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17 Aug, 2013

Chinese millionaires report features first “Happiness Index”

By Shi Jing in Shanghai (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-08-15 09:17 – At a time of economic slowdown combined with market uncertainties, Chinese millionaires’ confidence in the country’s economy in the next two years has dropped for a second consecutive year, according to the GroupM Knowledge-Hurun Wealth Report 2013. The report was co-released by the media investment management firm GroupM China and the […]

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17 Aug, 2013

Beijing-Tokyo dispute will have “serious ramifications” for ASEAN

By Kavi Chongkittavorn (China Daily)

Bangkok, 2013-08-15 – The intensifying hostility between China and Japan and the increasing mutual distrust between their people will have serious ramifications on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. For the past three decades, the two Asian giants’ stable relations have helped generate huge volumes of trade and investment and propelled the region’s economic progress. […]

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17 Aug, 2013

The Next Big Thing: Asia <> Africa Travel

Bangkok – With the industrialised countries more or less saturated as generators of global travel, and intra-Asia/Pacific travel booming, sights are turning towards what is likely to be the next big source market for Asia by the end of this decade: Africa. The groundwork for this boom to come is being laid now. One step […]

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15 Aug, 2013

China asks: Who gave America the right to launch network assaults?

By Shen Dingli

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), August 14, 2013 – Edward Snowden revealed the fact of large-scale telecom monitoring at home and abroad by the United States, confirming people’s previous assumptions. However, the world was still shocked by the depth and the breadth of the monitoring. In response to the numerous questions put to the United States […]

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15 Aug, 2013

How bird-cage making, a Malay Muslim art, strives to build peace in South Thailand

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Yala, (World Bank Update) August 13, 2013 – Three years ago, Ban Kue-meng was just another rural town in Thailand’s Yala province. These days, it is known as the home of some of the best bird cage makers in the country. Bird cage making, a Malay Muslim art in Thailand’s southernmost provinces (known locally as the […]

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14 Aug, 2013

UNHCR appeals for dialogue following more anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar

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GENEVA, 13 August (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) – The UNHCR on Tuesday called for measures to prevent further violence in the wake of the latest clashes between displaced Muslims and security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “The clashes last Friday have left one man dead and about 10 people injured,” UN refugee agency spokesman […]

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14 Aug, 2013

Marking Youth Day, UN Officials Spotlight Rights And Potential Of Young Migrants

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United Nations, Aug 13 2013 (UN News Centre) – Marking International Youth Day, United Nations officials today highlighted the plight as well as the contributions of young migrants, who often face hard conditions away from their homes. “It is important to emphasize the positive contribution young migrants make to societies of origin, transit and destination […]

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14 Aug, 2013

Visa Global Travel Study: Americans Plan to Spend 40% More on Next Foreign Trip

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FOSTER CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 13, 2013 – According to the Global Travel Intentions Study 2013 by Visa Inc. U.S. travelers crave culture, are tech savvy and plan to significantly increase their travel budget on their next international trip. Findings revealed that travelers plan to spend 40 percent more on their next international trip compared to […]

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14 Aug, 2013

Report: Small Businesses “Uniquely Vulnerable” to Climate Change, Extreme Weather

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 25, 2013 – U.S. small businesses – widely recognized as the backbone of the U.S. economy – are particularly at risk from extreme weather and climate change and must take steps to adapt, according to a new report from Small Business Majority and the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC). Titled “Climate […]

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13 Aug, 2013

New York Judge’s Ruling Opens Door To Combat Racial Profiling In Travel

In a move that is set to have a significant impact on the conduct of security personnel at airports and right across the travel & transport system, a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled on Aug 12 that the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy has led […]

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13 Aug, 2013

HK PolyTech Univ Invites Applications for Ph.D. Scholarships

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Hong Kong, 13 Aug 21013 – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) invites expressions of interest from graduates, irrespective of country of origin and ethnic background, with evidence of academic excellence, research ability and potential, and good communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities for full-time PhD study in Hong Kong within the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship […]

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13 Aug, 2013

China Mulls Ways to Boost Safety of Its Overseas Travellers, Residents

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BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — A Chinese national has returned to safety after Thursday’s attack in Afghan capital Kabul that killed three Chinese self-employed business people. Another Chinese citizen is still missing. The incident drew wide attention from home and abroad, as the issue of the safety of Chinese nationals overseas becomes more and more […]

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11 Aug, 2013

Chinese Medicine Fair to be held in HK, 15-17 Aug

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Hong Kong, Aug 8, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – About 140 exhibitors and 20 expert speakers will present the latest Chinese medicine and health products, solutions and intelligence at the 12th edition of the International Conference & Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM), 15-17 August. Jointly organised by the Hong […]

