Author Archive
24 Aug, 2013
Gallup: Americans want schools to teach critical thinking, communication
WASHINGTON, D.C. August 21, 2013, (Gallup Polls) — Most Americans believe that today’s schools should teach “soft skills.” More than three in four adults “strongly agree” that K-12 schools should teach critical thinking and communication to children. And 64% of respondents strongly agree that goal setting should be taught, while 61% strongly agree schools should […]
more…24 Aug, 2013
Summit in Sweden Unites Global War Veterans In Pursuit of Peace
STOCKHOLM, August 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Earlier this summer Sweden’s Veteran Federation, SVF, hosted the World Veterans Federation’s Peace and Security Summit. The outcome of the summit was The Stockholm Declaration, urging the world’s veteran associations and governments to work for the veterans’ experiences and skills to a higher degree should be utilized as a […]
more…24 Aug, 2013
Rate of radioactive flow to Pacific alarming | The Japan Times
Water releasing as much as 10 trillion becquerels of radioactive strontium and 20 trillion becquerels of cesium-137 from the Fukushima No. 1 power plant has flowed into the Pacific Ocean since May 2011, Tokyo Electric Power Co. estimates. The combined figure of 30 trillion becquerels, announced late Wednesday, implies that highly radioactive water is entering […]
more…23 Aug, 2013
India Sees Improved Male:Female Sex Ratio
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 21-August, 2013 – The Sex Ratio in the country has shown an improvement. As per the Census, sex ratio has increased from 933 females per thousand males in 2001 to 943 females per thousand males in 2011. State/UT-wise details of sex ratio are listed below. The Government has been […]
more…23 Aug, 2013
China plans major railway reforms to generate growth, create jobs
BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — The railway sector is high on China’s government agenda with detailed measures on its reforms and instructions from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. China’s State Council published a plan earlier this week to innovate railway funding and speed up construction. Experts said this was “appropriate” in the backdrop of economic structuring […]
more…23 Aug, 2013
Myanmar gets another U.N. warning on incitement of ethic, religious hatred
YANGON / BANGKOK / GENEVA (22 August 2013) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, said the country is moving forward in many areas “which has brought positive changes to the human rights situation, and has the potential to bring further improvements.” However, he warned about […]
more…23 Aug, 2013
Total Transparency Reigns as UNWTO Gets Set for 20th General Assembly
In yet another exemplary display of total transparency, the UNWTO has posted on its website the entire set of working papers and financial statements to be discussed at the upcoming General Assembly and Executive Council meetings in Zambia and Zimbabwe between August 24-29. The public has full access to the material which provide copious detail […]
more…22 Aug, 2013
American Museum of Agriculture Changes Name to Bayer Museum of Agriculture
Lubbock, Texas (PRWEB) August 20, 2013 – Today, Bayer CropScience and the American Museum of Agriculture announced a sponsorship agreement to rename the museum the “Bayer Museum of Agriculture,” helping to further preserve, promote and display its cotton industry collection dating back to the 1600’s. Editor’s Comment A sign of what’s to come. Should museums […]
more…22 Aug, 2013
UNEP Environmental Alert: Global Mangrove Forest Cover Fading Fast
Nairobi, Aug 2013 – The uniquely adapted mangrove forests on the marine-terrestrial interface preserve coastline integrity by buffering wave energy from marine processes. The ecosystem services they provide and their support for coastal livelihoods worldwide are worth at least US $1.6 billion a year. Despite their global importance, mangroves are being lost rapidly and action […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
The price Gina Gray paid for whistleblowing – The Washington Post
Sadly, Gray’s case is emblematic of the way this administration has handled whistleblowers. Obama came into office pledging transparency and professing admiration for government workers who expose abuses. But his administration has pursued more cases under the 1917 Espionage Act than all previous administrations combined (including the prosecution of National Security Agency workers who tried […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
PressTV – Female Swedish activists don hijab to protest attack on Muslim woman
Swedish women of various faiths have posted photos on the Internet wearing an Islamic headdress (hijab) to express solidarity with a Muslim woman assaulted in the country for having a hijab. The effort, reported Tuesday by the local press, was part of a Hijab Outcry Campaign, initiated by Swedish women, including a number of politicians […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Call to reduce violence against women by building better cities
