Chancellor attends first G20 Finance Meeting in India

Jeremy Hunt has concluded his first international visit as Chancellor to Bengaluru, India, for the first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held under India’s 2023 Presidency.

The Chancellor, alongside Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, attended a meeting of G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on Thursday 23 February.

Charity honours heroic animals ‘who also served’ this VJ Day

On the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, which marks both the surrender of Japan and the end of the Second World War, leading vet charity, PDSA, paid their tribute to the brave hero animals ‘who also served’ and helped save countless lives during World War II.
 
The charity commemorated the milestone by sharing exclusive e-books which tell the remarkable stories of animal heroes honoured with the PDSA Dickin Medal**, known as the animals’ Victoria Cross. These include the incredible story of English Pointer Judy, who is the only dog to ever be listed as an official Prisoner of War in Japan, where she helped to maintain morale among her fellow prisoners and saved many lives through her intelligence and watchfulness.
 
The prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal recognises outstanding acts of gallantry and devotion to duty displayed by animals serving with the Armed Forces or Civil Defence units in theatres of war.
 
The Medal was instituted by the charity’s Founder, Maria Dickin, with the approval of the War Office and Imperial War Museum, to raise the status of animals and acknowledge the remarkable roles they play in society. It was first awarded to a messenger pigeon named Winkie on 3 December 1943.
 
PDSA’s Awards and Heritage Manager, Amy Dickin, said: “Throughout history, animals have made an extraordinary difference to the lives of so many, not only the men and women who serve, but also civilians who our military are protecting.

“Sharing the stories of these incredible animals this VJ Day is a great way to celebrate the incredible, life-saving role animals have played throughout history, and continue to play today.”
 

Charity raises 530k for Pakistan flood victims

A Staffordshire GP has helped to raise more than 530,000 for victims of flooding in Pakistan.

Dr Adeel Riaz set up the charity Aghosh UK, along with a couple of friends, focused on alleviating poverty in the country.

CHI concludes 68th Annual Convention

Last week, Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) concluded its 68th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV, one of the largest to date.

Child immunisation programme reaches Rohingya refugee children on Bhasan Char island – UNICEF

This week, Rohingya refugee children on Bhasan Char in Bangladesh are receiving vaccinations through a routine childhood immunisation programme.

UNICEF provides technical and financial assistance to the Government of Bangladesh in support of childhood immunisations on Bhasan Char.

China pledges $9.5m to Africa’s second largest geopark

China has deployed a team of experts to Tanzania to help support establishing a pioneer geopark project in the northern tourism circuit. With a vast territory and complex geological and geomorphic features, China has 289 national geoparks and 41 UNESCO global geoparks, qualifying Beijing as a leading country in the world in establishing and maintaining geoparks.

China removes tariffs on Australian wine as relations improve

China has announced it will remove significant tariffs on Australian wine in another key sign of improving relations between the two countries.

China reopens Mount Everest access to foreign climbers

For the first time since the pandemic, China is allowing foreign climbers to access Mount Everest via Tibet.

China reveals its world’s first 620km per hour prototype train

China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometres (385 miles) per hour. The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks.

The sleek 21-meter-long (69 feet) prototype was unveiled to media in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on January 13.

China to create 30 million jobs by 2032

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the travel and tourism sector in China is expected to create more than 30 million jobs over the next decade, representing a quarter of all new jobs globally. The forecast from WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the sector will reach more than 107 million employed within the sector by 2032.

China's Supreme Court hires Uganda's ex-chief justice

China's Supreme Court has hired Uganda's former Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe, as a member of its expert committee on adjudication of international commercial disputes.

Justice Katureebe will sit on the committee for the next four years. He retired from Uganda's Supreme Court in June after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

"I am profoundly excited about this appointment, for it is a high-level committee that will keep me professionally connected," he is quoted as saying in a statement tweeted by Uganda's judiciary. The expert committee, established in August 2018, is part of the China International Commercial Court (CICC) which is an organ of China's Supreme Court.

The committee is comprised of 31 leaders of international organisations, legal experts, scholars, judges and lawyers selected from different countries, the statement by Uganda's judiciary added. It mediates international commercial disputes assigned to it, provides legal opinion on foreign laws when asked and gives advice on the future of the CICC.

The Chinese embassy in Uganda has congratulated Justice Katureebe on his appointment.

