11 Jul, 2013
Anti-Tobacco Advertising Measures Growing Strongly Worldwide – WHO Report
10 July 2013 | Panama City, Panama (World Health Organization) – At 2.3 billion, the number of people worldwide covered by at least one life-saving measure to limit tobacco use has more than doubled in the last five years, according to the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2013. The number of people covered […]
more…11 Jul, 2013
Australia sets up A$36m centre to support businesses in the Asian Century
Canberra, 08 Jul 2013 (Australian government media release) – Australia’s small to medium-sized businesses will get the support they need to take up new opportunities in Asian markets under a new $36 million national investment unveiled today. Trade Minister Richard Marles and Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said the new National Centre for Asia Capability […]
more…11 Jul, 2013
UN Secretary-General: “Dangerous Polarization Taking Place Within Myanmar”
United Nations, Jul 10 2013 (UN News Centre) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today told a group of Myanmar’s international partners that continued support will be vital for the country, which has taken some important steps in the past year, but faces a number of challenges, including national reconciliation and communal violence. “The Government and people […]
more…10 Jul, 2013
Australia launches world-first technology to help vision-impaired enjoy live theatre
Canberra, (Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers), 9 July 2013 – From today, a cutting-edge new app will enable people who are blind or vision impaired to enjoy live theatre by providing high-quality audio descriptions on their mobile devices, including smart phones and tablets. Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers Amanda Rishworth today launched the […]
more…10 Jul, 2013
Global Corruption Barometer: Bribery still very high but people ready to fight back
Berlin, 9 July 2013 (Transparency International) – More than one person in two thinks corruption has worsened in the last two years, according to the world’s largest public opinion survey on corruption from Transparency International, but survey participants also firmly believe they can make a difference and have the will to take action against graft. […]
more…10 Jul, 2013
Latin American Nations Voice Concerns To UN Chief Over Rerouting Of Bolivian Leader’s Plane
United Nations, Jul 9 2013 (UN News Centre) – Five Latin American nations voiced their concerns to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today about the recent incident in which the aircraft carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales was not allowed by several European nations to fly over their airspace on suspicion that United States whistleblower Edward Snowden was […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
Privacy Rights Group Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Halt NSA Surveillance
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2013) (epic.org media release) — The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has filed an emergency petition with the United States Supreme Court in order to stop the NSA’s surveillance of domestic telephone communication records. EPIC said that the “ongoing collection of the domestic telephone records of millions of Americans” had created […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
IATA opposes Hyderabad airport’s proposed 100% hike in landing fees
New Delhi, July 8, IRNA — Civil aviation industrys apex body, International Air Transport Association (IATA) has opposed the GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHAIL) plan for an 100 per cent increase in international aircraft landing fee. The move will hurt airline operations, IATA has said, requesting the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) to […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
China’s Ping An Insurance to buy Lloyds Building in London: Savills
LONDON, July 8 (Xinhua) — Ping An Insurance Group agreed to purchase the Lloyds Building from Commerz Real, a German closed-end fund, for 260 million pounds (388 million U.S. dollars), London-based property broker Savills said Monday. The transaction represents the first purchase by a Chinese insurance company in Britain. The Lloyds Building, a landmark property […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
Chinese job seekers abroad urged to look before they leap
Beijing, (China Daily) – Beijing, July 08, 2013 – Chinese people seeking employment abroad should sign proper contracts, receive safety training, research their destination countries thoroughly and only work through companies qualified to supply staff abroad, experts say. Huang Leping, director of the Beijing Yilian Legal Aid and Research Center of Labor, an NGO dedicated […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
Travel, MICE cuts included in Chinese govt’s austerity campaign
BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) — The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has issued a circular ordering China’s central government agencies to cut their general expenditures in 2013 by 5 percent, a move to push the frugality campaign launched by the country’s new leadership. According to the circular, a whole slew of fees shall be cut, including […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
