29 Sep, 2016
Japan to relax visa regulations for Chinese visitors from Oct. 17
TOKYO, 27 September 2016, (Xinhua) — Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Tuesday that a previous plan to relax visa regulations for Chinese visitors would come into effect on Oct. 17, with one of the objectives being to boost repeat arrivals and increase bilateral people exchanges. The ministry said that its plans that […]
more…29 Sep, 2016
Major construction of world’s longest cross-sea bridge completed
Guangzhou, 27 September 2016, Xinhua — Major construction work was completed Tuesday on the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, which connects Zhuhai in Guangdong Province with Hong Kong and Macao. A ceremony was held in Zhuhai to celebrate completion of the 55-km cross-sea route and beginning of the assembly of the bridge floor and related work. […]
more…29 Sep, 2016
Australian dementia deaths continue to rise as population ages
Canberra, 28 September 2016, Australian Bureau of Statistics – Heart disease has been Australia’s leading cause of death since the early part of the 20th century, but that could be set to change as dementia death rates continue to rise, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). There were 159,052 […]
more…29 Sep, 2016
African-American Newspaper Association Declares Police Brutality State of Emergency in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, 26 September 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE)–The nation’s largest trade association of African American owned newspapers and media companies, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), today declared the existence of a police brutality state of emergency in the United States with respect to Black America. Denise Rolark Barnes, Chairman of the NNPA and publisher of The […]
more…29 Sep, 2016
World Tourism Day: The Best Reporting on Universal Accessibility in Travel & Tourism
Bangkok – The theme of the 2016 World Tourism Day is “Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility”. Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has been at the forefront of reporting on Inclusive Travel and Universal Accessibility. Below is a compendium of dispatches published since 2005 on this subject. No other travel publication can […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
Iran calls for honest debate on “flawed polices and erroneous actions” that worsen terrorism
United Nations, UN News Centre, 22 September 2016 – The century that began with terror in New York City should not continue with the spread of hatred, violence and destruction in the Middle East and North Africa, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, told the United Nations General Assembly today, underscoring that the most pressing […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
Timor-Leste knows ‘all too well’ price of war, Prime Minister says at UN
United Nations, UN News Centre, 24 September 2016 – Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste today underlined the concept of mutual dependence, saying that without peace and stability, there is no development, and without development, there is no peace and stability. “Timor-Leste, as a country that experienced conflict, knows all […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
Cuba launches “targeted tours” to lure more Chinese visitors
By Yang Feiyue Beijing, (China Daily) 2016-09-26 – Travel authorities in Cuba have designed a series of tours that take in historical and cultural sites and natural scenery to attract more Chinese visitors to the island. More than 28,000 Chinese traveled to the country last year, making up only a small proportion of the total […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
Didi invests in bicycle-sharing platform ofo
BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) – China’s leading on-demand mobility (ODM) company Didi Chuxing on Monday announced its investment in ofo, one of the country’s leading bicycle-sharing platforms. Didi Chuxing said it has invested tens of millions of U.S. dollars in ofo, as part of a multi-layered partnership between the two companies in the urban mobility […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
AIIB breaks ground for headquarters in Beijing
BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) — A groundbreaking ceremony for the permanent headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was held on Friday in Beijing. The headquarters will be located in the north of Beijing, between the Olympic Forest Park and the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium, with construction expected to be completed by the end […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
New museum of African American history opens in U.S. capital amid nationwide racial tensions
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) — The past is never dead. It’s not even past, wrote William Faulkner, a late U.S. Nobel Prize winner. Resonating to the remarks, a new, grand museum setting for the tale of African American history and achievement, the only one in the U.S. exclusively focused on African-Americans, officially opened in central […]
more…26 Sep, 2016
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Caucus to Convene Right to Travel Panel: “Flying While Brown”
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | – For the first time, the upcoming American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) annual convention will feature a panel session titled “Flying While Brown” to provide an analysis of the increase in discrimination on commercial airlines. The panel will discuss the profiling of Arab, Muslim and South Asian passengers at airports and by airlines. […]
more…21 Sep, 2016
Why Palestine, Zimbabwe made history at PTM 2016
Jakarta – The inaugural presence of Zimbabwe and Palestine at the Sept 7-9 PATA Travel Mart in Jakarta was more than just an ordinary trade event. It was a statement of geopolitical defiance – defiance against what both destinations refer to as negative perceptions conveyed by the Western-controlled mainstream media – and an appeal to […]
more…20 Sep, 2016
People’s Daily criticizes U.S. as “source of turmoil”