OTTAWA, Aug. 20, 2013 /CNW/ – Can poor city planning aid and abet violence against women? Consider the fatal gang rape in Delhi last December of the young woman referred to in the press as “Nirbhaya” (“fearless”). As an angry public poured into the streets to protest Nirbhaya’s death, other brutal attacks captured international headlines. […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Cruise Lines Association Welcomes New Global Pact to Boost Seafarers’ Working Conditions
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today announced it welcomes the entry into force of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) 2006 Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). The MLC provides further worker protections and rights for crewmembers, providing them specific rights related to all facets of employment, including wages, hours, medical care, […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Lack of Sleep Leads to More Domestic Arguments, Bedding Company Research Reveals
(PRWEB UK) 21 August 2013 – More than half (55%) of us have been woken by our partner sleep talking, more than a quarter (26%) from laughing and one in ten from sleep walking, according to the survey of 2,044 people by UK bed manufacturer Silentnight to mark the launch of its first online Sleep […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Foreigners hit with bigger fines via strict enforcement of Chinese exit-entry law
2013-08-20 (China Daily) Shanghai fined and punished more than 500 foreigners for illegally staying in the country after China imposed its new exit-entry law in July, according to statistics provided by the city’s immigration inspection department. From 1 July 1 through 10 Aug, 534 foreigners had illegally entered or overstayed their visas. More than 380 […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
China plans development of Western regions as new engine for growth
2013-08-20, (China Daily) — China is betting on its western development program to lead a new round of economic growth as the government is mulling “differentiated” policies for the region that will feature huge spending on infrastructure, Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday. “We will roll out more preferential policies tailored for the western region […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Biggest museum theft in Egyptian history: Over 1,000 artifacts stolen — RT News
As Egypt plunges deeper into the political turmoil, looters take advantage of the situation – and the latest robbery of the Malawi Museum in the city of Minya, 300km from Cairo, has been the biggest of its kind in the Egyptians’ living memory. Looters got away with more than 1,000 objects, including a prized 3,500-year-old […]
more…21 Aug, 2013
Activist who fought superstition shot dead in Pune – Hindustan Times
Activist Narendra Dabholkar, who was running a successful anti-superstition movement in Maharashtra, was shot dead in Pune on Tuesday morning. Dabholkar was alone on a morning walk near Omkareshwar temple when unidentified persons on a motorbike fired at him and fled. Four bullets were fired at Dabholkar in the neck and he died on the […]
more…20 Aug, 2013
Muhammad Ali Centre launches fund-raising campaign, bid to inspire youth to greatness
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 13, 2013 – Muhammad and Lonnie Ali, and the Muhammad Ali Center today launched a campaign on Prizeo, the premier celebrity charity-fundraising digital platform, to raise money and awareness for the work of the Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 organization in Louisville, Kentucky. For micro-donations starting at only $3, contributors to the […]
more…20 Aug, 2013
Texas University students to get jail-cell tour in anti-drunk driving campaign
AUSTIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)– August 15, 2013–Drinking and driving is a year-round problem that gets worse in the summer. As part of a national effort to save lives and crack down on impaired driving, the Texas Department of Transportation announces its “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.” campaign from Aug. 16 – Sept. 2. During the campaign, select […]
more…20 Aug, 2013
ASEAN, Japan, Bhutan Big Winners at Thailand Travel Fair 2013
BANGKOK – Thousands of Thai would-be travellers thronged this year’s second Thailand International Travel Fair between Aug 15-18 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok. The event was organised by the Thai Travel Agents Association, which includes the outbound and domestic agents and is separate from the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Glenn Greenwald: detaining my partner was a failed attempt at intimidation – The Guardian
This is obviously a rather profound escalation of their attacks on the news-gathering process and journalism. It’s bad enough to prosecute and imprison sources. It’s worse still to imprison journalists who report the truth. But to start detaining the family members and loved ones of journalists is simply despotic. Even the Mafia had ethical rules […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Brunei to Host ASEAN Expo, Oct 26-30
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 19 August 2013 (12 Shawwala 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story.
