Planning & Development is a diverse department here at Big Lakes County. It combines many different sectors and professions to improve our communities and to help build a better future.
Together we strive to make a difference in our communities today and tomorrow.
Please note, all safety codes permits (building, electrical, gas, plumbing, private sewage) are issued on the County's behalf through The Inspections Group Inc.
Big Lakes County and the Town of High Prairie have developed an Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP). The IDP provides an opportunity for collaboration on matters important to both the County and Town including service provision, land use, environmental protection, and future development patterns.
The objectives of the IDP are:
- Comply with all IDP requirements;
- Engage with community members and stakeholders in all parts of the project;
- Identify options for service provision between the County and Town; and
- Identify future land uses for the IDP area and establish regulations for intermunicipal referrals.
Big Lakes County is now offering business licenses to our residents!
Having a license shows your customers that your business meets requirements and is permitted to operate within the County. Licensed businesses will benefit by being added the County Business Directory, and receiving business-related information or training opportunities directly from the County. By Licensing your business with the County you can also increase your brand awareness (our office is often asked for a list of tradespeople), and help provide the County with key information to support the community during an emergency response.


Pool / Spa
- 100% refund if you cancel at least 60 days before check-in.
- 50% refund (minus the service fee) if you cancel at least 30 days before check-in.
- No refund if you cancel less than 30 days before check-in.
Damage and Incidentals
You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.
Children allowed - Children that can swim! No fence around the pool.Children that can swim! No fence around the pool.
No pets - pets not allowedpets not allowed
No smoking - HOA requires zero smoking!HOA requires zero smoking!
Max guests: 3
Minimum age of primary renter: 21
About Cynthia Orr
We bought this condo so we had our own place to stay when we come to Boulder to visit our daughter and son in law, as well as a place to stay during the ski season. Eric is a third generation Colorado man, whose family came to the Denver area in 1872. He attended the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and is currently a General Surgeon in San Diego. All the photographs displayed in the condo are taken by Eric over the years. Cynthia taught middle school Science in the Cherry Creek School District for many years, and now manages rental property for the family.
Cynthia Orr purchased this condo in 2017
Why Cynthia Orr chose Newlands
The location is central to everything in Boulder. We are just 5 blocks to the pedestrian part of Pearl Street. In addition, we really liked the complex when we first saw it. The residents are quiet, respectful, and actively work to keep the complex peaceful.
What makes this condo unique
The location, the location, the location. We like being able to walk to everything, and we love the Mapleton Hill neighborhood with all the ancient trees, and beautiful old homes. There is a fantastic park just blocks away where you can picnic or bring your kids to a playground, or just enjoy the day. During the winter, people go there to cross country ski. There is something for everyone, year round.


Out of the Office, into the Compound
Travis' Trip I was privileged to be able to take a trip to visit Krochet Kids Uganda last month. The purpose of my visit was to help streamline our production processes so we can continue to deliver quality products to our amazing customers around the globe. It was very moving and inspiring to see how our program has grown and improved since I was there last. My time spent in Uganda previously consisted of 10 women in the Krochet Program, 1 Ugandan Staff, and using our garage to store all the hats. Today, there are 150 women crocheting in Northern Uganda, led by 10 Ugandan Staff and a production facility that stretches nearly the length of a football field. A few highlights from my trip included seeing our entire production process from point A to Z. Seeing baby Travis (my namesake who Akello Mary named after me). Seeing Sean Aldridge (our production Manager) explain a new top secret product to all the ladies. Thank you for your constant support. It has brought so much dignity and hope for the women in Uganda. -Travis Co-founder, CFO
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A question that has been weighing on the minds of many Raleigh citizens is “When will the next city council election be held: October 2021 or March 2022?”
This question was first raised last February, when the U.S. Census Bureau announced it was unable to release the data needed to redraw district lines until September 30th, well after the candidate filing date for the city council election. Consequently, Raleigh may have to delay its election until the state primary in March 2022.
It is now May and Raleigh still does not have an answer. Phil Berger, NC Senate leader, stated in April, “…affected communities have the ability to hold elections using current districts, or individual towns or cities can ask the legislature to pass local bills to address their specific elections.”
Phil Berger’s statement implies that the decision of when to hold the election for Raleigh City Council largely lies in the hands of the current city council. Raleigh can either hold the election in October using its current districts or the city council can request the General Assembly to pass a bill allowing it to delay the election.
At a recent city council meeting on May 4th, Zainab Baloch, a local activist, asked the city council what it intended to do about the next election date. The city attorney, Robin Tatum Currin, responded that council was waiting on assistance from the General Assembly on how to proceed. Her reply was surprising given that Phil Berger had just weeks before stated that cities could hold elections using their current districts.
It is not clear why the city council is waiting to make a decision about when to hold the election. For the sake of government transparency and for not putting potential challengers in the race at a disadvantage, Raleigh deserves an answer now.
Click here to read Phil Berger’s statement
Click here to hear Zainab Baloch’s question and the city attorney’s response at minute 48:45


