28 Jul, 2013

U.K. Visa bond scheme to go ahead despite Cameron’s promise – The Hindu

Despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s assurance to exempt India from the controversial visa bond scheme following a diplomatic row between New Delhi and London, the British government has reportedly decided to go ahead with it though the Home Office insisted that it was meant to target only “high-risk” applicants. An official told The Hindu that […]

28 Jul, 2013

Robert Fisk on Egypt: The Near Future Does Not Look Good – The Independent

One point that stood out – and it may be unfashionable to say so – is that the Brotherhood supporters were generally poor and looked poor in their grubby abayas and plastic sandals. Some of the Tahrir demonstrators, who were truly revolutionaries against Mubarak in 2011, trooped over the Nile bridges waving posters of General […]

28 Jul, 2013

Take our economies off their stimulants and they aren’t really growing at all – The Independent

In the UK, yesterday’s figures showing 0.6 per cent growth in GDP for the last quarter are terribly weak. As my colleague Ben Chu points out elsewhere in the paper, the economy is still 3.3 per cent smaller than it was in early 2008. In normal times, based on averages going back to the Second […]

27 Jul, 2013

Vietnamese President to U.S. President: Mutual Respect Needed in Guiding Future Ties

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WASHINGTON DC, (Vietnam News Agency) – Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang used the word “respect” four times in a keynote speech outlining his country’s future relations with the United States. Speaking at the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on July 25 during his just-concluded official visit to the US, he said: “What we […]

27 Jul, 2013

Hays Releases Quarterly List of HotSpot Jobs in Japan

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Tokyo, July 24, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Accountancy, sales and compliance professionals are in demand in Japan’s jobs market as organisations invest selectively in headcount, according to recruiting experts Hays in Japan. The recruiter has released its latest Hays Quarterly Hotspots list of jobs in demand, and a driving factor is the focus of […]

27 Jul, 2013

Jakarta Fashion Week Oct 19-25: Indonesia’s Muslim Wear To Lead World Market

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Jakarta, Indonesia, July 25, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – Jakarta Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion weeks in Southeast Asia, will once again raise up the best creations of Indonesian designers to world in 2013. JFW 2014 will present the latest collections of local and foreign designers which will inspire next year’s fashion trends. […]

27 Jul, 2013

Radiation in water leakage at Fukushima plant as high as 2011 crisis | Kyodo News

TOKYO, July 27, Kyodo — Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Saturday it has detected 2.35 billion becquerels of cesium per liter from water in an underground passage at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that is seeping into the sea, roughly the same level as seen in a contaminated water leak into the sea […]

27 Jul, 2013

Israelis Show Europeans Who’s The Boss

In response to the European Union’s new guidelines banning cooperation with Israeli settlements, Israel has decided to limit the movement of EU representatives in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon ordered defense officials to halt cooperation on the ground with EU representatives. This includes any assistance to EU infrastructure projects in […]

27 Jul, 2013

Gallup Poll: Palestinians Have Little Trust in U.S. Role as Middle East Peace Broker

by Jihad Fakhreddine

BEIRUT, July 26, 2013 (Gallup Organisation) — Ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement last week that Israel and the Palestinians have agreed in principle to resume peace talks, most Palestinians remained skeptical about the U.S. commitment to brokering a solution. Nearly three in four Palestinians Gallup interviewed in late May and early […]

27 Jul, 2013

India Holds First National Fair on Assistive Devices for Disabled

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New Delhi, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 25-July, 2013 – The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Kumari Selja inaugurated the National Fair on Aids & Assistive Devices “SWAVALAMBAN” here today. Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that this is the first fair of its kind, being organised by Department of Disability […]

27 Jul, 2013

Pressure to Perform: Cyclists Who Dope Are Same As Wall Street Cheats, UC Davis Study Finds

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DAVIS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–23 July 2013 –Cyclists who dope in the Tour de France do so for the same reason traders on Wall Street might cheat—because of extreme pressure to perform, according to a new University of California, Davis, study. The study, co-authored by Professor Donald Palmer, an expert on organizational wrongdoing at the UC Davis […]

27 Jul, 2013

Europeans get useful tips to enjoy a worry-free summer holiday

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European Commission Release, Brussels, 26 July 2013 — With the holiday season already starting and millions of Europeans intending on travelling within and outside the European Union, there are certain travel considerations that every European should be aware of. Whether these concern having a health insurance, resolving travel disputes with an operator or travelling with […]

27 Jul, 2013

Does your workplace have a drinking problem? – Sydney Morning Herald

Around 9 per cent of workers admit to drinking alcohol at work, with tradespeople (17.9 per cent), managers (19.6 per cent) and professionals (19.3 per cent) the occupational groups with the largest proportion of short-term risky drinkers. Phillip Collins, head of workplace services at the Australian Drug Foundation, says more research needs to be done […]

