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20 Nov, 2019

Coalition Against Stalkerware: Organizations Combating Domestic Violence Team Up With I.T. Security Companies

WOBURN, Mass., 19 November 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Today, ten organizations – Avira, Electronic Frontier Foundation, European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence, G DATA Cyber Defense, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, National Network to End Domestic Violence, NortonLifeLock, Operation Safe Escape and WEISSER RING – have launched a global initiative called the Coalition Against Stalkerware. What […]

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20 Nov, 2019

National Geographic Announces Best Trips of 2020

WASHINGTON, 19 November 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – With the publication of its annual Best Trips list, National Geographic announces the 25 must-see destinations and travel experiences for 2020. Within the list, 17 of the 25 destinations were nominated, researched, reported, and written in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 17 international editorial teams. With a goal […]

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20 Nov, 2019

Tips to Maximize Every Charitable Donation and Avoid Scams During Giving Season 2019

JENKINTOWN, Pa., 19 November 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – In anticipation of Giving Season, the final weeks of the year when donors make approximately 40% of all annual donations, and #GivingTuesday (Dec 3), the philanthropy experts at National Philanthropic Trust, one of the top grantmaking organizations in the US, share key tips to help empower and encourage all […]

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20 Nov, 2019

Communications Firm Reveals the Most Transparent Industries in the U.S.

ATLANTA, 19 November 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Labrador, a global communication firm specializing in regulated disclosure documents, today announced the most transparent industries in the U.S. based on rankings determined in the inaugural U.S. Transparency Awards. The rankings, which compare the efficacy of corporate disclosure documents among the top S&P 250 companies by market capitalization trading on the […]

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15 Nov, 2019

How 1987 Visit Thailand Year Revolutionised Global Travel & Tourism

One of the world’s greatest tourism marketing extravaganzas, 1987 Visit Thailand Year changed the face of global Travel & Tourism. While establishing Thailand’s marketing genius, it also exposed the kingdom’s management deficiencies. Today, as the country prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International in 2020, the […]

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24 Oct, 2019

5 ways OpenStreetMap can help promote Secondary Tourist Cities in Thailand and ASEAN

Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand has recently introduced a series of incentives in order to promote Thailand’s “secondary tourist cities” to help alleviate congestion in the prime tourist areas and better balance economic growth in the provinces. As these emerging destinations are in the early stages of tourism development, they will need to […]

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4 Oct, 2019

Court clears way for Thai owners to terminate Peninsula Bangkok management contract

Bangkok – A Thai court has paved the way for the owners of the luxury riverside Peninsula Bangkok hotel to terminate the management contract on the basis of having delivered no returns to the Thai business family over the last 20 years. However, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, the operators and also equity holders, says it […]

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3 Oct, 2019

Independent Documentary charts Courageous Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War

LOS ANGELES, 30 SEPTEMBER 2019, PRWEB News – Kerry David of KDC Films has won yet another prestigious award with her powerful documentary, Breaking Their Silence: Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War. It One filmmaker’s journey to understand the complicated human/animal conflict and poaching crisis in Africa and Asia through the unique lens of […]

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3 Oct, 2019

Travelers Risk Index: Cyber Threats Are Top Overall Business Concern

HARTFORD, Conn., 30 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) today announced the results of the 2019 Travelers Risk Index, which found that cyber risks are the top concern among businesses of all sizes for the first time since the survey began in 2014. Of the 1,200 business leaders who participated in […]

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3 Oct, 2019

PATA Travel Mart 2019 slumps to all-time low

Bangkok – PATA’s primary money-spinning event, the Travel Mart held last month in Astana, Kazakhstan, hit an all-time low in terms of both attendance as well as financial performance. According to an official PATA announcement, the Mart recorded “over 1,200 delegates from 63 global destinations. The delegate numbers embraced 347 sellers from 180 organisations and […]

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2 Oct, 2019

On Int’l Day of Non-Violence, UN Chief deplores “loathsome rhetoric directed at minorities”

United Nations, UN News Centre, 02 Oct 2019 — On Wednesday, the global community marks the International Day of Non-Violence, which this year coincided with the 150th anniversary of the birth of the global peace icon who led India to independence, Mahatma Gandhi. “His vision continues to resonate across the world, including through the work of […]

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1 Oct, 2019

Singapore, Japan retain top spots in Henley’s Global “Passport Power” Index

LONDON, Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — As the global economy transforms and centers of power shift, Asia’s dominance appears to be unfaltering. Entering into the final quarter of 2019, Japan and Singapore retain a firm hold on first place on the Henley Passport Index, each with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 190 out of a maximum 227. […]

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1 Oct, 2019

New communications course to help Travel & Tourism understand and implement the UNSDGs

Bangkok – With funding support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, I am proud to launch a new communications training course and manual to help Thai and ASEAN Travel & Tourism executives better understand the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build them into their respective corporate activities. The first of its kind in Thailand, […]

