9 Mar, 2013

India Launches Its Own National Internet Registry

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Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, 07-March, 2013 – Mr Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology launched the portal of National Internet Registry (NIR) here today. Speaking on the occasion Mr Sibal pointed out that unless this platform is inclusive, we will not be able to empower the people. He underlined that […]

9 Mar, 2013

FREE Download: TripAdvisor Report Projects Rise in Traveller Spending, Accommodation Profitability

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NEWTON, Mass., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — TripAdvisor®, which claims to be the world’s largest travel site*, today announces the results of the world’s largest accommodation and traveler survey¹ – the TripBarometer by TripAdvisor. This study, conducted on behalf of TripAdvisor by independent research firm StrategyOne, a division of Edelman Berland , will be biannual and […]

9 Mar, 2013

WHO Fact Sheet: Violence Against Women – Worse Than Terrorism?

World Health Organisation

International Women’s Day commemoration March 8. World Health Organisation Fact sheet N°239 November 2012 Key facts: Violence against women – particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women – are major public health problems and violations of women’s human rights. A WHO multi-country study found that between 15–71% of women aged 15- 49 years […]

9 Mar, 2013

FREE Download: The Art Market 2012 – a Dialogue between East and West

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SAINT-ROMAIN AU MONT, FRANCE, Mar 7, 2013 – (ACN Newswire) – For this study of the global art market in 2012, Artprice has formed an alliance with Artron, a leading information service on the art market in China within the Greater Asia region, in order to provide the best possible overview of the art auction […]

9 Mar, 2013

FREE Download: UNCTAD Report on Impact of Israeli occupation on Palestinian Economy

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Rome, 08 March 2013 (UNCTAD media release) – The United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian Peopletook place at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome on 27 and 28 February 2013. It was organized by the United Nations Division for Palestinian Rights. Mahmoud Elkhafif, Coordinator of UNCTAD’s Assistance to […]

9 Mar, 2013

Xinhua Insight: Doubling income is easy, narrowing regional gap is anything but

by Xinhua writers Cheng Yunjie and Zhang Yao

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) — Legislators attending an ongoing annual legislative session are discussing one of China’s greatest challenges: narrowing the country’s wealth gap. In the eyes of legislators from underdeveloped regions, doubling the average income is easy, but narrowing the yawning wealth disparity is anything but. Xia Qingfeng, mayor of the city of Tongren […]

9 Mar, 2013

Late Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar Conferred India’s Inaugural Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony

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Ministry of Culture, 07-March, 2013  – Indian President Mr Pranab Mukherjee here today conferred the first ever Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony, 2012 on Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar at Rashtrapati Bhawan in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Cultural Harmony and Universal Values. Since Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away on 11th December, 2012, the […]

8 Mar, 2013

Landgrabs Sending Many Myanmar Villagers From the Frying Pan Into the Fire, Reports Show

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – As investors rush into Myanmar, human rights and ethnic groups are stepping up warnings that rampant landgrabs, social injustice and a rule-of-law vacuum are pushing the country from the frying pan into the fire. Whereas in the past, only military dictators were the problem, they have been joined by business conglomerates and local […]

7 Mar, 2013

Int’l Women’s Day Poll: How do Travel & Tourism Ads Portray Women?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — The world marks International Women’s Day on March 8. In the Asia-Pacific, commemoration of International Women’s Day will be dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. A statement by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific says, “Globally, up to seven in ten women will be beaten, raped, […]

7 Mar, 2013

Chinese Project 15% Growth in Investments Abroad in 2013

By DING QINGFEN (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-03-06 – China’s outbound investment is expected to grow by 15 percent this year, according to a report issued on Tuesday by the National Development and Reform Commission. The nation’s top economic planning agency said China will “adopt a more proactive opening-up policy this year”. China’s outbound direct investment in the non-financial sector, which […]

7 Mar, 2013

FREE Download: Report warns of rampant elephant poaching, illegal ivory trade

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Bangkok, 6 March 2013— Populations of elephants in Africa continue to be under severe threat as the illegal trade in ivory grows – with double the numbers of elephants killed and triple the amounts of ivory seized, over the last decade. According to a new report entitled “Elephants in the Dust – The African Elephant […]

6 Mar, 2013

Eurobarometer Survey: People Still Travelling But 88% Stayed Within the EU

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Brussels, 6 March 2013, European Commission Press release – The tourism sector is one of the few sectors that have continued to grow and create jobs, despite the crisis. Seven out of ten Europeans travelled in 2012 (the same proportion as in 2011). And of EU holiday makers, as many as 88% spent their vacations […]

