12 Mar, 2014

FREE Download: ASTA reports strong growth in profitable travel agencies

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Alexandria, VA, March 11, 2014 (ASTA news release) – The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) released its 2014 ASTA Agency Profile, which revealed that two-thirds of ASTA member agencies reported a profitable year in 2013, which is a ten percentage point increase over 2011 and 2012. In addition, agencies reporting that they just “broke […]

12 Mar, 2014

Report discloses attempts to cheat, defraud Asian Development Bank

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Manila, 11 March 2014 – Submission of fraudulent documents, recommending spouses to work as consultants, misrepresenting work experience and accepting kickbacks from suppliers were among some of the 250 cases related to internal fraud and corruption reported to the Asian Development Bank in 2013. Other cases identified in the ADB’s Annual Report of the Office […]

12 Mar, 2014

Modi win will worsen communal mayhem, crony capitalism and mega-corruption – Sitaram Yechury – Hindustan Times

Recollect Steven Spielberg’s hallmark film Schindler’s List. While the businessman protagonist leveraged his support to the fascist regime to prepare a list of Jews and save them from Hitler’s horrendous concentration camps and certain death, he justifies his support saying, “war is the best time for business”. Notwithstanding occasional humanitarian expressions like this, at the […]

11 Mar, 2014

Four in 10 wealthy Americans “don’t feel good about the money they have to spend”

by Andrew Dugan

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7 2014) Gallup Polls — While Americans’ average daily self-reported spending increased in 2013, many Americans nonetheless expressed anxiety about how much money they had to spend. Less than half (45%) said they felt “pretty good” about it. Lower-income Americans were least likely to feel good about their amount of disposable income, […]

11 Mar, 2014

UK Legoland hotel shuts over anti-Muslim threats | The Jakarta Post

Legoland in Britain will close its hotel this weekend after far-right extremists made threats against the theme park for agreeing to host a Muslim family fun day. The resort had been hired out by the Muslim Research and Development Foundation, and 1,000 Muslim families were due to attend. Legoland canceled the private event last week […]

11 Mar, 2014

Schools must teach students emotional resilience: Australian study

An alarming snapshot of the mental health of high school students has found one in three girls and a quarter of boys are depressed, with many turning to violence, alcohol and unwanted sex to cope with problems. The study of almost 4500 year 7 to 12 students, also revealed that 34 per cent of girls […]

11 Mar, 2014

Palestinian hotel at heart of legal battle – Al Jazeera Blogs

The Ayyads’ fight for Cliff Hotel is existential, literally. Ali Ayyad and his siblings have been battling in Israeli courts for over a decade to reclaim the property that’s been in the family for generations. Originally the family’s residence, the four-storey building overlooking occupied East Jerusalem was established in 1953. Turned into a hotel in […]

11 Mar, 2014

Vodafone to set up free Wi-Fi hotspots in Indian mega-cities – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: If you are one of Vodafone India’s internet savvy smartphone users living in a metro, there’s good news for you. India’s second largest telco will soon be supporting uninterrupted browsing sessions at possibly higher speeds, a few months down the line, even in congested areas. The India arm of UK-based Vodafone Plc is […]

11 Mar, 2014

Narendra Modi’s turf flops on education, health – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: One key issue in the upcoming general elections is state governments’ track record, with Gujarat receiving the most attention because it is BJP PM designate Narendra Modi’s biggest publicity plank. Gujarat’s economic growth, its prosperity and its efficient administration are being showcased across the country. A closer look at two important aspects of […]

11 Mar, 2014

Following NACTA Survey, Travel Agents to be rebranded as Travel Consultants

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March 10, 2014, Alexandria, Va. (NACTA media release) – The National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) reports that Travel Agents prefer to be called Travel Consultants through a recent member survey and the results are consistent with their parent company ASTAs findings. NACTA research conducted December 2013- January 2014 indicates nearly half of the […]

11 Mar, 2014

Cashed-up Chinese are pricing the young out of the Australian property market

We need the Chinese. But the growth of the Chinese middle class has been so explosive, and on such a scale, that it has the capacity to affect Australia in ways that will need to be controlled if some trends continue to accelerate. Notably home buying. There has never been a lower percentage of first-home […]

11 Mar, 2014

Growing economies, populations will strain Asia-Pacific food resources, FAO report warns

