Costa Rica opens embassy in Kenya

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog mainly about the capital cities of the world, but now also about other destinations and topics, with a focus on tourism, transport and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no  – Contact us at [email protected]
Facebook: Hovedstederblogg

The Republic of Costa Rica has opened it’s first embassy in Africa, in the capital city of Nairobi, Kenya, the Costa Rica Star newspaper reported.

The location was decided by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel Gonzalez Sanz, with the plan to access Eastern Africa.

Foreign Minister Gonzalez participated in the inauguration of the new embassy along with the resident Ambassador to Costa Rica in Kenya, Marta Eugenia Juarez Ruiz.

National flag of Costa Rica

News source: www.news.co.cr

#Ambassade #Ambassadør #CostaRica #Flagg #Hovedstad #Kenya #Minister #Nairobi #Republikk #Utenriksminister

#Ambassador #Capital #City #Embassy #Flag #ForeignMinister #Travel
 

 

Sør-Sudan stenger FN-radio

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog mainly about the capital cities of the world, but now also about other destinations and topics, with a focus on tourism, transport and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no  – Contact us at [email protected]
Facebook: Hovedstederblogg

Flere medier er de siste årene blitt stengt i Sør-Sudan, som er herjet av borgerkrig. Nå har landets myndigheter trukket tilbake lisensen til radiostasjonen Radio Miraya, som blir drevet av FN. Det melder Reuters, ifølge VG.no

Kilde: www.vg.no – VG Direkte

#FN #Krig #Media #Radio #Radiokanal #Radiostasjon #Sudan #SørSudan

Safari i hovedstaden

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog mainly about the capital cities of the world, but now also about other destinations and topics, with a focus on tourism, transport and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no  – Contact us at [email protected]
Facebook: Hovedstederblogg

Foto: kws.go.ke

Like utenfor sentrum i Kenyas hovedstad Nairobi ligger landets eldste, og kanskje mest undervurderte nasjonalpark, Nairobi National Park, som ble grunnlagt i 1946.

Foto: kws.go.ke

Her finner du både løver, leoparder, bøfler, geparder, sebraer, sjiraffer, nesehorn og gaseller, skriver Se og Hør.

Foto: kws.go.ke

Les mer på www.kws.go.ke – Kenya Wildlife Service

Kilder: Se og Hør, kws.go.ke

#Bøffel #Dyr #Gaselle #Gepard #Hovedstad #Kenya #Leopard #Løve #Nairobi #Nasjonalpark #Nesehorn #Natur #Park #Sebra #Sjiraff

Asmara declared a World Heritage site by Unesco

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 and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no  – Contact us at [email protected]
Facebook: Hovedstederblogg

A 1930s petrol station in Asmara.

The people of Eritrea have long said their capital Asmara is like no other city in Africa, and on Saturday the UN agreed, designating it a World Heritage site, the Agence France-Press news agency / themalaymailonline.com reported.

General view of Asmara.

The proclamation ends a long-running quest by Eritrean authorities to have the city’s unique architecture, which includes an art-deco bowling alley with coloured glass windows and a petrol station built to resemble a soaring aeroplane (pictured), recognised by the UN cultural body, Unesco.

“The city’s recognition as a heritage site of outstanding universal value fills us with tremendous pride and joy, but also with a profound sense of responsibility and duty,” said Hanna Simon, Eritrea’s permanent delegate to Unesco.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland.

A former Italian colony, most of the futuristic designs of the Eritrean capital date back to the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini from 1936 to 1941.

Architects whose designs were unwelcome in conservative European cities found a place in Asmara at a time when about half of the city’s population was Italian and the city was known as “Piccola Roma”, or “Little Rome”.

While the modernist architecture of other Eritrean cities was destroyed during a decades-long war of liberation from Ethiopia, Asmara’s survived and was declared a national monument by the government in 2001, which refers to it as Africa’s “City of Dream”

But efforts to restore the marble facades and Roman-style pillars of the city’s theatres and cinemas have been hampered by a shortage of money and local expertise, city authorities say.

News source: www.themalaymailonline.com

#Arkitektur #ArtDeco #Asmara #Bensinstasjon #Blogg #Bowling #By #Design #Destinasjon #Diktator #Drøm #Eritrea #Ferie #Fly #FN #Hovedstad #Italia #Kino #Krakow #Marmor #Monument #Mussolini #Polen #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselyst #Reisemål #Roma #Storby #Teater #Tur #Turisme #Turist #Unesco #Verdensarv #Verdensarvlisten

#Airplane #Architecture #Blog #Capital #Cinema #City #Destination #Dictator #Dream #Holiday #Italy #Marble #PetrolStation #Poland #Rome #Theater #Tourism #Tourist #Travel #UN #WorldHeritageList

Uganda: Cyclist to Promote Kampala As Safe Tourist Destination

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 and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]
Facebook: Hovedstederblogg

Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities in a bid to promote the capital city Kampala as a tourist destination has organized the second edition of Kampala Adventure Cycling 2016 due for 14 August, Allafrica.com / East African Business Week reports.

