21 Jan, 2014
Engaged, financially-struggling baby boomers reluctant to retire, more likely to work longer
This article is part of an ongoing series analyzing how baby boomers — those born from 1946-1964 in the U.S. — behave differently from other generations as consumers and in the workplace. The series also explores how the aging of the baby boomer generation will affect politics and well-being. WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 20, 2014 […]
more…21 Jan, 2014
In U.S., 67% Dissatisfied With Income, Wealth Distribution
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 20, 2014 (Gallup Polls) — Two out of three Americans are dissatisfied with the way income and wealth are currently distributed in the U.S. This includes three-fourths of Democrats and 54% of Republicans. President Barack Obama spoke about income disparities in a Dec. 4, 2013, speech, saying he wanted to prioritize lowering income […]
more…19 Jan, 2014
ASEAN Tourism: The Power of 10 and the 10 Factors Driving Growth
KUCHING, MALAYSIA: Research and the very latest data released today by the Thammasat University College of Innovation shows that the 10 ASEAN countries will have welcomed the historic number of tourism arrivals of 100 million during 2013 and will likely show a significant increase on that in 2014, given the trajectory of the previous year’s […]
more…18 Jan, 2014
Why clean toilets are important for the future of ASEAN Tourism
Kuching — It may sound like a laughing matter, but the move to start an ASEAN tourist toilet clean-up is actually a serious issue, with broad ramifications for the future of ASEAN tourism. In 2015, if current levels of tourism growth are sustained, ASEAN visitor arrivals will cross the 100 million mark (click on the […]
more…18 Jan, 2014
Food aplenty, but 840 million people still go hungry every day – FAO
17 January 2014, Berlin, FAO media release – Creating healthy and sustainable food systems is key to overcome hunger and malnutrition around the globe, said Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General at the Green Week in Berlin today. “Food production has tripled since 1945 and average food availability per person has risen by 40 percent,” Semedo […]
more…17 Jan, 2014
ASEAN Moves to Provide Quality Toilets to Attract Quality Tourists
Kuching, Malaysia – The process of ASEAN tourism integration could yield its finest result by 2015 with moves to upgrade and standardise the quality of public toilets at all places of tourist interest, transit points and popular shopping areas across the 10 member countries. For the first time, heads of ASEAN national tourism organisations were […]
more…17 Jan, 2014
Smog, strong yuan, blamed for sharp fall in tourism to Beijing
Beijing, (China Daily) – January 13, 2014 – Beijing witnessed an unexpected sharp drop in inbound tourism in 2013, as tourism officials looked for ways to reverse the trend. From January to November, the city recorded 4.2 million visitors, down 10.3 percent year-on-year, the Beijing Tourism Development Commission reported. The commission blamed the weak global […]
more…17 Jan, 2014
European Economic Committee backs criminal sanctions against financial terrorists
Brussels, 9 January 2014, European Commission memo – The leading committee of the European Parliament for Economic matters has today given its support to a European Commission proposal for criminal sanctions to tackle the abuse and manipulation of financial markets (IP/11/1218). The Parliament’s Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) unanimously backed an agreement on the […]
more…17 Jan, 2014
Only One in Four Americans Satisfied With Direction of U.S.
PRINCETON, NJ, Jan 13, 2014 (Gallup Polls)– Twenty-three percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the U.S. at this time, unchanged from December and within one percentage point of the 24% average for 2013. This month’s reading is seven points higher than last year’s low of 16% in […]
more…17 Jan, 2014
FREE Download: Study says NSA Bulk Surveillance Programs Do Little to Prevent Terrorism
WASHINGTON, DC January 13, 2014, (New America Foundation media release) – In the wake of the uproar caused by the leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, President Obama, the NSA director and members of Congress defended the NSA surveillance programs by claiming they helped thwart more than 50 potential terrorist events in more than […]
more…16 Jan, 2014
Video-surveillance: European watchdog ensures privacy compliance
Brussels, 13 January 2014 (European Commission media release) – In a report issued today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) highlights his overall satisfaction with the video-surveillance systems of four Luxembourg-based EU bodies that were inspected on 9 and 10 July 2013. Giovanni Buttarelli, Assistant EDPS, says: “Since we issued our video-surveillance Guidelines in 2010, […]
more…16 Jan, 2014
Beijing sets sights on park venues in corruption drive
Beijing (China Daily ) 2014-01-16 – Private clubs and high-end entertainment venues in Beijing‘s public parks have become the latest target of the nation’s clean-governance campaign. Authorities in the capital asked such establishments on Wednesday to close, one day after President Xi Jinping said that “regulations should not become paper tigers or scarecrows”. Recent Chinese […]
more…16 Jan, 2014
China moving to grow bilateral visa-free travel pacts
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), January 15, 2014 – All of us like things to be simple when we travel, but Chinese citizens normally need to spend months preparing lots of documents and doing some serious leg-work in terms of organizing their paperwork ahead of their overseas holidays. Now here is the good news: China is […]
more…16 Jan, 2014
Awaiting Santi Claus: Can Thailand Walk the Talk of Its Tourism Slogans?
Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand last year launched a new two-part slogan “Amazing Thailand: It Begins with the People.” The “Amazing Thailand” part was launched in 1998. The add-on part, “It Begins With the People,” is confusing those watching the political drama on the streets of Bangkok and some provincial cities. The question […]
more…13 Jan, 2014
Peace Prevails on Day One of “Bangkok Shutdown” Political Protests
A round-up of key developments on Day 1 of the Bangkok Shutdown anti-government protests. (+) The day passed peacefully, with plenty of fiery rhetoric but no clashes or conflicts. Anti-government protestors blockaded intersections at 7 key city spots and spent the day listening to thundering speeches and being entertained by popular Thai musicians and performers, […]
more…11 Jan, 2014
To cut budget deficit, U.S. govt making airline pax its “personal ATM”
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 09, 2014 – Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, issued the following statement urging Members of Congress to reject any new taxes or fee increases on airline passengers under consideration in the Omnibus appropriations bill: EDITOR’S COMMENT Ever wondered why IATA, PATA, UNWTO, WTTC and other […]
more…11 Jan, 2014
New Integrated Terminal Raises Mumbai International Airport to World-Class Level
Mumbai – A New Integrated Terminal (T2) has opened at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai. Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s address at the inauguration: “I believe today marks a very important special occasion in the development of the civil aviation sector in our country. I am delighted to […]
more…11 Jan, 2014
How Would Dr. Martin Luther King React to NSA Spying?
How would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., have reacted to recent revelations that the U.S. government is collecting and storing nearly every citizen’s phone records and gathering their electronic data? From 1958 until his 1968 assassination, the FBI conducted extensive surveillance on Dr. King, amassing over 17,000 pages of material on his day-to-day activities. Today […]
more…10 Jan, 2014
Thai Travel Industry Advisories on Airport Commutes for “Bangkok Shutdown Day” and beyond
Bangkok – The Association of Thai Travel Agents is coordinating with the Airports of Thailand to provide alternative transportation facilities for visitors who will need to commute to and from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports and various points in the city during the anti-government “Bangkok shutdown” period on Monday 13 January 2014, and possibly […]
more…10 Jan, 2014
11 Early Warnings to Prepare for the Tsunami of Change
Bangkok – Exactly 10 years ago this year, a devastating tsunami struck numerous parts of Asia, causing extensive death and damage in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries with coastal areas bordering the Indian Ocean. Of the many preventive and protective measures taken in its aftermath, one of the most important was the setting […]
more…9 Jan, 2014
India Calls on Overseas Diaspora to Help Build Country’s Brand Image
New Delhi, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 08-January-2014 – Minister of External Affairs Mr. Salman Khurshid, has exhorted the overseas Indians to become India’s best ambassadors to spread and popularize the country’s values, beliefs, culture and heritage overseas. Presiding over the session on ‘India Soft Power’ on Day-2 of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014, (the annual […]
more…8 Jan, 2014
As Thailand Beats the Crisis, ASEAN Edges Close to 100 million mark for 2013
Bangkok- In spite of being hit by political disruptions in November 2013, Thailand still recorded 2.39 million arrivals that month, up 11.9% over November 2012. In total, the figure for Jan-November 2013 was 24.13 million arrivals, up 21.1%% over the same period of 2012. Final figures for 2013 will be out in a few weeks […]
more…7 Jan, 2014
Indian Rising Star AAP: An Asian Alternative Paradigm in the making?
The emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP, or Common Man Party) in India is another strong indication of a rising Asian Century. Having come from nowhere to assume governance of the Indian capital of New Delhi, the party’s revolutionary platform has all the hallmarks of an emerging Asian Alternative Paradigm (the other AAP). In […]
more…7 Jan, 2014
Pew Research: Worldwide, Richest 3% Hold One-Fifth of Collective Income
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 3, 2014 — Across 131 countries worldwide, the richest 3% of residents hold 20% of the total collective household income — as do the poorest 54%. In other words, the 3% reporting the highest household incomes share the same “slice” of collective income across countries that more than half of residents worldwide […]
more…3 Jan, 2014
Pew Research shows which countries Americans like … and don’t
December 30, 2013 (Pew Research Centre) – The trend among the U.S. public increasingly has been to turn away from international issues and focus on the home front. But while Americans have long been accused of lacking interest in the rest of the world, they have never lacked strong opinions about other countries. As 2013 […]
more…3 Jan, 2014
More than half of cellphone owners affected by ‘distracted walking’ – Pew Research
January 2, 2014 (Pew Research Centre) – Stories about cellphone distractions are rarely out of the news these days. A new law in Illinois went into effect on January 1, prohibiting drivers from using cellphones that are not hands-free and California tightened its rules by making it illegal for drivers under 18 to use voice-activated texting, […]
more…2 Jan, 2014
“Incredible India Promotional Calendar 2014” launched
New Delhi, Ministry of Tourism, 01-January-2014 – The Ministry of Tourism today launched the ‘Incredible India Promotional Calendar 2014.” The calendar containing 24 photographs on double sided paper was launched by Tourism Secretary Mr. Parvez Dewan. He said that every State has been covered and suitable regions/ regional balance has been maintained. All the north-eastern […]
more…26 Dec, 2013
Chemist Direct warns against excessive drinking during the holiday season
London (PRWEB UK) 25 December 2013 – Government figures show 10 million adults in England regularly exceed the recommended daily limits, increasing their risk of serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, liver disease and various cancers. NHS guidelines advise no more than two to three units a day for women or three to four […]
more…26 Dec, 2013
India-U.S. row: The Return of the Ugly American
Thursday, 26 December 2013 – Consider two cases of consular officials two years apart. One shoots and kills two locals, the other pays her nanny below local minimum but above home wages. Had host-country law prevailed, the first — Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor in Lahore — could have faced the death sentence. Instead he was brought […]
more…25 Dec, 2013
Americans Urged to Reject NSA Domestic Spying by Opposing the FISA Improvements Act
by ROBERT MCCAW for ISLAMiCommentary DECEMBER 24, 2013 – Your privacy rights depend on Congress rejecting the FISA Improvements Act (S. 1631). Introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the bill seeks to codify and expand the National Security Agency’s (NSA) mass domestic surveillance programs, authorizing the spy agency’s bulk collection of nearly every citizen’s phone records and […]
more…25 Dec, 2013
Christmas in Israeli-occupied Bethlehem by Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh
Christmas 2013 in Bethlehem (Beit Laham, Aramaic for House of Laham, the Canaanitic God of Sustenance) is still a very special and meaningful time even under the brutal Israeli apartheid occupation. We are not talking about the visual aspects and the unique religious services at the Church of Nativity (you can now follow these live […]
more…24 Dec, 2013
Indonesia Calls for More Vigorous Efforts to Support Palestine
Jakarta, December 23 2013, (Antara News) – Indonesia has been supporting Palestine consistently and incessantly over the past six decades and has pledged to continue to do so until an independent Palestine state is established. The endless support is not because majority of Palestinian and Indonesian people are Muslims, but above all, it is based […]
more…22 Dec, 2013
China’s four tasks for building new-type relationship with major powers
(People’s Daily Online) December 19, 2013 – Sino-US and Sino-Russia relations are two of China’s major concerns in building its new-type relations with major powers. Former Chinese ambassador to Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia An Huihou listed four key targets for China at the 2013 China and World Forum held in Beijing on Monday. 1. Domestic […]
more…21 Dec, 2013
What are Chinese teenagers who go abroad looking for
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), December 19, 2013 – Decades ago there was a generation of Chinese people who took overseas educational qualifications and found high-paying jobs on their return. They were considered very fortunate people, and dubbed “sea turtles”- returning home to a promising future. Today most overseas Chinese students were born post-1990 – they […]
more…21 Dec, 2013
India hits back at U.S. over arrest of its diplomat, curbs privileges of U.S. embassy officials
Ministry of External Affairs, 20-December-2013 – Following is the text of the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s intervention in Rajya Sabha on the discussion on the arrest of an Indian Diplomat in USA: Sir, I rise with a very heavy heart. But, I also rise with a sense and confidence that this House has expressed […]
more…21 Dec, 2013
Air Pollution Costing Europe €23 billion / year; Clean-up package approved
Brussels, 18 December 2013, European Commission Press release – The human toll for poor air quality is worse than for road traffic accidents, making it the number one environmental cause of premature death in the EU. It also impacts the quality of life due to asthma or respiratory problems. The Commission is responding with new […]
more…21 Dec, 2013
New award shines a spotlight on Europe’s biodiversity
