UN agency issues ATM cards to assist cashstrapped Iraqi refugees
More than 4.5 million Iraqis are currently uprooted – 2.4 million inside Iraq and nearly 2.2 million outside – most of them in Syria and Jordan, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).This Sunday, UNHCR will start providing the ATM cards, providing each family with between $100 and $200 per month. “The families have been interviewed by community services staff and identified as being in urgent need of financial assistance,” UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva. “They include women at risk, families with working children and refugees with chronic illnesses.”The 7,000 families will also receive food aid from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR.Recent studies by the agency and IPSOS Market Research show that Iraqi refugees in Syria – host to more than 1.4 million Iraqi refugees – are running out of finances. Some 33 per cent of those surveyed said their financial resources will last for three months or less, while 24 per cent are relying on remittances from relatives living abroad. Similar studies conducted in Lebanon and Jordan revealed that Iraqi refugees living there shared some of the same difficulties. For example, the majority of the 450,000-500,000 Iraqis living Jordan are surviving on savings or receive financial transfers. “This makes a large segment of Iraqis in Jordan at risk of becoming vulnerable with the depletion of their savings,” Ms. Pagonis noted. The survey also showed a high prevalence of chronic diseases among Iraqi refugees living in these countries, as well as significant drop-out rates for children and difficulties related to refugee protection. 14 December 2007In response to recent studies showing that Iraqi refugees living in neighbouring countries are running out of money, the UN refugee agency is set to issue ATM cards to 7,000 of the most needy and vulnerable families living in Syria.
With smartphones and tablet devices all running e-book readers of some sort (including Amazon’s own Kindle App), it’s quite a surprise that Amazon are set to sell 6 million Kindle e-book readers this year. That is 60 percent more than what analysts predicted. Bloomberg (analysts) estimated that the company would sell 5 million Kindles in 2010, mainly because last year it only shifted around 2.4 million. It just shows that despite Apple selling 7.46 million iPads from their April debut (to September) that there is still a demand for a stand alone e-reader.Price is probably the killer factor in this equation as Amazon sells the Kindle in three flavors, the $139 version allows you to download books, magazines and newspapers over Wi-Fi. The $189 version allows you to do the same, but over Wi-Fi and 3G. Finally, the larger screen version called the Kindle DX costs only $379.Additionally, Kindle’s software for mainstream operating systems such as Windows 7 will more than likely reinforce its position, with back up from the apps that are already available on the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices.U.S. sales of e-books are set to rise to $2.8 billion by 2015, so Amazon look set to be making a significant amount of money which ever way you look at it.Read more at Business Week
Looks like we’re mostly out of the big chill and walking with our old companion rain.But snow is possible Monday morning, particularly above 1,000 feet, says Paul Tolleson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.“The arctic air we had last week has moved away, but the air mass in Southwest Washington is still on the cold side,” he said.There is a winter storm warning for the Cascades and foothills today, Tolleson said.How about the bitter cold?“I don’t think we’ll drop below freezing for a while,” Tolleson said.But watch out for Tuesday night and Wednesday as a strong system should bring wet and windy conditions. And that wind could also kick up Monday morning, Tolleson said, with gusts of 40 to 45 mph possible.Today, expect lows in the mid-30s, the high about 43, and rain and maybe snow at higher elevations.Tuesday, will be rainy with a high of 44 and a low of 35, Tolleson predicts.“There’s a chance of rain every day this week,” he added.Sunday’s gray weather brought out few, but sisters Rachael Harmon, 13, and Kendra Harmon, 18, said the rain did not bother them. They enjoyed themselves at Salmon Creek Park.“We like all of it (weather) except the heat. We don’t like the heat,” said Kendra, noting that the family moved from Las Vegas about five months ago.
