26 Apr, 2016

UN launches toolkit for floods early warning in transboundary river basins

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Bangkok (ESCAP News) 26 April 2016 — Asia and the Pacific, the world’s most disaster prone region, is home to many transboundary river basins that are perennially affected by large scale flooding. Recent advances in science and technology, especially space technology applications, have enabled longer lead times of up to five to eight days for […]

25 Apr, 2016

UK ‘preferred’ destination for Middle East travellers in 2015

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DUBAI – Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest global provider of sales, marketing and distribution services to independent luxury hotels, has announced that room nights from outbound business originating from the Middle East region increased by 21% in 2015, when compared with 2014. According to Preferred Hotels & Resorts boking data, the UK, France, […]

25 Apr, 2016

DUKES Dubai hotel spices up its culinary offering in partnership with Indian restaurant Khyber

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DUBAI – Indian food is one of the most popular cuisines in Britain, which is why it’s only natural for English hospitality brand DUKES to be bringing the best of Indian fine dining to the stellar line-up of restaurants at its upcoming property on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Khyber at DUKES Dubai was officially announced […]

25 Apr, 2016

Launch of dedicated Wellness & Spa Lounge at ATM 2016 to highlight rapid growth of high value tourism

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DUBAI – This year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is shining a light on the burgeoning wellness tourism sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which has been identified as the second fastest growing market in the world for spas after Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the 2014 Global Spa and Wellness Economy Monitor […]

25 Apr, 2016

Biggest ever ATM 2016 to focus on mid-market travel

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DUBAI – Arabian Travel Market (ATM) organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions, is all set for this year’s event, which is taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 25-28 April 2016. Following the success of last year’s spotlight theme, which was family travel, the focus for the 23rd edition is on mid-market tourism – a […]

25 Apr, 2016

Nepal, the Philippines and Taiwan shortlisted for ATM New Frontiers Recovery Award 2016

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Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has revealed the 2016 shortlist for its annual New Frontiers Recovery Awards, with three Asian nations nominated for this year’s award, which will be announced on Thursday 28th April during ATM. The shortlisted destinations Nepal, the Philippines and Taiwan have all been recognised for dealing with the dual impact of significant […]

25 Apr, 2016

TIME Hotels Rewards Extra Loyalty program, partners with VOILÀ Hotel Rewards in global loyalty programme first

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UAE-based TIME Hotels has announced the launch of TIME Hotels Rewards Extra, a new brand loyalty programme designed to recognise its growing community of globe-trotting guests with a raft of benefits including room upgrades, luxury amenities, priority reservations amongst others. Developed in partnership with VOILÀ Hotel Rewards, a world-leading provider of loyalty programmes for independent […]

25 Apr, 2016

Crystal Lagoons develops technologies to produce water without using energy

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Dubai: Crystal Lagoons, the patented technology developer of giant crystalline lagoons, is reporting strong worldwide interest in new technology developed by the company to deal with humanity’s biggest problem – potable fresh water shortage – which affects over one billion people worldwide. Crystal Lagoons’ experimental desalination technology project is a ‘zero energy’ solution that would […]

25 Apr, 2016

Dubai developer Seven Tides to launch hospitality division at ATM 2016

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Marking its first Arabian Travel Market (ATM) appearance under the brand banner of Seven Tides Hospitality, the new hospitality division of Dubai developer Seven Tides International, will unveil its latest development plans for the beach club and provide an update on its latest project the British-themed DUKES Dubai on Palm Jumeirah. Speaking about the new […]

25 Apr, 2016

Kuwait to invest US$1 billion in tourism sector by 2025

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Kuwait returns to Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2016, which takes place 25-28 April, as investment into the travel and tourism sector is forecasted to grow by 4.3% per annum over the next decade through to 2025, with a total investment figure of KWD 276 million (USD 1 billion). Kuwait’s strategy for long-term tourism growth received […]

25 Apr, 2016

ATM 2016 gives responsible tourism green light

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Dubai – Responsible tourism will headline several seminar theatre sessions at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2016 as government legislation, increased focus on the traveller footprint and the impact of natural disasters on country economies put the spotlight on the importance of effective sustainable travel strategies. In 2015, ATM welcomed over 50 exhibitors with a responsible […]

25 Apr, 2016

Oman to showcase US$35 billion 25-year tourism vision at ATM 2016

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Oman continues to work on leveraging its international profile, which saw inbound tourism numbers rise by an average of 7.4% per annum in the decade 2005-14 and 1.4 million international tourism arrivals targeted by 2019, up from 1.1 million in 2015. The Reed Travel Exhibitions team were in Muscat last Februrary, to meet with key […]