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26 Sep, 2019

Indonesia calls for end to anti-Muslim hatred, incitement at OIC meeting

Jakarta (ANTARA) 25 Sept 2019 – Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, chairperson of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Working Group meeting for Peace and Dialogue, highlighted the need to put a stop to hatred against Islam. “The trends of hatred, fanaticism, and intolerance against Islam continue to rise. The political rhetoric that […]

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24 Sep, 2019

First OpenTech Summit in Bangkok can help Travel & Tourism regain control of its destiny

Bangkok – Travel & tourism IT executives seeking to break the stranglehold of the technology mega-corporations now dominating everything from booking engines to data-mining may find some opportunities at an OpenTech Summit to be held for the first time in the Thai capital on Oct 1-2. Funded by Thailand’s National Innovation Agency and supported by […]

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16 Sep, 2019

New WTO indicator finds services trade weakening into second half of 2019

Geneva, 16 Sept 2019, WTO media release – World trade in commercial services lost momentum through the second quarter of 2019 according to the WTO’s new Services Trade Barometer, launched on 16 September. The index’s reading of 98.4 is below the baseline value of 100, suggesting that services trade continued to face strong headwinds leading […]

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16 Sep, 2019

India joins growing number of “democracies” on human rights violations list

Geneva — The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet has painted a bleak picture of the global human rights situation. Although climate change is having a worldwide impact such as on indigenous peoples and environmental rights defenders, individual geopolitical flare-ups in many countries which are otherwise popular tourism destinations are worsening the problem. […]

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16 Sep, 2019

Grant Thornton survey: 62% of U.S. business owners see a recession looming

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–September 12, 2019 — American businesses do not plan on treading water when the next recession hits, according to a new Grant Thornton LLP survey of more than 250 business owners and C-level executives conducted in late June 2019. Innovation will remain a top priority: At least half of respondents identified innovation and innovation-related […]

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16 Sep, 2019

The Most Enriching Environmental Film Festival launched in Kuala Lumpur with Climate Action Theme

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 (Bernama) — The International Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival 2019 (KLEFF 2019) was launched at Taman Tugu today to celebrate the 12th installation of the film festival with the theme “Climate Action…Now!”. This year’s theme will explore the stories of people and organizations committed to taking climate action to create maximum […]

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16 Sep, 2019

Have Your Say: The Rise and Fall of PATA

Bangkok – In 1994, exactly 25 years ago, this was the full membership list of PATA, excluding the chapter members. In 1999, exactly 20 years ago, PATA relocated its HQ from San Francisco to Bangkok to take advantage of the opportunities of a Rising Asia. Instead of rising to new heights, an organisation that had […]

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13 Sep, 2019

Penang to host 7th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum October 15-17

George Town, 2019.09.05 – The 7th edition of the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF7) will be held from 15 to 17 October 2019. Touted as the largest and most diverse urban forum in Asia Pacific, this year it will be held in Penang, Malaysia. The forum is themed “Future of Asia and Pacific Cities: Transformative Pathways […]

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13 Sep, 2019

UN launches new plan to ‘reaffirm the sanctity’ of religious sites, counter hate and violence

United Nations, 12 September 2019 – In a landmark document that should be must-reading across the entire Travel & Tourism industry, the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) on Thursday launched a new plan of action to “counter hate and violence around the globe”. It goes right to the heart of what this editor has termed […]

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12 Sep, 2019

Minor Corp Chairman Bill Heinecke challenges value of “disruptive” technologies

Bangkok – Mr William Heinecke, Chairman and CEO of Bangkok-based Minor Corporation, has raised some serious questions about the growing influence and impact of OTAs, ride-sharing services and other “disruptive” technologies that the travel & tourism industry is going ga-ga about. Speaking at the Thailand Focus 2019 Forum organised by the Stock Exchange of Thailand […]

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10 Sep, 2019

WAIC 2019 Closes with $1.39 Bn Commitment to Transform Shanghai into Global AI Tech Hub

SHANGHAI, 5 September 2019, PRNewswire – The second World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which welcomed hundreds of global companies, start-ups and universities, ended on August 31 with the unveiling of several groundbreaking AI projects and international cooperation agreements, set to turn Shanghai into one of the biggest technological hubs in the country. The Shanghai AI Investment Fund […]

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10 Sep, 2019

Life360 Survey Finds 25% of Parents Wish the Internet Was Never Invented

SAN FRANCISCO, 4 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – More than 67% of parents surveyed believe that the digital age has made parenting more difficult, and 25% wish the internet was never invented, according to results from a survey released today by Life360, the leading safety and coordination service for families worldwide. To manage family life in […]

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10 Sep, 2019

PATA Foundation Chairman quits following “inquisition” by two Executive Board members

Bangkok – The Chairman of the PATA Foundation, Mr Peter Semone, has quit abruptly, less than a year before he was due to start an official process to hand over the baton. The shock resignation, the first of its kind in the Foundation’s history, comes in the midst of a major restructuring programme under way […]

