mode, strong forces – including generals, war profiteers and hawks in both […]

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29 Sep, 2011

How Face Recognition and Digital Fingerprinting Are Creeping Into the U.S. Workplace | | AlterNet

FaceIN uses two cameras to map a worker’s face, converting the width of their cheekbones, depth of their eye sockets, nose shape, and other unique facial features into an ID code. Every day after that, workers punch in by standing in front of a machine that recognizes them after a two-second face scan. Unlike the […]

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29 Sep, 2011

Palestine in Criminal Court Triggers Western, Israeli Fears – IPS ipsnews.net

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 27, 2011 (IPS) – If Palestine fails to achieve full statehood recognition at the United Nations, the only other viable option is to get “enhanced” observer status with the 193-member General Assembly, the U.N.’s highest policy making body. But that proposed new status has already triggered Israeli and Western fears that Palestinians […]

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29 Sep, 2011

Palestinian Trade Union Chief: Exceptional Opportunities for Tourism

28 September 2011: The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) says that a free Palestine will thrive economically when it is rid of the Israeli occupation, and tourism will play a major role.

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29 Sep, 2011

Palestinian Call to Action: Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem

The following announcement has been issued by the Palestine Justice Network to support the pursuit of an independent Palestine, free of the Israeli occupation.

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29 Sep, 2011

Ecotourism Can Play Vital Role In Maintaining Healthy Forests

27 September, 2011, Rome (UN Food & Agriculture Organisation) – The continuing boom in ecotourism has the potential to save endangered forests or destroy them, depending on how effectively tourism expansion is managed, an international partnership for forest conservation and improvement cautioned today.

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29 Sep, 2011

Australia must learn about its neighbours or suffer 100 years of solitude

Despite this reliance on Asia, most Australians do not know that much about it, especially compared with the North Atlantic. We can name small US states and dank British towns. We know American movies are made in Hollywood and San Francisco’s Silicon Valley is home to some of the world’s biggest information technology firms. But […]

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29 Sep, 2011

Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’ – The Independent

Few are willing to discuss their fears openly because of the risks associated with criticising official policy in the authoritarian kingdom. And, with the exceptions of Turkey and Iran, fellow Muslim nations have largely held their tongues for fear of of a diplomatic fallout and restrictions on their citizens’ pilgrimage visas. Western archaeologists are silent […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Western debt crisis shows 10 contradictions – People’s Daily Online

Of the 10 contradictions above, the primary one is the contradiction between the super-high social welfare level and political system of the West. If the West does not solve the “ultra-democracy” issue of its political system and the “advocacy of super high social welfare” issue of its culture, the 10 contradictions will hardly be solved […]

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28 Sep, 2011

China needs caution in expanding economic presence in Europe – People’s Daily Online

China has to be cautious while expanding in Europe Emotionally, China is willing to give a hand to the European countries in difficulties. However, practically, China has to comprehensively consider many factors including the investment return, security, risk and national interests and therefore has be cautious while expanding in Europe. China certainly can buy some […]

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28 Sep, 2011

South Africa should support boycott of Israel – Al Jazeera English

South Africa has been cast into a situation where it has to choose between supporting a Palestinian proposal at the UN, or supporting the Israeli-US mafia which has been trying to intimidate states into opposing the Palestinian bid. For a country – and a ruling party – which have had good relations with the Palestinian […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Impact of Domestic Violence on Children and Families is Focus of New PR Campaign

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A new public awareness campaign debuts today in the Los Angeles area that targets children and families affected by Domestic Violence.  This campaign is a partnership between INOBTR and Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII), which supports CII’s Project ERIN (Emergency Response Intervention Network) program.  This campaign and program have […]

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28 Sep, 2011

“What’s Your Dream Job?” Asks a Recent Survey

  Overland Park, KS (PRWEB) September 27, 2011 — Nearly everyone has spent some time gazing out of their office window, or at their cubicle walls, daydreaming about their perfect job. Many respondents from a recent survey, conducted by Persuadable Research, painted a similar picture of the characteristics that their ideal job would include. The […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Boomers Greed Led To Global Financial Crisis