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10 March 2014, Ulaanbaatar (FAO media release) – Governments in Asia and the Pacific should take some major, fundamental decisions – and soon – about ways to increase their food production and address undernourishment, FAO has warned. The warning comes as nearly 40 FAO member countries gathered in the Mongolian capital for the 32nd FAO […]

11 Mar, 2014

Do politicians think we’re fools? – Karan Thapar – Hindustan Times

‘Do politicians think we’re fools?’ It was an odd question but then I’m used to Pertie springing surprises. This, however, was exceptional. “What’s prompted that question?” I felt I had to first understand his thinking. “Just look at what the government tried to do. Having failed to use Parliament effectively for five years they now […]

10 Mar, 2014

Australia’s First Islamic Museum Opens

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 10 March 2014 (09 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in […]

10 Mar, 2014

Islamophobic Hate Groups Become More Prominent in Germany – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Stachus is one of Munich’s nicest squares. It is rich in tradition and filled with pedestrians — and perfect for Michael Stürzenberger’s purposes. Hand balled into a fist, he paces back and forth and screams, “The Koran is the most dangerous book in the world.” Because a couple dozen people have come to demonstrate against […]

9 Mar, 2014

Russia invading Ukraine illegal? What about 2003 U.S. attack on Iraq?

By Nesreen Melek

06 March, 2014, Countercurrents.org Dear President Obama: Hope you and your nation are enjoying being Americans who are living in a free and a democratic country. A country that has the status of liberty stands high reflecting your idealism and nationalism. The more I listen to the news covering your government’s stand about Ukraine, the […]

9 Mar, 2014

Australian supermarket chain reveals customers’ data is shared with third parties overseas – Sydney Morning Herald

Customers using the Coles Flybuys card or online shopping service are having their personal details sent to up to 30 other companies owned by the same corporation and to third parties in at least 23 other countries. Last week, Coles unveiled plans to invest $1.1 billion over the next three years building 70 new supermarkets […]

9 Mar, 2014

White House plans US$1 billion in new aviation taxes in FY 2015 budget

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WASHINGTON-March 05, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today opposed the FY2015 White House budget proposal, which calls for an additional $4.2 billion in new and higher taxes on airlines and their customers, calling it an unprecedented cash grab that will hurt jobs, service to small communities […]

9 Mar, 2014

Italian campaigners call for housewives to be paid a salary | theguardian.com

If you happen to be one of the stars of the reality television franchise The Real Housewives, you can expect to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars as payment for every season of dirty laundry washed in public. If, however, you are an actual housewife and your daily chores are done quietly behind closed doors, […]

9 Mar, 2014

Has the NSA’s mass spying made life easier for digital criminals? – theguardian.com

Thousands of the world’s security professionals, most of them middle-aged white males, gathered in San Francisco last week for the annual RSA Conference. Traditionally, it’s the time of year vendors hawk their gear in halls containing a perturbing whiff of ammonia, research announcements provide relief from the festival of commerce, and government mandarins hobnob with […]

9 Mar, 2014

Xinhua Commentary: The West’s fiasco in Ukraine

by Xinhua writer Ming Jinwei

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — For a brief moment, Western leaders might have stopped to congratulate themselves for their “accomplishments” in Ukraine. With their backing, Ukrainian opposition protesters successfully toppled the pro-Russian government, forcing out the president they loathe and dealing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin. The West might have scored a major victory […]

9 Mar, 2014

India Awards Five Illustrious Women, Recognises their Personal, Professional Achievements

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New Delhi, 08-March-2014, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Women and Child Development – The President of India Mr Pranab Mukherjee was the chief guest at the celebrations to mark the  International Women’s Day where he conferred Stree Shakti Puruskar to six illustrious women in recognition of their achievements, here today. The awardees for the Stree […]

9 Mar, 2014

City of Dalian Places Order for 1,200 BYD Electric Buses

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DALIAN, China–(BUSINESS WIRE)–1200 zero-emission, electric buses made by BYD Company Ltd will soon hit the streets of China’s “Bright Northern Pearl”, Dalian. Dalian’s municipal government has signed a cooperative agreement with global electric vehicle and battery leader, BYD. The agreement stipulates the purchase of 600 BYD electric buses in 2014 and another 600 in 2015, […]

9 Mar, 2014

World War I Centenary: Indian VP Recounts the Catastrophic Lessons for India and the World

