The winners of the Natural Light - International Design Competition have now been chosen from the 172 impressive Natural Light Lamp designs submitted from 65 countries around the world. The winners are two very talented Argentinian Industrial Design students, Ms. Mariana Arando and Mr. Luca Fondello, both from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The production phase of the winning design for the Natural Light Lamp will begin shortly, followed next year by shipment of the lamps to three African countries without access to electricity.
Last year, the VELUX Group and Little Sun joined forces to launch the Natural Light – International Design Competition, which challenged design students around the world to create a design for a solar lamp which would help to bring clean, reliable, affordable light to some of the 1.2 billion people worldwide living without electricity. Now the jury has voted and decided on the winning solar lamp design by two Industrial Design students from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7533451-velux-winner-announcement-natural-light/
Approximately one year after leading roof window manufacturer VELUX Group joined forces with social business Little Sun and NGO Plan International, launching a design competition to bring clean, sustainable light to Africa, the first solar lamps have now arrived on African soil.
The VELUX Natural Light International Design Competition received 172 proposals from 65 countries. A high-level jury of experts in the fields of architecture, art and design subsequently selected the winning design, by Mariana Arando and Luca Fondello of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their solar lamp design was inspired by the way light can bring people together.
The VELUX Group has so far produced and donated 14,500 of the solar-powered lamps, and 150 local sales agents are now being trained in how to sell the lamps in off-grid communities in Senegal, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The training combines workshops, roleplay, demonstrations, and group work.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7724551-velux-natural-light-solar-lamps-in-africa/
QROPS - Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes were introduced in 2006 as part of a major overhaul of Britain\'s pension framework, aimed at simplifying pension transfers to another country. New legislation was passed by the UK tax authority, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in order to comply with an EU directive that pensions be free to move across Europe\'s borders. This ruling means that individuals, wishing to retire to countries such as France, Spain and Portugal can effectively take their UK pension funds with them: http://www.axis-finance.com/what-are-qrops.php
Who can apply for a QROPS?
A QROPS is specifically designed to allow anyone, not intending to retire in the UK, to transfer existing and frozen UK pension plans into a more appropriate retirement vehicle.
Individuals who are, or have been members of a UK registered pension fund and are currently living outside of the UK, or intending to leave the UK on a permanent basis, can consider transferring their retirement fund into a QROPS: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-living-in-France
Transfers to QROPS
The UK Government allows transfers to QROPS to be made free of UK tax. Their aim is to simplify the affairs of individuals leaving the UK on a permanent basis and to encourage them to continue saving in order to provide an income when they retire. There is no official limit to the amount of funds that may be transferred to a QROPS: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-France-pension-transfers
QROPS - HMRC Rules
What makes a scheme a QROPS?
In order to transfer your UK pension into a QROPS, it is necessary for the overseas pension scheme to be accepted by HMRC. The criteria outlined by HMRC for an overseas scheme to qualify as a QROPS include:
- The pension scheme must be established outside of the UK
- It must be recognised for tax purposes in the country where it is located
- It must be regulated in the country in which it is established
Age that benefits can be taken from a QROPS
The QROPS regime mirrors that of a regulated pension scheme in the UK. Benefits, including lump sum payments, from the transferred funds may not be distributed earlier than the normal retirement age of 55, if an individual has been a non-UK resident for less than five complete tax years: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-living-in-France-HMRC-Rules
QROPS Reporting requirements
HMRC should be notified if a payment is made within the first five tax years of a member becoming non-UK tax resident. Any benefits paid before five complete tax years of non-UK residency and not in accordance with UK Pension rules will be deemed an unauthorised payment.
The scheme manager does not have to notify HMRC if the payment is made 10 or more years after the day of the transfer that created the QROPS fund for the \'relevant member\', provided that the person is non UK resident for the duration of this period. This 10 year \'bracket\' for reporting payments took effect as of 6 April 2012.
QROPS List
When transferring your UK pension to a scheme overseas, it is important to check that the scheme meets the conditions to be a qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme (QROPS). Not all transfers to overseas or offshore schemes are QROPS transfers; it is therefore essential to verify that the scheme receiving your UK benefits is on the QROPS list published by HMRC, otherwise a transfer will be treated as a transfer to a non-qualifying overseas scheme and substantial penalties may be applied by HMRC at the time of transfer: http://www.axis-finance.com/qrops-list-living-in-France
How do I know if it is a legitimate QROPS scheme?
QROPS approved plans that agree to have their details published are listed on the HMRC website. A UK Pension administrator will confirm a QROPS listing before agreeing to a transfer. If not listed, the administrator will contact HMRC
Global thought leaders today gathered at the World Capital Markets Symposium (WCMS), organised by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) in conjunction with its 20th anniversary.
