Australia remains a top 10 global destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) for a third straight year after attracting US$50 billion in foreign direct investment in 2013, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2014. Over the three years to 2013, FDI flows to Australia rose nearly 55 per cent to US$171 billion from US$110 billion over the previous three years. This impressive growth has expanded Australia’s share of global FDI inflows to 3.8 per cent in 2011-13 from 2.5 per cent in 2008-10. In contrast, developed economies’ share of world FDI inflows fell to 44 per cent in 2011-13 from 53 per cent in 2008-10.

The Australian Government has advised that it will expand and improve the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) program to leverage and better direct foreign investment. The program will be reformed to encourage more high net worth individuals to make Australia home and will contribute to a strong and competitive economic environment.

VIENNA, 13 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that media laws under consideration by the Parliament in Moldova run counter to international standards on media freedom.

On 7 July the Parliament adopted, in the first reading, three amendments to the Audio-visual Code of the Republic of Moldova. All three amendments aim to limit broadcasts in foreign languages or those originating from abroad.

“It is counterproductive to try to limit speech through excessively restrictive legislation,” Mijatović wrote in a letter yesterday to the Chairperson of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Andrian Candu. “In my view it seems excessive and may be ineffective.”

The reasoning given for introducing the restrictive provisions banning broadcasts or rebroadcasts of certain content is that it originates from states that are neither members of the European Union, nor are parties to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. 

“I trust that the draft laws will be carefully reviewed by the members of Parliament before being adopted in the second reading, ensuring that the regulation does not pose undue limits on free expression and free flow of information,” Mijatović said.

The Representative also pointed to the recommendations of her Office’s non-paper “Propaganda and Freedom of the Media” published in 2015 (available at www.osce.org/fom/203926).

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom. 

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LISBON, Portugal — Tech giants are increasingly investing in the development of so-called "sovereign" artificial intelligence models as they seek to boost competitiveness by focusing more on local infrastructure. Data sovereignty refers to the idea that people's data should be stored on…

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that an unconditional cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel is "the first priority," calling for intensifying international and Arab efforts to prevent a large-scale war.

Donald Trump this week tapped Pete Hegseth to be his secretary of defense -- despite the Fox News host having previously criticized him before he was elected in 2016.

An Irish-Persian vlogger's Instagram post about living in Delhi is going viral on social media. In his post, Sean Hammond shared a long caption detailing his experience living in the city.

An Irish-Persian vlogger's Instagram post about living in Delhi is going viral on social media. In his post, Sean Hammond shared a long caption detailing his experience living in the city.

Abdelatty met with a number of key officials in the country and reiterated his support for Lebanon and a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

With wars raging around the world and high tariffs looming, Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes says Trump's agenda may be chaotic — but she remains optimistic about possible good elements.

JAKARTA — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he would "always safeguard our sovereignty" when asked about the issue of the South China Sea, adding partnerships are better than conflicts and that "we respect all powers". Prabowo's comments, made while he was in Washington on Wednesday (Nov 13), came after his foreign ministry stressed that Indonesia does not recognise China's claims over the South China Sea despite signing a maritime deal with Beijing last weekend. Beijing has long clashed with Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety, based on a "nine-dash line" on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of several countries. "We respect all powers, but we will always safeguard our sovereignty. But I choose to always find possibilities of a partnership," said Prabowo, who has repeatedly said he will pursue a non-aligned foreign policy. "Partnerships are better than conflicts," he told reporters.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, has arrived to hold talks with External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar.

Firm inflation and hawkish signals rule out December rate cuts, says DBS Bank; but slowing growth may sway RBI, notes Barclays Research 

Father Barnabas Powell interviews John Sitilides, the Washington D.C.-based geopolitical strategist and professional corporate speaker, in a far-reaching conversation to explore and assess the complexities facing the Orthodox Church and its internal administrative challenges in addressing in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the hierarchical tensions between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate, Turkey's repression of Orthodox and other religious minorities, the Syria civil war, the Israeli-Palestinian divide, radical Islamism in the Balkans, the plight of Egypt’s Coptic community, and the stunning rise of Orthodox Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa.

PATTAYA - A foreign woman has been arrested for crashing her car into a motorcycle, killing one person and injuring another.

I am Indian Resident but I have foreign assets, just to know where in the ITR should foreign properties be reported?How much penalty will be imposed if fail to disclose foreign property?