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New Delhi, Press Information Bureau, Vice President’s Secretariat, 05-March-2014 – The Vice President of India Prof M. Hamid Ansari inaugurated the International Conference on “India and the Great War” organized by the United Service Institution of India (USI) here on 05 March 2014. He recounted the historic diplomatic, military and political lessons of that war, […]

9 Mar, 2014

How Governments Track “Targets”, Which Could Include YOU | American Civil Liberties Union

Most governments don’t have the resources to manufacture the surveillance technology that’s required to hack into the computers of unsuspecting citizens. In recent years, surveillance software firms have stepped in to fill that gap, proliferating into what has become a $5 billion industry. In the TED talk below, ACLU Principal Technologist Chris Soghoian discusses the […]

9 Mar, 2014

China Exclusive: Wheels in motion for new US$50 billion Asian investment bank

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BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — China has begun the practical work to establish an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that would offer financial support to boost regional infrastructure, said China’s Finance Minister on Friday. “China has just established the Working Group for the AIIB preparation in a bid to accelerate the process,” said Lou Jiwei […]

9 Mar, 2014

Stern Israeli airport security measures questioned – The Times of India

While standing in long lines, walking through scanners and removing belts and shoes are a fact of post-Sept. 11 travel worldwide, Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport seems to stand alone in the developed world with its security techniques, often leaving travelers dumbfounded. Though Israel denies profiling travelers, business executives, journalists and especially Arabs and visitors to Palestinian […]

9 Mar, 2014

Xinhua Insight: End to GDP obsession frees Chinese officials to pursue environmental drive

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang‘s first government work report has been welcomed as the latest in a series of high-level announcements placing the emphasis for officials’ assessments on broader criteria than just GDP. In steering such evaluations away from an obsession with economic growth, the series of decrees have given local […]

9 Mar, 2014

What Everyone Should Know About U.S. Mass Surveillance – By Edward Snowden

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07 March, 2014 CommonDreams.org — What follows is a statement addressed to an investigative panel of the European Parliament looking into the nature and scope of U.S. surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency and its partner agencies in Europe. Subsequent to the statement are specific answers to written questions posed by the panel to […]

9 Mar, 2014

Irish student union endorses Israel boycott | Haaretz

A motion supporting a blanket boycott of Israel was passed by students of the National University of Ireland on Thursday . The referendum results at the NUI Galway Students Union make it the first student body in Ireland to endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, campaign against Israel, according to the local news […]

8 Mar, 2014

Global Trade Union group urges higher safety levels for women at work

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In a statement marking International Women’s Day 2014, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for stronger legal measures to end to gender-based violence and sexual harassment at work. With women comprising a significant part of the labour force in travel & tourism, the statement has major relevance to this industry which, unfortunately, has […]

8 Mar, 2014

Record Number Of Women Winning Seats In World Parliaments, IPU reports

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Mar 7 2014, United Nations, (UN News Centre) – When the United Kingdom’s former Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, was visiting Pakistan during Benazir Bhutto’s term as Prime Minister, his wife asked a little boy what he would like to be when he grew up. “A truck driver, maybe,” mused the child. Surprised at his […]

8 Mar, 2014

Emerging Indian leader trashes “Gujarat growth model” myths – Hindustan Times

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attacked BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s Gujarat model of development, claiming it is “overhyped” as he has seen “crumbling” infrastructure and “poor” healthcare facilities in the BJP-ruled state. Addressing the India Today Conclave, he claimed that during his visit he found that talk of all-round development is not […]

8 Mar, 2014

How to save the US – Simon Kuper – FT.com

It’s time to save America. The solution is obvious. The US needs to model itself on its most sanctified institution: the military. I speak from experience. In 2007 and 2008 I spent time on a US military base in a southern state, giving seminars to officers. Being a typical pinko anti-war European, I’d expected to […]

7 Mar, 2014

OECD survey charts how women spend their time

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Paris (OECD News release) New OECD data comparing how people use their time  highlights striking differences between countries and particularly between men and women. Women are slowly closing the gap with men as more have careers. But there is still a huge gender gap in unpaid work, clearly showing that men are still struggling to […]

7 Mar, 2014

The full truth of UK police incompetence and corruption – The Independent

Had he lived, Stephen Lawrence would have been celebrating his 40th birthday this year. We do not know how his promising life would have turned out, but we do know that the decades since his murder have been a bleak, bleak tale of official incompetence interrupted only by the taint of corruption and racism. What […]

7 Mar, 2014

FAO Food Price Index sees sharpest rise in months

6 March 2014, Rome (FAO media release) – Weather-related events and increased demand came into play as the FAO Food Price Index registered its sharpest increase since mid-2012, averaging 208.1 points in February 2014. The new level is 5.2 points, or 2.6 percent, above a slightly revised index for January, but is still 2.1 percent […]

7 Mar, 2014

Nielsen Research: Rising Women’s Income Changing Balance of Power in Purchasing Decisions

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New York, 03.March.2014 (Nielsen Research Report) – There’s something interesting happening with men and women and shopping. Women’s incomes are rising around the world, making them a force to be reckoned with. And they’re using their newfound clout to influence purchasing decisions in categories once dominated by men. So is the gender influence scale tipping […]

7 Mar, 2014

AIPAC, the Kremlin of U.S. Jewry – Gideon Levy | Haaretz

Like at similar conventions held in Romania by Nicolae Ceausescu, all they do is praise the great leader. Welcome to Bucharest in Washington, to the Kremlin of American Jewry, behold the yearly AIPAC conference. Only here can Netanyahu use his old tricks and gimmicks and be met with a full auditorium on its feet. “I […]

6 Mar, 2014

Chris Hedges: Suffering? Well, You Deserve It – Truthdig

OXFORD, England—The morning after my Feb. 20 debate at the Oxford Union, I walked from my hotel along Oxford’s narrow cobblestone streets, past its storied colleges with resplendent lawns and Gothic stone spires, to meet Avner Offer, an economic historian and Chichele Professor Emeritus of Economic History. Offer, the author of “The Challenge of Affluence: […]

6 Mar, 2014

PressTV – US denies senior Israeli officials entrance visas

The United States has refused to issue entrance visas to senior Israeli officers and agents, according to an Israeli newspaper. Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed on Tuesday that senior Israeli security personnel, including Mossad and Shabak officers, have been denied an entrance visa to the US. According to the report, in the past 12 months there […]

6 Mar, 2014

New Zealand Top, India at the Bottom of MasterCard Index of Women’s Advancement in Asia Pacific

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Singapore, 6 March 2014 (MasterCard Media release) – Women in Asia Pacific’s emerging markets tend to have more positive views of their own well-being when compared to their developed counterparts, according to the inaugural MasterCard Index of Well-Being being launched today. The Index, based on a survey of 16 Asia Pacific markets, aims to measure […]

6 Mar, 2014

Thai Airways slashes outbound fares, as price-led recovery strategy sets in across “Travel Trinity”

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Bangkok – Thai Airways International (THAI) is offering special “EARLY BIRD” promotion for customers to take advantage of roundtrip international fares on THAI and THAI Smile flights in Economy Class. The move indicates the start of a price-led strategy to get the outbound market moving following the winding down of the “Bangkok Shutdown” political protest. […]

6 Mar, 2014

U.S. Supreme Court extends whistleblower protection to private contractors

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JURIST, University of Pittsburgh Law School, 04 March 2014 – The US Supreme Court has ruled [Download the full text of the opinion here] Tuesday in Lawson v. FMR LLC that the whistleblower provision 18 USC § 1514A [Cornell LII backgrounder] of the Sarbones Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) protects employees of private contractors and […]

6 Mar, 2014

Europe sets new standards to monitor bankers’ pay and risk profiles

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Brussels, 4 March 2014, European Commission Press release – The European Commission has today adopted Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on criteria to identify categories of staff whose professional activities have a material impact on an institution’s risk profile (so-called ‘material risk takers’). These standards identify risk takers in banks and investment firms. This matters because […]

6 Mar, 2014

FREE Download: IPK reports record global tourism in 2013, more to come in 2014

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Berlin; March 5, 2014 (IPK International media release) – Spirits were upbeat in most global tourism destinations in 2013. Great numbers of new jobs were created and figures on pending tourism investments are high. Hence, again in 2013, tourism has proven to be one of the main growth drivers in an otherwise somewhat languishing world […]

6 Mar, 2014

First EU survey shows shocking level of violence, harassment directed at women

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Vienna / Brussels, 05/03/2014 – A new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presents results from the world’s biggest-ever survey on violence against women, revealing the extent of abuse suffered by women at home, work, in public and online. As well as demonstrating the wide prevalence of violence against adult women, […]