“Tourism is not only about going to parks. There is a lot to see in and around our city, and the Kampala Adventure Cycling event will allow many people appreciate this city. It is amazing that many people live here but have only seen so little.” said Godfrey Kiwanda, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

The event is meant to highlight Kampala as a beautiful and safe tourism destination to the local and international audiences as well as cement the partnership amongst the private sector, Kampala Capital City Authority and Uganda Tourism Board in promoting tourism in Kampala and Uganda. it is also meant to raise awareness as well as raise funds to provide tourism guiding skills for children aged 16-18 years born and raised in Ugandan prisons in order to improve on their lives.

See the full story here: http://allafrica.com/stories/201607060223.html

News source: www.allafrica.com

#Antikvitet #Barn #By #Destinasjon #Ferie #Fengsel #Hovedstad #Kampala #Ministerium #Park #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselust #Reisemål #Storby #Sykkel #Tur #Turisme #Turist #Uganda

#Adventure #Antiquities #Bike  #Capital #Children #City #Cycle #Destination #Holiday #Ministry #Prison #Tourism #Tourist #Travel #Wildlife

 

 

Turkish president opens Turkey’s largest embassy in the world, in Mogadishu

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 and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

President Erdogan (holding the microphone) at the opening ceremony of the new Turkish Embassy Compound in Mogadishu. Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to his right, Photo credit: Somalia’s state news agency SONNA

Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the new Turkish Embassy Compound in Mogadishu, capital city of Somalia, the last leg of his East Africa tour, which also took him to Kenya and Uganda, cihan.com.tr reported.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, president Erdogan said the embassy compound, built on an 80-decare land and overlooking the Indian Ocean and standing next to the Abdulaziz Mosque built by the Ottoman Empire 10 centuries ago, is the largest Turkish embassy in the world.

“13 years ago, Turkey had embassies in 12 countries in Africa. Today, we have 39 embassies,” the president said, adding that Turkey aims to open embassies in all 54 African countries.

Mr Erdogan stated that one of the meeting halls in the embassy compound was named after Police Officer Sinan Yılmaz, who was martyred in an attack in Somalia in July 2013. Noting that the Kızılay Medical Vocational High School project in Somalia is almost finished, 

President Erdogan said 600 students will begin to study at the school in September.

“We are also building a military training center here on an 400-decare land and it is our biggest wish that we be here in Mogadishu during its opening ceremony,” the president said.

Turkey has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to war-ravaged Somalia since 2011, according to Turkish officials. Last week, the Turkish Cabinet approved $24 million in budgetary support to Somalia for this year, according to Voice of America.

Following the speeches, president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud inaugurated the embassy compound.

Also attending the opening ceremony were First Lady Emine Erdoğan, along with the deputy prime minister, foreign minister and economy minister of Turkey.

See the full story here: https://www.cihan.com.tr/en/president-erdogan-somalia-embassy-open-2087572.htm

News sources: www.cihan.com.tr, Voice of America

#Ambassade #By #Destinasjon #Ferie #Hovedstad #Indiahavet #Kenya #Martyr #Militær #Minister #Mogadishu #Moske #Ottomansk #Politi #President #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselyst #Reisemål #Skole #Somalia #Statsminister #Storby #Tur #Turisme #Turist #Uganda

#Capital #City #Destination #Embassy #Holiday #IndianOcean #Military #Mosque #Ottoman #Police #PrimeMinister #School #Tourism #Tourist #Travel

BANGLADESH OPENS EMBASSY IN ETHIOPIA

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 and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Bangladesh has opened an embassy in Ethiopia in its effort to expand ties with African countries, reports bdnews24.com

The Bangladeshi foreign ministry said the new mission in Addis Abeba, home to the African Union’s headquarters, would open “newer avenues” of cooperation.
 
Opening of Bangladesh mission there, the foreign ministry believes, is of particular “importance” from the peacekeeping perspective.
 
The embassy started functioning since March 1 with Hanif Khan as Charge d’affaires. Monirul Islam will join as the Ambassador by March 15.
 
Ethiopia is one of the first African countries who recognised Bangladesh soon after the independence in 1971.
 
