From 6 to 29 May returns the Med Photo Fest, the international event dedicated to art photography and will be held in Catania, Modica (RG), Noto (SR) and Taormina (ME).

The eighth edition, dedicated to the theme “Light / Light / Licht / Lumière / Luz”, is organized by the cultural association Mediterraneum in collaboration with the photographic group Luce Iblea Group of Scicli and the Foundation Giovan Pietro Grimaldi in Modica, and with patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and cultural Activities and Tourism and the Department of Sport Tourism and Recreation of the Sicilian Region.

There are a lot of news and important names in the billboard 2016. Beginning with the Ligurian photographer Lisetta Carmi, who will be awarded Mediterraneum award: the Prize for Photography in 2016. The prize will be award by the artistic direction chaired by Vittorio Graziano Mediterraneum, on the occasion of the opening of the festival day. This is an important recognition of the career that, in past years, was awarded to Ferdinando Scianna (2009), Gianni Berengo Gardin (2010), Franco Fontana (2011), Giuseppe Leone (2012), Nino Migliori (2013), Piergiorgio Branzi (2014) and Mario Cresci (2015).

In the program there are included exhibitions of Lisetta Carmi, Raul Amaru Linares (Colombia), Aurora Bruno, Alessandro Ciccarelli, Giulia Fraticelli, Chulsu Kim (Korea), Andreas Kruppi (Sweden), Giulio Magnifico, Kosuke Okahara (Japan), Colette Saint Yves ( France), Joseph Tangorra and Irena Willard (France).

In the program there are also included cultural and technical seminars, areas for photographic publishing (with Ferdinando Scianna), technical workshops, workshops photographic travel between the Baroque architecture and the beauty of the Valley of Noto and Taormina (with Ulderico Tramacere, Adelaide Di Nunzio, Massimo Gurciullo and Vittorio Graziano), readings of the portfolio (the portfolio Mediterraneum Prize 2016 to the best author), emerging young photographers exhibitions, historical photo exhibitions, but also theatrical and musical events.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The new container terminal in Tripoli, managed by the Emirati society “Gulftainer”, that operates for more than six months, has finally begun its activity. Its commissioning has been delayed several times, due to an insufficient number of staff to ensure clearance.

This activity begins with a first contract by “Cedars Premium Food & Beverage”, local company situated in North of the country, producer of fruit juices, which plans to export 2000 containers to Iraq in the next eight months.

Followed by a second contract signed by Khawla group, local group, for the importation of 12 granite containers per week, over the next 10 months, out of Egypt. Other contracts are nearing completion.

The new container terminal is operational for almost six months, but its commissioning was delayed several times, partly due to a number.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

Because of increase of foreign tourists in part and for the increase in the number of days of overnight stays in the hotel in part, the Gozitan tourism, in Malta, increased in 2015. More than one million overnight stays, 14 percent more than in 2014, of 166,106 tourists who visited the island (13,161 more than last year).

The data were presented by the Association of Tourism in Gozo, and were greeted with satisfaction also because of the months affected the increase. Indeed, no treaty only summer tourism: visitors relevant movements were also recorded in the periods from April to June and October to December.

One of the most spectacular and well-known abroad Gozo events remains the Nadur carnival, macabre experience with hooded revelers who make outlandish acts in the streets and carry around dead animals in a cage. The celebrations represent a cathartic release for the locals who endures the hardships of rural life, with the ultimate goal to shock the viewer. 

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Swiss institute KOF (business cycle research) released the index of globalization, which measures the degree of globalization of world markets, as assessed in its economic, social and political. The survey (available at the web page http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/) analyzes 207 countries based on specific parameters, which quantify the international opening. Regarding the economic aspects, it evaluates the trade exchange with foreign countries and impact of international investment on GDP, than the existence of any trade barriers and restrictions to global financial flows. The social aspect of globalization is measured, among others, according to the tourist flow, the size of the resident foreign communities, telephone and postal traffic. The circulation of international information is evaluated in terms of access to the Internet, television broadcasting, the foreign press, as well as imports and exports of books. The political dimension of globalization of a country is assessed based on the number of accredited foreign embassies, international organizations to which the country is a member, and bilateral and multilateral agreements. Based on these parameters, the Netherlands is in the lead in the globalization ranking, followed by Ireland, Belgium, Australia and Switzerland. Another <top ten> of globalization are : Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary and Canada. Morocco, which ranks 57th in the world, holds the record in Africa, followed by Mauritius (58 place), South Africa (61), Egypt (66), Tunisia (81), Seychelles (82), Namibia (98), Senegal (99) and Nigeria (103).