The most privileged, most profligate generation in human history – my generation, the baby boomers (most often defined as those born 1946 to 1964) – drove the world for the past decade to this moment of reckoning, running up a gigantic bill that has now come due. Responsibility for this bill lies mainly with the […]

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28 Sep, 2011

The fear factor is a mover and a shaker

IT’S not something economists emphasise. Indeed, they prefer not to think about it because it reminds them of the limits of their so-called science. But the peregrinations of the economy are as much about psychology – moods and feelings – as about tangible economic forces. When you view the economy from outside, what you see […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Hotels expect 50% drop / Survey predicts huge income losses for Fukushima properties : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE

Hotels and traditional inns in Fukushima Prefecture are expected to see their income drop by about 50 percent in the year following the March 11 disaster from the corresponding period in the previous year, according to a survey by an industry association. Following the outbreak of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Goldman Sachs rules the world: UK trader

“For most traders, we don’t really care that much how they’re going to fix the economy, how they’re going to fix the whole situation, our job is to make money from it,” he said. “Personally I’ve been dreaming of this moment for three years. I have a confession, which is I go to bed every […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Asian powers start key dialogue – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – China and India launched a Strategic Economic Dialogue on Monday in a sign that both Asian powers are seeking closer economic ties despite differences over issues such as South China Sea disputes. Analysts said that the dialogue will strengthen economic development and their sway over international affairs, such as the European sovereign debt […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Debate over GPS devices on suspects’ cars spurs ‘Big Brother’ concerns – Inside Bay Area

A legal case with implications that some say spring straight from the pages of George Orwell’s “1984” is headed to the Supreme Court in November, and its outcome could have a major effect on one of the Bay Area’s biggest murder cases in the past decade. Justices are being asked to decide whether law enforcement […]

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28 Sep, 2011

Working People Feel Betrayed

Sharan Burrow, Secretary-General, International Trade Union Congress. Comments to G20 Labour Ministers - 27th Sept 2011, Paris

The world is in the grip of the 2nd wave of the financial crisis and despite the promises of London and Pittsburgh the jobs and the income of working people are even more vulnerable. Likewise SME’s are more vulnerable and yet there is no coordinated will to act.

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27 Sep, 2011

Rules for a new world order – chinadaily.com.cn

the nature of the international system today is vastly different from what it was in the aftermath of the Cold War. China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other countries whose strong growth rates, sweeping internal economic transformations and considerable impact on global trade have elevated them as “emerging powers” have breached the walls of this […]

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27 Sep, 2011

BRICS could give crucial aid to debt-laden Europe – People’s Daily Online

The BRICS countries started cooperation amid doubts and concerns from the West and have established a sound consultation and cooperation mechanism among Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Westerners used to think that BRICS was just an unconventional term coined by Goldman Sachs. Certain Westerners must find it hard to believe that the BRICS […]

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27 Sep, 2011

Europe replaces US as new source of financial crisis – People’s Daily Online

The collapse of the dominos will be spread to the entire world through investment institutions. The investors who made losses in Europe will sell off their sound assets to offset the losses, resulting in price drops in other commodity and monetary markets, such as gold and oil. In a word, the global financial market has […]

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27 Sep, 2011

Disturbing, dangerous week at the UN | Jordan Times

With the US having lost its ability to lead and the Palestinian petition still to be considered, diplomats began scrambling to find a way forward. What followed was as pathetic as it was ironic. At stake was an effort to help the US avoid vetoing the Palestinian submission – since it was feared that a […]

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27 Sep, 2011

Inside the Wall Street Protests: An Eyewitness Account of Police Crackdown on Peaceful Demonstrators — AlterNet

This is the one-week-old occupation of Wall Street, located at Liberty Plaza Park. A group of protestors from the camp ventured outside the park and marched on Union Square Saturday morning, and around 100 of them were arrested. Police sprayed peaceful protestors in the face with pepper spray, threw them to the ground and assaulted […]

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27 Sep, 2011

World Tourism Day Essay: Visit Palestine, Support Peace

The outpouring of global support for an independent Palestinian state has opened a huge window of opportunity for the global travel & tourism industry to join the effort and help end one of the world’s longest and most controversial conflicts. One way would be to make every effort to visit Palestine and end the offensive, […]