6 Mar, 2013

Australian Green Light for Environmentally-strict Island Tourism Project

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Canberra, 05 March 2013 (Ministry of Tourism) – In a significant boost for investment in Australian tourism, the Federal Government has given the green light to Queensland’s Great Keppel Island’s redevelopment project that will see it feature the first ‘Green Globe certified’ tourist resort in the Great Barrier Reef. The island will feature a beachfront […]

6 Mar, 2013

FREE Download: ADB Anti-corruption Report Lists Private Sector’s Heinous Creativity

Imtiaz Muqbil

MANILA, 4 March 2013 – Private companies, which regularly rail against public sector corruption and fraud, are themselves resorting to the same dirty tricks in attempts to access the millions of dollars worth of loans and grants disseminated annually by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), an official bank report shows. The Annual Report released on […]

5 Mar, 2013

China’s Home-Grown C919 Jumbo Jet Plans Global Takeoff in 2014

by Xie Weiqun and Zhao Zhanhui, People's Daily

Beijing, March 04, 2013 – China’s C919 jumbo jet is expected to begin its maiden flight in 2014, said Wu Guanghui, vice president of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and chief designer of the C919. Wu, also the member of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said this on Monday. “This is China’s first […]

5 Mar, 2013

Chinese Upset by Behaviour of Some Of Their Fellow Travellers Abroad

By Yu Jincui (Global Times)

March 04, 2013 – A February 22 post on Weibo shed some unkind light on the image of the “ugly Chinese” recently. Wen Fei, a Chinese woman working in Paris, posted a description of her encounter with some behaviors that give a bad name to Chinese overseas travelers. The incident took place on an Air […]

5 Mar, 2013

Booz Allen Awarded US$11 billion U.S. Homeland Security Contracts

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MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– February 28, 2013 — Booz Allen Hamilton today announced it was awarded two, five-year contracts under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Technical, Acquisition and Business Support Services (TABSS) $11 billion multiple-award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract vehicle. The wins, awarded on November 30, 2012 and February 15, 2013, are to support […]

5 Mar, 2013

Silk Road Journeys: Uzbeks Target Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – A 12-member tourism delegation from Uzbekistan visited Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore last week in a bid to raise the profile of the Silk Road country and boost travel between Southeast Asia and Central Asia. It was the second roadshow in as many years. Last year, the delegation visited Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. This […]

5 Mar, 2013

Indian VP Releases “Excreta Does Matter” Report, Calls Waste Water “A Ticking Health Bomb”

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Vice President’s Secretariat 04-March, 2013 – The Vice President of India, Prof Dr M. Hamid Ansari has said that India must work towards conserving water to minimize the generation of waste water. Addressing at the “Second Anil Agrawal Dialogue on ‘Excreta does Matter” organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) here today, he […]

5 Mar, 2013

China’s WTO Rep Warns of Increased Trade Friction with Europe, US

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BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) — China should be mindful of increased trade frictions with European countries and the United States, the Chinese representative to World Trade Organization (WTO) warned on Monday. “China must remain alert to the intensity, measures and involved industrial sectors concerning trade restrictions on China,” said Yi Xiaozhun, permanent representative of China […]

4 Mar, 2013

European Commission launches Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs

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Brussels, 4 March 2013, European Commission, Press release – Commission President José Manuel Barroso today called on Europe’s digital businesses, governments, training and education sectors to join a Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs to address up to 900,000 job vacancies expected to exist in Europe in Information and Communication technologies (ICT) by 2015. Despite the […]

3 Mar, 2013

Oxfam Survey Slags Big Brand Food Multinationals for Exploiting Land, Labour

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London, 26 Feb 2013 (Oxfam Press releases) – The “Big 10” food and beverage companies – that together make $1 billion-a-day – are failing millions of people in developing countries who supply land, labor, water and commodities needed to make their products. Behind the Brands – part of Oxfam’s GROW campaign to fix the broken […]

2 Mar, 2013

Lead Lawyers Appointed to Sue US Online Travel Sites, Hotel Chains for Price-Fixing

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SEATTLE, March 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, a consumer-protection law firm, today announced that it has been named interim lead counsel in a price-fixing class-action lawsuit brought against several online travel sites including Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE); Travelocity; Booking.com, a subsidiary of Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN), as well as many of the […]

2 Mar, 2013

Finding Peace & Calm in the US: California Retreat Offers Yoga Vacations

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 02, 2013 – The Yoga retreat in California offers year-round Yoga vacations in a calm environment, allowing visitors to enjoy the benefits of Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, and healthy vegetarian food. As the Yoga retreat environment, Swami Sitaramananda said, “The retreat environment is conducive to rapid progress in regaining health, […]