Ethiopia depends heavily on agriculture and is known as one of Africa’s fastest growing non-oil economies.

Source: www.bdnews24.com

#AddisAbeba #AfrikanskeUnion #Ambassade #Ambassadør #Bangladesh #By #Destinasjon #Etiopia #Ferie #Hovedstad #Landbruk #Olje #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselyst #Reisemål #Turisme #Union #Utenriksdepartement

#AfricanUnion #Agriculture #Ambassador #Capital #City #Destination #Embassy #Ethiopia #ForeignMinistry #Holiday #Oil #Tourism #Travel

 

ASMARA, ERITREA’S CAPITAL CITY – “AKA MIAMI OF AFRICA”, COULD BECOME AFRICA’S NEXT WORLD HERITAGE SITE

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 and politics, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

The futuristic Fiat Tagliero Building (1938) in Asmara. Photo: David Stanley / Flickr / Mail&Guardian

Asmara, capital city of Eritrea, has one of the largest collections of modernist architecture in the world, impressive features that bolster the application made on February 1 for it to be listed as a World Heritage site, reports Mail&Guardian.com

Unesco World Heritage Sites are natural and cultural legacies of “outstanding value to humanity” and these approximately 400 buildings and their legacy make Asmara a unique contender for the esteemed status. The fate of the application, submitted by the Asmara Heritage Project (AHP), will be known before July 2017 and, as the Asmara project already meets several of the ten criterion for heritage status, there are high hopes. 

For centuries, Eritrea was influenced by the cultures and religions of different rulers, from the Egyptians and the Ottomans to the Europeans. These all left their traces on the culture and architecture of the country, but it was Italy’s occupation that had the strongest mark. 

Asmara was under Italian occupation from 1889, but it was Benito Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 that transformed the small town then into Africa’s most modern metropolis. 

Asmara grew to become a capital city, with zoning, sanitation and modern drainage systems and buildings that followed the design principles and architectural styles indebted to European tendencies at the turn of the century. 

It should be noted that there was some was some architectural experimentation and innovation also happening with one of the city’s most striking structures, the Fiat Tagliero service station, for example, being built in 1938. It was a bold tribute to futurism which is an Italian artistic movement that had comparatively little architectural exposure.

The spectrum of the modernist buildings exist in an area of about four square kilometres in the town centre and earned Asmara the title as the “Miami of Africa” in reference to the US city’s famous style which features geometric shapes, curves and soft colours. 

But these plans and structures also had African influence.

Many buildings are in run-down condition requiring an overhaul and modernisation of facilities including sanitation and electricity. An important step in this process will be the recognition of the Asmara architecture as a World Heritage by the UNESCO. 

Through recognition there’s hope that the huge costs of renovation and preservation can be met if Asmara’s architecture can become the cornerstone of gainful tourism in Eritrea. 

Though the city’s striking architecture is the icing on the cake, Eritrea has many attractions to offer; the Red Sea, scenic mountain region, diverse fauna and flora, the historical landmarks of antique cultures of the Axumite Empire, Christian churches and monasteries, the Ottoman urban culture with the port of Massawa and the renovated railway from Massawa to Asmara. 

See the whole article, and photos, at http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-02-15-asmara-eritreas-capital-city-africas-next-world-heritage-site
Source: http://mgafrica.com

#Arkitektur #Asmara #By #Destinasjon #Egypt #Eritrea #Etiopia #Fauna #Ferie #Fiat #Flora #Florida #FN #Hovedstad #Imperium #Italia #Jernbane #Kirke #Kloster #Kultur #Landemerke #Massawa #Miami #Mussolini #Ottomansk #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselyst #Reisemål #Rødehavet #Storby #Tog #Turisme #Turist #Unesco #USA #Verdensarvlisten 

#Architecture #Capital #Church #City #Culture #Destination #Empire #Holiday #Italy #Landmark #Monastery #Railway #RedSea #Tourism #Tourist #Train #Travel #UN #UnitedNations #WorldHeritageList

ETHIOPIA STOPS EXPANSION OF ADDIS ABEBA FOLLOWNG DEMONSTRATIONS FROM THE OROMO ETHNIC GROUP

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 government of Ethiopia has stopped the expansion of Addis Ababa following demonstrations from the Oromo ethnic group.

The aim of the master plan is to add areas around Addis Ababa into the city’s developing economy, reports africanews.com

Oromo farmers fear that the city’s master plan could displace their population. According to human rights groups at least 140 people have been killed by security forces during protests organised by the Oromo tribe.

The Ethiopian government has contested the death toll of human rights groups claiming the figures are overestimated.

