7 May, 2013

After Bangladesh Tragedy, UN Urges Businesses, Consumers To Better Know Their Supply Chains

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United Nations, May 6 2013 (UN News Centre) – In the wake of the deadly tragedy at a garment factory in Bangladesh, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today challenged the United Nations Global Compact to strengthen its engagement in promoting safe and sustainable employment and opportunity. “Businesses around the world are waking up to the urgency of […]

7 May, 2013

UNCTAD Meeting Hails Vital Role Of SME Entrepreneurs In Economic Growth

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Geneva, 6 May 2013 (UNCTAD Media release) – The founding of new businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), makes economies more stable, spurs economic growth, and plays a major role in innovation and job creation, a series of experts has said. A high-level segment of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission on 29 April […]

7 May, 2013

Chinese President makes four-point Proposal for Middle East Settlement

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping here on Monday made a four-point proposal for the settlement of the Palestinian question during his talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The four-point proposal is as follows: First, the right direction to follow should be an independent Palestinian State and peaceful co-existence of Palestine […]

7 May, 2013

China Experiencing a Craze For Thai Buddha Amulets

(Global Times)

Beijing, May 06, 2013 – Since ancient times, wearing an amulet was supposed to endow the owner with either a protective quality, or would herald the coming of good luck and fortune. These days, when high-profile Chinese celebrities have turned to wearing an amulet as a fashion statement, the market in China, whether the wearers […]

7 May, 2013

CIO Survey: Tech Gadgets Contributing to Decline in Workplace Etiquette

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MENLO PARK, Calif., May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Technology is one of the most effective ways to bring people together at work, but it may also be causing a digital divide, a new Robert Half Technology survey of chief information officers (CIOs) suggests. Sixty-four percent of CIOs said higher use of mobile gadgets such as […]

7 May, 2013

‘Blind Justice’ — TV Ad Campaign Calls For Accountability in Wake of U.S. Prosecutorial Misconduct Pandemic

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– May 07, 2013  – Blind Justice, the first national nonprofit advocate dedicated to conviction integrity and accountability within the justice system, marks its official formation today with the launch of a national ad campaign calling for prosecutor accountability. The new 501(c)(4) social welfare organization’s television ads will be part of a bigger campaign […]

6 May, 2013

Early Bird Offer Open to Register for Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo

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 06 May 2013 (25 Jumaada al-Thaani 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story.

5 May, 2013

India Inaugurates Int’l Centre for Environment Audit & Sustainable Development

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Vice President’s Secretariat, 04-May, 2013 – The Vice President of India Mr M. Hamid Ansari has said that India has been active in international forums relating to environmental protection, and is party to 94 multilaterals environmental agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora […]

5 May, 2013

DHS orders checks on all student visas – The Japan Times

WASHINGTON – The Homeland Security Department ordered border agents “effective immediately” to verify that every international student who arrives in the United States has a valid student visa, according to an internal memorandum obtained Friday by AP. The new procedure is the government’s first security change directly related to the Boston bombings. The order from […]

5 May, 2013

Chinese Journalism Professor: Master information flow, instead of becoming its slave

By Jin Jianbin (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-05-04 – Most people today face the problem of information overflow. Virtually we can’t avoid being the target of a variety of news, stories and commercials that play on our curiosity. A majority of us communicate with the world through what are collectively called the three screens: the TV screen, the computer screen and […]

4 May, 2013

China Bids to Attract Talent: Five-year Visas for Foreigners on Way

By CHEN XIN (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-05-04 – Foreign talent will soon be eligible for China visas valid for up to five years, under a draft regulation. The draft was released by the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council on Friday, and public opinion is being sought for a month. It states that China will grant two new types […]

4 May, 2013

India must tackle root causes of violence against women – UN rights expert

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NEW DELHI / GENEVA (3 May 2013) – New laws against rape passed in India in the wake of the fatal gang rape of a female student in Delhi last December do not go far enough, the United Nations expert on violence against women has said. UN Special Rapporteur Rashida Manjoo* said that while the […]

4 May, 2013

World Press Freedom Day: U.N. Decries ‘Grim Catalogues’ of Attacks on Journalists

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United Nations, Department of Public Information, 03 May 2013 – The increasing violence across the world against traditional and new media journalists alike undermined the very foundation of democratic societies, good governance, freedom of expression, and the right to receive and impart information and ideas, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, said […]

4 May, 2013

U.N. Committee on Information Urges Systemic “Culture of Communications and Transparency”

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New York, Department of Public Information, 2 May 2013 – Concluding its two-week annual session this afternoon, the Committee on Information emphasized that public information and communications should be at the heart of the United Nations’ strategic management, with a “culture of communications and transparency” permeating all levels so the Organization could best promote an […]

