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Qatar Airways: Investment in Air Italy fully compliant with US-Qatar Open Skies Agreement

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Following recent false accusations relating to Qatar Airways’ shareholding in Air Italy, such baseless statements and consistent inaccuracies need addressing as a matter of urgency.

Qatar Airways holds a 49 percent stake in Air Italy’s parent company, AQA. This minority investment is at the same level that Delta holds in both Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, and that Etihad held in Alitalia.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy, and operations to the United States, are fully compliant with the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement, the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings, and a side letter that accompanied the discussions.

Unfounded claims that Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy violates the Understandings are entirely false.

As a factual matter, the investment preceded the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings.

· The investment was announced in a July 2016 press release and was approved in writing by the European Commission (DG Competition) in March 2017.

· The transaction was closed in September 2017.

· The discussions surrounding the Understandings took place in December 2017 and January 2018.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy was a matter of public knowledge (as were Qatar Airways’ investments in other airlines) at the time of the U.S.-Qatar discussions; airline investments were not raised as a point of concern during those talks. The Understandings do not mention or prohibit cross-border investments of any type.

Furthermore, Qatar Airways does not codeshare on any of Air Italy’s flights to the United States, and has no plans to do so. Qatar Airways is not operating any Fifth Freedom scheduled air services to the U.S.

The “Big 3” U.S. carriers have consistently demonstrated their hostility to new entrants into the U.S.-Europe market, and their attacks on Air Italy based on the identity of its minority shareholder are just another manifestation of this hostility. Air Italy, the carrier the “Big 3” cite as a major “threat” to their survival, has a fleet of just 15 aircraft and only serves one U.S. city – New York – with a daily service while other routes, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco are operated at a lower frequency.

The U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement has brought enormous benefits to U.S. and Qatari consumers, businesses and communities. Qatar Airways’ services to the United States contribute to U.S. tourism and business. Qatar Airways is a long-term and loyal customer of Boeing, Gulfstream and General Electric, helping to secure tens of thousands of U.S. jobs through our continued investment in their products and is a valued partner to many other U.S. businesses.

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Dame Alice Walker will headline Anguilla Lit Fest 2019

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The Anguilla Tourist Board is pleased to announce an impressive line-up of international artists scheduled to appear at the 8th annual Anguilla Lit Fest, taking place May 16 to 19 at Paradise Cove Resort, Anguilla. Hosted by the Anguilla Literary Foundation under the theme Books, Beaches & A Better You, this Literary Jollification promises to inspire, educate, motivate and uplift audiences with its unique mix of readings, workshops and cultural performances, set against the backdrop of Anguilla’s spectacular beaches.

In her first appearance at Lit Fest, legendary novelist, essayist, poet and activist, Dame Alice Walker will explore the themes of feminism, sexuality, identity and spirituality in her prolific writing and lived experience. Dame Alice is best known for her Pulitzer Winning novel, The Colour Purple (1982), the critically acclaimed Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992), and most recently a bilingual English/Spanish anthology of poetry Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart (2018).

Dynamic author/poet Jason Reynolds will also be featured in the 2-day literary limelight.  Reynolds enjoys a special appeal for those in their teens and twenties as well as for the young at heart.  His first book of prose, When I Was The Greatest (2014) won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and most recently his acclaim skyrocketed with his New York Times best-selling Track series, Ghost (2016), Patina (2017) and Sunny (2018).