BEIJING, Sept. 18, (Xinhua) — The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, has criticized the United Statesas the “source of turmoil in the world.” The newspaper on Sunday published three articles by Chinese scholars to analyze the causes of expansive and hegemonic moves by the United States from systemic, ideological and strategic […]
more…12 Sep, 2016
PATA Mart 2016 proves that Big is Not Necessarily Beautiful
Jakarta – PATA’s steady turnound remained on track at the 39th PATA Travel Mart between Sept 7-9, the fifth to be held in Indonesia. While the turnout of roughly 1,000 delegates for the PTM and its associate events still paled in comparison to the heydays of the 1990s, the Mart is now well set as […]
more…7 Sep, 2016
Terrorist fears lead to decline in European visitor arrivals
07/09/2016, (European Cities Marketing media release) – The latest results from the Air Travellers’ Traffic Barometer* produced by European Cities Marketing and ForwardKeys highlight that terrorist fear is weakening arrivals in Europe for Q2 2016. During Q2 2016 international arrivals decreased considerably As a result of the rising threats of terrorist attacks in Europe, the […]
more…7 Sep, 2016
Survey: Male suicide rate thrice as high as women, but help is available
LONDON, September 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ The Hunting Dynasty media release — Men kill themselves at a rate of 3:1 relative to women of any age (ONS, 2015). Yet, men are less likely than women to actively seek help. The common misconception is that men don’t want to talk. This is wrong – the messages by all and any […]
more…7 Sep, 2016
ING Survey: Europeans Sharply Divided About Future Prospects
LONDON, September 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — More than a third (37%) of Europeans are optimistic about their future standard of living over the next five years. But over a fifth (23%) are pessimistic, leaving a net optimism balance of only 14%. There are sharp divisions on personal goals and expectations depending on background, income, their personal circumstances […]
more…7 Sep, 2016
The Burkini debate: An Asian Perspective
Jakarta – When the PATA Travel Mart opened on Sept 7, one of the speakers at a session on Innovation and Technology was Shinta Witoyo Dhanuwardoyo, Founder of Bubu.com, one of Indonesia’s leading full-service Digital Agency. She is also a leading woman entrepreneur in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. Mrs Shinta (or Ibu Shinta as […]
more…6 Sep, 2016
Commission proposes 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage
Brussels, 30 August 2016, (European Commission media release) – Today the Commission has put forward a proposal to the European Parliament and Council to designate 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage. In doing so, the Commission is seeking to highlight the role of Europe’s cultural heritage in fostering a shared sense of history […]
more…6 Sep, 2016
Alibaba Group, Canada ink pact to connect Small Businesses with Chinese Consumers
HANGZHOU, China–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 03, 2016 – Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today unveiled a declaration of cooperation that will strengthen efforts to promote trade between Canadian small and medium sized businesses and Chinese consumers. Both Mr. Ma and Prime Minister Trudeau said at a ceremony at Alibaba Group’s […]
more…6 Sep, 2016
Maldives banker whistleblower facing charges for revealing multi-million dollar corruption on island deals
Male / Berlin (Transparency Ibternational media release). 04 Sept 2016 — Gasim Abdul Kareem, a former manager at the Bank of Maldives, is being prosecuted for disclosing customer information that revealed details related to a multi-million dollar corruption scandal in the Maldives, where money that should have gone to the state was allegedly siphoned off […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
U.S. Chamber of Commerce cheers as Brazilian President deposed
Brussels, 1 September 2016 (ITUC OnLine): The international trade union movement is warning that a wave of corporate greed will be unleashed in Brazil following the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff by a corruption-riddled Congress. The all-male, all-white cabinet, headed by little-known former Vice-president Michel Temer, had already been drawing up plans for massive budget […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
Indian Government Should Heed Message of General Strike – ITUC
New Delhi, (ITUC media release) – 2 September 2016 – The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi should heed the clear message from a huge general strike in India today, as workers across the country backed calls for a living minimum wage and decent pensions, proper enforcement of labour laws, measures to stimulate creation of […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
Listen to the world’s workers – Global Trades Unions tell G20 leaders
Brussels, (ITUC media release) 9 August 2016 — Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation said G20 leaders must support new principles on labour income share for income inequality agreed by G20 Labour ministers. “A policy agenda that rebuilds strong labour market institutions to create quality jobs and reduce income inequality must […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
Global Survey: Chartered Accountants do not fear Automation nor Artificial Intelligence
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) — Despite popular fears which range from job losses to doomsday scenarios, finance professionals welcome the rise of artificial intelligence, automation and robots, according to the latest survey by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). The results of the poll of 1,628 CIMA members reveal that 83% support the […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
Call for More Transparency on UNAIDS HIV Treatment Estimations
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 01, 2016 — AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization which serves 600,000 clients in 36 countries, today called for more transparency and accountability on the way, data and assumptions that UNAIDS uses to make estimations of the numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS who are on lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment […]
more…4 Sep, 2016
Call for Entries: UN4U Video Contest – Why are Sustainable Development Goals important for the Asia-Pacific?