2 Mar, 2013

Jet-set life takes off for China’s super-rich

By Shi Yingying in Shanghai (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-02-25, (China Daily) – Four of Europe‘s top museums, namely the Louvre, Pompidou Center, Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, plan to close their doors to exclusively welcome a group of 10 travelers from the Chinese mainland on March 10. A Shanghai resident who called himself Charles Wang is one of the travelers who […]

2 Mar, 2013

China’s Billionaires on Rise

By WANG ZHUOQIONG (China Daily)

Beijing 2013-03-01, (China Daily) – China has had more billionaires created by its stock markets this year than in the United States – 212 compared with 211 – a new survey revealed on Thursday. According to the latest Hurun Global Rich List 2013, there were 1,453 people in the world with personal wealth of $1 billion or […]

2 Mar, 2013

India Proposes Adding 16 Countries, 6 Airports to Visa on Arrival Facility

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Delhi, Ministry of Tourism, 01-March, 2013 – Union Tourism Minister Mr K Chiranjeevi met the Union Home Minister Mr Sushilkumar Shinde here today and submitted a proposal to extend Visa-on-arrivals to 16 more countries. The Ministry of Tourism strongly believes that the “Tourist Visa – on – Arrival (TVOA)” facility for those countries, which are […]

1 Mar, 2013

World has Failed the Promise of “Never Again”: UN Adviser

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United Nations, Feb 28 2013 (UN News Centre) – The number of situations around the world that clearly indicate a risk of mass atrocities has possibly never been higher, demanding urgent preventive action, the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide said today. “We recognize the signs, we sound the alarm, but yet […]

1 Mar, 2013

ITB 2013 Curtain-Raiser: Three Over-Arching Challenges Facing Europe

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Dublin, 25 February 2013 (European Commission Press release) – Speech by Olli REHN, Vice-President of the European Commission and member of the Commission responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro, at the Interparliamentary Meeting. Thank you for the invitation to this meeting of chairpersons of Finance Committees. The theme of this discussion is […]

1 Mar, 2013

ITB 2013 Curtain-Raiser: Homelessness in Europe at Unprecedented Levels

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Leuven, 1 March 2013 (European Commission Press Release) – Speech delivered by László ANDOR, European Commissioner responsible for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the Irish Presidency Conference on Homelessness. First of all, I would like to thank the Irish Presidency for this very timely initiative. This informal Roundtable will allow us to discuss how […]

1 Mar, 2013

Passenger Rights: EU Extends Protection for Bus, Coach Travellers

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Brussels, (European Commission Press Release), March 1, 2013 – Today, Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 on bus and coach passenger rights becomes applicable, providing bus and coach travellers throughout the EU with new rights. The regulation lays down travellers’ basic rights, and imposes a number of obligations on bus and coach companies and terminal managers concerning […]

1 Mar, 2013

China Plans to Boost Services, Cut Dependence on Exports

By Yao Yang (China Daily)

Beijing, 2013-02-27, (China Daily) There has been talk of a currency war among the major industrialized countries this year. Many people outside China are worried that it will join this tug-of-war to avoid fast appreciation of the yuan, as it still relies on exports to drive economic growth. But this belief is outdated. In fact, […]

28 Feb, 2013

Malaysia Brokers Another Deal To Help Bring Peace to Southeast Asia

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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 (Bernama) — In yet another drive for regional peace and stability, Malaysia successfully initiated a general consensus treaty that was signed today between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), a southern Thailand Muslim insurgency group. The treaty, which is to pave the way for a dialogue process for […]

28 Feb, 2013

China’s Elderly Population to Cross 200 mln in 2013

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BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) — China will have 202 million elderly people in 2013, accounting for 14.8 percent of the total population, the China Research Center on Aging said on Wednesday. According to a center report, the country witnessed the first peak in its growing elderly population, which included 194 million senior citizens at the […]

28 Feb, 2013

Massive IRs 87 Crore Hike in Indian Tourism Budget

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Ministry of Tourism, 28-February, 2013 – Keeping in view the importance of Tourism sector, the allocation for Ministry of Tourism in the Union Budget presented today has been hiked by Rs.87.66 crore (1 crore is 10 million). The allocation for the Ministry this year is Rs.1297.66 crore while it was Rs. 1210 crore in the […]

28 Feb, 2013

India Provides List of All Areas Needing Special Entry Permits by Indians and Foreigners

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Ministry of Home Affairs, 27-February, 2013 – Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the ‘Inner line’ and the “International Border of the State” have been declared as Protected Area. Currently, Protected Areas are located in the following States:- (i) Whole of Arunachal Pradesh (ii) Parts of Himachal Pradesh (iii) Parts […]

28 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: World In 2013 – ICT Facts & Figures