May housing data suggest recent Government policy announcements are weighing on overall housing activity. Sales fell 11.8% m/m in May (seasonally adjusted). But with listings also sparse, reduced investor demand hasn’t yet been enough to slow the monthly pace of house price inflation. This came as a bit of a surprise and we have upgraded our near-term house price forecasts to include a little more momentum. We have also brought forward our expectation for OCR hikes by six months to February 2022. That means mortgage rates are expected to rise a little sooner than before, taking some of the steam out of the housing cycle a bit earlier.
The closed border means the New Zealand housing market is in the rare position of being able to build enough houses to keep up with new demand. This month we explore a range of supply and demand indicators to gauge the severity of the current housing shortage and how this is likely to evolve in coming years. Overall, we sketch out a picture of a housing market whose fundamentals do not support the kind of sky-high price increases we saw over 2020. But at the same time, the construction industry is running into acute capacity pressures, which are driving up costs spectacularly and delaying the rollout of new housing. On net, it looks like New Zealand will be able to chip away at the housing shortage pretty quickly over 2021. But it’s important to note that this progress is largely due to the border closure; as the largest source of demand for new housing has been completely shut off. This brief respite will not last unless serious changes to immigration policy are made. This month’s Feature Article explores the housing shortage in more depth.
Housing policy has moved very fast in recent months, and for good reason – the market has gone bonkers. Affordability and credit constraints mean the recent pace of house price inflation was never going to be sustainable, but now, with the policy headwind about to start biting harder, we think the slowdown is looming. This month we take stock of recent policy changes and discuss some of their expected impacts. House price inflation is expected to slow a little faster than otherwise, and the risk that house prices actually fall is now higher. But while these policies may take the heat out of the market, the impact on rents could be less helpful from a broader housing affordability perspective. Further, most of the recent policy changes won’t help to deliver the additional houses NZ needs to address its structural problem – they buy time. The supply side is where policy now needs to focus.
The housing market has had a spectacular run over the past year, fuelled by easy financing conditions, with interest rates low and credit readily available. But this environment is not expected to last forever. Interest rates are expected to rise, albeit gradually, with longer-end interest rates expected to lift first. This is expected to pass through only very slowly to costs faced by borrowers, but eventually, debt-servicing is expected to become more expensive. Meanwhile, abundant bank funding has ensured that credit has been readily available to meet demand, but slowing deposit growth, bank caution and policy changes are expected to see credit conditions become more of a constraint. Eventually, these factors, alongside affordability limits and other headwinds, are expected to see a slowing in the housing market, though the timing is uncertain, and conditions are expected to tighten only gradually. To the extent that some in the market are assuming current very easy financing conditions will continue, expectations may be disappointed, potentially weighing on the market more than we currently expect.
Globally, housing markets have generally beaten expectations through the COVID-19 crisis, in part due to a policy response that has been large and synchronised. But the New Zealand housing market has been an outlier, supported by – and contributing to – our strong economic recovery to date, which has been underpinned by our successful health response and effective fiscal and monetary policy. Relative to history, the recent episode has been different too. Although the current housing upturn shares some similarities with the 2000s, maintaining momentum for such an extended period appears unlikely this time around. While momentum can be self-propelling to some extent, acute housing unaffordability, very high debt levels, macro-prudential policy tightening and credit constraints look set to weigh in time, with a slowing in the rate of housing price inflation expected. However, it may take time for the market to turn and, until that happens, affordability and debt levels could become even more stretched. See Feature Article: Off the beaten track for more.
A number of ongoing themes will shape the way forward in the year ahead. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to run rampant globally, and our national fortunes will remain crucially tied to our continued success in keeping the virus out. The path to inoculation will take time, and bumps are possible along the way. Domestically, housing is likely to remain high-profile, with the market ending the year on an unsustainable footing. A degree of cooling seems likely, and credit conditions may become less permissive, though it is also possible that unaffordability continues to worsen, exacerbating longer-term risks. Meanwhile, new challenges look set to come to the fore, like the impact of our lost summer of tourism. Businesses have been remarkably resilient, setting us up well to weather this test. But even so, we need to brace for some impact. Inflation risks have increased too, especially with supply disruptions an ongoing problem, and volatility may return as markets digest the unfolding outlook. For policymakers, trade-offs are becoming trickier to manage and longer-term issues will rear their heads, along with questions about when policy settings might return to “normal”. And of course, we will be faced with unknown unknowns in the time ahead – those inevitable uncertainties that will shape the path forward, for better or worse. See Feature Article: On the horizon – Key themes for 2021 for more.
Housing unaffordability is an enormous problem in New Zealand, with especially significant consequences for our young and most vulnerable – and trends continue to move in the wrong direction. Making meaningful progress is urgent, and change needs to be bold to reverse the tide. Broadly, we need to release land, build more houses and better align supply and demand settings. Even sustained stabilisation in house prices would require a monumental shift in the market, and would be a vast improvement from the rapid house price inflation we are seeing currently. But it’s not just policy that needs to change – we need to change our expectations too. Policymakers and the public both need to be willing to accept house price stabilisation or even gradual real house price declines. Not only would this help affordability, but a managed supply-induced decline in house prices is a much better outcome than a painful correction, which is a risk under the current market structure. Although policy change can take time, engineering this sort of response in an orderly way is certainly possible, as shown in Canterbury post-earthquakes. See Feature Article: Unlocking the solution for more.
With the OCR near zero, the RBNZ has had to work with a new bag of tricks since the COVID-19 crisis hit. This month we provide a simple explainer of how these tools work and affect the economy. The latest tool to be introduced is the bank Funding for Lending Programme (FLP), which is aimed at lowering interest rates on mortgages and other bank loans. It's hard to know what impact it will have, but it might lower interest rates by another 20-40bps. Looking forward, a test for the economy lies ahead. The outlook for policy is finely balanced though, and developments in the housing market are one of many possible factors that could tip the balance towards erring away from a negative OCR. A negative OCR is a mind-bending idea, and could have some negative consequences, but for most people on the street the implications would be the same as for a regular cut in the OCR. See Feature Article: Bag of tricks for more.
The housing market is riding high, with income support having provided a significant cushion, alongside a boost from lower mortgage rates. The removal of loan to value ratio (LVR) restrictions has added to demand but has not been a significant driver of the market – and yet financial stability risks are increasing. A “frothy” speculative element appears to be emerging, with FOMO (fear of missing out) part of the equation. Buyers are of the view that it is a good time to buy despite being in the midst of an enormous economic downturn, and house prices appear to be moving against the tide of fundamentals from already very elevated levels. That could contribute to a more volatile cycle if a turn in the market comes – particularly if buyers entering the market have high debt to income, making them more vulnerable to income strains. Macro-prudential policy is likely to be increasingly in the spotlight if current trends continue. The fact is, the housing market does undergo downturns from time to time and homeowners need to be able to ride the wave knowing that sometimes it does get choppy. See Feature Article: Riding high for more.
The housing market and new mortgage lending are bright spots in an economy otherwise facing an enormous amount of uncertainty. Low mortgage rates are lending a hand, and monetary policy is expected to provide even more stimulus, with the OCR expected to go negative next year alongside a bank Funding for Lending Programme (FLP). We expect the OCR will be lowered by 50bps to -0.25% in April, and that the FLP will strengthen the pass-through to retail rates. The impact of the combined policies is uncertain, but short-term fixed mortgage rates could dip below 2% next year. Further declines in mortgage rates will help to shore up the housing market, spending and confidence. But that’s set to go up against a range of dampening factors that are likely to become more evident by year end. Because of this, we expect that lower mortgage rates will provide a cushion, but won’t propel the housing market significantly. That said, there are offsetting forces and a ‘muddle through’ is possible. More broadly, risks to the economic outlook are tilted to the downside and it is possible that the OCR moves even lower than we currently expect. See Feature Article: Lend me a hand for more.
The long-term benefits of home ownership are significant, but buying a new home is expensive. Housing affordability has worsened in recent decades; it now costs more to purchase a house and longer to save for a deposit, putting home ownership further out of reach for many. This is true across most New Zealand regions. Recently, lower mortgage rates have made home ownership costs cheaper, benefiting existing homeowners and those who can enter the market. But those who are locked out of the market cannot reap the same benefits, and rising unemployment and income strains are eventually expected to put pressure on the debt-servicing capability of some households. The RBNZ is providing an important cushion to the economy through lower mortgage rates (and other channels), reducing the blow to both house prices and incomes. But it won't solve New Zealand's housing affordability problem; that requires a hard look at structural factors. See Feature Article: Locked out for more.
The COVID-19 crisis has seen trends in the housing market shift. There are offsetting forces, and the crosscurrents are highly uncertain. Currently, the market is supported – but this support may start to wane, particularly later this year. We are wary that a number of factors could weigh in time: a tip in the balance between demand and supply, rising unemployment, caution towards debt, and tighter credit conditions. We see house prices falling 5-10%, but the outlook is highly uncertain. It will hinge on the global COVID-19 situation, economic conditions, migration flows, policy choices, and household attitudes. See Feature Article: Turn of the tide for more.
The reopening of the New Zealand economy has made the outlook a little bit brighter. Recently, there has been a bounce in spending and positive anecdotes about the housing market - but we do not expect this positivity to last. The period ahead is when people on the street will feel the recession in lasting ways. Unemployment is rising and businesses are cautious. It will be a slow economic recovery, which means mortgage rates will be low for a long time. For some households, this will make home buying and spending more attractive, while for others it presents an opportunity to improve their financial positions. Although low interest rates will cushion the economic blow to some extent, weaker incomes and reduced job security will weigh on the housing market. The shortage of housing will likely erode, particularly in tourist regions. We have nudged up our house price forecasts, but only a little. We see house prices down 12%, which will weigh on household spending, with risks now more balanced. See our heatmap for vulnerability to house price falls by region.
The outlook for the property market has shifted abruptly. This has raised many questions and we could arguably write an ANZ Property Focus on each. This month we give short answers to some of those big questions.
With the country under Level 4 lockdown, the property market is eerily quiet. It's a highly uncertain time. We can't predict exactly what will happen for the property market from here; it will depend crucially on how the COVID-19 outbreak evolves. But at this stage we expect the following: the economic impact will be enormous; property market data will be all over the place in the period ahead; financial pressures will increase with many people in limbo; construction firms and the like will incur significant delay costs; credit is likely to be constrained; reduced income prospects and a fundamental shift in the supply-demand balance will see rents under downward pressure; house prices will fall significantly; and commercial property could be even more affected than residential, given its clear links to business activity.
A recession is now underway that may be quite deep. The global and domestic slowdown on the back of the COVID-19 outbreak will see new challenges emerge for the construction industry. Demand will moderate on weaker sentiment and incomes, particularly on the residential side. Projects could be delayed and costs increase, intensifying financial pressures that already exist for some as a result of squeezed profitability, credit constraints and low cash buffers. The lower OCR will ease financial pressure for construction-related firms by lowering debt-servicing costs, although the availability of credit will remain a constraint for some. Firms will need to actively manage risks in the difficult and uncertain period ahead that may be prolonged.
Rising house prices are a mixed blessing. It tends to encourage increased spending in aggregate, with some households benefiting from wealth gains and easing collateral constraints. This boosts GDP, though usually debt as well. But for other households, higher house prices mean home ownership slips further out of reach. And the low interest rates than can be the driver of higher house prices can adversely affect older households, even if they own their own homes - they are typically savers rather than borrowers, so lose when rates fall. Currently, households are feeling pretty good on the back of the strong labour market and better economic news (at least up until recently). However, risks are looming. Deposit growth has not kept pace with strong credit demand, meaning banks' balance sheets are under pressure, and credit availability may become a headwind. And emerging global risks are in the spotlight. We expect economic impacts associated with the tragic COVID-19 outbreak to be sharp but short at this stage. However, a larger impact cannot be ruled out. Such risks could see household optimism slide. But for now, momentum is on the up
House prices have rebounded a bit more rapidly than we - or the RBNZ - expected. Monetary policy is working, though rising house prices are most definitely a mixed blessing for the economy. We have upgraded our forecast, with house price inflation now expected to reach 8% y/y, supporting our revised call for the OCR to remain at 1% this year. There is some upside risk to that 8% number - the market is tight and house price expectations have increased - but we think a number of headwinds will keep the market in check. Given the current low interest rate environment, house prices could prove volatile. The RBNZ will be watching financial stability risks closely when setting macro-prudential policy to ensure a growth-positive pick-up in housing does not come with a risky speculative dynamic.
The state of the New Zealand economy can both reflect and determine the fate of the housing market. Some of this simply reflects that population growth swings are a huge driver of both the New Zealand economic cycle and the housing market. But it is also true that the housing cycle – both construction and prices – has a big impact in and of itself. The construction sector provides 9% of jobs. And the state of the housing market has a big say in consumers’ willingness to spend. So to round out 2019, let’s take a look at the state of the broader New Zealand economy, and put the housing market in context.
The Official Cash Rate (OCR) has been cut 75 basis points over the past six months and mortgage rates have fallen. But because household deposits are an important source of bank funding (eg for home loans), banks have had to strike a balance, meaning both mortgage and deposit rates have fallen by less than the OCR has. And as the OCR goes lower (we're forecasting a further 50 basis point reduction by August 2020), we think the pass-through to mortgage (and deposit) rates will diminish. Indeed, there's a real risk that if deposit rates go lower, household deposit growth could slow markedly as depositors seek higher returns elsewhere. This would mean banks have a lower deposit base from which to provide new loans, reducing the positive impact to the housing market and broader economy. So even if the price of credit (ie the interest rate) is low, supply constraints (credit availability) can be a significant headwind.
Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) restrictions were never intended to be a permanent feature of the housing market. But, six years after their implementation in 2013, they remain a key element, contributing to less risky lending and putting downward pressure on house price inflation. Numerous tweaks to the LVR restrictions have been made in recent years, but is it time to loosen them a little more? Recent housing market outturns have been modest, particularly on the sales activity side. But there are lots of moving parts, and significant regional divergence. While household debt levels are certainly high, growth in household disposable income does looks to be running at around the same pace as housing credit growth - and above house price inflation. Both we and the RBNZ expect house price inflation to remain modest relative to previous cycles over the next few years, but frankly, a wide range of outcomes is plausible given the recent drop in mortgage rates, possible developments in credit availability, the softening economy, and policy changes. All up, we think a small loosening in LVR restrictions is likely at the upcoming November 27 Financial Stability Report.
With the Government having announced a KiwiBuild ‘reset’, we go back to basics; thinking about demand and supply in the housing market. The New Zealand housing market is prone to boom and bust cycles, and subject to large swings in demand, often coming from swings in migration. But constrained housing supply means that increases in housing demand tends to lead to higher house prices, while housing construction reacts more slowly. A focus on easing supply constraints is what is really needed, so we review what is being done on that front. The KiwiBuild reset this month offered some goodies for first home buyers, but the newly announced ‘reset’ policies are likely to just add to housing demand. That said, elements of the KiwiBuild programme may still be able to add some value by addressing supply constraints. Other policies are also in train in the background – the Government is building a record number of state homes and the National Policy Statement on Urban Development has the opportunity to transform local land-use planning and infrastructure. But this is all coming against a backdrop of downside risks to the construction sector outlook.
Land makes up a pretty hefty chunk of the price of housing, and has made some significant contributions to house price inflation over the years. After taking a drive though the New Zealand countryside, you could be forgiven for thinking that New Zealand has an abundance of land and that a simple way to address housing affordability is simply to extend a few urban boundaries, pop in some roads and get building. But alas, land appropriate for housing might not be as abundant as you think and the stuff we do have, particularly around key urban boundaries, is currently being put to good use. Given the numerous downsides of urban sprawl, increased housing density is definitely going to have to be part of the solution to addressing housing affordability in New Zealand. While the data suggest construction activity is shifting towards multi-unit dwellings, there's still a decent way to go. And with cost pressures eroding profitability in the sector, and construction firms recently becoming increasingly pessimistic about their own outlook, activity risks are skewed to the downside.
The rules and regulations governing the New Zealand rental property market have undergone a number of changes over the past few years, and it looks like more are on the way. Law changes have generally focused on improving the lot of renters and first home buyers. And while some, such as the Healthy Homes Standards, have broader economic benefits (eg fewer sick days), there's no such thing as a free lunch. Higher-than-otherwise rents and a lower-than-otherwise stock of rental properties are costs that from a social perspective are just as difficult to quantify as the benefits. But for now, let's look at the coal face; at how some of the rules have changed for residential property investors, and how they might change further. Given some of the costs of non-compliance, it is pretty important stuff of which to be aware. Regarding their impact on the housing market (and the economy more broadly), we think policy changes have been - and will remain - a key headwind. But the fundamentals (a shortage of houses and downward pressure on mortgage rates), suggest there are enough supports out there to keep things from rolling over.
This month we take a closer look at housing market performance across different regions in New Zealand. Weakness in the Auckland and Canterbury markets have weighed on the nationwide picture, with these regions comprising 42% of house sales combined. But a number of other regions have experienced strong price gains recently. Based on a number of metrics, we identify Gisborne, Manawatu-Whanganui, Tasman-Nelson-Marlborough and Otago as hotspots, while exceptional heat is being seen in Southland and Hawke's Bay. In addition, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Wellington markets are also running hot, just not as hot as they have been. Conditions can change quickly and the outlook is uncertain, but all else equal, strong demand in these markets appears conducive to further regional price increases. This delayed cycle relative to Auckland is not unusual for the New Zealand housing market. On the whole, we expect that the nationwide market will remain contained. But regional divergence is expected, with hotspots expected to continue to outperform while headwinds blow strongest in Auckland and Canterbury.
The OCR has been cut to an all-time low of 1.50%, and mortgage interest rates have fallen. In addition, the Government has taken the possibility of a capital gains tax taken off the table. Given these developments, now seems like an appropriate time to reassess our outlook for house price inflation. After adjusting for supply and demand imbalances, we estimate that a 1%pt fall in the mortgage interest rate would typically bump up annual house price inflation up by around 2.5%pts after 6-12 months, all else equal. However, the lengthy list of policy changes this cycle means all else most certainly isn’t equal. Indeed, we find evidence that the recent moderation in house price inflation is owing to factors other than the typical “macro drivers” of population growth and interest rates. This supports our view that the policy landscape and affordability constraints have had a significant role to play, and will continue to do so. All up, we’ve baked in a small bump into the house price inflation outlook, but don’t expect it to shoot for the moon.
For a number of years, construction demand has been strong; activity has ramped up to a high level and firms have been run off their feet. But recently, firms have started reporting that growth in new building work has started to drop off and the outlook is looking less assured. Pent-up demand for housing and KiwiBuild will provide a floor for activity, but that may not be enough to sustain today’s very elevated levels. Construction firms’ costs continue to escalate, but in the context of wariness about the demand outlook, they are finding it more difficult to increase prices, causing profitability stresses. And this comes against the backdrop of an industry already grappling with broader financial, productivity and staffing challenges. So far this cycle, such challenges have been manageable in the context of strong growth in building work, but they will be difficult to bear should demand start to wane, even if activity remains elevated as we expect. And with construction a bellwether of the economic cycle more broadly, this adds to the picture that has formed of an economy past its best.
Credit availability is a significant determinant of housing market developments and the economic cycle. Lending has generally been conservative this cycle, but from 2016, reduced credit availability contributed to cooling in the housing market and loss of economic momentum. Credit has been less of a constraint recently; the housing market and GDP growth are being held back by other headwinds. And banks’ funding positions have been favourable, conducive to continued prudent lending supportive of the housing market and ongoing economic growth, albeit below trend. Nonetheless, some businesses and farms are facing challenges on this front, and waning deposit growth poses the risk that credit becomes a more significant constraint once more. Adding to that, proposed (and probable) changes to bank capital requirements, if implemented, would impact both the price and availability of credit, with potentially quite significant implications for the economy, including for the housing market.
Rental inflation has been trending higher recently, with policy changes aimed at making property investment less attractive playing a role. Rental affordability has not worsened in aggregate, but some households will nonetheless be feeling the pinch. Going forward, waning population growth is likely to see pressure on rents subside somewhat. Yet with the pipeline of policy changes continuing, including possible extension of capital income taxation, rental inflation is likely to remain solid as investors attempt to maintain returns. Overall, we expect the recent trend of rental inflation outpacing house price inflation to continue for a while yet. Headwinds are expected to continue to act on the market for existing housing, while property investors attempt to recoup some yield by increasing rents.
In our August 2018 Property Focus we took a look at how property markets globally relate to the New Zealand market. We concluded that the New Zealand housing market was probably not being dragged down by global developments, but that it could be in the future, with global housing markets having become increasingly synchronised over time. This month, in that context, we take a look at recent developments in housing markets abroad. In summary, housing markets are certainly cooling in synch with each other, but outside of Australia there is no sign that the cooldowns are anything unusual.