Bangkok, 01 Sept 2016, (UNESCAP media release) – This year, UN Day on 24 October will be celebrated across Asia and the Pacific with a video contest highlighting the ways in which people in the region are working towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on seven key themes. The themes are: Education 2030, […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
‘Pressure’ on Palestinian households to move raises risk of forcible transfers – UN official
United Nations, 22 August 2016, UN News Centre – A senior United Nations official has cautioned that many Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank are facing a heightened risk of forcible transfer as there has been a recent surge in the number of demolitions in the area. “Repeated rounds of demolitions, restrictions on access […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
G20 Hangzhou summit to discuss documents on inclusive finance
BEIJING, 26 August 2016, (Xinhua) — The upcoming G20 Summit will discuss three important documents on inclusive finance to guide the sector’s development globally, a Chinese central bank official said on Friday. The documents, which are about high-level principles, a new indicator system and funding services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will be submitted […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank set to hit 90 member states
Beijing, 26 August 2016, (People’s Daily Online)–The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will review more than 30 new membership applications beginning in September, and the bank may have as many as 90 members by early 2017, outstripping the membership numbers of U.S. and Japan-led Asian Development Bank (ADB), said Jin Liqun, the bank’s president, at […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
China’s richest man offers solutions to bring Chinese visitor spending back home
Beijing, 26 August 2016, (People’s Daily Online) – “Chinese overseas spending is growing by double digits. This is a problem that needs our attention. To change the situation, we not only need tariff reductions and good quality domestic products, we also need the government to get involved a high level,” said Wang Jianlin, chairman of […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
People’s Daily Editorial: Four major tasks G20 Hangzhou summit is expected to accomplish
Beijing, 23 August 2016, (People’s Daily Online)–The G20 summit in Hangzhou is scheduled to take place on Sept. 4 and 5. It is regarded as the next in a line of globally influential events hosted by China, coming after the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2014. The summit, as China’s most important diplomatic event […]
more…1 Sep, 2016
Japanese shrine Prayer Hall restoration wins top honor in UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards
BANGKOK, 1 September 2016 (UNESCO media release) — The Restoration of the Sanro-Den Hall at Sukunahikona Shrine in Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, has received the Award of Excellence in this year’s UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. A total of 13 winning projects from six countries – Australia, China, India, Iran, Japan and Pakistan […]
more…23 Aug, 2016
Low petrol prices not being passed on to motorists: Aussie consumer watchdog group report
Canberra, 22 August 2016, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission media release — The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest report on the Australian petroleum industry shows that average petrol prices in 2015–16 were at their lowest levels since 2002. However, gross retail margins also increased to their highest levels, indicating that the full benefits of […]
more…20 Aug, 2016
China to push for new rules to stabilise global financial governance
by Xinhua writer Xiong Ping BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — Global financial governance desperately needs to continue to overcome hurdles to become more stable and resilient, as it has now entered a period of risk exposures. The global financial crisis emerging in 2008 has exposed the flaws of the existing global financial system and highlighted […]
more…20 Aug, 2016
Muslim, Sikh Groups Launch ‘Twitterstorm’ Urging FIBA to Drop Hijab Ban
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/19/16) Later today (3-5 p.m. EDT) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will join with MPower Change and the The Sikh Coalition to launch a “Twitterstorm” urging the Switzerland-based International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to permanently lift the ban on athletes wearing religious attire when it issues a final decision on its […]
more…20 Aug, 2016
Nine out of ten US tourists more likely to visit Britain following Brexit vote
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 17, 2016 – London remains a top destination for US tourists following the EU referendum vote, according to new research, with two thirds of US visitors pledging to return to the capital. Analysis carried out by London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s promotional company, shows that London’s booming tourism trade is set […]
more…20 Aug, 2016
Human suffering at highest level since founding of UN
New York, 19 August 2016, (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs): On World Humanitarian Day, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, is calling for increased global leadership to address humanitarian crises. “Today, the scale of human suffering is greater than at any time since the United Nations was founded. A record 130 million people are […]