more…19 Aug, 2013
Hi, I’m Your New Axis of Evil – AsiaTimes Online
By Pepe Escobar I have argued that what has just happened in Egypt is a bloodbath that is not a bloodbath, conducted by a military junta responsible for a coup that is not a coup, under the guise of an Egyptian “war on terror”. Yet this newspeak gambit – which easily could have been written […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Coming soon: fees for carry-on luggage – Sydney Morning Herald
First, airlines started charging for checked luggage that used to be included in the ticket price. That alone is an entire new industry created in the past decade that now consumes around $30 billion worldwide in travellers’ cash. The consequence weren’t so much unforeseen as “What the hell! We’ll do it anyway”. Being forced to […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Rajasthan’s model is better than Modi’s Gujarat: CM Ashok Gehlot
Gujarat has always been a developed state. The development that is happening there is not balanced. We are giving all round development which is not happening in Gujarat. Modi is very good at marketing himself and has a strategy chalked out but the people of the country will never accept him. Read the rest: Rajasthan’s […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Hate crime: British teen assaults Sikh man – Hindustan Times
The video of an 80-year-old Sikh man being punched in the face and shoved to the ground by a 19-year-old British woman has triggered outrage amid fresh concerns over hate crimes. Closed circuit television (CCTV) in the British city of Coventry in West Midlands has captured shocking footage of the woman attacking the elderly man, […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Mob vandalizes art exhibition in Ahmedabad – Hindustan Times
More than a dozen men allegedly associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajarang Dal vandalized an art gallery in Ahmedabad where exhibition of Pakistan artists’ paintings was held. The members stormed gallery “Amdavad no gufa” which was created by late painter MF Hussain and a noted architect BV Doshi, on Friday after the […]
more…19 Aug, 2013
Mob vandalises Ahmedabad art exhibition, tears down paintings – Indian Express
A group of 20 persons vandalised an art exhibition at Amdavad ni Gufa in Ahmedabad on Friday afternoon. The group tore down more than two dozen paintings belonging to celebrated artists hailing from both India and Pakistan. It is being alleged that a group of “right wing” activists was behind the act. However, no organisation […]
more…18 Aug, 2013
Top Israeli official “sick” of commemorating Hiroshima, Nagasaki A-bomb victims | Japan Times
JERUSALEM – A senior Israeli government official has posted online comments on Facebook saying he is “sick” of commemorations for the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, a local newspaper reported. “I am sick of the Japanese, ‘Human rights’ and ‘Peace’ groups” over holding their “annual self-righteous commemorations for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki […]
more…18 Aug, 2013
5 Companies That Make Money By Keeping Americans Terrified of Terror Attacks | Alternet
August 16, 2013 | Michael Hayden, the former director of the National Security Agency, has invaded America’s television sets in recent weeks to warn about Edward Snowden’s leaks and the continuing terrorist threat to America. But what often goes unmentioned, as the Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald pointed out, is that Hayden has a financial stake in […]
more…18 Aug, 2013
Exclusive: WikiLeaks Cable exposes U.S. bid to penetrate Brazil’s security apparatus
Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff cited unspecified “threats” by “ill-intentioned individuals or groups” in attempting to persuade Brazilian security ministers and officials to give the U.S. a vital foothold in the Brazilian travel, transport, trade and sports events networks, according to a WikiLeaks cable. Using touchy-feely buzzwords such as “partnerships,” “cooperation” […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Indian Railways to Provide Braille Signage in Passenger Coaches
Ministry of Railways, 16-August, 2013 – As a part of its social commitment to make Railways more friendly towards specially abled passengers, Indian Railways has decided to provide Braille stickers in coaches to facilitate visually impaired passengers. Presently coaches are provided with signage, instructions, seat numbers etc. which are mostly in the form of vinyl […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Food Workers Union: Martin Luther King’s Dreams of Jobs, Economic Equality Still Unfulfilled
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– August 16, 2013 – The following is a statement issued by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) regarding the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington: “The UFCW is proud to stand with our brothers and sisters from across the country to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Survey Shows Uneven Economic Picture for U.S. Landscape Architecture Firms
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– August 13, 2013 – U.S. landscape architecture firms are experiencing sluggish but steady growth as they emerge from the recession, according to the American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) second quarter 2013 Business Quarterly survey. More firms reported stable or rising billable hours but have pared down their plans to hire. 82.8 percent […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Assistive Wheelchair Tray Developed to Help People with Disabilities Use iPads
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– August 15, 2013 – “RoboDesk,” a motorized wheelchair tray, could provide people with disabilities with an efficient and easy-to-use method to more easily position and remove an iPad or other mobile devices without being limited by a table or moving in and out of the chair. Brad Duerstock, a Purdue University […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
China set to overtake US as world’s No 1 consumer – S&P Report