4 May, 2013

At Awards Ceremony, Indian Leaders Call for “Morally Energising” Films Which Promote Cultural Harmony

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President of India Pranab Mukherjee marks 100 years of Indian Cinema,  postal stamps of 50 iconic movie personalities. Confers Film Awards at 60th NFA Function Government to launch Centenary Award recognising Paradigm Transformation in Film making Mahadev Auditorium to become Hub for Alternate Cinema New Delhi, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 03-May, 2013 – The […]

4 May, 2013

Indian Finance Minister’s Speech at ADB AGM: “India – Next Wave of Inclusive growth”

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New Delhi, Ministry of Finance, 03-May, 2013 – Following is the Speech of the Union Finance Minister Mr P. Chidambaram at India Day: “India – Next Wave of Inclusive Growth” today at the Asian Development Bank Meeting at IEML, Greater Noida today: President, ADB, President, FICCI, delegates to the ADB Annual meeting and friends, I […]

4 May, 2013

Renovated Gallery of South Indian Paintings Opens at National Museum, New Delhi

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New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, 03-May, 2013 – Union Minister for Culture Mrs. Chandresh Kumari Katoch today re-opened the renovated gallery of Tanjore and Mysore Schools of South Indian Paintings at the National Museum, New Delhi for public. The Gallery comprises 88 paintings. Although almost every painting is unique, some of the masterpieces are examples […]

4 May, 2013

Middle East Deadlock: Same Process, No Progress – The Daily Beast

Most observers agree that if the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process” is still alive it is on life support with the plug half hanging out of the socket. Last year’s vote at the United Nations, when most of the world opposed the United States’ position and voted for Palestinian statehood, was an international referendum on U.S. mediation. […]

4 May, 2013

Asia Times Online: Irrational rhetoric fuels illegal wars – Ramzy Baroud

During a talk sponsored by the New American Foundation in March 2008, author Parag Khanna addressed the rising challenges facing the US’s global hegemony. According to Khanna, China and the European Union are the new contenders with the battlefield being a global “geopolitical marketplace”. One remark particularly puzzled this author greatly. “Why am I talking […]

3 May, 2013

Chomsky: The Boston Bombings Gave Americans a Taste of the Terrorism the U.S. Inflicts Abroad Every Day | Alternet

April is usually a cheerful month in New England, with the first signs of spring, and the harsh winter at last receding. Not this year. There are few in Boston who were not touched in some way by the marathon bombings on April 15 and the tense week that followed. Several friends of mine were […]

3 May, 2013

OECD Week 28-30 May 2013 To Focus on Jobs, Equality and Trust

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Paris, (OECD Media release), May 2, 2013 – “It’s all about people”— this message is at the heart of the debate for the discussions at the 2013 annual OECD Week bringing together the annual OECD ministerial meeting and the OECD Forum where the key issues on the global agenda are debated between all stakeholders – […]

3 May, 2013

China Tightens Regulation Over Wealth Management Products

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BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) — China’s banking regulator has moved to tighten its regulation over banks’ wealth management products to dissolve risks in the shadow banking system that may jeopardize the country’s financial stability. The China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said on Thursday that it would strictly control the direction of investment by wealth management […]

3 May, 2013

China Bids to Help Israel, Palestinians resume peace talks

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JERUSALEM, April 29 (Xinhua) — Chinese special envoy to the Middle East Wu Sike said here Monday that China is willing to exert efforts for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Wu made the remarks after holding separate meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni who is […]

3 May, 2013

“China Ready” becomes new motto of Aussie tourism

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SYDNEY (Xinhua) May 02, 2013 — A radical reshaping is taking place in Australia’s lucrative tourism market, with tourism operators partnering with leading Chinese brands in an attempt to become “China Ready” for Australia’s fastest growing and most cherished market. It’s a market with an impressive annual 12 percent growth and one that by 2020 […]

3 May, 2013

Africa’s Anti-Apartheid Strategies Can Help Free Palestine, UN Meeting in Addis Ababa Told

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ADDIS ABABA, 30 April, Department of Public Information — As the United Nations International Meeting on the Question of Palestine wrapped up its session today, experts urged African Governments to share their negotiating and institution-building tactics, create a continent-wide solidarity movement, and launch a regional peace initiative to help Palestinians remove barriers to statehood. “We have […]

3 May, 2013

FREE Download: Report Shows There Are No Jobs Americans Won’t Do

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WASHINGTON, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Supporters of the Schumer-Rubio amnesty argue that the bill’s large increase in future legal immigration will have little impact on the employment of natives because immigrants do only jobs American’s don’t want. But a detailed analysis of 472 separate occupations by the Center for Immigration Studies shows there are only […]