more…19 Aug, 2016
Attacks in Thailand: Visitor arrivals on upturn already
Bangkok – Arrivals to Thailand are again heading upwards, barely a week after the Aug 11-12 bomb and arson attacks in various tourist destinations of Peninsula Thailand. The turnaround is a strong indicator of visitor confidence in the Thai tourism industry, and the diminishing global impact of low-grade, one-off attacks on travel & tourism. Daily […]
more…19 Aug, 2016
UN ESCAP issues first report on State of ICT in Asia-Pacific 2016
Bangkok, 19 August 2016, UN ESCAP media release – Despite the widely reported phenomenal growth in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Asia-Pacific region, a new study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), has found that broadband capabilities and access are highly concentrated in East and […]
more…19 Aug, 2016
13 Unusual Things Job Seekers Have Done To Get Noticed, like Kissing the Hiring Manager
CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — When you’re applying for a job, you don’t just want to get noticed, you want to stand out as the best applicant the hiring manager has ever seen. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, candidates are doing some creative and crazy things, but are they really helping them get […]
more…18 Aug, 2016
Why tourism will remain a victim of terrorism
Bangkok – Albert Einstein is credited with the quote which defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Clearly, that definition applies to the travel & tourism industry which, after every act of terrorism, issues a routine condemnation and then foolishly expects that to make any difference […]
more…17 Aug, 2016
Attacks in Thailand: Hot-off-the-Press statistics show minimal arrivals impact
Bangkok – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports this morning posted the stats of daily arrivals at five international gateway airports (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Haad Yai) for the month of August to show the full impact of the Aug 11-12 bomb and arson attacks. The detailed stats include arrivals and departures […]
more…16 Aug, 2016
Attacks In Thailand: Much More To It Than Meets The Eye
Bangkok – The explosions and suspected arson attacks in many popular Thai tourism destinations reflect five systemic and universal failures. Partially the result of living in denial and refusing to heed the lessons of history, they may hopefully lead to renewed policy approach and a more hard-nosed discourse about the inter-linkages between politically-motivated violence, safety […]
more…11 Aug, 2016
Gulf residents favour Southeast Asia for summer breaks
Dubai, Aug 9, 2016, Media release distributed by Shamal Marketing Communications — According to Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Gulf residents spinning the globe in search of exciting destinations in which to enjoy summer breaks are being drawn to Southeast Asia with direct air routes, the affordability factor, cooler temperatures and an ample choice of accommodation […]
more…11 Aug, 2016
$81 Billion Mobilized In 2015 to Tackle Climate Change – Joint MDB Report
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – ADB News Release – 9 August 2016 – Climate finance totaling $81 billion was mobilized for projects funded by the world’s six largest multilateral development banks (MDBs) in 2015. This included $25 billion of MDBs’ direct climate finance, combined with a further $56 billion from other investors. The latest MDB climate finance […]
more…11 Aug, 2016
Dutch Chamber hosts first luncheon talk on Historic Success of Thai Tourism
Bangkok – The Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce has become the first in Thailand to host a luncheon talk on the inspiring history behind the phenomenal success of the Thai tourism industry. Two of Thailand’s longest serving travel trade journalists, Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor of Travel Impact Newswire, and Don Ross, Editor of TTR Weekly, gave […]
more…10 Aug, 2016
Islamic designs flag rising popularity, elegance of “modest fashion”
Jakarta – Islamic fashion is spearheading the rise of a new global trend known as “modest fashion”. After years of designing clothes that “reduced women to objects of sexual desire or just used to sell merchandise”, global fashion houses are awakening to this new trend. At a broader level, this pursuit of the middle-path is […]
more…3 Aug, 2016
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s speech that the Myanmar tourism industry must read
Jakarta – Sri Lanka and Myanmar have much in common. Both are Buddhist-majority countries which have recently come in from the cold, Myanmar after decades of military dictatorship, and Sri Lanka after decades of a bitter internecine ethnic conflict. Both have one more thing in common: a sizable Muslim minority. That’s where the similarities end, […]
more…2 Aug, 2016
Malaysian PM blasts “foreign interventions” as cause of violence and conflict in Islamic world
Jakarta — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has warned the Islamic countries against “foreign interventions” which he said have unleashed a “Pandora’s Box of sectarian conflict.” He also blasted “those who, out of political motivation, call for foreign powers to intervene in their own country.” The speech by the Malaysian PM at the opening […]
more…30 Jul, 2016
Thailand’s biggest mall hosts its first World Halal Fest