Bangalore is one of those cities whose real estate market is strategically divided area-wise. Bangalore East, West, North, South and Central- all have been major real estate players of the city and are unique in the trends and patterns of its growth. If you are searching for apartments in Bangalore, you need to know about the particulars of these sub-markets.
In this article, we will cover the great divide between the real estate markets of North and South Bangalore. North Bangalore, being close to the international airport, started attracting much attention of the high-end industries. The area around the airport received much infrastructural push, thus improving the scenario. On the other hand, South Bangalore has always stood tall in the realty market of Bangalore. Already established infrastructure and development calls for a plush real estate scenario in this part of the city. While North Bangalore promises a steady price appreciation, South Bangalore provides the benefits of a thriving social infrastructure.
Click Here for Current Property Price Trends in South Bangalore
Popular areas in South Bangalore for property investment include Varthur, Whitefield, Electronic City and Begur. The government is also coming up with various industrial development and SEZs in these locations. The sub-market is already a home to several Fortune 500 Companies and experts are of opinion that the markets is reaching saturation. New projects are surely coming up but lesser as compared to the other locations. Old buildings are also being remodelled into more modern structures.
The average property price, as reported by Investors Clinic Price Trends Analysis, was recorded at Rs 3,849 per sq ft at the end of August 2015. Prices have stayed quite steady over time for South Bangalore; the graph does not go through many peaks and troughs. The sub-market sees an yearly appreciation of 15 percent while for North Bangalore, it is 20-30 percent.
Whether you should choose North Bangalore or South Bangalore, totally depends on your preferences. If you want a home for end-use, South Bangalore definitely stands as a better option. With an established social and physical infrastructure, the place will have everything you need for a modern lifestyle. By all means, you should go for an old and established locality in this case. However, on the other hand, if you need a home for living as well as for investment purpose, North Bangalore would be a good idea. The development is still going on for the location, thus making it a great opportunity for reaping future benefits.
So you should have an individual perspective if you are confused between the two sub-markets. Make a list of pros and cons and then choose what suits you the best.
Read More About………..Property Price Trends in North Bangalore


