Anti-smoking group Ash Ireland has called on the Government to increase taxes on cigarettes after the European Court of Justice ruled that Irish legislation which empowers the Government to fix a minimum price for cigarettes violates European law. In a judgment handed down yesterday, the court found Ireland had breached a directive which sets down rules governing the calculation of excise duty on tobacco products. ... read more >>
Archive for the ‘International Stories’ Category
Call for cigarette taxes to be raised after Europe ruling
Friday, March 5th, 2010
Tags: Anti-Smoking Group, cigarette, European law, increase taxes, tax, violates
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Shanghai Declares Indoor Smoking Ban Ahead of Expo
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
Restaurants and office buildings in China’s commercial capital Shanghai are scrambling to set up nonsmoking areas as the city bans lighting up in indoor public spaces ahead of the World Expo. There is rising awareness of the health risks of smoking in China, by far the world’s biggest tobacco-consuming country, and this modern city of 20 million is cleaning up its act as it prepares to host the Expo, which begins May 1. ... read more >>
Restaurants and office buildings in China’s commercial capital Shanghai are scrambling to set up nonsmoking areas as the city bans lighting up in indoor public spaces ahead of the World Expo. There is rising awareness of the health risks of smoking in China, by far the world’s biggest tobacco-consuming country, and this modern city of 20 million is cleaning up its act as it prepares to host the Expo, which begins May 1. ... read more >>
Tags: Shanghai, smoking ban, smoking in China, World Expo
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Greek media to halt during national strike
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
The Greek national strike got off to an early start Tuesday when communist protesters barricaded the stock exchange in Athens a day early. Trading was conducted remotely and not affected by the blockade by a communist trade union, exchange officials said. Meanwhile, the daily Kathimerini newspaper said journalists would join the 24-hour general strike Wednesday in protest of the socialist government’s proposed austerity package. ... read more >>
The Greek national strike got off to an early start Tuesday when communist protesters barricaded the stock exchange in Athens a day early. Trading was conducted remotely and not affected by the blockade by a communist trade union, exchange officials said. Meanwhile, the daily Kathimerini newspaper said journalists would join the 24-hour general strike Wednesday in protest of the socialist government’s proposed austerity package. ... read more >>
Tags: Alcohol, gasoline, Greek, Media, strike, tax, tobacco
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Taiwan to include tobacco in film rating scheme
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Taiwan is planning to change its movie rating system to take account of characters who smoke, the government said Saturday, as part of a bid to reduce the number of youngsters taking up the habit. The Department of Health wants to make tobacco use one of the criteria for deciding what age rating to give a film, a move that could mean some animated movies are out of bounds for children. ... read more >>
Taiwan is planning to change its movie rating system to take account of characters who smoke, the government said Saturday, as part of a bid to reduce the number of youngsters taking up the habit. The Department of Health wants to make tobacco use one of the criteria for deciding what age rating to give a film, a move that could mean some animated movies are out of bounds for children. ... read more >>
Tags: film, Smoking in movies, Taiwan, tobacco
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Happiness – or even just pretending to be happy – is good for your heart
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Don’t worry, be happy – or just fake it. A new study published in the European Heart Journal shows that happiness, even if feigned, may decrease the risk of heart attacks. According to the AP, the researchers at Columbia University graded the happiness levels of close to 1,700 adults in Canada who had no heart problems in 1995. ... read more >>
Don’t worry, be happy – or just fake it. A new study published in the European Heart Journal shows that happiness, even if feigned, may decrease the risk of heart attacks. According to the AP, the researchers at Columbia University graded the happiness levels of close to 1,700 adults in Canada who had no heart problems in 1995. ... read more >>
Tags: European Heart Journal, Happiness, Healthy, heart
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
‘Mad Men’ smoking draws fines in Turkey
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Two Turkish television stations were each fined $33,000 for airing shows such as the U.S.-produced “Mad Men” that feature smoking.The fines levied by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television were successfully challenged by channels E2, which airs “Mad Men” and TV8, which airs the popular French cartoon, “Tin Tin,” the Hurriyet newspaper reported Tuesday. ... read more >>
Two Turkish television stations were each fined $33,000 for airing shows such as the U.S.-produced “Mad Men” that feature smoking.The fines levied by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television were successfully challenged by channels E2, which airs “Mad Men” and TV8, which airs the popular French cartoon, “Tin Tin,” the Hurriyet newspaper reported Tuesday. ... read more >>
Tags: fine, smoking, television stations, Turkey
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Judge: Weekend jail terms too dangerous
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
A Canadian judge in Windsor, Ontario, says sentencing people to weekend jail terms puts them in danger from other inmates who demand they smuggle for them. Last week, Superior Court Justice Steven Rogin denied a defense attorney’s request that a client serve time on weekends, the Windsor Star reported Monday. ... read more >>
