www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected]

The mayor of Tajikistan’s capital city of Dushanbe has ordered shops to stop selling black clothing for women, in the latest move against Islamic cultural influences in the country, the BBC.com reports.

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De fineste festkjolene i butikk nå

The Mayor, Mahmadsaid Ubaydulloyev, wants existing stock to be removed from the shelves because he says it doesn’t fit with Tajikistan’s culture and traditions, the privately-owned Asia-Plus news agency reports.

He has also told officials to prevent women’s garments from being imported if they’re black. The move is being seen as part of a broader government campaign against the adoption of Islamic cultural practices in Tajik society, including women wearing black headscarves.

Dushanbe

In March, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon used a Mother’s Day speech to criticise women who wear “foreign” clothing. Mr Rahmon told a crowd of women’s activists that “strangers” were using the clothes “to create another new extremist trend” in Tajikistan.

While colourful headscarves are considered traditional in the country, black hijabs are frowned upon, according to the agency. Hijabs were banned in schools and universities in 2005. More than 90% of the Tajik population is Muslim, but atheism was officially encouraged during 70 years of Soviet rule.

It’s not just black clothing on officials’ minds, though. The justice ministry wants to amend the law to force parents into giving their children traditionally Tajik names.

“If the amendments get approved, our offices would refuse to register babies with names that are Arabic or foreign to our culture,” ministry official Jaloliddin Rahimov tells the Radio Free Europe website.

#Arabisk #Borgermester #By #Dusjanbe #Ferie #Hovedstad #Islam #Klær #Morsdag #Muslim #Ordfører #President #Radio #Reise #Skole #Tadsjikistan #Universitet

#Arabic #Capital #City #Clothes #Dushanbe #Holiday #Mayor #MothersDay #School #Tajikistan #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected]

The ultra low cost Mexican airline with the most extensive route network servicing Mexico and the US, has announced their incursion into the Costa Rica market with the launch of two new flights from Cancun, Quintana Roo and Guadalajara, Jalisco to Costa Rica’s capital city, San Jose, starting on September 10 with flights two times per week. 

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Costa Rica becomes the second Central American destination for Volaris.

Volaris is expanding presence to Costa Rica as part of the carrier’s international growth plans, seeking to increase the country’s connectivity to Mexico’s most important cities as well the US market. Volaris CEO, Enrique Beltranena said: “We are extremely proud to announce flights to Costa Rica, a destination special not only as a natural and adventure tourism location, but also for their history and cultural heritage”.

“Two new services plus our innovative business framework make visiting Costa Rica easier than ever for our Customers in Mexico“, Beltranena added.

Separately, Costa Rica Minister of Tourism, Mauricio Ventura said, “Mexico is Latin America’s top issuing market for tourism by air, which is why Volaris’ bet strengthens the work we’ve done towards attracting more airlines and opening our markets by increasing the number of seats available to the destination and becoming a complement to traditional offerings with an option that provides good service at an affordable price,” the official said. “This also introduces an element of competitiveness in terms of fares to Costa Rica.”

To date, Volaris is the airline with the widest route network servicing Mexico and the US. The carrier has transported nearly 50 million passengers since it started operating in 2006, and this number continues on the rise as a result of more than 240 daily flights operated to 61 leading destinations, including 38 in Mexico and 23 internationally.

#By #Cancun #CostaRica #Ferie #Flyselskap #Hovedstad #LatinAmerika #MellomAmerika #Mexico #Minister #Reise #SanJose #USA

#Airline #Capital #CentralAmerica #City #Holiday #LatinAmerica #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia, has always differed from other cities of the Caucasus in its unique architectural appearance. At the beginning of its history, Tskhinvali was one of the main crossroads for armies and commercial caravans.

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Tskhinvali. Photo: skyscrapercity.com

This led to the motley population of the city. The old part of the city has always attracted guests and citizens. The Old City has never been isolated from the rest of the city. There used to be the Ossetian Settlement, the Jewish District, the Armenian and Georgian Streets, the Russian website www.vestnikkavkaza.net reports.

Today there is no pure old Tskhinvali – a lot of buildings were destroyed. The city is being built over again, and this is not always favorable for the preservation of historical memory. However, the community tries to protect the historic appearance of Tskhinval.

Last year an enterprising group of citizens stood a stand against the construction of an eight-storey building in the center of the city.

The new building of the South Ossetian University should become the soul of reconstructed Tskhinval. It should be built on the site of the university which was destroyed in 2008, on its historic site of Moscow Street. New buildings will be constructed on the historic site of the only university in the republic.