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9 Sep, 2019

AB InBev Targets Rising China’s Gen-Z with New Multi-Cultural “Smart Drinking” Strategy

SHANGHAI, 4 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Global brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:BUD) today celebrated the 12th year of its annual China smart drinking campaign by staging an awareness gala in Shanghai. Reinvented with a multi-cultural approach where heritage meets new lifestyles, this year’s campaign features a virtual character under its popular brand Harbin Beer and […]

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9 Sep, 2019

New Study Reveals Growing Skills Gap Becoming “Serious Drag on Business Efficiency”

HOBOKEN, N.J., 4 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Wiley Education Services, a division of Wiley (NYSE: JWA) (NYSE: JWB) that provides tailored services and technology solutions for university and enterprise partners, and Future Workplace, an HR advisory and research firm preparing leaders for disruptions in recruiting, development and employee engagement, today announced the results of a survey […]

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9 Sep, 2019

“Colours of Africa” festival held in Bangkok to drive tourism, trade

Bangkok – Thousands of middle-upper income consumers from Thailand and tourists from all around the world were treated to a three-day “Colours of Africa” festival held in one of Bangkok’s most popular shopping malls over the 6 – 8 September weekend. The festival was intended to promote a better understanding of the African continent amongst […]

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7 Sep, 2019

Transparency.org: Three ways to stop money laundering through real estate

Source: Transparency.org • 6 September 2019 – Around the world, buying property is a favourite method for the corrupt to launder their ill-gotten gains. When corrupt officials take large bribes, embezzle funds or otherwise steal money from the countries they are meant to serve, the money usually has to be cleaned before it can be […]

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7 Sep, 2019

Physician burnout, improving patient experience amongst top priorities of U.S. healthcare organisations, study reveals

ALPHARETTA, Ga., 4 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – LocumTenens.com, a leading physician and advanced practitioner staffing agency, announced today the results of its newly-released signature study, Locum Tenens Engagements: Strategies, Usage and General Attitudes. The 2019 survey measures the perception and attitudes of hundreds of clinicians and healthcare executives and administrators across the United States about healthcare […]

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7 Sep, 2019

Gen Z is Highly Optimistic, Purpose Driven (and Less Stressed Out): Korn Ferry Survey Claims

LOS ANGELES, 4 September 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – As Gen Z (born 1997-2010) enters the workforce, a new Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) survey of professionals of all ages examines how the next generation in the workplace is bringing plenty of optimism, a lot of purpose and less stress than Millennials (born 1982-1996). Nearly two-thirds of respondents (60 percent) […]

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7 Sep, 2019

U.S. Watchdog Groups Planning Grassroots Push to Ban Law Enforcement Use of Facial Recognition

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept/6/2019 – Almost 30 organizations from across the U.S. political spectrum have joined hands to launch the BanFacialRecognition.com campaign calling for a U.S. federal ban on law enforcement use of facial recognition technology. The groups, which represent more than 15 million combined members, plan to flood lawmakers with emails and calls from constituents. There is […]

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6 Sep, 2019

New Australian visa rule means 5-day turnaround time for major investors

Canberra, 30 Aug 2019, Austrade media release – Companies with major investments in Australia can quickly bring skilled employers into Australia to fill temporary shortages, after implementation of a change to the Accredited Sponsor Scheme for the Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Announced in March , the scheme is accessible to companies that have invested over […]

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6 Sep, 2019

Insights, Information key to Thailand’s diplomacy and focus on “Holistic Sustainability”

Bangkok – Insights and information is the fuel that drives diplomacy, the ability to anticipate change and the pursuit of “holistic sustainability” in a rapidly changing world, Thailand’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, said in a speech on 5 September 2019. Addressing a gathering of Bangkok-based foreign diplomats at the relaunch of […]

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4 Sep, 2019

New WHO report flags Europe’s alcohol epidemic and what to do about it

4 September 2019, IOGT News – Brand new WHO Europe alcohol status report 2019 illustrates the high burden of alcohol across the region and that alcohol use and related harms are not declining at an acceptable rate. In response, IOGT International is calling for a new EU Alcohol Strategy, for an updated and improved Action Plan […]

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3 Sep, 2019

Partnerships with civil society and youth ‘essential’ for a future that leaves no one behind

Utah, 28 August 2019, UN News – Partnerships with civil society and youth are essential to achieving the goals of key UN-backed international agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, told delegates at the UN Civil […]

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3 Sep, 2019

‘Extinction crisis’ pushes countries to agree stronger protection for global wildlife

28 August 2019, UN News – At-risk wildlife that is facing a “growing extinction crisis” received a boost on Wednesday, as countries wrapped up a marathon meeting in Geneva, by agreeing to increased protection measures and more sustainable trade in animals and plants across the globe. At its latest three-yearly conference, the UN-backed Convention on […]