Muted quarterly earnings and weak trends in global markets were also the spoilsport for the markets, traders said

From the 30-share Sensex pack, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, Adani Ports, JSW Steel, IndusInd Bank, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the biggest laggards

Book of Common Prayer (1548-1549) -- The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: As the use of English in worship services spread, the need for a complete uniform liturgy for the Church became evident. Initial meetings to start what would eventually become the Book of Common Prayer were held in the former abbey of Chertsey and in Windsor Castle in September 1548. The list of participants can only be partially reconstructed, but it is known that the members were balanced between conservatives and reformers. These meetings were followed by a debate on the Eucharist in the House of Lords which took place between 14 and 19 December. Cranmer publicly revealed in this debate that he had abandoned the doctrine of the real presence and believed that the Eucharistic presence was only spiritual. Parliament backed the publication of the Prayer Book after Christmas by passing the Act of Uniformity 1549; it then legalised clerical marriage. -- It is difficult to ascertain how much of the Prayer Book is actually Cranmer's personal composition. Generations of liturgical scholars have been able to track down the sources that he used, including the Sarum Rite, writings from Hermann von Wied, and several Lutheran sources including Osiander and Justus Jonas. More problematic is determining how Cranmer worked on the book and with whom he worked. Despite the lack of knowledge of whom might have helped him, however, he is given the credit for the editorship and the overall structure of the book. -- The use of the new Prayer Book was made compulsory on 9 June 1549. This triggered a series of protests in Devon and Cornwall, the Prayer Book Rebellion. By early July, the uprising had spread to other parts in the east of England. Bucer had just taken up his duties in Cambridge when he found himself in the middle of the commotion and had to scurry to shelter. The rebels made a number of demands including the restoration of the Six Articles, the use of Latin for the mass with only the consecrated bread given to the laity, the restoration of prayers for souls in purgatory, and the rebuilding of abbeys. Cranmer wrote to the king a strong response to these demands in which he denounced the wickedness of the rebellion. On 21 July, Cranmer commandeered St Paul's Cathedral where he vigorously defended the official Church line. A draft of his sermon, the only extant written sample of his preaching from his entire career, shows that he collaborated with Peter Martyr on dealing with the rebellion.

Atlanta-based fintech Tern partners with global cross-border payments provider UniTeller to allow TransferMex cardholders to easily send money to Mexico

These testimonials shouldn't only be considered from the male perspective, they also serve in attracting women, as women feel more comfortable using Date International because of their proven track record of success.

Safety is a paramount concern in online dating. Date International found at DateInt.com prioritizes the security of its members with stringent safety protocols and privacy measures. This ensures that your experience is not only enjoyable but also secure.

Published at LXer: Germany's Sovereign Tech Fund (STF), which is backed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, is funding open source work again. This time, the recipients...

The Boys of Chokoloskee are hosting the "Freedom Reigns" drag event on November 9 at the HavAnnA Cafe in Chokoloskee, FL. This vibrant celebration emphasizes diversity, empowerment, and community connection through the art of drag, featuring performances by talented queens like Alandra Matthews and Mya Valentine Lords. The event aims to create an inclusive atmosphere, honoring feminism and the historical significance of [PR.com]

I met an interesting Guatemalan yesterday. He spoke English very well, with a noticeably excellent vocabulary, and a Spanish accent. He was picking through my recycle trash barrel trying to secure bottles and various plastic items to bring to a recycle center in return for a small amount of cash.

I walked down the driveway with 2 more bags to see if he could use anything more--gallon milk cartons and empty cleaning bottles. He was very thankful, and then I asked where he was from.

He has three children who are not US citizens and he said it's too dangerous to bring them here without documents. He himself has papers so he's not in fear of deportation, but he said he must return home to Guatemala because of his family.

He had a job as well as picking through trash, but every little amount helps. I asked him about life in Guatemala, and he said it has bad sections, like parts of Los Angeles--maybe not that bad--and good sections, like where he goes to find recyclables.

It was very hot standing in the 90 degree afternoon sun, so I broke off the conversation to get him a bottle of water. I offered him $5--in my mind it was a token confirmation that at least one American citizen doesn't believe all immigrants are lazy drones sponging off the rest of our immigrant-descended society.

He refused my handout! So I explained it was a small payment for a short interview that would go into my book about bigotry in this country. Then he thanked me.

Motivation and a positive mindset are key towards starting any fitness program, exercise workout or sports activity. Here are some inspirational ideas to help you get started on your fitness journey and help you to stay committed to your fitness workouts.

These scams, which target victims through emotional manipulation and false promises of romance or investment opportunities...

See all the foreigners' records

[Premium Times] Coordinator Tayo Popoola expressed delight at the response while emphasising the need for control to maintain the event's integrity.

Urges Mr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to get relevant countries to work collectively under coordination from India to impress upon Israel to give up its illegal occupation, surrender its settler-colonial policies, work towards a one-state solution.

Fr. John shares the example of Joseph, the son of Jacob, as an example of God's sovereignty.

Let’s consider the story of the Samaritan leper in terms of God’s love for his one fold, shepherded by Christ our Lord, and foreshadowed in stories and prophecies about Gentiles in the Old Testament. Jesus recognized the thanksgiving of an outcast and heretic in his day; what, then, ought we to think about the descendants of God’s ancient people, Israel?