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10 Aug, 2013

City of Confucius gets first international hotel

By Xu Lin

2013-08-10, (China Daily) – It is a sprawling traditional Chinese pavilion topped by grey roofs with tiers of overhanging eaves. This is the latest Shangri-la Hotel in China, opened on Aug 1 in Qufu, home of Confucius. With an area of more than 50,000 square meters spread across two streets corners, the hotel allows guests […]

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10 Aug, 2013

2nd Congress of Indonesian Diaspora to open Aug 18

Jakarta Post

Jakarta, August 10 2013 – Indonesia will organize the 2nd Congress of Indonesian Diaspora (CID II), the biggest gathering of Indonesians living overseas, in Jakarta to connect and unite into one big family and increase the contribution of Indonesian Diaspora to the nation, the Foreign Ministry says. “The Congress of Indonesian Diaspora aims to increase […]

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10 Aug, 2013

Registered Overseas Indian Citizens Total 1.37 million

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Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 07-August, 2013 – A total of 1,372,624 Overseas Indians have been registered as overseas citizens of India (OCIs) as of 31.07.2013. The highest number of 520,055 Overseas Indians in USA have been registered as OCIs followed by U.K. (307,822,) Australia (133,755) and Canada (114,748). As reported by 107 Indian Missions […]

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10 Aug, 2013

UN Stresses Importance Of Honouring Treaties With World’s 370m Indigenous People

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil

United Nations, Aug 9 2013 (UN News Centre) – Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, United Nations officials today urged governments to honour the treaties and agreements established with their indigenous groups, stressing that respecting official policies is the only way to maintain peace and advance development. EDITOR’S COMMENT Travel Impact Newswire […]

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10 Aug, 2013

“Clean Government” policy: China says official spending now largely checked

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BEIJING, 2013-08-09 (Xinhua) – A regulation proposed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on major measures to slash government spending has been properly and effectively implemented, the government said on Thursday. However, violations have not been eliminated, according to the statement, which added that the State Council, or China’s cabinet, will work with relevant authorities to […]

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10 Aug, 2013

Indigenous canoe trip celebrates 400-year-old peace treaty

UN News Centre

United Nations, 9 August 2013 – More than 200 indigenous and non-indigenous canoe paddlers arrived in Manhattan today, after having travelled for almost two weeks down the Hudson River from upstate New York, to take part in an event at the United Nations to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on Aug […]

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9 Aug, 2013

Johannesburg Tops African Millionaires List

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JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Johannesburg, the commercial capital of South Africa, is home to far more dollar millionaires than any other city in Africa, research has found. The “city of gold” topped the continent’s rich list with 23,400 millionaires at the end of 2012, according to New World Wealth, a consultancy based in Oxford in […]

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9 Aug, 2013

HR Chiefs Recount Best and Worst of Job-Seekers’ Tactics and Antics

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CHICAGO, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –Would you hire job seekers who sang their interview, dressed as a clown, or printed their resume on a chocolate bar?  CareerBuilder asked 2,076 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide to share the most memorable methods candidates have used to stand out from the crowd, and whether their creativity […]

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9 Aug, 2013

Chinese analyst: U.S. “goof-up” in Egypt will create more trouble for years

By Chu Zhaogen (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-08-09 – Violence in Egypt has escalated since the army moved ousted president Mohamed Morsi to a secret location, where he is being held on accusations for having “conspired” with Gaza-based Hamas to carry out “hostile acts” inside Egypt. The bloodshed in late July, which followed by nationwide protests and clashes between Morsi’s supporters […]

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9 Aug, 2013

Chinese security expert: U.S. exaggerating “terrorism” threat

(People's Daily Online)

Beijing August 09, 2013 – The U.S. recently announced the closure of a number of its embassies in the Muslim world until the end of Ramadan, claiming that it faced “the most serious terrorist threats since September 11 attacks”. It is standard procedure for the U.S. to issue occasional alerts to its overseas agencies. But […]

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9 Aug, 2013

China’s obesity rate growing

By Sun Xiaochen and Lei Lei (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-08-06 – More Chinese people aged 20 to 39 are becoming overweight and their athletic ability is declining, according to a national survey released on Monday. The survey of more than 43,000 adults found that more than 11 percent of people aged 20 to 39 are obese, an increase of 2 percentage points since […]

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9 Aug, 2013

Index shows rise in global acceptance of Chinese yuan

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Beijing, 2013-08-07 – A major index measuring global acceptance of the Chinese currency rose 4.8 percent in June from the previous month. The Standard Chartered Renminbi Globalisation Index reached 1,050 in June, up 65 percent year-on-year, withstanding macro and market uncertainties, the bank said on Wednesday. The bank said the rise was mainly driven by […]

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9 Aug, 2013

Report outlines state of Aussie public health & welfare

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Canberra, 08 Aug 2013 – Australians are living longer, are better educated and extending their stay in the workforce, but some people continue to be disadvantaged, according to the latest welfare report card from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). From the latest figures available, Australian governments spent an estimated $119 billion on […]