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3 Sep, 2019

Shanghai to host Asia’s largest Musical Instruments Fair in October

SHANGHAI, 3 September 2019, PRNewswire – Music China, one of the most reputable musical instrument fairs in the world, will be held from October 10-13, 2019 in Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Known as Asia’s largest trade show of music industry, Music China 2019, organized by Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd., gathers more than 2,200 international exhibitors from […]

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3 Sep, 2019

Kashmir: The Worst Conflict Area In The World

by Binu Mathew, Editor, countercurrents.org 27 August 2019, countercurrents.org – It won’t be an exaggeration to say Kashmir is the worst conflict area in the world. Look anywhere else in the world where there are conflicts, there is no communication crack down. From Gaza to West Papua, from Hong Kong to the Yellow Vests in France….. […]

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3 Sep, 2019

Growing neo-fascism today worryingly similar to European fascism in the 1930’s

By John Scales Avery 22 August 2019, Human Wrongs Watch – I would like to announce the publication of a new book, entitled “Fascism, Then and Now”. It can be freely downloaded from the following link: http://eacpe.org/app/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Fascism-then-and-now-John-Scales-Avery.pdf Please circulate the link to your friends who might be interested. Parallels between fascism of the 1930’s and […]

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2 Sep, 2019

Generation Z and Millennials Desperately Seeking Personal Fulfillment at Work, New Payments Study Finds

CHICAGO, 28 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – A national online study of adults ranging from 18 to 38 years found that Generation Z and Millennial employees are feeling an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction at work. Close to half (43 percent) of Millennials surveyed said they plan to leave their job within the next two years. Even more […]

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2 Sep, 2019

Cloud Robotics Global Revenue Expected to Reach $170.4 Billion by 2025: Tractica Report

BOULDER, Colo.-August 28, 2019-(BUSINESS WIRE) – While the global cloud robotics market is at a nascent stage of development, companies are becoming aware of its growing importance and are in the early stages of understanding what cloud robotics is, how it works, and what the implications are for their businesses. According to a new report […]

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2 Sep, 2019

ADB Opinion Piece: How South Asia can continue as world’s fastest growing subregion

By Lei Lei Song Manila, 2 August 2019, ADB News – Since 2014, South Asia has been the fastest growing subregion in the world, with its eight economies collectively boasting average annual growth of 7.0%. This is higher even than East Asia (6.2%), which includes China; Southeast Asia (4.9%); and the Pacific (4.7%). To carry […]

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2 Sep, 2019

ADB President Pledges $12 Billion in Support of New Flagship Initiatives in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA, 29 August 2019, ADB News – Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Mr. Takehiko Nakao met with India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi today for the third time since Mr. Modi became Prime Minister and pledged to support the government’s new flagship initiatives led by the Prime Minister. He also met with Finance […]

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2 Sep, 2019

Global Trades Union call for Global Resistance to Bolsonaro’s Amazon destruction

29 August 2019, The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – The ITUC has expressed its full solidarity with the indigenous peoples of the Amazon who have seen vast swathes of their homeland go up in smoke. The policies and environmental denialism of Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro have been heavily criticised by the international community as […]

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2 Sep, 2019

HIMSS AsiaPac19 Conference & Exhibition in Bangkok Will Address Shifting Paradigm of Healthcare

BANGKOK, 30 August 2019, PRNewswire – Healthcare and Information Management Systems Society Asia Pacific (HIMSS APAC), supported by the Ministry of Public Health Thailand, will organize the HIMSS AsiaPac19 Conference & Exhibition from 7-10 October 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre. HIMSS AsiaPac19 is into its 13th installment as an annual […]

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2 Sep, 2019

Russian Railways Demonstrates Driverless Lastochka Train at the PRO//Motion.EXPO

SHCHERBINKA, Russia, 29 August 2019, PRNewswire – Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Maxim Akimov and the Chairman of Russian Railways (RZD) Oleg Belozyorov took a test trip on Russia’s first unmanned electric train Lastochka on the experimental railway ring in Shcherbinka during the International Railway Salon PRO//Motion.EXPO on August 28th. “What we saw is a major technological […]

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2 Sep, 2019

Survey: One in Four Workers Would Steal Company Information to Secure Job at Competing Firm

  LOS ANGELES, 27 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Gurucul, a leader in behavior based security and fraud analytics technology for on-premises and the cloud, today announced the results of a survey of workplace behavior conducted at Blackhat USA 2019. According to the 476 IT security professionals canvased, nearly one in four (24%) said they would take company […]

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31 Aug, 2019

Better Sleeping Environment Can Reduce Burnout Risk, Blinds.com Report Reveals

Editor’s Note: An excellent how-to item on upgrading the quality of sleep, one of the most important sources of poor health.   HOUSTON, 22 AUGUST 2019, PRWEB – Today, Blinds.com released a new report, State of Sleep: Burnout is a National Epidemic and a Better Home Oasis Can Help, examining the close tie between work related-burnout […]

