www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Taxi app Uber is to launch a car-sharing service in London metro.co.uk reported.
UberPOOL will allow up to three passengers to share a car and save money on the standard fare and cut congestion in the capital.
The scheme was first launched in San Francisco in September last year and now makes up over half of all Uber trips in the US city.
London will become only the second European city – after Paris – to have UberPOOL when it begins operation at 4pm on Friday.
Passengers will save 25% compared to the standard uberX fare. Each pick-up is restricted to a maximum of two people, with no more than three passengers in a car at any one time.
The introduction of the scheme comes while Transport for London (TfL) is holding a consultation on a series of measures that would affect Uber.
The proposals – which TfL say could “improve and inform” the regulations that govern the capital’s private-hire trade – include enforcing an interval of at least five minutes between a booking and the start of a journey to allow drivers to plan an appropriate route.
London mayor Boris Johnson has blamed Uber for increasing traffic levels in the city.
The number of private-hire driver licences in London has risen from 65,000 in March 2013 to 92,000 earlier this month, according to TfL figures.
Uber’s UK general manager Jo Bertram suggested uberPOOL will reduce congestion on the capital’s roads, she said: “UberPOOL makes it easy and affordable for people going in the same direction at the same time to share the trip.”
“That means cheaper rides for passengers, less time between trips for drivers and fewer cars on the city’s streets over time. “By getting more bums on previously empty seats, this new service will help cut congestion and pollution in London.”
The service will initially only be available for journeys starting in central London or Heathrow Airport.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Plans have been revealed for a mixed-use development comprising apartments, luxury hotels, retail and leisure facilities as part of Dubai Healthcare City’s Phase 2 expansion project, arabianbusiness.com reported.
Dubai Healthcare City Authority announced the joint venture with Nshama, a private developer, to establish the Al Fursan project at Al Jadaf Dubai, parallel to Al Garhoud Bridge.
The agreement will deliver an integrated community, comprising premium apartments, serviced residences, 4- and 5-star hotels, and retail and leisure facilities, spread over approximately 2.9 million square feet, a statement said.
It added that the agreement will create a dynamic living, working and recreation environment for the Dubai Healthcare City community, residents and medical tourists in Phase 2.
The project announcement comes as Dubai is seeking to position itself within the top 15 destinations in the world for medical tourism and the first in the region.
According to the Medical Tourism Destination Index (MTDI) which was published by the Medical Tourism Association in 2014, Dubai ranked 17th.
The Phase 2 of Dubai Healthcare City, spread over land area of 22 million square feet, was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in March.
Dr Raja Al Gurg, vice-chairperson and executive director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, said: “Our partnership is a milestone to support the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in establishing the emirate as a global medical tourism hub, and developing Dubai’s key sectors of health, retail and hospitality.”
“Nshama’s developmental model dovetails with our planning requirements for Phase 2. The project will cater to the growing demand for living choices from healthcare specialists who relocate to the emirate and from Medical tourists.”
Fred Durie, CEO, Nshama, added: “The JV is a key addition to our development portfolio. The project will be an interconnected community with walkways linking different components, offering a refreshing creek-side ambience.”
Nshama will focus solely on the development aspects such as the master plan and design, and work closely with Dubai Healthcare City to ensure optimum land use to integrate the network of high-quality, mixed-use healthcare and wellness offerings with a residential community aspect.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Mashatu Game Reserve er blant grunnene til at Lonely Planet plasserer Botswana øverst på sin liste over neste års heteste reisemål.
Botswana ligger på toppen av lista når det internasjonale reisemagasinet Lonely Planet kårer sine heteste reisemål for 2016, skriver travelnews.no
Botswanas hovedstad Gaborone.
Republikken i det sørlige Afrika feirer sine 50 år som selvstendig nasjon i september neste år. Botswana, tidligere Bechuanaland, var en tidligere britisk koloni, og er kjent både for sine mange naturreservater med et rikt dyreliv, og ørkenområder som Kalahari.
På andreplass ligger Japan, som inneværende år har hatt besøk av rundt 15 millioner turister. Det regner man med vil øke neste år, men det blir likevel bare en forsmak på begivenhetene sommeren 2020. Da arrangerer nemlig Japan og hovedstaden Tokyo sommer-OL.
Grunnen til at USA rager så høyt som på tredjeplass skyldes at de føderale myndighetene med ansvar for nasjonalparkene feirer 100 år i 2016.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
The authorities in Beijing, the capital of China, have issued their highest smog warning so far this year, www.bbc.com reported.
The “orange level” alert declared on Sunday is the second highest possible, requiring factories to cut production.