Brussels, 19 December 2013 (European Commission Press release) – The European Commission is launching a Natura 2000 Award to recognise excellence in best practices for nature conservation in Europe. If you are involved in activities related to Natura 2000, this could be your chance to shine. Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas of […]
more…20 Dec, 2013
Australia releases report on universities financial results
Canberra, 19 December 2013, Minister for Education – Australia’s universities recorded a financially sound 2012, according to the latest aggregated report on their financial health released today. Minister for Education, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today released the Finance 2012: Financial Reports of Higher Education Providers. The report shows revenue for the sector including vocational […]
more…20 Dec, 2013
Australians warned to steer clear of “stem cell tourism”
Canberra, 19 December 2013 – The National Health and Medical Research Council has warned that unproven stem cell treatments available in Australia and overseas could pose risks to the health and well-being of patients. Today, NHMRC released ‘Stem Cell Treatments – a Quick Guide for Medical Practitioners’ and the patient-targeted document ‘Stem Cell Treatments – […]
more…20 Dec, 2013
Tourism generated A$115 million a day for Australia, ABS report
Canberra, 19 December 2013, (Australian Bureau of Statistics) – Tourism contributed over $115 million a day to the Australian economy and outpaced the growth of industries such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). “Tourism GDP grew 3.7 per cent during 2012-13, compared to 2.4 […]
more…20 Dec, 2013
Native American and Indigenous Studies Academics Vote to Join Boycott of Israel
Full text: Declaration of Support for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions by the Council of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association December 15, 2013 – The council of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) declares its support for the boycott of Israeli academic institutions. A broad coalition of Palestinian non-governmental organizations, […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Defeat for PATA: UK unlikely to adjust APD
12.16.2013. Source: West Indies News Network- The British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean says she does not expect her government to revisit its Air Passenger Duty (APD) rate to the Caribbean any time soon. “It’s something that lots of people around the Caribbean have raised with me, and they’re right to do […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Gallup Poll: Record High in U.S. Say Big Government Greatest Threat, Snowden Revelations Seen as Factor
PRINCETON, NJ, Gallup Organisation (December 18, 2013) — Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor, a record high in the nearly 50-year history of this question. The prior high for big government was 65% in 1999 and 2000. […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: Global Study of Urban Mobility Analyses Transport Systems in 66 Cities
Management consultancy Arthur D Little’s new global study of urban mobility assesses mobility maturity and performance of 66 cities worldwide and finds most falling well below best practice. This report highlights what is holding them back, showcases best practice and identifies three strategic imperatives for cities and three clusters of future business models for mobility […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Americans produce six times more e-waste per capita than Chinese, global report shows
Bonn, Dec 15, 2013 (StEP Secretariat) — By 2017, all of that year’s end-of-life refrigerators, TVs, mobile phones, computers, monitors, e-toys and other products with a battery or electrical cord worldwide could fill a line of 40-ton trucks end-to-end on a highway straddling three quarters of the Equator. That startling forecast, based on data compiled […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: U.S. “tapering” will trigger 2014 Asia-Pacific economic slowdown, UN report warns
Bangkok (UN ESCAP Strategic Communications and Advocacy Section), 19 December 2013 – Growth will remain subpar in developing Asia-Pacific countries in 2014, affected by slow recovery, policy uncertainty and protectionism in developed countries, as well as domestic structural impediments, such as growing inequality, according to the latest United Nations macroeconomic projections for the region released […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
South-South Trade Skyrocketing to Record Levels, UNCTAD Statistics Show
Geneva, 17 December 2013 – World merchandise exports have more than tripled over the last two decades and reached US$18 trillion (in current prices) in 2012, with a quarter of that trade comprising exports among developing countries – so-called “South-South” trade — which reached a record $4.7 trillion, according to the UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: As Myanmar Booms, So Does Opium Production, UNODC Report Says
18 December 2013 – Led by a 13 per cent increase in Myanmar opium cultivation to 57,800 hectares (from 51,000 ha in 2012), opium poppy cultivation in Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle of Myanmar, Lao PDR and Thailand rose for the seventh consecutive year, according to a new UNODC report. The report, Southeast Asia Opium Survey […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: UN Report “World Economic Prospects 2014”
New York, 18 December, (UN News Centre) — Global economic growth should increase over the next two years with continuing signs of improvement, according to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 (WESP) report, launched today. The global economy is expected to grow at a pace of 3.0 per cent in 2014 and […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Cruises gaining ground among Chinese tourists
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), December 18, 2013 – Chinese tourists are beginning to shift their gaze from the landscape on the mainland to the blue ocean, after China’s tourism administration decided to make 2013 the Year of Marine Tourism. A variety of marine holidays are driving new demand. A voyage on a cruise ship is […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
The bottle opener, cooking syringe and egg whisk: Is “modern” architecture ruining Chinese cities?