5 Mar, 2014

Transition: Ram Kohli, the man who shook up PATA

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Mr Ram Kohli, Chairman & Founder of Creative Travel India, passed away in the early hours of March 4, after suffering two major cardiac arrests from non-related procedures at a hospital. He is to be cremated on Wednesday March 5. In a message to their friends and colleagues worldwide, his sons Rajeev and Rohit said: […]

5 Mar, 2014

Singapore topples Tokyo as world’s most expensive city | CTV News

SINGAPORE (AFP) – The soaring cost of cars and utilities as well as a strong currency have made Singapore the world’s most expensive city, toppling Tokyo from the top spot, according to a survey Tuesday. Tokyo’s weakening yen saw it slide to sixth place, the position previously occupied by Singapore, in the 2014 Worldwide Cost […]

5 Mar, 2014

Malaysia Looking At Singapore’s Model To Promote National Unity, Religious Harmony

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SINGAPORE, March 4 (NNN-Bernama) — Minister in the Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup says Malaysia is looking at Singapore’s model to further promote national unity and religious harmony among its citizens. “Overall, our national unity and religious harmony is quite good. Every religious festivity such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas, Pesta Keamatan […]

5 Mar, 2014

Logging, tax avoidance top 2013 corrupt activities in Laos

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Vientiane, March 3, 2014 (Vientiane Times) – Logging and tax avoidance issues involved in by state officials topped corruption cases in 2013, officials in charge of anti-corruption announced. Director General of the Government Inspection and Anti-corruption Authority (GIACA)’s External Relations Department, Mr Xaykham Ounmixay, revealed the findings at a meeting last week. Over the past […]

5 Mar, 2014

New rules to make Chinese low-cost airlines more competitive

By Zhao Lei

Beijing, (China Daily) 2014-03-03 – Guidelines to enhance the development of low-cost airlines have been unveiled, in a move expected to provide a boost to the nation’s aviation sector. The guidelines will adjust the cap on budget airline fleets, encourage more rapid expansion and make it easier to set up low-cost carriers, the Civil Aviation […]

5 Mar, 2014

Travel fraudsters swindled UK holidaymakers out of £7m in 2013, and it’s getting worse – The Independent

The Internet and travel were made for each other, enabling millions of individuals to access flights, accommodation and holiday packages. But online tricksters are swindling at least £7 million a year from unwary travellers, according to a new report from National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). Nearly 5,000 cases of holiday booking fraud were reported in […]

5 Mar, 2014

New Zealand’s Maori king snubs Prince William | GulfNews.com

Wellington: New Zealand’s Maori king has refused to meet Prince William during a royal tour next month, with his office saying on Tuesday he is “not a carnival act” for visiting dignitaries. Prime Minister John Key expressed disappointment at the snub, which would have involved Prince William visiting King Tuheitia during his April 7-16 trip […]

4 Mar, 2014

UN Human Rights Council Says Global Demand for Change is Hitting the Streets

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) Mar 3 2014 – Noting that more and more people around the world were taking to the streets to lay claim to their rights, United Nations officials opened the latest session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva today with calls for the protection of members of civil society who […]

4 Mar, 2014

UN Marks First World Wildlife Day with Call to End Poaching, Environmental Crime

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) Mar 3 2014 — Senior United Nations officials are sounding the alarm that nature is under threat, marking today’s first ever World Wildlife Day with calls to protect biological diversity and halt environmental crimes. “Wildlife remains integral to our future through its essential role in science, technology and recreation, as […]

4 Mar, 2014

Unity Amidst Volatility: Thais-Help-Thais in full swing at “Thai Tour Thai” Travel Fair

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Domestic travel is expected to be a major beneficiary of the Thai political unrest, especially during the upcoming school holiday months of April-May. More than 900 companies from all around the country exhibited at the “Thai Thiew Thai” (Thai Tour Thai) travel fair organised between Feb 27 – Mar 2 at the Queen […]

4 Mar, 2014

Close the EU to Israeli settlement products | Veterans News Now

In July 2013, the European Commission adopted guidelines announcing that the EU would no longer fund Israeli entities in the occupied Palestinian territories. A few years earlier, the European Court of Justice clarified that settlement products are not entitled to preferential treatment under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. These settlement products, however, often continue to be […]