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8 Aug, 2013

India protests racial/ethnic profiling of travellers, cyber-intrusions

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New Delhi, 7 August 2013 (Press Information Bureau and Travel Impact Newswire) – The Indian government has protested the growing number of incidents involving the racial profiling and harassment of Indian travellers at airports around the world. It has also declared as “unacceptable” the “violation of Indian laws relating to the privacy of information of […]

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7 Aug, 2013

Survey: Most Travel Managers Not Adjusting Corporate Policy In Light Of “Terror Threat”

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August 6, 2013, RADNOR, PA, (Press Statement): The Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today released results of a survey of travel managers designed to determine what travel policy changes and other support travelers are receiving in light of news of a major terror threat. Introduction Given the new intelligence suggesting that Al Qaeda may launch attacks […]

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7 Aug, 2013

Finalists named for Europe’s most inspirational, innovative regional projects awards 2014

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Brussels, 6 August 2013, European commission media release – The finalists for the RegioStars 2014 awards which honour Europe’s most inspirational and innovative regional projects were published today in Brussels. The RegioStars Awards Jury singled out 19 finalists from 80 projects supported by EU Regional Funds on the basis of four key criteria: innovation, impact, […]

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7 Aug, 2013

Across Europe, phone call rates differ by 774%!!

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Brussels, European Commission Press release, 6 August 2013 – Mobile users across the European Union face huge price differences for the same services. The biggest price difference is in domestic mobile calls – a 774% difference between Lithuania, the cheapest country, and Netherlands, the most expensive. These price differences cannot be explained by differences in […]

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7 Aug, 2013

A Palestinian Speaks in Hiroshima: War is a way rich get richer at expense of the poor

Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh

Hiroshima, Aug 6, 2013 – I and Oliver Stone both spoke at Hiroshima on the anniversary of the first nuclear bombing in human history and we are slated to speak in two days at Nagasaki on the anniversary of the second nuclear attack. My speech is below. These remain the most starkest of acts of […]

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7 Aug, 2013

Communist Party of China to maintain high pressure on corruption

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BEIJING, (Xinhua)  August 06, 2013  — For those questioning whether the Communist Party of China (CPC) is serious about its anti-corruption drive, the growing number of officials under punishment has shown the party’s zero-tolerance to such wrongdoing. Four court officials in Shanghai were suspended from their posts last week and investigated after alleged hiring of […]

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7 Aug, 2013

Give Chinese overseas tourists a break

By William Daniel Garst

(China Daily), August 06, 2013 – If China’s media is to be believed, Chinese tourists visiting foreign countries have become the new “ugly Americans”. Hardly a day goes by without some report of boorish and culturally insensitive behavior on the part of Chinese traveling overseas. For example, some “rude Chinese tourist” stories published online go […]

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6 Aug, 2013

ADB, Australia, Korea To Support New Transport Link in Mekong Delta

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5 August 2013 (ADB Media release)— The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend $410 million to Viet Nam to build sections of a second arterial highway connecting Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta and southern coastal regions. Lao Bao (Lao BaÒo) international checkpoint linking Viet Nam to Lao PDR. Photo: ADB “Viet Nam […]

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6 Aug, 2013

Surveillance backlash: U.S. cloud computing industry could lose $22-$35 billion

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Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) August 05, 2013 – The United States is the international leader in cloud computing, dominating every segment of the nearly $130 billion industry. However, recent revelations about the extent to which the National Security Administration obtains data from third-parties through the PRISM program, may lead to significant changes in the global cloud […]

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6 Aug, 2013

2nd World Hindu Economic Forum to be held in Bangkok, Aug 10-11

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Bangkok – The 2nd World Hindu Economic Forum will be held in the Thai capital during August 10-11, 2013 under the theme, “Making Society Prosperous – Strengthening Economy and Shaping Future.” World Hindu Economic Forum is an initiative to create and synergize positive and mutually beneficial networking among Hindu entrepreneurs, investors, industrialists, businessmen, professional, bankers, […]

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6 Aug, 2013

China People’s Daily: Time to break the hegemony of western discourse

Edited and translated by Zhang Qian, People's Daily Online

(People’s Daily Online), August 05, 2013 – Reading the recent policy speeches of western leaders might create the impression that most of the content concerns the domestic economy, the management of which is indeed a current and pressing task. However, closer inspection reveals an ongoing insistence on promoting ‘western values’ to the world. What lies […]

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5 Aug, 2013

Ahead of Youth Day, UN chief hears concerns from young people worldwide

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 5 August 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today held an interactive dialogue with young people across the world and launched an online United Nations Platform for Youth in conjunction with his Special Envoy on this issue. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas “Your generation is the largest the world has ever known,” Mr. […]

