Author Archive
26 Jun, 2013
US’ days as the world’s sole superpower are numbered
2013-06-26 – The dust appears to have settled on the spying accusations leveled at Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE by the US government. Espionage, however, remains very much front-page news with Edward Snowden, former CIA agent and US National Security Agency contractor, leaking highly controversial documents to the international media. Essentially, Snowden has blown the […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
What Does an Empire Look Like After Its Been Poked in the Eye?
Kuala Lumpur, June 26, 2013 – The unfolding situation around whistleblower Edward Snowden is perhaps the Obama administration’s most notable embarrassment, but how far will Washington go to get even with the countries offering safe haven to the man they view as a fugitive? The Snowden saga has it all: a stealthy CIA employee turned […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
Myanmar bans TIME mag over ‘Buddhist Terror’ cover – Sydney Morning Herald
Myanmar has banned a controversial Time magazine cover story on Buddhist-Muslim religious violence “to prevent further conflict”, according to a government spokesman, after days of angry reaction to the article. The ban on the article, which carried a front page photograph of a prominent radical Buddhist monk accused of fuelling anti-Muslim violence with the headline […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
Unpaid overtime excesses hit young | The Japan Times
Some companies are compelling their younger employees to work more than 100 hours of uncompensated overtime a month to maximize their profits. Japan has been derided for its long working hours for decades, and the risks of the hazardous practice eventually led to the infamous term “karoshi,” or death from overwork. Thanks to the Great […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
From November, Indians to pay Rs 2.7 lakh bond for UK visa – Times of India
LONDON: Planning to visit UK post November? Get ready to deposit a hefty cash bond. India is among the six nations that will have to pay £3,000 as fee from November 2013 to enter Britain, according to plans finalised by the British home office in a fresh crackdown on immigration abuse. The scheme will be […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
‘Unfair and discriminatory’ visa bond angers UK Indians – Times of India
LONDON: The British government’s plans to demand a hefty visa bond from visitors of certain “high-risk” countries such as India continued to create furore in the UK with many calling it “unfair” and “discriminatory”. The HSMP Forum, a non-profit campaign group that fights for the rights of Indian and other non-EU immigrants to the country, […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
Israeli authors campaign against eviction of West Bank villagers | guardian.co.uk
Some of the most celebrated figures in Israeli literature are campaigning to stop the forcible eviction of Palestinian communities in the barren hills of the southern West Bank to clear land for an Israeli military firing zone. Twenty four authors – including the acclaimed triumvirate of David Grossman, Amos Oz and AB Yehoshua – have […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
Japan’s Demand for Halal Food Grows As Muslim Visitor Numbers Rise
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 24 June 2013 (15 Sha’baan 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story.
more…24 Jun, 2013
Column from Palestine: Seven Snippets of “Good News”
One can choose to focus on bad news or good news. What we focus on determines our outlook on life. Good news 1: Over 250 million people watched and anticipated the last episode of the season for the TV show “Arab Idol” and the winner for this season was 23 year old Palestinian Mohammad Assaf […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
Muslim, Buddhist Joint Statement: Ex-PATA CEO Lakshman Ratnapala Responds
Dear Imtiaz, Re your story today, it is well and good for Buddhist and Muslim leaders to pledge shared action. However, going by what you report, they are missing two vital areas that call loudly for action. These being the economic disparities that sow the seeds of conflict and the prejudiced media that fan the […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
PressTV – Zionists controlling US Congress, world economy: Arif Hussain
What do you think controlling the parliament of a country means? It means political invasion, it means controlling the decision-making body of a nation and it means that by now the actual decision-maker is the invader. Sometimes when the president of the United States just comes in front and says “all the options are on […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
Critical Thinking, Good Writing Cited as Most Important Skills for Jobseeking College Graduates
DAVENPORT, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)– June 20, 2013 – Entering one of the most competitive job markets in history, critical thinking and written communications are the most important skills college graduates in business and information technology (IT) programs will need to succeed in the workforce. That finding is part of the inaugural Student Advisory Report, “If I […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
U.S. Court Rules OTAs Must Pay Taxes On Hotel Rooms Sold in Chicago
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 21, 2013 – In a major win for taxpayers, Judge Robert Lopez Cepero of the Cook County Circuit Court ruled today that online travel companies such as Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline are required to remit taxes to the City of Chicago on gross receipts from hotel room sales in Chicago, according to Cohen […]
more…24 Jun, 2013
Xinhua Commentary: U.S. owes world explanations over troubling spying accusations
BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) — Edward Snowden, a U.S. intelligence contractor who divulged some of the most secretive spying activities of the U.S. government, has put Washington in a really awkward situation. In the past few months, U.S. politicians and media outlets have thrown out Internet spying accusations one after another against China, trying to […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