4 Mar, 2014

Muslim outreach programs reaching Hispanic converts – San Antonio Express-News

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SAN ANTONIO — PEARLAND — Carlos Lopez earns money in the U.S. and sends some of it home to his family in Mexico. He also sends pamphlets and testimonies about his new faith. Last December, Lopez took the “shahada” — the profession of the Islamic faith — joining the ranks of what the American Muslim […]

4 Mar, 2014

Int’l Court of Justice orders Australia to cease spying on East Timor – Sydney Morning Herald

Australia has been ordered to cease spying on East Timor and its legal advisers, in a landmark decision by the International Court of Justice relating to a bitter dispute between the two countries over $40 billion of oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea. The court also ruled that the Australian government must seal […]

3 Mar, 2014

Palestine PM invites more Indonesian tourists

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 03 March 2014 (02 Jumaada al-Awwal 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE – GATEWAY TO MALAYSIA, THE MUSLIM-FRIENDLY DESTINATION The Islamic Tourism Centre in […]

3 Mar, 2014

25 years after fall of the Wall, ITB Berlin fails to heed the lessons of history

Imtiaz Muqbil

This year marks 25 years since the fall of the Berlin wall, one of the most historic events in world history and a major conduit for the travel & tourism boom that followed. The anniversary would have been a great occasion to take stock of how the stupendous changes in global history have impacted on […]

3 Mar, 2014

FREE Download: India publishes National Transport Development Report to 2032

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New Delhi, (2 March 2014) Press Information Bureau — The High Level National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC), chaired by Dr. Rakesh Mohan, former Deputy Governor, RBI, emphasises the need for modernisation and expansion of all segments of the transport system. The Report is to be presented to the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh on March […]

2 Mar, 2014

Multi-billion dollar corruption threat looms over climate change funds, Transparency International warns

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28 February 2014, Transparency International Secretariat – Funds set up to manage the global response to climate change must act now to prevent the abuse of power, bribery and secret deals from disrupting the flow of billions of dollars set aside to address the issue, global anti-corruption coalition Transparency International warned today. Climate change will […]

2 Mar, 2014

In Pictures: The Great Bangkok Bounceback Begins

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Six weeks of anti-government protests that severely crippled businesses in the central business district have now come to an end. All the protest stages erected at three major inner-city  intersections have  been dismantled, allowing normal traffic flow to resume and all the offices, shopping complexes, department stores, hotels and dozens of small and […]

2 Mar, 2014

Australian Immigration Minister has 66 spin doctors – Sydney Morning Herald

The Immigration Department employs a 66-strong team of spin doctors, dwarfing the 39 media and communications staff employed by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the ministers on his frontbench. Last August, immigration employed 72 media staff, but the 66 officers who now work in the department’s media unit are supported by a further 33 personnel […]

2 Mar, 2014

Breaking the Australian government’s silence on stopping the boats – Sydney Morning Herald

Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison banged the “stop the boats” drum long and loud in opposition. So it seemed baffling, even outrageous, when they fell suddenly silent in government. But on the other side of the wall of silence, on the high seas and on Indonesian soil, they have been stopping the boats. When they […]

1 Mar, 2014

Expert condemns ‘appalling’ DrinkWise campaign – Sydney Morning Herald

A public health expert has condemned as “appalling” a new series of online advertisements, funded by alcohol industry body DrinkWise Australia, that try to instruct young Australians “how to drink properly”. Professor Mike Daube, the director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, said the campaign […]

1 Mar, 2014

Mayday: How Qantas went from national icon to corporate tragedy

It is a story of senior executives who felt like jilted lovers, prematurely leaving the airline with Avgas still in their veins, and still wanting to prove they had what it took to run an airline as complex as Qantas. It is also the saga of the rise of a major challenger to Qantas’ once […]

1 Mar, 2014

One in three UK strippers ‘are students paying for their education’ – The Independent

Nearly a third of women working in strip clubs are students, often from middle-class families, says a new study. And some started stripping even before starting their courses to help pay for the “high cost of education”, according to the study published in the British Journal of Sociology of Education. “The core reasons for entry […]

1 Mar, 2014

From the Protocols of the Tycoons of Zion – Haaretz

Why, and for what, are they paid in the neighborhood of a million shekels a month? Is it for their amazing, incomparable talent? Do we support them with salaries and cushion them with bonuses because they toil especially hard? They take it because it’s given to them, and those who give are also happy take […]