China Exclusive: Study tours suspended after Asiana plane crash
HANGZHOU, July 8 (Xinhua) — Overseas study tours have been suspended after Saturday’s plane crash in San Francisco, which killed two Chinese girls from east China’s Zhejiang Province. Quzhou Municipal Education Bureau in Zhejiang has told schools and related agent institutions to suspend all summer camps and study tours. Two teenage girls from a middle […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
Jobless Chinese Youths Turning to Booming Security Industry
Beijing, (China Daily) – July 08, 2013 – When Bu Yanchuan graduated from Nanjing Normal University in 2009, he didn’t dare tell his parents and friends that he could only find a job as a security guard with a meager salary of 2,500 yuan ($408) per month. Now, the 26-year-old with a degree in international […]
more…9 Jul, 2013
Social, Economic Inequalities Will Trigger Future Crises – UN Secretary-General
United Nations, Jul 8 2013 (UN News Centre) – Senior United Nations officials today emphasized that the international community must tackle social and economic inequalities between regions and within countries, adding that this is crucial to achieve sustainability and avert future crises. “If inequalities continue to widen, development may not be sustainable,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon […]
more…8 Jul, 2013
In China, thinking small begins to yield results
Beijing, July 08, 2013, (China Daily) – You can spot them all across China in different shapes and sizes, ranging from small restaurants, hair salons and shops to a host of enterprises that make a variety of goods. Though these micro and small enterprises have been largely inconspicuous, they are often the essential springboard for […]
more…7 Jul, 2013
European Parliament to probe US surveillance, seeks more whistleblower protection
Brussels, 04-07-2013, European Parliament Media release – Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee will conduct an “in-depth inquiry” into the US surveillance programmes, including the bugging of EU premises and other spying allegations, and present its results by the end of this year, says a resolution passed by the full House on Thursday. Parliament’s President and political […]
more…7 Jul, 2013
Ageing populations are an opportunity, not a threat, “if coupled with smart policies”
Geneva, UN Economic Commission for Europe, 01 July 2013 – Current population dynamics in Europe, North America and Central Asia must be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, senior officials of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said at the opening of the high-level ICPD regional […]
more…7 Jul, 2013
World Meteorological Report: 2001-2010 Was a Decade of Climate Extremes
GENEVA, 3 July 2013, (World Meteorological Organization) – The world experienced unprecedented high-impact climate extremes during the 2001-2010 decade, which was the warmest since the start of modern measurements in 1850 and continued an extended period of pronounced global warming. More national temperature records were reported broken than in any previous decade, according to a […]
more…7 Jul, 2013
Powerful Posters Bring Wildlife Protection Message to Millions on Shanghai Metro
Shanghai, 1 July, 2013 (UNEP Media release) – A major poster campaign aimed at sensitizing the public to the true cost of illegal wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horn is reaching millions of travellers on the Shanghai metro system each day. The recent spike in elephant killings in Africa, now at their highest […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
India Taps Kuwaiti, UAE Funds to Finance US$1 Trillion Infrastructure Projects
Ministry of Finance, 05-July, 2013 – Mr Arvind Mayaram, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance said that Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) are going to play a key role in the financing of the overall requirements of Infrastructure funding. He added that higher ratings would make an IDF competitive in the refinancing market. Mr […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
Renovated gallery of Decorative Arts reopened at National Museum, New Delhi
New Delhi, 5 July 2013 – Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Union Minister of Culture here today re-opened the renovated gallery of Decorative Arts-I at the National Museum. Decorative arts are those arts related to the design and decoration of objects of utility. Artifacts of this group are crafted for daily, ceremonial and religious uses from a […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
Australia says passenger movement charge helping fund tourism development
04 July 2013 – Australian Tourism Minister Gary Gray said 20 per cent of the additional revenue raised by the passenger movement charge was given back to the industry through grants. This includes the four-year $48.5 million Asian Marketing Fund and the $48.5 million Tourism Industry Development Fund, which help to stimulate tourism demand by […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
Australia Takes First Asian Century Step, Launches Indonesia Country Strategy
CANBERRA, 2013-07-05 (Xinhua) – Visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday launched Towards 2025: Indonesia Country Strategy, part of the Australia in the Asian Century initiative in Indonesia capital Jakarta. The strategy outlines how Australians can harness and develop the skills needed to deepen and strengthen the engagement with the country’s important northern neighbor, […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