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31 Aug, 2019

Beijing expands foreign partnership networks to promote tourism, culture

BEIJING, 28 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – The Second “Beijing Tourism Global Distribution Partnership Summit” was held at the Olympic Tower in Beijing on August 27, 2019. Sponsored by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the summit aims to assist the construction of the cultural centers and international exchanges centers throughout the country and […]

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31 Aug, 2019

Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia Feature in Eight New National Geographic Journeys for 2020

WASHINGTON, 27 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – National Geographic Expeditions has entered into its fifth year in partnership with G Adventures and has added eight new trips to their National Geographic Journeys collection, all of which provide an enriching, in-depth look at the history, culture, and natural heritage of a destination. The newly announced itineraries add three […]

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31 Aug, 2019

Yelp App Launches Easier Way to Find Places Based on Personal Preferences

Editor’s Note: Another practical time- and money-saving idea, especially for travellers. But raises obvious questions related to privacy protection. The App developers know your personal preferences. What do users know about the App developers?   SAN FRANCISCO, 27 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Yelp Inc. (NYSE:YELP), the company that connects people with great local businesses, announced it […]

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30 Aug, 2019

U.S. Denies Entry to Palestinian Harvard Student

by Elias Khoury, ADC Summer Intern 28 August 2019, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee News – Just this week, immigration officials denied entry to Harvard enrollee Ismail Ajjawi, a Palestinian refugee from Lebanon, supposedly due to content that his friends posted on social media. This comes as a result of the sitting administration’s cruel and backwards regime of […]

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29 Aug, 2019

Decision by Yahoo! Japan to End Ivory Sales Celebrated by Elephant Advocates

GENEVA, 28 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – Elephant advocates are celebrating reports that Yahoo! Japan, the world’s largest internet ivory retailer, has decided to end sales of elephant ivory on its platforms by November 1st, 2019. The decision was based on evidence that ivory purchased on Yahoo! was being exported illegally to China, according to inside […]

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29 Aug, 2019

New Lawpilot Guardian App Helps Calm Fears of ICE Raids

Editor’s Note: Dallas Immigration Lawyers have launched an Emergency Response Alert App to contact friends, families and lawyers when the midnight knock on the door arrives.   Dallas, Texas, 27 August 2019, BusinessWire – As President Trump continues to announce upcoming ICE raids, fear sweeps through immigrant communities even though no evidence of a widespread […]

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29 Aug, 2019

Survey: Rebooting Healthy Habits Priority for Americans to Relieve End-of-Summer Blues

Editor’s Note: A good story about the socio-psychological effects of vacations. Useful for employers and human resources managers to understand in order to enhance post-vacation staff productivity.   NEW YORK, 27 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – The majority of Americans report feeling their happiest during the summer months and experience the blues at summer’s end. Even so, […]

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29 Aug, 2019

FeganScott: Consumers Sue Apple, Samsung Citing New Study Questioning RF Radiation

Editor’s Note: An issue worth discussing at Travel Technology forums? I wouldn’t hold my breath. CHICAGO, 26 August 2019, BUSINESS WIRE – A group of smart phone owners filed a proposed class action suit against Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) and Apple (AAPL), claiming the manufacturers knowingly subjected smartphone users to RF radiation levels far in excess of mandated […]

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29 Aug, 2019

Wine Industry survey finds Baby Boomers better targets than Millennials

SAN FRANCISCO, 28 AUGUST 2019, PRWEB — Wine Access, an online direct-to-consumer wine retailer, announced today the findings of a recent internal study of sales data that shows Generation X holds greater immediate purchasing potential than Millennials, despite greater industry focus on wooing the younger generation. The data, which spans 2017 to 2019, supports recent […]

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29 Aug, 2019

U.S. Lawyer says Immigration Benefits to the Economy are Established and Proven

A Los Angeles immigration lawyer comments on a recent op-ed that evidence establishes that immigrants’ contribution to the US economy is essential for continued growth. “The facts show that reducing immigration would actually harm millions of US workers.” LOS ANGELES, 28 AUGUST 2019, PRWEB – A July 7th op-ed at The Hill argues that a factual […]

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29 Aug, 2019

Indian Tourism Minister: We Need to Change the Perception of India

Editor’s Note: India’s image has undergone some critical changes in recent years. Until the 1980s, it was seen as a poverty-stricken, disease-ridden country populated by snake-charmers. Then it became a tech and IT giant. Then it suffered from a safety and security deficit image, mainly related to attacks on women. Today, it is seen as […]

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27 Aug, 2019

Vietjet and Flying Eye Hospital join hands to bring sight to millions of patients

Editor’s Note: Bravo VietJet. One of the world’s best Corporate Social Responsibility Projects. Bangkok, 27 August 2019, Vivaldi Integrated Public Relations – In the 17th year of supporting Vietnam’s eye care services and the 10th year conducting the Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) program in Vietnam, Orbis has accompanied with the new-age carrier Vietjet to bring bright eyes […]

