4 Aug, 2018
Malaysians warned about shock phone bills after Haj pilgrimage, get tips on how to avoid them
CYBERJAYA, Aug 3 (Bernama) — International roaming services offered by mobile telecommunications providers can help consumers communicate with their friends and family easily even while they are abroad. However, usage of this service without knowing the correct mechanism may result in your phone bill to skyrocket. There are also consumers who experienced bill shock as […]
more…4 Aug, 2018
ASEAN launches region-wide Car-Free Day initiative
JAKARTA, 3 August 2018 (ASEAN media release) – The region-wide ASEAN Car-Free Day (CFD), where dedicated areas or roads will be regularly free from traffic for a particular time, will be launched in Jakarta on Sunday, 5 August. The ASEAN Car Free Day is a regional advocacy initiative led by the Ministry of Health Indonesia […]
more…27 Jul, 2018
India sees rising crime against women, Dalits under Modi regime
New Delhi, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, 24-July-2018- As per the latest available published information with National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the details of cases registered under total crimes against women and Scheduled Castes from 2013 to 2016 is as below: Cases registered 2013 2014 2015 2016 Crime against women 309,546 339,457 329,243 […]
more…27 Jul, 2018
New digital rights to give travellers more legal cover, better access across Europe during summer holidays
Brussels, 27 July 2018, European Commission – Press release – This summer, European citizens will enjoy more digital rights than ever before. Following the end of roaming charges across the European Union last year, holidaymakers can now travel with their online TV, film, sports, music or e-book subscriptions at no extra cost. In addition, everyone […]
more…27 Jul, 2018
Sri Lanka’s Jetwing group hosts world’s first communications course linking travel & tourism to UN SDGs
Colombo — On July 17-18, twenty young executives from the hotel and travel divisions of Sri Lanka’s prominent Jetwing group attended what is claimed to be the first global training course on improving the communications linkages between travel & tourism and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With the support of Jetwings Hotels Chairman Hiran Cooray […]
more…24 Jul, 2018
At the World Cup in Russia, BeautyCam photo exhibition proclaimed “Every Skin Color is Beautiful”
MOSCOW–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 13, 2018 – On July 11, at VDNKH Plaza, outside a football stadium in Moscow, a set of photos featuring diverse skin colors caught the eyes of visitors. This is a charity art exhibition themed “NO COLORISM” hosted by BeautyCam, a facial beautification camera app, in Russia, during the World Cup. In the […]
more…24 Jul, 2018
Creating an inclusive ASEAN digital economy will require revamp of trade and investment policies
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) — Despite the projection that the digital economy will add US$1 trillion to ASEAN GDP by 2025, there are policy hurdles that must be overcome by ASEAN to realise the digital economy potential for the region which now has a combined GDP of over US$2.6 trillion. Among others, ASEAN needs […]
more…24 Jul, 2018
Europe, Japan deal to create “world’s largest area of safe data flows”
Tokyo, 17 July 2018, European Commission – Press release – The EU and Japan successfully concluded today their talks on reciprocal adequacy. They agreed to recognise each other’s data protection systems as ‘equivalent’, which will allow data to flow safely between the EU and Japan. Each side will now launch its relevant internal procedures for […]
more…24 Jul, 2018
What Obama really said in his Mandela tribute lecture: The uber-rich and powerful have become threats to freedom and democracy
Johannesburg – On July 18, the day marking the 100th birth anniversary of South Africa’s iconic leader Nelson Mandela, former U.S. President Barack Obama delivered the 16th annual Nelson Mandela lecture. It was his first major public speech since he stepped down after eight years as the United States’ first African-American president. Unfettered by diplomatic […]
more…13 Jul, 2018
Other Side of Gastronomy Tourism: Thai Univ Forum to mull perils of Corporate Concentration in Food & Agriculture
Bangkok – Focus on the Global South, the ETC Group and Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute (CUSRI) are organizing a Forum on Corporate Concentration in Food and Agriculture; Implications on Food Sovereignty in South East Asia on 24 July. The rate and scale of corporate mergers and acquisitions over the past three years in the […]
more…13 Jul, 2018
Imtiaz Muqbil to deliver first communications course on enhancing Travel & Tourism’s linkages to UN SDGs
Bangkok/Colombo – On July 17-18, 2018, I expect to deliver the first, ground-breaking communications training course on enhancing the linkages between Travel & Tourism and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Executives from Sri Lanka’s Jetwing hotels and travel group will be the first beneficiaries of this tailor-made, 12-hour course, entitled “People Planet Profits — How […]
more…13 Jul, 2018
Pakistan’s Buddha of Swat smiles again 11 years after being dynamited
Peshawar, July 12, 2018 (PTI) – The iconic Buddha of Swat, carved on a cliff in the 7th century, has been restored to its almost original form with Italian assistance in northwestern Pakistan,nearly 11 years after it was dynamited by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan during their control over the area. The Buddha seated in a […]
more…13 Jul, 2018
CAIR Report: U.S. Anti-Muslim Bias Incidents, Hate Crimes Spike in Second Quarter 2018