25 Apr, 2016

Qatar tourism receipts to reach $7.2 billion by 2025

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According to the Qatar Tourism Authority 3 million visitors arrived in 2015, Doha targets 4 million by 2020; expanding tourism product to boost tourism GDP contribution in the next decade with significant investment into new rail network, hotel pipeline and leisure facilities Qatar’s tourism and hospitality industry is building momentum as it enters the second […]

25 Apr, 2016

Bahrain targets tourism receipts worth US$1 billion by 2020

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Bahrain returns to ATM this year to showcase its expanding hotel and tourism infrastructure with an active hotel pipeline of 13 properties, 3,000 hotel rooms and with tourism expected to contribute US$1 billion by the end of the decade. The increase in rooms, which are split between the luxury and four-star brackets, is set against […]

25 Apr, 2016

TIME Hotels Management offers insight to Tomorrow’s World at ATM 2016

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UAE-based hospitality company, TIME Hotels Management, is highlighting the impact it is making on local and regional communities at Arabian Travel Market 2016 thanks to an impressive roster of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, including the recently-launched digital platform, Tomorrow’s World (www.tomorrowsworld.ae). The forward-thinking website makes it easy for hotel guests, and all those with […]

25 Apr, 2016

Four Crystal Lagoons to feature in US$250 million development in Egypt’s Sokhna mountains

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Crystal Lagoons, the patented technology developer of giant crystalline lagoons and only global company with the technological capability to make the development of giant controlled manmade bodies of water economically viable, has joined forces with Egyptian real estate development company, TatweerMisr, to develop the first man-made lagoons in the Sokhna mountains. The development will bring […]

25 Apr, 2016

Stellar seminar line-up sets the agenda at ATM 2016

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More than 50 wide-ranging seminar and tech theatre sessions are scheduled at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which is taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 25-28 April 2016. Panellists will be flying in from around the world to contribute to discussions, with topics including mid-market travel, luxury, aviation, technology trends, spa and wellness tourism, […]

25 Apr, 2016

UAE’s Al Khoory Hotels to open 1,100 three and four star rooms by 2019

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The mid-market hospitality sector is set to grow significantly in the UAE, over the next few years, primarily due to the upcoming Expo2020 envisioned by Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Ruler of Dubai. Other contributing factors for the growth are […]

23 Apr, 2016

Arab-Americans launch campaign against blatant NYPD Surveillance of their communities

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Washington, DC | www.adc.org | April 21, 2016 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) strongly encourages Arab residents of New York City and those impacted by the NYPD mass surveillance program to comment on the Proposed Modifications to the “Handschu Guidelines” for Investigations Involving Political Activity. Click here to read ADC’s comments on the proposed modifications to the […]

23 Apr, 2016

Europe-wide campaign launched to promote sustainable work and healthy ageing for all

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Brussels, 15 April 2016, European Commission press release — The European Commission and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) in cooperation with the Netherlands EU Presidency have launched a two-year Europe-wide campaign: Healthy Workplaces for All Ages, which is the world’s biggest campaign in this area. Focusing on sustainable work and […]

23 Apr, 2016

‘Two-state solution in danger,’ warns new report from UN office on Middle East peace process

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United Nations, 14 April 2016, (UN News Centre) – The viability of a two-state solution, which envisages peaceful co-existence of both Israel and Palestine, is in danger due to the negative trends on the ground, including recent violence, ongoing settlement activity, demolitions, incitement, and the absence of Palestinian unity, a new United Nations report warned […]

23 Apr, 2016

Investing in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to four-fold return – UN report

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United Nations, 13 April 2016, (UN News Centre) – Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion each year, and every one dollar invested in scaling up treatment leads to a return of four dollars in better health and ability to work, according to a new study led by the United Nations health […]

22 Apr, 2016

Experts Convene in Bangkok for Session on Advancing Standardization of Geographical Names

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NEW YORK, 21 April (United Nations Statistics Division) — The twenty-ninth session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names will convene from 25 to 29 April, at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Conference Centre in Bangkok. Organized by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department […]

21 Apr, 2016

Governments, religious ideologies, oligarchs all now a threat – World Press Freedom Index 2016

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The 2016 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published on 20 April, 2016, shows that there has been a deep and disturbing decline in respect for media freedom at both the global and regional levels. Ever since the 2013 Index, RSF has been calculating indicators of the overall level […]

21 Apr, 2016

Palestinians losing US$285m a year under “arrangements” with Israel – World Bank

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BETHLEHEM, Palestine, Apr 19 (NNN-MA’AN) – The Palestinian Authority (PA), is losing up to $285 million a year, under its current economic arrangements with Israel, the World Bank said. The global financial institution announced the finding, in Brussels, a day before it presents its full report to the Ad Hoc Liaison committee, which decides on […]

21 Apr, 2016

Australia to launch campaign to curb domestic violence that claims one life every week

