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Author Archives: GovWorldMag

Beijing offers free green burials for the first time

People place flowers on a lawn for the deceased in Chaoyang District’s Changqing Cemetery.

Beijing held a “natural burial” ceremony to inter ashes of 31 deceased persons on March 25, officially providing a free method of the burial for the first time.

The deceased would rest in the lawn of Chaoyang District’s Changqing Cemetery, with their ashes placed into a biodegradable container, which will dissolve in about six months. The ashes will become part of the soil. The public need not pay if choosing this method of interment.

The cemetery can house 15,000 caskets, equaling ten urns per square meter, which helps to restore hundreds and thousands of acres used for traditional cemeteries.

Relatives who choose the lawn burials can obtain bronze commemorative plaques engraved with the person’s name and a QR code.

Upon scanning the code, one can view online the person’s photos, videos, biography, family tree and leave condolences in a message section.

In 2016 Beijing organized 61 sea-burial funerals, which is also free, for the cremated remains of 2,456 deceased persons.

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East Asia

Press release: PM meeting with the Prime Minister of Qatar: 27 March 2017

The Prime Minister welcomed His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar, to Downing Street this afternoon for a bilateral meeting.

Prime Minister May welcomed the close relationship between the two countries. And she reiterated the commitment she made at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in December to step up the UK’s relationship with the Gulf.

They discussed our growing trade and investment partnership, and agreed that the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum taking place in London and Birmingham this week will provide opportunities to deepen these ties.

They also agreed on the importance of our security cooperation, and committed to strengthening our collaboration on cyber security and defence.

Finally, they discussed regional issues, and the importance of securing lasting political settlements in Syria and Yemen, while ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.

They ended by looking forward to the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit to be hosted by the UK later this year.

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HM Government •

Pat Glass responds to announcement First Group & MTR are to take over the South Western Franchise

Pat Glass MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister, commenting on the announcement that First Group and MTR are to take over the South Western Franchise, said:                             

“In an agreement made in January of last year, the Government announced that the South Western franchise around London was to be taken over by TfL at the end of the franchise period. It is therefore disappointing to see that it has now been handed over to a private operator which is partly owned by a foreign company. We are now in a ludicrous situation where 75 percent of our railways are now wholly or partly controlled by foreign states or foreign companies.

“It is also hugely disheartening to hear that bidders were required to include plans for Driver Only Operation. It is important that the new franchisee is aware of the safety critical role of the second member of staff on board and they should not seek to remove this. It seems that the Government is deliberately intent on spreading the disruption faced daily by commuters on Southern to commuters passengers using the South Western Network.

“First Group and MTR have promised more trains, more seats and a better service but now only time will tell as to whether they will deliver that.”

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Labour •