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Total Guide to Cardiff was set up in the midst of the pandemic back in August 2020, existing as a local focal point to commercialise information about local businesses and what is going on in and around Cardiff as well as a platform to drive traffic to local businesses and increase their online presence.
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If you would like more information or to enquire, please contact Liam on firstname.lastname@example.org!


Gay travel or GLBT travel is an umbrella term used to describe travel that is geared toward the gay community. People may be open with their gender identity and sexual orientation at times but less often in places like Africa, where there are often no openly gay bars.
The term “gay travel” may sound offensive, but it refers to all types of gay travel. It also encompasses travel with or without sexual orientation. GLBT travelers can take part in gays travel in many places around the world, including: India, which is one of the most diverse countries in the world, and which has been recognized as gay friendly by various governments. In Europe, you can enjoy gays travel in Spain, France, or Italy.
In Africa, you can find gays travel in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe. There are even gays travel tours in countries where they aren’t legal, such as Russia. Some travel agencies specialize in gay travel, but there are many others that offer both gay and heterosexual travel. Many times gays travel companies will offer discount travel packages that include gays travel.
The best time to go on a gays travel tour is now, because this is not just an experience that you have to wait for. Today, gays travel has become very popular among gay people who are more comfortable living their life out on their own. You can travel to any place in the world, if you want to. A gays travel agency will help you find the perfect traveling destination based on your travel preferences, budget, or preferences. A gays travel company can even coordinate activities with other gays travel groups, so that you can go out together and enjoy a trip that you both will enjoy.
There are so many locations that you can visit for gay travel, such as: Brazil, Costa Rica, Jamaica, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Canada, France, Israel, Australia, South Africa, and Nepal. In addition to that, there are gays travel guides that can show you places like the Netherlands and New York City that are very welcoming to gays travelers. Even if you decide to go on your own, a travel guide can give you a great guide to help you navigate the world. You can get a map of gays travel places, make booklets to help you choose the best traveling options, and learn about gay culture and history.
If you don’t have a gays travel agency that you can work with, then there are still many online resources available to help you get to know the different travel destinations that are available to you. There are gays travel magazines and even online gays travel websites that you can browse through for advice.
You can easily use Google to search for a gays travel guide that you can follow. The Internet is full of information on the world of gays travel. You can read online forums and browse through blog pages of gays travelers and chat rooms online to talk to other travelers about their experiences. Some travel companies also provide free webinars about gays travel, so that you can get an idea of what’s available out there in the world of gay travel.
Some gays travel websites offer free online classes for travelers. These classes teach you about the different places to go, what to wear, how to prepare for the journey, and many other tips for safe travel. A few of these sites even offer seminars where the content is tailored to the traveler.
There are some gays travel websites that offer free seminars where the information is tailor-made for the traveler. This means that the person can talk to experts about gays travel. In most cases, the expert will be a gay person who has traveled extensively and knows exactly where to go, what to avoid, and what kind of places to visit. You can find seminars by gays travel agencies online.
There are even gay travel agencies that offer online forums and newsletters. You can join the forum and keep up to date on the latest travel news and new travel destinations. you can receive updates about gay travel groups and organizations in your area.
So whether you decide to travel by yourself or join a gay travel Europe website to help you plan your trip, you can find many resources available to help you along the way. You just have to do a little bit of research to find one that is right for you.


V-Bendinat-104 Property description
Large family home in Bendinat in south west Mallorca. This spacious detached villa enjoys beautiful mountain views and panoramic scenic views across both Bendinat and Bellver castle with partial views of the sea. Well maintained and immaculate, this generously sized property boasts exceptional quality interior with marble floors and high quality finish throughout.
The interior offers large hallway with office area and stunning mountain views, vast living space including sitting area with fireplace, large dining area and 2 separate terraces - one of which enjoys sea views. Also on this level of the villa one finds a large modern kitchen with breakfast area and guest toilet.
Travelling downstairs, one finds 4 bedrooms, 2 with en-suite bathrooms, laundry room and double garage. From here one travels down to the swimming pool terrace and garden area which is extremely private and boasts a large swimming pool and sunny garden area as well as guest apartment with own kitchen and a tastefully finished and independent guest cottage at the bottom of the garden.
Other features of this marvellous property include central heating as well as various terraces including roof terrace, from which one can enjoy the Mallorca sunshine or relax in the shade and enjoy the mountain views.
Views :- Mountains, Partial Sea, Bendinat Castle, Bellver Castle
Bendinat is in the South West of Palma De Mallorca and is one of the most exclsuive zones on the Island. Only 7 mins drive to Palma city and the same in the opposite direction to the luxury Port of Portals.The Royal Bendinat Golf club is known to be one of the best courses in Mallorca with the possibility to play 9 or 18 holes depending on preference. Other areas close to Bendinat & Old Bendinat are Anchorage Hill, Cas Catala & Portals Vells of Calvia. These areas are some of the most beautiful & exclusive locations on the Island of Mallorca. This picturesque "post card" stretch of coast with crystal clear waters that lap up onto the edges of the fine-sandy beach´s. Portals Vells which is only a stone throw from Bendinat offers a fantastic fish restaurant and bar that serves only the finest and freshest catch of the day. Portals Vells also has a historic cave that was created many years ago & at the time when they began the construction of the world famous Cathedral of Palma. The stone of which the Cathedral was built was extracted directly from the bay itself thus creating this magical cave, you can today venture into it through one of its 3 entrances and transport yourself into the heart of the mystical rock itself.
The Port of Portals is set in the heart of the bay of Palma is only a few meters away from the bay of Portals Vells & all the amenities it offers like shops, boutiques, jewelers, bars, eateries etc..... are accessible by both boat and car in a matter of minutes. The Port of Portals "Puerto Portals" is home to many major sporting & family events such as sailing regattas, tennis, the arrival of the 3 Kings over the festive season (5th of January of each year) and much more.....