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27 Aug, 2019

Five Ways to Make a Difference on World Senior Citizen’s Day

Editor’s Note: This article is just as valid today, and perhaps every day. OMAHA, NEB., 21 AUGUST 2019, PRWEB – Today we celebrate World Senior Citizen’s Day, a holiday that should inspire us to do something for an older adult in our life and remind us to make seniors a priority not only today, but every […]

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27 Aug, 2019

U.S. Healthcare Costs Soar as Patients Seek New Kind of Provider Relationship

Editor’s Note: Useful insights for the health and wellness tourism sector. By Kevin Fleming, CEO, Loyale Healthcare LAFAYETTE, CALIF., 21 August 2019, PRWEB –  There is much debate today around the cost of healthcare in the United States. Most of this debate is focused on the shifting responsibility for the payment of these healthcare costs. […]

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27 Aug, 2019

UK: As Young Drinkers Decline, Baby Boomers Drive Alcohol Consumption

UK, 21 August 2019, IOGT International News – While alcohol consumption steadily declines with young people, baby boomers continue to drive more alcohol consumption. More and more young people across the world are choosing to be alcohol-free, driving a global decrease in alcohol use. According to a recent report by University of Sheffield on alcohol use trends […]

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13 Jul, 2019

First World Longevity Forum and Life Science Conference kicks off in Hezhou, S. China

HEZHOU, China, July 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The First World Longevity Forum and Life Science Conference (WLF&LSC), organized by Hezhou Municipal People’s Government, opened on Friday in Hezhou city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The WLF&LSC aims to build a longevity city brand for Hezhou, promote life science applications, and facilitate human health and longevity. […]

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17 Jun, 2019

Historians in, futurists out, as Thai tourism reflects on the next 60 years

Bangkok – As the Thai travel & tourism industry prepares to mark its 60th anniversary in 2020, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is turning to historians, not futurists, to help it chart a path forward. On June 5, the TAT’s annual trade show, the Thailand Travel Mart Plus, featured a talk on Thailand: The Greatest […]

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5 Jun, 2019

$2.75 Billion okayed for Malolos–Clark Railway, ADB’s largest infrastructure project financing ever

MANILA, (23 May 2019) ADB media release — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved financing of up to $2.75 billion for the construction of 53.1 kilometers (km) of a passenger railway connecting Malolos, a suburb north of Manila, to Clark economic zone and Clark International Airport in Central Luzon. The Malolos–Clark railway is part […]

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5 Jun, 2019

Statistical Partnership Website launched to help address global e-waste challenge

Geneva, 04 June 2019, ITU media release – – The Global E-waste Statistics Partnership, of which the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a founding member, today launched globalewaste.org, an open source portal that visualises e-waste data and statistics globally, by region and by country, for policy-makers, industry, academia and the public. Discarded equipment, such as […]

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3 Jun, 2019

The clock ticketh for India’s under-performing Congress Party

Exclusive to Travel Impact Newswire by Mark Deane “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God go!” Pune, India — Uttered while booting out the ‘Rump’ Parliament of England in April 1653 during the constitutional […]

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3 Jun, 2019

ASEAN Parliamentarians pledge to ensure stronger protections for religious freedom

BANGKOK, 03 June 2019 – Lawmakers from across Southeast Asia today pledged to place greater attention and urgency on ensuring religious freedom for all citizens in ASEAN to combat rising inter-communal tensions, religious discrimination and intolerance. “The overall lack of knowledge about FoRB [freedom of religion or belief] in the broader context of human rights […]

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31 May, 2019

60th anniversary book hails umbilical lifeline that bonds Thailand-Malaysia

Bangkok – Did you know that the first Prime Minister of Malaysia after its independence in 1957 was half-Thai? That the winner of the 1939 Miss Siam pageant was a Muslim who later married the Sultan of Perlis? That in 1979, Thailand would have been hit by a major power crisis had an emergency shipment […]

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30 May, 2019

World Economic Forum Inaugurates Global Councils to “Restore Trust in Technology”

San Francisco, USA, 29 May 2019 (World Economic Forum media release) – To help policy-makers and businesses strike the right balance between enabling emerging technologies and proactively mitigating the social risks that can result, the World Economic Forum launched six Global Fourth Industrial Revolution Councils today. Covering the most pressing technology areas of artificial intelligence, […]

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29 May, 2019

India, South Africa and Bangladesh lead number of travelling fans heading for Cricket World Cup

Langley, United Kingdom, 29 May 2019 (Travelport media release): Analysis1 conducted by Travelport (NYSE:TVPT), a leading travel commerce platform, suggests India, South Africa and Bangladesh will have the most traveling fans at the Cricket World Cup 2019, which starts tomorrow in the United Kingdom (UK).   Cricket World Cup 2019 Countries Participating in the Tournament Flight […]