(WASHINGTON, DC, 7/12/18) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released an update on anti-Muslim incidents nationwide in the second quarter (April-June) of 2018. CAIR’s quarterly report indicates that anti-Muslim bias incidents and hate crimes are up 83 and 21 percent respectively, as compared to the […]
more…12 Jul, 2018
27% of Palestinian working-age population out of a job
RAMALLAH, July 11, 2018 (WAFA) – As the world marks International Population Day, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said on Wednesday that based on the results of the Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017, the total population of Palestine in 2017 was about 4.78 million; 2.43 million males and 2.35 million females. The […]
more…12 Jul, 2018
Aug 9 deadline nearing for US$600,000 Zayed Sustainability Prize
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 11, 2018 – With less than one month to go until the August 9 deadline, the Zayed Sustainability Prize today issued a call for companies, social good organizations, and schools to submit their entries for the annual global award. This year, the Prize broadened its mandate to align itself with the United Nations […]
more…12 Jul, 2018
Israeli police wreck work to renovate compound of Al Aqsa mosque
JERUSALEM, July 7, 2018 (WAFA) – Staff of Al-Aqsa Mosque were able to stop late Friday and early Saturday Israeli destruction of what the Muslim Waqf, the official party in charge of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Muslim endowment, has been introducing of recent to the area of the closed Bab al-Rahmeh, also known as the […]
more…12 Jul, 2018
UN: Jewish state demolished 197 Palestinian structures in occupied territories in first half of 2018
JERUSALEM, July 11, 2018 (WAFA) – The Israeli authorities demolished 197 Palestinian structures in the occupied territories during the first half of 2018, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory said on Wednesday. It said in its monthly report on West Bank demolitions and displacement for […]
more…11 Jul, 2018
The “Circle of Economists” Issues Declaration for More Peaceful Dialog in the World
AIX EN PROVENCE, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 08, 2018 – After three days of debates with 250 international speakers, the 18th Rencontres Economiques d’Aix en Provence concluded today with the “Declaration of Proposals” from the Cercle des Economistes. In terms of technology, migration, environment, identity and geostrategy, the world has undergone many metamorphoses over time. But now […]
more…11 Jul, 2018
New Travel Information and Authorisation System is NOT a visa, Europe claims
On 5 July 2018, the European Commission issued the following Fact Sheet to explain the procedures and other implementation details of the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System. As is normal with official government announcements, it is couched in all the appropriate language claiming what a smooth, seamless, hassle-free process it will be, all […]
more…10 Jul, 2018
International Day of Cooperatives sets stage for ethical, sustainable production and consumption
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 07 July 2018 – Each year on the first Saturday in July, the international community celebrates the International Day of Cooperatives – successful businesses based on ethical values and principles. This year, the Day focuses on the theme “Sustainable consumption and production of goods and services.” Simel Esim, head of the […]
more…10 Jul, 2018
UN Human Rights official tells Myanmar to show some “shame” over ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 4 July 2018 – Myanmar should experience feelings of “shame” after attempting to convince the world that it is willing to take back hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled an “ethnic cleansing campaign” last year, given that “not a single” one has returned officially, the United Nations human rights […]
more…10 Jul, 2018
Myanmar: Discriminatory policies means no return for refugees anytime soon, says expert
GENEVA (9 July 2018) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said the Government’s failure to redress discriminatory laws against the Rohingya made it impossible for hundreds of thousands of refugees to return to their homes anytime soon. “As it is now clear that the Government of […]
more…10 Jul, 2018
Socialist International blasts Israel’s racist, apartheid policies, calls for military embargo on Jewish state
GENEVA, July 8, 2018 (WAFA) – The Council of the Socialist International (SI) has called for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) for Palestinian rights at their meeting in the United Nations in Geneva. SI also called for a “total embargo on all forms of military trade and cooperation with Israel.” Socialist International brings together 140 […]
more…9 Jul, 2018
Jewish fanatics raze hundreds of Palestinian vineyards
BETHLEHEM, July 7, 2018 (WAFA) – Jewish fanatic settlers Saturday cut down hundreds of fruitful vineyards belonging to Palestinians in the town of al-Khader, in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem, said a local activist. Ahmad Salah, coordinator of the Anti-Settlement Committee in the town, told WAFA correspondent settlers cut down around 200 fruitful […]
more…9 Jul, 2018
More jobs available, but wages at unprecedented levels of stagnation: OECD report
Paris, 04 July 2018, OECD news release – Economic growth is picking up and unemployment has reached record lows in some OECD countries but wages continue to stagnate. Unless countries can break this cycle, public belief in the recovery will be undermined and labour market inequality will widen, according to a new OECD report. The […]
more…9 Jul, 2018
The Olive Tree Ed 8 highlights World of Work, Decent Jobs, in Travel & Tourism