3 May, 2013

Harris Poll: U.S. Workers Increasingly Worried about Pay, Perks & Prospects

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NEW YORK, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — American workers are increasingly worried about their income and benefits security, as well as their employability, with aggregated concerns regarding these issues showing a slight increase since last month (from 56% in March to 57% in April). This combined measure shows a strong and increasing concern, particularly among older […]

3 May, 2013

Make Walking Safe campaign bids to help cut annual toll of 270,000 pedestrian deaths

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2 May 2013 | GENEVA, (World Health Organisation media release) – More than 270 000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads each year accounting for 22% of the total 1.24 million road traffic deaths. WHO is calling on governments to take concrete actions to improve the safety of pedestrians. Under the banner “Make […]

2 May, 2013

Reporting of Disasters Pits Social Media Against Traditional Media

By Bai Ping (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-04-27 – You must have seen the Chinese television journalist who, dressed in full bridal finery complete with a veil, reported the strong earthquake that struck near her town in Sichuan province last week? In a video that went viral on the Internet and appeared on some major international networks as well, Cheng Ying, […]

2 May, 2013

Myanmar targets 3 mln tourists by 2015

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YANGON, May 1 (Xinhua) — Myanmar targeted the number of tourist arrival to 3 million by 2015, a near triple of the 2012 figure, official media reported Wednesday. In meeting with Norwegian Ambassador to Myanmar Katja Nordgaard in Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday, Htay Aung elaborated on progress in drafting Tourism Master Plan with the […]

2 May, 2013

Jewish fanatic settlers launch “price tag” attacks in West Bank

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JERUSALEM, May 1 (Xinhua) — Jewish settlers in the West Bank painted “price tag” graffiti on Palestinian homes and smashed their windows in an apparent “price tag” attack overnight Wednesday, Israeli police confirmed to Xinhua. The Israeli attack was apparently in retaliation for a stabbing incident on Tuesday morning, in which a Palestinian stabbed an […]

2 May, 2013

China’s farming heritage, innovation to stem agriculture trade gap with New Zealand

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WELLINGTON, April 30 (Xinhua) — The tide of agricultural exports from New Zealand to China could begin to balance out under a new bilateral agreement to promote agricultural cooperation, the head of New Zealand’s farming industry body told Xinhua Tuesday. The Strategic Plan on Promoting Agricultural Cooperation signed by the two countries’ agriculture ministers last […]

2 May, 2013

Survey Identifies Hurdles to Making Travel Purchases from Mobile Devices

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BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 29, 2013  – Travelers are regularly searching for flights, hotels and ground transportation using mobile devices, yet less than half are making mobile purchases. New research from FlightView digs into the mobile purchasing behavior of 3,186 travelers, revealing the shocker: more than 80 percent of respondents say concerns about mobile security and transaction […]

2 May, 2013

Call for Greater Expat Employee Scrutiny After U.K. “English Teacher” Nabbed in China

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(China Daily) April 30, 2013 – More efficient measures should be taken to ensure that foreigners with criminal records are banned from working in China, senior officials with the department that oversees attracting and managing international professionals said on Monday. The officials’ remarks came after a British man who is wanted for allegedly raping a […]

2 May, 2013

BDS takes Arab and Western worlds by storm – Ahram Online

A flare-up of protest broke out worldwide over a multinational security firm’s complicity in human rights abuses in Israeli settlements, prisons and checkpoints. Group4Security (G4S), a private British-Danish conglomerate that operates in 125 countries, is the largest private security service provider in the world. It operates in Israel through its largest subsidiary, G4S Israel or […]

2 May, 2013

PressTV – Canada’s slavish obedience to US, Israel

The world is taking note of the ruling Conservatives’ shameful betrayal of Canada’s once admirable reputation as a fair country, sincerely working on the world stage to improve the lot of the disadvantaged and suffering. In the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, Canada was criticized to such an extent that the Council decided […]

2 May, 2013

Census 2011: Indian Population Pegged at 1.21 Billion

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Ministry of Home Affairs, 30-April, 2013 – Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Home Minister released the Primary Census Abstract-Data Highlights of Census 2011 in a function organized by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India here today. On this occasion Union Home Minister congratulated all stake holders for completing the 2011 Census […]

2 May, 2013

Israel Is The Birthright Of Palestinian Refugees, Not Jews From Brooklyn | Desertpeace