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Canberra, 20/04/2016 Media release, Minister for Social Services and Minister for Women – An A$30 million national campaign designed to help break the cycle of violence against women and their children will begin on Sunday 24 April. “Stop it at the start” targets the disrespectful attitudes and behaviours adults might dismiss or ignore in young […]

21 Apr, 2016

Chocolate industry exposé : Companies get richer, farmers get poorer

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Geneva, 21 April 2016, UNCTAD press release – Cocoa farmers in some of the world’s poorest countries are scarcely benefitting from a value chain which sees goods made from their crops, such as chocolate and cocoa butter-based cosmetics, sold for a premium in developed economies, a new UNCTAD report has found.  The report, the Cocoa […]

21 Apr, 2016

FREE Download: ADB publication “Together We Deliver 2015: Partnerships Against Poverty”

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Manila, ADB media release, April 2016 – Strong partnerships create better outcomes by improving coordination, providing specialized knowledge and expertise, and convening larger amounts of financing for ADB projects. Fourteen stories from across Asia and the Pacific highlight successful projects that demonstrate development impact, best practices, and innovation. They were implemented through the hard work of ADB’s developing member countries […]

21 Apr, 2016

Card fraud cost Australia A$2.1 billion in 2014-15

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Canberra, 20 April 2016, Australian Bureau of Statistics media release – Australia experienced card fraud of $2.1 billion during 2014-15, double the $1 billion in 2010-11, according to new Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures. William Milne, Director of the ABS National Centre for Crime and Justice Statistics said even after reimbursements from financial institutions, […]

12 Apr, 2016

Zero Dollar tours damage Thai tourism industry

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BANGKOK, 11 April 2016 (NNT)-The government is working alongside the Thai tourism sector to stop overseas ‘Zero Dollar’ tour agencies damaging Thailand’s tourism industry. Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Major General Sansern Keawkamnerd said the government has received many complaints from tourists who traveled to the country on ‘Zero Dollar’ tours. They were tricked into buying […]

12 Apr, 2016

Trouble Ahead! U.S. Baby Boomers’ Retirement Fears on the Rise

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WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12, 2016 – The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) today released a new research report that found less than a quarter of Baby Boomers, 24 percent, are confident they will have enough savings to last throughout their retirement years. This is the lowest level since IRI began this research study in 2011, when […]

12 Apr, 2016

Bangkok’s biggest gay party to have free HIV/AIDS testing campaign during Songkran holiday

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12 April 2016 (Bangkok) APCOM media release – During Thailand’s festive Songkran Festival, which runs from 13 to 15 April each year, Bangkok has been hosting Songkran celebration exclusively catered to gay men. In addition to the city’s pink districts being a magnet for gay locals and tourists, the City of Angels is eminently known […]

10 Apr, 2016

Indian President warns countrymen about “vested interests” stoking communal conflict

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New Delhi, 09-April-2016 Press Information Bureau, Government of India President’s Secretariat- The President of India, Prof Pranab Mukherjee said pluralism and tolerance have been the hallmark of our civilization. India’s strength lies in her diversity. He was delivering a memorial lecture today (April 9, 2016) at New Delhi organized by the Arjun Singh Sadbhavna Foundation […]

10 Apr, 2016

China’s cross-border e-commerce bids farewell to ‘tax-free’ age

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Beijing, 2016-04-08 (Xinhua)  — A change of China’s tax policy on retails sales on cross-border e-commerce platforms has triggered mixed feelings among buyers and sellers as the policy is expected to raise retail prices.According to the new rules, retail goods purchased online will no longer be treated as personal postal articles but as imported goods, […]

10 Apr, 2016

Social media is making us depressed: Learn to turn it off – The Independent

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Do Facebook and Twitter make us happier? The answer it would seem is: no. A recent survey found as many as one in five people say they feel depressed as a result of using social media. That might come as a surprise to the generation under 30; social media is part of their DNA and […]

10 Apr, 2016

Thailand launches scheme to upgrade rural products to global standards

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Bangkok 8 April 2016, Royal Thai Government PR Department – The Government has launched a project to upgrade OTOP products through the use of science, technology, and innovation, in an effort to enhance the image of OTOP as international products. OTOP stands for “One Tambon (meaning subdistrict) One Product.” It is a local entrepreneurship stimulus […]

10 Apr, 2016

Thai taxi driver honoured for returning cash-filled briefcase to HK visitor

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Bangkok, 6 April 2016 Royal Thai Governnment PR department) – Suvarnabhumi Airport has presented a certificate of honor to a taxi driver for his good deed, as he returned a briefcase containing cash, credit cards, and other documents to a Hong Kong traveler. General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport Sirote Duangratana said that the taxi driver, […]

10 Apr, 2016

Global tax administrations ready to act on “Panama Papers”