Vadim Tedeyev, the head of the SOSU, says that the new architecture of the complex won’t break the harmony of “Old Tskhinvali.”

“The project of the university considers the true architectural appearance of the city. Classical forms and details of the building are clearly depicted on the front of it. We have adapted classics to modernity. This is the neoclassicism which perfectly fits the city’s environment,” Tedeyev told EADaily.

The new complex will look more luxury in comparison with the previous one. There will be more convenient facilities for students and tutors.

The construction of the new building is included in the Investment Program of Encouragement of Socio-Economic Development of the Republic for 2015-2017.

The founder of the SOSU, the President of South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, promised that the complex would be built by 2017. “Constructing the university on its historic site is a tribute to the history of our peoples. In the future the new building will become a symbol of the capital,” Tibilov promised. 

#Abkhasia #Arkitektur #By #Ferie #Georgia #Hovedstad #Kaukasus #NagornoKarabakh #Nauru #Nicaragua #President #Reise #Russland #SørOssetia #Transniester #Tskhinvali #Universitet #Venezuela

#Abkhazia #Architecture #Capital #Caucasus #City #Holiday #Russia #SouthOssetia #Travel #University

South Ossetia is a breakaway republic in Georgia, recognized by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, along with Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia , Transniester, Luhansk People’s Republic, and Donetsk People’s Republic, none of them internationally recognized.

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

A 12th Century cathedral in Kirkwall, capital of the Orkneys in Scotland, is to undergo a laser scan as part of efforts to preserve the building, www.bbc.com reports.

The project, which will record every last detail of Orkney’s St Magnus Cathedral, is to begin later this year.

Orkney Islands Council is currently looking for experts to carry out detailed scans of the internal and external structure of the cathedral.

A 3D record of the building can then be compared with future scans to detect any changes in its fabric.

It will allow for analyses of weathering, erosion, decay, moss build-up or shifts due to subsidence.

It is also hoped the scans can be used to aid research and enhance tourism by developing digital tours of the cathedral under separate proposals for a major exhibition on the history of Kirkwall.

The Society of the Friends of St Magnus Cathedral have given the project their backing, committing to contribute half of the costs of the laser scanning.

The society’s secretary David Oddie said they were delighted to be contributing.

He said: “It goes right to the core of our chief aim – protecting and safeguarding the condition of this majestic building. The joint funding of this work is a reflection of the good relationship we’ve had with the council for many years.”

The Romano-Gothic cathedral, built from red and yellow sandstone, is of international significance.

The foundations were placed in 1137, and the building, dedicated to Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, took about 300 years to build.

It was assigned to the inhabitants of Kirkwall by King James III of Scotland in a charter dated 1486.

#By #Ferie #Hovedstad #Katedral #Kirke #Konge #Kirkwall #Magnus #Orknøyene #Reise #Skottland #Storbritania

#Capital #Cathedral #Church #City #Holiday #King #Orkneys #Scotland #Travel #UnitedKingdom

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

Med sine 300 millioner røykere er Kina landet i verden som både produserer og konsumerer mest tobakk. Fra i dag mandag 1.juni av blir det imidlertid forbudt å røyke i restauranter, kontorer, på offentlig transport og i nærheten av skoler og sykehus i hovedstaden, skriver Dagens Næringsliv / www.dn.no / NTB

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Bøtene for brudd på røykeloven oppjusteres samtidig fra 10 yuan til 200 yuan, omtrent 250 kroner. Selskaper som ikke stanser røyking i sine kontorer og restauranter risikerer opptil 10.000 yuan, drøyt 12.000 kroner.

Dersom de nye bøtene ikke er nok, vil myndighetene kunne navngi, på myndighetenes nettsider, personer som har brutt loven tre ganger.

– Dette er nok ikke verdens strengeste røykelov, men den er blant de strengeste. Det er ingen fritak, unntak, og smutthull for røyking innendørs, sier Angela Pratt i Verdens helseorganisasjons (WHO) tobakksprogram.

#Beijing #By #Ferie #FN #Hovedstad #Kina #Reise #Restaurant #Røyk #Røykelov #Røyking #Skole #Sykehus #Tobakk #Transport #WHO

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

Photo: Pall Stefansson

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Norge: Topp 10 høyfjellshotell du vil elske

Sari Maarit Cedergren, resident of Njálsgata in Reykjavík, was on Tuesday issued the first permit to keep chickens in Reykjavík, in accordance with an ordinance approved by Reykjavík City Council last fall, www.icelandreview.com reports.