Thailand introduces software to reveal air pollution
National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Thailand last week introduced new software to reveal air pollution levels in Bangkok from car exhaust pipes as well as assess the risk level of residents to carcinogenic fumes. Developed in partnership with Bara Scientific, the NIBRA software is able to record accurate amount of toxic substances, allowing relevant […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
The wartime horror inflicted on Vietnam – FT.com
In rural Quang Nam province in June 1966, four unarmed local people approached a group of Marines in an attempt to retrieve the body of an elderly man killed the day before by US troops. They wore white, carried a white flag bearing a red cross and brought a letter of introduction in English from […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
All aboard the luxury train | The Japan Times
Japan’s train system is the envy of the world, but with new luxury trains on offer from three Japanese railway companies, that envy is likely to increase. Kyushu Railway, as well as East Japan and West Japan Railways, will offer luxury trains to cruise Japan in a style far removed from the usual crowded conditions […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
Child Abuse victims may have consented: Australian Rabbi — Sydney Morning Herald
A senior Australian rabbi who failed to stop an alleged paedophile from sexually abusing boys at a Sydney Jewish school said some of the victims may have consented to sexual relations and has warned that involving police now would ”open a can of worms”. Former senior Sydney Rabbi Boruch Dov Lesches made the extraordinary remarks […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
New US top diplomat for East Asia says rebalance pivot needs to be “rebalanced”
2013-06-22 (China Daily) – Daniel Russel, US President Barack Obama‘s pick as top diplomat for East Asia, believes that the US strategy of rebalancing toward Asia needs to be rebalanced. In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Thursday afternoon, Russel proposed that diversification of the rebalance strategy is of “first and foremost” importance. The […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
UN Meeting Focuses on Why Resource-rich Countries Are Plagued by Conflict, Instability, Corruption
United Nations, 19 June 2013, (Department of Public Information) – The current of wealth from the world’s abundant natural resources was too often diverted away from populations in need, instead feeding conflicts and corruption, and leading to human rights abuses and environmental damage, warned a number of high-level speakers as they briefed the Security Council […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
On 1 Year, Snowden, Manning And More – By Julian Assange
22 June, 2013 – Wikileaks – It has now been a year since I entered this embassy and sought refuge from persecution. As a result of that decision, I have been able to work in relative safety from a US espionage investigation. But today, Edward Snowden’s ordeal is just beginning. Two dangerous runaway processes have […]
more…23 Jun, 2013
Buddhist, Muslim leaders warn of rising extremism, pledge “shared action” to tackle it
BANGKOK – Buddhist and Muslim leaders from South and South East Asian countries, meeting here on 16 June 2013, have issued a joint statement warning of the rise of extremism, religious discrimination and violence, and pledged shared action to counter it via a range of intra-religious and inter-religious initiatives. The statement offers a golden opportunity […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
2013: The Year of the Social Executive – ExecuNet Survey
NORWALK, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 20, 2013 – If you were an executive entering the job market in 2003, your goal might have been to wind up in a recruiter’s résumé database. But in 2013, it’s all about meeting people and making new friends who will get you in the door. A recent ExecuNet survey reveals that […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
Congress on Traditional Asian Medicine to Be Held in Korea, September 2013
SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 21, 2013 – The 8th ICTAM Organizing Committee — in recent years interest for traditional medicine has been growing within academia. Traditional medicine includes Korean medicine, Chinese medicine, Indian medicine, Chiropractic and Homeopathy. Knowledge exchange in various traditional medicine fields has been actively done for decades, which also triggered a new […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
Gallup Poll Shows Best, Worst Places to Find Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 21, 2013 — Fifty-seven percent of adults worldwide said it was a bad time to find a job in their local communities last year, unchanged from 2011. One-third said it was a good time to find a job, also mirroring the 2011 figure. Although global views toward the job market are unchanged […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
Snapshot: U.S. Obesity Rate Ticking Up
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The adult obesity rate in the U.S. thus far in 2013, at 27.1%, is on pace to surpass rates in prior years. It is up from 26.2% in 2012 and much higher than the 25.5% found in 2008. This uptick in obesity is accompanied by slight declines in the percentage of Americans […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
Why the U.S. Government Spies on Communities of Color | Alternet
June 19, 2013 | WASHINGTON D.C. – Revelations of a massive cyber-surveillance program targeting American citizens holds particularly chilling consequences for immigrants and communities of color. Given the history of such programs, going back to the pre-digital age, these groups have reason to fear. Who is mined, who is profiled, and who suffers at the […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
The movies that make us want to travel – Art – The Independent
Stunning film locations can excite the wanderlust in us all. We ask a selection of celebrities which movies get them going Read the rest: The pictures that take us to another place – Features – Art – The Independent.
