Germany, UNMA Launch First Global Migration Data Portal
Berlin — Germany’s Federal Foreign Office and IOM, the UN Migration Agency’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) will launch today (15/12) the Migration Data Portal in Berlin. The Migration Data Portal brings together the key facts and figures about global migration trends in one place for the first time.
“Especially in critical times, such as those we are facing today, it is our task to ensure that responses to migration are based on sound facts and accurate analysis,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.
The idea to develop such a portal was first discussed and agreed upon on 12 July 2016, at the 2nd Berlin Roundtable on Refugees and Migration, where the former German Foreign Minister met with heads of international organizations working on migration, including IOM, UNHCR, the IFRC, the EC and the World Bank. The Portal was developed by IOM and with the support of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The Migration Data Portal was developed with financial support from the US Department of State and Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
The portal communicates global data on migration through visualizations, infographics and videos. It simplifies the navigation through complex international migration data for policy makers, journalists, statisticians and anyone interested in migration.
The portal also covers a wide range of topics including data on immigration and emigration trends; the linkages between migration and development; data on irregular migration; students and children; and data on migration policies as defined by the United Nations development goals and background on a global compact on migration expected to be adopted by the UN in 2018.
At its initial stage, the portal features 70 indicators from 15 international data providers (UNDESA, UNHCR and World Bank among others) and aggregates data at the national, regional and global levels. This range offers ample opportunities to explore and compare data while, understanding the context behind it.
“At a time when migration is high on the global agenda, it is essential that everyone has access to the key facts and figures about migration, and that we better understand the strengths and weaknesses of data on migration,” said Frank Laczko, Director of IOM´s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre.
German foreign policy employs a coherent strategy to manage migratory movements more efficiently and to address the root causes of forced migration. For fact-based policies and responses, reliable data are vital to ensure efficient, needs-based humanitarian aid, to counter harmful assumptions and to fight populism.
The development of the Migration Data Portal is a big step forward towards making the multitude of data on migration better and more available to policy makers.
The Migration Data Portal will scale up in coming months, making more data available at the regional and national levels. Visit the Migration Data Portal at: www.migrationdataportal.org
For more information contact Stylia Kampani at IOM GMDAC: Tel: +49 (0)30 278 778 16; Email: skampani@iom.int.
PGTI to become an ‘Open Tour’ from the 2018 season
Schedule for first half of 2018 announced
· PGTI to become an ‘Open Tour’ from 2018 with no restriction on the number of foreigners on the tour
· PGTI set to host 8 events in first half of 2018 with prize money of approximately Rs. 2.8 crore
· 3 new events scheduled in the first half
· Season tees-off on 24th January with inaugural Dhaka Open, an international event tri-sanctioned by PGTI, ADT & BPGA
New Delhi, December 17, 2017: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) is set to become an ‘Open Tour’ from 2018 onward. This would mean there will be no restriction on the number of foreigners on the tour once they earn their cards through the PGTI Qualifying School.
The PGTI had a limit of a maximum of 15 foreign players in each tournament till date. As the PGTI now transforms into an ‘Open Tour’, there will be no such restriction any more.
With the PGTI becoming an ‘Open Tour’ from next season, the tour also hopes to soon align itself with the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system thus attracting world ranking points for all its future events.
The PGTI has also announced its calendar for the first half of the 2018 season. As per the calendar, the PGTI is scheduled to host eight tournaments between the months of January and April. The front half of the year will feature three new events.
The total prize purse on offer in the first half is approximately Rs. 2.8 crore, an increase of Rs. 20 lakh compared to last season.
The 2018 season will tee-off on 24th January with the inaugural Dhaka Open at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The event worth approximately INR 40 lakh will be tri-sanctioned by the PGTI, Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the Bangladesh Professional Golfers Association (BPGA).
Besides the Dhaka Open, there would be two new additions to the schedule including an event in Delhi NCR.
The PGTI Cochin Masters presented by CIAL Golf Club (Rs. 40 lakh), Golconda Masters (Rs. 40 lakh) and Pune Open (Rs. 30 lakh) are the three established PGTI events that feature in the schedule for the first half.
The two events that return for their second editions are the Chennai Open (Rs. 30 lakh) and the Chittagong Open (Rs. 40 lakh).
The US$ 1.75 million Indian Open, co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour, will be the second international event in the first half of the season. The Indian Open, now a PGTI Order of Merit event, is slated to be held from March 8 – 11, 2018.