27 Jul, 2013

UN Unveils ‘Free & Equal’ Campaign To Promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights

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United Nations, Jul 26 2013 (UN NEWS CENTRE) – With consensual, same-sex conduct a criminal offence in more than one-third of the world’s countries, the United Nations human rights office today launched its first global public education campaign to raise awareness and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. ‘Free & Equal,’ a […]

26 Jul, 2013

Hindu family in UAE observes Ramadan fast for 14 years | GulfNews.com

Dubai: A Hindu family in Abu Dhabi has been fasting this Ramadan. And not for the first time. They have been doing it for 14 years. “We cannot imagine a Ramadan without fasting. It is like an inner call,” said Indian expat Vakkam Jayalal, 54, who along with his wife Yamuna, 43, and two grown-up […]

26 Jul, 2013

Smartphones set to overtake digital cameras for common photo tasks

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LOS ALTOS, Calif., July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Today’s photography ecosystem is a complex one involving digital cameras, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Photo-taking consumers make pragmatic decisions about which of their devices to best use for specific tasks – such as taking photos, editing photos, sharing photos, or ordering photo products – under specific conditions. As […]

26 Jul, 2013

University Survey reveals what workers would change if they were the boss

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PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 25, 2013  – According to a recent University of Phoenix survey, more than half (51 percent) of working adults in the U.S. either currently own or want to own their own business. Of those working Americans who do not currently own their own business, 41 percent hope to do so in the […]

26 Jul, 2013

UK Students Now Take over £2,000 Worth of Gadgets and Possessions to University

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 24, 2013 – Research released by Endsleigh, the student gadget insurance provider, shows that the average student now takes over £2000 worth of possessions to university, with high tech gadgets proving to be the most popular by far. Endsleigh’s 2013 Student Survey, which was carried out by the National Union of Students, surveyed […]

26 Jul, 2013

FREE McAfee Program Educates Youth, Teachers on Online Safety, Ethics

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SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 24, 2013 – McAfee today announced that it has reached more than 100,000 youth, parents and teachers around the globe with its cyber education program. The McAfee Cares – Online Safety for Kids Program is a free school initiative that utilizes McAfee employees, partners and customers who volunteer to train school-age […]

26 Jul, 2013

Missouri Court Rejects Monsanto Claim that It Had No Duty to Cancer Victims

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ST. LOUIS, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 24, 2013  – Attorneys at Dallas-based Allen Stewart, P.C. have announced that a panel of three judges from Missouri’s Eastern District Court of Appeals have unanimously rejected Monsanto’s claim that the PCB producer owed no duty to individuals who developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma from exposure to toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Reversing […]

26 Jul, 2013

Oath Keepers Campaign Urges More U.S. Govt Whistleblowers to Come Forward

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ARLINGTON, Va., July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Oath Keepers has placed three back-lit signs on the subway platform in the Washington Metro Pentagon Station, group founder Stewart Rhodes announced today. “The first sign at the Pentagon Station is done in the style of the theater scene from George Orwell’s 1984 and features Director of National […]

26 Jul, 2013

Chinese Tea tops shopping list of foreign tourists

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Beijing, 2013-07-25 (China.org.cn) – Chinese tea was the most purchased commodity among foreign visitors to Beijing in 2012, according to the 2013 Beijing Tourism Green Paper published July 9 by the Social Sciences Academic Press of China. A survey of 4,800 foreign tourists’ purchases found that nearly 40 percent of respondents bought Chinese tea while […]

26 Jul, 2013

Time To Recalibrate the Europe-China Strategic Partnership

By Wang Yiwei (China Daily)

The world’s largest developing country and biggest bloc of developed countries need to deepen their strategic partnership Beijing, 2013-07-25  – Many Europeans believe that China, one of the European Union’s 10 so-called strategic partners, behaves more like a competitor. And many Chinese, for whom the EU is just one of more than 70 strategic partners, […]

26 Jul, 2013

Japan women return to top spot in longevity rankings | The Japan Times

Japan returned to the top spot in terms of women’s average life span in 2012, a year after falling to second place behind Hong Kong, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said in an annual report released Thursday. The average life span for Japanese women stood at 86.41 years, up 0.51 from the previous […]

26 Jul, 2013

January-June foreign visitors to Japan hit record 4.95 million | The Japan Times

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in the first half of 2013 reached a record high of 4.95 million, up 22.8 percent from a year earlier, helped by the yen’s weakness and the popularity of low-cost carriers, a government body said Wednesday. The figure eclipsed the previous high of 4.33 million recorded in the […]