Powering TravelPowering Travel welcomes hospitality industry leaders to share how they’re building, innovating, and evolving their travel businesses for the future. Hosted by Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs and Sally Smith, Senior Director of Market Management at Expedia Group, they’ll explore the latest trends, reveal best-kept hospitality secrets and try to predict where the industry is headed next. www.cohostpodcasting.com
🎧 Podcast episodesListen to 7 episodes
34 minutes · 8 months ago
A Wild Ride! How The Car Rental Industry Has Shifted Gears During The Pandemic
33 minutes · 8 months ago
How Traveler Demand Impacts Airline Network Planning
40 minutes · 9 months ago
How Partnering with Influencers Can Benefit Your Brand
33 minutes · 9 months ago
Travelers Expect Customized Experiences — Here’s How to Deliver
31 minutes · 10 months ago
Why Sustainability Means the World to Travelers
30 minutes · 10 months ago
From Surviving to Thriving: A New Chapter for the Hospitality Industry
2 minutes · 11 months ago
Your Powering Travel Itinerary
Thin Places Travel Podcast
A travel podcast with Mindie Burgoyne about Ireland - exploring places where the veil between this world and the eternal word is thin.
Travel Chicks - Solo Female Travel, Female Group Travel, Travel & Tourism Updates
Let’s talk Travel and how it has the power to Transform you from the inside out. Become Inspired to venture out into the world in the comfort of a safe group. All travel has a story. Let’s ignite the spark within you. From sharing stories, presenting ideas, talking new hot spots....
Travel Is Your Business
Travel and hospitality industry professionals get weekly insights from leaders across the business with "TIYB" on their playlists. The series features interviews with thought leaders and innovators changing the face and setting the pace of travel, with a focus on fascinating new...
The Business of Travel
The Business of Travel is the official podcast of the Global Business Travel Association covering all things related to business travel. Expect weekly episodes each featuring interviews with industry experts and thought leaders on a range of key issues affecting the business trav...
Travel Eager is a podcast with a passion; hopeful to inspire people to travel less like a tourist, and more like a local. Join Ethan and Royce, sharing stories, thoughts and comments about everything travel.


Here's my current markup: http://jsfiddle.net/LcMU3/64/.
I am having issues with positioning / aligning elements in the middle column.
First, I want to vertically align the elements in the middle and also horizontally center.
Second, I want to "float" the arrows to the left and right of the "weekLabel".
Ultimately, it would look like this:
I actually did try positioning and aligning the elements in nested 3-column layout, but the main issue I have with this approach is the HTML markup gets difficult to follow with all the nested divs.
Would appreciate any help.


Greta Thunberg is educating and inspiring us on climate change
Several weeks ago, I took a morning hike in Briones Regional Park. The landscape of golden hills dotted with majestic Valley Oaks slopes down to where John Muir, the engineer turned environmentalist, built his home. This Eden, like many others in California, is changing. Reaching the top of a hill, where grass and shrubs had been mowed for fire suppression, I watched the fog burn away, gradually revealing increasing numbers of dying trees in my hometown.
Later that day, Greta Thunberg spoke passionately, expressing intense anger and sadness, at the U.N. Climate Action Summit, imploring those in power to finally take meaningful action to stop climate change. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I was inspired by her ability to state facts that most of us have had difficulty acknowledging and to express feelings that many of us have suppressed.
Greta has been open about having Asperger’s Syndrome, even referring to it as her “superpower.” Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism, perform better than average in science, math and engineering, which may explain their higher proportion among Silicon Valley computer engineers. But people with Asperger’s are less aware of social norms, which can often make life difficult to navigate.
In Greta, this combination has resulted in a keen awareness of the patterns of climate change and a fierce lack of hesitation about warning the world about their dangers.
For those of us without Asperger’s, social convention can allow us to rationalize our behaviors in ways that are irrational, that ignore facts. Our social awareness makes it difficult to challenge the status quo, and we may go like lemmings into the sea. We are not supposed to travel by solar-powered boat across the Atlantic as Greta did; we are not supposed to talk about climate change the way Greta does.
Some have criticized Greta and other climate advocates as impolite, alarmist or worse. Michael Knowles, a guest on Fox News’ “The Story,” went so far as calling Greta “a mentally ill Swedish child,” repeatedly referring to her as “mentally ill.” What he and others get wrong is that Asperger’s syndrome, under circumstances when the status quo is irrational, can be an advantage.
Listening to Greta, I have pangs of guilt. My wife and I mostly do the right things. We live near work, drive electric cars and work to improve our house’s energy efficiency. We teach our children to turn off the lights. Still, making the right decisions can be difficult, since my wife’s family lives on the East coast. Only recently, we have decided to limit trips by airplane, and to buy carbon credits if we need to fly.
I also feel guilty that I have not been more outspoken. I feel angry watching neighbors driving around town, rarely with a second passenger, in gas guzzling, extra long SUVs. I tell myself it would be socially inappropriate to say something. Who am I to throw stones?
In other words, I have hesitated to point out what might upset the neighbors. Most of us would not hesitate to call 911 if someone was dumping toxic sludge in a public place that might harm the community. Because of social norms about climate change, we often remain in denial, or just silent, about threats to public health. “For more than 30 years the science has been crystal clear,” Greta said. “How dare you continue to look away!”
Children see with fresh eyes, and my patients have helped me see that climate change can cause not only physical harm but psychological harm. Many times, I have heard children express worries about climate change which keep them up at night. Two adolescents have expressed concern about climate refugees and whether strangers would take them in if their own communities became uninhabitable.
One patient has continued to grieve for the past year, since a wildfire took his family home, his entire town and the lives of many neighbors. I, too, have struggled with sadness, anger and fear in accepting the scope of ecological changes. Yet awareness of climate change and its consequences is a sign not of mental illness but of mental strength.
As the Kincade wildfire devastated Sonoma County, I began to notice that neighbors have begun discussing climate change with less hesitation. In the meantime, two grassfires broke out near the edges of Briones regional park, one near my high school, another just down the road from John Muir’s house. Despite high winds, fire departments were able to put out these fires but not before several homes burned. Before going to bed, the smoke having blown away and an enforced blackout darkening the neighborhood, I stepped outside, where I saw the stars and constellations with unusual clarity.
Greta is right, and we need to listen. The scientists are right, and the children, too. I hope that our fog of denial will lift, that the smoke continues to clear, revealing the facts. If we do not take immediate action, many more Edens will be destroyed. Ray Hearey grew up in the East Bay and is a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Orinda.