Bangkok – Discussions of human resources in travel & tourism for the most part focus on the shortage of qualified personnel for our rapidly-growing industry. This is a chicken-and-egg issue. Has the travel & tourism sector ever done a serious, comprehensive study of our working conditions, and critically compared them to those in other equally […]
more…8 Jul, 2018
Forests ‘essential’ for the future, UN agriculture chief spells out in new report
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 6 July 2018 — Time is running out for the world’s forests, warns a new report by the United Nations agriculture agency, urging governments to foster an all-inclusive approach to benefit both trees and those who rely on them. Halting deforestation, managing forests sustainably, restoring degraded forests and adding to […]
more…8 Jul, 2018
Low quality healthcare is increasing the cost burden of illness globally: OECD/WHO/WB report
Paris, (OECD news release), 05/07/2018 – Poor quality health services are holding back progress on improving health in countries at all income levels, according to a new joint report by the OECD, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. Today, inaccurate diagnosis, medication errors, inappropriate or unnecessary treatment, inadequate or unsafe clinical facilities or […]
more…8 Jul, 2018
$99.4 million ADB loan to Upgrade Thailand Highways, Improve Road Safety
Bangkok, ADB news release, (4 July 2018) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Thailand today signed a $99.4 million loan agreement to help the country upgrade 125 kilometers (km) of highways and improve road safety management in the country’s northeastern region. The agreement was signed by Thailand’s Finance Minister and ADB […]
more…8 Jul, 2018
FIFA President lauds ‘fantastic’ Russia-hosted World Cup
Moscow, July 06, (TASS News Agency)- FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman. — Mr. President, thank you very much for this meeting. I know how busy you are but this Mundial, this World Cup in Russia comes to the final way. I have a very easy […]
more…8 Jul, 2018
‘Just One Inch of Water’ Exhibition To Go on Show at UN HQ, 9-29 July
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 05 July 2018 – An opening reception for an exhibition entitled “Just One Inch of Water” will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, 9 July 2018, in the Visitors’ Lobby. The exhibition is organized on behalf of the United Nations Group of Friends on Drowning Prevention by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). […]
more…11 Jun, 2018
Survey: Women Crush Men at Conquering Workplace App Overload
BELMONT, Calif.–June 07, 2018 – (BUSINESS WIRE)–RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE:RNG), a leading provider of global enterprise cloud communications and collaboration solutions, today released new findings exploring how workers manage app overload in relation to their gender, geographic location, and age group. While workers around the world still have a long way to go to effectively manage […]
more…9 Jun, 2018
Thai Foreign Correspondents Club to hold first Panel Discussion on Thai outbound travel boom
Inbound Thai tourism is booming. What is not commonly known is that so is Thai outbound travel. Thanks to a rising middle class, strong spending power and intense marketing by airlines, hotel groups, credit card companies, the number of Thai outbound travellers is expected to cross 10 million this year. A panel discussion will be […]
more…9 Jun, 2018
GDPR – Another chapter in the book of European extra-territorial neocolonialism
Bangkok – The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is yet another example of European neocolonialism in an age of globalisation and borderless communications. While the Information Superhighway is opening up vast opportunities to create a better, more peaceful, stable and sustainable planet, it is simultaneously and very paradoxically also doing quite the opposite. Slap in […]
more…6 Jun, 2018
Submissions invited for The Olive Tree Awards Essay Competition Round 2: US$2,000 in prize money
Bangkok – Applications are now open for the second round of the Olive Tree Awards essay competition, the first such endeavour specifically designed to give young people a voice in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Millennials under 30 all over the world are invited to submit essays of up to 1,200 words on the […]
more…28 May, 2018
A thought-leadership SWOT analysis of the PATA Annual Summit 2018
Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea: The most perceptive thought-leadership question asked during the PATA Annual Summit 2018 was by Christina Luo Xiao Yan, 21, a student of Hotel Management at Macau University of Science and Technology. After listening to the speaker, Ms Raya Bidshahri, the Canadian-based CEO of Awecademy, an online platform, discuss the impact […]
more…23 May, 2018
Korea’s new, improved tourism marketing & development strategy to counter arrivals decline
Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea – From developing its Muslim-friendly facilities to promoting travel by physically-challenged people and supporting SMEs, Korea has embarked upon a detailed marketing and development strategy to counter a sharp decline in visitor arrivals in 2017. Details of the plan were outlined to media covering the PATA Annual Summit 2018 by […]
more…23 May, 2018
PATA Annual Summit: Ex-UN Chief says leaders “talk big” at UN but don’t walk the talk once back home
Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea – Delivering a powerful message to the global travel industry, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told delegates at the PATA annual summit here on January 18 that the world needs “global leaders” and “global citizens” to “stem the alarming rise in racism and xenophobia.” In his keynote address, Mr. Ban […]
more…22 May, 2018