This year, the Anguilla Lit Fest also welcomes an inspiring cornucopia of Social Media Influencers and Speakers, including husband and wife team Tony A Junior and Sheri Gaskins, who will present Make it Work, 22 Time Tested Real Life Lessons for Sustaining a Happy Healthy Relationship (2019).  Tony is a highly regarded life coach, author and motivational speaker who has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and TBN’s 700 Club. The distinguished roster includes Glory Edim, a literary advocate and founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a book club and online community that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood, and whose first anthology, Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves, was published by Random House in 2018; Denene Millner co-writer with Steve Harvey of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and Around the Way Girl, a memoir with actress Taraji P. Henson and founder of MyBrownBaby.com, and Editor of Denene Millner Books; novelist and motivational speaker, Sadeqa Johnson, who worked with JK Rowling and Bishop TD Jakes before becoming an author of novels such as And Then There Was Me (2017); and Journalist/Blogger Sarah Greaves Gabbadon, better known as JetSetSarah, whose captivating posts on Caribbean destinations, food and shopping inspire all that ‘follow’ her to follow in her footsteps.

Additional authors include: Patricia Marie “Pat” Cummings, esteemed writer and illustrator of over 30 books for children; Ira Sumner Simmonds, a native of St Kitts who has written From Siberia to St Kitts: A Teacher’s Journey; and Stephanie Stokes Oliver, author, editor and member of the Anguilla Literary Foundation, introducing her critically acclaimed anthology Black Ink, and notables from the publishing world such as Dawn Davis Publisher and Vice President of 37 INK, and Yona Des Hommes Associate Director of Publicity for Atria Books.

“We are intent on showcasing the richness and diversity of the Anguilla experience,” said Cardigan Connor, Anguilla’s Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism. “Anguilla LitFest is a perfect example of the depth and sophistication of our product, and the lure that Anguilla presents to leading literary icons. I congratulate the members of the Anguilla Literary Foundation on what promises to be their best event ever, and look forward to another amazing event,” he concluded.

The 2019 Anguilla Litfest: A Literary Jollification is an unrivalled opportunity for meeting authors, attending book signings and writing workshops.  Special vacation packages for the event will be offered by a number of Anguilla’s leading properties, including the host venue, Paradise Cove Resort, and sponsor hotel, The Reef by CuisinArt.

For more information on the Anguilla Lit Fest 2019 or to register for this year’s event, go to www.anguillalitfest.com, email [email protected], or follow the Anguilla Litfest on Facebook or Instagram.   For information on Anguilla, please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.

Tucked away in the northern Caribbean, Anguilla is a shy beauty with a warm smile. A slender length of coral and limestone fringed with green, the island is ringed with 33 beaches, considered by savvy travelers and top travel magazines, to be the most beautiful in the world.

Anguilla lies just off the beaten path, so it has retained a charming character and appeal. Yet because it can be conveniently reached from two major gateways: Puerto Rico and St. Martin, and by private air, it’s a hop and a skip away.

Romance? Barefoot elegance? Unfussy chic? And untrammeled bliss?   Anguilla is Beyond Extraordinary.

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Strongest year-by-year growth in a decade expected

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The number of business trips and the cost of those trips is set to rise in 2019, according to the 14th annual International Travel Management Study (22 October 2018). Almost half (45 percent) of the 777 corporate travel managers surveyed by AirPlus in 24 countries expect their company to travel more in the year ahead. That figure is up from 35 percent in 2018 and the highest since the global financial crisis of the late 2000s.

Only 10 percent of travel managers believe their company will travel less, while 44 percent expect no change. India is the country where the highest number of travel managers (83 percent) forecast more trips in 2019. In contrast, 33 percent of Russian travel managers, more than any other country, predict less travel.

Travel managers are economic optimists

Almost half (46 percent) of travel managers expect the global economy to affect business travel positively in 2019. That is well up on last year (27 percent) and the highest figure in the six years the study has asked this question. Only 16 percent of travel managers expect the economy to affect business travel negatively, down from 20 percent in 2018.

The optimism among travel managers may seem surprising given several risks threatening to slow the global economy in 2019, including Brexit, slower growth in the Chinese economy and international trade disputes. But at time of writing the International Monetary Fund’s 2019 forecast is for global GDP growth of 3.5 percent (slower than 2018 but still a relatively high figure), and business travel volume and GDP have long been shown to correlate.