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OECD news release – Paris, 8 April 2016 – Government officials from around the world have called on the OECD to convene a special project meeting of  the Joint International Tax Shelter Information and Collaboration (JITSIC) Network to explore possibilities of co-operation and information-sharing, identify tax compliance risks and agree collaborative  action, in light of […]

10 Apr, 2016

Palestinians mark 68th anniversary of Deir Yassin massacre by Jewish terrorists

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BETHLEHEM, Palestine, Apr 9 (NNN-MA’AN) – Palestinians on Saturday (today), marked the 68th anniversary of the massacre of more than 100 Palestinians civilians, carried out by Zionist forces at the village of Deir Yassin. Deir Yassin has long been a symbol of Israeli violence for Palestinians, because of the particularly gruesome nature of the slaughter, […]

8 Apr, 2016

85 Checkpoints: Israel’s Travel Curbs on Palestinians Violate 4th Geneva Convention

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RAMALLAH, April 7, 2016 (WAFA) – Increasing Israeli checkpoints in the occupied Palestinian Territories punish the entire Palestinian population, which is a form of collective punishment, and therefore violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement Thursday. The statement said: “In addition to the 85 fixed checkpoints in the […]

8 Apr, 2016

Public spending on Thai New Year holiday will likely hit three-year high

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BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) – The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting has forecast that the public spending during the Songkran festival this year will be over 124 billion baht—the highest in three years—due to government’s stimulus measures. The Center for Economic and Business Forecasting conducted a survey on public spending on the Songkran […]

8 Apr, 2016

US government, Jewish billionaire funded Panama Papers to attack Putin – WikiLeaks

Washington is behind the recently released offshore revelations known as the Panama Papers, WikiLeaks has claimed, saying that the attack was “produced” to target Russia and President Putin. Trends Panama Papers On Wednesday, the international whistleblowing organization said on Twitter that the Panama Papers data leak was produced by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting […]

8 Apr, 2016

Global Heritage sites threatened by industrial activities: WWF report

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Geneva, 06 April 2016, (WWF News) – Nearly half of all natural World Heritage sites are threatened by harmful industrial activities, according to a new WWF report. These sites provide vital services to people and the environment, but are at risk worldwide from activities including oil and gas exploration, mining and illegal logging. The report, […]

8 Apr, 2016

Exposing the Exposers: Powerful force is behind Panama Papers

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Beijing, 5 April 2016, (Global Times commentary) – A huge leak of confidential documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm alleged to have been a facilitator of money laundering for its clients has shocked international public opinion. Over 11 million documents were passed to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung by an anonymous source. These documents have […]

8 Apr, 2016

China doubles dam water release to help drought-hit Vietnam

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Beijing, 7 April 2016, (China Daily) – The village where Vo Linh Hue lives is dotted with oyster farms, but in recent weeks farmers there have done nothing but clear dead oysters from the ponds. Ben Tre province, in Vietnam’s southern Mekong Delta, is experiencing the worst drought in recent history, and saline intrusion has […]

8 Apr, 2016

China Unveils First Report on Quality of Higher Education

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Beijing, 7 April 2016, (Xinhua) – A new national report on the quality of higher education in China has been released, suggesting more needs to be done to develop an ‘innovative spirit’ among Chinese college students. Research for the latest report began in 2012, as a joint effort among China’s Ministry of Education and a […]

8 Apr, 2016

FedEx Forecasts Annual Global Economic Megatrends

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MEMPHIS, Tenn., 7 April 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE) – FedEx, the worldwide provider of transportation, e-commerce and business services, announces the launch of the 2016 Access 25—a list of 25 people, places and ideas defining global connectivity. This year’s list reveals three global economic megatrends that focus on the ways mobility is reshaping the globe—empowering individuals, fueling […]

8 Apr, 2016

Suvarnabhumi airport Facilitation Center to help passengers during Songkran festival rush

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BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) – Suvarnabhumi airport’s deputy director Phatchara Phornyutthaphong confirmed that a “Passenger Facilitation Center” is open at the international airport from April 8-18, 2016, to ensure safety and provide conveniences for passengers during the Songkran festival. The center, located on the fourth-floor lobby behind the R line ticketing booth in the […]

8 Apr, 2016

Japanese taxpayers provide $7M to support UNICEF work in Palestine

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RAMALLAH, 6 April 2016, (WAFA) – The Government of Japan has donated $7 million in support of UNICEF’s humanitarian and development response to children in Palestine. This new grant will enable UNICEF and partners to implement interventions which are critical for children’s well-being and protection from violence, and to ensure their access to basic services […]