With PGTI hosting eight Order of Merit events in the first half and the Indian Open also becoming an Order of Merit event, there will be a total of nine PGTI Order of Merit events in the first half of the season.
The First Stage of the 2018 PGTI Qualifying School will begin from January 8, 2018. It will feature three events of 36-holes each (Pre Qualifying I, II & III). The Final Stage of the Qualifying School, a 72-hole event, will be staged from January 17 – 20, 2018. The Qualifying School will be held at the Kensville Golf & Country Club, Ahmedabad.
DATE
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TOURNAMENT
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PRO-AM
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VENUE
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PRIZE MONEY
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Jan 24-27, 2018
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Dhaka Open 2018*
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Jan 23, 2018
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Kurmitola Golf Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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BDT 50 Lacs (approx INR 40 Lacs)
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Jan 31 – Feb 3, 2018
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2018 PGTI Cochin Masters presented by CIAL Golf Club
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Feb 4, 2018
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CIAL Golf Club, Cochin
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INR 40 Lacs
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Feb 8-11, 2018
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New Event (TBC)
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Feb 7, 2018
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TBC
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TBA
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Feb 22-25, 2018
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Golconda Masters 2018 (TBC)
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Feb 21, 2018
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Hyderabad Golf Club, Hyderabad
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INR 40 Lacs
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Mar 1-4, 2018
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Chennai Open 2018
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Feb 28, 2018
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Madras Gymkhana Golf Annexe, Guindy, Chennai
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INR 30 Lacs
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Mar 8-11, 2018
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Indian Open 2018* (TBC)
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Mar 7, 2018
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TBC
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US$ 1,750,000
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Mar 13-16, 2018
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New Event
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Mar 17, 2018
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Delhi NCR
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INR 30 Lacs
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Mar 21 – 24, 2018
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Chittagong Open 2018
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Mar 20, 2018
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Bhatiary Golf & Country Club, Chittagong, Bangladesh
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INR 40 Lacs
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Apr 10-13, 2018
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Pune Open Golf Championship 2018
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Apr 14, 2018
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Poona Club Golf Course, Pune
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INR 30 Lacs
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Seminar on Engaging an Expansion China, Option for India
Sagar Media Inc:Engaging an Expansion China Option for India Ranjit Ghua let India be not kiddy in global strategy . Prof Bharat Karnad CPR, India to liberate to be power in itself, national interestparamount, not to be parasite 2 Superpower.We have to have plans, strategy. Adm Anil chopra talked on importance of Marine best location
Fourth, Five Generation warfare are needed, further Cyber warfare all are important for the war all Time.
St Petersburg terror attacks thwarted with help of CIA intelligence
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone yesterday after ISIS-inspired terror attacks against the city of St. Petersburg were thwarted by Russia’s Federal Security Service using intelligence provided by the CIA.
According to a statement from the Kremlin, Putin thanked Trump for the CIA’s information on the attacks, which were to take place on Saturday at the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg and other areas of the Russian city. The Federal Security Service said that seven members of a terror cell had been detained for their involvement in the plot, and that a significant amount of explosives, weapons and extremist literature were confiscated.
Vladimir Putin assured Donald Trump that the Russian intelligence services upon receipt of information relating to terrorist threats against the US and its citizens, will immediately transmit to its American colleagues in partner channels, the statement added.
Russian state-run media outlet TASS reported that Moscow initiated the call.
In a readout of the call released yesterday afternoon, the White House said Trump appreciated the call and stressed the importance of intelligence cooperation to defeat terrorists wherever they may be. Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when the countries work together, the readout said.
In a readout of the call released yesterday afternoon, the White House said Trump appreciated the call and stressed the importance of intelligence cooperation to defeat terrorists wherever they may be. Both leaders agreed that this serves as an example of the positive things that can occur when the countries work together, the readout said.
Juan Orlando Hernandez as winner of presidential vote
Honduras has been in political instability and violent protests since the vote, which initial counts suggested that Nasralla had won. The count has been questioned by the two main opposition parties and a wide swathe of the diplomatic corps.
Former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, who backed Nasralla, immediately took to Twitter, saying Hernandez is not the president and calling for people to take to the streets in protest.
The secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, said on Sunday that serious questions still surrounded the results of elections and had asked for irresponsible announcements to be avoided.