This week we look to Rev 11:15-19, clarifying the scene that we find there by means of Psalm 2, 2 Sam 6, Luke 1:42-45. Does the Theotokos make a mysterious appearance here?

Welcoming the Christ Child: Family Readings for the Nativity Lent, "King Solomon’s Reign and The Prophet Elias," by Elissa Bjeletich, illustrated by Jelena Jeftic (Sebastian Press, 2017).

On the Sunday of All Saints, we are reminded to honour them in our generation that others by their example, fellowship and prayers may also become Friends of God.

Fr. Pat discusses three approaches to death.

Head coach Rhian Wilkinson says Wales are monitoring Jess Fishlock's fitness in conjunction with her club side Seattle Reign.

Immigrant students face a multitude of problems, among which are poor social adaptation and school integration. On the other hand, although digital narrations are widely used in education, they are rarely used for aiding students or for the resolution of complex problems. This study exploits the potential of digital narrations towards this end, by examining how the development and presentation of an autobiographical digital narration can assist immigrant students in overcoming their adaptation difficulties. For that matter, a female student presenting substantial problems was selected as the study’s subject. Data was collected from all the participating parties (subject, teacher, classmates) using a variety of tools, before, during, and after the intervention. It was found that through the digital narration she was able to externalize her thoughts and feelings and this, in turn, helped her in achieving a smoother integration in the school environment. In addition, the attitudes and perceptions of the other students for their foreign classmate were positively influenced. The intervention was short in duration and it did not require special settings. Hence, it can be easily applied and educators can consider using similar interventions. On the other hand, further research is recommended to establish the generalizability of the study’s findings.

Aim/Purpose. Higher education institutions face difficulties and challenges when it comes to distance learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-efficacy indicators and student satisfaction during online English classes. Background. E-learning has been very relevant since the Covid-19 era and is still relevant today. It is possible for students to study regardless of their location or time. By measuring students’ self-efficacy, instructors can gain valuable insights into their students’ ability to create social interaction, cope with technology, and acquire knowledge and tools to manage the learning process. Methodology. This study uses mixed methods along with two measurements. Before and after the course, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Higher education students in Israel participated. A total of 964 students enrolled in English as a foreign language courses at the pre-basic, basic, and advanced levels. Contribution. Analyzing self-efficacy from several angles provides insight into students. What influences students’ confidence and belief in their ability to succeed in online courses. Moreover, how students perceive their own learning and how they cope with challenges. Findings. Compared to the measurement before the course, self-efficacy decreased on average. Most significant decreases occurred in ‘creating social interactions’ and ‘acquirement of knowledge and tools’ to manage the learning process. A slight decrease was observed in the ability to cope with technology. Additionally, self-efficacy and satisfaction with the course were positively correlated. Recommendations for Practitioners. An overview is provided of the most effective tools and techniques for teaching languages in digital format in this paper. This will allow instructors to design and deliver courses in a more effective way. Thus, they will be able to make better informed decisions, resulting in better outcomes for students. Recommendations for Researchers. Distance Learning courses should resemble the common digital environments in everyday life, rather than imitating face-to-face courses mainly in the field of social interaction. Impact on Society. Digital tools should be encouraged that facilitate effective learning processes instead of sticking to traditional methods that characterize face-to-face courses. Using common interfaces in daily use among the general population will enable the implementation of these recommendations. Future Research. Future studies could be helpful if they compared the English courses developed in the CEFR model with those taught face-to-face as well as those taught online. In addition, motivation and self-monitoring should be examined in both synchronous and asynchronous courses as well.

If partnering with local firms is an intuitive strategy with which to mitigate uncertainty in foreign ventures, then why don't organizations always partner with local firms, especially in uncertain settings? We address this question by unbundling the effects of uncertainty in foreign ventures at the venture and country levels. We contend that, while both levels increase the need for partnering with local firms in foreign ventures, country-level uncertainty increases the difficulty of partnering with local firms and decreases the likelihood of such partnerships. We also posit that experiential learning helps firms manage the two types of uncertainty, and thereby reduces the need for partnering—yet, experience in the host country makes partnering more feasible and increases the likelihood of such partnerships. To test our hypotheses, we conceptualize the decision to partner with a local firm in a foreign venture as a multilayered decision, and model it accordingly. Using a global sample of venture capital investments made between 1984 and 2011, we find support for the distinct effects of venture- and country-level uncertainty as well as for corresponding levels of experiential learning. These findings have implications for the literature on cross-border venture capital investment and international business in general.

In the ever-changing global scenario, one country alone cannot decide the destiny of the world

Journalists looked to report inside the Kursk region after a Ukrainian cross-border incursion