On Sunday, some pollution readings in parts of the city reached about 17 times the level considered safe by the World Health Organisation.
Air pollution is a chronic health-risk for those living and working in the capital and other major chinese cities.
China’s state media says the declaration of this orange level alert requires industrial plants to reduce or shut down production.
Building sites are not allowed to transport materials or waste and heavy-duty trucks are banned from the city’s roads.
Some reports suggest that visibility has fallen to a few hundred metres in some places.
At noon on Sunday, the air pollution monitor operated by the US Embassy in Beijing reported that the intensity of the poisonous, tiny particles of PM 2.5 reached more than 400 micrograms per cubic metre in some of the worst-affected areas.
The World Health Organization considers 25 micrograms per cubic metre to be a safe level.
Coal-powered industries and heating systems, as well as dust from construction sites, all contribute to the smog which has been exacerbated by humidity and a lack of wind.
A cold front, expected to arrive on Wednesday, should bring some relief.
Air pollution is a perennial problem in China’s northeast which is home to many heavy industries including coal mining.
Earlier this month, China’s state media and many residents criticised high pollution levels in the north-eastern city of Shenyang.
The People’s Daily said PM 2.5 levels exceeded 1,400 micrograms per cubic metre. Activists said that may have been the “worst ever” air quality seen in the country.
Earlier this year China’s environment ministry announced that only eight out of the country’s 74 biggest cities had passed the government’s basic air quality standards in 2014.
Most of the cities found to have the worst air were in the northeast.
China is attempting to cut pollution but still relies heavily on coal for its energy and industrial needs.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Væpnet politi ved Eiffeltårnet på Trocadero Esplanade. Foto: AFP
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Photo by: Christian Stemper, Vienna Tourism
Tourists from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region are continuing to travel to Vienna in increasing numbers, with 2015 already proving to be another record-breaking year for arrivals and overnights in Austria’s capital city, HotelierMiddleEast.com reported.
Between January and October 2015, overnights from the UAE have increased 48.2% compared to 2014, recording 110,663 so far.
Recent figures from the Vienna tourism board also show arrivals have seen a similar growth, with 50,891 from the UAE, up by 44.8% when compared with the previous year.
Saudi Arabia also recorded a 20.4% growth in overnights in the city, and arrivals increased by 19.4%.
More than 80% of visitors to Vienna are coming from outside the country’s borders.
In total 13.5 million overnight stays were reported in 2014, the largest markets were German, Austrian, USA, Italy and Russia; guests from the GCC made up for approximately 295,000 overnight stays.
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Hele to kilometer med boder og ulike aktiviteter gjør at Brussels julemarked er et av Europas største. Her er det fokus på europeiske spesialiteter med øl, pølser, oster og gløgg, men også boder med fine og unike håndverksvarer, skriver Se og Hør.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Hotellkongen Petter A.Stordalen ble i 2007 truet med bøter om han ikke fjernet reklamebanneret på sin økologiske matsatsing fra veggen på Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania Oslo, skriver VG.
Nå kjøper Stordalen like godt hele hotellet, som ble bygget som utøverhotell til vinter-OL i 1952. Stordalen og kompanjongene i Varner-familien skal oppgradere hotellet for en milliard kroner.
Blir planene godkjent av bystyret i Oslo, får hotellet en ny fløy med 16 etasjer, som til sammen vil gi Royal Christiania 815 rom samt konferansesal med plass til 1000 mennesker.
Ambisjonen er å utvikle Oslos største og grønneste konferansehotell.
-Vår visjon er klar – å skape et førsteklasses hotell midt i Oslo sentrum, som setter Oslo på kartet som kongressby og styrker Oslos image som miljøby, sier Petter A.Stordalen til VG.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Storbritanias Dronning Elizabeth II kom torsdag på statsbesøk til Malta der hun ble møtt med militær æresgarde i hovedstaden Valletta av Maltas president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca og statsminister Joseph Muscat.
De 53 stats- og regjeringssjefene (flere av dem representert av stedfortredere) i Samveldet, med dronning Elizabeth i spissen, samlet i Valletta i dag.
Den 89 år gamle dronningen, som har følge av ektemannen prins Philip (94); hertugen av Edinburgh, prins Charles; prinsen av Wales, og hans kone Camilla, hertuginnen av Cornwall, skal også vært til stede på møtet for stats- og regjeringssjefene i Samveldet (tidligere Det britiske samvelde), der hun er overhode.
I hovedstaden og i resten av øystaten – midt i Middelhavet – på bare 316 kvadratkilometer og med 421,000 innbyggere – står alt “på hodet” mens det hele pågår – og sikkerhetsoppbudet er enormt.
