World News

Only rapid and drastic action against climate change can prevent a climate breakdown, according to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released today. The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, stressed the urgency to heed this warning and act now to protect Commonwealth Small States.

“For over thirty years the Commonwealth has been raising the alarm on climate change, yet the window of opportunity for taking action to avoid irreversible consequences is now closing even more rapidly than scientists had previously predicted – and with it the prospects of safety and even survival for some of our Small and Vulnerable States. Jeopardising their continuing viability and sustainability would be too high a price to pay for failure to agree and implement urgent measures to prevent further damage,” said Secretary-General Scotland.

Dreweatts auctioneers is to thrilled to offer the private collection of David Winston, Restorer and Conservator of Pianos to HM the Queen. The collection includes 26 exceptionally rare and important pianos dating from the 18^th century to present day. This landmark sale will take place on Thursday, September 23^rd, 2021.

Amongst those expected to achieve the highest bids is a rare 1925 Pleyel grand piano fitted with an original ‘Auto Pleyela’ self-playing mechanism, in a spectacular Chinoiserie Louis XV case (estimate £40,000-£60,000) and a remarkable double piano from Pleyel, which is one of only 50 ever made. This model, which has a guide price of £40,000-£60,000, was once owned by the concert pianist wife of French writer and minister of culture André Malraux. 

India has introduced a bill in its lower house to scrap a controversial 2012 law that retrospectively levied capital gains tax on companies for the indirect transfer of their Indian assets. The law, which will now apply only prospectively, has been a major sore point with foreign investors for the better part of the last decade, damaging India's reputation as a stable tax jurisdiction and leading to protracted litigation.

"It is perhaps the boldest move taken in the history of Indian tax laws," said Bijal Ajinkya, Partner at the law firm Khaitan & Co. The far-reaching, but long delayed decision now paves the way for the government to settle billions of dollars in international disputes.

One of the most celebrated of celebrations, Jamaicans around the world are continuing to mark their country’s Independence Day by taking part in huge street parades while donning a whole array of attires in the green, gold and black of its national flag.

From Blenheim in Hanover to Birmingham in the West Midlands, Montego Bay to Milton Keynes, Clarendon to California, Spanish Town to many Spanish towns, Manchester to…well, Manchester, or wherever natives and/or the descendants of are, celebrations of the Caribbean island’s independence of ruling will go one – to the best during what still is very testing times.

Foreign tourists who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada for quite some time because the government is unwilling to jeopardize progress made on containing the virus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

“I can tell you right now that’s not going to happen for quite a while,” said Trudeau, when asked by reporters when Canada would allow unvaccinated tourists to enter the country.

Canada, as of this week, has waived quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated citizens. But non-essential foreign travellers are still not allowed to enter despite pressure from the country’s hurting tourism sector.

The United States does not have vaccine requirements for visitors. At this point talks about lifting border restrictions are focused on fully vaccinated travellers, Trudeau said. “The next step we’ll be looking at what measures we can allow for international travellers who are fully vaccinated,” he said. “We will have more to say in the coming weeks.”

Trudeau has previously said authorities are looking closely at domestic vaccination rates, the spread of variants of concern, and how the rest of the world deals with COVID-19. Some 78% of people aged 12 years or older in Canada have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, health officials said on Thursday. About 44% of people 12 years or older are fully vaccinated.

Governments in Canada and the United States have faced pressure to reopen the world’s largest land border, which has been shuttered to non-essential travel since March 2020. The current restrictions were in place at least until July 21.

The seaside city of Rimini, in the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna, is welcoming a brand new museum dedicated to Federico Fellini next month, allowing an aftermath of last year’s centennial of the acclaimed Italian film director and screenwriter.

The Federico Fellini International Museum is scheduled to open on 19th August, becoming the world’s largest museum devoted to the life and work of Fellini and his poetic heritage. It will feature drawings, costumes, exhibitions, film showings, scenographic elements and multimedia presentations that will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Fellini, regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20^th century.

For many years, the cultural spotlight in Africa has seemed to be stubbornly focused on the west or south of the continent rather than East Africa. And yet from Sudan and Ethiopia to Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania, this large, ancient and multifaceted region is brimming with unique histories, peoples and stories.

The National Gallery of Australia is to return 14 works of art to India that are suspected of having been stolen, looted or exported illegally.

A major typhoon has hit China's eastern coast just days after deadly floods devastated parts of the country.

Typhoon In-Fa, known in China as Yanhua, made landfall in the city of Zhoushan at 12:30 local time (04:30 GMT), state media reported. Transport links are suspended and people have been told to stay indoors.

Rackspace Technology (NASDAQ: RXT) has announced an expected $65-$70 million of new investments designed to closely align the company’s resources with fast-growing product and service offerings.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) and Les Roches Global Hospitality Education are launching a new professional development program for Caribbean hospitality professionals.

Beginning on the evening of Monday July 19, Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) marks one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar.

The Allied Members of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) have partnered with leading global business travel outlet Skift to host their first joint webinar, 'The Trends Driving Travel's Big Rebound: Implications for the Caribbean' on Thursday, July 22 at 11 a.m. EST, featuring Skift CEO and Founder Rafat Ali, global tourism reporter Lebawit "Lily" Girma, and host William "Billy" Griffith, Chairman of CTO Allied Members Board.

Luxury land journey operator, Scenic, has today unveiled two new itineraries with the release of its Canada, Alaska and United States 2022/23 collection. The 23-day America’s National Parks and Rockies to the Red Rocks land tour will take guests on a dream journey from Calgary to Denver. While the 32-day Majestic Rockies & the Colours of Eastern Canada travels from Calgary to Boston, taking in lakes, mountains and cosmopolitan cities along the way.

Retro Africa Gallery will make its U.S. debut this summer with a group exhibition of new works by Nigerian-American artist and writer Victor Ehikhamenor, Congolese painter Chéri Samba and African-American artist Nate Lewis, also marking Retro Africa’s first group show in New York.

A mining company in Botswana has announced the unearthing of a 1,174-carat diamond. It's the second unveiling of a huge diamond discovery in the country in a month.