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Geneva, 27 February, 2013 – New figures released today by the International Telecommunications Union confirm strong sustained demand for information and communication technology (ICT) services, with uptake spurred by a steady fall in the price of broadband Internet. ITU’s The World in 2013: ICT Facts and Figures report predicts that there will soon be as many mobile-cellular […]

28 Feb, 2013

India Passes First Law to Curb Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

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Ministry of Women and Child Development, 27 February, 2013 – The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 26th February 2013. The Lok Sabha had passed it in September 2012. The law will have widespread impact in the Indian and global travel & […]

28 Feb, 2013

An Open Letter to Tourism Ministers at ITB 2013: Your Job Now Is To Protect Ours

Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor

Dear Ministers: The ITB 2013 will be held at a critical juncture in global history. What the World Economic Forum refers to as the “Seeds of Dystopia” are sprouting shoots everywhere. The ongoing tectonic power shifts include the rise of the Asian Century, decline of the Western industrialised world, turbulence in the Arab/Islamic world and […]

28 Feb, 2013

In Extraordinary Move, Entire Maldives to Become Biosphere Reserve

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COLOMBO, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) — In a record-making initiative, the Maldives has volunteered to become the first nation where the entire country will be a Biosphere Reserve, a United Nations environment organization said in a statement on Wednesday. The pledge by the Maldives is in response for stakeholders to take urgent action towards achieving the […]

28 Feb, 2013

Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade Focus of Triennial IUCN Meeting in Bangkok

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Bangkok, 26 February 2013 (IUCN media release): New measures to sustainably manage the international trade in sharks, rhinos, elephants and numerous other species will be debated at the triennial conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which takes place 3 to 14 March in Bangkok. With […]

27 Feb, 2013

INTERPOL Targets Illegal Trade of e-Waste in Europe, Africa

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LYON, France,  25 February 2013 – The first INTERPOL operation targeting the illegal trade of electronic waste saw the seizure of more than 240 tonnes of electronic equipment and electrical goods and the launch of criminal investigations against some 40 companies involved in all aspects of the illicit trade. Held in November and December 2012, […]

27 Feb, 2013

Frugality, anti-corruption campaigns affect luxury brand sales in China

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SHANGHAI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) — Sales of luxury goods on the Chinese mainland, a fast growing market for the sector in recent years, are on the decline as the country fights against corruption and extravagance. “Sales have dropped a lot,” said a salesman of a Parker pens brand store on Fuzhou Road in east China’s […]

27 Feb, 2013

International students in Canada reach record high in 2012

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OTTAWA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) — The number of international students pursuing post-secondary studies in Canada reached a record high last year, the authorities said here Tuesday. In 2012, the number of foreign students in Canada amounted to 104,777 in 2012, representing a 6.5-percent increase from 2011 and a sizable 60-percent hike from 2004, Citizenship and […]

27 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Global Mobile Money Survey 2012

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BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The GSMA’s Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) programme today released the findings of its second annual Global Mobile Money Adoption Survey. The report analyses the state of the mobile money industry in 2012 and illustrates key findings from the programme’s Mobile Money Deployment Tracker, a database that monitors […]

27 Feb, 2013

Asia-Pacific Markets Spurring Growth in Biometrics

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The governments of Southeast Asia (SEA) and Australia-New Zealand (ANZ) are investing heavily in security projects and infrastructure, such as border control systems and national ID programs, which bodes well for the biometrics market in the two regions. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulation mandating all the […]

27 Feb, 2013

Israel is ‘America’s Ultimate Ally’ – Ambassador

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WASHINGTON- February 26, 2013 -(BUSINESS WIRE)–Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, says that support for Israel among the American public is at the highest it’s been since the first Gulf War. But the reasons that the relationship between the two countries has always been special are simple, Oren told The American Legion during […]

27 Feb, 2013

BRICS Development Bank Likely to Focus on Infrastructure

By WANG XIAOTIAN

Beijing, 2013-02-26 (chinadaily.com.cn) – The planned BRICS development bank is expected to focus on financing infrastructure development projects, and providing auxiliary support for project preparation such as feasibility studies, according to a report released by the South Africa-based Standard Bank on Tuesday. The proposed institution will also contribute “constructively” to the development of more robust […]

25 Feb, 2013

Alcohol, Women Blamed for Blowing UK Travel Budgets

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LONDON, February 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ —  In these dark economic times, it seems that there is one aspect of British life we are not prepared to compromise on, and that is our annual holiday.  As the UK is eagerly looking at great holiday deals for 2013 such as these from Lowcostholidays.com, research from the money-saving […]

25 Feb, 2013

Iraq War Vet Turns Headhunting Business Model on its Head

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Hackensack, New Jersey (PRWEB) February 25, 2013 – Anyone that has ever searched for a job knows how uncomfortable it is to get to the bottom of a cover letter and write about salary expectations. As soon as the job seeker decides to play this different version of the Price is Right game, the chance […]