As the summer months approach, thousands of young Jews from more than 60 countries prepare to participate in the Taglit-Birthright program. Since 1999, Birthright has brought 340,000 young Jews to Israel on free ten-day trips. In the midst of the fervor to sign up for this bi-annual program, we have launched the website Renounce Birthright […]

1 May, 2013

OECD Report Warns of Debt Threat to Japan’s Growth Prospects

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23/04/2013 – Japan is poised for an economic expansion, but long-term growth prospects remain contingent on additional efforts to revitalise the economy and reduce unsustainable levels of public debt, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Survey of Japan. The new Survey, presented in Tokyo by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, forecasts the Japanese economy will grow […]

1 May, 2013

FREE Download: Survey Reveals Top Reasons for Family Holiday Stress

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AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– April 29, 2013 – According to a special family travel edition of the Vacation Rental Marketplace report from HomeAway® – the online marketplace of vacation rentals – 56 percent of Americans say they find components of taking a family vacation stressful. Even worse, 46 percent admitted stress actually prevents them from enjoying the […]

1 May, 2013

Indian airlines cleared to unbundle services and charge for them

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Ministry of Civil Aviation, 29-April, 2013 – The Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Ajit Singh, has decided to permit scheduled airlines to unbundle certain services and to charge fees for these services separately. This is based on the recommendations of the Nathan Economic Consultants in their report on “Economic Regulations to Airlines Ticket Pricing in […]

1 May, 2013

Mother’s Day Gifts: What Moms Want, and What They Get, Doesn’t Line Up, Survey Reveals

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 30, 2013 – Gifts.com, the gift advice site with 5 million visits per month, conducted a survey of more than 1,000 American women to set the record straight on what Mother’s Day gifts are doomed and which are destined for greatness. The survey explored what mothers want, what their children […]

1 May, 2013

FREE Download: Australian Consumer Commission Report Shows Numbers Up, Service Standards Down at Airports

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Canberra, 30 April 2013 (ACCC Media Release) – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released its annual Airport Monitoring Report for 2011-12 calling for increased investment to avoid excessive congestion in the future. The ACCC is required to report annually on the performance of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney Airports. “The 2011-12 report […]

1 May, 2013

Billions Proposed for U.S. Border Security. Where Would the Money Go?

U.S. Federal spending on border security is at an all-time high—and it would get even higher under the Gang of Eight’s new plan. The Senate immigration proposal, released last week, would allocate $4.5 billion in the next five years to tighten control of U.S. borders. The U.S. spent nearly $18 billion dollars on immigration enforcement […]

1 May, 2013

The US’s Narrow-Minded Anti-Terrorism Strategy: Blowback and the Cycle of Violence

The United States and the Central Intelligence Agency have never acknowledged the potential for “blowback,” or negative fallout, from their military and covert actions. The Watergate burglary by the veterans of the Bay of Pigs was an obvious example of blowback. CIA’s support for the anti-Soviet mujahideen in the 1980s proved particularly damaging, because the […]

1 May, 2013

Robert Scheer: Google’s Spymasters Are Now Worried About Your Secrets – Truthdig

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal by Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, “The Dark Side of the Digital Revolution,” makes for very scary reading. It is not so much because of what he and co-author Jared Cohen, the director of Google Ideas, have to say about how dictators can use new information technology […]

30 Apr, 2013

Palestinian students beat visa, travel curbs to win top prizes in robotics challenge

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25 April 2013, West Bank, (UNRWA media release) – UNRWA school in the West Bank receives first prize for team work and second prize for their robot in an international robotics challenge. The First Lego League (FLL) is an internationally attended robotics competition, challenging youth between the ages of 9 to 16 years to use […]

30 Apr, 2013

PATA Seeks To Rebuild Value and Business, But Regaining Trust Will be Key

Imtiaz Muqbil

Graphs and charts indicating PATA’s Financial Status BANGKOK — The PATA summit and its associated events, held in Bangkok between 25-28 April, closed on an optimistic note that the worst is over for the 62-year-old association and that best is yet to come. But the self-congratulatory back-thumping is tinged by a sense of caution that […]

29 Apr, 2013

Building Workers’ Power: ITUC May Day statement 2013

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29 April 2013, International Trades Union Congress: Working people are facing sustained and often brutal attacks on their rights in every region of the world. Inequality and unemployment are hitting record levels, as governments continue to follow the failed and destructive policy of austerity-at-any-cost, and the onslaught against collective bargaining continues. The future of an […]

29 Apr, 2013

Europe scores lowest on Gallup Economic Confidence Index, Asia highest

Jenny Marlar and Lisa Cimbaluk, www.gallup.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 29, 2013 — Economic confidence worldwide has improved little since the height of the downturn in 2009. Gallup’s global Economic Confidence Index improved eight points over this time period, rising to 18 last year from 10 in 2009. Europe, with a score of -35, has the lowest economic confidence of all regions, […]