A Canadian judge in Windsor, Ontario, says sentencing people to weekend jail terms puts them in danger from other inmates who demand they smuggle for them. Last week, Superior Court Justice Steven Rogin denied a defense attorney’s request that a client serve time on weekends, the Windsor Star reported Monday. ... read more >>
Tags: Canadian judge, smuggle
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
David Walliams and fiancée Lara Stone snuggle up on a love boat ride round Venice….while her cigarettes stayed in her bag
Monday, February 15th, 2010
Being in one of the world’s most romantic cities gives most couple a licence to engage in plenty of public displays of affection. And that’s certainly true of David Walliams and his model fiancee Laura Stone who have not been able to keep their hands off each other as they enjoyed a romantic break in Venice. ... read more >>
Being in one of the world’s most romantic cities gives most couple a licence to engage in plenty of public displays of affection. And that’s certainly true of David Walliams and his model fiancee Laura Stone who have not been able to keep their hands off each other as they enjoyed a romantic break in Venice. ... read more >>
Tags: Cigarettes, David Walliams, fiancee, Laura, Laura Stone, model, Venice
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
China: Internet censorship and cyber heists
Monday, February 15th, 2010
When Google threatened to quit China, most of the focus was on human rights and the country’s extensive system of internet censorship, the Great Firewall. China rebuffed such criticism. Countries that censor political speech on the internet are quick to point out that western nations also have laws governing content online, some of it political. Germany bans neo-Nazi symbols on German internet sites. The state of South Australia recently attempted to ban anonymous political speech online in the lead-up to elections. China said it was its sovereign right to set limits on internet activities. However, less attention was paid to Google’s claims that hackers had also stolen corporate secrets in addition to targeting human rights activists. ... read more >>
When Google threatened to quit China, most of the focus was on human rights and the country’s extensive system of internet censorship, the Great Firewall. China rebuffed such criticism. Countries that censor political speech on the internet are quick to point out that western nations also have laws governing content online, some of it political. Germany bans neo-Nazi symbols on German internet sites. The state of South Australia recently attempted to ban anonymous political speech online in the lead-up to elections. China said it was its sovereign right to set limits on internet activities. However, less attention was paid to Google’s claims that hackers had also stolen corporate secrets in addition to targeting human rights activists. ... read more >>
Tags: China, cyber heists, Google, Internet, Internet censorship
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Philip Morris Profit Tops Estimates; Buyback Planned
Friday, February 12th, 2010
Philip Morris International Inc., the world’s largest publicly traded tobacco maker, reported fourth-quarter profit that rose more than analysts estimated and said it will buy back $12 billion in stock. Net income increased 5.3 percent to $1.52 billion, or 80 cents a share, from $1.45 billion, or 71 cents, a year earlier, the New York-based company said today in a statement. Excluding some items, earnings were 81 cents a share, topping analysts’ projection of 79 cents, the average of 11 estimates in a Bloomberg survey. ... read more >>
Philip Morris International Inc., the world’s largest publicly traded tobacco maker, reported fourth-quarter profit that rose more than analysts estimated and said it will buy back $12 billion in stock. Net income increased 5.3 percent to $1.52 billion, or 80 cents a share, from $1.45 billion, or 71 cents, a year earlier, the New York-based company said today in a statement. Excluding some items, earnings were 81 cents a share, topping analysts’ projection of 79 cents, the average of 11 estimates in a Bloomberg survey. ... read more >>
Tags: Cigarette price, less- expensive brands, Philip Morris
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
5 Ways to Save Your Relationship From Holiday Hell
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Ah, the holidays. ‘Tis the season to move into the relationship danger zone. We get so stressed out about buying the right presents, staying within our holiday budget, or trying to please impossible in-laws that the tension inevitably spills over into our love lives. “It’s naturally a time of high stress and high expectations,” says Carol J. Bruess, PhD, the director of family studies at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minn., and coauthor of What Happy Couples Do: Belly Button Fuzz & Bare-Chested Hugs—The Loving Little Rituals of Romance. “Our culture creates images of the perfect gathering, the perfect feast, the perfect happy family gathered around the tree, the perfect couple exchanging perfectly thoughtful gifts.” ... read more >>
Ah, the holidays. ‘Tis the season to move into the relationship danger zone. We get so stressed out about buying the right presents, staying within our holiday budget, or trying to please impossible in-laws that the tension inevitably spills over into our love lives. “It’s naturally a time of high stress and high expectations,” says Carol J. Bruess, PhD, the director of family studies at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minn., and coauthor of What Happy Couples Do: Belly Button Fuzz & Bare-Chested Hugs—The Loving Little Rituals of Romance. “Our culture creates images of the perfect gathering, the perfect feast, the perfect happy family gathered around the tree, the perfect couple exchanging perfectly thoughtful gifts.” ... read more >>
Tags: holidays, Relationship
Posted in International Stories | No Comments »
Loading ...