25 Feb, 2013

The Deafhood Monologues, A Riveting Show in Sign Language

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Sacramento, California (PRWEB) February 25, 2013 — Inspired by the popular “The Vagina Monologues”, and the book, “In Search of Deafhood”, by Paddy Ladd, this is an episodic play based on true stories from Deaf people collected over the years. Created by Ella Mae Lentz, co-author of “Signing Naturally”, and owner, ASL Presents. Directed by […]

25 Feb, 2013

Int’l Women’s Day March 8: Global Musicians to Highlight Women’s Rights

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22 February 2013 (UN News Centre) – More than 20 musicians from across the globe are joining forces with the United Nations to spotlight the importance of empowering women through a song that will be released on International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March. The song, entitled “One Woman: A song for UN Women,” was […]

23 Feb, 2013

Diplomacy to Help China become Global Power

People's Daily Online

February 20, 2013 – Cai Run, director of policy planning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came to the Qiangguo Forum of People’s Daily Online to have an online communication with the netizens on Tuesday. During the communication, he talked about how diplomacy can help China become global power. Every country in the world has […]

23 Feb, 2013

Chinese Currency Expands its Global Reach

By Wang Xiaotian in Beijing and Cecily Liu in London

2013-02-22, (China Daily) – The Chinese mainland is turning to more partners around the world to launch the next phase of yuan internationalization, with each partner selected to play a role. After Hong Kong was given an eight-year head start as an offshore business center for the yuan, recent developments in the use of the […]

23 Feb, 2013

European Bid to Double Public Road Transport, Coach Tourism in 10 Years

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Brussels, 22 February 2013 – The EU public-private Smart Move High Level Group (HLG) met yesterday to finalise its policy recommendations for EU public and private stakeholders and policy decision makers. The group’s recommendations focus on short, medium and long term policies, suggesting a realistic road map for decision makers on how to double the use […]

23 Feb, 2013

Japanese Media Groups to Launch Asia-wide Entertainment TV Channel

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TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– February 20, 2013 – Dentsu Inc. announced today that “Hello! Japan,” a new international entertainment TV channel with popular Japanese content, will be launched in Singapore by J Food & Culture TV Pte. Ltd. on February 25. In addition to Dentsu, JFCTV investors include Nippon Television Network Corporation, TV Asahi Corporation, Tokyo Broadcasting […]

22 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: DHL Study says Globally-focused SMEs More Likely to Prosper

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PLANTATION, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–International trade and cooperation is a key driver for the success of small businesses, according to an in-depth and wide-ranging study by U.S.-based IHS Global Insight and DHL Express. The study which surveyed 410 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in G7 and BRICM (Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico) economies, revealed that SMEs […]

22 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Oceana Study Uncovers Widespread Seafood Fraud Across the U.S.

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– February 21, 2013 — Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, uncovered widespread seafood fraud across the United States, according to a new report released today. In one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, DNA testing confirmed that one-third, or 33 percent, […]

22 Feb, 2013

On Int’l Mother Language Day, UN Promotes Reading In Local Tongues

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) Feb 21 2013 — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today urged the use of books and textbooks in local languages to support education in mother tongues, which promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and serves as the foundation for all social, economic and cultural life. “Books are […]

22 Feb, 2013

Border Racial Profiling: Arab-American Group Seeks Details on US-Israeli Agreement

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Washington DC, 21 Feb 2013 (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) – Today ADC called on the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue an immediate apology to Emad Burnat. Also, ADC formally requested the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General to initiate an immediate investigation to determine to what extent CBP officials […]

22 Feb, 2013

Indian President Recaps State of the Union as Budget Session Starts

President's Secretariat, 21 February, 2013

Following is the text of the President Shri Pranab Mukherjee’s address to Parliament at the start of the Budget session today. Honourable Members, 1. I welcome you to this session as I address this joint sitting of the two Houses for the first time as President. I hope this session will be productive and useful. […]

22 Feb, 2013

West in a Mess: OECD Data Shows GDP Fall of 0.2%

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Paris, 20 Feb 2013 (OECD media release) – Provisional estimates show that quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area fell by 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2012, after a 0.3% increase in the previous quarter. This is the first contraction of GDP in the OECD area since the very sharp decline in the first […]

22 Feb, 2013

UNESCO Launches Website to Commemorate Lumbini, Birthplace of Buddha

VOICES UNESCO in Asia and the Pacific

“Like glittering sunbeams The flute notes reach the gods           In the birth grotto” This haiku that former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld wrote after his Lumbini visit in March 1959 is one of the highlights of the web pages on Lumbini that the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu has launched.  The web […]