29 Apr, 2013

Turkish Airlines, Air France start flights to Kuala Lumpur

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 29 April 2013 (18 Jumaada al-Thaani 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ========== MESSAGE FROM TOURISM MALAYSIA World Islamic Tourism Mart to be held in Kuala Lumpur […]

28 Apr, 2013

I could justify fighting in Afghanistan — until the Boston bombing – The Washington Post

I deployed to Afghanistan believing my presence in that country would help stop attacks such as Boston’s from happening. But instead, my war has spilled over, striking the city where my 22-year-old brother goes to school and where my mom, until recently, felt perfectly safe eating lunch outdoors. The Tsarnaev brothers aren’t the first alleged […]

28 Apr, 2013

Trust in European Union hits record low | Deutsche-Welle

Public confidence in the European Union has hit rock bottom, a recent survey reveals. Since the onset of the euro crisis, Europeans have lost faith in the bloc, even in pro-European countries, like Germany. Jose Ignacio Torreblanca compares the growing skepticism sweeping across Europe to a virus from which no one is able to escape. […]

28 Apr, 2013

We Are in the Middle of a Global Civil War | Alternet

Casino capitalism – aka turbocharged neoliberalism – is ruthlessly destroying the last vestiges of the welfare state and the egalitarian consensus in the industrialized West, possibly with the odd Scandinavian exception. It has established a “New Normal” consensus, intruding into private lives, dominating the political debate and institutionalizing for good the marketization of life itself […]

28 Apr, 2013

Pressure grows for the nation’s housewives – The Japan Times

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s April 19 National Press Club speech about boosting women’s participation in the workforce has been covered extensively in the domestic and foreign media since it signals a sea change in the Liberal Democratic Party’s view of women’s role in society. He said the government will work to increase the number of […]

28 Apr, 2013

Number of elderly workers in 2012 hit record high – The Japan Times

The number of workers aged 60 or above averaged 11.92 million in 2012, setting a record high for the sixth straight year, according to recently released government data. The average number of elderly employees last year increased by 170,000 from 2011, accounting for 19.0 percent of the nation’s total workforce, the Internal Affairs and Communications […]

28 Apr, 2013

Europe bids to help workers exercise rights to free movement

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Brussels, 26 April 2013 – The European Commission has today proposed measures to ensure the better application of EU law on people’s right to work in another Member State and so make it easier for people to exercise their rights in practice. Currently there is a persistent problem with public and private employers’ lack of […]

28 Apr, 2013

Barbados Tourism To Give Cash Vouchers to Boost Arrivals, Length of Stay

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27 April 2013 – (Ministry of Tourism media release) – Weeks after the Central Bank of Barbados reported a weak 2013 first quarter performance by the country’s tourism industry, the authorities have come up with a plan to put the sector back on a growth path. The Minister of Tourism of Barbados, Richard Sealy has […]

27 Apr, 2013

U.S. academic nonprofit votes in favor of boycotting Israeli academia | Haaretz

The Association for Asian American Studies voted in favor of boycotting Israeli academic institutions. The academic nonprofit, known by the acronym AAAS, passed the vote last week during its annual conference in Seattle, according to Inside Higher Ed. The resolution calling for a boycott passed unanimously and accused Israeli universities of being complicit in violations […]

27 Apr, 2013

Whose terror, whose pain? – Zillah Eisenstein – Al Jazeera English

Who gets to say what terror”ism” is? Terror and its trauma exists in too many places with too much heartbreak – in wars, random accidents, rapes, bombings and plant explosions; in tsunamis and earthquakes, in mass shootings and gang wars. Terror when an “ism” is always politically loaded. When Obama went on national television to […]

27 Apr, 2013

Xinhua: Short-sellers “crying wolf” again on Chinese economy

By Liu Jie (Xinhua)

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) — Some investment gurus, if they can be called that, periodically express their pessimism about the Chinese economy and short sell Chinese stocks, but it turns out theirs is nothing but a game of crying wolf. Their bearish tone has mostly proven to be a shortcut for securing handsome profits, with […]

27 Apr, 2013

Judiciary Panel Hears Testimony on Use of Drones – NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON — A Yemeni man who studied at an American high school told Congress on Tuesday that a drone strike on his village in Yemen last week terrified his neighbors, turning them against the United States in a way that terrorist propaganda had failed to do. The man, Farea al-Muslimi, said his friends and neighbors […]