26 Jul, 2013

40% of Japanese feel financially uncomfortable: survey | The Japan Times

Some 40 percent of Japanese aged 20 or over feel they are not well off, while fewer than 10 percent think they are financially comfortable, a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry poll showed, pointing to particularly high rates among unemployed men, whose ranks include those aged 80 and older. Released Wednesday, the survey, conducted last […]

25 Jul, 2013

New “National Gunfire Index” Can Track Illegal Gunfire in Major U.S. Cities

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July 16, 2013, NEWARK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SST, Inc., today announced the launch of its National Gunfire Index which offers the most detailed record available of illegal gunfire activity, including non-homicide firearm violence, in major cities across the United States. This previously unattainable data on gunfire activity provides a more comprehensive data set than has ever been […]

25 Jul, 2013

More nations turn to Chinese currency for investment and trade settlement

By WANG XIAOTIAN and LI XIANG

Beijing, 2013-07-22 (China Daily) – Although the money markets have gone into a tizzy recently, there have been some unrelated developments that clearly underscore the growing global influence of China’s currency, the yuan also known as renminbi. Indications that the yuan is well on its way to becoming an “international” currency heightened after important currency […]

25 Jul, 2013

Chinese President eyes ‘golden water route’ along the Yangtze

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(China Daily), July 22, 2013 – President Xi Jinping called for increased cooperation among Yangtze River ports to transform the region into a “golden water route”, during a surprise visit to the Yangluo Container Port, in Wuhan New Port, on Sunday morning. “We were not informed about President Xi’s visit in advance, so our workers […]

25 Jul, 2013

Amsterdam Airport to Deploy Europe’s Largest Zero-Emissions, “eBuses”

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AMSTERDAM–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 16, 2013  — BYD Company, Ltd. has been selected to supply Europe’s largest, ZERO emissions, all-electric bus fleet. The fleet will be used to transfer passengers between airport terminals and aircraft at one of Europe’s leading airports,  Amsterdam Schiphol. These 35 BYD buses will enter service in July of 2014 and will […]

25 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: China’s booming insomniac numbers

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NANNING, July 24 (Xinhua) — Since she was recruited two years ago, falling asleep has been a big headache for Yang Shuai. The 24-year-old woman usually gets home at around 10 p.m., but cannot fall asleep until two or three o’clock in the morning. “It’s hard to fall asleep because I’m always thinking of job-related […]

25 Jul, 2013

Gulf Grows in Black-White Views of U.S. Justice System Bias

by Frank Newport

July 22, 2013, PRINCETON, NJ, (Gallup Organization)  — While 68% of blacks say the American justice system is biased against blacks, 25% of whites agree. Blacks’ attitudes about the justice system have remained virtually constant over the past 20 years, but whites have become less likely to perceive bias. The new results are based on […]

25 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Depression Costs U.S. Workplaces $23 Billion in Absenteeism

by Dan Witters, Sangeeta Agrawal, and Diana Liu

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2013, (Gallup Organization) — Workers in the U.S. who, at some point in their lives, have been diagnosed with depression miss an estimated 68 million additional days of work each year than their counterparts who have not been depressed — resulting in an estimated cost of more than $23 billion in […]

25 Jul, 2013

Chinese Commentator Questions Value of English Courses Abroad

By Li Xiang (People's Daily Online)

July 24, 2013 (Source/Jiefang Daily) – The excessive costs of studying overseas have begun to attract public concern. Research into overseas travel and study agencies indicates that a substantial proportion of families who sponsor their children on further education courses abroad are low-income wage earners. Mr. Zhu works at a state-owned enterprise. Last year, he […]

25 Jul, 2013

Safety worries mount for Chinese tourists, residents abroad

He Na in Beijing, Li Xiang in Paris and Chen Jia in San Francisco

2013-07-24, (China Daily) – A series of incidents involving Chinese citizens overseas has shocked the country and prompted public concern about the safety of Chinese people when traveling abroad. Six students from the nation were attacked at a house in Hostens, southwestern France, on the night of June 15 by three local men who had […]

25 Jul, 2013

India Publishes Tourism Stats for 2012

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Ministry of Tourism, 23-July, 2013 – The number of domestic tourist visits (DTVs) to States/UTs registered an increase of 19.87% during the year 2012 over 2011 as compared to an increase of 15.6% in 2011 over 2010. According to the latest statistics on tourism in India released by Ministry of Tourism here today during the […]

25 Jul, 2013

China Plans Robust Reform to Expand Railway Network

By WEI TIAN

Beijing, 2013-07-25, (China Daily) – Premier Li Keqiang called on Wednesday for reform of funding methods for railways and for accelerated rail construction in central and western regions. Experts said the measures are part of efforts to stabilize economic growth, which slowed to 7.5 percent in the second quarter, and will help China’s industrial sector […]