PATA signs first peace-building pact with Buddhist temple in Korea
Woljeongsa Temple, Odaesan National Park, Korea — This beautiful Buddhist temple, located in the midst of Korea’s largest natural forest, was the site of the first peace-building agreement signed by the Pacific Asia Travel Association on 19 May 2018. The Memorandum of Understanding commits the signatories to “cooperate for the development of peace through tourism” […]
more…18 May, 2018
Female billionaires grew 18% in 2018, Wealth-X report reveals
New York, 15 May 2018 (Wealth-X media release) – The fifth edition of the Wealth-X Billionaire Census reveals that billionaire wealth surged by 24% to a record level in 2017, and the billionaire population rebounded by 15% to 2,754 individuals, surpassing the previous peak of 2,473 in 2015. The report attributes this significant increase in wealth […]
more…18 May, 2018
First TIR transports in China advance Belt and Road prospects
Dalian, 18 May 2018, (IRU media release) – The world’s biggest trading nation opens its borders for TIR (“Transports Internationaux Routiers”) operations today. Offering time savings in China of up to 80%, the global customs transit standard connects 73 countries across the world and is a cornerstone of the Belt and Road initiative to boost […]
more…18 May, 2018
Australia moves to ensure foreign investors pay their fair share of tax
Canberra, 17 May 2018, Media Release from the office of the Treasurer Scott Morrison – The Turnbull Government is continuing to protect the integrity of Australia’s corporate tax system – ensuring foreign investors don’t have a competitive advantage over Australian investors. Today we released exposure draft legislation and explanatory material for public consultation on the […]
more…16 May, 2018
Japanese operators set up Alliance of Responsible Tourism Agencies
Kyoto, 16 May 2018 (JARTA media release) — On the occasion of the 2017 International Year of International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, a number of responsible travel agencies in Japan have united to establish the Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies. Asia including Japan is projected to be one of the most active regions […]
more…16 May, 2018
PATA Annual Summit 2018: A chance to move beyond clichés and Censorship by Sponsorship
Gangneung, Korea — A confluence of recent global events has set the stage for this week’s PATA annual summit in Korea to be a potentially historic game-changer – but only if the speakers rise to the occasion. Focussing on the theme of “Building Bridges, Connecting People,” the summit will bring together one former United Nations […]
more…14 May, 2018
Save our planet by protecting migratory birds and their ‘epic journeys,’ urges UN chief
United Nations, UN News Centre, 11 May 2018 — As they make their global journeys, migratory birds not only set birdwatchers’ binoculars agog, they also help the planet maintain its essential ecological balance. That’s one of the key messages from United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, for World Migratory Bird Day, celebrated on Saturday, with the soaring […]
more…14 May, 2018
UN to live broadcast Palestinian Rights Committee meeting, 17-18 May
United Nations, 14 May 2018 – The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations Forum on the Question of Palestine under the theme “70 Years after 1948 — Lessons to Achieve a Sustainable Peace” on 17 and 18 May in the Trusteeship Council Chamber of United Nations Headquarters in […]
more…14 May, 2018
For Rohingya refugees, imminent surge in births is traumatic legacy of sexual violence – special report
United Nations,(UN News Centre) 11 May 2018 – Late last year, as violent repression in Myanmar sent Rohingyas fleeing to safety in Bangladesh, women from the mainly Muslim minority were subjected to what a United Nations official called “a frenzy of sexual violence”. Now, a surge in births among these women is imminent, according to […]
more…11 May, 2018
Digital Ad Spend Hits All-Time High of $88 Billion in 2017, with Mobile Upswing Unabated
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 10, 2018 — Total U.S. digital ad spend reached a record-setting $88 billion last year, according to the latest IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), and prepared by PwC US. This represents a 21 percent uptick over the previous year at $72.5 billion, and marks […]
more…11 May, 2018
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights lauds Malaysian election outcome
Official statement issued by the APHR Board on 11 May 2018 On behalf of the membership of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), we offer our heartfelt congratulations to the Malaysian people on a historic election. Despite irregularities and other challenges that prevented the vote from being a fully free and fair contest, we are […]
more…11 May, 2018
IOGT International welcomes new alcohol taxes introduced in Peru
Düsseldorf, Germany, May 10, 2018 – The government of Peru has just introduced new taxes to address harms caused by alcohol, tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages. IOGT International welcomes these new measures and commends the Peruvian government for their leadership to protect the health and wellbeing of their people. “Alcohol taxation is a triple-win measure as […]
more…11 May, 2018
New UN agency guidelines aim to sustain forest benefits for future generations
United Nations, UN News Centre, 10 May 2018 – New guidelines designed to give poor and isolated communities more of a say in how tropical forests are used and preserved around the world were published on Thursday, by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO is the lead United Nations agency on the sustainable […]
more…11 May, 2018
Trump’s Iran deal reversal proves Israel controls the U.S.