8 Apr, 2016

China to inject $927b into high-tech, infrastructure

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Beijing, 7 April 2016, (Chinadaily.com.cn) – China will invest more in the country’s high-tech research and development, as well as infrastructure development, including railway, fixed assets, water conservancy projects, the Securities Daily reported on Thursday. Total investment is estimated to exceed 6 trillion yuan ($926.6 billion) this year, half of which will be special funds […]

7 Apr, 2016

A more sustainable world will be a safer world, UN chief tells LA World Affairs Council

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 6 April 2016 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his programme in California today, where he received an honorary doctorate from Loyola Marymount University, after addressing yesterday the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, where he gave the audience an overview of United Nations efforts to meet today’s global challenges, from humanitarian […]

7 Apr, 2016

Chinese commentary: Eliminating root causes of terrorism indispensable to nuclear security

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BEIJING, 30 March 2016, (Xinhua) – As world leaders grapple with intensified nuclear security threats, they should not be distracted by the immediate urgency of safeguarding nuclear facilities and slack off in addressing the fundamental problem of terrorism. Eliminating the root causes of terrorism is essential to nuclear security, as that’s the only way to […]

7 Apr, 2016

UN condemns Israel’s large-scale Bedouin home demolitions in occupied West Bank

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United Nations, 6 April 2016, (UN News Centre) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has condemned today’s large scale home demolitions by Israeli authorities in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South Hebron Hills. As a result, according to UNRWA, 31 […]

7 Apr, 2016

Muslim-Americans file lawsuits challenging FBI’s watch list

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5 April 2016, (The Detroit News) – A Michigan-based advocacy group for Muslim-Americans filed two federal lawsuits Tuesday challenging the FBI’s terrorist watch list, saying it’s time to act because the list has expanded. Officials with the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed the suits, one on behalf of 18 Muslim-Americans, including a 4-year-old, […]

7 Apr, 2016

OECD Secretary-General on the “Panama Papers”: Secrecy of global tax evasion must end

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The following is the full text of the statement issued by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría on the “Panama Papers” PARIS, 4 April 2016, (OECD News) – The “Panama Papers” revelations have shone the light on Panama’s culture and practice of secrecy. Panama is the last major holdout that continues to allow funds to be hidden offshore […]

7 Apr, 2016

Australia to Expand Sports Development Programs to Asia

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Australia, 6 April 2016, (MFA Media Release) –  The Australian Government is expanding its sport for development program into Asia. Under the new Asian Sports Partnerships (ASP) Australian national sporting organisations will deliver innovative sports programs which produce development outcomes in Asia. The ASP provides $4 million over 2015-17 and the first tranche of $2 […]

7 Apr, 2016

Arab-Americans urged not to cooperate with FBI’s latest anti-Muslim surveillance program

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Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | March 25, 2016 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee demands that the FBI cancel the launch of its controversial “Shared Responsibility Committee” program. Since learning about the program last fall, ADC has frequently expressed serious concerns about the initiative, which is part of the government’s Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program.  Today, […]

5 Apr, 2016

Thai PM concerned over taxi scams

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BANGKOK, 3 April 2016 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has expressed his concern regarding taxi scams in Thailand, urging fellow drivers to help report misconducts to authorities. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has addressed the persisting issue of Thai taxi scams, such as demanding inappropriately high fares particularly to tourists, saying that he believes most […]

5 Apr, 2016

Campaign to Promote Thainess and Water Saving during Songkran Celebration 2016

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Bangkok, 2 April 2016, (Thailand PRD News) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a campaign to promote Thainess and water saving during the Songkran celebration 2016. It has also announced the arrangements of special activities to celebrate Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, in Bangkok and other parts of the country. The […]

5 Apr, 2016

Australian Securities and Investments Commission releases market integrity report

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Canberra, ASIC media release, 04 April 2016 – The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC, has released its six-monthly report on market integrity focusing on the three areas of deterrence, standards and education, and behavioural change. In its new short form, Report 475 Market Integrity Report: July to December 2015 (REP 475), covers the work […]

5 Apr, 2016

Transparency International calls for global action to stop secret companies

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Berlin, 04 April 2016, TI media release – A global investigation into the use of secret companies by the rich, powerful and corrupt has shown how a network of lawyers, bankers and others around the world hide illicit wealth. Transparency International calls on the international community to act immediately to adopt transparency laws to outlaw secret […]

5 Apr, 2016

Scandic Hotels Group Recognised as One of Sweden’s Most Gender Equal Listed Companies

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STOCKHOLM, 29 March 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE) – Scandic is one of Sweden’s most equal opportunity employers. This was highlighted in AllBright’s recently published White List that also shows that every fifth business leader is a woman. In this respect, Scandic has three female leaders on its Executive Management team and two on its Board of Directors. […]