Bangkok – Both the causes of promoting Thailand as a Muslim-friendly destination and socio-cultural-economic integration within ASEAN took another giant leap forward with the organisation of the kingdom’s first World Halal Fest (WHF), an extravaganza of Thai-Muslim business, arts, music and culture, at the CentralWorld Shopping Complex, Thailand’s biggest mall. Former ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin […]
more…30 Jul, 2016
Singaporean Museum hosts World’s First Exhibition on History of Christian Art In Asia
Singapore – The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) presents Christianity in Asia: Sacred Art and Visual Splendour, the world’s first exhibition on the history and spread of Christian art in Asia. This is also the ACM’s inaugural special exhibition after an extensive revamp last year. Asia has played a significant role in the spread of Christianity […]
more…25 Jul, 2016
UNWTO peace tourism conference helps Sri Lanka strengthen swords-to-ploughshares strategy
Passikudah, Sri Lanka – Seven years after the guns fell silent in Sri Lanka, the former battlefields of the country’s North and East Coasts hosted the first UN World Tourism Organisation conference on how tourism can play a role in building local, regional, social, cultural and communal peace. It was the perfect theme in the […]
more…24 Jul, 2016
UNESCO: How Satellite Imagery Can Help Monitor Threatened Cultural Heritage
Singapore, Asia-Europe Museum Network media release, 9 July 2016 – A report published by UNESCO and UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research) in late June illustrates how satelllite imagery analysis can help to assess potential damage to cultural heritage sites today. The report, which includes examples from Iraq, Nepal, Syria and Yemen, covers […]
more…24 Jul, 2016
Study Shows Positive, Long-Term Effects of Science Museums
Singapore, 15 June 2016 (Asia-Europe Museum Network media release) – Science museums and fairs have clear positive effects in the long term, both for its visitors and for the cities hosting them. This is the main conclusion drawn from a study undertaken in six Spanish cities, where nine scientific culture initiatives (science museums, planetariums, science […]
more…21 Jul, 2016
Muslim Passenger Removed from American Airlines Flight
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/20/16) (CAIR media release) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a major Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to investigate a possible bias motive for the removal of a Muslim passenger from an American Airlines flight in December of 2015. [NOTE: CAIR filed […]
more…20 Jul, 2016
Futurist professor flags dangers of Project for the New American Century
Professor Emeritus Jim Dator of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, has joined me in flagging the global dangers posed by the Project for The New American Century. Last week, Prof Dator sent me the draft of a speech entitled “Mortgage Banking for the New American Empire, and other […]
more…20 Jul, 2016
First Russian-made business jet delivered to Royal Thai Air Force
Bangkok, July 15, 2016, (Russian embassy media release) – Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) held a roll-out ceremony of two Sukhoi Business Jet (SBJ) aircraft built for Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). The aircraft will be providing VIP transportation services for Thai top officials and government leaders as well as to the High Command of Thailand. […]
more…6 Jul, 2016
UN officials call for global consensus, preventive approach to combat terrorism, violent extremism
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 30 June 2016 – The unprecedented levels of terrorism and violent extremism on a global scale requires balanced implementation of commitments made through collective action, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized, calling on the international community to act with unity and resolve to address “this major scourge of our time.” “We […]
more…6 Jul, 2016
Sole Bangladeshi Nobel laureate links terrorism to ongoing Middle East conflicts
Bangkok – Bangladesh’s only Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has issued a statement linking the 1 July terrorist attack in Dhaka to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asserting that the world “must wake up to the fact that violence in one place breeds violence even in remotest places of the world.” The statement should be […]
more…6 Jul, 2016
Four UK Muslims detained for days in Israel for trying to visit Al-Aqsa mosque
Jerusalem, (IINA), Sunday 03 Jul 2016 – Four British Muslims including a 10-year-old boy who planned to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque were detained and deported from Israel, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported. The Muslims who were held for several days in an Israeli detention centre were earlier this week removed from a Monarch Airlines flight back […]
more…5 Jul, 2016
On World Day, UN hails cooperatives as drivers of sustainable future
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 2 July 2016 – Cooperatives are an old idea but more relevant than ever as they can be the drivers of a sustainable future, senior United Nations officials said on the International Day of Cooperatives today, urging Governments to create an enabling environment for these groups to thrive and grow. […]
more…5 Jul, 2016
UN rights expert deplores conviction of tax whistleblowers in LuxLeaks trial