Sari is reportedly pleased with the decision and has begun preparations for the construction of a chicken coop.

“We have been working on a way to make it possible for those city residents who want to keep hens to do so,” said Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir, chair of the City Council Health and Safety Committee, which issued the permit.

“We have not been policing chicken keeping so far, but we hope that if people are keeping them, that they apply for a permit. We want to be considerate of the best interest of all parties; both of those who want to keep chickens and that of their neighbors,” Heiða added.

In order to qualify for a permit, written permission must be sought from owners of all adjacent residences, and in the case of an apartment building with multiple households, written permission from all co-owners of the building.

Applicants are able to apply for permits for up to four chickens. Only hens are allowed, and the keeping of roosters continues to be strictly prohibited within the city limits.

#By #Dyr #Ferie #Fugl #Hovedstad #Island #Reise #Reykjavik

#Animal #Bird #Capital #City #Holiday #Iceland #Travel 

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

Pope Francis has erected the Ecclesiastical Province of Dodoma in Tanzania. As a new Archdiocese, Dodoma now becomes a Metropolitan diocese with Singida and Kondoa as suffragan dioceses, according to Vatican Radio – www.radiovaticana.va

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The Pope has at the same time appointed as Archbishop of Dodoma, the Most Reverend Beatus Kinyaiya, until now Bishop of the Diocese of Mbulu.

The new Archdiocese of Dodoma has been vacant since 17 February 2014 when Bishop Gervas John Nyaisonga was transferred to the Diocese of Mpanda.

The new Archbishop of Dodoma, Beatus Kinyaiya, was born in 1957 in the Diocese of Moshi. He made his perpetual profession as a Capuchin, in 1988 and was ordained priest on 25 June 1989. From 1999 to 2005, he was the Provincial Superior for Tanzania and President of the Capuchin Superiors Major of EACC.

While Dodoma is the official capital of Tanzania, and seat of the national assembly, the city of Dar-es-Salaam remains the commercial and administrative capital, and seat of government and foreign embassies.

#Ambassade #Biskop #By #DarEsSalaam #Dodoma #Ferie #Frans #Hovedstad #Nasjonalforsamling #Parlament #Pave #Radio #Regjering #Reise #Tanzania #Vatikanet #Vatikanstaten

#Bishop #Capital #City #Embassy #Francis #Government #Holiday #Parliament #Pope #Travel #Vatican

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.  

Bandar Seri Begawan

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Klar på 1-2-3: Gi bort en opplevelse i julegave

Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, recently declared that all shops and restaurants in the city will not be allowed to operate after midnight following a new government regulation, the www.thediplomat.com website reported.

According to media reports, a circular issued by the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department noted that effective immediately, permission previously granted to shops or restaurants to operate after midnight have been revoked.

Furthermore, it noted that if any shop is found violating the new midnight ban, actions will be taken including issuing a letter of suspension or canceling the license of the business in question.

The BSB Municipal Chairman told The Brunei Times that the ruling will be applied nationwide, with similar circulars distributed soon to other municipalities.

He also added that this would apply to all eateries and shops, including small sundry shops (kedai runcit) and other food vendors who usually operate 24 hours a day.

The new directive has reportedly faced opposition among regular Bruneians for several reasons. While some speculated that the move may be linked to curbing social ills, be it reducing crime during late hours or preventing loitering by the youth, The Borneo Bulletin quoted a few businessmen in Brunei as saying that they were concerned that the authorities did not mention the regulation before the announcement and involve the business community in the decision-making process.

Restaurant owners and staff also said they were worried about the impact on their income, whether it be from regular Bruneians or visiting tourists.

Other Bruneians interviewed about the directive by The Brunei Times noted the impact on workers and citizens. A man who only wanted to be identified as Hj Mohd Ali said the new regulation would make it difficult for people who work night shifts to get their meals. He also said that there may be an additional issue during the month of Ramadan, since it would make it difficult for Muslims to consume meals early in the morning before fasting known as sahur – which would also affect businesses.

“People will only eat when they break their fast. After that there wouldn’t be many people eating until sahur. Now people can’t eat during sahur in restaurants anymore because theyære closed.”, he said.

Brunei’s midnight ban is just the latest sign of strict regulations being issued in the country, particularly following the implementation of a strict new penal code first published in October 2013.

#BandarSeriBegawan #Brunei #By #Ferie #Hovedstad #Reise #Restaurant

#Capital #City #Holiday #Travel