5 Apr, 2016

Islamophobia in the Netherlands on rise

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Amsterdam, 17  March 2016, (IINA) – A third of the mosques in the Netherlands have experienced at least one incident of vandalism, threatening letters, attempted arson, the placement of a pig’s head, or other aggressive actions in the past 10 years, according to research by Ineke van der Valk, an author and researcher at the […]

4 Apr, 2016

Iraq Invasion – Anniversary of The Biggest Terrorist Attack in Modern History

Since ISIS was spawned by the Iraq “liberation” (“Operation Iraqi Liberation” – OIL) it is worth revisiting Tony Blair’s speech to Parliament on 20th March 2003, the day of the invasion. “On Tuesday night I gave the order for British forces to take part in military action in Iraq. Tonight British servicemen and women are […]

4 Apr, 2016

ASEAN parliamentarians call for transparency and tax justice in light of Panama Papers revelations

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JAKARTA, 4 April 2016 — Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia today issued a collective call for greater transparency amidst new revelations of widespread tax avoidance by elites worldwide. A leak of over 11 million confidential documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which became public on Sunday, has revealed abuse of offshore tax havens by […]

4 Apr, 2016

The Panama Papers: How the world’s rich and famous hide their money offshore – The Guardian

The hidden wealth of some of the world’s most prominent leaders, politicians and celebrities has been revealed by an unprecedented leak of millions of documents that show the myriad ways in which the rich can exploit secretive offshore tax regimes.The Guardian, working with global partners, will set out details from the first tranche of what […]

3 Apr, 2016

How free can free speech be? – The Hindu

Does the state acknowledge such autonomy among its citizens and repose faith in them to make their own choices regarding speeches, writings, works of art, films and plays? Obviously not, given the number of “reasonable restrictions” that are placed on free speech in India, many of them reflecting an official philosophy that believes that the […]

3 Apr, 2016

Road Safety: 26,000 killed in Europe traffic accidents in 2015, social cost €100 billion

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Brussels, 31 March 2016, European Commission Press release – The 2015 road safety statistics published today by the European Commission confirm that European roads remain the safest in the world despite a recent slowdown in reducing road fatalities. The 2015 road safety statistics published today by the European Commission confirm that European roads remain the safest […]

1 Apr, 2016

ForwardKeys stats shows full impact of Brussels attacks on air bookings

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London, ForwardKeys media release, via Tarsh Consulting, 1 April 2016 – The bomb attacks in Brussels have severely affected flight bookings to the Belgium capital, according to the latest data from ForwardKeys, which monitors future travel patterns by analysing 14 million reservation transactions each day. In the days following the attacks on 22 March, net […]

1 Apr, 2016

UN Women’s Commission votes overwhelmingly to support Palestinian Women, only US and Israel vote against

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United Nations, 23 March 2016, (UN News) – Civil society groups today urged Governments to redouble their efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as the sixtieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women completed its general discussion. In other business on the penultimate day of its annual […]

1 Apr, 2016

UN General Assembly Stresses Vital Importance of Remembering How Enslaved Africans Shaped Modern World

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29 March 2016, (UN News) – Most people, including those of African descent, would prefer not to remember slavery due to feelings of pain or guilt, yet it was vitally important to underscore the many ways in which enslaved Africans and their descendants had ultimately shaped the modern world, the General Assembly heard today as […]

1 Apr, 2016

Fukushima presents documentary animation film “Five years after the Great East Japan Earthquake”

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FUKUSHIMA, Japan, 29 March 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE) – The Fukushima prefectural government released a series of documentary animations entitled “Letters to the Future -On Our Way There-” on February 15, 2016. Presented as an anthology based on true stories, the animations depict events that occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the various emotions […]

1 Apr, 2016

Thailand awards 32 billion baht contract to expand Bangkok mass transit system

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TOKYO, 30 March 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE) – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) (TOKYO:7011), Hitachi, Ltd. (Hitachi) (TOKYO:6501) and Sumitomo Corporation (Sumitomo) (TOKYO:8053) were awarded a contract by State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to design and build an Electric and Mechanical (E&M) system, as a full turn-key package, for Red Line Construction Project. The contract price is […]

1 Apr, 2016

FedEx Releases 2016 Global Citizenship Report

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MEMPHIS, Tenn, 29 March 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE) -FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) announced today the online release of its 2016 Global Citizenship Report (GCR), which details the company’s commitment to connect the world in responsible and resourceful ways. The report includes annual updates on the company’s environmental, community and economic development initiatives. Among the highlights of this […]

31 Mar, 2016

Drone Regulations Coming From FAA Spring/Summer 2016

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ATLANTA, GA, 30 March 2016,  (PRWEB) – What is that mechanical thing soaring above everyone’s heads at the park or buzzing around the neighbor’s backyard? Recent attendees to electronics trade shows, photography expos, or camera stores have seen them for sale: drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Drones are a new, relatively affordable tool for capturing aerial […]