22 Feb, 2013

Global Trade Unions: G20 Must Break Circle of Rising Unemployment, Falling Confidence and Trust

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Geneva (ITUC Press release) 21 February 2013: As the first G20 Employment Task Force meeting of 2013 opened in Moscow, international unions underscored that a jobs target from the G20 is essential to tackle unemployment and inequality and stem the social crisis which has followed in the wake of the financial crisis. Sharan Burrow, General […]

21 Feb, 2013

Sustainable Off-Grid Lighting Solutions Can Yield Major Development, Climate Benefits

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Nairobi, 20 February 2013 (UN Environment Programme) – Replacing the millions of kerosene lamps, candles and flashlights used worldwide with modern solar lighting can provide an increasingly low-cost solution to reducing carbon emissions, indoor air pollution and health risks, and boosting green jobs, according to new studies from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEP […]

21 Feb, 2013

U.S. Law Firm Offers Free Consultations to Cruise Ship Disaster Victims

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Bonita Springs, FL (PRWEB) February 16, 2013 – Parker Waichman LLP, a U.S. law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of victims injured by cruise ships, is monitoring the developments following the Carnival Cruise debacle that stranded thousands of passengers and crew in squalor. “It was kind of like everything that could go wrong would […]

18 Feb, 2013

Creativity, Congestion as Chinese Spring Festival Holiday Sees 440m Trips

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BEIJING (Xinhua / People’s Daily Online) 2013-02-17 – Chinese made 440 million trips during the Spring Festival holiday, which lasted from February 9 to 15, transportation authorities said Saturday. Railways handled 34.68 million trips with a year-on-year increase of 3 million trips, according to the Ministry of Railways (MOR). Highway and water-based transport saw 399 […]

18 Feb, 2013

Creative Minds Are More Prone to Anxiety – Surrey Institute Study

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Wallington, Surrey (PRWEB UK) 17 February 2013 – The study involved 328 of their clients. 153 were clients who were having hypnotherapy for anxiety and 175 were being seen for issues unrelated to anxiety. In the study their clients were asked a set of simple questions. One of the questions was “Do you consider yourself […]

18 Feb, 2013

PolyU Study Urges Guidebook Publishers to Build Trust, Provide Insights

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Hong Kong, Feb 18, 2013 – The most important purpose of a travel guidebook, according to the School of Hotel and Tourism Management’s (SHTM) Dr Simon Wong and Gladys Liu, is to highlight functional information such as attractions, food and new experiences. In a recent study the researchers show that independent travellers in particular refer […]

16 Feb, 2013

New UN Report Says European Recession Keeping Manufacturing Rates Low

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VIENNA, 15 February 2013 (UN News Centre) – The growth rate of world manufacturing output remained low in 2012 due to the prolonged recession in industrialized countries and its negative impact on developing and emerging industrial economies, according to a UN report released today. World manufacturing output grew by 2.2 per cent in 2012, significantly […]

16 Feb, 2013

UN Cites Role of Interfaith Harmony in Peaceful Settlement of Disputes

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) 14 February 2013 – Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s remarks at event to mark World Interfaith Harmony Week held under the theme, “The Role of Interfaith Harmony in the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”: I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week with you. I thank the President of the […]

16 Feb, 2013

Indian Vice-President Outlines Challenges Facing Higher Education

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15 February 2013 – Press Information Bureau – The Vice President of India Dr. M. Hamid Ansari has said that in the 21st century, the orientation of the world economy is changing from a manufacturing dominated to a knowledge-based one. Contributions by cutting edge technology in industry and high value-added services to the national GDP […]

15 Feb, 2013

Australian Report Exposes Global Security Threat Posed by Israeli Dual-Passport Holders

Imtiaz Muqbil

A gutsy piece of investigative journalism by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has blown the lid on the danger posed by dual-passport holding Israelis working for the country’s spy agency, the Mossad, as well as the supporting role played by Diaspora Jews in promoting the interests of the Israeli government. In a Feb 12 report that […]

13 Feb, 2013

Israel’s ‘Prisoner X’ was Australian Mossad agent, documentary claims | World news | guardian.co.uk

Like the fictional Man in the Iron Mask, Israel’s infamous “Prisoner X” was allegedly held in solitary confinement in conditions of such strict secrecy that even his own jailers were told neither his name nor the crime he had allegedly committed. The man’s identity became the subject of intense speculation when he was reportedly found […]

13 Feb, 2013

Valentine’s Day Survey: Work Flexibility Improves Romance and Relationships

www.flexjobs.com

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, FlexJobs conducted a survey regarding work/life and personal relationships, with over 1,000 respondents answering questions from their sex life to their overall health and how flexible work arrangements factor in. The results overwhelmingly showed a desire for work/life balance as the main reason why they want work flexibility (78%), […]