Beijing, 2013-08-15 – Even with the ongoing slowdown of China’s economic growth, the world’s No 2 economy is expected to overtake the US to become the world’s largest consumer market in the next five years, according to a new report by Standard & Poor’s (S&P). The report – entitled Financial Risks Are Rising as Retail […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Chinese millionaires report features first “Happiness Index”
Beijing, 2013-08-15 09:17 – At a time of economic slowdown combined with market uncertainties, Chinese millionaires’ confidence in the country’s economy in the next two years has dropped for a second consecutive year, according to the GroupM Knowledge-Hurun Wealth Report 2013. The report was co-released by the media investment management firm GroupM China and the […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
Beijing-Tokyo dispute will have “serious ramifications” for ASEAN
Bangkok, 2013-08-15 – The intensifying hostility between China and Japan and the increasing mutual distrust between their people will have serious ramifications on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. For the past three decades, the two Asian giants’ stable relations have helped generate huge volumes of trade and investment and propelled the region’s economic progress. […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
In U.S., 15% of Women Feel Unfairly Denied a Promotion – Gallup Poll
WASHINGTON, D.C. August 16, 2013 (Gallup Polls) — Fifteen percent of U.S. working women say they have at some point felt passed over for a promotion or opportunity at work because of their gender, while 85% say they have never felt that way. These perceptions are similar by age, educational attainment, and employment in a […]
more…17 Aug, 2013
The Next Big Thing: Asia <> Africa Travel
Bangkok – With the industrialised countries more or less saturated as generators of global travel, and intra-Asia/Pacific travel booming, sights are turning towards what is likely to be the next big source market for Asia by the end of this decade: Africa. The groundwork for this boom to come is being laid now. One step […]
more…16 Aug, 2013
Modi’s speech laid bare his conceit, lack of etiquette – Dileep Padgaonkar
The one who takes the cake for violating every norm, convention and etiquette that public figures are expected to respect on Independence Day is Narendra Modi. He had the gall to announce that the nation should decide whose address was more effective: his own in Bhuj or the Prime Minister’s address from the ramparts of […]
more…16 Aug, 2013
British Museum confirms identity of stolen Egyptian artefact – Ahram Online
In 2011, the British Museum identified four relief fragments as stolen. These came from the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III, but that theft had occurred back in the 1980s. Except these six objects, no other stolen objects have come to the attention of the museum experts since the 2011 revolution. “I have little doubt, though, […]
more…15 Aug, 2013
China asks: Who gave America the right to launch network assaults?
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), August 14, 2013 – Edward Snowden revealed the fact of large-scale telecom monitoring at home and abroad by the United States, confirming people’s previous assumptions. However, the world was still shocked by the depth and the breadth of the monitoring. In response to the numerous questions put to the United States […]
more…15 Aug, 2013
How bird-cage making, a Malay Muslim art, strives to build peace in South Thailand
Yala, (World Bank Update) August 13, 2013 – Three years ago, Ban Kue-meng was just another rural town in Thailand’s Yala province. These days, it is known as the home of some of the best bird cage makers in the country. Bird cage making, a Malay Muslim art in Thailand’s southernmost provinces (known locally as the […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
Forget the beach, try an on-the-job vacation | The Japan Times
Forget the beach, try an on-the-job vacation by Masaaki Kameda KidZania, the theme park where children can role-play professions such as doctor or firefighter, has proved popular around the world: entertainment centers are now operating in 10 countries in addition to Japan, including Mexico, Indonesia and Portugal. Similarly, in Tokyo, there is a business that […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
UNHCR appeals for dialogue following more anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar
GENEVA, 13 August (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) – The UNHCR on Tuesday called for measures to prevent further violence in the wake of the latest clashes between displaced Muslims and security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “The clashes last Friday have left one man dead and about 10 people injured,” UN refugee agency spokesman […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
Marking Youth Day, UN Officials Spotlight Rights And Potential Of Young Migrants
United Nations, Aug 13 2013 (UN News Centre) – Marking International Youth Day, United Nations officials today highlighted the plight as well as the contributions of young migrants, who often face hard conditions away from their homes. “It is important to emphasize the positive contribution young migrants make to societies of origin, transit and destination […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
UN Experts Urge Israel To Stop Harassment Of Palestinian Human Rights Activist Issa Amro
GENEVA (13 August 2013) Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts* expressed deep concern at the alleged ongoing judicial harassment, intimidation and abusive treatment directed against Issa Amro, a prominent Palestinian human rights defender. Mr. Amro was arrested and detained 20 times […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
Visa Global Travel Study: Americans Plan to Spend 40% More on Next Foreign Trip
FOSTER CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 13, 2013 – According to the Global Travel Intentions Study 2013 by Visa Inc. U.S. travelers crave culture, are tech savvy and plan to significantly increase their travel budget on their next international trip. Findings revealed that travelers plan to spend 40 percent more on their next international trip compared to […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