31 Mar, 2016

World Faces Shared Challenge to Build Peace, End Injustices, UN Chief Says at Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture in Sweden

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United Nations, 30 March 2016, (UN News) – Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the Dag Hammarskjöld lecture on “Evolving Threats, Timeless Values: The United Nations in a Changing Global Landscape”, in Stockholm, today: I thank the Government and people of Sweden for a very warm welcome.  It is a […]

31 Mar, 2016

UN official Urges Move Beyond ‘Mere Condemnations’ in Seeking Best Way to Middle East Peace

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United Nations, 24 March 2016, (UN News) – Amid the current bloody wave of escalating violence, including stabbings and shootings in Israel and the occupied West Bank, the international community must move beyond mere condemnations and send a clear message to both sides that a two-State solution was the best road to peace, the Secretary-General’s […]

31 Mar, 2016

Visit the World’s First Divorce School, Launching April 1

TORONTO, ON, 30 March 2016, (PRWEB) – As part of Divorce Marketing Group’s 20th anniversary initiatives, The Divorce School will be launched on April 1. Divorce professionals and those who have experienced the process first-hand will offer advice and guidance to participants – who are either considering divorce, going through divorce, or already divorced. Having difficulties dealing with a […]

31 Mar, 2016

Overseas born Aussies highest in over a century

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Canberra, 30 March 2016, ABS media release – The proportion of Australians who were born overseas has hit its highest point in over 120 years, with 28 per cent of Australia’s population born overseas, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). “Australia has traditionally had a high proportion of migrants, […]

27 Mar, 2016

Now open: Apply to become an anti-corruption young leader this summer

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Berlin, Germany, 24 March 2016, (Transparency International) – What are you doing this summer?  Get a head start and apply for Transparency International School on Integrity taking place in Vilnius, Lithuania from 4-10 July 2016. Since 2010, the School on Integrity has welcomed some 700 students, graduates and young professionals from around 90 countries to its seven-day highly intensive […]

26 Mar, 2016

Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration Campaign Unveiled at ITB Berlin 2016

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Berlin (ASEAN media release) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, by the founding fathers of the original ASEAN countries; namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The nations of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam have since joined this regional […]

25 Mar, 2016

The west’s Islamophobia is only helping the Islamic State – The Washington Post

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The promise of the “global war on terror” was that “it was better to fight them there than here.” That promise brought mass violence to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Yemen and Somalia — in the name of peace in the West. That formula has clearly failed. Tuesday’s bombings in Brussels come on the heels of […]

25 Mar, 2016

‘Assault on one minority community is attack on all,’ Ban says on Day to eliminate racism

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 21 March 2016 – Observing the world’s day set aside to bolster efforts on eliminating racial discrimination, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged increased global efforts towards that aim and declared that “an assault on one minority community is an attack on all.” This year, the the International Day […]

25 Mar, 2016

UNESCO chief welcomes the liberation of Syria’s Palmyra world heritage site

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 24 March 2016 – The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today welcomed the liberation of the Palmyra archeological site, a martyr city inscribed on the agency’s World Heritage list. “[Palmyra] carries the memory of the Syrian people, and the values of cultural diversity, tolerance […]

25 Mar, 2016

Heavy Easter traffic projected at Singapore-Malaysia overland border checkpoints

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SINGAPORE, March 21 (NNN-Bernama) — Traffic flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas is expected to be heavy on the upcoming Good Friday holiday on March 25. Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said travellers can expect heavy departure traffic from March 24 while arrival traffic is expected to be particularly heavy on March […]

25 Mar, 2016

Caste systems violate human rights and dignity of millions worldwide – New UN expert report

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GENEVA (21 March 2016) UN Human Rights Council media release – At least 250 million people worldwide still face appalling and dehumanising discrimination based on caste and similar systems of inherited status warned the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, during the presentation of the first comprehensive UN report on caste-based discrimination* […]

25 Mar, 2016

Windfall Profits: Terrorism to Generate 23% Surge in Global Video Surveillance Market

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LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 23, 2016  – Technavio analysts expect the global video surveillance market for 2016-2020 to reach USD 64 billion by 2020 growing at a CAGR of almost 23%, according to their latest report. According to Amrita Choudhury, lead analyst at Technavio for IT Security research, “Rising instances of criminal activities in government organizations and […]

19 Mar, 2016

U.S. hospitality workers union releases list of responsible, irresponsible private equity, real estate managers

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CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 17, 2016 – In recent years, private equity and private equity real estate managers have raised record amounts of capital from pension funds, foundations, endowments, and other institutional investors to back big hotel and casino investments and the growing hospitality industry. Now UNITE HERE, the union of hospitality workers throughout North America, is […]