25 Jul, 2013

U.S. Must Curb “Step-Motherly” Treatment of Chinese Investors

Commentary By Mei Xinyu

Beijing (China Daily), 2013-07-24 – The fifth China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, held earlier this month, has produced tangible results in a wide range of areas of long-term strategic importance. One of the most important outcomes of the meeting was the decision to resume negotiations on a “Bilateral Investment Treaty”, because it will have a […]

25 Jul, 2013

Against Backdrop of Taj Mahal, India Launches Campaign to Clean Up Tourist Sites

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Agra, Ministry of Tourism, 24-July, 2013 – Union Tourism Minister Mr K Chiranjeevi launched the Project “Clean India Campaign” at Taj Mahal, Agra today. Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. The first project was at Qutub Minar Delhi which was adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June […]

25 Jul, 2013

U.N. Designates 19 Nov As World Toilet Day To Boost Sanitation Upgrades

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United Nations, Jul 24 2013 (UN News Centre) – In a bid to make sanitation for all a global development priority, the United Nations General Assembly today designated 19 November as World Toilet Day, urging changes in both behaviour and policy on issues ranging from enhancing water management to ending open-air defecation. Adopting a new […]

25 Jul, 2013

Exclusive: Formula One pays just £1m corporation tax on £300m profit – The Independent

The company that runs Formula One has used a complex technique to legally avoid paying tens of millions of pounds in corporation tax despite racking up annual profits of £305m last year, The Independent has learned. F1, which is run by billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, made a net contribution of £945,663 $1,468,000 in corporation tax in […]

24 Jul, 2013

World’s oldest and largest species in decline – IUCN Red List

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Geneva, 02 July 2013, International Union for Conservation of Nature news release – The latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows worrying declines for conifers – the world’s oldest and largest organisms – freshwater shrimps, cone snails and the Yangtze Finless Porpoise. The Santa Cruz Pupfish, a lizard known as the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Health & Wellness Update: Medication for ageing conditions not matching needs

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16 JULY 2013 | GENEVA/COPENHAGEN (World Health Organization media release) – For the first time, EU countries have more people over 65 years of age than under 15 years of age. Echoing the trend seen in Europe, much of the rest of the world, including low-and middle-income countries, is moving in a similar direction. A new […]

24 Jul, 2013

European Consumer Protection Survey Monitors Online Purchasing Trends, Trust Factors

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Brussels, 23 July 2013, European Commission Press release – Protection of consumer rights still varies greatly between EU countries. Only 35% of Europeans are confident buying online from sellers in other EU countries and seven out of ten consumers do not know what do to when they receive products that they did not order. These […]

24 Jul, 2013

European Commission & Council tell G20 summit: Global economy needs REBALANCING

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Brussels, 23 July 2013 (European Commission media release) – In a joint letter to the 28 EU Heads of State and Government European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy inform about the key issues coming up for discussions at the G20 summit in Saint Petersburg on 5-6 September 2013. […]

24 Jul, 2013

Japan Post postcard contest shows some traditions still surviving

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09 July 2013, Universal Postal Union — Japan Post has announced the winners of a postcard-design competition, which put a twist on a New Year’s tradition and the UPU among the judges. Nobuhiro Sato won the best photo card category (above) and thanked the world for their sympathy during the Japan earthquake of 2011. Fumiko […]

24 Jul, 2013

UNWTO to organise 1st International Congress on Pilgrimages and Tourism

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Madrid, July 2013, UNWTO –To raise awareness among the international community about the growing importance of pilgrimage and spiritual tourism in the light of tourism development is among the main objectives of the first International Congress on Pilgrimages and Tourism, to be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in September 2014. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, […]

24 Jul, 2013

IMF Adopts New Measures to Enhance Transparency, Openness

Gillian Nkhata

Washington D.C., (IMF Strategy, Policy, and Review Department) July 22, 2013 – In the latest review of its Transparency Policy, the IMF’s Executive Board has endorsed new measures aiming to increase the amount, timeliness, and accessibility of information that the IMF makes available to the public, the institution announced. Under the Transparency Policy, the publication of […]

24 Jul, 2013

Chris Hedges: ‘Wall Street and Corporations Are Pulling the Strings’ – Truthdig

In the latest installment of a series of interviews on The Real News Network’s “Reality Inserts Itself,” Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges says that the Democratic Party once looked out for the interests of labor and the poor. But that changed, he says, when Bill Clinton entered the White House, and it’s getting worse under President […]

24 Jul, 2013

Death by Corporation, Part II: Companies as Cancer Cells

The financial industry, chemical industry, drug companies, nuclear industrial complex and dirty energy empire work “like tumor cells for the relentless destruction of the environment that they themselves depend upon for their very lives. And the rest of us stand by and watch it happen.” Read the rest: Death by Corporation, Part II: Companies as […]

24 Jul, 2013

One drink too many – The Hindu

Spread awareness about alcoholism in schools. It is never too soon to sensitise kids about its dangers, say those who have been closely associated with the problem. Read the rest: One drink too many – The Hindu.