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29 May, 2019

$38 million in ADB loans to transform two Mongolian National Parks as Sustainable Tourism Models

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA, 28 May 2019, (ADB media release) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $38 million in loans to develop ecotourism in Khuvsgul Lake National Park and Onon-Balj National Park to serve as models for economically inclusive development and conservation in Mongolia. The lending marks ADB’s first project loans in Mongolia to focus […]

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22 May, 2019

Exclusive Photographs: Timor-Leste’s faith-based tourism potential

Dili, Timor-Leste – On May 17, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded a conference on the theme of “Peace, Harmony and Fellowship: Faith-based Tourism Development” in the Timor-Leste capital of Dili. The event was organised under the USAID’s Tourism For All Project in collaboration with the Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) and the […]

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22 May, 2019

Timor-Leste promotes faith-based tourism as pathway to Peace, Harmony and Friendship

Dili, Timor-Leste – In a high-profile bid to energise its national tourism policy and craft a unique selling proposition, Asia’s youngest country has reached out to its religious leaders to back a new faith-based promotion strategy built around the dozens of elegant Lady of Fatima shrines and churches dotting the country. At the first conference […]

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10 May, 2019

Uber IPO is a “bad bet,” global Trade Union body warns investors

Brussels, ITUC media release, (10 May 2019) — Loss-making Uber’s stock market float is a bad bet on a business that is facing a precarious future, according to the world’s main trade union body, the International Trades Union Confederation. The company is facing strike and boycott actions called by its drivers in several countries in […]

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9 May, 2019

What on earth is the PATA CEO talking about?

The difference between a mediocre CEO and a great CEO is his/her ability to articulate a core leadership message in clear, simple language. This week, at the PATA Annual Summit in Cebu, board members will open their working papers to read the message below from CEO Dr Mario Hardy. Frankly, it left me scratching my […]

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9 May, 2019

More preaching to the converted at the PATA Annual Summit 2019

In April 2018, the Philippines announced a six-month closure of Boracay, a draconian order unprecedented in the history of Asia-Pacific tourism. Referring to it as a “cesspool”, President Duterte ordered the shutdown to facilitate the cleanup of an island once grandiosely cited in the tourist brochures as being “pristine” and “unspoiled”. The move triggered a […]

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7 May, 2019

Report exposes how U.S. philanthropic groups are being used to fund the global Islamophobic hate agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/6/19 (CAIR media release) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which claims to be America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a groundbreaking report, called “Hijacked by Hate: American Philanthropy and the Islamophobia Network,” listing the philanthropic foundations, many of them mainstream, that were used by anonymous special interest donors to funnel almost $125 […]

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7 May, 2019

Singapore “fake news” bill open to serious abuse, ASEAN Parliamentarians warn

JAKARTA, 7 May 2019 (APHR media release) – Singapore must significantly amend a “fake news” bill being debated in parliament this week that threatens to curb free speech and give authorities sweeping powers to punish critics, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said. The Singapore parliament is expected to hold second reading of the Protection […]

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6 May, 2019

Nature’s Dangerous Decline Unprecedented, Species Extinction Rates Accelerating, IPBES Report says

PARIS, IPBES media release, 06 May 2019 – Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely, warns a landmark new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the summary […]

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5 May, 2019

ADB Launches $5 Billion Healthy Oceans Action Plan

NADI, FIJI (2 May 2019) ADB News release — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today launched the Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies for the Asia and Pacific region at the 52nd Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors in Fiji. “The prosperity of our region depends on healthy oceans and sustainable […]

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5 May, 2019

Indian traffic-choked cities generating 25% of global greenhouses gases – Vice President

New Delhi, Vice President’s Secretariat, 03-May-2019 – Indian Vice President Mr M Venkaiah Naidu has called for adopting a public transport-centric approach to decongest traffic-choked cities and combat growing vehicular pollution. He observed that Indian cities have been witnessing an undesirable shift from the use of public transport to private vehicles. ‘The average two-wheeler and […]

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5 May, 2019

India’s looming water crisis being ignored in public discourse

New Delhi, Ministry of Water Resources media release, 03-May-2019 – Mr. U.P. Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation expressed concern that inspite of reports of water crisis in many parts of the country, water related issues have not got adequate space in our conversations and our concerns in society as […]

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29 Apr, 2019

Tourists out, turtles in at Conservation Centre run by Thai Navy

Exclusive report by Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil

Phuket/Phang-nga, South Thailand – South Thailand’s famous beaches are visited by millions of tourists annually. But just a few kilometres off the coast of Phuket is an island where tourists are out, turtles are in. In an era when overtourism and beach closures are making headlines, Huyong island is a fine example of the need […]