China Issues Guidelines to Stabilise Capital Flows
Beijing, (China Daily), 2013-07-06 — A specific guideline to stabilize capital flows was issued by the central government on Friday. It particularly encourages more private funds to take part in reform of financial institutions at various levels. The State Council, or the nation’s cabinet, said China’s financial system and economy are “stable and sound”, with […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
Multinationals in China face increased scrutiny
Beijing, 2013-07-06, (China Daily) – China is expanding its investigations into the food, dairy and pharmaceutical industries, raising questions about whether the days of “supranational treatment” for multinationals have ended. The investigations signal that these companies face increased scrutiny of their operations in the country. The State Administration for Industry & Commerce is investigating the […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
Chinese Retail Industry Projects Steady Growth
Beijing, 2013-07-05 (China Daily) – Despite China’s slowing economic growth, the retail industry in the world’s second-largest economy will maintain sustainable growth in the medium and long term, commerce officials said on Thursday. Meanwhile, the industry is undergoing a transformation and the government will make more efforts to enhance its quality and efficiency and to […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
China, Pakistan ink landmark transport pact to access Gwadar Port
Beijing, 2013-07-06, (China Daily) – China and Pakistan signed an agreement on Friday on the blueprint for a huge transport project linking northwestern China to the Arabian Sea. Observers said the project, named the “China-Pakistan economic corridor”, will open a new route for China’s goods and energy. It will also give a strong boost to […]
more…6 Jul, 2013
European Alliance for Apprenticeships Launched to Help Alleviate Youth Joblessness
Brussels/Leipzig, 2 July 2013 – European Commission Press release – The European Alliance for Apprenticeships is launched today by Commissioners Androulla Vassiliou (Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth) and László Andor (Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) at the 2013 WorldSkills competition in Leipzig, Germany. The Alliance will help to fight youth unemployment by improving the quality […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Glenn Greenwald: Top Officials Are Lying to Our Faces About U.S.Govt Spying | Alternet
What kind of journalist – or citizen – would focus more on Edward Snowden’s tonal oddities and travel drama than on the fact that top US officials have been deceitfully concealing a massive, worldwide spying apparatus being constructed with virtually no accountability or oversight? Just ponder what it says about someone who cares more about, […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
African-Americans Compare Treatment of Palestinians to U.S. Segregation Laws
WASHINGTON, July 2, 2013 (WAFA) – African Americans, including Angela Davis and actress Lisa Gay Hamilton, released a statement reaffirming parallels between Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and discrimination against African Americans living under Jim Crow in the United States, a press release by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation said on Monday. The […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
EU Contributes €2.4M for Preservation of Palestinian Heritage in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM, July 3, 2013 (WAFA) – The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed on Tuesday a €2.4 million agreement with Al-Quds University aimed at the preservation of Palestinian cultural heritage in Jerusalem’s Old City, an EU press release said. The agreement was signed in the presence of Michael Köhler, director […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Activists Protest G4S Security Company’s Cooperation with Israel
BRUSSELS, July 1, 2013 (WAFA) – Dozens of activists took off to the streets of Brussels on Friday to inform people about a British-Danish security company based in the UK that is involved in the detention of Palestinian children. The activists denounced the fact that G4S, a private military and security company that is allegedly […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
U.S. still dodging key question on Snowden’s revelations
Beijing, 2013-06-28, (China Daily) – Yahoo News has done an interesting analysis of the 444 briefings through June 18 by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and found 13 distinct ways in which he dodges reporters’ questions. For example, he replied with “I don’t have the answer” 1,905 times; “I would refer you to someone […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Value of education rises in crisis but investment in this area is falling, says OECD report
PARIS, 25/06/2013 (OECD News release) – The jobs gap between well-educated young people and those who left school early has continued to widen during the crisis. A good education is the best insurance against a lack of work experience, according to the latest edition of the OECD’s annual Education at a Glance. Unemployment rates are […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Vietnamese Websites fined for granting on-line visas illegally