27 Apr, 2013

UK to confiscate passports from ‘suspected’ terrorists, criminals, football hooligans — RT News

UK citizens can now be stripped of their passports for “actual or suspected” activities declared to be “contrary to the public interest” without a legal procedure, Conservative Home Secretary Theresa May has announced. Previously, the Home Office could only confiscate passports if a UK citizen engaged in “demonstrably undesirable” acts. The sanction was applied infrequently, […]

27 Apr, 2013

China’s Top leaders see Difficulties, Challenges for Economy

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) — China’s top leaders on Thursday pointed out difficulties and challenges facing the country, saying macro policies should be stabilized and control over micro segments loosened with better social security measures. The message by the top decision-making body of the Communist Party of China (CPC) came at a special session held […]

27 Apr, 2013

Homework, games limit Chinese kids’ reading

(Shanghai Daily)

April 23, 2013 –  A heavy load of studies and homework is a primary reason hindering local students from reading after school, a report released yesterday by the Youth League’s children and teenager research center showed. More than 1,400 local students in the fourth to the seventh grade were surveyed about their extracurricular reading hours […]

27 Apr, 2013

China: Insisting on Wrong Road, Japan has No Future

Zhong Sheng, People's Daily

April 23, 2013 –  Visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is to revive militarism. It seriously hurts the feelings of the people of Asian countries, and blatantly challenges the current international order. If Japan continues to slide down the wrong road, it has no future. A fox cannot hide its tail. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe […]

27 Apr, 2013

Indian Met Office Forecasts Normal Southwest Monsoon Rainfall during 2013

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Ministry of Earth Science, 26-April, 2013 – The year 2013 will most like have a normal Southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole i.e. 96 to 104% of Long Average. during  June to September. This was announced by the Union Minister of Earth Sciences & Science and Technology Mr S.Jaipal Raddy at […]

27 Apr, 2013

USA, Iran Wrestling Teams to Compete in Historic Friendly Event in LA, May 19

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LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets-Los Angeles, Inc. has announced that the United States and Iran will come together in a friendly international wrestling competition Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. The event will also be a major opportunity for the Keep Olympic […]

27 Apr, 2013

What Responses To Different Tragedies Teach Us About Ourselves – The Daily Beast

Something about the third week of April brings tragedy and bloodshed into American history: Waco, Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech. Now Boston and West, Texas, are added to the list. The United States has too many memorials to remember in this short span. But the 2013 version of this week will prove important to reflect […]

26 Apr, 2013

Former Palestinian Prisoners to Speak at Brussels Conference on May 18

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Brussels, (Palestinian Return Centre) – Arrangements for the 11th Palestinians in Europe conference are running smoothly and more guests have been confirmed. The 11th Conference, organized by the General Secretariat of the Palestinians in Europe Conference, The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), will be held in Brussels, Belgium on Saturday 18th May 2013. The one-day conference […]

26 Apr, 2013

The “Facts” Keep Changing About the Boston Bombings | Alternet

April 25, 2013 | In the aftermath of massive, complicated crimes it’s not uncommon for a bit of crucial information to be immediately put forward by police, only to be contradicted later on. While it’s understandable that initial leads and assertions might end up being wrong in a dynamic situation like the aftermath of the […]

26 Apr, 2013

Shock: Tom Brokaw Acknowledged That America’s Chickens Are Coming Home to Roost| Alternet

April 25, 2013 | “The stuff we have done overseas is now brought back into our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost.” — Reverend Jeremiah Wright In 2008, the hysterical backlash to the above comment by Barack Obama’s minister became a high-profile example of one of the most insidious rules in […]

26 Apr, 2013

EC seeks public views on Google’s offers to address anti-trust concerns

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Brussels, 25 April 2013, European Commission Press release – The European Commission is inviting comments from interested parties on commitments offered by Google in relation to online search and search advertising. The Commission has concerns that Google may be abusing its dominant position in the markets for web search, online search advertising and online search […]

26 Apr, 2013

Flawed U.S. Terrorism Policies will Create Long-term Problems, with Limitless Costs

By Fu Xiaoqiang (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-04-25  – The Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and injured more than 170, the shootout that followed on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a massive explosion in a fertilizer plant in Texas made up a black week for the United States and highlighted domestic security issues. Police later identified […]

26 Apr, 2013

More Chinese travel abroad from second & third-tier cities

By Zheng Xin and Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)

Beijing, April 25, 2013  – More people from smaller Chinese cities are traveling abroad, new research released on Wednesday showed. Thanks to the country’s rapid economic development, residents of second- and third-tier cities have plans and are able to go overseas for their holidays, according to the China Outbound Tourism Development 2013 report, released by […]