The electoral tribunal of Honduras has declared incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez as the official winner of the November 26 presidential vote, saying it had resolved all of the challenges presented to the disputed process. According to the official count, Hernandez beat center-left Salvador Nasralla, a TV star, by 1 point 53 percentage points. In a nationally-televised address David Matamoros, the head of the tribunal said, this means the president elect for the Republic of Honduras for the next four years is Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado.
President Juan Orlando Hernandez won last month’s contested election by 1.53 percentage points over center-left opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla, Honduras’ electoral court said Sunday.
“This means the president elect for the Republic of Honduras for the next four years is Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado,” said David Matamoros, the head of the electoral court, in a televised address.
Nasralla and his opposition alliance have claimed the November 26 presidential vote was marked by fraud and irregularities.
Nasralla and his ally, former President Manuel Zelaya, have called for renewed protests.
Services Conclave “Serve India and the World”
Services Conclave
“Serve India and the World”
Tuesday, 19th December, 2017: Hotel Leela Palace, New Delhi
Dear Mr/ Mrs,
It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the support of the Ministry Commerce and Industry and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) is organising the Services Conclave: Serve India and the World on 19th December in Delhi.
The Services Sector is emerging across the world as an enabler of economic growth and inclusion. The sector contributes almost one third of the gross value added, half of the world employment, one fifth of global trade and more than half of the world FDI flows.
In India, the contribution of the Services Sector has grown to more than half of the country’s output today, from 30 per cent of GDP in 1950, contributing 62 per cent of the gross value addition with the growth of 7.7 per cent in 2016-17. This fast emergence has thrown open huge opportunities and challenges for the sector.
Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhu has agreed to deliver the Inaugural Address at the conclave on the 19th of December.
The Conclave will be attended by Policy Makers, Industry Captains, Academicians and other Stakeholders. The conclave will also address on “How IT and ICT is catalyzing growth through Digital Platforms and Sports as an emerging subsector which will drive growth, development and inclusion”.
The main components of the programme are:
· Conference
· Knowledge Report on Road map on Building Services Competitiveness
· White Paper on India: Leapfrogging with Disruptive Tech for 1.3 billion
· Global Exhibition on Services 2018: Curtain Raiser
The Conclave will attempt to bring in the stake holders: Government and Industry on a common platform to discuss and debate on building competitiveness of the Services Sector by,
- Identifying and addressing key Competitive Differentiators in the Services Sector
- Ideating on bridging the regulatory gaps in the key sub segments of the Services Sector
- Strategizing to develop a holistic framework for an overarching Services Policy
I take the opportunity to invite you to join us for the Inaugural Session and also nominate your senior colleagues to attend the Conclave.
Look forward to receiving you at the Conclave.
Warm regards,
Amita Sarkar
——————————————
Amita Sarkar
Deputy Director General
Deputy Director General
Confederation of Indian Industry
Sebastian Pinera wins Chile’s presidential election
Billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera won Chile’s presidency yesterday, with his center-left opponent Alejandro Guillier conceding the election as Chile followed other South American nations in a political turn to the right. With 98.44 percent of the ballots counted, Pinera, 68, had won 54.57 percent in the run-off vote, to 45.43 percent for senator Guillier, a wider than expected margin in a race that pollsters had predicted would be tight.
In his concession speech at a hotel in downtown Santiago, Guillier called his loss a “harsh defeat” and urged his supporters to defend the progressive reforms of outgoing President Michelle Bachelet’s second term. Many Chileans had viewed the election as a referendum on her policies, which focused on reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code.
Pinera has pledged support and stable funding for Chile’s state-run miner Codelco , and has promised to slash red tape which had bogged down projects under Bachelet.
Honduras president’s sister killed in helicopter crash
Six people, including Hilda Hernandez, the 51-year-old sister and advisor of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, were killed when the helicopter carrying them crashed on its way from the capital, Tegucigalpa, to Comayagua. The remains of the aircraft were discovered after reconnaissance helicopters and ground teams were dispatched in severe weather conditions, the Honduran armed forces said in a statement, cited by Reuters. No survivors were found. The military said they would investigate the causes of the crash. Honduras has been wracked by instability after the recent presidential election, in which the dragged-out official count handed victory to Hernandez, who supported the 2009 US-backed coup. Opposition parties are disputing the result, which has triggered violent protests.