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5 Aug, 2013

Asian tourism market worth A$20 bln for Australia by 2020

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CANBERRA, August 4 (Xinhua) — The Asian region could collectively be worth more than 20 billion AU dollars (17.8 billion U.S. dollars) to Australia’s tourism industry by 2020, a media release by Tourism Minister Gary Gray quoted him as saying on Sunday. Gray said Tourism Australia would receive 12.5 million AU dollars (11.1 million U.S. […]

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5 Aug, 2013

Regal Riverside Hotel Hong Kong Launches New Halal Kitchen

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Hong Kong – Regal Riverside Hotel has announced that its newly launched Halal kitchen in L’Eau Restaurant has been awarded the Halal Certificate by The Incorporated Trustees of The Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong. After several rounds of inspection and verification, the newly built kitchen has met the criteria for certification as Halal.  It […]

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5 Aug, 2013

Booz Allen Gets More Multi-million Dollar Surveillance, Reconnaissance Contracts

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MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– August 02, 2013 – Booz Allen Hamilton today announced it has now won four of the Full and Open Pillar contracts involving a range of full system lifecycle support activities for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic (SCC Atlantic). Most recently, the firm won a contract with a total ceiling […]

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3 Aug, 2013

China’s Economic Boom Creating Huge Ecological Pressure – UNEP report

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Kubuqi (China) /Bangkok, 02 August 2013 – China has surged ahead of the rest of the world in material consumption, creating intense environmental pressures, but the country also remains among the most successful in the world in improving resource efficiency, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today. The […]

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3 Aug, 2013

Bids called for “Beijing-Shenyang in two hours” high-speed rail link

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Beijing, (China Daily) 2013-08-02 – The long-overdue Beijing-Shenyang super high speed railway is expected to start construction with Xinghuo railway station as the starting point. A construction trading information website sponsored by Beijing municipal government published a notice on Tuesday calling for bids to build the line. The notice said the railway, with Xinghuo station […]

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3 Aug, 2013

Beijing set to lure more visa-free transit tourists

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Beijing, 2013-08-03 – Beijing has vowed to step up promotion of its 72-hour visa-free policy, aiming to attract more foreign transit tourists following a drop in arrivals for overnight stays in the past six months. About 2.14 million tourists visited the capital during the first half of the year, a 14.3 percent decline compared with […]

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3 Aug, 2013

Chinese FM calls for deepened, enriched China-ASEAN cooperation

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Bangkok, (Xinhua) August 02, 2013 – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called on ASEAN countries to join hands with China to further deepen and enrich their cooperation following 10 years of strategic partnership. He made the remark at the opening ceremony of the High-Level Forum on the 10th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership […]

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3 Aug, 2013

Chinese Commentator: US crusade to “kill a chicken to warn monkeys”

By Chen Weihua (China Daily)

Washington DC, 2013-08-02 – It has become increasingly clear now why the United States government is so anxious to crack down on whistle-blowers, pursuing over 20 charges against Bradley Manning, a US soldier who gave secret government and military documents to WikiLeaks, hunting down former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden who revealed the NSA’s […]

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3 Aug, 2013

Han Chinese Becoming Fluent in Uygur, Building Understanding, Culture

By Cui Jia in Urumqi (China Daily)

Xinjiang, 2013-08-02 (China Daily) It was after 10 pm in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Zhu Xiaomei had just finished her Uygur language evening class, which she has been attending after work for almost a year. A student reads a Uygur book at Xinzhou training school in Urumqi. Photos by Yao […]

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2 Aug, 2013

WSPA report: As industrialisation grows, cows fading from European landscape

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LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As cows disappear from the landscape of Europe at an increasing rate, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA (http://www.wspa-international.org/)) believes the trend is detrimental to the health and welfare of dairy cows. And it is not necessarily financially beneficial for dairy farmers, states a new report released on 31, July 2013. The […]

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2 Aug, 2013

Half of Chinese businesses fail within five years

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Beijing, 2013-08-01, (China.org.cn) – Half of Chinese businesses fail within the first five years and are likely to encounter a bottleneck in three to seven years, according to a report from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce released on Tuesday. By late 2012, China had a total of 13.2 million businesses. 6.53 million businesses, […]

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2 Aug, 2013

Indonesia Assures No Spying On Foreign Leaders During APEC Summit In Bali

From Ahmad Fuad Yahya

JAKARTA, Indonesia Aug 1 (NNN-Bernama) — Indonesia has given an assuarance that its intelligence services will not spy on foreign heads of state during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Bali in October. Spokesman for Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Julian Aldrin Pasha said Indonesia as host of the summit would act ethically […]

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2 Aug, 2013

U.S. National “Back to Church” Campaign Launched for Sunday, Sept. 15

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Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) August 01, 2013 – According to a Gallup poll released in May, a whopping 75 percent of Americans think the USA would be a better place to live if more people were religious–even though many of those surveyed reported they don’t attend church themselves. One suggestion being offered to help? Come […]

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2 Aug, 2013

Fast friends: Japanese PM hosts ‘iftar’ party for Muslim nations

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Tokyo, Aug 1, 2013, (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted on Wednesday an “iftar” dinner party, inviting ambassadors and diplomats from around 40 Muslim countries to the prime minister’s office in Tokyo with the aim of deepening mutual understanding. In opening remarks at the dinner, Abe expressed a desire to visit more Muslim nations […]

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2 Aug, 2013

Bali advised to reject World Tobacco Asia 2014 convention

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Denpasar, 2013-08-01, (Bali Daily) – The Bali Tobacco Control Initiative group from Udayana University’s public health department has called on the government to reject the World Tobacco Asia (WTA) conference, slated to be held in Nusa Dua next year. “The conference in Bali is against our commitment to encourage people to live healthily without cigarettes. […]

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1 Aug, 2013

Chinese tourists told to curb “improper behavior”

By Zheng Xin

Beijing, (China Daily) 2013-08-01 – Chinese authorities are aware of the serious consequences of improper behavior by fellow countrymen overseas and are working to provide better education for those abroad in the hopes of improving the tarnished image. A government-organized teleconference on Wednesday called on authorities to guide people to abide by public order and […]

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1 Aug, 2013

China’s restaurants re-engineer, taste renewed growth

By Wang Zhuoqiong

Beijing, 2013-07-31, (China Daily) –  The growth slowdown in the country’s catering industry is over, with double-digit expansion to return in the current half-year, according to the China Cuisine Association. Growth will hit 10 percent from July to December, with industry revenue of 2.6 trillion yuan ($424 billion), the association said in a report on Monday. […]

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1 Aug, 2013

China struggles to retain talent

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NANNING (Xinhua) 2013-07-30 – China’s continued loss of talented individuals is being widely discussed following a report from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) indicating that a record number of Chinese mainland students have applied to the university. The university said in a July report that a record 12,000 students from the mainland have applied […]

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1 Aug, 2013

Single Window Clearance Planned To Promote India for Shooting Movies

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New Delhi, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 31-July, 2013 – The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will be working to mainstream a synchronized ‘Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)’ for obtaining permissions for films shooting in India for both Indian and foreign film producers. This would lead to institutionalization and standardized benchmarks for each critical stakeholder involved […]

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1 Aug, 2013

135 U.S. Civil Rights Groups Call for End to Racial Profiling

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(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/31/2013) – The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) yesterday joined other civil rights leaders at a news conference to support the reintroduction of the End Racial Profiling Act of 2013 (ERPA). Introduced earlier this year in the Senate, this bill would eliminate profiling based on race, ethnicity, national origin, and religion by federal, state, local, […]

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31 Jul, 2013

Chinese Commentator: American cyber, hot and cold warring mentality has to go

By Xu Peixi

BEIJING, July 30 (Xinhuanet) (china.org.cn) – In Aesop’s fable about the wolf and the lamb, the wolf wants to eat the lamb yet does not want to convey an unreasonable or greedy self-image. Keeping this in the back of its head, the wolf invents a series of excuses ranging from “you muddle the water from which I […]

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31 Jul, 2013

Illegal Chinese tour firms face crackdown

By JIN HAIXING

Beijing, 2013-07-30 (China Daily) – Tour agencies with one-day packages will have to log on through an electronic code with bus operators, according to a plan unveiled last week by the Beijing Commission of Tourism Development. The move targets unqualified tour companies. Tour guides and bus drivers have to keep the itinerary and special code […]

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31 Jul, 2013

Corruption Crackdown: 2,290 Chinese officials disciplined for “excessive extravagance”

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Beijing, 2013-07-31 (China Daily) – More than 2,000 Party and government officials have been punished as of late June for breaking new Party rules against extravagance and excess formality, an official from China’s top anti-graft agency said on Monday. A total of 2,290 officials violated the guidelines, said Xu Chuanzhi, head of the department responsible […]

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31 Jul, 2013

UN: Int’l Day Of Friendship Chance To Build Trust, Inspire Development Efforts

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United Nations,  Jul 30 2013, (UN News Centre) – Marking the International Day of Friendship, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the global community to use the potential of friendship to strengthen common bonds and inspire efforts for peace and sustainable development. “The International Day of Friendship is an important opportunity to confront the […]

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30 Jul, 2013

Beijing plans $81b shantytown renovation project

By ZHENG JINRAN and OU HAILIN

Beijing (China Daily), July 30, 2013 – For Zhang Yingfen, 79, who lives in a small house with her 83-year-old husband and three other family members, plans to renovate shantytowns inside Beijing’s Fourth Ring Road seem to promise a great improvement in quality of life. Her one-story house of 18 square meters in Liuhaodi is […]

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30 Jul, 2013

India Launches App to Apply for Passports

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NEW DELHI, July 30 (NNN-Bernama) — Have an android or iOS platforms phone? Then tracking passport application will be just a matter of pushing some buttons with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Monday launching a mobile application. In the next couple of months, people in India will be able to even apply for passport […]

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30 Jul, 2013

London’s Recovery: Post-Olympic Legacy or Promotion?