CHAGAI: Tax-free trade activities between Pakistan and Iran were suspended as the Iranian authorities on Sunday closed the trade gate, known as Zero Point, with the closure of the joint market at Taftan, a town in Chagai district, in connection with Nauroz holidays.
Taftan Assistant Commissioner Asmatullah Achakzai told Dawn that the Iranian authorities on Saturday informed the Taftan administration regarding the closure of the trade gate and the market. The trade activities will be remained suspended for almost two weeks, Mr Achakzai added.
Meanwhile, several parts of Chagai, Nushki, Kharan and Washuk districts of Rakhshan division received light and moderate rainfalls with thunderstorm and hailstorm in some areas on Sunday.
The rainfalls caused flash flood in some mountainous areas of Chagai and Washuk districts.
Dalbandin, Nushki, Mashkel and Chagai town received moderate shower. The flow of routine traffic on the RCD highway, passing through Taftan, Nokkundi, Dalbandin and Nushki, was affected owing to windstorm.
Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2021
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Death of 1 Million Seabirds Tied to Massive ‘Blob’ of Hot Water in the Pacific
An expanse of uncommonly warm seawater in the Pacific Ocean created by a marine heatwave led to a mass die-off of one million seabirds, scientists have found.
According to a study published in PLOS One by the University of Washington, the marine heatwave began in 2013, and grew stronger between 2015-2016 due to irregular conditions from the weather phenomenon El Niño.
The heatwave created a patch of much warmer seawater in the northeastern Pacific that stretched for 1,000 miles — parts of which reached temperatures 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit higher than usual, CNN reported.
Researchers termed it "the blob."
As the blob reached its peak between mid-2015 and 2016, more than 62,000 common murres — a species of seabird that feeds on small fish and is common up and down the west coast of North America — washed up dead on the shores of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, The Guardian reported.
The researchers believe that the murres likely died of starvation after the blob increased competition for the small fish they feed on, The BBC reported. And because most birds that die over the ocean never wash ashore, the researchers believe the die-off reached closer to an unprecedented one million common murres.
Larger fish such as salmon, cod and halibut rely on the same prey as the murres. But since fish are cold-blooded and can't self-regulate their body temperature, the warmer waters boosted their metabolic rate and the amount of energy they needed for survival. These conditions required the larger fish to eat more than normal, reducing the availability of prey for the murres, which typically need to eat the equivalent of half their body weight per day.
The resulting die-off was among the largest on record, the researchers said. Most of the birds washed ashore in Alaska, where they were found in densities reaching 4,600 carcasses per kilometer along part of the state's southern coast.
The murre population was so affected that by 2016, 12 breeding colonies had failed to produce any chicks and the population still hasn't replenished, The Guardian reported.
"It remains to be seen when (or whether) murre populations in Alaska will recover from the heatwave in light of predicted global warming trends and the associated likelihood of more frequent heatwaves," the researchers said. According to the United Nations, climate change is projected to make marine heatwaves more frequent.
The University of Washington team has already found another marine heatwave developing off the coast of Washington, while another closer to New Zealand has reached 4,000 square miles and can be detected from space, CNN reported.
The blob caused die-offs in several other animal populations as well, including sea lions, baleen whales and tufted puffins. These die-offs were likely due in part to a drop in the populations of plankton that feed many organisms in the food chain, as the warmer water has less oxygen and essential nutrients to support life, USA Today reported.
The warmer temperatures also spawned the largest harmful algal bloom in recorded history, which contributed to the die-offs and led to significant financial losses for fisheries in the affected area — though none of the losses reached the severity of the murre die-off.
"The magnitude and scale of this failure has no precedent," lead author John Piatt, a research biologist and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington, said in a press release. "It was astonishing and alarming, and a red-flag warning about the tremendous impact sustained ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem."
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The office may never look the same again. And the investment it will take to protect employees may force many companies to go completely remote. That's after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new recommendations for how workers can return to the office safely.
- Trump Admin Rejects CDC Reopening Guidelines - EcoWatch ›
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- White House Ordered Coronavirus Meetings Be Classified - EcoWatch ›
Scientists and art historians are studying art for signs of climate change and to better understand the ways Western culture's relationship to nature has been altered by it, according to the BBC.
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- Artists and Activists Rise to Fight Climate Change - EcoWatch ›
By Richard Connor
The University of Southern Denmark on Wednesday announced that its researchers have developed the world's first fully automatic robot capable of carrying out throat swabs for COVID-19.
Before you pour a glass of wine, feel the weight of the bottle in your hand. Would you notice if it were a few ounces lighter? Jackson Family Wines is betting that you won't.
After a minor setback, a new era in space travel and tourism is set to launch this weekend.
When the SpaceX shuttle launches its private spacecraft, the Crew Dragon, with NASA astronauts in tow, it will mark the beginning of commercialized space exploration. SpaceX
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will man the SpaceX Crew Dragon to the International Space Station. NASA
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Former Federal Reserve Governor Rebukes Fed for Using Covid-19 Funds to Bail Out Fossil Fuel Industry
By Eoin Higgins
A former Federal Reserve board of governors member on Thursday called on her former colleagues to stop using Covid-19 relief funds to bail out the "dying" fossil fuel industry, calling the decision a threat to the planet's climate and a misguided use of taxpayer money.
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Ask a Chef: Where to Eat in Lima, Peru
JBF EditorsJBF Editors
July 08, 2014
For our travel issue of JBF Notes, we asked top toques about their favorite international locales for culinary inspiration. Below, JBF Award winner Rick Bayless shares his picks for Lima, Peru:
“Lima has all the right components to be a world-class food city: a rich history, incredible ingredients, and ambitious chefs.”
Malabar is a great example of modern Peruvian cooking—if you plunked this place down in New York, it’d be the most popular restaurant in town.
El Chinito and La Lucha are two great spots for one of Peru’s quintessential eats: the pork sandguches (sandwiches).
If you can get there during Mistura, the huge food festival, you’re in for a fine time. When I was there I fell in love with the chancho en palo (boned-out pigs roasted over huge fires), the sparkling ceviches, and the quinoa tamales.
Editor’s note: Mistura 2014 will be held September 5 through 14.


Developments in technology have enabled envisioning the derivation of materials and products from renewable biomass as an alternative to finite fossil-based resource consumption. Therefore, bioeconomy is regarded as an opportunity for sustainable economic growth. Countries are formulating strategies in accordance with their goals to attain a bioeconomy. Proper measurement, monitoring, and reporting of the outcomes of these strategies are crucial for long-term success. This study aims to critically evaluate the national methods used for the measurement, monitoring, and reporting of bioeconomy contribution to the total economy. For this purpose, research and surveys have been conducted on selected countries (Argentina, Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States). The results reveal that the bioeconomy targets set up in the strategies often reflect the country’s priorities and comparative advantages. However, comprehensive approaches to measure and monitor bioeconomy progress are frequently lacking. Most countries only measure the contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), turnover, and employment of the sectors included in their bioeconomy definition, which may provide an incomplete picture. In addition, this study identifies the mismatch between the targets and measurement methods, as the environmental and social impacts of bioeconomy are often foreseen, but not measured. It is concluded that existing global efforts towards sustainable bioeconomy monitoring can be strengthened and leveraged to measure progress towards sustainable goals.
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited


Lovely corner unit with partial water and city views, laminate, wood floors, updated, open kitchen, and modern bathrooms. Isola is the largest lot in Brickell Key, offering a 4th floor amenities deck, which is under renovation and will be complete for mid 2022, approximately. The North deck will include cabanas, lush landscaping, a BBQ area, and more, and the South deck will include the pool, jacuzzi, and a tennis court, also surrounded with greenery. An assessment will be in place for this project. feel free to call me for more details.The hallways have already been updated, with new baseboards, new carpeting, and fresh paint on all walls and doors.


- This event has passed.
Reno River Festival
May 12, 2018 - May 13, 2018
The Reno River Festival is an outdoor celebration in downtown Reno that officially kicks off event season in Northern Nevada. The River-Bike-Beer-Food-Adventure-Music Fest brings an array of traditional and unique warm weather activities to Wingfield Park. The family-friendly event has something for everyone. The heart of the festival is the Truckee River, where the world’s top whitewater athletes take on one of the country’s top-ranked whitewater courses on the circuit. There is free live music, food, libations, an adventure park, shopping, costume contests, and a casual bike ride led by a mobile band.
Interested in volunteering for this event? We need a few volunteers at each entrance of the River Fest to pass out One Truckee River bracelets for donation. Help us spread the One Truckee River message! This event takes place all day (9am-6pm) on both Saturday and Sunday. We’re asking volunteers to commit to one three-hour shift. Interested? Click here!