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31 Mar, 2019

Global e-commerce sales up 13% to roughly $29 trillion in 2017 – UNCTAD report

Geneva, 29 March 2019 (UNCTAD media release) – Global e-commerce sales grew 13% in 2017, hitting an estimated $29 trillion, according to the latest numbers released today by UNCTAD. Editor’s Comment This could herald bad news for the future of shopping tourism. If consumers can buy whatever they want at a click of a button […]

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31 Mar, 2019

Civil Society under attack in 111 countries, with populists, nationalists and extremists at the forefront

27 March 2019 (CIVICUS media release) – Civil society organisations providing humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees are being targeted by governments mobilising right-wing populists, nationalists and extremist groups as the world faces a crisis of global compassion. This alarming trend is one of the findings of the State of Civil Society Report 2019, an […]

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30 Mar, 2019

Sustainable Development Forum flags chasm between rhetoric and reality

Bangkok — When Sabrina Rose Rasu, a young women’s rights activist from Vanuatu, spoke at the Sixth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development on behalf of the Youth and Civil Society movements, she said explicitly, “We demand system change.” In four crystal clear words, she pinpointed both the problem (The System) and the solution (the need […]

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18 Mar, 2019

June 14, 2019: First Forum on The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY

Bangkok – At 0900 hrs on March 18, exactly 59 years ago, what was then known as the Tourist Organisation of Thailand opened for business. Its duty, in the words of Gen Chalermchai Charuvastr, its first Director-General, was to promote visitor arrivals by “creating a wholesome image” of the Thai people. Editor’s Note The Forum […]

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15 Mar, 2019

Revealed: How Alwin Zecha and I helped the TAT bring the PATA HQ to Bangkok

Alwin Zecha, who passed away on 12 March 2019, was a passionate believer in the grandeur and glory of Asia. His multi-cultural background and multi-lingual capabilities allowed him to convert his passion into action, using the travel & tourism industry and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) as conjoined conduits. He was the first to […]

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14 Mar, 2019

Asia Foundation releases results of first City Life Survey 2018 in Myanmar

Yangon, Asia Foundation media release, February 22, 2019 — According to a new survey released today by The Asia Foundation, urban residents in Myanmar’s cities report strong social cohesion and personal relationships. Trust is high, people are very charitable, and people say they are willing to make personal sacrifices to improve their communities. Urban residents […]

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14 Mar, 2019

Humanity ‘at a crossroads’ as damage to planet poses growing risk to health, UN environment agency warns

United Nations, UN News Centre, 13 March 2019 – Human activity is damaging the planet so badly, exacerbated by climate change, that it will increasingly put our health at risk, warns a major report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), released on Wednesday at the UN Environment Assembly, currently taking place in Nairobi. In a […]

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13 Mar, 2019

As garbage mountains pile up, young Southeast Asian leaders seek ecotourism solutions

Luang Prabang – Appalled by the mountains of garbage and waste being generated by tourists and local citizens, emerging young leaders from Southeast Asian countries ended a five-day workshop in this UNESCO World Heritage City by pitching a broad range of reduce-reuse-recycle solutions designed to cutback everything from household waste and street trash to plastic […]

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8 Mar, 2019

What the “Industry of Peace” can learn from the Indo-Pak conflict

In 2018, the South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka) received a total of 27.9 million tourists, a minuscule market share of 2% of the 1.4 billion tourists recorded globally. By contrast, the Southeast Asian countries received 129.3 million visitors (market share: 9.2%) and the Northeast Asian countries 168.4 million (market share: […]

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5 Mar, 2019

Survey: 1 in 3 Older Adults Feel Lonely

By Kathleen Doheny Source: WebMD, March 4, 2019 — One in three older adults say they lack companionship, a new poll has found, and the feeling is more likely in people with health problems. The poll of 2,000 adults ages 50 to 80 also found that one in four people surveyed say they feel isolated, […]

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5 Mar, 2019

Alcoholics Anonymous Releases Pamphlets for Women and LGBTQ Alcoholics

Source: Alcoholics Anonymous — “It doesn’t matter whether you are 16 or 60, rich or poor, college graduate or high school dropout, business executive or stay-at-home parent, a patient in a treatment facility, a prison inmate, or living on the street. Help is available.” So states a new pamphlet for women alcoholics issued by Alcoholics […]

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5 Mar, 2019

U.S. Alcohol Problems Grow as Booze Gets a Bigger Kick

By Matt Smith, WebMD Health News Feb. 14, 2019 — Americans may not be drinking much more than they used to — but they’re drinking more potent stuff.And that trend toward higher-alcohol drinks may be part of what’s driving an increase in alcohol-related deaths and illnesses, according to new research. Sales of wine and liquor […]

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5 Mar, 2019

Women Who Work Long Hours May Face More Depression – Study

By Amy Norton, HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Feb. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Feeling trapped behind a desk, a counter or on the factory floor does no favors for the mind. Now, research helps confirm that women with jobs that demand long hours may be more prone to depression. Researchers found that compared with women who […]

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