Issued by Tarsh Consulting

London, 30 July 2013 (JacTravel Media Release) – One year on from the Olympic Games, much ballyhoo has been made about the legacy of the Olympics and a resurgence of tourists to London this summer is cited as a positive impact of staging the Games. However, research by online travel wholesaler JacTravel suggests that the […]

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30 Jul, 2013

As Egypt Tourism Suffers, Rest of Africa Projected to Boom

STR Media Release

30 July 2013, LONDON— Latest analysis by STR Global, leading provider of data on the hotel industry, reveals that despite high levels of inflation and political uncertainty, Africa is proving that it is a growing tourist and business destination as hotels in a number of key markets are reporting performance increases for year-to-date (YTD) June […]

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30 Jul, 2013

Australia to be first country to have Ambassador for disability-inclusive development

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Canberra, 29 July 2013, Minister for International Development Media Release – Minister for International Development, Melissa Parke, today announced the Government’s decision to establish a new Australian Ambassador for Disability-Inclusive Development. Minister Parke said the ambassador will advocate for people with disability in developing countries to have access to the same opportunities as others and […]

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30 Jul, 2013

Cyber Crime, Data Theft Among Top Concerns For Tax Professionals

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PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 29, 2013 – Handling sensitive consumer data such as social security numbers and bank account information is a core part of a tax professional’s job, yet many feel inadequately protected from cyber crime-related risks, according to a recent poll of National Association of Tax Professionals’ (NATP) members. The survey of 633 tax professionals […]

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30 Jul, 2013

China debates internationalizing its education system

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Beijing (China.org.cn) July 26, 2013 – With high school graduates emerging as a conspicuous group pursuing study abroad in recent years, the internationalization of fundamental education has come into the spotlight. Statistics from the Ministry of Education indicate that in 2011, 76,000 high school graduates enrolled in undergraduate programs overseas, and the number has increased […]

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30 Jul, 2013

World Economic Forum Business Leaders Back Middle East Peace Talks

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Geneva, Switzerland, 29 July 2013 (WEF Media Release) – The World Economic Forum’s Breaking the Impasse Initiative (BTI), an effort of over 300 Palestinian, Israeli and international business and societal leaders, welcomes and supports the steps announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry for a resumption of direct peace talks between the Israelis and […]

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30 Jul, 2013

UN Survey Focuses On How Persons With Disabilities Cope During Disasters

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United Nations, Jul 29 2013 (UN News Centre) – A United Nations online survey launched today seeks to provide insight into how to reduce risk and help persons with disabilities around the world cope with and prepare for disaster events. The first-ever survey of its kind, produced by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction […]

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30 Jul, 2013

19 Aug Deadline for Unique Award Recognising Innovative Disabled-Friendly Practises

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Bangkok – Airports, convention centres, hotels, museums and other travel & tourism-related organisations in the Asia-Pacific region which have delivered innovative products and services to cater to people with disabilities (PwDs) are invited to apply for the ESCAP-Sasakawa Disability-Inclusive Business Award. Designed to support the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022, the […]

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29 Jul, 2013

Remarkable inventions amongst finalists of Australia’s 7th National Disability Awards

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Canberra, 25 July 2013,  Media Release, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers – Australia’s first ever fully accessible theatre performance for deaf, blind, sighted and hearing audiences, an apprenticeship employment program for people with disability and an iPad and iPhone application that personalises care needs for use by all people with disability are among the […]

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29 Jul, 2013

Airport Security Without the Hassle

The New York Times Editorial Board

July 27, 2013 – The chance of dying in an airplane is vanishingly small. The chance of being killed by a terrorist in an airplane is smaller still. Mark Stewart, a civil engineer who studies probabilistic risk, has put the odds at one in 90 million a year. Looking at these figures dispassionately, one might […]

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29 Jul, 2013

U.S. Poverty Levels “Spreading Everywhere,” According to Urban Institute

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Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) July 28, 2013 – The Urban Institute Center for Research recently released a series of maps charting the progression of poverty in the United States since 1980. Using census data for all of the country’s large metropolitan areas, the maps illustrate that poverty is spreading everywhere — up 29 percent in […]