24 Jul, 2013

Report exposes “Hasbara” courses at Israeli universities | The Electronic Intifada

Various Israeli academic institutions have introduced courses and programs on hasbara — the Hebrew-language term used to describe Israel’s attempts to re-brand its image as its occupation and military aggression makes it increasingly unpopular worldwide. A new report from the Academic Watch Project shows that instead of promoting critical thought and inquiry, these courses at […]

24 Jul, 2013

In photos: Palestinian workers’ everyday nightmare at Israeli checkpoints | The Electronic Intifada

The Eyal terminal at the city of Qalqiliya is one of forty fixed checkpoints located along the boundary between the occupied West Bank and Israel. The terminals are part of an elaborate system of physical and administrative obstacles that Palestinians must navigate in order to enter Israel to work. Every Sunday thousands arrive to the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Israel’s apartheid wall recreated in London art gallery | The Electronic Intifada

The freshness and ingenuity of young Palestinian artists’ work shines through in two new exhibitions in London. Whole in the Wall at Ayyam Gallery is the latest offering by Khaled Jarrar, exemplifying his signature interest in Israel’s wall in the occupied West Bank and his irreverent and yet entirely serious approach to it. Entering the […]

24 Jul, 2013

Experts call for Asia-based models – The Nation

Asian companies need to invent their own business models for long-term sustainability, models that address social and environmental costs, highlight brand building, and capitalise on the diversity of Asian culture, said panellists at an international conference. New models are a must as Asia has to strengthen its resilience to global uncertainties, which are not likely […]

23 Jul, 2013

Secret document reveals scores of civilians killed in US drone strikes – DAWN.COM

A classified Pakistani government document has revealed that scores of civilians died in dozens of CIA-led drone strikes between 2006 and late 2009 in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and that Pakistani officials were “aware of those deaths for many years”. The secret government document was quoted by the London Bureau of Investigative Journalism […]

23 Jul, 2013

Treasure: Australian Tax system at risk – Sydney Morning Herald

The Treasury has admitted it is virtually powerless to stop multinational companies such as Apple and Google dodging tax, saying Australia must focus its efforts on an international crackdown led by the G20 and the OECD. It warned that many of the risks posed by profit shifting by multinationals were underpinned by ”deeply entrenched features […]

23 Jul, 2013

China’s Imports of French wine go sour

By Lyu Chang

Beijing, (China Daily), July 22, 2013 – China’s imports of French wines have fallen amid fears that a trade spat between the European Union and China – the world’s fifth-largest wine market – might lead to higher import tariffs on European wine. Last month, China opened an anti-dumping probe into European wine, which could lead […]

23 Jul, 2013

Korean, Asiana Pilots: Avoid Speculation, Await Final Report on SF Crash

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SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 21, 2013 – The Asiana Pilots Union (APU) and Air Line Pilots Association of Korea (ALPA-K) today issued the following statement on the events and investigation surrounding the crash of Asiana Flight 214. “Accidents that occur in aviation are not due only to a single cause, but from many causes. The list […]

23 Jul, 2013

Reaction to Guangdong airport bomber: Each unfairly treated person is a potential bomb

By Zheng Caixiong and An Baijie

Beijing, (China Daily), July 22, 2013 – Guangdong provincial authorities promised on Sunday to look into the alleged unjust treatment of a disabled man who police say set off an explosive device the day before at Beijing Capital International Airport. The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department said in a statement that the police must thoroughly […]

23 Jul, 2013

Boost for VFR Travel: China Launches New Visas to Boost Family Reunions

By ZHAO YINAN

Beijing, 2013-07-23, (China Daily) – Relatives of foreign residents in China will soon have more opportunities to visit their loved ones, thanks to new visa rules announced on Monday. Under regulations from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, an S visa will be created for family members of professionals from overseas. Spouses, young […]

23 Jul, 2013

Controversy’s Child: Why I Fast During Ramadan – By Punam Mohandas

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My name is Punam, and I am not a Muslim. Paraphrasing Shahrukh’s Khan’s popular film dialogue: “My name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist,” it’s that time of year again when I am impelled to give this somewhat long-winded introduction for myself. But, I digress. We are in the holy month of Ramadan. […]