Are Rohingya the world’s most unwanted people? – Sydney Morning Herald
Kutupalong New Camp, Bangladesh-Myanmar border: Mohammed Rahim* has walked an hour to talk to us, from the green slopes of western Myanmar where he lives, down through the jungle, past the razor-wire fence and the border checkpoints, to this small wooden hut in Bangladesh. From the window where he sits, the 18-year-old can see the […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
Report: Small Businesses “Uniquely Vulnerable” to Climate Change, Extreme Weather
WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 25, 2013 – U.S. small businesses – widely recognized as the backbone of the U.S. economy – are particularly at risk from extreme weather and climate change and must take steps to adapt, according to a new report from Small Business Majority and the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC). Titled “Climate […]
more…14 Aug, 2013
US to target tax-evading Americans in the Gulf | Arab News
The United States Internal Revenue Service is inching toward implementing a tax law targeting US taxpayers holding unreported foreign financial assets. The law will have a far-reaching impact on American expatriates who have accounts with financial institutions in the GCC. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act FATCA, signed into law by President Barack Obama in […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
New York Judge’s Ruling Opens Door To Combat Racial Profiling In Travel
In a move that is set to have a significant impact on the conduct of security personnel at airports and right across the travel & transport system, a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled on Aug 12 that the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy has led […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
HK PolyTech Univ Invites Applications for Ph.D. Scholarships
Hong Kong, 13 Aug 21013 – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) invites expressions of interest from graduates, irrespective of country of origin and ethnic background, with evidence of academic excellence, research ability and potential, and good communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities for full-time PhD study in Hong Kong within the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
China Mulls Ways to Boost Safety of Its Overseas Travellers, Residents
BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — A Chinese national has returned to safety after Thursday’s attack in Afghan capital Kabul that killed three Chinese self-employed business people. Another Chinese citizen is still missing. The incident drew wide attention from home and abroad, as the issue of the safety of Chinese nationals overseas becomes more and more […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
SR2.2bn reservoir to solve Jeddah’s water woes – Arab News
The National Water Company announced on Sunday that it was building a strategic water reservoir in Jeddah at a cost of SR2.2 billion with a capacity of 6 million cubic meters to meet requirements of the city’s growing population. The water storage facility is being built in Briman. The project’s first phase, which is designed […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
Real cost of U.K. benefits squeeze: £1,600 per family – The Independent
Welfare cuts that are meant to get the jobless back to work are driving down the living standards of hundreds of thousands of people who are in no position to find a job, an assessment of the Coalition’s welfare reforms says today. Researchers, who have used data to forecast what will happen to the 1.18 […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
Asian Century Rising: Will India become a “strategic vassal” of the U.S.?
Beijing, (Global Times), August 12, 2013 – US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to India in late July has moved New Delhi closer toward an alliance between these two nations. Although the US and India share common interests in containing China, their strategic goals and policy paths are quite different. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT To a […]
more…13 Aug, 2013
Radiation fears forced postponement of Japan visit by U.S. students | The Japan Times
By BRIAN VICTORIA, Yellow Springs, Ohio In April of this year I was forced to make one of the most difficult decisions of my teaching career at the tertiary level: I was forced to recommend to the university authorities where I was employed that they postpone their planned Study Abroad Program in Japan scheduled for […]
more…12 Aug, 2013
1 Million Japanese school students sign nuke abolition call | The Japan Times
NAGASAKI – A students’ group in Nagasaki Prefecture said Sunday it has collected more than 1 million signatures from senior high school students calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons since it started gathering them in 2001. At a meeting in Nagasaki the same day of about 50 former and current members of the group, […]
more…12 Aug, 2013
40% of Indian airport staff fail explosives screening test – Indian Express
A little over 40 per cent of security personnel posted at airports across the country, who are supposed to detect explosives and suspicious objects in the hand baggage of passengers, fail to do their job, a test conducted by the country’s aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), has found. The X-ray […]
more…12 Aug, 2013
Can the American image be salvaged – Al-Ahram Weekly
Egyptian American relations on the official level have seen worse times than these tense moments. But it is on the public level that The American image in now seeing its worse. For the Obama administration to start dealing with this heavy task, it has first to stop being on the wrong side of history trying […]
more…12 Aug, 2013
China Hosts 6th UNWTO Conference on Silk Road Tourism
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 12 August 2013 (05 Shawwal 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story.