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28 Jul, 2013

Chinese Online Giant Alibaba Plans Big Expansion in Lifestyle Services

By Shen Jingting and Meng Jing

Beijing, July 26, 2013, (China Daily) – Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plans to boost its presence in China’s online market, and is adding services to ease consumers’ daily lives, from ordering food to booking movie tickets. Online shopping has become a new way of life for many Chinese consumers looking for greater […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Vietnamese President to U.S. President: Mutual Respect Needed in Guiding Future Ties

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WASHINGTON DC, (Vietnam News Agency) – Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang used the word “respect” four times in a keynote speech outlining his country’s future relations with the United States. Speaking at the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on July 25 during his just-concluded official visit to the US, he said: “What we […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Hays Releases Quarterly List of HotSpot Jobs in Japan

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Tokyo, July 24, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Accountancy, sales and compliance professionals are in demand in Japan’s jobs market as organisations invest selectively in headcount, according to recruiting experts Hays in Japan. The recruiter has released its latest Hays Quarterly Hotspots list of jobs in demand, and a driving factor is the focus of […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Jakarta Fashion Week Oct 19-25: Indonesia’s Muslim Wear To Lead World Market

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Jakarta, Indonesia, July 25, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Jakarta Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion weeks in Southeast Asia, will once again raise up the best creations of Indonesian designers to world in 2013. JFW 2014 will present the latest collections of local and foreign designers which will inspire next year’s fashion trends. […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Gallup Poll: Palestinians Have Little Trust in U.S. Role as Middle East Peace Broker

by Jihad Fakhreddine

BEIRUT, July 26, 2013 (Gallup Organisation) — Ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement last week that Israel and the Palestinians have agreed in principle to resume peace talks, most Palestinians remained skeptical about the U.S. commitment to brokering a solution. Nearly three in four Palestinians Gallup interviewed in late May and early […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Pressure to Perform: Cyclists Who Dope Are Same As Wall Street Cheats, UC Davis Study Finds

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DAVIS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–23 July 2013 –Cyclists who dope in the Tour de France do so for the same reason traders on Wall Street might cheat—because of extreme pressure to perform, according to a new University of California, Davis, study. The study, co-authored by Professor Donald Palmer, an expert on organizational wrongdoing at the UC Davis […]

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27 Jul, 2013

Europeans get useful tips to enjoy a worry-free summer holiday

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European Commission Release, Brussels, 26 July 2013 — With the holiday season already starting and millions of Europeans intending on travelling within and outside the European Union, there are certain travel considerations that every European should be aware of. Whether these concern having a health insurance, resolving travel disputes with an operator or travelling with […]

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27 Jul, 2013

UN Unveils ‘Free & Equal’ Campaign To Promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights

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United Nations, Jul 26 2013 (UN NEWS CENTRE) – With consensual, same-sex conduct a criminal offence in more than one-third of the world’s countries, the United Nations human rights office today launched its first global public education campaign to raise awareness and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. ‘Free & Equal,’ a […]

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26 Jul, 2013

Missouri Court Rejects Monsanto Claim that It Had No Duty to Cancer Victims

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ST. LOUIS, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 24, 2013  – Attorneys at Dallas-based Allen Stewart, P.C. have announced that a panel of three judges from Missouri’s Eastern District Court of Appeals have unanimously rejected Monsanto’s claim that the PCB producer owed no duty to individuals who developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma from exposure to toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Reversing […]

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26 Jul, 2013

Oath Keepers Campaign Urges More U.S. Govt Whistleblowers to Come Forward

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ARLINGTON, Va., July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Oath Keepers has placed three back-lit signs on the subway platform in the Washington Metro Pentagon Station, group founder Stewart Rhodes announced today. “The first sign at the Pentagon Station is done in the style of the theater scene from George Orwell’s 1984 and features Director of National […]

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26 Jul, 2013

Chinese Tea tops shopping list of foreign tourists

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Beijing, 2013-07-25 (China.org.cn) – Chinese tea was the most purchased commodity among foreign visitors to Beijing in 2012, according to the 2013 Beijing Tourism Green Paper published July 9 by the Social Sciences Academic Press of China. A survey of 4,800 foreign tourists’ purchases found that nearly 40 percent of respondents bought Chinese tea while […]

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26 Jul, 2013

Time To Recalibrate the Europe-China Strategic Partnership

By Wang Yiwei (China Daily)

The world’s largest developing country and biggest bloc of developed countries need to deepen their strategic partnership Beijing, 2013-07-25  – Many Europeans believe that China, one of the European Union’s 10 so-called strategic partners, behaves more like a competitor. And many Chinese, for whom the EU is just one of more than 70 strategic partners, […]