13 Feb, 2013

Buy this Book: The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terror

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The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terror shows how the FBI has, under the guise of engaging in counterterrorism since 9/11, built a network of more than 15,000 informants whose primary purpose is to infiltrate Muslim communities to create and facilitate phony terrorist plots so that the bureau can then claim victory […]

13 Feb, 2013

Health and Environment in Focus at Major UN Youth Conference

United Nations Environment Programme

Opening session on the TUNZA International Youth Conference at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, 11 February 2013 – Actions to cut food waste and to harness the power of social media to promote sustainable lifestyles are among the issues on the agenda at a major United Nations youth meeting on the environment which opens […]

13 Feb, 2013

HVS Releases 2012-2013 U.S. Hotel Development Cost Survey

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February 6, 2013 – HVS has released the 2012-2013 HVS Hotel Development Cost Survey, which incorporates a range of data sources including development budgets, material and labor costs indexes, and input from industry professionals, to track hotel construction costs in the United States. According to HVS San Francisco Senior Vice President Elaine Sahlins, author of […]

13 Feb, 2013

U.S. Muslim Returning Home After No-Fly Denial of Boarding “Reviewed”

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(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 2/12/13) – On Tuesday, February 12, 2013 representatives of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) will meet Mohamed Farah, a Muslim United States citizen of Somali heritage stranded abroad for a month, at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On January 9, 2013, Farah was scheduled to board an Ethiopian […]

13 Feb, 2013

UN Chief Spotlights Role Of Women to Advance Inter-Faith Dialogue

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UNITED NATIONS, Feb 12 2013 (UN News Centre) – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today drew attention to the role of faith leaders in promoting female empowerment, noting that they can help address gender prejudices and support women’s participation in society at all levels. “People place extraordinary trust in their faith leaders, who have a far-reaching ability […]

13 Feb, 2013

Debate in Motion: Will Hyperinflation in the US mark the end of the dollar?

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NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — With the Fed creating huge quantities of dollars in an attempt to kick-start the economy, many economists fear it could lead to spiralling inflation and the eventual collapse of the dollar. The Inflation Hub (http://www.inflationhub.com), a platform for discussions and education on inflation, has set in motion the […]

12 Feb, 2013

Santa Clara Univ To Hold Art Exhibit of Sacred Texts Past, Present & Future

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 SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– February 11, 2013 — Drawings from an English-language Qur’an that seeks to illustrate and make accessible 1400-year-old Suras for Americans today. A 27-foot “prayer rope” designed to reflect society’s unatoned sins. Sections of the Torah excised letter by letter and reimagined as a Hindu text. Bibles rescued after Hurricane Katrina. These […]

12 Feb, 2013

Pakistani, 98, Recognised as “Thailand’s Oldest Tourist”

Imtiaz Muqbil

BANGKOK – Pakistani national Mr Mahmood Futehally, 98, was presented with a Tourism Authority of Thailand award for being “Thailand’s Oldest Tourist.” A committed environmentalist with a passion for organic agriculture, Mr Futehally has been visiting his Thailand-resident family since 1951. He lives in Karachi. Conferring the award on 7 February 2013, TAT Governor Suraphon […]

11 Feb, 2013

China Focus: Western cruises entertain more Chinese

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) — Foreign cruise companies are making inroads into China’s tourism market, finding that many Chinese are eager to set sail for new destinations. Shanghai resident Ding Yun recently booked a cruise for her parents for the Spring Festival holiday. The “Legend of the Seas” cruise, provided by Royal Caribbean Cruises, will […]

11 Feb, 2013

U.S. Political Polarisation Even Reflected in Romance, Online Dating Study Reveals

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STANFORD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– February 11, 2013 — If you’ve ever used an online dating website, you’ve answered a litany of questions about yourself and your ideal match, and maybe even about your political affiliation. Although this information is sometimes hidden from view, new research shows that time and time again men and women choose to […]

11 Feb, 2013

New UN Protocol Equalises Human Rights Abuses, Gives Victims More Recourse

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

GENEVA (6 February 2013) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday applauded the upcoming entry into force of a key Protocol to an international treaty which will, for the first time, enable individual complaints on economic, social and cultural rights, thereby helping place all human rights on an equal footing. […]

10 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: Pew Research Report Shows Clear Signs of Emerging Facebook Fatigue

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

7 Feb 2013 – Two-thirds of online American adults (67%) are Facebook users, making Facebook the dominant social networking site in this country. And new findings from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project indicate there is considerable fluidity in the Facebook user population: 61% of current Facebook users say that at one […]