KRPK said that the extra energy will initially be divided between Naga Vladivostok, Shamble and Diamond Fortune’s Selena projects.“According to the conditions specified in investment agreements, the corporation must provide investors with all the technical conditions for work in a timely manner, namely, to build roads, water supply and drainage systems, sewage systems and power supply systems,” said Igor Trofimov, director of the Primorsky Krai Development Corporation.He added that KRPK and Energy China are working together on the construction of gas generation with a capacity of up to 100 megawatts.—-In other news, it has been revealed that a fifth IR planned for Primorye, to be built by Korean firm K International, will boast a golf facility, cable car, amusement park, water sports center and an art space.K International first unveiled their Russian IR plans in August, with the resort to cost around US$260 million. Providing an update on progress, Trofimov said, “A large Korean holding will become a resident of the Primorye resort by the end of this year. Korean partners intend to register a legal entity in Russia in mid-November and then the company will receive the right to participate in the procedure for buying out a land plot in the territory of a gambling zone.“The site area is 20 hectares, the volume of investments is about US$300 million dollars.”Trofimov added that KRPK was also deep in discussions with groups for the purchase of two remaining plots of land in Primorye and that “it is likely that by the end of this year all the plots will be sold, after which we will be more actively engaged in developing the concept of the non-gaming component of the entire project of the Primorye entertainment resort.“At the moment, under the agreements concluded, the amount of investment (in Primorye) is more than 78 billion rubles. Additionally, there are several deals for a forecast amount of investments of about 40 billion rubles. We plan that the total investment in the project will be at least 117 billion rubles or nearly US$2.3 billion.” Load More Primorsky Krai Development Corporation (KRPK) has entered into an agreement with a branch of the Far Eastern Distribution Network Company Primorsky Electric Networks that will see three integrated resorts currently under construction in the Primorye special economic zone provided with increased electricity supply.At the request of KRPK, Far Eastern will reconstruct the Muraveyka substation, increasing its capacity by 16 megawatts and building power supply networks to the borders of the region’s gambling zone. It is planned to increase the existing capacity in stages through 2020. 70% of Macau gaming market driven by 400,000 premium players: brokerage RelatedPosts 10,000 Chinese citizens flee Sihanoukville in days after Cambodian online gaming directive: report Sihanoukville authorities threaten legal action against 10 building owners over demolition orders
The Australian government has confirmed a two-year pay deal for more than 33,000 public sector employees who are members of the Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) trade union.The two-year deal, which was voted for by CPSU/CSA members, will see state government employees receive a $1,000 (£592.67) annual pay increase from both 13 June 2017 and 13 June 2018 in accordance with the Public sector wages policy statement 2017.Under the terms of the deal, employees will also be have the right to access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave if required.The agreement also includes an enhanced consultation process for proposed changes within the workforce, and improved redundancy and redeployment provisions, including a comprehensive review of public sector redeployment and redundancy processes, and stronger case management for displaced employees.The CPSU/CSA plans to reopen negotiations for its members in December 2018.The new deal replaces nine previous industrial agreements covering public servants, government officers, school support officers, electorate officers, social trainers, jury officers, residential college supervisors and youth custodial officers.The new agreement is being finalised for lodgement in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.Bill Johnston, commerce and industrial relations minister, said: “I’m very pleased the overwhelming majority of Civil Service Association members that voted agreed to the $1,000 a year pay increase. The McGowan government supports a fair system for all Western Australian public servants.”Rikki Hendon, assistant secretary at the CPSU/CSA, added: “This is an agreement that makes gains on issues important to our members. Their priority was always job security, fairer workloads and ensuring transparency in the public sector, and that is what this agreement delivers.“Members have recognised the new deal will improve their work life and have [overwhelmingly] voted yes to the new two-year deal. The government came to the table on several issues including family and domestic violence leave, stronger redundancy and redeployment clauses and more transparency on the use of fixed-term contracts and labour hire. This has been a long bargaining process, but members are positive about the changes that will be implemented with this new deal.”
DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) – Police have arrested a man who allegedly threatened his girlfriend with a knife after crashing his car into her mobile home.The man slammed his vehicle into his girlfriend’s mobile home, wedging the vehicle under the house in Davie, police said.The crash happened on Southwest 134th Terrace and 70th Street, Friday morning.Police said he threatened the woman with a knife and took off.Nearby schools were placed on lockdown as police searched for the man.He was eventually caught and the lockdowns were lifted.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Dan Cohen AUTHOR President Obama plans to veto the compromise version of the fiscal 2016 defense authorization bill over its reliance on DOD’s overseas contingency operations (OCO) account to sidestep the Budget Control Act spending caps, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday.When asked at a press briefing if he would recommend the president veto the legislation, Carter said, “I already have, and he’s indicated if it were presented to him in this form in which it appears it is going to be presented to him, it is going to be vetoed,” reported the Hill.White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Wednesday also said Obama would send the final version of authorization bill, which Armed Services committee leaders unveiled on Tuesday, back to Congress. “If the president got this bill, he’d veto it,” Earnest told reporters. The House is expected to approve the conference report, H.R. 1735, on Thursday, with the Senate scheduled to take it up next week.The bill would authorize $612 billion in national security spending, the same amount the White House requested. In a break with the administration, though, the measure leaves the discretionary budget caps in place, and authorizes only $496 billion for DOD’s base budget. To make up the shortfall, it shifts $38 billion in operation and maintenance funds that had been part of the base budget to the DOD’s OCO account, which is not subject to the caps. The bill would authorize a total of $89 billion for that account.The White House has demanded that Congress lift the caps on both defense and non-defense spending, and return the $38 billion to DOD’s base budget. And Democrats are standing behind the administration on the issue — only one Democrat in the House and two Democrats in the Senate signed the conference report. The top Democrats on the Senate and House Armed Services committees said they plan to oppose the measure. The committees’ Republican leaders decried the veto threat.“It is unbelievable to me that an American president would threaten to veto a defense bill that supports our troops and gives him additional tools to use against aggressors, especially at a time when the world situation is spiraling out of control from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and South Asia,” said Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.“This is a time to stand together for our nation’s security, rather than play cheap political games,” Thornberry added.
Skagway’s city hall and museum. (Photo by Greta Mart)The results of Tuesday’s special mayoral election in Skagway are too close to call.Skagway residents Andrew Cremata and Dave Hunz are the only candidates. According to preliminary results released by the Municipality of Skagway, Cremata leads Hunz by just 14 votes.Up to 71 absentee and questioned ballots have yet to be counted. The remaining ballots will be tallied on Thursday. The Skagway Borough Assembly will then vote on whether to certify the final results of the election.If the margin is too slim, the assembly can order a recount as it did in 2016 when voters approved a $6 million bond for a senior center and housing facility by just five votes.The office of the mayor has been vacant since the death of Mayor Monica Carlson in December. The newly elected mayor will serve the remainder of her term, which ends in October.
Khairatabad: Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) Managing Director M Dana Kishore on Thursday said everybody should come forward to save the water resources.Dana Kishore was chief guest for the training programme for volunteers who came from Bank of America at Rainwater Harvesting theme park at Jubilee Hills. Informing that how Hyderabadis waste water, Dana said in Chennai each person needs 65 litres of water per day and water board supplies 505 MLD, whereas in Hyderabad each person needs 150 litres of water per day and HMWS&SB supplies 2036 MLD water to the city. Also Read – Warrant issued against Renuka Chowdhury in cheating case Advertise With Us Hyderabad city is one among the metro cities, which has good supply of water and citizens here are wasting water without having awareness about saving water for the future, he said. “We need conservationists to create awareness among the people about saving water,” he said. He said that the WaLC (Water Leadership and Conservation) programme was started to educate the public along with the authorities.He explained that steps were being taken to prevent water wastage in selected 2,500 homes from each of the 150 wards in the city. Also Read – Parts of Hyderabad witness heavy rainfall Advertise With Us He said that WaLC volunteers should create awareness among the public for an hour every week about the wastage of water. He advised that we should protect our natural water resources while developing our city.He said he was very happy that officials of Bank of America participated in the training programme.He suggested that a house and apartment must be built with a rainwater harvesting pit or an injection borewell and then participate in the WaLC programme. Nearly 60 Bank of America employees participated in the event.