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 30 June 2016 – A United Nations independent human rights expert today deplored the conviction of two whistleblowers who revealed how tax avoidance and tax evasion occurred in Luxembourg banks in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. “Whistleblowers are heroes of our time and serve society and human rights,” said Alfred de […]
more…4 Jul, 2016
PayScale Releases New Report “Underemployed: The War on the American Worker”
SEATTLE, Washington, (PRWEB), 29 June 2016 – PayScale, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand compensation data and software, today announced its new report “Underemployed: The War on the American Worker.” The study included data from 962,956 workers collected between 3/21/2014 and 3/21/2016. “There are many economic indicators followed by business and policy leaders to gauge […]
more…4 Jul, 2016
OECD releases guidance to strengthen transparency in int’l tax reporting
PARIS, OECD Press Release, 29 June 2016 – Today the OECD has taken a new step in its continuing efforts to boost transparency in international tax matters with the release of Guidance on the Implementation of Country-by-Country (CbC) Reporting. The OECD/G20 BEPS Project set out 15 key actions to reform the international tax framework and ensure that profits are […]
more…4 Jul, 2016
Dominican Republic, Nauru join the most powerful instrument against offshore tax evasion and avoidance
PARIS, OECD Press Release, 28 June 2016 – Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Mrs Rosa Hernández de Grullón, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to France and Mr John Petersen, Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Nauru, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in the presence of Deputy Secretary General […]
more…4 Jul, 2016
The Real “Disruption” is Still to Come: Book Forecasts Fall of the American Empire
In January 2006, one of Asia’s most prominent social activists published a stark warning that a system which allows less than 60 million Americans to vote for a person who gains power to determine, with zero accountability, the fate of the rest of the world, is deeply flawed, deserves to collapse and eventually will. The […]
more…29 Jun, 2016
UN Chief: Closure of Gaza Suffocates Its People, Stifles Economy, Impedes Reconstruction
GAZA, June 28, 2016 (WAFA) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday arrived at Gaza city through Erez (Beit Hanoun) crossing, starting his trip to the besieged coastal enclave by delivering a speech to UN staff, said UN Secretary General’s Spokesperson. Ban visited the UNRWA-run al-Zaytoun girls primary school where he addressed staff and students, […]
more…29 Jun, 2016
The biggest global mistake exposed by the Brexit vote is….
Bangkok – The biggest global mistake exposed by the Brexit vote is the fallacious assumption that the rich, famous and powerful know it all. They don’t. Since time immemorial, the content of travel industry conferences and events has remained chock-full of the inevitable top-down approach which assumes that if you are rich, powerful, famous or […]
more…28 Jun, 2016
Brexit – A Victim of the Law of Unintended Consequences
The sense of loss is great. The loss of a country I thought I knew, the loss of a continental union, the potential loss of the United Kingdom as it currently exists. Almost six years living and working abroad in South-East Asia has done nothing to lessen the heartbreak of watching my country unravel. Last […]
more…27 Jun, 2016
Israel, a “democracy,” proposes legislation to gag civil society groups
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 24 June 2016 – Three United Nations human rights experts today urged Israeli lawmakers not to approve the bill that would, in effect, target non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are critical of Government policy. The experts expressed grave concern that the legislation would chill the speech of human rights NGOs by […]
more…27 Jun, 2016
First Int’l Conference on Domestic Violence and Batterer Intervention to be held July 10
Portsmouth NH (PRWEB), June 25, 2016 – The first Association of Domestic Violence Intervention Programs (ADVIP) international conference will be held July 10, 2016 at the Portsmouth Sheraton Hotel, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in conjunction with the International Family Violence and Child Victimization Conference. In the aftermath of several highly-publicized incidents involving musicians and sports celebrities, […]
more…27 Jun, 2016
Alcoholism and drug abuse have caused havoc in India and worldwide, says President
New Delhi, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 26-June-2016 – The President of India, Prof Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Awards for Outstanding Services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse today (June 26, 2016) in New Delhi on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and […]
more…27 Jun, 2016
How to make post-Brexit U.K. more attractive to visitors from “developing countries”
The British tourism industry has been quick to identify the silver linings amidst the dark clouds of the Brexit-vote crisis. The UK is being marketed as great value for money due to the plummeting pound. The message is clear: The time is right to visit Britain. I stopped going to the UK five years ago. […]
more…24 Jun, 2016
US Federal Aviation Administration Recognizes Local Authority in New Drone Regulations
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In a win for local governments and local decision-making authority, new rules issued this week by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on unmanned aviation systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, recognize that city leaders should play a role in regulating how, when and where drones operate in their communities. The […]