UM – Uzice Waste Water Treatment System – Serbia - Project Profile
"UM – Uzice Waste Water Treatment System – Serbia - Project Profile" contains information on the scope of the project including project overview and location. The profile also details project ownership and funding, gives a full project description, as well as information on contracts, tendering and key project contacts.
The "UM – Uzice Waste Water Treatment System – Serbia - Project Profile" is part of Timetric's database of 82,000+ construction projects. Our database includes a 10+ year archive of completed projects, full coverage of all global projects with a value greater than $25 million and key contact details for project managers, owners, consultants, contractors and bidders.
Uzice Municipality (UM) is planning to undertake the Waste Water Treatment System project in Uzice, Serbia.
The project involves the reconstruction of the existing system and construction of new plumbing and sewerage plant to utilize waste waters through a modern unit.
It will include the laying of 50km of asbestos pipes on the primary branch of the water supply system from Vrutci to the city, as well as in the city itself, would be replaced in the first phase, which would be followed by the construction of new sewerage and the replacement of old pipes, access roads, and related infrastructural facilities.
The final phase will include the construction of the unit for collecting, transporting and treating waste waters.
The European Union and Government of Serbia will provide 70 percent and 25 percent of financial support respectively. Remaining five percent will be financed through procurement of land and resolving of ownership-legal relations.
In December 2011, KFW granted US$19 million loan for the development of the project.
European Union will fund the construction of waste water treatment plant in Uzice.
The project involves the reconstruction of the existing system and construction of new plumbing and sewerage plant to utilize waste waters through a modern unit in Zlakusa, Uzice, Serbia.
The US$35 million project includes the following:
1. Reconstruction of existing system
2. Construction of a new plumbing and sewerage plant
3. Replacement of 50km long asbestos pipes
4. Construction of access roads
5. Construction of related infrastructural facilities
6. Construction of unit for collecting
7. Construction of transporting and treating waste waters
Reasons To Buy
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BSS: The government has formed a national
committee to coordinate and manage overall activities including law
and order of the forcibly displaced Myanmar-nationals in the camp
areas of Bangladesh.
The Cabinet Division has formed a 17-member committee for
coordinating, managing and maintaining law and order of Rohingyas by
publishing a gazette where the home minister has been made its
Foreign minister, state minister for Disaster Management and Relief
and state minister for Women and Children Affairs have been included
in the committee.
The committee members also included Cabinet Secretary, Principal
Secretary to the Prime Minister, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed
Forces, Secretary of the Public Security Division, Foreign Affairs
Secretary and Secretaries of Security Service Division and Disaster
Management and Relief.
Inspector General of Police, director general of NGO Affairs Bureau,
Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Director General of
National Security Intelligence (NSI), Divisional Commissioner of
Chattogram and Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC)
are also the members of the committee.


MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, just hours after his arrival in the Philippines for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, visited a women’s advocacy center and a branch of Filipino fast food chain Jollibee on Sunday, November 12.
Trudeau first stopped by Likhaan, a non-governmental women’s health advocacy group, in Manila.
He and his entourage then stopped by Jollibee’s North Harbour branch, leaving with a takeout order of burgers.
The fastfood chain also posted photos of his visit, as he interacted with Jollibee executives, branch staff, and customers.
SPOTTED: Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau makes a stop at Jollibee North Harbour Branch, one of his first stops after landing in Manila to attend the ASEAN Summit. #PMTrudeauAtJollibee pic.twitter.com/MzFrxMhuqI— Jollibee (@Jollibee) November 12, 2017
Trudeau is in Manila to attend the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, along with 19 other world leaders.
He arrived at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga on Sunday afternoon. – Rappler.com


As the PESGB reaches 50, 2014 President Oonagh Werngren takes stock of the North Sea oil & gas industry.
At the start of 2014, I was fortunate enough to take up the reins as president of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB). I am only the second woman to take this role as the society celebrates its 50th year, but I am also humbled by the great contribution made by my predecessors in the role and the members of the society to advance the understanding of the basins which make up the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
What started with the signing of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 by the British Parliament on 15 May 1964, has trans- formed the North Sea into a very significant hydrocarbon province. Today, more than 450,000 people work in the UK on over 300 fields, and thousands more have been trained both on- and offshore in the basin, transferring their skills and technology overseas. However, 50 years into its development, the UKCS faces a number of challenges as global competition for funds, lackluster drilling results, rising costs, and falling production call for a material change.
Sir Ian Wood’s recently published Wood Review (OE: April 2014) highlights the current exploration crisis and challenges that the industry faces. It is the wakeup call that policy makers and the industry need. It lays out clearly the challenges facing the basin and the way forward. It identifies the need for stimulation of exploration and a turn- around in production, as well as a more collaborative way of working in order to unlock the 42 billion bbl of hydrocarbons that remain.
It also calls for a new regulator and closer input from the UK Treasury on fiscal issues. This is the real tripartite approach we need to work together to unlock the maximum economic potential of the North Sea.
The 6000-strong PESGB membership mirrors this trend, with geoscientists and engineers learning their trades in great academic institutions and transferring their knowledge and skills to the corners of the globe. As home to the main geoscience talent in the UK, it also needs to pick up the challenge, especially around stimulating exploration.
The easy plays have already been found—we need to branch out, to identify missed pay and new play opportunities, to take on frontier basins like the Rockall Trough, to see beneath the basalt and utilize the latest innovation and technology to help us. The future is challenging, yes, but it’s an opportunity to put that 50 years of learning, research, and knowledge to good use.
But is this enough? The much-heralded crew change is taking place and a new generation is coming through the system. The question is —are we doing enough to support them and to ensure we are select- ing the visionaries amongst them?
The recent trends in the UK to take geology out of the school curriculum, reduce the number of universities training geology teachers, and the high costs of acquiring a degree and a masters mean that the selection process is potentially against us. Couple that with recent hiring trends of letting some computerized system determine whether candidates are suitable for a graduate program without even interviewing them leaves me cold.
The good news is that PESGB takes its role of education very seriously by sponsoring 28 MSc students. This activity is coupled with the new UK Research Council-sponsored Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) oil and gas program, led by Heriot Watt University. The CDT will bring over 90 new Phd positions into universities in the UK over the next three years. This is a phenomenal boost. This is the future generation that will unlock the remaining reserves and create the much needed renaissance for the UK.
My plea to the industry is to nurture them and give them a career that will let them unlock their full potential.
Oonagh Werngren MBE joined industry body Oil and Gas UK as operations director in January 2013, and works primarily on the PILOT initiative to maximize economic recovery of the UKCS. Werngren is also President of the PESGB. She has worked at Tricentrol Oil Corporation, ARCO British, BP Exploration, and GDF Suez, on projects around the globe. She started as a field geologist, with an MSc in Stratigraphy from Birkbeck College, mapping landslides before progressing to wellsite geologist, leading exploration and development teams and optimization projects.


We stayed for 5 nights at Tenuta di Ricavo; a medieval village and a hidden gem away from the main street in the middle of nature but still centrally located in Castellina il Chianti to explore Toscana.
Christina’s and Alessandro’s team were very attentive. We also had very good dinner there. Definitively to recommend for people who seek peace and quietness. More


Welcome to the Engel & Völkers Ibiza Blog
On this overview page you will find current articles dealing with various topics of the real estate industry on Ibiza. Finding the ideal property location on Ibiza? Learn about the latest market information and price trends? Get to know more about the process of buying or selling houses and apartments in Ibiza? Here you will find what you are looking for! Just click on the article that interests you - our real estate agents hope you enjoy reading!


The Secret Garden
About The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden offers beautiful accommodation, located in the upmarket suburb of Waterkloof Ridge in Pretoria. It boasts stunning views of the garden.
The Secret Garden offers five independently decorated suites. Each suite has a desk with a chair, fan, tea- and coffee-making facilities, a bar fridge and a TV. Free toiletries are provided.
There is an on-site restaurant with Korean and Asian cuisine. The Secret Garden offers laundry services and business amenities such as fax and photo storage.
There is a garden, terrace and a living area on site. The University of Pretoria is located seven kilometres away.
The Secret Garden Map
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling


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Travel Blogs from Kuta
... of kuta and legain beach, just as busy as the streets but nice. You have to watch everywhere you walk because the ground is so uneven and they lay these flowers everywhere for their God, they lay them 3 times a day. There are incense burning all the time, smells really nice. We had dinner a Kopi pot 122000rp. We didn't have enough money on us so had to walk back to the hotel and get some then back to restaurant, whoops. We walked the streets for a while then off to ...
... 6 hours before the
flight to Denpasar (Bali's airport). Found a cool chair to rest on,
the type we don't have home. Finally, went for a bench to sleep 2
hours like a homeless.
12.00 : finall my flight to Bali.
After a watermelon juice and a muffin which I understood had cost me
13 euros in KL, I was quite happy to leave.
I finally got out the airport. Sunny,
I had booked a ...
... over the mountains, it was a cool site as we were above the clouds. We then hiked a really active volcano, cant say that was the safest of times. That was followed by another 10 hour drive to Kuta, Bali. We are proper sick of cars now so we are gonna party here fore a while and just chill on the beaches. I have seen more white people here in 5 minutes than i have for 3 weeks so will be good speaking english to people.
... Again - lots of Aussies. The coast is long and stunning. The water a hue more blue than back home, but it is less crowded, more laid back, and oasis-ish. A group of Javanese school kids run towards me and shower me with smiles, laughter and photos. I pose with them and we have a chat - they were funny and over excited. :D 11:40am I am now heading towards legian and ...
... new things and as much as this was a let down it's still part of the whole package and helped piece together a little understanding of why certain portions of the Indonesian people might not be too pleased what's happened to this part of their country.All said and done I had a quite a few good nights out during our two stays in Kuta, one of the bands had an awesome heavy-metal style singer (who shockingly didn't know any Rammstein) ...