Stay on target Don’t Trust Everything You See on Shark WeekDiscovery launches virtual reality with sharks, skateboards, and survival Dundunn…dundunn…Shark Week 2019 is coming to haunt your summer dreams.From July 28 to August 4, Discovery Channel and other organizations worldwide are celebrating one of the ocean’s most powerful predators with special TV programs and events.To get your fright-fest started, we’ve rounded up the best shark-themed movies you can watch all week long. From The Meg to Jaws, these films will “take a bite” out of deciding what to binge-watch during Shark Week 2019.Open WaterA couple vacationing in the Caribbean has a nightmarish scuba diving experience in the movie Open Water. When their boat tour group accidentally leaves them behind, the pair must try to survive in the ocean with a bunch of hungry sharks.Stream it HereThe ShallowsBlake Lively battling a megalodon-like shark might make your day in The Shallows, a film where a surfer gets attacked by one of the massive predators during her isolated beach trip.Stream it HereThe MegThe ruler of all sharks is here to make beachgoers its “catch of the day” in The Meg: Expert diver (Jason Statham) has to beat the clock and rescue the crew of a deep-sea submersible before the enormous beast kills them all.Stream it HereSharknadoImagine this for a natural disaster: A freak twister rounds up the world’s deadliest sharks from the sea and they are chilling in the air, on the ground, and in bodies of water. Sharknado is a hilarious showdown against a shark-infested tornado that involves chainsaws, guns, and other forms of combat.Stream it HereJawsWhen a peaceful New England town is terrorized by a mega-shark, it’s up to a police chief, an ichthyologist, and a ship captain to stop the creature from hunting humans in Jaws. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie will give you the creeps on your next beach getaway.Stream it Here47 Meters DownDeep-sea diving is a fun adventure, except when your cage happens to break off a boat and plummet to a seabed full of sharks. 47 Meters Down, which stars Mandy Moore and Claire Holt, follows two sisters who decide to go on a thrilling ocean excursion and get stuck underwater with these bone-chilling animals.Stream it HereShark TaleIf gory megalodon movies are too much for you, Shark Tale makes a great PG binge-watch for Shark Week: The animated tale follows a young fish’s false reputation as a “shark slayer” and how he must prove himself innocent after a “shark mob” boss (voiced by Robert De Niro) thinks he killed his son. Will Smith and Renée Zellweger also are part of the cast of this adorable movie.Stream it HerePiranha 3DIt’s not exactly a shark movie, but Piranha 3D still features prehistoric man-eating fish that will freak you out. A group of spring breakers must survive these bloody creatures when their lake retreat becomes their hunting grounds.Stream it HereMore on Geek.com:Watch: Drone Captures Great White Sharks Interacting Off Cape CodPhotos: ‘Spy’ Sharks Swim Feet Away From Unsuspecting Beach Visitors At Least 9 Great White Sharks Spotted By Researchers Off Cape Cod
Sometimes a simple fix can do the job, and sometimes you need the works. This month we look at an easy-as-pie mouse utility, a feature-rich tweaking program, and an arcade-style game that builds in complexity.Teach Your Mouse New TricksYour mouse’s scroll wheel can be handy, but it’s a one-trick animal. KatMouse adds new functionality to the wheel, making navigating multiple windows easier and faster. The freebie lets you scroll through windows without selecting them first.KatMouse leaves your keyboard to focus on a given window while allowing your mouse to scroll other open windows. If you IM or e-mail with a browser window open, it’s balm to your aching hands.Another nifty feature sends a window to the bottom of the heap: Click the scroll wheel, and KatMouse banishes the window on which your pointer rests to the back of the queue. When you have a big window blocking others, this action takes less time than clicking around or using the taskbar to bring up other programs.Though KatMouse doesn’t promise to work with every program, I found that it worked with the current versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer. Developer Eduard Hiti offers KatMouse for free, but accepts donations for his efforts. Free/donationware.Go Nuts for PitaschioMost PCs could stand some usability upgrades–but who wants to