more…22 Jun, 2013
Suppressed report reveals law firms, telecoms giants and insurance firms hire criminals to steal rivals’ info – The Independent
Some of Britain’s most respected industries routinely employ criminals to hack, blag and steal personal information on business rivals and members of the public, according to a secret report leaked to The Independent. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) knew six years ago that law firms, telecoms giants and insurance were hiring private investigators to […]
more…22 Jun, 2013
Twenty truths about the sharemarket: Sydney Morning Herald
Fifty per cent of making money from the sharemarket is not picking the best stocks, it is avoiding the bad stocks. So why does everyone spend 100 per cent of their efforts finding good stocks? Read the rest: Twenty truths about the sharemarket.
more…21 Jun, 2013
China earmarks $122m for green transport
BEIJING, 2013-06-20, (Xinhua) – China’s central government has injected 750 million yuan ($121.56 million) in subsidies to boost low-carbon transport in the past two years. Triggered by this, the transport sector has attracted about 20 billion yuan in investment for energy conservation and carbon emissions cuts since 2011, the Ministry of Finance said Thursday. These […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
Wanda to launch $1b New York hotel project
2013-06-20, (Crienglish.com) – Dalian Wanda Group Corp Ltd, one of China’s largest property developers, plans to invest about $1 billion to build a five-star hotel in New York as its third major investment outside its home market, Wang Jianlin, chairman of Wanda said on Wednesday. Wang said that Wanda is negotiating with potential partners for […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
Guangdong Travel agencies to get tourist incentive
Guangzhou, 2013-06-20 – Travel agencies will be given 10 yuan ($1.61) a day for each foreign tourist staying overnight in the Guangdong provincial capital. The incentive, double the 5 yuan introduced in 2010, starts from Tuesday Guangzhou-based New Express Daily reported. All travel agencies, including those registered outside the city, are eligible if they have […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
In defense of Edward Snowden
2013-06-20 – The US government has a bad habit, the habit of falsely accusing others of immoral acts or crimes which it itself commits. In the run-up to the US-led invasion of Iraq, for example, high-ranking American officials – with the Western media in tow – repeatedly claimed that Iraq was armed with weapons of […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
Chinese Analysis: Why developed countries are keen to show united front
2013-06-20 – Presidents and prime ministers from the Group of Eight gathered for their annual summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland last Monday and Tuesday. Although the unprecedented financial crisis has somewhat played down the significance of the G8 summit, it was the former US government subcontractor Edward Snowden’s revelations about the US National Security […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
China’s View: What has the Prism program taught us?