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), December 17, 2013 – Since China entered the modern era, a modernist trend in architecture has swept the country. The design of modern Chinese buildings is deeply influenced by western styles; traditional Chinese architecture has generally disappeared from view and some inappropriate elements of western construction are taking hold in China’s […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Chinese visiting Philippines down by 70%
MANILA, (Xinhua) 2013-12-17 – The number of Chinese tourists visiting the Philippines declined by 70 percent this year compared to figures registered three or four years ago, the Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday. Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said the Chinese had been the country’s top visitors before they were dislodged by the Koreans two years ago. […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Tax revenues continue to rise across the OECD
Paris, (OECD media release), 17/12/2013 – Tax revenues continue bouncing back from the low levels reported in almost all countries during 2008 and 2009, at the height of the global economic crisis, according to new OECD data in the annual Revenue Statistics publication. The average tax revenue to GDP ratio in OECD countries was 34.6% [1] in […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Yunnan reopens land routes to Southeast Asia
Kunming, (China Daily ) 2013-12-17 – Thirteen overland routes between Yunnan province and neighboring Southeast Asian countries were reopened on Monday after eight years of suspension, providing a boost for tourism and other businesses in the region. On hearing the news, local tourism agencies were overjoyed at the prospect of increased numbers of tourists traveling […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: U.S. Consumers League Policy Paper on “State of Identity Theft 2013”
WASHINGTON-December 16, 2013-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Speaking at a National Consumers League event on identity theft, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said Thursday that more can be done by the private sector and government to protect consumers and businesses from identity theft. “It’s clear to me that we need to do more,” said Ramirez, who called for the government […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
ADB Assistance to Philippines Typhoon Recovery Reaches $1 Billion
MANILA, 18 December 2013 (ADB media release) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has so far approved $900 million in assistance for livelihood restoration, infrastructure reconstruction climate resilience initiatives in communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda, as well as budget support to the Government of the Philippines. In addition to the loans and grants already approved by […]
more…19 Dec, 2013
Israeli Blockade of Palestinian Students, Scholars Triggers ASA Academic Boycott Vote
The following is the full text of the statement issued by the American Studies Association on a vote to boycott Israeli academic institutions. The historic vote is likely to have a ripple effect in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world where Israeli academic institutions are seeking to expand their footprint as part of […]
more…17 Dec, 2013
New Thai, Lao PDR Bridge Completes ‘Missing Link’ in Key Regional Corridor
Vientiane, ADB Media release, 11 December 2013 – A new bridge straddling the Mekong River between Thailand and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is open for business, signaling completion of physical works along one of the Greater Mekong Subregion’s (GMS) most critical economic corridors. “The bridge is the ‘missing link’ along the North-South Economic Corridor, […]
more…16 Dec, 2013
Masterpiece Speech: Former Indian President Abdul Kalam on “Creative Leadership for Transforming Societies”
Ministry of Defence, 15-December-2013, Press Information Bureau – Former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam delivered the first Defence Estate Day Lecture on ‘Creative Leadership for Transforming Societies’ here today. Here is the full text of his speech:- I am indeed delighted to deliver the First Defence Estates Day Lecture organized by the Defence Estates […]
more…15 Dec, 2013
U.S. Pilots Launch Fresh Attack on Government over Etihad Deal
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–December 12, 2013 -The following is the full text of a statement issued by the Air Line Pilots Association. Today’s announcement by Etihad Airways that the airline will be offering service to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), coming on the heels of last week’s announcement that Qatar Airways would begin service to DFW […]
more…15 Dec, 2013
Indian VP Cites Ways to Make South Asia a Critical Player in the Rising Asian Century
Pune, India, 14-December-2013, Vice President’s Secretariat – The Vice President of India Prof M. Hamid Ansari has said that new technologies are blurring the political, geographical and socio-cultural boundaries that have kept the world divided over millennia. Today we are increasingly interlinked, have enhanced competition, and are beneficiaries of the globalized market place. Speaking on […]
more…13 Dec, 2013
China deputy minister stresses “tiny steps” to raise retirement age
BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) — Raising the retirement age in progressive steps is in line with China’s labor market realities and should be prioritized, an official said Tuesday. Hu Xiaoyi, deputy minister of Human Resources and Social Security, told Xinhua in an interview that considering China’s current development stage and some emerging problems, raising the […]
more…12 Dec, 2013
Writers “expose tyrannies, opportunists and killers” – Winner of Egyptian Literature Prize