The Oromo’s People’s Democratic Organisation(OPDO) said the decision was taken after three days of discussions in Adama town.

OPDO believes any issue on which common consensus is not reached with the public will not be implemented.

The plan was suppose to be jointly implemented by the Addis Ababa city authority and the Oromo ethnic group.

A report by human right watch condemned the recent arrest of Bekele Gerba, deputy chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress claiming the Ethiopian government was targeting prominent Oromo intellectuals who have an influence over the population.

Ethiopian authorities were urged to allow people to peacefully protest and ensure that farmers are protected from forced displacement without consultation and adequate compensation.

Oromo is a large ethnic group in Ethiopia and covers about 284,538 square kilometres.

According to statistics carried out in 2007, its population stands at over 27 million inhabitants.

See more at http://www.africanews.com/2016/01/13/ethiopia-forced-to-stop-expansion-of-capital-city

Source: www.africanews.com

#AddisAbeba #Bonde #By #Destinasjon #Etiopia #Etnisk #Ferie #Hovedstad #Jordbruk #Landbruk #Menneskerettigheter #Politikk #Regjering #Reise #Reiseliv #Reiselyst #Reisemål #Stamme #Storby #Turisme #Turist

#Agriculture #Capital #City #Destination #Ethiopia #Ethnic #Farmer #Government #Holiday #HumanRights #Politics #Tourism #Travel 

SOMALIA, BRUNEI OG TADSJIKISTAN FORBYR JULEFEIRING

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 hovedsteder@gmail

Somalias regjering har nedlagt forbud mot feiring av jul og nyttår. De som likevel forsøker, vil bli stoppet av sikkerhetsstyrker. Grunnen er ifølge en talsmann for myndighetene at jul- og nyttårsfeiring strider mot islamsk kultur, skriver nrk.no

-Slike festligheter kan skade troen til det muslimske fellesskap, ifølge Mohamed Khayrow, talsmann i departementet for religiøse spørsmål.

99,8 prosent av Somalias anslagsvis 10,5 millioner innbyggere er muslimer, der majoriteten tilhører sunni-islam. 

Også sultanatet Brunei, på Borneo i Sørøst-Asia; et av verdens rikeste land, har innført forbud mot julefeiring. Det er sultanen selv, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien (69), Hassanal Bolkiah i dagligtale, som er en av verdens rikeste menn, som personlig har innført forbudet. 

Sultanen er så godt som eneveldig, og er selv både statsminister, utenriksminister, forsvarsminister og finansminister i landet. Hassanal Bolkiah innførte forbudet da han mener at julefeiring ikke er forenlig med islam.

Opptil fem års fengsel og bøter på 175.000 kroner venter dem som trosser forbudet. Julenisser, kors og julesanger anses å stride mot islamsk tro og er forbudt.

Rundt 65 prosent av de 415,000 i det oljerike, tidligere britiske protektoratet, som ble selvstendig i 1984, tilhører sunni-islam, som er landets offisielle religion. 13 prosent er buddhister og 10 prosent er kristne. Også flere andre religioner praktiseres i landet.

Også den tidligere Sovjet-republikken Tadsjikistan i Sentral-Asia har innført forbud mot julefeiring.

Landet tillater rett nok et juletre på torget i hovedstaden Dusjanbe, men det får også være nok, mener myndighetene.

Tadsjikistan forbød alt for et par år siden den russiske versjonen av julenissen, Fader Frost, å vise seg på TV-skjermen.

I år ble forbudet mot juletre og gaver skjerpet ytterligere inn, og myndighetene la ned forbud mot fyrverkeri og nyttårsfeiring i samme slengen.

Nissemasker er helt utenkelig i det sekulære landet, der flertallet av innbyggerne – 98 prosent, er muslimer og der politiet også er kjent for å pågripe dem som drister seg til å gå med vampyr- eller zombiemaske på halloween.

Kilde: www.nrk.no

#BandarSeriBegawan #Borneo #Britisk #Brunei #Buddhist #By #Destinasjon #Dusjanbe #Ferie #Finansminister #Forsvarsminister #Frost #Fyrverkeri #Halloween #Hovedstad #Islam #Jul #Julenissen #Julesang #Juletre #Kors #Kristen #Maske #Mogadishu #Muslim #Nissemaske #Nyttår #Olje #Politi #Politikk #Regjering #Reise #Reisemål #Religion #Republikk #Somalia #Sovjet #Statsminister #Storbritannia #Sultan #Tadsjikistan #Torg #Turisme #TV #Utenriksminister #Vampyr #Zombie