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26 Sep, 2011

Rethinking the TSA: No Longer Accepting Police Repression in Exchange for Safety | Truthout

Everyone who travels by air in the United States has a depressing story to tell about airport screening. Media stories of a gravely ill 95-year-old grandmother forced to remove her adult diaper before being allowed on a plane and viral videos showing terrified children being intimately touched by TSA agents are more than depressing. They […]

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25 Sep, 2011

Americans Want Leaders to Follow Public’s Views More Closely

Seventy-seven percent of Americans in Gallup’s Sept. 8-11 survey say the nation would be better off if leaders followed public opinion more closely, about the same as in 2005 and 2001, and higher than the 67% who felt that way in 1975, when Gallup first asked the question. One in five Americans say the nation […]

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24 Sep, 2011

Majority Rates Obama Same or Worse Compared With Bush

Asked to compare Barack Obama with George W. Bush, Americans are more inclined to say Obama has been a better (43%) rather than a worse (34%) president, with 22% seeing no difference between the two. Obama compares much less favorably to Bill Clinton, with half saying Obama has been worse than Clinton and 12% saying […]

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24 Sep, 2011

Poll: 70% of Israelis say Israel Should Accept Palestinian State

Israel should accept the decision if the UN recognizes a Palestinian state, about 70 percent of Israelis answered in a recent Hebrew University poll. The poll, which was conducted jointly by the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Center for Policy and […]

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24 Sep, 2011

9-11 Cop Breaks Silence | American Free Press

The New Jersey police officer responsible for capturing five Israelis who filmed and celebrated while the World Trade Center towers burned has broken his silence, agreeing to a Sept. 16 exclusive interview with AMERICAN FREE PRESS. As AFP readers are no doubt aware, these are the same Israelis who were working under the direction of […]

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24 Sep, 2011

Carry on the fight against racism — chinadaily.com.cn

It is important to note that the 10th anniversary is not meant to single out any country for criticism or to pour salt in anyone’s wounds. Rather, it provides a platform for all nations to confirm their commitment to the values and principles of equality and non-discrimination and the measures by the international community to […]

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24 Sep, 2011

Vanishing patience — chinadaily.com.cn

The unjust “ease answers” will add to the domestic difficulties of policymakers in rallying enough public support to overhaul their troubled financial and economic systems with necessary and shared sacrifice from everyone. Worse, some politicians in the debt-laden developed countries have irresponsibly blamed other countries for their domestic economic woes, further undermining global efforts to […]

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23 Sep, 2011

UN Palestine Debate: Turkey Seeks Sanctions on Israel, Australia Fears a “Further Intifada”

The Palestinian issue retained centre stage on Sept 22, the second day of the 66th UN General Assembly session. Turkey ratcheted up pressure on Israel by calling for sanctions against the Jewish state over its continued occupation of Palestine. At the same time, Australia expressed fears of “a further intifada” if the conflict is not […]

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23 Sep, 2011

Overseas students get easier entry, working visas

ENTRY requirements for foreign students will be relaxed and short-term visas will be available for those who wish to work after completing their university studies in an overhaul intended to revive the tertiary sector announced yesterday. The government response to Michael Knight’s report, Strategic Review of the Student Visa Program 2011, aims to increase Australia’s […]

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23 Sep, 2011

Schoolboy was beaten ‘for being a Muslim’

A SCHOOLBOY from Sydney’s north was brutally bashed and verbally abused by more than 20 students for being Muslim, the boy has claimed. Hamid Mamozai, 15, was allegedly hit up to a dozen times by two fellow students at Asquith Boys’ High School on Wednesday as several more cheered and hurled racial abuse from the […]

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22 Sep, 2011

Palestine Now at the Core of Global Geopolitics: Travel & Tourism Should Pay Close Heed

The outcome of the 66th UN General Assembly, which began in New York on 21st September, will have a huge impact on global events in the second decade of the 21st century. The travel & tourism industry will not be immune to these events.