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25 Jul, 2013

More nations turn to Chinese currency for investment and trade settlement

By WANG XIAOTIAN and LI XIANG

Beijing, 2013-07-22 (China Daily) – Although the money markets have gone into a tizzy recently, there have been some unrelated developments that clearly underscore the growing global influence of China’s currency, the yuan also known as renminbi. Indications that the yuan is well on its way to becoming an “international” currency heightened after important currency […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Chinese President eyes ‘golden water route’ along the Yangtze

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(China Daily), July 22, 2013 – President Xi Jinping called for increased cooperation among Yangtze River ports to transform the region into a “golden water route”, during a surprise visit to the Yangluo Container Port, in Wuhan New Port, on Sunday morning. “We were not informed about President Xi’s visit in advance, so our workers […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Gulf Grows in Black-White Views of U.S. Justice System Bias

by Frank Newport

July 22, 2013, PRINCETON, NJ, (Gallup Organization)  — While 68% of blacks say the American justice system is biased against blacks, 25% of whites agree. Blacks’ attitudes about the justice system have remained virtually constant over the past 20 years, but whites have become less likely to perceive bias. The new results are based on […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Depression Costs U.S. Workplaces $23 Billion in Absenteeism

by Dan Witters, Sangeeta Agrawal, and Diana Liu

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2013, (Gallup Organization) — Workers in the U.S. who, at some point in their lives, have been diagnosed with depression miss an estimated 68 million additional days of work each year than their counterparts who have not been depressed — resulting in an estimated cost of more than $23 billion in […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Chinese Commentator Questions Value of English Courses Abroad

By Li Xiang (People's Daily Online)

July 24, 2013 (Source/Jiefang Daily) – The excessive costs of studying overseas have begun to attract public concern. Research into overseas travel and study agencies indicates that a substantial proportion of families who sponsor their children on further education courses abroad are low-income wage earners. Mr. Zhu works at a state-owned enterprise. Last year, he […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Safety worries mount for Chinese tourists, residents abroad

He Na in Beijing, Li Xiang in Paris and Chen Jia in San Francisco

2013-07-24, (China Daily) – A series of incidents involving Chinese citizens overseas has shocked the country and prompted public concern about the safety of Chinese people when traveling abroad. Six students from the nation were attacked at a house in Hostens, southwestern France, on the night of June 15 by three local men who had […]

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25 Jul, 2013

India Publishes Tourism Stats for 2012

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Ministry of Tourism, 23-July, 2013 – The number of domestic tourist visits (DTVs) to States/UTs registered an increase of 19.87% during the year 2012 over 2011 as compared to an increase of 15.6% in 2011 over 2010. According to the latest statistics on tourism in India released by Ministry of Tourism here today during the […]

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25 Jul, 2013

China Plans Robust Reform to Expand Railway Network

By WEI TIAN

Beijing, 2013-07-25, (China Daily) – Premier Li Keqiang called on Wednesday for reform of funding methods for railways and for accelerated rail construction in central and western regions. Experts said the measures are part of efforts to stabilize economic growth, which slowed to 7.5 percent in the second quarter, and will help China’s industrial sector […]

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25 Jul, 2013

U.S. Must Curb “Step-Motherly” Treatment of Chinese Investors

Commentary By Mei Xinyu

Beijing (China Daily), 2013-07-24 – The fifth China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, held earlier this month, has produced tangible results in a wide range of areas of long-term strategic importance. One of the most important outcomes of the meeting was the decision to resume negotiations on a “Bilateral Investment Treaty”, because it will have a […]

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25 Jul, 2013

Against Backdrop of Taj Mahal, India Launches Campaign to Clean Up Tourist Sites

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Agra, Ministry of Tourism, 24-July, 2013 – Union Tourism Minister Mr K Chiranjeevi launched the Project “Clean India Campaign” at Taj Mahal, Agra today. Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. The first project was at Qutub Minar Delhi which was adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June […]

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25 Jul, 2013

U.N. Designates 19 Nov As World Toilet Day To Boost Sanitation Upgrades

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United Nations, Jul 24 2013 (UN News Centre) – In a bid to make sanitation for all a global development priority, the United Nations General Assembly today designated 19 November as World Toilet Day, urging changes in both behaviour and policy on issues ranging from enhancing water management to ending open-air defecation. Adopting a new […]

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24 Jul, 2013

World’s oldest and largest species in decline – IUCN Red List

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Geneva, 02 July 2013, International Union for Conservation of Nature news release – The latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows worrying declines for conifers – the world’s oldest and largest organisms – freshwater shrimps, cone snails and the Yangtze Finless Porpoise. The Santa Cruz Pupfish, a lizard known as the […]

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24 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Medication for ageing conditions not matching needs

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16 JULY 2013 | GENEVA/COPENHAGEN (World Health Organization media release) – For the first time, EU countries have more people over 65 years of age than under 15 years of age. Echoing the trend seen in Europe, much of the rest of the world, including low-and middle-income countries, is moving in a similar direction. A new […]

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