Cairo, Ahram Online, Wednesday 11 Dec 2013 – Ahram Online publishes the full speech of the Syrian writer and novelist, Khaled Khalifa, the winner of the 2013 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, granted by the American University in Cairo. Khalifa wrote his winning novel about the price that the Syrians paid under the rule of […]
more…12 Dec, 2013
$50 Billion Greater Mekong Plan to Focus on Building Economic Corridors
VIENTIANE, Laos, 12 December 2013 (ADB media release) – Member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) have agreed to draw up a $50 billion pipeline of potential projects under a new Regional Investment Framework (RIF), including investments in non-traditional areas like railways and multisector projects to be made over the next decade. “The next generation […]
more…12 Dec, 2013
ASEAN businesses see integration as opportunity, not threat: survey
JAKARTA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Business communities in the 10 member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold that the upcoming regional economic integration would not disrupt their business, saying it would even give them opportunity rather than threat. It was learned from the results of a recent survey carried out by ASEAN […]
more…12 Dec, 2013
UN Awards Human Rights Campaigners for Standing Up to Abuses and Injustice
United Nations, 10 December 2013, Department of Public Information – The 2013 United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights was awarded today to five individuals and one judicial body at the General Assembly’s commemorative meeting to mark the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The 2013 recipients were Biram Dah […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
Indian Studies Prove Radiation Effect of Long-term Mobile Phone Use
New Delhi, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, 10-December-2013 – Recently two reviews have been published from the School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi regarding effect of mobile phone radiation. Both the reviews are based on the review of published studies conducted on animals and in in-vitro system. Giving this information in […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
First ADB US$60m Loan to Myanmar to Grow Nationwide Electricity Grid
09 December 2013, ADB media release – Some 480,000 households in four regions in Myanmar will have better access to a more reliable supply of electricity to support their daily activities with a $60 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the first project loan since re-engaging with Myanmar, which will rehabilitate sections of […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
Travel one of many sectors feeling ripple-effect of China’s high air pollution
Shanghai (China Daily) December 10, 2013 – Heavy air pollution is taking its toll on Shanghai’s department stores and shopping malls as people reduce their outdoor activities. By contrast, the number of tourists opting for vacations on islands and in forests that promise fresh air away from the suffocating haze is on the rise. Following […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
China initiates shift away from GDP-obsessed economic path
BEIJING – 2013-12-10 (Xinhua) China has promised to cut the weight of GDP when assessing the work of local governments, but the country has not scrapped economic development, central authorities said Tuesday. The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee issued a document on Monday promising to shift away from GDP-obsessed […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
Western holiday consumption lifts China’s exports, but pressure remains
BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) — China’s exports grew faster in November thanks to Christmas consumption in Western countries and a recovering global economy, but pressure remains for future growth, experts said. The country’s trade surplus hit 33.8 billion U.S. dollars in November, the highest since 2008, as exports gained 12.7 percent year on year and […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: Middle East’s 157 Billionaires Dominate Region’s Wealth
SINGAPORE, Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Middle East’s billionaires – with a combined net worth of US$354 billion – hold a higher percentage of total wealth than in any other region in the world, findings from the Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2013 show. Forty percent of the Middle East’s ultra high net worth (UHNW) […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
Pakistani Economist To Head UN’s Asia-Pacific Regional Development Arm
United Nations, (UN News Centre) Dec 10 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed seasoned economist Shamshad Akhtar of Pakistan as the new head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Ms. Akhtar will succeed Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore, who will continue to serve as Special Adviser of […]
more…11 Dec, 2013
New Thai-Laos Bridge Opens, Completing ‘Missing Link’ in North-South Regional Corridor
11 December 2013, Asian Development Bank media release – A new bridge straddling the Mekong River between Thailand and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is open for business, signaling completion of physical works along one of the Greater Mekong Subregion’s (GMS) most critical economic corridors. The opening of the Houayxay-Chiang Khong bridge completes the North-South […]
more…10 Dec, 2013
Amnesty International brings claim against UK over state surveillance
9 December 2013 – Amnesty International has today announced it has issued a claim against the UK over concerns that the organization’s communications have been unlawfully accessed by the UK intelligence services. In June disclosures made by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the USA was routinely accessing the communications of millions of people […]