The U.S. decision to unilaterally exit the nuclear agreement with Iran cements the country’s status as the greatest threat to global stability, totally subservient to Israel, the Jewish lobby and its own military-industrial complex. The latest in a series of my-way-or-the-highway policy reversals, the Trump Administration has no regard for international norms and is accelerating […]
more…5 May, 2018
Palestinian lecturer’s assassins used fake Serbia, Montenegro passports to enter Malaysia, fled to Thailand
BANGKOK, Thailand May 4 (NNN-Bernama) – The two men linked to the killing of Palestinian lecturer Dr Fadi Mohammed Al Batsch last month were believed to have used fake passports from Serbia and Montenegro to enter Malaysia. After executing the precision-timed hit on the Hamas-linked academician on April 21, the alleged assassins slipped into Thailand […]
more…5 May, 2018
The REAL Brand USA: 35,000 gun-violence deaths a year, Brady Campaign report reveals
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 03, 2018 — As the National Rifle Association begins its 2018 convention, a new report from the Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence details what the NRA has done in the last year, juxtaposed against shockingly frequent shooting incidents. As the report shows, the NRA’s extremism, knee-jerk opposition to life-saving gun […]
more…4 May, 2018
ADB Seminar Considers Challenge of Technological Change, Globalisation, and Jobs in Asia
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (4 May 2018) — As Asia and the Pacific seeks inclusive and sustainable economic growth, countries are adapting to the possibility that new technologies in fields such as robotics and artificial intelligence may lead to challenges for some industries and groups of workers, according to participants at a high-level Asian Development Bank (ADB) […]
more…4 May, 2018
Survey Finds Employers Reeling from Regulatory Shifts and New Forces Impacting the Workplace
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 02, 2018 – Littler, which claims to be the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has released the results of its seventh annual survey, completed by 1,111 in-house counsel, human resources professionals and C-suite executives. The Littler® Annual Employer Survey, 2018 analyzes the impact that sweeping regulatory changes and other […]
more…3 May, 2018
More than 100 “high-risk” Australians being probed for tax evasion
Canberra, 2 May 2018, (Minister of Revenue and Financial Services media release) – The Turnbull Government is committed to uncovering anyone who seeks to mask the true nature of their tax affairs. More than 100 Australians with links to Swiss banking relationship managers alleged to have actively promoted and facilitated tax evasion schemes have been […]
more…2 May, 2018
Study Shows Tariffs Against China Would Destroy Thousands of American Jobs
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 01, 2018 — The Trump administration’s proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports, coupled with retaliation promised by China, would reduce U.S. gross domestic product by nearly $3 billion and destroy 134,000 American jobs, according to a new study released today by the National Retail Federation and the Consumer Technology Association. The […]
more…29 Apr, 2018
Korean peace will force change in Israel’s live and let die policy towards Palestinians
The Korean peace deal has confirmed the status of Israel under its current government as an extraordinarily stupid country. In an age when the pursuit of peace has become the greatest hallmark of visionary, pragmatic, sustainable leadership, Korean leaders have risen to the occasion. Not so the Israelis. On the same day that the Korean […]
more…27 Apr, 2018
OECD Latin America report: Regaining citizens’ trust in public institutions is key to inclusive growth and well-being
Brussels, 09 April 2018 – Three out of four Latin Americans today show little or no confidence in their national governments. Around 80% think corruption is widespread. These levels are both up from 55% and 67% respectively in 2010. Mistrust is rising as in most regions of the world and risks deepening the disconnect between […]
more…27 Apr, 2018
Open Letter: Palestinian Christians and Muslims call on faith communities to help end Israeli occupation
Open Letter on April 26, 2018 Palestinian Christians and Muslims march together to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to protest to a new Israeli tax policy and proposed property law which caused Christian leaders to temporarily shut the doors of the church in February, 2018. (Photo: Seth Herald) Then the Lord saw […]
more…27 Apr, 2018
Int’l Olympic Committee President: How the “Power of Sports” facilitated Korean peace talks
chinadaily.com.cn, 2018-04-26 — When the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea meet on April 27, it will be only the third such summit since the end of the Korean War (1950-53). Only a few months ago political tensions were escalating rapidly, raising fears of military confrontation on the […]
more…26 Apr, 2018
Trades Union launches platform to help migrant workers combat unscrupulous recruitment agencies
Brussels, 04-04-2018, (International Trade Union Confederation) — The ITUC has launched a new web platform to help protect migrant workers from abusive employment practices, by providing them with peer-to-peer reviews about recruitment agencies in their country of origin and destination. The Recruitment Advisor, developed by the ITUC with support from the ILO Fair Recruitment initiative, […]
more…26 Apr, 2018
Workers in 35 OECD countries pay 25% of their wages in taxes
Paris, (OECD media release), 26/04/2018 – Workers in OECD countries paid just over a quarter of their gross wages in tax on average in 2017, with just over half of countries seeing small increases in the personal average tax rate, according to a new OECD report. Taxing Wages 2018 shows that the “net personal average tax […]