Gaddafi’s son to stand in next year’s Libyan presidential elections
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, plans to run for president in the country’s upcoming 2018 elections, the family’s spokesman, Basem al-Hashimi al-Soul, has confirmed. “Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the former Libyan president, enjoys the support of major tribes in Libya so he can run for the upcoming presidential elections due in 2018,” al-Soul told Egypt Today. “Saif al-Islam plans to impose more security and stability in accordance with the Libyan geography and in coordination with all Libyan factions.” Gaddafi was released from prison in June, six years after the NATO-backed uprising which ousted his father and plunged the country, which has now fallen into the hands of warring militias, into anarchy.
Saffron twin wins
Bharatiya Janata Party workers in ecstatic mood across the country after the party won both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Assembly Elections 2017
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Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to retain sixth straight term in power in Gujarat and also leading in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.
Out of 39 results declared so far, the party has bagged 22 seats. Congress gets 14 seats.
Prominent winners include Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, State BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani and incumbent Minister Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiriya and Gujarat Assembly speaker and BJP candidate Ramanlal Vora.
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress candidate Virbhadra Singh is leading in Arki constituency.
BJP’s Chief Ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal is trailing in Sujanpur constituency.
In Gujarat, the BJP has won 18 seats out of 32 results declared so far. Congress gets 12 seats.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has been elected from Rajkot West constituency defeating senior Congress leader Indranil Rajguru by a margin of over 20 thousand votes. State BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani has won from Bhavangar West seat.
Young Leader and independent candidate Jignesh Mevani is leading from Vadgam with a huge margin of more than 20 thousand votes.
Party candidate and incumbent Minister Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiriya has been declared elected from Porbandar seat. He defeated his nearest Congress rival Arjunbhai Modhavadiya by a margin of 1,855 votes.
The State BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani has won from Bhavnagar West constituency defeating his nearest Congress rival Dilipsingh Gohil.
Sitting MLA and BJP candidate Suresh Patel has won Maninagar constituency by a margin of over 75,000 votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had represented this seat in 2012 Assembly elections. The party has also won Mahuba and Rajkot West.
The Congress candidate Imran Yusufbhai Khedawala has wrested the Jamalpur Khadia seat from BJP.
The party candidate Indrajit Sinh Parmar has won from Mahudha constituency defeating his nearest BJP rival Bharatsinh Parmar by a margin of 13,601 votes.
NCP leader Kandhal Jadeja is leading in Kutiyana seat. Senior tribal leader and founder of Bharatiya Tribal leader Vasava Chhotubhai is ahead in Jhagadia seat.
Senior BJP leader Atmaram Parmar is also ahead in Gadadha seat. However, Deputy CM Nitin Patel is trailing in Mehsana. Congress candidates Arjun Modhwadia, Paresh Dhanani and Shaktisinh Gohil are leading. OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, who joined the Congress ahead of polls is is leading in Radhanpur seat.
In Himachal Pradesh, 7 results have been declared so far. BJP gets 4 and Congress 2. BJP’s Kishori Lal defeated his nearest Congress rival Paras Ram by nearly 6,000 votes in Anni reserved constituency. Suresh Bhardwaj of the party emerged winner by nearly 2,000 votes over his nearest independent candidate in Shimla.
Anirudh Singh of Congress had won Kasumpti seat defeating his nearest BJP rival Vijay Jyoti by a margin of nearly 9,400 votes.
Congress candidates who are in the lead include Vikramaditya Singh, Asha Kumari, GS Bali, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Mukesh Agnihotri.
Other BJP leaders who are trailing include Sarveen Choudhary, Kishan Kapoor, Maheshwar Singh, Anil Sharma and Satpal Singh Satti.
Among BJP leaders in lead are Anil Sharma, Kishan Kapoor and Jai Ram Thakur.
Counting of votes started this morning for both the states. In Gujarat, while the BJP is seeking a sixth straight term in office, the Congress is aiming to stage a comeback in power after being in the opposition for over two decades. Counting is being held at 37 centres in 33 districts amidst tight security.
Election Commission has withdrawn its show cause notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during Gujarat elections. It said, the provision under which the notice was issued is now under review.
The poll body also decided to set up a panel to suggest amendments to a provision in the election law barring campaigning 48 hours ahead of polling, following complaints that it has failed to keep pace with information technology.
The panel said, it will examine these provisions in the prevailing context of communication technologies and suggest required changes. It said, Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act does not take into account the revolution in communication technology.
The order comes in the wake of controversies over Rahul Gandhi’s TV interviews and the release of BJP manifesto in Gujarat after campaigning had ended in the state.
The commission had on December 13 issued the notice to Mr Gandhi for prima facie violating the provisions of the election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels in Gujarat during assembly elections in the state.