more…9 Dec, 2013
PR Newswire Survey: Companies in China Assess Content Marketing Trends, ROI Impact
BEIJING, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — PR Newswire today released its annual survey report, “Content Marketing Trends and ROI Impact Assessment by Companies in China”. The pool for this year’s survey was made up of a fixed list of corporate brand PR specialists, marketers and C-suite corporate executives, all of whom received invitations to complete […]
more…9 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: Women in Europe still work 59 days ‘for free’, Gender Pay Gap Report finds
Brussels, 9 December 2013, European Commission Press release – 16.2%: that’s the size of the gender pay gap, or the average difference between women and men’s hourly earnings across the EU, according to the latest figures released today by the European Commission. The figure has not moved an inch in the space of a year. […]
more…9 Dec, 2013
EU relaxes use of electronic devices on aircraft
Brussels, 9 December 2013, European Commission Press release – The EU’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has today updated its guidance on the use of portable electronic devices on board (PED), including smartphones, tablets and e-readers. It confirms that these devices may be kept switched on in “Flight Mode” (non-transmitting mode) throughout the journey (including taxiing, […]
more…7 Dec, 2013
Survey Reveals Business, Personal Impacts of Oct 2013 U.S. Federal Government Shutdown
HERNDON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–December 03, 2013 – The 16-day shutdown of the U.S. government in October 2013 had widespread business and personal impacts that reached far beyond the federal sector and well outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, according to findings of a survey released today by ORI, a market research and strategic business intelligence firm. […]
more…7 Dec, 2013
European Commission: Five festive season tips to avoid on-line fraud
Brussels, 6 December 2013, European Commission Press release – 12% of internet users across the EU have already fallen victim to online fraud. 8% have had to deal with identity theft. A new report by the European Consumer Centre Network (ECC-Net) takes a look at the scams faced by consumers when shopping online. The report […]
more…7 Dec, 2013
European Commission Assesses a Year of Progress in Battle Against Tax Evasion, Avoidance
Source: European Commission Brussels, 5 December 2013 Why has the Commission made fighting tax fraud and evasion a priority? Every year, billions of euros of public money are lost in the EU due to tax evasion and tax avoidance. As a result, Member States suffer a serious loss of revenue, as well as a dent […]
more…7 Dec, 2013
Nelson Mandela: A Jewish Perspective by Rabbi Michael Lerner
Jews love and loved Nelson Mandela. He inspired us with his insistence that the old regime of apartheid would crumble more quickly and fully when faced with revolutionary love and compassion than when faced with anger and violence. Mandela also challenged us to think deeply about whether the current situation in Israel/Palestine reflects the ethic […]
more…6 Dec, 2013
U.S. Public Feels Country Losing Global Respect, Power and Prestige – Pew Research Report
WASHINGTON DC, (Dec 3, 2013) Pew Research Centre – Growing numbers of Americans believe that U.S. global power and prestige are in decline. And support for U.S. global engagement, already near a historic low, has fallen further. The public thinks that the nation does too much to solve world problems, and increasing percentages want the […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
Another NSA Whistleblower Warns of Surveillance, Hidden Traps in TPP Deal
MOSCOW–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Edward Snowden was not the first major whistleblower the National Security Agency has faced. Before him, there was former senior executive with the NSA Thomas Drake who made major headlines of his own. In a new exclusive interview with the Voice of Russia, Drake, a former senior executive with the NSA, spoke about his […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: FAO Report to help strengthen forest producer organizations
25 November, 2013, Guilin/Rome (FAO Media release) – Strengthening forest producer organizations should contribute significantly to reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and enhancing economic development of smallholder forest owners and farmers, FAO said today at the International Conference on Forest Producer Organizations, taking place in Guilin, China, 25-28 November 2013. Being part of a producer organization […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
ITU Moves to Boost Critical Radio Communication Links During Disasters, Crises
Geneva, 29 November 2013 – ITU held a Workshop on Emergency Broadcasting to highlight the importance of international cooperation needed to enhance the reach of broadcasting in emergency situations, such as in the Philippines, which was recently devastated by Typhoon Haiyan and the cyclones that have battered the coastal districts of eastern India. A new […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
No easy death: Ageing populations will need to work longer, save more – OECD report
Paris, (OECD News release) 26/11/2013 – Recent reforms of pension systems have helped to contain the rise in future costs resulting from ageing populations and increasing life expectancy. Governments now need to do more to encourage people to work longer and save more for their retirement to ensure that benefits are adequate enough to maintain […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
European Commission names and shames banking giants for collusion, rigging, misconduct
