China will host an extra round of international negotiations in October aimed at fostering agreement over a new climate treaty, the United Nations' top environment official said in remarks published on Monday.
Achim Steiner, a U.N. Under-Secretary General who is director of the U.N. Environment Program, told the China Daily the extra round of negotiations would take place in the north Chinese port city of Tianjin, which is close to Beijing.
"China will introduce some new ideas and opportunities to move the negotiation forward," said Steiner, who has been visiting China.
Governments are hoping to strike agreement on a new binding climate change treaty after a summit in Copenhagen late last year ended with a weak and non-binding accord.
The newly added Tianjin talks will come in the build-up to the next major ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, from Nov. 29-Dec. 10, when climate officials hope to agree on the key elements of a new treaty, if not the details.
Monday, July 5, 2010
China to host climate talks before Mexico meeting
Baseball4Christ's first trip to Mexico becomes 'life-changing' experience
Brian Morgan assembled Baseball4Christ's first offering of its missionary work in their waning moments together as a week-long baseball team during a mission trip to Cancun, Mexico.
The goal of a final talk was to measure the internal impact of the trip from June 20-26 had on the 12 teenagers seated in front of him.
He'd soon find out that among a majority, their recent trip to Mexico had been "life-changing."
Included among the 19 on a mission trip to Cancun were a dozen players, split among each of Coweta County's three public high-schools. Outside of a few teammates, most knew each other, at best, as occasional opponents this spring on area diamonds.
The plan for the trip called for the group to spend their days in the surrounding Barrios, spreading their messages both of the Gospel and baseball through daily clinics where they could also distribute donated equipment that had been shipped from Georgia to be given to the Mexican children.
Harris joining Valpo teammates for series in Mexico
Jay Harris is getting a jumpstart on his collegiate career.
The former Oswego East basketball standout has started classes this summer at Valparaiso University, where he signed a national letter of intent for a basketball scholarship after the high school season ended.
» Click to enlarge image
Former Oswego East star Jay Harris (left), now a freshman at Valparaiso University, will join his teammates when they head to Cancun, Mexico, in August for a series of games against international competition.
(Sun-Times Media File)
And next month, Harris will join coach Homer Drew's team when they head to Cancun, Mexico, for a series of games (Aug. 8-13) against international competition.
"It will give him a chance to adjust and a chance to play with his teammates before everything starts in the fall," Drew said.
"He has started summer school. He's here on campus so he will be coming with us."
Harris, a smooth-shooting 6-foot-1 guard who can play the 1 or 2 spot, was the lone recruit signed by Drew this offseason.
Because the trip has been sanctioned by the NCAA, Drew's team will be allowed to practice for 10 days prior to the trip.
"We're going to be able to get a jumpstart on the season," Drew told the Northwest Times of Indiana. "This will give us an early chance to evaluate our guys and this is the first time that we've ever gone international since I've been here."
India to host 'dress rehearsal' for Mexico
India will host a two-day ministerial round on climate technology transfer and cooperation in November before the year's big UN meet on the subject in Mexico. The meeting of ministers is intended to thrash out a deal on how the rich countries can share clean technologies with the developing world.The calendar for the year is packed with informal and formal international meetings on climate as a run up to the Cancun, Mexico, meeting where countries would try to at least come up with few partial pacts as a full package deal is not expected to come through before 2011. India's attempt to push for technology transfer and cooperation is in sync with its effort all through the last year in asking the global community to set up innovation centres that would help develop new technologies with the rights over it being held in a common pool as was done for agriculture in the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) model.
Union environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh made the offer to host the meeting at the Major Economies Forum meeting that concluded on Wednesday in Rome.
The meeting also saw a strong pitch by the minister to incorporate the principles of equity and carbon space sharing in the negotiations.
New flights from Lansing to include Cancun, Jamaica, Las Vegas
Apple Vacations and Sun Country Airlines are teaming up to add flights at Capital Region International Airport.
Airport officials said today that Sun Country plans to start nonstop service from Lansing to Cancun, Mexico, in December. USA 3000 Airlines previously flew the route.
Sun Country also is adding flights from Lansing to Orlando and Ft. Myers, Fla.; Las Vegas; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The airline plans to start the routes Dec. 22.
The Cancun and Montego Bay flights will be seasonal, operating through May 1, 2011. Sun Country initially will offer seasonal service to the Florida and Las Vegas destinations, but hopes demand will be strong enough to make those flights year-round.
Sun Country is offering introductory fares on the routes. They range from $89 one-way to Orlando to $199 one-way to Montego Bay. Apple Vacations will offer all-inclusive packages for Cancun and Montego Bay that include flights and lodging.
Apple Vacations had started seasonal service to Cancun last year using planes flown by USA 3000 Airlines. Sun Country is a Minneapolis-based leisure carrier.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Grand Velas RM recognized as best all-inclusive resort, Mexico
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya was honored with the 2010 WAVE Award in the category of “Best All-Inclusive Resort, Mexico” on June 10 in Beverly Hills as part of the TravelAge West WAVE (Western Agents’ Votes of Excellence) Awards. The award was presented to Fernando Garcia Rossette, Grand Velas Riviera Maya’s Managing Director, by TravelAge West Publisher Michelle Rosenberg during the 2010 WAVE Awards Gala held at the Four Seasons Hotel.
“We are very proud to be recognized as the Best All Inclusive Resort by our colleagues in the travel industry and by one of the top trade publications in the U.S.,” said Garcia Rossette.
Travel agent professionals throughout the 14 Western states and readers of TravelAge West were invited to vote on the best-of-the-best from a list of Editor’s Pick award recipients that were chosen after careful review by Editor-in-Chief Ken Shapiro and the editorial team of TravelAge West. Review methods included product analysis, on-site visits, a survey of a select group of travel agents and online research.
“The WAVE Awards are a celebration of excellence in travel products, services and destinations,” said Rosenberg. “This year’s WAVE winners have consistently demonstrated excellence within the travel marketplace.”
Angelina Jolie And Family Jet To Cancun For Salt Junket
Angelina Jolie loaded up her kids on a Sony-hired Gulfstream IV this afternoon, on her way to the Salt press junket in Cancun.
Brad didn't accompany Angie and the kids on the private plane, but don't worry, looks like Angelina has the help of a nanny while she tends to business in Mexico. Angelina and the kids will apparently stay in Cancun through the July 4th holiday, with Brad possibly joining them later on.