26 Apr, 2013

Asia’s Soaring Consumption Of Raw Materials Unsustainable, UN Warns

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United Nations, Apr 24 2013 (UN News Centre) – The Asia-Pacific region, which has overtaken the rest of the world in consumption of raw materials as affluence and manufacturing increase, must boost its resource efficiency or risk losing ground in lifestyle, economic growth and environmental sustainability, according to a UN report released today. From 1970-2008, […]

26 Apr, 2013

PATA Youth Forum Hears “Anarchy” Warning if Thai Tourism Growth Neglects Sustainability

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Decrying the corruption and poor law enforcement plaguing the Thai tourism industry, three “NextGen” Thai executives have warned of “anarchy” and a looming crisis if the problems are left unaddressed. One executive also warned of another round of cut-throat pricing competition when the next crisis hits. The strong words rang out loud during […]

26 Apr, 2013

New film looks at ‘War on Whistleblowers’ – The Washington Post

The Obama administration’s approach to federal whistleblowers has been likened to “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” On the good doctor’s side, President Obama has important accomplishments in protecting the rights of whistleblowers. Yet whistleblower advocates are fuming at the administration’s actions against federal employees whom it considers to be leakers of national security information. “There’s […]

26 Apr, 2013

Visa holders targeted for tax fraud – Sydney Morning Herald

Details of one million Australian visa holders will be compared with tax office records in a data-matching investigation targeting fraud and tax law breaches. The Australian Tax Office has announced it will seek and collect names and addresses and other details of the holders of 27 types of visas, including skilled workers under the contentious […]

25 Apr, 2013

Israeli airport security given green light to search tourist emails — RT News

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Israel’s attorney general says security officials can continue to access emails of foreign tourists landing at Ben-Gurion Airport. If they refuse, they can be denied access to the country. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein defended the practice in a statement, saying that such searches “are performed only in exceptional instances, after other relevant incriminating indications are […]

25 Apr, 2013

Turkey Launches Online-based Visa for Trade, Tourism Visitors

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Ankara, 24 April 2013 (Anadolu Agency) – Turkey on Wednesday launched a new online-based visa issuance system for foreign nationals visiting the country for tourism or trade purposes only. The e-visa system replaces ‘sticker’ and ‘stamp-type’ visas formerly issued at the borders, and for the time being it is only available for foreigners arriving in […]

25 Apr, 2013

A train on fire – America’s waning empire – English pravda.ru

The USA is a train on fire, in love with war; so puffed with ignorant, patriotic pride that it is unaware it’s careening out of control, on a destination of complete self destruction. The danger lies when war becomes a way of life and an accepted part of national culture. All aggression is redefined as […]

25 Apr, 2013

State terrorism and double standards – English pravda.ru

The degrading and inhuman treatment they are subjected to remind inmates that Guantanamo is a space for outright denial of the law, and a disgraceful example of the criminal network set up by the White House at the time of George W. Bush to kidnap, imprison and torture suspected terrorists or citizens of the Arab […]

25 Apr, 2013

America’s War on Islam 2.0 – English pravda.ru

Waging war at home or abroad requires enemies. America creates them when none exist. Imperial strategy demands them. Post-9/11, Muslims were targeted for political advantage. Post-Boston bombings, America’s war on Islam continues. Muslims are “war on terror” scapegoats. Washington’s Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia wars rage. It’s the wrong time to be Muslims […]

25 Apr, 2013

India Reports Rapid Decline in Child Sex Ratio between 2001-11

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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 23-April, 2013 – As per the Census, the child sex ratio (0-6 years) has shown a sharp decline from 927 females per thousand males in 2001 to 914 females per thousand males in 2011. The government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy entailing schemes and programmes and awareness generation/advocacy measures, […]

25 Apr, 2013

India Expands Visa On Arrival Facility to More Airports, Plans More Steps to Ease Access

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Ministry of Home Affairs, 23-April, 2013 – The third Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee on Tourism Sector has decided to extend facility of Tourist Visa on Arrival at Goa, Trivandrum, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi airports. The Government of India has permitted Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) facility for the citizens of 11 countries viz. Japan, Singapore, Finland, […]

25 Apr, 2013

FREE Download: Review of the Indian Economy 2012-13 – Highlights

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New Delhi, 23-April, 2013 – Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister released the ‘Review of the Economy 2012-13’ at a Press Conference in New Delhi today. Following are the highlights of the document: Economy to grow at 6.4% in 2013-14 The Advance Estimates of CSO have pegged the growth of Agriculture at […]