more…12 Aug, 2013
The backlash begins: I want to shop where no one knows my name
Is it seriously possible to do anything anonymously these days? Shop assistants ask me my name before letting me use the change room. If I buy something, I’m asked for my home address, email and birthday so they can put me on their ”mailing list” (spam). And then the most ignominious of all – my […]
more…12 Aug, 2013
Anger mounts over Israel’s ‘Ramadan permits’
Ramallah, 06 August 2013 (IINA) – Palestinians have expressed anger at the timing of a decision by Israel to issue more than 200,000 entry permits during the holy month of Ramadan, which they say is geared towards boosting the Israeli economy. Store-owners in the West Bank say they will be badly hit as up to one million […]
more…11 Aug, 2013
Three Biggest Lies About Lowering Corporate Taxes
Instead of spending August on the beach, corporate lobbyists are readying arguments for when Congress returns in September about why corporate taxes should be lowered. But they’re lies. You need to know why so you can spread the truth. Read the rest: The Three Biggest Lies About Why Corporate Taxes Should Be Lowered.
more…11 Aug, 2013
Lavabit Owner’s Farewell Warning: Don’t Trust Your Data to U.S. Companies – Truthdig
The owner and CEO of the secure email service reportedly used by Edward Snowden decided to shut down Thursday rather than help the U.S. spy on his customers. According to The Guardian: “Lavabit, an email service that boasted of its security features and claimed 350,000 customers, is no more, apparently after rejecting a court order […]
more…11 Aug, 2013
Chinese Medicine Fair to be held in HK, 15-17 Aug
Hong Kong, Aug 8, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – About 140 exhibitors and 20 expert speakers will present the latest Chinese medicine and health products, solutions and intelligence at the 12th edition of the International Conference & Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM), 15-17 August. Jointly organised by the Hong […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
City of Confucius gets first international hotel
2013-08-10, (China Daily) – It is a sprawling traditional Chinese pavilion topped by grey roofs with tiers of overhanging eaves. This is the latest Shangri-la Hotel in China, opened on Aug 1 in Qufu, home of Confucius. With an area of more than 50,000 square meters spread across two streets corners, the hotel allows guests […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
On Eid, Ahmedabad mall charges entry fee from Muslims – Times of India
AHMEDABAD: A trip in the celebratory spirit of Eid turned out to be an experience in discrimination for many Muslims in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat. The Himalaya Mall, among the five biggest malls in Ahmedabad, on Friday announced a fee of Rs 20 from visitors from the minority community, to be returned to them only if […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
An Island Where People Live the Way We Used To | The Japan Times
by Amy Chavez Perhaps the best thing about living on a small island in Japan of just 583 people (258 men and 325 women) is that you can walk out your door and kiss the online world goodbye. Here, most people don’t walk around glued to their cellphones, the majority don’t even have smartphones, and […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
2nd Congress of Indonesian Diaspora to open Aug 18
Jakarta, August 10 2013 – Indonesia will organize the 2nd Congress of Indonesian Diaspora (CID II), the biggest gathering of Indonesians living overseas, in Jakarta to connect and unite into one big family and increase the contribution of Indonesian Diaspora to the nation, the Foreign Ministry says. “The Congress of Indonesian Diaspora aims to increase […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
Registered Overseas Indian Citizens Total 1.37 million
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 07-August, 2013 – A total of 1,372,624 Overseas Indians have been registered as overseas citizens of India (OCIs) as of 31.07.2013. The highest number of 520,055 Overseas Indians in USA have been registered as OCIs followed by U.K. (307,822,) Australia (133,755) and Canada (114,748). As reported by 107 Indian Missions […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
UN Stresses Importance Of Honouring Treaties With World’s 370m Indigenous People
United Nations, Aug 9 2013 (UN News Centre) – Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, United Nations officials today urged governments to honour the treaties and agreements established with their indigenous groups, stressing that respecting official policies is the only way to maintain peace and advance development. EDITOR’S COMMENT Travel Impact Newswire […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
Separation trouble spreads in northeast India after Telangana decision – Hindustan Times
Earlier this week, a cartoon in an Assamese daily showed two persons standing on a sandbar in the Brahmaputra with one saying to the other: “Thank god, this river hasn’t yet been divided”. The cartoon was referring to violent statehood agitations across Assam that the UPA’s endorsement of Telangana triggered. It was also a reminder […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
“Clean Government” policy: China says official spending now largely checked