Chinese driverless trains connect Istanbul with airport

New metro line operated with Chinese-made automated driverless trains, capable of speed of up to 74.5 miles (120 kilometers) per hour with daily capacity of 800,000 passengers, now connects central Istanbul and Turkey’s capital’s new international airport. The fully-automated, driverless trains were built by Chinese company CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., which signed a purchase and commissioning contract with Türkiye’s Directorate-General of Infrastructure Investments back in January 2020.

Chinese netizens' outpouring of support for Japan skater Yuzuru Hanyu

Chinese netizens have rallied around Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu after the two-time defending Olympic champion fell on his final skate, failing to reclaim his title. The support for the star comes just two days after Chinese social media users savaged one of their own athletes.

US-born Zhu Yi also fell twice in her routine at the Beijing Games. However, Hanyu has long been a crowd favourite in China, despite its political tensions with Japan.

CHOGM 2021 to be postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, are today announcing the postponement of CHOGM 2021 as a result of the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having reviewed all available evidence and risk assessments including with the World Health Organization (WHO) and their risk assessment tool, and after close consultation between the Commonwealth Secretariat and Member States, the decision has been made to postpone the CHOGM in Kigali for a second time.
Speaking on the postponement, President Kagame said: “The decision to postpone CHOGM for a second time has not been taken lightly. The health and welfare of all Commonwealth citizens at this critical time must take precedence. We look forward to welcoming the Commonwealth family to Kigali for CHOGM at the appropriate time.”
Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC said: “We know that the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to have a hugely damaging impact on our member countries, many of whom continue to face huge losses to lives and livelihoods.
“And while it is with deep disappointment and regret that we cannot bring Commonwealth leaders together at this time to discuss many of these critical issues, we must be mindful of the huge risks large meetings pose to all.
“I want to thank the Government and people of Rwanda for their professionalism, support, patience and their impeccable readiness to hold CHOGM. And I want to thank all our member countries and, in particular, the United Kingdom as our Chair-in-Office and India, who have suffered so grievously in these trying times. I look forward warmly to a time when we can be reunited with the Commonwealth family, face-to-face, in Rwanda when the conditions allow for us to do so safely and securely.”

Choose Asiedua as your 2022 GMB Queen

All is set for the grand finale of the 2022 Ghana’s Most Beautiful pageant on Sunday, October 9, 2022. After excelling throughout the many weeks since the competition started, Asiedua goes into tonight as one of the favourites in the final to take home the enviable crown.

Named Grace Afenyi Owusu-Arhin but using Asiedua as her stage name, the Central Regional representative has wowed judges with her performances and earned fans not only from her region but across the country.

Christian Atsu partner calls for equipment to aid Turkey-Syria earthquake rescue

The partner of footballer Christian Atsu, who has been missing since the earthquake in Turkey on Monday, has called for equipment to be sent to the collapsed building where he was living.

It was reported that Atsu, who plays for Turkish club Hatayspor, was rescued from a building with injuries. But a day later his agent later confirmed his whereabouts are unknown.

Christmas Comes Early For White Marl Primary And Junior School

Well over a month before sleigh bells are to be heard around the world, a slightly different delivery was made to White Marl Primary and Infant School in St Catherine, Jamaica.
On November 5th, the school received a donation of seven new Hewlett Packard laptops, with the aim to aid the school in fulfilling its mission to empower every child to be a GEM (Gifted, Excellent, Masterpiece).

Christmas Market in the top 10 most picturesque in Europe

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market has been listed in the top 10 most picturesque Christmas markets, a new study has revealed. 

Out of over 600 markets that take place across the UK and mainland Europe Birmingham came in at No. 10 with 12,662 posts on instagram using the market's hashtag. The research, which was carried out by PaulCamper, provides some festive inspiration for the winter, with a jolly road trip in a campervan, or a city get-away to soak up traditional Christmas traditions across Europe. 

Christmas traditions to find only in Africa

With Christians making up almost half of the continent’s population, Christmas is a big deal in Africa, and they sure know how to celebrate.

CHTA calls for continued pandemic diligence, open borders

The president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig, in a letter to the head of the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and copied to the region’s Heads of Government and health and tourism leaders, called for the continued adherence to health safety protocols and stepped up vaccinations, but cautioned that rushing to close Caribbean borders and impose difficult and costly travel barriers could delay the recovery and have severe consequences for the region's economies.