18 Mar, 2016

ASEAN integration: Two Thai, Malaysian Banks Appointed Cross Currency Dealers to grow direct Ringgit-Baht Trade

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 14 March 2016, (Bernama)— Bank Negara Malaysia (“BNM”) and Bank of Thailand (‘BOT”) have respectively appointed CIMB Bank and CIMB Thai as Appointed Cross Currency Dealers (“ACCD”) for the settlement of ringgit-baht trade under the newly launched Local Currency Settlement Framework. The Local Currency Settlement Framework had been jointly established by BNM and […]

18 Mar, 2016

Proposal to create a truly united 2017 ASEAN Games in KL

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Putrajaya, Malaysia, 16 March 2016, (Bernama) – In a bold move to set the standard in world sports, the Paralympic Council of Malaysia has proposed that the 29th SEA Games and the 9th ASEAN Para Games, slated to be held in August 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, be combined into one integrated medal event for all sports […]

18 Mar, 2016

UN Asia-Pacific HQ to mark 23 March, World Water Day 2016, with launch of report on ‘Water and Jobs’

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Bangkok, 17 March 2016, (UNESCAP News) – World Water Day 2016 will be commemorated by the United Nations at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok from 9:00am to 11:45am, Wednesday 23 March. The event will feature the launch of the World Water Development Report 2016, focusing on the theme “Water and Jobs.” ESCAP, UNESCO and […]

18 Mar, 2016

UNCTAD-ESCAP train government statisticians to upgrade technology data to facilitate growth and improve public well-being

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Geneva, Switzerland, 18 March 2016, (UNCTAD/ESCAP News) – Benchmarking progress in building the information economy in Asia-Pacific least developed countries (LDCs) is crucial as governments in the region seek to reap the economic benefits of information and communications technologies (ICTs). The use of ICTs, such as mobile telephony and internet services, is increasing in such […]

18 Mar, 2016

IMAX launches ‘Big Picture’ initiative, partnering with UN to amplify action on environment issues

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 17 March 2016 – IMAX Corporation, the company that creates entertainment technology best known for its big-screen IMAX theatres, has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to launch an ambitious corporate social responsibility initiative called ‘Big Picture,’ which aims to address the host of environmental, societal and economic […]

18 Mar, 2016

NTT Communications Launches Online Program to Teach Practical Japanese to Staff in Overseas Offices

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Tokyo, Japan, 15 March 2016, (Bernama-Business Wire) — NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within NTT (NYSE:NTT), announced the launch of VLJ Online Japanese Conversation, a Japanese conversation learning service via video call, as a new product of Visual Learning Japanese (VLJ), its cloud-based Japanese-study service with learning website […]

18 Mar, 2016

Aussie Opens New Business to Let People Give Vent to Stress, Sorrow by Smashing Things

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Melbourne, Australia, 17 March 2016, (NNN-Xinhua) — An Australian entrepreneur has opened up a business in Melbourne where heartbroken, jilted or frustrated people can smash assorted items in a room as a way to relieve stress. Within the space, known as ‘The Break Room’, paying customers are given a baseball bat and allowed to smash […]

16 Mar, 2016

World’s Biggest Cruise Ship starts sea trial

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12 March 2016, (China Daily) – The Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, set off on Thursday on its first sea trial from Saint-Nazaire in western France, with just two months to go before delivery. The city’s STX France shipyards began building the 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) mammoth for US cruise […]

16 Mar, 2016

Filipino airport taxi driver gets a kiss for his honesty

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6 March 2016, (Manila Bulletin) – Officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) lauded the honesty of a taxi driver, who returned two trolley bags that were left in his cab by an arriving passenger from Kalibo, Aklan Saturday night. Emilio Q. Balhin, driver of a Harurot taxi, returned two pink trolley bags that […]

16 Mar, 2016

Revenge of the Lower Classes and the Rise of American Fascism – Chris Hedges – Truthdig

There are tens of millions of Americans, especially lower-class whites, rightfully enraged at what has been done to them, their families and their communities. They have risen up to reject the neoliberal policies and political correctness imposed on them by college-educated elites from both political parties: Lower-class whites are embracing an American fascism. These Americans […]

16 Mar, 2016

ADB US$27 mln loan to upgrade roads in Laos

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VIENTIANE, 14 March 2016, (ADB News Release) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) have signed an agreement for a $27 million loan to support road asset management and maintain over 300 kilometers of national and local roads in the provinces of Attapu, Salavan and […]

16 Mar, 2016

Chinese Commentary: The human rights record of the “human rights defender”

BEIJING, China, 13 March 2016, (CNTV) – The state-run China Central Television on Sunday aired a documentary that reveals the United States’ double standards on human rights-related issues, whereby the U.S. pokes its nose into other countries’ internal affairs while leaving many of its own problems unsolved. Based on extensive media reports both inside and […]