23 Jul, 2013

Iraq Tourism Minister Blasts U.S. For Not Returning Stolen Relics

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BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 22 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Tourism Minister, Lava al-Samism, lashed out at the US for taking out and keeping tens of thousands of Iraq’s artifacts illegally. “The US is illegally and illicitly keeping about 90,000 pieces of Iraq’s archaeological artefacts, and Washington has refrained from returning them to Iraq,” al-Samism said. He noted […]

23 Jul, 2013

New overhead facility at Mecca Grand Mosque to help disabled, elderly – Arab News

The new mataf bridge around the Holy Kaaba opens for pilgrims this week. Only disabled and elderly pilgrims will be allowed to use the circular bridge that can hold 7,000 wheelchair-borne pilgrims per hour. “Since the bridge would be set apart for weak, infirm and disabled pilgrims, the movement of able-bodied pilgrims below on the […]

23 Jul, 2013

PressTV – US, Israel seeking Palestinian surrender

On Monday, the White House admitted that getting the two sides to agree a peace deal remained an “enormous challenge.” Palestinians are under Israeli military occupation. The Israeli regime has been accused of replicating the former South African Apartheid regime by the UN investigators, politicians and human rights groups. Last month, Ismail Coovadia, outgoing South […]

23 Jul, 2013

Big Data: Fool With A Tool Is Still a Fool

Nate Silver, the poster child for analytic predictions, told a recent conference that the financial crisis was as much about bad modelling as greed. The ratings agencies, he said, based assumptions on past mortgages, not the number of people who would default. Welcome to the world of bad data, something that’s caught on in Australia, […]

23 Jul, 2013

Pentagon shifts drone army to new hot spots worldwide | The Japan Times

As the administration of President Barack Obama dials back the number of drone attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, the U.S. military is shifting its huge fleet of unmanned aircraft to other hot spots around the world. This next phase of drone warfare is focused more on spying than killing and will extend the Pentagon’s […]

23 Jul, 2013

Fukushima operator now admits radioactive water entering the sea – The Japan Times

Fukushima nuclear plant operator Tepco on Monday admitted for the first time that radioactive groundwater is flowing into the sea, fueling fears that marine life is being poisoned. The admission came a day after voters handed the largely pro-nuclear Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — and ally New Komeito — a handsome […]

23 Jul, 2013

Amartya Sen: As an Indian, I don’t want Modi as my PM – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Coming out strongly against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday said he does not want him to become India’s Prime Minister as he does not have secular credentials. The prominent economist also criticised Modi’s model of governance saying he did not approve of it. “Yes, I don’t want […]

23 Jul, 2013

Secret court lets NSA extend its trawl of Verizon customers’ phone records – The Guardian

The National Security Agency has been allowed to extend its dragnet of the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon through a court order issued by the secret court that oversees surveillance. In an unprecedented move prompted by the Guardian’s disclosure in June of the NSA’s indiscriminate collection of Verizon metadata, the Office […]

22 Jul, 2013

Weapons of Mass Distraction—Why the Media Most Americans Consume Is Harmful to Public Health | Alternet

Across the world — Greece, Spain, Brazil, Egypt — citizens are turning angrily to their governments to demand economic fair play and equality. But here in America, with few exceptions, the streets and airwaves remain relatively silent. In a country as rich and powerful as America, why is there so little outcry about the ever-increasing, […]

22 Jul, 2013

PressTV – Ex-MI6 chief threatens to expose secrets of Iraq war

Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove has threatened to expose secrets of Iraq war if he faces censure from the Chilcot inquiry into British involvement in the Iraq war. Sir Richard, who provided intelligence about former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction WMDs, told the Daily Mail that he wrote a detailed […]

22 Jul, 2013

Rioters set Paris ablaze over ban on Islamic veil – The Independent

Interior Minister Manuel Valls appealed for calm. Community leaders said that the riots were a response to the frequent violence and insulting language used by police, rather than a protest against the two-year-old law banning burkas or other full-face coverings. On the second night of protest about 50 young people burned cars and threw Molotov […]

22 Jul, 2013

Visually Impaired Indian Student Memorises Holy Quran Through Braille

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Muqbil

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 22 July 2013 (14 Ramadan 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.