Hanoi, 01/07/2013 (Vietnam News Agency) – Information and Communications inspectors have punished websites using the gov.vn domain name for granting visas illegally. Vietnamvisa.gov.vn had its domain name registered by the People’s Committee of the Dang Xa Commune in Gia Lam district, visavietnam.gov.vn was registered by the Statistics Office of northern Bac Giang Province’s Luc Ngan […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Loving partner, money, social activity key to happiness – study
Press Trust of India, Melbourne July 2, 2013 – A loving partner, a household income of up to USD 100,000 and finding a purpose in life is the new “golden triangle of happiness”, a new Australian research has claimed. Having a good intimate relationship was rated higher than money and being fat was no barrier […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Amnesty Int’l: US bid to hunt down whistleblower “gross violation of human rights”
2 July 2013, (Amnesty International media release) — The US authorities’ relentless campaign to hunt down and block whistleblower Edward Snowden’s attempts to seek asylum is deplorable and amounts to a gross violation of his human rights Amnesty International said today. “The US attempts to pressure governments to block Snowden’s attempts to seek asylum are […]
more…5 Jul, 2013
Europe Plans To Change Rules To Allow State Subsidies For Airports, Airlines
Brussels, 3 July 2013, European Commission – In a major policy shift, the European Commission has initiated a review of EU state aid rules so as to pave the way for public financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines. The draft review proposal has now been placed for public comment. The following are the […]
more…4 Jul, 2013
STOP using Google, Facebook if you fear US spying, says Germany | Mail Online
Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that ‘whoever fears their communication is being intercepted in any way should use services that don’t go through American servers.’ Friedrich says German officials are in touch with their U.S. counterparts ‘on all levels’ and a delegation is scheduled to fly to Washington next week […]
more…4 Jul, 2013
Indian-American Businessman Sets up New “Centrist” Political Party in U.S.
Springfield, VA (edited version of a PRWEB news release) July 04, 2013 – An American businessman whose birthright can be traced back to South India has set up what he refers to as a “new Independent Party” known as Proud American. Announcing this today, the U.S. Independence Day, Mr Krishnan Suthanthiram said, “Wishing you a […]
more…4 Jul, 2013
U.S. Islamic Advocacy Group Reminds Americans about Days of “Tyrannical British Rule”
On July 4, CAIR will mark Independence Day by joining fellow Americans at the “Restore the Fourth” rally in Washington, D.C. and in cities across the country in support of the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. These efforts come at a time when the country’s national security and law […]
more…4 Jul, 2013
Global Peace Index 2013: An Alternative Means of Tracking Tourism Competitiveness
The publication of the latest 2013 Global Peace Index (GPI) in June 2013 offers the travel & tourism industry an opportunity to develop a new set of competitiveness indicators that go beyond jobs and economic growth and focus on the wider goal of building peace and stability. Travel & tourism is inextricably linked to conflict […]
more…4 Jul, 2013
FREE Download: School Course Modules on Peace & Tourism
The Institute for Economics and Peace does not only produce the annual Global Peace Index. It has an entire school course called the “Building Blocks of Peace”, including lesson plans and activities designed for 14 -16 year olds. One of the four modules is specifically on peace and tourism. Available for free download from the […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
EU Cities/Regions Get Star Ratings for Active & Healthy Ageing Projects
Brussels, Europa Press Releases, 2 July 2013 – 32 cities and regions across Europe have been rewarded for new ways of helping older people. These award-winners have been implementing innovative technological, social or organisational solutions to enhance the efficiency of health and social care systems, and have been presented with awards from European Commission Vice-President […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
“What is Data Mining” Article Shows What Was Known About the NSA Before Snowden
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 02, 2013 – In a bid to show just how much was known about NSA activity before the recent Edward Snowden controversy, idcloak has republished its January 2013 article What Is Data Mining, What Is NSA’S Utah Data Center, And What Data Collection Methods Are Being Used There? The article points […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
Deutsche Bank Survey: Investors Seek Higher Due Diligence Emphasis at Hedge Funds
LONDON & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 01, 2013 – Deutsche Bank today identified the changing regulatory environment as the most significant factor driving the growing importance of operational due diligence (ODD) amongst hedge fund investors. Deutsche Bank’s Hedge Fund Consulting Group’s second annual operational due diligence survey, which polled investors globally representing over $2.13tn of total […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