Expect business travel to cost more in 2019

The almost inevitable consequence of more travel is more cost, and sure enough, 51 percent of travel managers expect their company to increase its travel spend in 2019 — up from 41 percent in 2018.

“Our travel managers’ prediction of increased corporate travel highlights the importance that business travel has gained over the years. Regardless of any possible positive or negative effects of the global economy, travel managers consider business travel to be necessary and essential in order to gain new business and meet corporate challenges”, says Yael Klein, a marketing director. “But more travel also means companies need to pay increased attention to controlling their rising spend. Luckily, there are many excellent tools and techniques to help track and manage travel spend. 2019 is definitely the year to put these good travel management practices in place, or review them if you already have a strong managed program.”

Action points recommended to control budgets include:

  • Make sure you have a good corporate payment solution providing the best possible travel spend data.
  • Review your policy to identify fresh potential savings.
  • Re-visit your supplier deals. If you have more spend, you also have more spending power.
  • Communicate. Tell your travelers that costs are increasing

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Living as a digital nomad: some unexpected issues you may face

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Digital nomad’s life is the one that most people want to have. It seems so easy and fun for a person to work while traveling the world creating new experiences and seeing new places. All this without having to press pause on their paycheck! Of course, there are numerous benefits to this type of living. However, there are also stresses and pressures that aren’t talked as much as the highs of this type of work. The benefits depend on where you come from, where you travel to and what type of work you do. This article will highlight some of the unexpected issues that people are living the digital nomad life experience while living the life. They are going to help you make more informed choices and allow to weight and find out if you can handle these issues, before you choose this type of work.

  • You will never have a routine

The unpredictability of freelance work is unsettling and psychologically draining. It can make one more anxious especially if they do not have a reliable and stable source of income. It can be stressful to find cheap prices for anything. If you are a student, you may also want to check out some writing service review where you can get good services for your essays and homework. So keenly go over the edusson.com review and figure out how much it will cost you to have an essay done.

People who work in offices have routines. They know what they will be doing at 5 p.m. a day from today. Most people who start the nomad life are in it because they craved a break from all these routines. They were worried about being slaves to the predictability of life. One of the biggest sacrifices that they need to make is to live a life without any routines whatsoever. In truth, even the smallest forms of routines are great for both mental and emotional health. These routines make you more productive because they create better structure; they eliminate distractions and are helpful to your general rhythms of life.

  • Not being taken seriously

This is an issue that affects the mental health of most who love nomadic traveling. People may frequently tell you that you are not struggling because your life is perfect. They may wonder why you are complaining. There seems that there is no way people are going to take you seriously. They assume that your life is full of constant streams of gorgeous places and that you accomplish all your bucket list experiences in a month. They assume that these enviable circumstances cannot possibly be stressful.

In fact, some people might complain about their life and issue that you will feel guilty when you want to talk about your challenges. As a result of this sense of shame, most remote workers will never write honestly about how they feel. They will share amazing captions with their cool selfies from Thailand and act like life could not be better for them. The last thing anyone wants is to appear spoiled and ungrateful. They stop addressing issues that are serious and real, and may even end up in depression and stress since they ignore the real issues they face daily. Studies have shown that one in every four people can experience mental health problems in their lifetime at least once. A quarter of all the people who experience these problems each year are digital nomads. The unpredictable and isolated lifestyle of traveling full time makes them more likely to suffer from this problem. The stigma surrounding these problems makes it difficult to talk about.

  • It is a lonely life

Human beings are social creatures. They are meant to create long term friendships. However, these relationships require a person to dedicate time and effort into creating lasting bonds. While traveling is great, it does not allow people to create and maintain these relationships. This is probably why these digital nomads do not have families until they settle down for more predictable lives. When you are only staying somewhere for a short period, it is impossible to create deep connections with people or make any sort of warm enthusiastic friendships that happen between gregarious strangers in a great mood. While these are also fun, they are nor, by definition, true friendships. You may have many short term friends and may likely create relationships that might last a lifetime, but nothing deep. None of them will know you better than you know yourself.