22 Jul, 2013

Prominent Indian filmmaker boycotts Haifa festival to protest Israeli apartheid – Haaretz

Award-winning Indian director Mira Nair has turned down an invitation to be guest of honor at the Haifa Film Festival for political reasons, posting on her Twitter page that she would not visit Israel until “Apartheid is over.” “I will not be going to Israel at this time,” she tweeted last Friday in the second […]

22 Jul, 2013

European Data Privacy Chief says key Entry/Exit System proposal is “costly, unproven and intrusive”

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Brussels, 19 July 2013, European Commission Press Release – There is no clear evidence that the Commission Proposals to create a smart border system for the external borders of the EU will fulfil the aims that it has set out, said the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) today. Following the publication of his opinion which […]

22 Jul, 2013

China shuts down travel agency in GlaxoSmithKline bribery case

By Shi Yingyingin (chinadaily.com.cn)

Shanghai, 2013-07-19 – Shanghai’s tourism authority shut down a travel agency that is under bribery investigation in connection with British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, Xinhua News Agency said on Thursday. Shanghai Linjiang International Travel Agency is suspected of falsifying bills, according to Shanghai Tourism Administration. The agency was ordered to suspend business and overhaul internal procedures. […]

22 Jul, 2013

The Taxman Cometh: Tourism Multinationals to Face Global Heat Over Tax Evasion, Avoidance

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Paris, OECD Media Release, 19/07/2013 – National tax laws have not kept pace with the globalisation of corporations and the digital economy, leaving gaps that can be exploited by multi-national corporations to artificially reduce their taxes. OECD’s Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) offers a global roadmap that will allow governments to […]

22 Jul, 2013

Healthcare Study Identifies Significant Access Barriers in India

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NEW DELHI, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 19, 2013 – While progress has been made in India over the past decade from both public and private sector initiatives, significant challenges persist in providing quality healthcare on an equitable, accessible and affordable basis across all regions and communities, according to a new IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics study. […]

22 Jul, 2013

Gallup Organization to Pay $10.5 Million to Resolve Whistleblower Lawsuit

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)—15 JULY 2013 The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that it has reached a settlement with the Gallup Organization over charges that Gallup had violated the False Claims Act and the Procurement Integrity Act in connection with federal contracts. Gallup has agreed to pay $10.5 million to resolve these allegations that were […]

21 Jul, 2013

Guizhou aims to become “Switzerland in the East”

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GUIYANG, 2013-07-21 (Xinhua) — Well-preserved ecological environment and abundant tourism resources have emboldened officials in southwest China’s Guizhou Province to build their hometown into a “Switzerland in the East”. At an international environmental protection forum held in Guiyang,capital of Guizhou Province, Saturday, local officials said geological resemblance between their hometown and Switzerland gives them advantages […]

21 Jul, 2013

China sends strong signal of “deep-water” economic reform

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BEIJING, 2013-07-21, (Xinhua) — In freeing up lending rates, China has sent a strong signal that it is feeling its way in the “deep water” of reform, moving toward a more open, market-oriented economy. On Friday, China’s central bank announced the sooner-than-expected removal of controls on bank lending rates, effective on Saturday. It canceled the […]

21 Jul, 2013

Reflections on Helen Thomas: Gutsy Journo Who Kept U.S. Presidents On Their Toes

Nicholas F. Benton, Owner-Editor, the Falls Church News-Press

FALLS CHURCH, Va., July 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Kind words came today from the President of the United States and the  President of the White House Correspondents Association on the passing this morning, at age 92, of legendary White House correspondent Helen Thomas. As President Obama said in his short statement, “Helen was a true […]

21 Jul, 2013

Whistleblower law firm probes Expedia Vacation-Waiver Program

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SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)– July 19, 2013 – Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, a consumer-rights law firm, is investigating claims that Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE) may be violating a number of consumer-protection laws in its marketing of its Vacation Waiver program. The firm is investigating potential issues experienced by individuals who purchased an Expedia Vacation Waiver for travel with […]

21 Jul, 2013

Goodbye to my American Dream by Tiffanie Drayton – Alternet

I survived because I was never able to make America my home. I never watched my childhood neighborhood become whitened by helicopter lights in search of criminals or hipsters in search of apartments. No state, city or town has been a mother to me, cradling generations of my family near her bosom, to then be […]

21 Jul, 2013

America’s race question that won’t go away – Sydney Morning Herald

Barack Obama rightly argued on Friday that the lot of successive generations is better. But the he also articulated the ”why” behind the white-black disconnect. “In the African-American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here,” he said. ”I think it’s important to recognise that the African-American community is looking at […]

21 Jul, 2013

Filipino Bishops: GDP Grows, So Why Do the Poor Remain Poor?