more…26 Apr, 2018
ITUC May Day Statement 2018: Corporate power is running out of control
Brussels, 26 April 2018 (International Trade Union Confederation) — The following statement was issued today by the International Trade Union Confederation to mark the upcoming Labour Day, 01 May 2018. One hundred and fifty years ago, workers in Britain came together to create the world’s first national trade union centre, the TUC, in the city […]
more…26 Apr, 2018
UNCTAD commentary: Nobody really wins a trade war
Geneva, 25 April 2018, (UNCTAD commentary) – Are we seeing the start of a trade war? Although there is a long history of countries blaming each other for their own economic misfortunes, during the last few months there has been an escalation both in the rhetoric and in trade policy actions. The initial round of […]
more…25 Apr, 2018
Early Life Crisis: New Study Reveals Millennials facing more depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies
MONTREAL, Canada (PRWEB) April 14, 2018 — Many mental health red flags may be dismissed by parents and teachers as “normal” teenage angst or a cry for attention: A tendency toward isolation, nervousness, lashing out, or sleeping too much. Perhaps far worse is the knee-jerk reaction of dealing with issues like attention problems or hyperactivity […]
more…25 Apr, 2018
12 questions to disrupt the boring programme content of Islamic tourism events
Dubai – The second ATM Global Halal Tourism Summit held at the Arabian Travel Mart on April 24 proved again how the entire travel industry is increasingly becoming a mutual admiration club of people preaching to the converted. As usual, key challenges having a significant impact on travel & tourism flows to, from and within […]
more…24 Apr, 2018
Japan overtakes U.S. as world’s most popular destination, Visa Study shows
Dubai, 23 April 2018 – Japan has overtaken the United States as the most popular destination for global travelers in the past two years, Visa’s Global Travel Intentions (GTI) Study 2017. The study said, “Regional preferences prevail, though, with travelers in the Asia Pacific region leaning heavily toward Japan as a travel destination.” Full text of the press releases issued in Dubai […]
more…24 Apr, 2018
Turkish FM warns of growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the West
Istanbul (UNA-OIC) 19 April 2018 – Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday that anti-Muslim sentiment was rising rapidly in the West, especially in Europe, Anadolu Agency reported. Speaking at the first-ever World Muslim Minorities Summit held in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Cavusoglu said Muslims are seen as scapegoats in the West. “Anti-Muslim […]
more…24 Apr, 2018
New CAIR Report: Trump’s Muslim Bans Increased Anti-Muslim Discrimination, Violence
WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/23/2018, (CAIR media release) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a one-of-its-kind report offering data on the impact and legal pushback against anti-Muslim bias across the United States in the past year. Video: CAIR News Conference to Release 2018 Civil Rights Report CAIR 2018 Civil […]
more…24 Apr, 2018
European Commission plans stronger, EU-wide whistleblower protection rules
Brussels, 23 April 2018, European Commission media release – Recent scandals such as Dieselgate, Luxleaks, the Panama Papers or the ongoing Cambridge Analytica revelations show that whistleblowers can play an important role in uncovering unlawful activities that damage the public interest and the welfare of our citizens and society. Today’s proposal will guarantee a high […]
more…23 Apr, 2018
Amadeus Middle East travel report: Women key decision-makers, social media influencers faces trust challenge
Dubai – April 23, 2018: The ‘Middle East Consumer Travel Report 2018’, a study co-sponsored by Amadeus and developed by InsightOut Consultancy, has identified the following six key trends shaping the Middle East market: 1) Travel sellers need to adopt consultative approach to package clients’ requirements, within designated budget 2) The leading role of women […]
more…23 Apr, 2018
Transparency International lauds new EU proposals for whistleblower protection
Brussels, 23 April 2018, (Media release issued by Transparency International Liaison Office to the European Union) – Today, the European Commission published its long-awaited proposal for an EU-wide Whistleblower Directive, which is a bold step in recognising the importance and rights of whistleblowers, according to Transparency International EU. The proposal, which is a victory for […]
more…19 Apr, 2018
WTTC’s Mission Still Not Accomplished
In September 2003, exactly 15 years ago, the World Travel & Tourism Council issued a Blueprint for New Tourism. It was yet another assertion of the WTTC mantras flagged since the formation of the rich mans’ club in 1991 — make T&T a priority, liberalise travel, open markets and remove impediments. These mantras have produced […]
more…16 Apr, 2018
ICON-IC India and her Feat of Clay – By Mark Deane
AKA: Our national fascination with busts and grand erections “Now stiff on a pillar with a phallic air, Nelson stylites in Trafalgar Square. Reminds the British what once they were, Aboard the Victory, Victory O.” (Borrowed from “A Ballad of the Good Lord Nelson” by Lawrence Durrell) Ours is an ancient land, steeped in history, […]
more…16 Apr, 2018
49 retired senior civil servants pen Open Letter to PM Modi: India facing an “existential crisis”
April 16, 2018 — This is the text of open letter to the Prime Minister that 49 retired civil servants are releasing to the media/public. Honourable Prime Minister, We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values […]
more…16 Apr, 2018
Open Letter to the U.S. travel industry: Is state terrorism serving your interests?