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22 Sep, 2011

The Muslim World Brings Forth a Counter-Jihad – Book Review – Truthdig

From Wright’s perspective, Americans’ view of Muslims and Islam hasn’t caught up to the reality. In spite of developments in the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world, she argues, the past decade here in the United States was “shaped largely by fear of everything from a global clash of civilizations to a new […]

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22 Sep, 2011

Obama’s Contradictory U.N. Speeches – Truthdig

On Wednesday, President Obama gave a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. His message—that Palestinians should return to the peace negotiations of 1979—seemingly contradicted his speech from a year ago, when critics say he argued in favor of a Palestinian state. He’s not completely inconsistent, though. At least he remembered to wear the same […]

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22 Sep, 2011

Palestinians justified in moving to UN — chinadaily.com.cn

The Palestinian move at the UN is going ahead despite pleas from the US and threats from Israel. The two countries have warned that doing so would set back Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for many years. But it is precisely because the many years of negotiations have resulted in nothing but frustration for the Palestinians that they […]

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22 Sep, 2011

Just response to war on terror — chinadaily.com.cn

In the regional context, though not really successful, the US has tried using media power to exploit certain violent incidents to create misgivings between China and Pakistan as part of its strategy for creating a “de-link” between Beijing and Islamabad. It is evident from the above analysis that the US has not been successful in […]

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21 Sep, 2011

BRIC nations sign Beijing Consensus – chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING – The BRICS countries, including China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa, signed the Beijing Consensus on Wednesday, stating that coping with the financial crisis and promoting long-term, steady and relatively rapid economic growth are their shared tasks. The consensus, signed at the second BRICS International Competition Conference, called on all countries and regions […]

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21 Sep, 2011

Tourism To Be Vital Lifeline for a Future Palestine

The Palestinian people, who are expected to formally launch their bid for independence and statehood at the United Nations this Friday, see tourism as a major pillar of their future plans for economic development, jobs and income.

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19 Sep, 2011

Imran Khan: ‘America is destroying Pakistan’ | The Guardian

“The war on terror is the most insane and immoral war of all time. The Americans are doing what they did in Vietnam, bombing villages. But how can a civilised nation do this? How can you can eliminate suspects, their wives, their children, their families, their neighbours? How can you justify this? “When I came […]

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19 Sep, 2011

Battle Against Deadly Lifestyle Diseases Figures High On UN Agenda

Sep 15 2011 (UN News Centre) — The United Nations is set to launch an all-out attack next week on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), bringing together dozens of heads of State to promote the lifestyle changes needed to curb the soaring toll of a scourge that already causes over 63 per cent of all the world’s […]

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19 Sep, 2011

Multi-Billion Dollar Value Of Volunteer Work in Focus at UN-Backed Conference

Sep 16 2011 (UN News Centre)  — Ways to measure the economic value of volunteer work that amounts worldwide to hundreds of billions and possibly trillions of dollars, will take centre stage on the final day of a United Nations-backed conference in Budapest tomorrow. Co-hosted by the UN Volunteers (UNV) programme and the International Federation […]

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19 Sep, 2011

UN Rights Chief Lauds Australian Move On Identity For Transgender, Intersex People

Sep 16 2011 (UN News Centre) – The United Nations human rights chief today welcomed Australia’s decision to enable its citizens who are transgender or intersex, or who do not wish to identify themselves as either male or female, to have their sex and gender identity properly reflected on their passports. “By its action, Australia […]

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19 Sep, 2011

Next Generation of Corporate Leaders Lacks Critical Thinking Skills – Study

This dispatch contains summaries to and clickable links to the following research reports, surveys and studies:
(+) Major Study Reveals Next Generation of Corporate Leaders Lacks Critical Thinking Skills to Successfully Take the Helm
(+) What’s on the Business Horizon for the Next Five Years? Fletcher/CSI Asked the Opinion of 34,000 Business People
(+) Generation X: Overlooked and Hugely Important finds New Study from the Center for Work-Life Policy
(+) Abroad101 Unveils 1st Annual Study Abroad Rankings
(+) Young Americans and Social Security: 66% Think Money is Safer under Their Pillow than with the Federal Government
(+) Global Spa Summit Research Finds Potentially Explosive, $106 Billion Wellness Tourism Market Held Back by Conceptual Confusion and Weak Promotional Models
(+) JWT Explores Trends in Social Good