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Manila, Philippines July 21, 2013 (Manila Bulletin) — The 7.8 percent growth in the first quarter of the year was something that the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III crows about. Yet, according to the Catholic prelates Filipinos continue to be poor, unable to benefit from this economic growth. Without any evident trickledown effect […]

21 Jul, 2013

University study: Social media impacting teen girls self-esteem

Even though 80 per cent of the girls surveyed were classified as normal weight, 46 per cent said they were dissatisfied with how much they weighed. “Time spent on social network sites was related to lower self-esteem, body-esteem, sense of identity and higher depression,” Amy Slater from Flinders University’s school of psychology said. Social commentator […]

21 Jul, 2013

EU eyes flexible visa rules for China tourists

By Meng Jing

Beijing, 2013-07-20, (China Daily) – The European Union is working on “flexible rules” for visa applications to woo Chinese travelers in a bid to boost the region’s tourism industry, said a top official from the European Commission on Friday. Antonio Tajani, vice-president of the European Commission, told a news conference in Beijing that the commission […]

21 Jul, 2013

More Revelations: US drone strikes guided from Australian outback

A Fairfax Media investigation has now confirmed a primary function of the top-secret signals intelligence base near Alice Springs is to track the precise ”geolocation” of radio signals, including those of hand-held radios and mobile phones, in the eastern hemisphere, from the Middle East across Asia to China, North Korea and the Russian far east. […]

20 Jul, 2013

In Sri Lanka, As One Disastrous Conflict Ends, Another Looms

By Latheef Farook, Colombo Telegraph

Colombo – Organized attacks on Muslims which began almost two years ago continue unabated while the government remains indifferent, impatient Muslims thinking of turning to streets to highlight their grievance and Muslims worldwide closely monitoring developments here. Growing feeling within the Muslim community is that though these attacks look isolated, but they are well organized […]

20 Jul, 2013

Thai Central Bank Governor Outlines Opportunities, Challenges Facing The Asian Century

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Bangkok — The following is the full text of the speech by Dr. Prasarn Trairatvorakul, Governor, Bank of Thailand At The Nation’s 43rd Anniversary International Conference, 19 July 2013. The theme of the conference was “Asia Driving the World.” Distinguished CEO and Chairman, Members of Asia News Network, Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen, It is […]

20 Jul, 2013

Singapore Science Festival 2013 Opens Bigger and Better

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Singapore, July 19, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – The Singapore Science Festival 2013 kicks off today with the launch of X-periment!, a weekend science carnival held from July 19th to July 21st, by Guest-of-Honour Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) at the Central Atrium in Marina Square. The Festival, […]

20 Jul, 2013

Post-2015 Framework “Must Prioritise Help for World’s 1 Billion Disabled”

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United Nations, Department of Public Information (17 July 2013) – Many of the 1 billion disabled people around the world lacked the protections to which they were entitled, even though 132 countries had ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a senior official of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs said […]

20 Jul, 2013

Historic First Performance by Chinese and Indian dulcimers

By Mu Qian (China Daily)

2013-07-18 – For the first time, the Chinese dulcimer yangqin and the Indian dulcimer santoor were played together with a symphony orchestra at a recent concert in Beijing titled East Meets East. “I hope we can keep our own music idioms but at the same time find some common ground,” says yangqin player Liu Yuening, […]

20 Jul, 2013

Chinese courts to create credit blacklists

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BEIJING, July 19, (Xinhua) — Chinese courts will create credit blacklists and make them available to the public, according to a regulation promulgated by the country’s top court on Friday. The regulation, which will take effect from Oct. 1, will urge people who lose their credibility in enforcing judicial execution to perform their duties as […]

20 Jul, 2013

China launches trans-continental cargo train to Germany

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ZHENGZHOU, July 17 (Xinhua) — A cargo train from Zhengzhou in central China to Hamburg in Germany will be launched on Thursday to boost bilateral trade, Chinese railway authorities said Wednesday. The container train will start its journey from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province and pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, White Russia, Poland before reaching Germany, […]

20 Jul, 2013

India Plans Ways to Curb Child Marriage

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Ministry of Women and Child Development, 18-July, 2013, Ministry for Women and Child Development organised a day long National Consultation on draft plan of action on Prevention of Child Marriage, here today. The meeting was presided over by Ms. Nita Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry for Women and Child Development. Also present at the meeting was Mrs […]

20 Jul, 2013

EU Justice Commissioner: U.S. Surveillance is a violation of trust

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Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission, EU Justice Commissioner, made the following remarks at the DLD Women Conference 2013/Munich, 15 July 2013. I’m glad about the opportunity to ‘break new ground’, with you. For me, personally, the DLD is as an extremely useful platform to ‘break new ground’ – some of you might recall […]

20 Jul, 2013

Nearly 2,000 at Fukushima No. 1 face higher thyroid cancer risk | The Japan Times

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Friday that 1,973 workers at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant have estimated thyroid radiation doses exceeding 100 millisieverts and are therefore at higher risk of getting thyroid cancer. The workers will be allowed to undergo annual ultrasonic thyroid examinations free of charge, the utility said. Tepco has given health […]