Brussels 4 December 2013 – Introductory remarks by Joaquín Almunia, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Competition Policy at a Press conference on cartels in the financial sector. Today the Commission has taken decisions in two cartel cases in the financial sector. We have reached settlements with 8 financial institutions which violated EU antitrust rules […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2013
Geneva, Switzerland, (05 December 2013) – Driven by rising domestic demand in China and by increased intra-Asian and South–South trade, international seaborne trade performed relatively well in 2012, with volumes increasing by 4.3 per cent, reaching 9.2 billion tons for the first time ever, UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2013 (RMT13)1 reports. World container port […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
Disability no barrier to one Chinese young boy’s can-do spirit
Beijing, (China Daily) 2013-12-03 – When he talks about his disability, Yi Xiaoyuan has a serious look on his face. His voice doesn’t halter and his gaze doesn’t wander. He has been in a wheelchair for 10 years, since he was 11 years old and his rheumatoid arthritis worsened. With his mother sitting next to […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
China unveils plan for resource-dependent cities
(Xinhua ) 2013-12-03, BEIJING – China on Tuesday unveiled a development plan for 262 cities it identified as resource-dependent — those that are rich in natural resources — in an effort to guide their growth onto a more sustainable track. The plan, the first national framework on sustainable development of resource-dependent cities, put the cities […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
About 75% of Chinese PwD’s unemployed
Beijing (CNTV) December 04, 2013 – December 3rd marks the United Nations World Day for Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme is: “Break Barriers, Open Doors.” But despite many reforms in China to boost their employment, opportunities for handicapped job-seekers in the world’s second-largest economy remain far from equal, with just over one in four […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
PwD’s Must Be Able To Reap Benefits Of Development, UN Officials Stress
United Nations, (UN News Centre), Dec 3 2013 – Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations is calling for global efforts to ensure that the more than one billion people worldwide who live with some form of disability can reap the benefits of development and fully participate in society. “We must […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
Accessibility Centre for PwD’s Inaugurated At UN Headquarters
United Nations, (UN News Centre) Dec 4 2013 – Hailing a new facility that enables greater participation of persons with disabilities in intergovernmental processes at Headquarters as “a model of the digital United Nations we are are trying to create,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today the initiative showed the Organization is making strides towards creating […]
more…5 Dec, 2013
Singapore hotel wins first Asia-Pacific award for dedication to Persons with Disabilities
Bangkok, Dec 3, 2013 – The Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre became the first hotel winner of a newly launched award to recognise Asia-Pacific companies creating meaningful jobs for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). Two other winners of the ESCAP-Sasakawa Award For Disability-Inclusive Business in Asia and the Pacific were the Indian information technology company […]
more…3 Dec, 2013
Increasing Chinese tourists embrace fear of extreme and outdoor sports
MELBOURNE, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) — The cabin door opened when the green light was flashing, Liu Kang moved forward to sit at the edge of the door with his tandem master. Everyone was pretty scared, and they stepped out of the plane after someone behind Liu was shouting “embrace the fear”. With a 60-second free […]
more…3 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: Pacific Region Faces Rising Fiscal Challenges in 2014 – ADB Report
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 2 December 2013 – Fiscal pressures are expected to increase in the Pacific in 2014, according to the latest issue of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Pacific Economic Monitor, launched today at the offices of the New Zealand Aid Programme. Public spending for post-cyclone recovery in Samoa is likely to slow progress […]
more…3 Dec, 2013
China’s tea growers take the less travelled road in Africa and Europe
2013-12-02 (China Daily) – What started 5,000 years ago with a haphazard gust of wind dropping foliage into the boiling pot of a wandering Chinese emperor has brewed into a cultural cornerstone worth billions in any currency. China may be the world’s largest tea producer — growing about 2 million tons annually — but international […]
more…3 Dec, 2013
China’s General aviation sector ‘set for takeoff’
Beijing 2013-11-30 (China Daily) – The general aviation industry in China is poised for a boom, with the authorities encouraging its development, but the money pouring into the sector may lead to a bubble, industry experts said. The Civil Aviation Administration of China and the General Staff Headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army jointly released […]
more…3 Dec, 2013
FREE Download: Asia-Pacific Statistical Yearbook 2013
Bangkok (UN ESCAP Strategic Communications and Advocacy Section) 3 December 2013 – The development community must work together to place statistical capacity building at the center of the post-2015 development agenda to ensure that high quality data and information are available to people and governments to support more effective decision-making, the United Nations said today. Reflecting on […]
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