BEIJING, 2013-08-09 (Xinhua) – A regulation proposed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on major measures to slash government spending has been properly and effectively implemented, the government said on Thursday. However, violations have not been eliminated, according to the statement, which added that the State Council, or China’s cabinet, will work with relevant authorities to […]
more…10 Aug, 2013
Indigenous canoe trip celebrates 400-year-old peace treaty
United Nations, 9 August 2013 – More than 200 indigenous and non-indigenous canoe paddlers arrived in Manhattan today, after having travelled for almost two weeks down the Hudson River from upstate New York, to take part in an event at the United Nations to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on Aug […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Johannesburg Tops African Millionaires List
JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Johannesburg, the commercial capital of South Africa, is home to far more dollar millionaires than any other city in Africa, research has found. The “city of gold” topped the continent’s rich list with 23,400 millionaires at the end of 2012, according to New World Wealth, a consultancy based in Oxford in […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
HR Chiefs Recount Best and Worst of Job-Seekers’ Tactics and Antics
CHICAGO, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –Would you hire job seekers who sang their interview, dressed as a clown, or printed their resume on a chocolate bar? CareerBuilder asked 2,076 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide to share the most memorable methods candidates have used to stand out from the crowd, and whether their creativity […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Chinese analyst: U.S. “goof-up” in Egypt will create more trouble for years
Beijing, 2013-08-09 – Violence in Egypt has escalated since the army moved ousted president Mohamed Morsi to a secret location, where he is being held on accusations for having “conspired” with Gaza-based Hamas to carry out “hostile acts” inside Egypt. The bloodshed in late July, which followed by nationwide protests and clashes between Morsi’s supporters […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Four shot in Texas in another U.S. homegrown terrorist rampage
DALLAS, 2013-08-08, (Agencies) — A suspect in the fatal shootings of four people in two Dallas-area homes was in custody Thursday as police tried to determine what prompted the attacks just minutes apart and whether an explosive was used. Four people were wounded in the late Wednesday shootings. Investigators arrested Erbie Bowser at the second […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
China’s slowdown worries “overblown”
Beijing, (Xinhua) August 09, 2013 – Worries triggered by the recent slight slowdown in China’s economic growth are “overblown,” but Chinese policymakers need to continue pushing forward key reforms to facilitate its economic restructuring, a China expert said Thursday. China is still among the fastest growing economies in the world, and only a handful of […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Chinese security expert: U.S. exaggerating “terrorism” threat
Beijing August 09, 2013 – The U.S. recently announced the closure of a number of its embassies in the Muslim world until the end of Ramadan, claiming that it faced “the most serious terrorist threats since September 11 attacks”. It is standard procedure for the U.S. to issue occasional alerts to its overseas agencies. But […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
T-Mobile faces lawsuit over Geolocation of Cell Phones Patent
NEW YORK, Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — North South Holdings Inc. (“North South”) — an intellectual property development company, today is announcing that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Guidance IP LLC, filed a complaint against T-Mobile USA, Inc. for alleged patent infringement. The complaint is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Privacy Int’l to challenge telecoms firms over surveillance cooperation | The Guardian
BT and Vodafone are among seven large telecoms firms which could be pulled into a legal challenge under human rights law for cooperating with GCHQ’s large-scale internet surveillance programs. Lawyers for the group Privacy International, whose mission is to defend the right to privacy, have written to the chief executives of the telecoms companies identified […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
China’s obesity rate growing
Beijing, 2013-08-06 – More Chinese people aged 20 to 39 are becoming overweight and their athletic ability is declining, according to a national survey released on Monday. The survey of more than 43,000 adults found that more than 11 percent of people aged 20 to 39 are obese, an increase of 2 percentage points since […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Index shows rise in global acceptance of Chinese yuan
Beijing, 2013-08-07 – A major index measuring global acceptance of the Chinese currency rose 4.8 percent in June from the previous month. The Standard Chartered Renminbi Globalisation Index reached 1,050 in June, up 65 percent year-on-year, withstanding macro and market uncertainties, the bank said on Wednesday. The bank said the rise was mainly driven by […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Report outlines state of Aussie public health & welfare