8 Feb, 2013

Indian Finance Minister: All Security Threats are Now Inter-Connected

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Ministry of Finance, 06-February, 2013 – The Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram delivered his address at K. Subrahmanyam Memorial Lecture in New Delhi today. The theme of the lecture was “India’s National Security – Challenges and Priorities”. Following is the text of the speech on the occasion: “I am grateful to you for inviting […]

8 Feb, 2013

Indian Vice-Chancellors Agree on Broad Agenda To Help Universities Go Global

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Presidents Secretariat, 07-February, 2013 – A one day conference of Vice Chancellors (VCs) of Central Universities concluded on February 5, 2013 at Rashtrapati Bhavan with the VCs proposing a detailed set of recommendations on the four agenda items of the conference. Some of the recommendations were as follows: Agenda item 1 – Steps required for […]

8 Feb, 2013

EU Lays Out Cybersecurity Strategy

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The European Commission today set out its first comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. The new cybersecurity strategy along with a proposal on Network and Information Security aims to prevent and fight cybercrime, strengthen the security and resilience of networks and information security systems, and helps […]

8 Feb, 2013

India Confers Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Pledges Tourist Sites Upgrade

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Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 06-February, 2013 — The President, Mr Pranab Mukherjee while presenting the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities-2012 at a function organized by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment here today. He said that Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act […]

8 Feb, 2013

European Commission Blows Whistle On How Football Earnings Make the Rich Richer

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Brussels, 7 February 2013 (European Commission Press Release) – Football clubs spend around €3 billion a year on player transfers, but very little of this money trickles down to smaller clubs or the amateur game, according to a European Commission study published today. The number of transfers in European football more than tripled in the […]

7 Feb, 2013

11 Reasons Why I Am Giving the 2013 ITB Berlin a Miss

Imtiaz Muqbil

The ITB Berlin is the world’s largest travel trade show. I did not miss a single one between 1986-2011, a total of 25 years. It played a very important role in helping me advance my career and professional coverage of the world’s largest service industry. As of 2012, however, I stopped attending it, as well […]

6 Feb, 2013

Australian Tourism Pioneer Shares Historic Photographs of Post-War Cambodia

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PHNOM PENH, February 5 – The Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center is to present CAMBODIA REVISITED: LIFE AFTER THE KHMER ROUGE, a photographic exhibition by Australian tourism industry director Paul Cummings. The work which is on display for the first time is a selection of approximately 25 of the 500 images which have been donated to […]

6 Feb, 2013

FREE Download: OECD Report Says Germany Must Boost Immigration to Meet Looming Labour Crunch

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A report issued by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) has called for major improvements in processes for attracting skilled migrant workers to Germany, especially to staff the small & medium sized enterprises. It says the entire system will need to be upgraded, all the way from the visa application process to the […]

5 Feb, 2013

New Study Reveals: Scorned Ex-Lovers May Share Intimate Data, Images Online

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SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–04 Feb 2013 — McAfee today released findings from the company’s 2013 Love, Relationships, and Technology survey which examines the pitfalls of sharing personal data in relationships and discloses how breakups can lead to privacy leaks online. The study highlights the need for consumers to take steps to protect themselves from cyber-stalking and […]

5 Feb, 2013

China’s anti-food waste campaign revives frugality

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BEIJING, 2013-02-03 (Xinhua)  – A campaign against food waste is sweeping across China, with government officials and netizens in full swing to fight extravagance in the world’s second-largest economy, which still has 128 million people living under the poverty line. The movement echoes Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s call for frugal lifestyles, urging the fine Chinese […]

5 Feb, 2013

India outlines sweeping measures to combat sex crimes against women

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New Delhi, Cabinet Secretariat, 04-February, 2013 – The Government has initiated a time bound action plan to combat crimes against women. A number of steps have been outlined to improve and strengthen the police and administrative system to ensure that crimes against the women are prevented through quick action, a gender sensitive response mechanism and […]

4 Feb, 2013

China’s English TV news channel expands in the U.S.

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — CCTV America, the U.S. production arm of the Beijing based global news channel CCTV News, will expand programming on Monday February 4th. Broadcast live from Washington D.C., CCTV News launches a new two hour edition of BIZ ASIA AMERICA, 7pm to 9pm eastern standard time.In its new format, BIZ ASIA […]

3 Feb, 2013

Israeli Tourism Ad Seeks to Wipe Muslim Mosque Off the Map

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Ramallah, 02 February 2013 (IINA) – An ad produced by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to promote tourism in occupied Jerusalem has shown Haram Al-Sharif or the “Dome of the Rock” being replaced by a Jewish temple. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who takes a pivotal role in the ad by explaining all aspects that […]