spend hours, or a fortune, getting them? With Pitaschio (yes, that’s spelled correctly), making dozens of Windows tweaks is as simple as checking boxes–and it’s free.Pitaschio’s very first window presents dozens of check boxes you can use to tweak the taskbar, disable sometimes-troublesome keys (such as Caps Lock and Insert) or the maximize and minimize buttons on windows, and more. The Autoraise function pulls to the top any window you mouse over.Mouse shortcuts deliver extra power, activating different functions depending on where you click (desktop, taskbar, title bar). You can customize each mouse or mouse-and-key combo by assigning options such as turning off the monitor, opening Control Panel, and changing virtual desktops.Japanese developer Ara hands out Pitaschio at no charge–yum. Free.Don’t Let ’em Bug YouStopping an insect infestation is a blast–no, make that a loud implosion. In the seemingly simple arcade-style game Cosmic Bugs, armored insects have invaded your space station and stripped it to the girders. Your mission: Repair the station and crush the bugs.Grasping the basics is easy. You’re under no time limits, and you rarely target bugs directly. Instead, you shoot lines that seal off sections of the station. If you trap bugs inside, the bugs get smooshed–but if the lines don’t completely extend before a bug reaches them, your lines become insect chow.As you sanitize the station, the levels grow more complicated. Some insects crawl along the girders, and other sail through open spaces; each moves at its own rate and in a distinct style, so sealing them all up is a challenge. Various power-ups give you an edge if used wisely. But be warned: The bugs get power-ups, too.Cosmic Bugs can start your heart pumping, but the lack of time limits lets you proceed at your own pace. I defeated a satisfying 25 levels by the time the hour-long demo expired. Twenty-five down, only 500-odd more to go after paying for the full game. Free 1-hour demo, $20 for full game.Did you have an interesting experience with one of these programs? Is your favorite file missing from PC World’s Downloads library? E-mail your comments to Laura Blackwell . Messages containing attached files will be deleted unread. 3 min read Brought to you by PCWorld Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals May 9, 2008 Register Now »
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Travelweek Group Share Posted by Tags: Germany, Trend Watch
Canadian travel to Germany dips slightly but strong December ends year on a high note TORONTO — Travel to Germany continues its strong growth, topping the 80 million mark for overnight stays for the first time ever in 2016. It was the seventh consecutive record result for the country’s inbound tourism market.From January to December the German Federal Statistical Office recorded 80.8 million international overnight stays in accommodation establishments with a minimum of 10 beds, an increase of 1.1 million (1.4%) compared to the previous year.“Destination Germany is enjoying continued popularity with international visitors. We have achieved record highs for incoming tourism for the seventh year in a row, which reflects the strength of our tourism industry,” said Iris Gleicke, German Federal Government Commissioner for Tourism and Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.Two of the basic prerequisites for Germany’s achievement are tolerance and cosmopolitanism, being open to the world, she added. “We will not allow xenophobic loudmouths to ruin our country’s good reputation.”More news: ‘Turn around year’ for TPI brings double-digit growthWhile the German Federal Statistical Office recorded a 4.3% decrease in Canadian overnights, it also noted a marked increase of 11.4% for December 2016 over December 2015. “Canadians clearly enjoyed our Christmas markets!” said Antje Splettstoesser, Director, German National Tourist Office in Canada.Statistics Canada’s research, which records all visits to Germany regardless of where they are staying, strongly supports the fact that Canadians like to include Germany in their travel plans, added Splettstoesser.According to StatsCan surveys for the period 2010 to 2015, Germany shows a 74.47% increase in Canadian visits, surpassed in Europe only by Spain. River cruising has helped the trend. “It’s an easy snapshot of our regions and towns, intriguing enough to have you come back, stay in a comfortable hotel for a few days and explore in more depth what our country and people have to offer – and that’s exactly what happened in December, when Canadians came to visit our beautiful Christmas markets in many small towns and all larger cities.” << Previous PostNext Post >>