Americans Feel More Divided than Any Time since Civil Rights Era, Values Survey Finds
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 28, 2013 — With July 4th approaching, more than 60 percent of Americans say the nation is more divided as a country now than it was 10 years ago, with even higher percentages saying America is at least as fragmented now as it was during the Great Depression, Vietnam, and Watergate. And […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
China Issues New Visa Category to Attract Talent
July 01, 2013, (Shanghai Daily) – New exit and entry regulations which take effect from today promise more convenience for foreigners coming to China to work with the introduction of a “talent introduction visa.” But the revised Entry-Exit Administration Law is also aimed at cracking down on foreigners who work or stay in the country […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
Another early warning: U.S. Again Putting Global Financial System at Risk
2013-07-01 – The US economy continues to have a hard time recovering from the global financial crisis. So the last thing one would expect the US government to do is to engage in policies that open the floodgates to severe risks in financial markets again. And yet it is precisely doing that. For all the […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
Massive debt plagues China’s local governments
Beijing, 2013-07-01, (China Daily) – How much have China’s local governments borrowed? The answer has always been shrouded in mystery. The last official update was released by the National Audit Office in mid 2011. It put the nationwide figure at 10.7 trillion yuan ($1.75 trillion) by the end of 2010. Last week, the audit office […]
more…2 Jul, 2013
Xinhua Commentary: Snowden case vindicates need for global cybersecurity rules
BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) — The Edward Snowden case plus the latest revelations by a German magazine that the United States was eavesdropping European Union (EU) offices give rise to the need for international regulations on surveillance activities. The EU has warned the Obama administration of “grave adverse consequences” and demanded “swift and concrete” answers. […]
more…1 Jul, 2013
People’s Daily editorial stresses stronger ties with masses
(Xinhua) July 01, 2013 – BEIJING, — The Communist Party of China (CPC) and its members must always bear in mind that cutting themselves off from the masses is the biggest threat to the ruling party, according to the CPC flagship newspaper People’s Daily. The CPC is founded among the people and powered by the […]
more…29 Jun, 2013
India Expects Lower Costs, More Efficiency as Bangkok Visa Office Changes Hands
Bangkok – The Indian Embassy’s outsourced visa processing contract for Thais and foreigners resident in Thailand has changed hands. Effective 8 July, it will be handled by IVS Global Services under a three-year contract, replacing the former processing agency VFS Global. This is the second contract that IVS has won in the last few months; […]
more…29 Jun, 2013
Keep Safe & Travel On: Visa’s Tips for a Fraud-Free Summer Holiday
You could be lying on the pristine beaches of Phuket this weekend, or trekking along the Great Wall of China the next. With budget flights on the rise and an ever abundant array of attractive travel packages on offer, getting away to an exotic locale or a dazzling metropolis has never been easier. It’s no […]
more…28 Jun, 2013
India Seeks Clarification over Cash Bonds for UK Visa, Stresses Impact on Investment, Trade
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 25-June, 2013 – Mr Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry visited UK on 23-25 June to review bilateral trade and investment and taking part in investment promotion events. He met Dr. Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Mr. Oliver Letwin, Minister for Government policy […]
more…28 Jun, 2013
Revelation of NSA Surveillance Proves Poor Security at Security Companies
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 24, 2013 – The biggest intelligence leak in the history of the National Security Agency occurred this month with revelations regarding the agency’s expansive surveillance efforts, including the publication of a secret court order giving the government access to telephone records of millions of Americans and documentation of a previously undisclosed “PRISM” program […]
more…28 Jun, 2013
Israel Subjecting Palestinian Prisoners To ‘Abusive’ Detention, Interrogation – UN Committee
United Nations, Jun 27 2013, (UN News) – A United Nations committee today voiced concern at a wide range of practices that violate Israel’s obligations as an occupying power and infringe on the human rights of the Palestinians, and warned that popular discontent could result in another round of violence. The Israeli detention of an […]
more…28 Jun, 2013
Thais, Malaysians to Get Visa-free Travel to Japan as of July 1
Tokyo, Jun 26, 2013, (Courtesy: Japan Times) – The government will relax visa requirements for visitors from Southeast Asian countries starting Monday, hoping to lure more travelers from fast-growing economies to spur economic growth. Japan will waive visa requirements for tourists from Thailand and Malaysia, and offer a multiple-entry visa to Filipino and Vietnamese travelers. […]