Canberra, 08 Aug 2013 – Australians are living longer, are better educated and extending their stay in the workforce, but some people continue to be disadvantaged, according to the latest welfare report card from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). From the latest figures available, Australian governments spent an estimated $119 billion on […]
more…9 Aug, 2013
Another Israeli Move to Wipe Palestine Off the Map – Al Jazeera English
Israel has given preliminary approval for the construction of more than 800 new homes in Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank, an Israeli official has said. Guy Inbar, the spokesman for Israel’s military-run Civil Administration in the West Bank, said on Thursday that initial plans to build 800 new settler homes were approved a […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
Health & Wellness Update: Chiropractors Encourage Backpack Safety for Students
BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Aug. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Over 79 million students carry a backpack to school each day. However, most students are unaware of the potential hazards such as neck and back problems that come with the improper use of backpacks. To avoid long-term injuries and prepare students for the fall, Minnesota chiropractors encourage families to […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
Ramadan a chance to reflect on charity, selflessness – William McKeith, SMH
By William McKeith For the first time in my life I have spent Ramadan working among the Muslim people of Lakemba. As a non-Muslim, who has lived and worked with mainly Christian and secular families, and had very little exposure to the Muslim faith, this holiest month in the Islamic Lunar calendar has concentrated my […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
Diabetes will soon be Australia’s number one killer – Sydney Morning Herald
Going blind. Getting your leg cut off. Kidneys packing up. Dying of a heart attack. The implications of being diagnosed with diabetes are shocking. Yet it seems many of us keep ignoring the alarm bells, with rates of diabetes soaring across the globe. This disease is big. It’s growing. It’s scary and it’s very expensive. […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
Survey reveals extent of social segregation in UK – The Independent
Just one in 10 Britons has a best friend from a different ethnic background, according to research which reveals that racial segregation is still a major issue in the UK. The polling for The Challenge Network, which aims to encourage integration through youth and community groups, found that Britons are in fact 8 per cent […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
A Fukushima fisherman’s tale: Radioactive Water Poisoning World’s Oceans – The Independent
Just 27 miles up the coast from this small harbour town, radioactivity from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant leaks into the ocean, and into the sardines, mackerel and squid that three generations of Mr Ichida’s family once caught. Engineers are fighting what appears to be a losing battle to stop the leaks from worsening. […]
more…8 Aug, 2013
India protests racial/ethnic profiling of travellers, cyber-intrusions
New Delhi, 7 August 2013 (Press Information Bureau and Travel Impact Newswire) – The Indian government has protested the growing number of incidents involving the racial profiling and harassment of Indian travellers at airports around the world. It has also declared as “unacceptable” the “violation of Indian laws relating to the privacy of information of […]
more…7 Aug, 2013
Who wants to be a whistle-blower? – The Hindu
Both the verdict against Mr. Manning as well as the treatment meted out to him by the military since his May 2010 arrest leave troubling, unanswered questions about the Obama administration’s continuing belligerence towards not only free journalism in this country but freedom itself. Judge Lind’s decision to hand out a guilty verdict under six […]
more…7 Aug, 2013
10 Ways to Reduce the Threat of Terrorist Attacks on Americans | Alternet
10. Spend foreign aid money on education, healthcare and lifting people out of poverty. For a fraction of the money we keep wasting each month on the failed war in Afghanistan or supporting the already wealthy Israeli military, we could be building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, helping Yemenis find a solution to their water […]
more…7 Aug, 2013
Restaurants’ displays of fake food are real deal for tourists | The Japan Times
Alberto Pellegrini doesn’t speak or read Japanese, a deficit that threatened to leave the Italian tourist starving in a nation famous for its gastronomic delights. Fortunately for the hungry honeymooner, restaurants across this food-obsessed nation — where English menus range from sparse to nonexistent — often display their wares in the form of intricately made […]
more…7 Aug, 2013
Study: US debt is over $70 trillion, six times more than declared – RT USA
The United States has accumulated over $70 trillion in unreported debt, an amount nearly six times the declared figure, according to a new study by University of California-San Diego economics Professor James Hamilton. The unique aspect of Hamilton’s study is that he examines federal debt that has not been publicly released, specifically the government’s support […]
more…
Loading ...