Bangkok – Shootings in U.S. offices, schools, universities and other public places are always followed by an enormous outpouring of outrage, anguish, hand-wringing and soul-searching. Much time and attention is devoted to understanding the shooter’s motivation. If it’s a Muslim, the violence is automatically assigned the “T” word. The others are somehow disturbed, loners, etc. […]
more…12 Apr, 2018
Confronting Islamophobia requires” a nuanced understanding of the forms repression can take” – Dr Nazia Kazi
Dr. Nazia Kazi is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Stockton University. She delivered these remarks at a recent conference on Islamophobia at Istanbul Zaim University. Salaam-alaikum. My comments today will be very brief. The title of this conference is “Contextualizing Islamophobia”. The title of this weekend’s event itself reminds us that our scholarship on Islamophobia […]
more…12 Apr, 2018
Hard questions for travel & tourism millennials: Does global war & conflict matter to you?
Bangkok — Here we go again. Fifteen years after the United States-led “Coalition of the Willing” attacked Iraq in pursuit of “weapons of mass destruction” that were never found, killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of people and devastating an entire country, war-drums are again reverberating in the Levant, this time in Syria. And as […]
more…12 Apr, 2018
Indonesia to hold Creative Product Festival 2018 in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) — The National Publishing & News Corporation (NPNC), set up jointly by the state-owned companies PT Balai Pustaka, Antara News Agency and Percetakan Negara Republik Indonesia (PNRI) is to organize the “Indonesia Creative Product Festival (ICPF) 2018” on April 13th – 15th at Dewan Tun Razak 4, Putra World Trade […]
more…11 Apr, 2018
China chides developed countries for overseas garbage dumping
By Zhang Ming The author is ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and head of mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union. Geneva, 4 April 2018, (chinadaily.com.cn) – During a recent meeting of the WTO Council for Trade in Goods, some representatives raised concerns about China’s ban on “foreign garbage” import. Some even […]
more…11 Apr, 2018
ADC launches campaign to end U.S. taxpayer-funded military aid to Israel
Washington, DC, 5 April 2018, (www.adc.org) – In the recently passed $1.3 trillion federal spending bill, Congress increased military aid to Israel. All military aid to Israel is in violation of U.S. law prohibiting the transfer of arms to human rights violators. All of which is made worse by the fact that Congress refuses to enforce […]
more…11 Apr, 2018
FREE DOWNLOAD: The Next Big Thing – Thailand Outbound Travel Report 2018
Bangkok — Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has made travel journalism history yet again by publishing the first report on the surging Thai outbound travel industry. The report is being made available FREE, thanks to support from Minister of Tourism and Sports Weerasak Kowsurat and Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn. Both […]
more…8 Apr, 2018
ASLA Survey: Demand High for Residential Landscapes with Sustainability and Active Living Elements
WASHINGTON, 3 April 2018, (BUSINESS WIRE)–The 2018 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey was conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape architects were asked to rate the expected popularity of a variety of residential outdoor design elements in 2018. The survey was fielded February 22 through March 8, 2018, with 808 responding. Many […]
more…8 Apr, 2018
YPO Announces Signature Events for Innovation Week, 7-11 May
DALLAS, (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) –For the third consecutive year, YPO will host Innovation Week, a series of more than 50 events around the world designed to bring together the most dynamic innovators for a chance to network, overturn conventional thinking and come away inspired with actionable, applicable insight. YPO, the world’s premier leadership organization of chief […]
more…8 Apr, 2018
Biodiversity and Nature’s Contributions in Dangerous Decline, Scientists Warn
Medellin, Colombia, 23 March 2018, (IPBES News) –Biodiversity – the essential variety of life forms on Earth – continues to decline in every region of the world, significantly reducing nature’s capacity to contribute to people’s well-being. This alarming trend endangers economies, livelihoods, food security and the quality of life of people everywhere, according to four […]
more…6 Apr, 2018
Jewish billionaire’s role in fomenting Islamophobia coming to light
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/5/18) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for Federal Election Commission (FEC) and IRS investigations of virulently anti-Muslim advertisements that used Facebook and Google to target voters in swing states prior just before the 2016 election. Robert Mercer, a top supporter of […]
more…6 Apr, 2018
Jewish Rabbi seeks support for media campaign: Tell Israeli soldiers to disobey orders to shoot Palestinians