more…24 Jun, 2016
110 Factors That Shaped Thai Tourism
Bangkok – The record-breaking Thai travel & tourism industry is now recognised as the country’s leading economic sector, with enormous growth potential in the years ahead. This achievement did not happen by chance. It is the result of Policies, Products, Promotions and most important, the hard work of great People, especially women, who shaped and […]
more…24 Jun, 2016
Terrorism fears boosting U.S. travel insurance business – Squaremouth report
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The threat of terrorism is not preventing Americans from traveling, but it is prompting travelers to take more precautions. Leading travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth reveals notable trends in travel insurance sales that indicate how travelers respond after a terrorist attack. Is Terrorism Affecting How Americans Travel? More […]
more…23 Jun, 2016
European economy slowly recovering but legacies of crisis remain and new challenges are emerging – OECD Report
Paris, 10 June 2016, OECD Newsroom – The European economy is gradually recovering but further policy action will be required to address unresolved legacies of the global economic crisis that are weighing on growth and major new concerns that have emerged, according to two new OECD reports. The latest OECD Economic Surveys of the European Union […]
more…23 Jun, 2016
Samoa: World Bank aviation project expanded
WASHINGTON, D.C., 6 June 2016, The World Bank News – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$16.62 million credit to the Independent State of Samoa to expand the scope of work under the Samoa Aviation Investment Project, further advancing the objective of improved safety and security of international air transport and […]
more…23 Jun, 2016
Europe is underachieving in the global competition for talent – OECD Report
Paris, 7 June 2016, OECD Newsroom – The European Union should reform its legal labour migration policies to get its fair share of the global talent pool, according to a new report published by the OECD. Europe is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and this requires a coordinated, bold and comprehensive response by Member States. […]
more…23 Jun, 2016
The Beauty of an Alternative Perspective: Einstein on Israel and Zionism
Editor’s Note: The article below was one of the Soul-Searching columns I wrote for the Bangkok Post, published Aug 21, 2011. These columns were gagged by “the newspaper you can trust” in July 2012. I am reproducing it below to help promote an alternative perspective in the travel & tourism industry, which is one of […]
more…22 Jun, 2016
‘Unprecedented’ 65 million people displaced by war, persecution in 2015 – UN
United Nations, 20 June 2016, UN News Centre – The number of people displaced from their homes due to conflict and persecution last year exceeded 60 million for the first time in United Nations history, a tally greater than the population of the United Kingdom, or of Canada, Australia and New Zealand combined, says a […]
more…22 Jun, 2016
Myanmar must address ‘serious’ human rights violations against minorities – UN rights chief
United Nations, 20 June 2016, UN News Centre – Issuing a new report on the situation of minorities in Myanmar, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has urged the Government to take concrete steps to end the “systemic discrimination” and ongoing human rights violations against minority communities, particularly the Rohingya […]
more…22 Jun, 2016
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
On 13 May 2016, I published a post about Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), describing him as the man who will NEVER be invited to speak at a travel industry convention. Today, this post is about a book that will NEVER be mentioned at a travel industry convention. It […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
ASEAN Character Award 2016 opens for applications
TOKYO, 20 June 2016, (ASEAN secretariat media release) – The ASEAN-Japan Centre has opened the call for applications for the ASEAN Character Award 2016. Content-related companies from ASEAN Member States are encouraged to apply before 22 July 2016. The ASEAN Character Award was established by the ASEAN-Japan Centre and LLP ASEAN Creative Supporters in 2014 […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
China puts squeeze on imported TV shows and remakes
Beijing, (China Daily), June 20, 2016 – China’s media regulator has issued a directive limiting imported TV shows and remakes, aiming to promote domestic originality. Insiders have called for more training of producers. With authorized remakes of foreign TV reality shows gaining popularity in China, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Israel approves $21.3m aid for illegal West Bank settlements
RAMALLAH, 20 June 2016, (WAFA) – The Israeli government, in its weekly meeting on Sunday, approved an additional 82 million shekels (about $21.3m) of aid to illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to Israeli media. The funds include 15 million shekels to cover extra security expenses; 10 million shekels for temporary housing and […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
China implements trans-provincial departure tax refund