We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites by Carlson hotel in Stone Mountain, GA . Upon arrival, we checked in and it was close to the earliest check-in time, so the guy checking me actually walked to the room and inspected it to make sure it was clean before he gave me the key. I thought that was very good customer service. The room was very clean and the location was great to go to Stone Mountain and we went to a Braves game. It was about 20 minutes to Turner Field. I would definitely stay here again. Plus, you earn Goldpoints, if you are a member!!!
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Located outside beautiful historic Stone Mountain Park, GA and only 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta, we are the ideal place for your stay. A newly renovated hotel, we offer beautifully appointed rooms over looking Stone Mountain. We are proud to offer a hot breakfast, an indoor heated pool & spa, a fitness center, free wireless internet and fresh baked cookies everyday! ... more less
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- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com and Travelocity so you can book your Country Inn & Suites By Carlson reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
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The last three days have been very rough here in Kansas. Many people in my small town are still without power after an freak storm. Typically our storms travel west to east. This thing traveled in an almost straight line from north to south very quickly. It looked like a very small red cluster on radar and the communities in it's path received very little warning if any at all. Most of the northern communities first hit by the storm began receiving warnings after the storm had already passed. Our small town's only warning came from the emergency director of a city 20 miles north of us just a scant few minutes before the 90+ mile an hour winds hit. Most of the damage occurred with multiple microbursts of incredible power. Many homes were destroyed, large trees toppled, tractor trailers flipped over and windows shattered. Very scary experience. I have spent the last three days picking up broken tree limbs. Thankfully my home and workplace were not damaged. Many of us are counting our blessings.
Here is a video that someone from a small town about 15 miles north of us posted:
Seriously not nice but not bad call them typhoons in Asia & years ago had a level 10 which are very rare. No way would you go outside force 8s getting dodgy for that. The level 10 all the lamp posts were bent right over after & my neighbours car was nearly half a mile away along with loads of others all droped in a great big pile. Under no circumstances open any doors windows in your house & have the internal doors shut to in case one breaks. The sudden change in pressure will strip the house including carpets stud walls everything if its a real storm. About half a dozen houses just ceased to exist as it sucked the walls in on each other due to windows going.
Still about the most awesome thing I saw as heading home was a 747 that had to land in a level 8 (winds 90+) It flew in at a 45 degree angle to the runway & when it landed every single tire burst & it spun off onto the grass like a toy doing a full 270 before the emergency chutes popped. I dont know how the undercarrige did not break.
About half a dozen houses just ceased to exist as it sucked the walls in on each other due to windows going....................!
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The confluence of sensory contradictions – this is Hong Kong. Gleaming modern skyscrapers, highly efficient and expansive subway system, Michelin-starred dining establishments stand side-by-side with bamboo scaffolding, the Star Ferry, and many street side food stalls. Welcome to HK!
I have stayed at several hotels in Hong Kong over the years and the Upper House Hotel is simply one of the best. Located at the Pacific Place complex, trendsetting designer Andre Fu collaborated with Swire Hotels to create this very private and exclusive hotel that offers massive sized rooms, outstanding service and delectable food. This hotel delivers – from the time they pick you up at the airport and the time they drive you back for your flight out.


In the wake of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov noted that “it’s too early to draw” conclusions from the dialogue between America and Russia.
The Trump-Russia relationship over Syria is not rocky. Although there is a political firestorm ongoing in Washington D.C. over Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey, Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are driving America’s foreign policy straight forward on the Syria question. What a contrast from last month when Tillerson went to Moscow for a closed-door meeting with Putin and emerged deploring the “low level of trust” between the two powers. Tillerson added, “The world’s two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship.”
In contrast to the joyful pictures published in Russia’s press of the Trump-Lavrov meeting, US President Donald Trump appealed to Moscow to “rein in” the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its key ally Iran. Yet Trump described the Oval Office meeting with Lavrov as “very, very good”, urging that the horrible killing in Syria must stop. To boot, Trump claimed progress on ending the conflict in Syria: “We had a very, very good meeting” Trump said soon after the meeting. “We're going to stop the killing and the death (in Syria).”
This rhetorical game is part of a desire to obfuscate a specific, behind the scenes process to finding military and political solutions to the Syrian civil war. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met with Trump the same time around the Lavrov meeting.
Clearly, the US and Russia are dividing Syria into spheres of influence for safe haven operations. US Secretary of Defense James Mattis is working on a Pentagon plan to establish those safe havens in Syria’s east, more or less, to be buttressed by local forces, and with an additional mission to enforce border security between Syria and Iraq, finally.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey are setting up at least four safe zones along the Israeli and Lebanese borders. US and Russian officials are making guarantees to Israel that Russian soldiers will be near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, not Hezbollah forces.
Clearly, the US and Russia are dividing Syria into spheres of influence for safe haven operationsDr. Theodore Karasik
US Joint Chief of Staff General Joseph Dunford is involved in negotiating with his counterparts including Russian Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov and Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gady Eisenkott via multiple meetings related to not only safe zones but also keeping de-confliction lines of communication open at all times. There is no doubt that military operations conducted by both US and Russian forces may lead to unintended consequences so cross-coordination is necessary despite politics and firestorms.
Significantly, Jordan plays an important role in the America-Russia plan. Both Trump and Putin have excellent ties with King Abdullah and the three leaders and their immediate subordinates are in contact with each other regarding the safeguarding of Jordan’s Syrian border, especially from the threat of multiple battles between SAA and fighters of various affiliations.
According to a Jordanian official, senior diplomats from Amman are meeting with counterparts in both Washington and Moscow to work out a solid plan for a safe zone north of the Jordanian border in which to safeguard the Hashemite Kingdom from any refugee flows from central northern Syria as multiple forces fight their way to Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. Jordan cannot handle much more refugee influx. Deconfliction is also a major part of Amman’s effort.
There are a number of immediate boogeymen in this story. First, is the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces. These Kurdish and Arab forces are anathema to Turkey who sees the YPG as terrorists. Damascus sees the YPG as an enemy too with the Trump Administration raising the stakes by giving YPG forces more assistance.
The Damascus-YPG relationship is complicated as the region and this force do give each other breathing room. Of course, they have conflicting interests but common cause against fighting Salafi-Jihadists. Russia supports the YPG too but with Moscow’s means and objectives differing from the Americans. Trump’s move, of course, is to gain concessions later on the battlefield between Turkey and Russia on the Iran file.
Although Ankara, Moscow, and Tehran signed an agreement in Astana to establish safe havens and work towards a political solution in Syria, Turkey is already looking to upset the division of labor on safe zones being worked on between Trump, Russia and other key Arab stakeholder countries such as Jordan and the GCC states. Ankara, is certainly a spoiler in the current Syrian trajectory given Turkish President Erdogan’s new found power following last month’s constitutional reform referendum.
A final solution?
Still to be decided is a final solution to the Syrian conflict. Trump and Russia are trying to converge their plans on Syria’s political future. Holding up the gap between the two sides is, naturally, Iran. Given the Trump Administration’s sharp turn against Tehran, the White House is looking to Putin to make Iran budge before crippling American sanctions and other pressure comes to the Islamic Republic.
Making matters more interesting is the upcoming Iranian presidential election where a potential swing to the Principalists and the IRGC will complicate the Trump-Putin solution to Syria. We will find out when Trump and Putin are expected to be at the G20 summit in Germany in July but given the rapidity of international events, a meeting could come earlier.
Next week Saudi Arabia is hosting Trump for three historic summits that will address Syria’s plight. The level of criticism toward Iran will be loud with the kingdom and its allies offering America all the support it needs to get Iran out of the Levant.
With the new foundation between the US and Saudi Arabia, Riyadh brings an additional element to the Syrian table that is going to challenge Putin via Trump. The American president is likely to delight in the ability to tantalize Putin with his Saudi partners. This triangle – Trump, Riyadh, and Moscow – will be the one to watch in the coming weeks.
Dr. Theodore Karasik is a Washington DC-based analyst of regional geo-political affairs. He received his Ph.D in History from UCLA in Los Angeles, California in four fields: Middle East, Russia, Caucasus, and a specialized sub-field in Cultural Anthropology focusing on tribes and clans. He tweets @tkarasik.