June 20, 2013 – Following the exposure of the Prism program, the U.S. government has sought to do three things: The first is to emphasize the necessity of the secret monitoring program. A spokesman for the U.S. government and other senior officials have repeatedly defended the program and tried to claim that the project has […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
China “unlikely to take more property-tightening measures”
BEIJING, June 19, (Xinhua) — The government is not likely to release new tightening policies in the short-term to curb property prices, JP Morgan’s chief China economist Zhu Haibin said Wednesday. He said that given the faltering economic recovery and varied regional conditions, the possibility for the central government to release new tightening policies targeting […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
WHO report: Violence against women a “problem of epidemic proportions”
20 June 2013 | Geneva – Physical or sexual violence is a public health problem that affects more than one third of all women globally, according to a new report released by the World Health Organisation in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council. The […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
World Bank to Loan US$216 Million to Upgrade Kerala State Transport
Ministry of Finance, 19-June, 2013 – The Loan and Project Agreements for World Bank (IBRD) assistance of US$ 216 million for Second Kerala State Transport Project were signed between Government of India/Government of Kerala and World Bank at New Delhi today. The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr Nilaya Mitash (Joint Secretary, Department of Economic […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
India Announces Campaign to Promote Himalayas
Ministry of Tourism, 19-June, 2013 – Mr K. Chiranjeevi, Union Minister of Tourism today announced the launch of a new campaign to publicise the tourism potential of the Himalayas and promote this incredible tourist product internationally. To be called “777 days of the Indian Himalayas”, the campaign will have a twofold objective, one to attract […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
If your name is Ahmed or Fatima, you are a person of interest to the NSA | guardian.co.uk
By Anna Lekas Miller One of the most common responses from the 66% of American citizens in favor of the NSA’s data-collection programs is, “I have nothing to hide, so why should I have anything to fear?” But what if you have nothing to hide but are targeted as a suspect nevertheless? By that I […]
more…21 Jun, 2013
PressTV – US taxpayers pay for apartheid Israel regime
As US Secretary of State John Kerry attempts to put his particular spin on resolving the generations-old crisis of Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, he has travelled to the World Economic Forum. There he waved the possibility of USD 4 billion investments in the Palestinian economy, from a worldwide conglomerate of investors, over a period […]
more…20 Jun, 2013
India sets up nationwide snooping programme to tap emails, phones – Times of India
NEW DELHI: India has launched a wide-ranging surveillance program that will give its security agencies and even income tax officials the ability to tap directly into e-mails and phone calls without oversight by courts or parliament, several sources said. The expanded surveillance in the world’s most populous democracy, which the government says will help safeguard […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
End the lethal combination of sport and alcohol: Sydney Morning Herald
There are few things in Australia that unite, motivate and engage like sport. What a national shame that it has sold its soul and players to the alcohol industry. State of Origin is now a battle of the beer brands. Almost every major male sporting code is underwritten by alcohol sponsorship. Why? Is it because […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Myanmar Must Tackle Discrimination Against Minorities – UN Human Rights Chief
GENEVA (19 June 2013) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday urged the government of Myanmar to devote urgent attention to tackling the continuing discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in the country, warning that failure to act could undermine the reform process. “Myanmar today can act as a source of […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
China’s Shaolin Temple, Home of Kung Fu, Plans Global Promotion Campaign
Beijing, 2013-06-19, (Xinhua) – The Shaolin Temple, known as the cradle of Chinese kung fu, is preparing to stage its first cultural festival in the United States as part of efforts to expand its global clout. The first North America Shaolin Cultural Festival is scheduled to be held from Oct 8 to 14 in Los […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Jackie Chan film Launches Week-long Chinese Film Festival in India
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 18-June, 2013 — The Minister for Information & Broadcasting Shri Manish Tewari and Chinese Minister of State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Televison Mr.Cai Fuchao today jointly inaugurated the six day Chinese Film Festival at Sirifort. Jackie Chan’s latest film “Chinese Zodiac” was the opening film. Mr. Tewari […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Shocking Poll Result: 70% of Americans ‘Emotionally Disconnected’ at Work | Alternet
June 18, 2013 | If you thought that Americans who kept their jobs during the Great Recession were glad to be working, you would be dead wrong. According to a Gallup.com report, 70 percent of American workers are “emotionally disconnected” at work, with nearly one in five employees “actively disengaged.” It’s zombieland out there for […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Building blocks of servitude | The Hindu