25 Apr, 2013

Chinese Draft Law to curb tourism price hikes

By ZHAO YINAN in Beijing, YU RAN and SHI YINGYING in Shanghai

Beijing, 2013-04-24, China Daily – The third draft of China’s Tourism Law, which was delivered to lawmakers on Tuesday, seeks to curb price inflation at scenic spots — a trend that is making tourists nationwide unhappy. The draft proposes strict controls on the costs of tickets to access natural scenery and ancient relics. Such areas, […]

24 Apr, 2013

UNWTO’s Most Spectacular Asia-Pacific Meeting Venue: Hyderabad’s “Mirror in the Sky”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India — If there is one over-arching reason why delegates will never forget the UNWTO’s Joint Commission meetings of South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific held here between 12-14 April 2013 it is because of the spectacular venue, the Taj Falaknuma Palace hotel, the jewel in the crown of the palatial […]

24 Apr, 2013

Is Tourism The Most Destructive Enterprise? – YaleGlobal

Travel has grown exponentially since the 1960s, and tourism employs more people than any other industry. As political developments have opened borders, as new technologies in aviation and communications provide new access, few destinations go unexplored, suggests Elizabeth Becker, author of Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism. She explains that any human endeavor […]

24 Apr, 2013

Suu Kyi can’t wait forever to defend minorities – The Japan Times

LONDON – Last month, as the anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar spread from Rakhine state in the western part of the country to the central city of Meiktila, Aung San Suu Kyi sat among the generals on the reviewing stand as the army marched past on Armed Forces Day. She is seen as a saint by […]

24 Apr, 2013

CAIR Decries Inflammatory Anti-Muslim Rhetoric on Boston Bombing

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(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/23/13) (CAIR media release) –- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today decried the wave of inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric following the Boston Marathon bombings and the revelation that the suspects in the case are Muslim. CAIR also noted that Americans of all faiths have […]

24 Apr, 2013

Blowback: Suspect in Boston Attack Cites U.S. Wars as Motivation | Alternet

The Boston bombings appear to be a case of blowback for U.S. wars overseas. 19-year-old suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told U.S. interrogators that the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were a main motivation for the attack on the Boston Marathon, which killed three people. A fourth man, a MIT police officer, was gunned down the […]

23 Apr, 2013

Robert Scheer: 277 Million Boston Bombings – Truthdig

The horror of Boston should be a reminder that the choice of weaponry can be in itself an act of evil. “Boston Bombs Were Loaded to Maim” is the way The New York Times defined the hideousness of the weapons used, and President Obama made clear that “anytime bombs are used to target innocent civilians, […]

23 Apr, 2013

Indian Tourism Minister to Inaugurate New Campus of IITTM at Noida

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Ministry of Tourism, 22-April, 2013 – Union Tourism Minister Mr K.Chiranjeevi will inaugurate the new campus of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITM) at Noida on 23 April 2013. Spread over 10 acres of land in Sec 62 of Noida, the campus has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 27.70 crore. IITTM […]

23 Apr, 2013

First Time in India: Volunteer Guide Programme at National Museum, New Delhi

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Ministry of Culture, 22-April, 2013 – The Union Minister of Culture Mrs. Chandresh Kumari Katoch has asked the National Museum to be ready to engage in collaborative programmes with other museums, with a view to increase their expertise, and to develop a pool of highly trained manpower in this sector. Inaugurating “Path Pradarshak” Volunteer Guide […]

23 Apr, 2013

Univ of NSW woos Chinese students by accepting Gaokao scores for admissions

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SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) — With Australia’s ‘Asia Literacy’ looming as a key issue in the upcoming federal election, Aussie universities, led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have launched a furious campaign to woo Chinese students and the potential boom in knowledge they provide. In a ground breaking policy launched this week […]

23 Apr, 2013

Tour for UNWTO Delegates Helps Andhra Pradesh Promote Its Buddhist Heritage

Imtiaz Muqbil

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India — Andhra Pradesh has joined the growing number of states promoting Buddhist pilgrimage travel to India. Capitalising on the presence of so many tourism representatives from Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries with a sizable Buddhist population at the April 12-14 meeting of the UNWTO Joint Commissions for […]

22 Apr, 2013

How Boston Exposes America’s Dark Post-9/11 Bargain | Alternet

To put it mildly, this has been a bad week for democracy and a worse one for public discourse. In the minutes and hours after the bombs went off in Boston last Monday, marathon runners, first responders and many ordinary citizens responded to a chaotic situation with great courage and generosity, not knowing whether they […]

22 Apr, 2013

Afghanistan Seeks Revival of its Famous Saffron

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 April 2013 (11 Jumaada al-Thaani 1434). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story.