  • Unhealthy eating habits

Well, you will definitely want to sample everything. You will want to find out which delicacies are also the best. That is fine. However, because of your unpredictable life, it will be difficult to set time for workouts. You also live in hotels so you may probably not have time to make yourself some healthy homemade meals. Your sleeping patterns will also be all over the place. With these habits, having a healthy life is going to be difficult.

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10 Students Tips For Planning Your Assignment

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The secret to successfully finish everything in time is time management. We all tend to forget about things or postpone them to the last minute, and it might bring troubles and stress to your life. It can also decrease your grades because when you don’t have enough time for an assignment, it is hard to do quality work. Anyone might find him/herself wondering “Can someone help me to do my assignment right now?” Sure thing; you can always use the best essay writing service when you have no other possibility to finish it on your own. Many students in Australia and all over the world have struggled with planning; this guide will help you to manage time properly and be successful with your studies.

Tips on Planning to Do Your Assignment without Stressing Out

How to write an assignment? Well, it takes some skill and researching, but the main thing, of course, is to have all planned and organized, before you even start writing.

  1.      Create a useful time planner. The first thing to mention is that it is better to use a digital calendar or an app that allows creating tasks with due dates and reminders. Of course, you might make a notebook with all the information, but as long as it is in the paper, there is no way to set reminders. As soon as you get an assignment out into calendar and set a due date. Set two reminders, one week before the due date, another one two weeks before. Don’t trust your memory, as it is hard to keep everything in mind; use technology instead.
  2.      Create a rating system defining the importance and complexity of tasks. It is useful when you have several of them at a time. Mark them with different colors and figure out how much time each of them will take you to write. Start with the most complex and important ones, the less crucial you can always trust to an online service, like PapersOwl.
  3.      How to start an assignment? You need to begin with a close reading of requirements and topic; it is crucial that you understand the key question and the demands you are expected to meet. Underline the main words and focus on them, define the crucial question of an essay.
  4.      After the previous step write down what you need to do to finish the task. Basically, you are creating a plan of actions you are going to take. Don’t put huge options like “write an essay.” Divide them into smaller sections so that they are less nerve wreaking and easier to do. Set realistic goals, if you cannot write 2000 words a day, it is ok; just divide the works for two days at least.
  5.      Begin working on an assignment with drafting a structure for it. Whether you are going to a college in Melbourne or any other place in Australia, there are common outlines for any kind of academic paper that are well-known and are publicly accessible. If you don’t have an example, you may ask the professor or look online, the general outline for an essay is always the same. Use it to customize according to your needs and topic.
  6.      Look for useful information. Don’t rush to write everything, do research on the topic first. You don’t have to pay for online sources; there are many of them that are free to use by anyone. There is your local public library, college library, and digital resources. If you don’t know which sources are most relevant, ask someone for help: professor, tutor, and classmate.
  7.      When working with sources make notes and marks on the most important data. After you are done, it will be easier to find this information.

  1.      Work on your thesis statement. Before actually writing it is better to know what your standpoint is and the main idea. That’s why one should spend some time formulating a clear thesis statement that will be a guide to future work.
  2.      Write a draft. Try to focus and not get distracted, don’t be too critical when writing a draft, just follow thoughts and ideas. Remember to put in direct citations primary sources and paraphrase secondary ones. It is not essential where to start; you may begin with the part that is easier for you and then complete other paragraphs.
  3.  Proofread and edit draft to make it a finished paper. Use services like Grammarly that helps to proofread spelling and grammar and use online plagiarism checker, there are several free AU services. But most importantly – reread your text to revise the general logic, readability, strong arguments, etc.

This guide should help you with the understanding of how to do assignments. Remember that it is better not postpone it till the last night, as the more time you have, the better it is.

Author’s bio: Becca Stickler is a freelance writer with a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly living. Now engaged in travel around the country and writing.

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