First, workers are forced to work extremely long and irregular hours at the kilns sometimes, 4 a.m. to 11 p.m with a half-hour lunch break. Second, the conditions of work are quite hazardous and affect their long-term health. Third, their living conditions are quite appalling, as they are forced to house themselves right next to […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Indian Supreme Court to hear PIL on US surveillance of Internet data | The Hindu
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to give an urgent hearing to a PIL on the issue of US National Security Agency snooping on Internet data from India and seeking to initiate action against internet companies for allowing the agency to access the information. Agreeing to hear the PIL filed by a former Dean of […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Peace move in Ayodhya – Hindustan Times
Ayodhya doesn’t reverberate with Jai Shri Ram slogans anymore. But Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders arriving in the temple town on Wednesday for a function organised by Ramjanmabhoomi Trust convener Mahant Nritya Gopal Das are certain to reiterate their resolve to build a Ram temple where a makeshift temple now stands. Nothing new. What is new […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
European Commission market-tests Visa Europe’s commitments on fee payment changes – FAQs
Brussels, 13 June 2013 – The European Commission is inviting comments from interested parties on commitments offered by Visa Europe. Visa Europe has offered to significantly cut its multilateral interchange fees (MIFs) for credit card payments, to a level of 0.3% of the value of the transaction (a reduction of about 40 to 60%) and […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Smartphones and the rise of child accidents | The Guardian
The problem with much mobile technology is that it’s not really designed to be used while you’re actually mobile – or at least, not if being mobile demands that you concentrate on something other than your mobile technology. Like driving, for example. There’s a reason why the use of handheld devices behind the wheel is […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
Asia Times Online: The making of a global security state
By Tom Engelhardt As happens with so much news these days, the Edward Snowden revelations about National Security Agency (NSA) spying and just how far we’ve come in the building of a surveillance state have swept over us 24/7 – waves of leaks, videos, charges, claims, counterclaims, skullduggery, and government threats. When a flood sweeps […]
more…19 Jun, 2013
As Tourism Booms in Mekong Subregion, Focus Shifts to Management, Sustainability
Guilin, China, (18 June 2013) – The promotion of tourism to and within the Greater Mekong Subregion entered a new phase on June 18 with the endorsement of a US$741 million funding package that will strive to better balance and manage the emerging issues in a booming part of the world. With all the six […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
New Report Rates Tourism Status of European Cities
London, 18 June 2013 – European Cities have out-performed nations and have become the driving force in the development of European tourism. The evidence and the facts are clear to see in the recently published 9th edition of “The European Cities Marketing Benchmarking Report”, the main reference in Europe for urban tourism, compiled by MODUL […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
Europe Seeks Immigration Policy Overhaul to Attract Talent, Spur Growth
Brussels, 17 June 2013 – How are the EU and its Member States addressing the challenges and opportunities of migration? Analysing the 2012 and early 2013 developments in the areas of immigration and asylum, a Commission report published today calls for a more coherent EU response. This includes reinforcing well-managed legal immigration and integration policies, […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
Activist Post: 21 Facts About NSA Snooping That Every American Should Know
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what the NSA is actually doing. Are they reading our emails? Are they listening to our telephone calls? Do they target American citizens or is it only foreigners that they are targeting? Unfortunately, the truth is that we aren’t going to get straight answers from our […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
EU: Privacy, Trust Must Be Priority Basis for Credible Cyber Security Strategy
Brussels, 17 June 2013 – Cyber security is not an excuse for the unlimited monitoring and analysis of the personal information of individuals, said the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) today following the publication of his opinion on the EU’s strategy on cyber security. While there is a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of data […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
Internet Society Statement: “Trust” Compromised by Surveillance Revelations
WASHINGTON & GENEVA–(BUSINESS WIRE)– June 12, 2013 – The following is the full text of a statement released by the Internet Society in the wake of revelations of U.S. government surveillance activities. The Internet Society has noted recent revelations regarding the apparent scope of U.S. government efforts to gather large amounts of end user information […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
City fest displays China’s rise as film power
June 17, 2013 – China will add 45 new IMAX theaters for a total of 150 by year’s end as momentum builds behind the nation’s growing role in international film development and screening, according to movie entrepreneurs, financiers and directors who spoke at the on-going 16th Shanghai International Film Festival. The IMAX announcement was made […]
more…18 Jun, 2013
PressTV – 7 dead, 39 hurt in Father’s Day weekend Chicago shootings
At least seven people have been killed and more than three dozen injured in separate gun-related incidents in Chicago during the city’s most violent weekend of the year, a report says. From Saturday afternoon to Father’s Day Sunday, at least six people were killed and 27 others wounded by firearms in the US State of […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
Indian VP Warns Media: Beware Corporate Owners, Black Money & Dodgy Private Equity
Vice President’s Secretariat, 15-June, 2013 – Vice President of India Prof. M. Hamid Ansari has said that we have every reason to be proud of the strength and diversity of Indian media. However, and from time to time, there have been media-related developments that are disconcerting. They raise questions about the media’s objectivity and credibility. […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
Too Much Sitting Not Good for Workers’ Health: Study
SYDNEY, June 17 (Xinhua) — A study has found that for desk- bound office workers, introducing interventions such as sit/stand workstations can reduce sitting time by over an hour each working day — leading to better health. “What we know now is that adults still need their minimum 30 minutes of exercise a day, but […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
US$100 million ADB Loan to Revitalise Old Silk Road Outpost in China’s Poor Northwest
Asian Development Bank, 17 June 2013 – The ADB is providing a $100 million loan to revitalize Jiuquan City, a former outpost along the Silk Road located in the under-developed northwestern region in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “Jiuquan City in Gansu province used to be an oasis on the Hexi corridor along the […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
Drunk Frenchmen Attack Chinese students
BORDEAUX, France, June 16 (Xinhua) — French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll on Sunday denounced the violent attack on Chinese students in southwest France, saying that the country’s image was tarnished by the xenophobic act. “It is an unspeakable act. It is the image of France that is damaged with the xenophobic attitudes,” said Le […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
China’s catering industry looks to beat the slump
BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhuanet) –Top-end restaurants in China have seen a fall in their revenues over the past year. With the government cracking down on wasteful expenditure on lavish restaurant banquets and the like, restaurants have had to re-orient their businesses, which is not proving easy. However, the catering industry as a whole is eager […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
China reclaims world’s fastest supercomputer mantle
BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese supercomputer producer announced Monday that China has once again built the world’s fastest supercomputer, capable of performing 33.86 quadrillion operations per second, surpassing the U.S. Titan supercomputer. The Tianhe-2 has a peak performance speed of 54.9 quadrillion operations per second, according to the National University of Defense Technology, which […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
India Cuts National Roaming Tariff Ceilings, Mandates Free Roaming Plans
Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, 17-June, 2013 – The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has reduced ceilings for national roaming calls and SMS and instituted a new regime for providing flexibility to telecom service providers to customise tariffs for national roamers through STVs and Combo Vouchers. TRAI has also mandated two types of free […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
Indian Railways to Launch Ticket Booking via Mobile Phones
Ministry of Railways, 17-June, 2013 – Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC),a public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, will be launching a pilot project of ticketing through non-internet based mobile phones with effect from 1st July 2013. This will enable anyone using non-internet based mobile phones to easily access Railway ticketing services […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
FREE Download: OECD Report Cites Challenges of Europe’s Ageing Population
17/06/2013 – According to a new OECD report sponsored by the European Commission. the fastest-growing age group are people over 80 whose number will almost triple by 2060, rising from 4.6% of the population to 12% in 2050 in the European Union. It is estimated that up to half of them will need help to […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
China Speaks Out: The thinking behind U.S. surveillance programs
June 17, 2013 – In the last few days, revelations about two U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programs have caused international consternation. Two questions in particular require answers. First: how to find the right balance between national security and individual privacy? According to the White House, the purpose of intelligence surveillance is to prevent […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
Asia Times Online: When will the dirty wars end?
Director Rick Rowley and journalist Jeremy Scahill’s much talked about docu-thriller Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield opened on June 7 to strong positive reviews. A companion piece to Scahill’s book of the same name, Dirty Wars details the growing use of extrajudicial assassinations by the US executive branch to strike at targets around […]
more…17 Jun, 2013
‘Pakistan Corner’ Set up at Thammasat University Library, Bangkok
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 17 June 2013 (08 Sha’baan 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.
more…16 Jun, 2013
Global poll shows huge support for policies to curb multinational tax scams
14 June 2013 (ITUC-CSI media release): Eighty-five per cent of voters in 13 countries including six G8 economies support policies to stop large and multi-national corporates avoiding tax, according to a new public opinion poll released by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ahead of the G8 Summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland. The UK […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
Corporate Pirates of the Caribbean: IPS report exposes pro-austerity U.S. CEOs seeking more tax haven loopholes
12 June 2013 (Institute for Policy Studies) – CEOs with the dubious lobby group “Fix the Debt” are pushing for cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and the social safety net, painting themselves as the good guys in the budget debate. But as they ask for everyday Americans to accept cuts, these CEOs are brazenly seeking […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
Investigative Journalists Centre Releases Database Of Names Behind Secret Companies, Trusts
WASHINGTON, June 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a project of the Center for Public Integrity, today released an interactive database that cracks open the historically impenetrable world of offshore tax havens. The ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database allows users to search through more than 100,000 secret companies, trusts and funds created […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
U.K.’s Island Tax Havens Back Efforts to Curb Tax Evasion, Fraud
LONDON, June 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The following statement was issued today by Political Leaders of the Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands. We, the Political Leaders of the Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos, warmly welcome our […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
World Football Chief Blatter to Visit Palestine in July
RAMALLAH, June 11, 2013 (WAFA) – Sepp Blatter, president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), is expected to visit Palestine in July to help alleviate the problems facing Palestinian athletes from the Israeli occupation, Jibril Rjoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association, said Tuesday. He said in a press conference that five main […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
U.S. blind to Latin America
2013-06-13 – The Barack Obama administration and US media have made much ado about the “pivot” to Asia policy of Washington. What has largely escaped their attention, however, is that China has been lining up economic allies in the erstwhile “backyard” of the US. Just as serious competition ought to awaken one’s creative juices in […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
Whistleblower pulls US into confidence crisis
2013-06-14 – US whistleblower Edward Snowden has disclosed that the US government had been hacking into computers in Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland since 2009, sparking extensive discussions about the US cyber policy and its long-held accusation against China. The 29-year-old defense contractor revealed two classified National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programs, one […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
Surveillance programs reveal U.S. hypocrisy
BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhuanet) – In the past years, the U.S. Government has been blaming other countries for threatening cyber security. However, the recent leakage of the two top-secret U.S. surveillance programs of the National Security Agency (NSA) has smashed the image of the U.S. as a cyber liberty advocate and revealed its hypocrisy. Edward […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
People’s Daily Online Commentary: Security and privacy – Where to draw the line?
June 14, 2013 – A massive clandestine US program involving phone and Internet surveillance is currently being exposed in the world’s media. The technology companies which have participated in the program reportedly include Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube and Apple. PRISM is the codename of a top secret U.S. National Security Agency […]
more…16 Jun, 2013
Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You: America Declares War on World Currencies
June 14, 2013 – It can now be fully confirmed that we are in the middle of a currency war on a global scale. On April 19, the Thai baht was trading at Bt28.55 against the US dollar. At that point, Dr Prasarn Trairatvorakul, the Bank of Thailand governor, almost lost his job. He’d failed […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
Bloomberg: US Agencies Actually Share Data With Thousands of Firms | Gizmodo India
Bloomberg is reporting that the recent NSA Prism scandal is just a tiny scratch on the privacy surface. Citing “”four people familiar with the process””, the agency claims that in fact thousands of technology, finance and manufacturing companies work with US national security agencies. In return for providing “”sensitive information””, Bloomberg claims these companies receive […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
Don’t repeat Iraq mistake in Syria, Russia warns America – The Times of India
MOSCOW: Russia said on Friday that US data on the Syrian regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons was “unconvincing”, and warned Washington against repeating the mistake it made when invading Iraq after falsely accusing Saddam Hussein of stocking weapons of mass destruction. The Kremlin’s top foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov also said the US decision […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
PressTV – 4 people shot dead by US homegrown terrorist in Missouri