Editor’s Note: The following statement was released on 05 April by Tikkun, which refers to itself as a grouping of Spiritual Progressives headed by Rabbi Michael Lerner. I am reproducing it in full here in anticipation that the travel & tourism industry, which claims to be an “industry of peace”, will read it and let […]
more…6 Apr, 2018
ADB President Highlights Inequality, Climate Change, and Aging as Three Key Challenges for China’s New Era
Beijing, 25 March 2018, (ADB News) — Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao addressed the China Development Forum (CDF), which opened today in Beijing. Mr. Nakao will meet Premier Li Keqiang along with other participants of the CDF. He also participated in a roundtable with Vice Premier Liu He. During his visit to Beijing, […]
more…6 Apr, 2018
First Indonesia-Africa Forum to be held in Jakarta, April 10-11
Jakarta (ANTARA News) 6 April 2018 – Fifty-three African countries have been invited to attend the first Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) to be held in Bali on Apr 10-11. “As of today, 40 countries have confirmed their participation in the Indonesia-Africa Forum,” Director of Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Daniel Tumpal Simanjuntak noted in […]
more…5 Apr, 2018
Alibaba offers Malaysian merchants access into China
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 March 2018, (Bernama) — As part of its commitment to lower trade barriers and provide SMEs with more equitable access to global markets, Alibaba Group hosted its first “Access to China Consumers” Seminar, with the aim to enable Malaysian exporter to tap into the demand among Chinese consumers for Malaysian and foreign […]
more…5 Apr, 2018
Hollywood advances racist depiction of Arabs in new film “Beirut”
Washington, DC., 3 April 2018, (www.adc.org) – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the nation’s largest Arab-American civil rights organizations, is deeply offended by the racist and simplistic portrayal of Arabs, and misrepresentation of regional politics, in the upcoming film Beirut. The film is filled with the stereotypical anti-Arab sentiment which Hollywood has been notorious for […]
more…5 Apr, 2018
In cost-cutting mode, U.N. downgrades staff travel, eliminates First Class entirely
UNITED NATIONS, 04 April 2018, (UN media information service) — The General Assembly today adopted five texts on matters with financial implications, ranging from the downgrading of standards of accommodation for staff air travel to the modalities of a special meeting on the global fight against tuberculosis, in line with the recommendations of its Fifth […]
more…5 Apr, 2018
Islamophobia rampant in Europe, report shows
Ankara, (04 April 2018), Foundation for Political and Economic Research) — This is the third issue of the annual European Islamophobia Report (EIR) consisting of an overall evaluation of Islamophobia in Europe in the year 2017, as well as 33 country reports which include almost all EU member states and additional countries such as Russia […]
more…26 Mar, 2018
Why the Facebook scandal makes travel technobabblers look like idiots
Travel technology forums, aka technobabblers, have experienced a shock-and-awe reality check in the wake of the Facebook scandal. I stopped attending technobabble forums many years ago. I just got bored of the starry-eyed delegates listening with open mouths to the usual gang of suspects spewing out the latest techno-toy wizardry and how it was going […]
more…24 Mar, 2018
Making the Caribbean’s airports and seaports more resistant to stronger hurricanes
23 March 2018, UNCTAD media release — This year’s World Meteorological Day on 23 March highlights the importance of being “weather-ready, climate-smart” – a timely theme with hurricane season right around the corner. Experts predict the 2018 season will be as busy as the last, when three major storms – Harvey, Irma and Maria – […]
more…24 Mar, 2018
ADB, China Water Affairs Sign Deal to Improve Urban Water Management in PRC
BEIJING, 2 March 2018, (ADB News) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a loan equivalent of up to $200 million to help China Water Affairs Group Limited (CWA) improve wastewater management and increase people’s access to clean and reliable water supply in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The agreement was signed by […]
more…24 Mar, 2018
Japan Hosts 30 Influencers from 20 Countries/Regions to Receive 40m Tourists by 2020
TOKYO, 22 March 2018, (PRNewswire) — The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) carried out a project to showcase the charms of tourism resources in each region of Japan, inviting 30 powerful influencers (bloggers) from 20 foreign countries and regions to visit various parts of the country in March 2018 with the aim of introducing abroad […]
more…24 Mar, 2018
Joaquín Roy: It’s the War, Stupid
MIAMI, 14 Mar 2018, (IPS) – It is revealing that a ruler who did not serve in the military, nor enjoys any experience in war affairs, has a special inclination to use a vocabulary more typical of bloody clashes between states than in diplomatic relations. Donald Trump, both in his electronic messages and in his […]
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