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), June 20, 2016 – A tourist from Italy bought clothes in the Florentia Village in Tianjin and on the morning of June 17, he smoothly went through customs and got a departure tax refund in the Beijing Capital International Airport. This was the first case of a trans-provincial departure tax refund […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Palestinian Foreign Ministry: Israel has begun annexing settlements
RAMALLAH, 20 June 2016, (WAFA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement Monday, that Israel’s recent approval to disburse $21.3m in aid to illegal settlements in the West Bank means that Israel practically started to annex the settlements. It said that, for instance, Israel’s enforcement of the Investment Promotion Law in the West Bank settlements, […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Fastest China-Europe train sets record time of 10.5 days
CHENGDU, 14 June 2016, China Daily — Container trains from China’s Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to Europe will take only ten-and-a-half days to complete a one-way trip, the fastest among China-Europe trains. The 41 trans-continent carriages departed the Southwest China city on June 8 wearing the newly-launched unified logo for China-Europe freights, the “China Railway Express” […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
China’s large passenger aircraft to take flight, trillion-dollar industry clusters will take shape
Beijing, 14 June 2016, People’s Daily Online – China’s independently developed C919 large passenger jetliner will take its first flight later this year and complete the follow-up technical verifications as early as 2017 before being delivered, Economic Information Daily reports on Tuesday. The success of the maiden flight indicates that the domestically produced large passenger aircraft C919 has […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Construction of 55-km, HK-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge making progress
Beijing, 20 June 2016, China Daily – Experts say construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017. Starting from the Lantau Island in Hong Kong, the Y-shaped bridge will have a total length of about 55 km, including a 6.7 km underwater tunnel and a 23-km […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
World’s first passenger drone may fly over Nevada this year
LOS ANGELES, 19 June 2016, (Xinhua) — The world’s first drone capable of autonomously carrying a person may test-fly in Nevada later this year, the United States, Chinese Aerial technology company EHang Holdings Limited told Xinhua on Sunday. The Chinese company based in China’s southern province of Guangdong and the state of Nevada are trying […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
New global poll: Transition to digital economy must deliver justice and fairness to all workers
21 June 2016 (ITUC OnLine): Technology itself is not a threat to decent work – it is how it is managed and in whose interest that matters, said international labour unions ahead of an OECD Ministerial meeting on the Digital Economy in Mexico. “The digital revolution provides opportunities for decent jobs and quality services if […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Casino baron donated US$1.2 million to fund anti-Muslim hatred in U.S. – Report
WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/20/2016 – Jewish casino baron Sheldon Adelson’s Family Foundation has been identified as one of 33 groups, institutions and individuals which provided or “enjoyed access to” at least US$205 million to “spread fear and hatred of Muslims” in the United States between 2008-13. A report published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) […]
more…21 Jun, 2016
Now everyone can fly, so why can’t all service sectors? Thai Central Bank chief asks
Bangkok – In a landmark speech on June 17, Mr Veerathai Santiprabhob, Governor of the Bank of Thailand, praised the economic growth generated by open-sky policies and the low-cost airlines in the Greater Mekong Subregion, and asked why all the other service sectors cannot follow suit. Delivering the Keynote Address on “Financial Connectivity in Cambodia, […]
more…17 Jun, 2016
Chinese President’s trip to CEE countries, Central Asia to boost Belt & Road Initiative
BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s upcoming trip to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEE) and Central Asia from June 17 to 24 is expected to significantly boost the Belt and Road Initiative. During his trip to CEE countries as well as Central Asia, two key regions under the framework of the […]
more…17 Jun, 2016
High-speed railway linking Shanghai and Kunming completed
GUIYANG, June 16, 2016, Xinhua– Workers finish the last part track of the high-speed railway linking Shanghai and Kunming in Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, June 16, 2016. The whole track laying work of the 2,266 kilometer-long high-speed railway linking Shanghai in east China and Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan Province was completed on Thursday. […]
more…17 Jun, 2016
Bulletpoint highlights of India’s National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016
New Delhi, 15-June-2016 — The Minister of Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju released the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 in New Delhi today. This is the first time since independence that an integrated Civil Aviation Policy has been brought out by the Ministry. Speaking on the occasion Mr Raju said that the centre-piece of […]
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