more…28 Jun, 2013
Global Jobs Crisis: UN Calls on Young Entrepreneurs to ‘Change the World’
United Nations, 26 June 2013, Department of Public Information – Calling for a bold response to the global employment crisis, Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, urged that young entrepreneurs be encouraged, educated and empowered in order to meet the challenge of filling nearly half a billion jobs by 2030. Mr Ban opened the thematic debate […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Global Arms Bazaar: Israel Set To Become Biggest Exporter of Killer Drones
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Asia Pacific budgets are set to outstrip USA and Canada by 2021, fuelled by an explosion in global arms trade that threatens the competitive edge and dominance of US, UK and European defence trade according to the biggest budget and export study since the economic downturn. The study – The Balance of Trade– is […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Gross National Happiness Hits the Hotel Industry
IRVINE, Calif.– June 26, 2013–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CareerBliss, the online career community, today released new data identifying the CareerBliss Happiest Hotels to work for 2013. Leading the way in employee happiness is the hotelier the Crowne Plaza, followed by Marriott and Hyatt North America. CareerBliss determined which key factors helped drive hotel employee happiness such as the […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Indian Ambassador Meets Thai Tourism Minister on Crime, Complaints
Bangkok – Indian Ambassador to Thailand Anil Wadhwa called on Minister of Tourism and Sports Mr. Somsak Phurisisak on June 24 to discuss issues ranging from rising incidents of crime against tourists to complaints about harassment. Although not directed specifically at Indian visitors, the issues reflect the growing social and legal downsides of Thailand’s record-breaking […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Why does China’s top talent stay overseas?
June 26, 2013 – To attract talent back home, we need to focus on more than high-quality living conditions and work opportunities. We need reform in technology, education and talent management systems, in order to create a pleasant environment where talented people can concentrate on their research. A piece of recent news has attracted considerable […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Australia releases updated guidelines for monitoring service quality at gateway airports
Canberra, 26 June 2013 (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued revised guidelines setting out changes to the way the ACCC monitors service quality at Australia’s four largest airports. “The new guidelines will improve the way the ACCC monitors airport service quality by taking account of changing market […]
more…27 Jun, 2013
Australia Passes Whistleblower Laws
Canberra, Attorney-General’s Office, 26 June 2013 – Public-sector whistleblowers will have greater protection under legislation passed by the Government today. Minister for the Public Service and Integrity Mark Dreyfus QC said the Public Interest Disclosure Bill and the Public Interest (Consequential Amendments) Bill which passed through the Senate today were a significant step in advancing […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
Gallup Poll: Americans’ Confidence in U.S. Medical System Drops
PRINCETON, NJ, June 25, 2013, (Gallup Polls) — Thirty-five percent of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the U.S. medical system, down from 41% last year, and the lowest since 2008. The current reading is also at the lower end of the range seen since Gallup first asked about […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
China’s outbound investment at turning point: KPMG
June 21, 2013 – Chinese overseas investments are being undertaken to move the county’s enterprises up the value chain, as these companies are increasingly looking to acquire targets in developed markets and upgrade R&D capabilities, according to a KPMG report. The report, jointly released by KPMG and the China International Contractors Association recently, shows that […]
more…26 Jun, 2013
US media’s disconnect in Snowden case
Washington DC., 2013-06-22 – Associated Press President and CEO Gary Pruitt, once a First Amendment (of the US constitution) lawyer, has lashed out at US President Barack Obama for his administration’s aggressive stance against whistleblowers and journalists. Addressing the National Press Club in Washington on Wednesday, Pruitt described the government’s actions against journalists as unconstitutional […]
more…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…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
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
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
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…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…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
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
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
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
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…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 […]
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