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  • UNWTO: International tourism – strongest half-year results since 2010

    AFGHANISTAN, 2017/09/09 Destinations worldwide welcomed 598 million international tourists in the initial six months of 2017, some 36 million additional than in the same period of 2016. At 6%, increase was well above the trend of recent years, making the current January-June period the strongest half-year since 2010. Visitor numbers reported by destinations around the world reflect strong request for international travel in the initial half of 2017, according to the new UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Worldwide, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by 6% compared to the same six-month period last year, well above the sustained and consistent trend of 4% or higher increase since 2010. This represents the strongest half-year in seven years.
  • Cyprus convention targets trade in 'blood antiquities'

    CYPRUS, 2017/09/03 Six nations on Friday signed a Council of Europe convention which criminalises the illegal trade in "blood antiquities" that can be used to finance terrorism, officials said. The initiative, which was launched at a CoE ministerial conference in Nicosia, comes next jihadists in war-torn Syria and Iraq have looted and sold ancient artifacts to fund their policy.Six countries sign Council of Europe convention in Nicosia criminalising trade in ancient artifacts looted, sold by jihadists in war-torn Iraq and Syria. "Today, the international community takes a crucial leap forward in the protection of our cultural heritage, particularly in the efforts to combat the trade in blood antiquities by trans-national organised crime and terrorist networks," said Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.
  • US LNG exports make European market more competitive

    ALBANIA, 2017/08/27 The European gas market is becoming additional and additional competitive and US exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are part of this landscape, Francis Perrin, energy expert, chairman of Energy Strategies and Policies (France) told Trend. “Energy is always a strategic business. Economic aspects are very significant of course, particularly the price of LNG, but nations as well take into account strategic issues. For some Central and Eastern European nations one of the key priorities of their energy policies is the diversification of their supplies, in particular gas imports, in order to reduce their dependence on Russia,” said the expert.
  • Greek Foreign Ministry criticizes Turkey over failure to reach agreement in latest round of talks on Cyprus

    CYPRUS, 2017/07/10 Greece's Foreign Ministry has criticized Turkey over failure to reach an agreement to settle the Cyprus issue in the new round of talks in Switzerland. In a statement titled "Hard truths" and posted on Greek Foreign Ministry's website on Saturday evening, the ministry says "Turkey's conduct dashed any hopes anyone had that there would be a change in its stance. Just as Turkey abandoned the initial Conference, it torpedoed the second." "We reiterate that Greece will continue to work relentlessly, with all means at its disposal, for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, in close cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus, the UN and the European Union. And it calls on all of the parties to the Conference to show responsibility, respect for international law, and self- restraint," the statement concluded.
  • Cyprus February Trade Deficit Widens

    CYPRUS, 2017/04/10 Cyprus' trade deficit for February widened from a year ago, figures from the statistical service showed Monday. The trade gap widened to EUR 273.01 million from EUR 241.69 million in the same month last year.
  • ETOA: Suspension of visa exemption status for US citizens "extremely unlikely"

    BULGARIA, 2017/03/05 The European Parliament voted on 2nd March 2017 to require the European Commission to suspend visa exemption status for US citizens. In ETOA's view this is extremely unlikely to happen: the Council of the EU will object and the status quo will prevail. The situation arises because, since 2014, citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania have needed a visa to visit the US. This means that there is not full reciprocity in treatment of EU and US citizens. EU legislation provides for a 'delegated act' allowing the Commission to suspend exemption from visa requirements in the event of 'non-reciprocity.' This would apply to citizens of nations that impose visa requirement on EU citizens.
  • Higher earning Why a university degree is worth more in some countries than others

    AFGHANISTAN, 2016/12/11 A university education may expand your mind. It will as well fatten your wallet. Data from the OECD, a club of rich nations, show that graduates can expect far better lifetime earnings than those without a degree. The size of this premium varies. It is greatest in Ireland, which has a high GDP per chief and rising inequality. Since 2000 the unemployment rate for under-35s has swelled to 8% for those with degrees – but to additional than 20% for those without, and nearly 40% for secondary school drop-outs. The country’s wealth presently goes disproportionately to workers with letters next their names.
  • Cyprus, Egypt sign gas export pipeline deal

    CYPRUS, 2016/09/01 Cyprus and Egypt signed a transaction on Wednesday paving the way for detailed negotiations on a submarine pipeline to export natural gas from the Mediterranean island to its energy-starved neighbour. Cyprus has been eager to fasten alternative ways to exploit its offshore reserves next proven finds so far were insufficient to make a planned liquefied natural gas plant on the island's south coast financially viable. Cyprus Energy Minister Georgios Lakkotrypis, and Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla signed the agreement clearing the way for further negotiations on construction of the pipeline from offshore fields in Cyprus's exclusive economic zone to Egypt, where the gas will be used either for domestic consumption or re-export.
  • Europe in 2016: Terror fears, migration, politics. But economy may turn a corner

    ALBANIA, 2016/01/02
  • Global growth will be disappointing in 2016: IMF's Lagarde

    AFGHANISTAN, 2016/01/02 World economic increase will be disappointing next year and the outlook for the medium-term has as well deteriorated, the chief of the International Monetary Fund said in a guest article for German newspaper Handelsblatt published on Wednesday. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the prospect of rising interest rates in the United States and an economic slowdown in China were contributing to uncertainty and a higher risk of economic vulnerability worldwide. Added to that, increase in world trade has slowed considerably and a decline in raw material prices is posing problems for economies based on these, while the financial sector in a lot of nations still has weaknesses and financial risks are rising in emerging markets, she said.