Share Tags: AMResorts, Cirque du Soleil, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Krystal Grand Hotels & Resorts, Riviera Nayarit Wednesday, May 30, 2018 New luxury resorts fuel Riviera Nayarit’s $200 million tourism industry Travelweek Group 
RIVIERA NAYARIT — Well-known resort brands and investments are driving economic growth and expanded options for clients heading to Riviera Nayarit. Following a successful 2017, the destination is looking ahead to several new resort openings through 2020. Last year Riviera Nayarit maintained hotel occupancy above 80%, peaking at 87.4% in July. Four-star properties reported occupancies above 94%.La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico“Riviera Nayarit is a destination like no other,” said Marc Murphy, managing director of Riviera Nayarit Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our versatility and distinct appeal have translated into recent success for our pristine destination, from resort town Nuevo Vallarta to the historic village of San Blas, celebrity haven Punta de Mita, surfing mecca Sayulita, and everything in between.”In February 2017 Krystal Grand Hotels & Resorts debuted the new Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta, a 480-room, all-inclusive luxury resort in Nuevo Vallarta. The hotel also offers the largest convention centre in the city, and can host up to 1,000 people.Marietas, MexicoIn December 2017 Grupo Autofin Monterrey inaugurated the Grand Sirenis Matlali Hills Resort & Spa, a paradisiacal resort perched atop a mountain in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.Also last year Marival Group expanded its offerings in the area, debuting MozzaMare Casual Beach Gourmet, a luxurious all-inclusive beachfront experience created for guests of Marival Residences Luxury Resorts.Sayulita, Mexico“The newly opened resorts match the superior standards synonymous with Riviera Nayarit and have been well received by visitors,” said Murphy. “Now we are looking forward to an expansive list of new developments that will continue to propel the region to new heights, with projects set to debut in the coming months and many more on the horizon through 2020.”The second half of 2018 will welcome a renowned luxury hotel brand: Fairmont. Costa Canuva CIP is a development project underway that will eventually be home to five new hotels, adding more than 7,000 guestrooms to the destination and featuring the region’s first Fairmont property, slated to open this year. The seaside community will be located on more than 550 acres and will also feature a beachfront village with 2,500 residential units. In addition to a golf course designed by Lorena Ochoa and Greg Norman, Costa Canuva will offer more than four miles of shoreline and pristine beaches.Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa Riviera, MexicoMeanwhile in 2019 Grupo Vidanta will open Mexico’s first Cirque du Soleil Theme Park, an immersive water and nature park that will offer evening shows and capacity for up to 5,000 spectators. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will debut Rosewood Mandarina offering 130 guestrooms, suites and villas and common areas with décor inspired by the local, pre-historic Huichole and Cora cultures. Also set to debut are the second stage of the Grand Sirenis Matlali beachfront development adding 140 suites, a 300-room Iberostar property in Litibu, and two Punta de Mita properties including Auberge Resort Collection’s ultra-luxury Susurros del Corazon and Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ redesign of the former La Tranquila Resort, Conrad Playa Mita.Pacifico Golf Course, MexicoDebuting in the final quarter of the year, One&Only Mandarina will feature one of the world’s first collections of One&Only branded residences, One&Only Mandarina Private Homes, which will debut alongside One&Only Mandarina Resort, Rosewood Residences and Rosewood Mandarina, as well as the world-class Mandarina Polo and Equestrian Club replete with state-of-the-art polo grounds, dressage and jumping arenas, stables and more.And in 2020 AMResorts is set to open Dreams Punta de Mita Resort and Spa and Secrets Punta de Mita Resort & Spa. Posted by << Previous PostNext Post >>