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19 Sep, 2011

Why does US block Palestine’s bid for entering UN – People’s Daily Online

Some analysts believe that even if the United States succeeds in keeping Palestine from acquiring the formal membership, it will still face a major diplomatic failure in history because this will make the efforts made by the United States since Barrack Obama took office to repair its ties with the Arab world in vain, and […]

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18 Sep, 2011

The Gender Dilemma: Women Leaders As Both Warmongers and Peacemakers

Originally Published: 18 Sept 2011 A group of eminent women from around the region met at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific last week to push for increased involvement of women in peace-building and combat sexual violence against women in conflicts. However, the meeting has only highlighted a view that as sexual violence […]

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18 Sep, 2011

Op-Ed: Israel should support the Palestinian statehood push | JTA – Jewish & Israel News

While the Palestinians are unlikely to get the Security Council’s approval because of the U.S. veto, they will get the support of the General Assembly. Legally a General Assembly vote means little, but it doesn’t matter. As far as the world goes, Palestine will have achieved statehood. The new State of Palestine will be recognized […]

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18 Sep, 2011

THE DAILY STAR : U.S. democracy is no model for Arabs

I know better now why most Arabs have totally given up on expecting anything positive or fair to emerge from the United States when it comes to the Middle East. Democracy is a great and noble venture and a most utilitarian governance system; but it also has a dark and ugly side that is very […]

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18 Sep, 2011

Israel’s cluster bombs continue to kill and maim in Lebanon | The Electronic Intifada

Although Lebanon has been plagued by landmines since its 1975-1990 civil war and subsequent Israeli occupation, it faced unprecedented contamination levels from cluster munitions after Israel launched a 34-day war in July 2006. According to Human Rights Watch, Israel’s use of the weapons was the most extensive anywhere in the world since the 1991 Gulf […]

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18 Sep, 2011

How civil society pushed Turkey to ditch Israel’s war industry | The Electronic Intifada

Here, the popular mood is similar to Egypt’s. For a long time, the Turkish government has been aware of the unpopularity of its support of the Israeli war industry and the occupation of Palestine. The people in Turkey have consistently shown overwhelming solidarity with Palestine, most notably with their mobilization for the 2010 Gaza Freedom […]

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18 Sep, 2011

Time for people power to open Rafah crossing | The Electronic Intifada

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. International law is not against the opening of the Rafah crossing, and […]

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18 Sep, 2011

US needs a wake-up call, says new Friedman book – Arab News

Faced with stagnating unemployment numbers, an historic credit downgrade by S&P, and partisan rancor over how to reduce the US debt, the two foreign policy columnists tap into public hunger for answers. “People are getting more and more concerned. When you see the polls, you find a large majority feels the country is on the […]

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18 Sep, 2011

Fear incorporated – Listening Post – Al Jazeera English

Last week we looked at the performance of the US news media in decade following the 9/11 attacks. A big part of that story was the role the media played in creating a climate of fear in the US. This week we go a step further and look at the phenomenon of Islamophobia in the […]

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17 Sep, 2011

Asia Times Online : To King Sarkozy, the spoils

To the sound of Apache helicopters patrolling the Mediterranean, and escorted by dozens of riot police, King Sarko felt the need to tell an unsuspecting world, “What we did was for humanitarian reasons. There was no hidden agenda.” But just in case – and with Tripoli’s top two hotels swarming with multilingual contractors/vultures – the […]

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17 Sep, 2011

New General Assembly PresidentCall to Action on United Nations to ‘Rethink’ Way It Does Business

“We come together at a critical juncture,” said the incoming General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser, as he opened the 193‑member body’s sixty-sixth session with a call to action on the United Nations to rethink the way it did business in the wake of ongoing global economic turmoil, popular protests that were upending once-stable Governments […]

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17 Sep, 2011

Despite Increased Attempts to Stifle Dissent, Jewish Criticism of Israel’s Policies Grows – Media Monitors Network (MMN)

To the dismay of the organized American Jewish community, and despite its increasingly strident efforts to silence dissent, Jewish criticism of Israel’s policies continues to grow. Even the slightest hint of concern about the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli occupation is met with the harshest assault. In an article in the June 2011 issue […]

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