Four people have been shot and killed in a shooting at the Cherokee Place Business Incubator in the US city of St. Louis, Missouri, police say. “There are 4 adult victims, 2 male and 2 female, confirmed dead at a scene of a shooting in the 2700 block of Cherokee,” city police said on Twitter […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
Now, China’s Turn to Blast Unjustified US Intelligence-Gathering
2013-06-13 – After an ex-CIA employee and former intelligence contractor, Edward Snowden, leaked to two newspapers last week that the US National Security Agency has a top secret program that collects and analyzes data from Internet users around the world, a storm of outrage has gathered and continues to blow this week. While US intelligence […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
Emerging economies closely watching capital outflows
SINGAPORE, June 13 (Xinhua) — Monetary authorities in emerging economies are closely watching the impact of the capital outflows amid market expectation that the Federal Reserve’s exit from the quantitative easing may be close, though analysts say it is most likely a short-term adjustment. It is estimated that at least 2.5 billion U.S. dollars have […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
U.S. Commerce Department Forecasts Strong Growth For Travel to U.S. 2013-2018
Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI). June 13, 2013 – The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) projects international travel to the United States will continue experiencing strong growth through 2018, based on the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries’ 2013 Spring Travel Forecast. Building on a record-breaking 2012, visitor volume is expected to rise […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
Assange: Snowden “a hero to all humanity”
SYDNEY, June 13 (Xinhua) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has called whistleblower Edward Snowden “a hero to all humanity”in a live video address to the University of Sydney on Thursday. “Men like Snowden have shown extreme degrees of civic courage,” he told a packed auditorium of delegates on the closing night of the 19th International […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
World Population Projected To Reach 9.6 Billion By 2050 – U.N. Report
United Nations, (UN News Centre) – Jun 13 2013 – The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by 2050, according to a United Nations report launched today, which points out that growth will be mainly in developing countries, with […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
U.N. Issues Call To Youth To Support Action Against Climate Change
United Nations, (UN News Centre) – Jun 13 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today issued a call to action for the world’s youth to tackle climate threats, stressing that young people are “agents of change” that bring fresh and innovative ideas to address “this most pressing issue.” “I am glad to have this chance to […]
more…14 Jun, 2013
U.S. Polls Show Contradictory Results on Govt Wiretapping & Surveillance
In a development that could impact on their own credibility, opinion poll results by two of the United States’ best-known public opinion survey organisations have shown totally opposite views of the U.S. government’s controversial wiretapping and surveillance activities. The divergence of opinion was clearly reflected in the headlines themselves. The first poll released on June […]
more…13 Jun, 2013
Who Decides? | American Civil Liberties Union
By Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project I’d like to make one major point about the NSA surveillance scandal that many people have made indirectly, or implicitly, or seem to have assumed, but have not stated baldly and explicitly. That point is how this incident has laid bare the arrogance […]
more…13 Jun, 2013
Privacy is not American – Indian Express
The latest Prism and Verizon revelations about the United States’ surveillance and data mining programmes are a reminder of the profound crisis facing liberal democracies. There are complex legal and technical issues. But the moral framework that President Obama has set up to justify these programmes will dent the reputation of the US. Obama blithely […]
more…13 Jun, 2013
Big Brother is listening – DAWN.COM
A few US legislators have expressed degrees of consternation over the content of the NSA leaks, rather than joining the usual chorus of condemnation. It doesn’t necessarily follow, though, that meaningful steps to roll back the totalitarian impulses of the security state are likely to be initiated in the foreseeable future. Quite apart from the […]
more…13 Jun, 2013
Opinion: Roll back the surveillance state – POLITICO.com
Last year, there were 212 of these Section 215 orders so the full extent of the NSA’s surveillance is still within the agency’s black box. Some news reports say that these programs include financial data and email records too. This is entirely possible given the breadth of Section 215. The program’s advocates claim that records […]
more…12 Jun, 2013
The US is behaving like China: Ai Weiwei – The Guardian
Even though we know governments do all kinds of things I was shocked by the information about the US surveillance operation, Prism. To me, it’s abusively using government powers to interfere in individuals’ privacy. This is an important moment for international society to reconsider and protect individual rights. I lived in the United States for […]
more…12 Jun, 2013
China Demands, and Gets, “Mutual Respect” in Future Relations with U.S.
BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) — Although Chinese President Xi Jinping returned home Sunday, political pundits across the world are still trying to decipher the significance of his unprecedented informal summit with U.S. President Barack Obama over the weekend. During the two-day summit, staged in the picturesque Sunnylands estate in California, the two leaders spent more […]
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