Presidenter, monarker, statsministre, utenriksministre og ambassadører fra de 53 Samveldelandene deltar på møtet på Malta. Slike møter holdes hvert annet år.
Blant “eksterne” gjester er Frankrikes president Francois Hollande – der står terrorbekjempelse på agendaen.
Møtet varer fra 27. til 29.november, og foregår på Mediterranean Conference Centre, Radisson Golden Sands, og Corinthia Palace Hotel
Samveldet er en sammenslutning av 53 uavhengige nasjoner, de fleste av dem tidligere britiske kolonier eller oversjøiske territorier. Dronning Elizabeth er ennå formelt statsoverhode i 16 av disse, blant dem Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, og flere uavhengige øystater i Oseania og Karibia.
Mens det i Australia og i New Zealand er en pågående debatt om landene skal bli republikk, er det allerede klart at Barbados går over fra et konstitusjonelt monarki med dronningen som statsoverhode, til republikk med en valgt president.
Andre samveldeland som har gått over til republikansk styreform er blant andre Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malta, Mauritius, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sør-Afrika, og Trinidad og Tobago.
Fem av medlemslandene som er monarkier, har sine egne regjerende monarker, nemlig Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, Swaziland og Tonga.
Noen land har meldt seg ut, som Irland, allerede i 1949, Zimbabwe, og Gambia.
Selv om de fleste medlemslandene har historiske, politiske og kulturelle bånd til Storbritannia, finnes det unntak; Mosambik og Rwanda, som tidligere tilhørte henholdsvis Portugal og Belgia.
Potensielle nye medlemsland er Somaliland (tidligere Britisk Somaliland, ikke internasjonalt anerkjent), Sør-Sudan, Sudan og Surinam.
Storbritania har fremdeles 14 oversjøiske territorier – med til sammen 350,000 innbyggere – rundt om på kloden – de fleste av dem med fullt indre selvstyre, men altså ikke uavhengige. Disse territoriene er medlemmer av Samveldet, men deltar ikke på møtene for stats- og regjeringssjefer, som holdes hvert annet år.
Samveldet, som defineres som en frivillig, internasjonal organisasjon, har et samlet folketall på 2,2 milliarder.
Samveldet har hovedsete i Marlborough House i London, og medlemslandene samarbeider på en lang rekke områder, som parlamentariske forhold, utdanning, kultur, sport, ungdom, helse, menneskerettigheter, landbruk, diplomati, likestilling, kvinnespørsmål, utvikling, kommunikasjoner, klima og miljø, for å nevne noe.
Et viktig kriterium for å bli medlem, og å bli værende som medlemsland, er at landet er demokratisk. Enkelte medlemsland har opp gjennom tidene blitt suspendert fra Samveldet i kortere eller lengre perioder, blant annet etter at det er blitt gjennomført militærkupp i det aktuelle landet. Dette gjelder blant annet Fiji og Nigeria.
Stats- og regjeringssjefene i Samveldet valgte i dag ny generalsekretær i organisasjonen. Blant kandidater fra Antigua og Barbuda, Storbritania, Botswana, Australia, Trinidad og Tobago, og Tanzania, valgte forsamlingen Patricia Scotland, baronesse Scotland av Asthal (60), en britisk toppjurist med flere høye stillinger innen politikk og forvaltning bak seg. Hun er født på Dominica, og det var hennes fødeland som fremmet kandidaturet hennes.
Hun blir den første kvinnen i stillingen som generalsekretær, og tar over etter Kamalesh Sharma fra India.
Konferansen skal også ta stilling til hvor den neste samlingen skal legges, i 2017, etter at det opprinnelige valget, Vanuatu, trakk seg på grunn av de store ødeleggelsene landet, deriblant hovedstaden Port Vila, ble påført av syklonen “Pam” i mars i år.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
The number of visitors to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh for this year’s Water Festival is less than one-fifth last year’s one million due to the cancellation of some festivities late last month by the national government, Phnom Penh Municipal spokesman Long Dimanche said yesterday, The Khmer Times reported.
The government cancelled the annual boat races that are the hallmark of the festival late last month, citing low water levels and drought in many areas of the country.
Mr. Dimanche said about 50,000 people arrived in Phnom Penh for the three-day festival on its first day Tuesday, and that the number rose to 150,000 on Wednesday. He said it increased yesterday but did not provide an estimate.
Mr. Dimanche cited two reasons for the dramatic decline in visitors. “First, some provinces are affected by drought so farmers have to tend to their rice and other crops,” he said. “Second, there is no boat racing in the capital, but it is happening in some provinces, so people are staying in their province [to celebrate],” he said, adding that concerts and other events are also being held in provincial capitals.