At the opening session this morning, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak will be delivering a keynote address to more than 700 senior policymakers and representatives from global financial institutions, academia as well as local and foreign media from over 40 countries.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63959-october-22-world-capital-markets-symposium
Ahead of World Mental Health Day, today sees the publication of the Mental Health Integration Index, a new research initiative commissioned by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and undertaken by the Economist Intelligence Unit.1 The research explores the challenges of integrating Europeans with mental illness into society and employment, within the European Union’s 28 Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland. Countries have been ranked according to their degree of commitment to support those living with mental illness; the findings demonstrate that while there are many examples of good practice across Europe, the whole region has a long way to go before people with mental illness are adequately supported and truly integrated into their communities.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72762557-janssen-europe-mental-health-index/
Today Concentrix Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), announced the addition of 19 delivery locations, across 13 countries, completing the second phase of the acquisition of IBM's global customer care and industry process services business. With over 95% of the acquisition completed, Concentrix continues to advance its position as a leader in the customer care and industry process services market, with over 45,000 employees delivering high value services.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7146451-concentrix-completes-2nd-phase-of-ibm-customer-care-business-acquisition
cultural and nature tourism promotional video with one of the leading countries in the turkey Istanbul is a city with ruins of three empires became the capital of European culture for detailed information about our site please http://www.privatetoursinistanbul.com tours in Istanbul and Anatolia.
Seventeen years ago saw the first blasting in the historic heartland of Switzerland of the longest train tunnel in the world. Wednesday 1 June 2016 will see the festive opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel – adding a further pioneering attraction to the world's densest public transport network. The tunnel will bring Switzerland's neighbouring countries, regions and cities north and south of the Alps closer together. Travel by train will be quicker, easier and more convenient.
Wednesday 1 June 2016 sees the festive opening in Switzerland of the longest and deepest train tunnel in the world. The tunnel extends for 57 kilometres to a depth of up to 2300 metres below the Gotthard massif. This flagship project for efficient and sustainable transportation on the north-south axis will permit high-speed travel through the Alps in only 17 minutes. The new flat-track route will not only cut travel time through the Gotthard, but also facilitate transit travel for longer and heavier trains. After 17 years of challenging building work, constructor AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd will hand over the completed tunnel to the Swiss Federal Railways on time and on budget. Switzerland's internationally acclaimed public transport system – already the densest in the world – has perfected another pioneering first.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7828351-swiss-alps-longest-deepest-train-tunnel/
JNA (Jewellery News Asia), the organiser of the prestigious JNA Awards, has announced the much-anticipated list of Honourees across 14 categories for its third edition. A total of 29 companies from 10 countries/regions have been shortlisted. The event is supported by Headline Partners Rio Tinto Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook, together with Honoured Partners Diarough Group, Gubelin Group, Israel Diamond Institute, KARP Group, Paspaley Pearling Company and Shanghai Diamond Exchange.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7250751-jna-awards-2014-honourees-announced/
Today leading window manufacturer The VELUX Group and the social business Little Sun announce a partnership with the NGO Plan International to distribute a new solar lamp – the Natural Light solar lamp – in three African countries: Zimbabwe, Zambia and Senegal. The partnership with Plan International will deliver sustainable solar-powered light to people living off-grid in areas without electricity, through a program that involves and empowers local communities.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7519251-velux-plan-partners-solar-africa/
Vestergaard, a global company dedicated to improving the health of disadvantaged people, launched its LifeStraw® Follow the Liters program in Kenya this month. As part of this program, high-volume LifeStraw® Community water purifiers have been distributed to provide more than 23 million liters of safe water a year to over 125,000 school children throughout Kenya’s western province.
The distribution is made possible through the LifeStraw® Follow the Liters program which harnesses the collective power of individuals to help solve one of the world’s most pressing issues – lack of access to safe drinking water for people in developing countries. When a consumer purchases any LifeStraw® product, a portion of the funds are used to provide one school child in a developing country with safe drinking water for an entire school year.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7351651-vestergaard-lifestraw-follow-the-liters-program-kenya-safe-water/
For the first time in Crystal Cruises’ history, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will each embark on World Cruises in 2018 – offering travelers four separate global itineraries aboard the award-winning ships.
The concurrent world cruise routes for 2018 begin in January, with both ships simultaneously arriving in Sydney on February 17. This rare meeting allows the exciting opportunity to combine the itineraries of the two ships, as guests can switch vessels for a new odyssey. Ranging from 97 to 129 days, the innovative voyages will travel to a combined 111 destinations in 45 countries, featuring 16 maiden calls and 50 overnights. During the ship’s rendezvous in Sydney, full World Cruise guests will be treated to a spectacular gala celebration.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7444851-crystal-cruises-world-voyages-2018/