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

Tunisia joined the Enterprise Europe Network through the creation of a consortium EEN Tunisia, composed of five Tunisian authorities: the Conect, employers’ trade organization, The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis, the Cepex public institution in support the private sector, the Elgazala technology hub, under the Agency’s supervision of industry and Innovation Promotion (API). EEN Tunisia constitutes the fulfillment of a strategic partnership between the five members of the consortium to offer businesses Tunisian privileged access to a multitude of European value-added services and integrated services for enterprises and innovation. To strengthen their competitiveness and to address new markets and development models Tunisian companies have no choice but to move towards innovative projects consolidating their relationships with their national and international partners and position of new markets. The Enterprise Europe Network was created in 2008 and it is the first official network of the European Commission which aims to offer to SMEs a range of integrated services and support based on innovation, relying on proximity organizations to be closer to the needs of companies operating in the area. This is the most extensive European network dedicated to innovation and internationalization for companies, with more than 600 partners spread in more than 54 countries inside and outside the European Union. Since its creation EEN helped 11,500 enterprises in the signing of trade partnerships, exchanges of technology and research, accompanied 137,000 of them in fairs and international fairs, responded to 770,000 requests on European legislation, it has attracted more than 1.35 million of people to its events.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo launches a strategic partnership with “The Floor”, the Fintech new startup incubator in Israel in Tel Aviv, among the most important in the global innovation.

Objective of “The Floor” is to become a true “hub”, a reference point for the market where, to make selection and start-up mentoring by bank partners, but also there will be an R & D center, training programs for the sector, co-working spaces and meeting to encourage dialogue with financial and technology partners.

The birth of “The Floor” relies on the fundamental contribution of the Chinese Fund Pando Group and sees four foreign banks as strategic partners: Intesa Sanpaolo, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Santander.

Together with the banks are also present two technological partners: INTEL and Thomson Reuters.

The areas covered by the start-ups that will be incubated intercept the crucial issues that are now the focus of attention for the financial sector are : blockchain; Big Data; electronic payments, trading, development of mobile and sensitive subject of anti-fraud systems.

The partnership with The Floor will allow Intesa Sanpaolo to make it exclusive scouting Israeli FinTech reality and to carry out mentoring activities on companies considered of interest.

“We are proud to be today one of the founders of The Floor, a project that has all the ingredients to become an excellent platform on the international scene FinTech. Intesa Sanpaolo has always considered this particular innovation is a fundamental tool segment for the evolution of the banking sector. Becoming part of The Floor is a further step in the consolidation and growth of our international network of innovation in the ecosystem”, Maurizio Montagnese – Chief Innovation Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo said.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

In 2013 the pension expenditure in Malta was lower than the EU average, or below 9.6% of GDP, but by 2060 it is expected to increase up to 12.8%, one of the highest figures in Europe. With this background, the European Commission expressed itself favorably to sustainable long-term retirement plan, drawn up by the Maltese government with the first measures proposed in the budget plan in 2016.

Already last year, the EU Commission  invited Malta to continue its reform of pensions in the course, with an increase in the retirement age and by linking it to changes in life expectancy, for greater long-term sustainability of the system.

Among the measures taken by the government is extending the number of years of contribution – 40 to 41 – are necessary to get the full pension. Furthermore, the reform provides for two measures: the increase of the minimum national pension up to 60% of median income (by 2020), and social security coverage for women who don’t accumulate sufficient contributions due to career breaks for pregnancy.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The construction of the red light railway line from Tel Aviv began only a few months ago and the government already thinks about the future of the next two lines, one green and one purple, imagining right now a private procedure to entrust building a private company.

According to sources of the economic newspaper Globes (see link at the bottom), the Executive doesn’t want that the story of the Red Line will be repeated again. In 2006, in fact, a private race was launched and was won by MTS, a consortium of companies Africa Israel, Siemens, Egged, Chinese and Portuguese Companies. MTS, however, was unable to ensure the fulfillment of the work according to the prices and times in the public-private tender BOT (Build Operate Transfer) which to date have soared to 2021 and to 16 billion from 11 initially budgeted and furthermore, it wasn’t able to be managed by 2010 to recover the share of necessary private funds. These were the reasons to withdraw the concession and leave the implementation work to NTA – a public company.

The construction of the two new lines should be allocated fairly according to the scheme PFI (Private Finance Initiative) where the economic contribution of the state is minimal and indeed, the latter retains a right of choice of the contractor even after the closure of the commissioning period when the work is tested and it’s ensured the compliance thereof with the provisions of the contract documents.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

According to preliminary data published by the Central Bank of Montenegro, in the period from January to November 2015, Montenegro has achieved an influx of foreign direct investments amounted to 670.8 million euro and an outflow of 97.4 million euro.

Net FDI, or the difference between influx and outflow of investments, amounted to 573.4 million euro, an increase of 79.7% over the same period last year.

FDI inflows in the form of capital investments (real estate or equity participation), amounted to 446 million euro, 66.5% overall inflow. Investments in the form of inter-corporate debt amounted to 218.5 million euro (32.6% total inflow).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

According to the Algerian Customs the amount of imported vehicles has decreased to 141.16 million dollars in January 2016 compared to 377.88 dollars in the same period of 2015; it’s a decline of 62.64%. The center

The Algerian National Statistics (CNIS) indicated that quantities of imported vehicles has been 9,309 units in January in 2016 compared to 27,497 units in the same period of 2015; it’s a decline of 66.15%.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews