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EWC Announces Asia Lecture Program for Congressional Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 20, 2016) -- The East-West Center in Washington, cooperating with Sasakawa USA, is launching a new Congressional  Staff Program on Asia that provides Capitol Hill staff members with an opportunity to engage U.S. officials and leading experts on a range of contemporary, policy-relevant topics in U.S.-Asia relations.

The EWC-Sasakawa USA  Congressional Staff Program on Asia is a bipartisan educational certificate program that will cover issues with implications for Congressional consideration and action and for U.S.-Japan relations




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Doris Duke Foundations Award East-West Center $300,000 Grant to Support U.S.-Islamic Journalist Exchange

HONOLULU (Aug. 8, 2016) – The East-West Center has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $300,000 from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in support of the Center’s Senior Journalists Seminar media exchange program, which seeks to enhance media coverage and elevate the public debate regarding U.S. relations with Muslim majority regions.




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East-West Center in Washington Kicks Off Inaugural Congressional Staff Program on Asia

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 6, 2016) -- The East-West Center in Washington will hold the first session of the EWC-Sasakawa USA  Congressional Staff Program on Asia (CSPA), this week on Capitol Hill. This bipartisan educational certificate program for Congressional staff members will cover a range of contemporary, policy-relevant topics in U.S.-Asia relations over a series of weekly sessions, featuring speakers and discussions with U.S. officials and leading experts.




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New Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment Website Now Live

HONOLULU (September 14, 2016) -- The Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) has launched its new website at PIRCA.org.  The website provides a wealth of information and resources about climate change in Hawai‘i and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI).




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North Korea In The World: A New Resource On North Korea's External Relations

The East-West Center and the National Committee on North Korea are pleased to announce the launch of a new pilot project, North Korea in the World.

For decades, American policymakers have had limited substantive information about North Korea in their consideration of U.S. policy options, with the exception of the question of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, and in more recent times, human rights.




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East-West Center in Washington Concludes 2017 Congressional Staff Program on Asia

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August  9, 2017) –Congressional staff from Senate and House member offices and key committees wrapped up the 2017 EWC-Sasakawa USA  Congressional Staff Program on Asia (CSPA) last week on Capitol Hill. This bipartisan educational certificate program for Congressional staff members covered a range of contemporary, policy-relevant U.S.-Asia topics during weekly sessions between June and August.




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EWC Welcomes Leadership Program Participants from 10 Pacific Island Nations

HONOLULU - (Aug 16, 2017) -- The East-West Center has welcomed 27 emerging leaders from 10 Pacific island nations to this year’s Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan, or PILP. The participants will spend close to two months in Honolulu, engaging in experiential learning exercises on such topics as applied leadership skills, future scenario planning, social entrepreneurship and risk analysis, climate change and environmental stewardship, international relations, and public health. Then they will travel to Taipei for a month of field study in at the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs.




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East-West Center Receives $2.3 Million from Hawaii Pacific Rim Society

HONOLULU (Oct. 27, 2017) – The East-West Center has received one of the largest single donations in its history from longtime institutional supporter the Hawaii Pacific Rim Society. The $2.3 million gift will establish the Hideo Murakami Fund for Scholarships and the Arts to support EWC arts programming and scholarships for participants in the Center’s Asia Pacific Leadership Program.




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Elementary Students Mark International Education Week by Exploring Global Citizenship at EWC

HONOLULU (Nov. 9, 2017) -- To mark this month’s International Education Week, more than a hundred 3rd - 5th graders from three O‘ahu public elementary schools visited the East-West Center today to learn about global citizenship and participate in international cultural activities.

View a photo gallery of images from the event.




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Officials, Educators Emphasize Importance of STEM Education and Research in Hawai‘i and Okinawa

HONOLULU (March 27, 2018) – Hawai‘i Governor David Ige and University of Hawai‘i President David Lassner, along with Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology President Peter Gruss, were among the speakers at a special panel discussion yesterday at the East-West Center focusing on the critical importance of cutting-edge science and technology research in both island communities.




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EWC Announces Rejuvenation Plan for Pacific Islands Development Program

HONOLULU (May 4, 2018) -- The East-West Center’s Board of Governors has unanimously approved a forward-looking plan to substantially recast and rejuvenate the Center’s longstanding Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP).




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EWC to Honor Distinguished Alumni at International Conference in Seoul

HONOLULU (May 25, 2018) – The East-West Center has announced the names of EWC alumni, volunteers and alumni chapters that will be honored at the Center’s upcoming international alumni conference in Seoul, South Korea August 23-25. The honorees are being recognized for their outstanding personal accomplishments and service toward the Center’s mission of helping to promote better relations and understanding among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and the United States.




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International Scholars, Officials and Business Leaders to Meet at East-West Center Alumni Conference in Seoul

HONOLULU (July 24, 2018) – Hundreds of scholars, officials, educators and business leaders from dozens of countries will be attending the East-West Center/EWC Association’s major international alumni conference, to be held August 23-25, 2018, at the Lotte Hotel Seoul.




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East-West Center Releases Updated Korea Matters for America/America Matters for Korea Publication and Website

WASHINGTON, DC (Aug. 27, 2018) -– The East-West Center and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States have now released the newest, updated versions of the Korea Matters for America/America Matters for Korea publication and website. The booklet and corresponding state and congressional district one-page connections summaries can be accessed and downloaded online at: https://AsiaMattersforAmerica.org/Korea.




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EWC to Oversee Close to $500,000 in NOAA Funding to Study Climate, Health, and Migration in Pacific Islands

King tide in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Photo: Pacific RISA

HONOLULU (Oct 25, 2018) -- The East-West Center has been awarded funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the International Research and Applications Project (IRAP), which is designed to support international, decision-based research on climate-sensitive health risks in partnership with the Pacific Regional Integrated Science and Assessment (RISA) program.




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Distinguished Alumnus Hao Ping Named President of Prestigious Peking University

HONOLULU (October 31, 2018) -- East-West Center Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Hao Ping, who is also leader of the Center’s Beijing alumni chapter, was recently named president of Peking University, China’s premier institution of higher learning. He previously served as party secretary of the university – often referred to as the “Harvard of China” – as well as a national vice minister of education.




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East-West Center Launches Updated 'Asia Matters for America' Publications and Website

Launch Event on Sidelines of Last Week's East Asia Summit in Singapore Marks 'Asia Matters' Data Initiative's 10th Anniversary

SINGAPORE (November 20, 2018) – At a conference on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore last week, the East-West Center and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, with the support of the US Department of State, launched the East-West Center’s newly updated Asia Matters for America/America Matters for Asia publication, website, and one-page state summaries highlighting the mutual business, diplomatic, security, and cultural engagement between the US and the Indo-Pacific region.




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In Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands, Climate Change Means Billions of Dollars of Coastal Damage, Widespread Coral Death and Human Health Risks, Official US Assessment Finds

HONOLULU (November 23, 2018) – Strained freshwater supplies, damaged and compromised coastal infrastructure, coral reef death, and greater stresses on native biodiversity and species are among the major concerns and challenges detailed in the Hawai‘i-Pacific Islands chapter of the fourth official US National Climate Assessment, released today. In economic terms, the impacts add up to billions of dollars.

The chapter on Hawai‘i and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands appears in Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, the most significant US report to assess the effects of climate change on the US economy and communities. The assessment finds that early action to address these impacts can lower economic, environmental, social, and cultural costs and could help to prevent conflict or displacement from lands and resources.




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Fish Family Foundation Awards EWC $50,000 to Support Women’s Entrepreneurship

HONOLULU (Feb. 7, 2020) – The East-West Center has been awarded a five-year grant totaling $50,000 from the Fish Family Foundation in support of the Center’s Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar and #galswithLEI Forum, which collectively seek to enhance women’s leadership skills and entrepreneurial capacity; experientially explore innovative entrepreneurship; build a sense of self-efficacy; and expand national and regional networks.

As a result of the Fish Family Foundation’s funding, the Changing Faces Seminar will now be able to include female business or social entrepreneurs from Japan each year until 2024. The funding will also substantially increase the Center’s ability to include mainland and international speakers in the associated #galswithLEI Forum.




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HR e-briefing 232 - Resolving workplace disputes: first EAT decision

For the past 14 months, cases clarifying the complex statutory dispute resolution procedures have been eagerly awaited. Our patience has been rewarded by a sudden flurry of cases all of which deal with the statutory grievance procedures (SGPs). In t...




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HR e-briefing 233 - More EAT decisions on the Statutory Grievance Procedures

The first EAT decision on the statutory grievance procedures (SGPs), Thorpe v Poat and Lake was reported in briefing 232. Hot on its heels come four further EAT decisions ( Sher...




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International HR briefing - France

Amicable terminations: a new way to terminate ?   Apart from dismissal and resignation, French law provides for a third way to end an employment contract: the amicable termination. However, this way is rarely encountered in practice, especiall...




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International HR briefing - Switzerland

Protection against unfair dismissal during the probationary period Introduction The key sources of Swiss labour law are to be found in Arts. 319 - 362 of the Swiss Code of Obligations and in the Swiss Federal Labour Act. In comparison to most othe...




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IHC e-briefing no 12: ACAS launches consultation on draft Discipline and Grievance Code

Background The Employment Bill is currently on its passage through Parliament and will, when enacted, have a significant impact on dispute resolution within the employment relationship. It is anticipated that relevant provisions within the Bill wil...




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HR e-briefing 355 - ACAS launches consultation on draft Discipline and Grievance Code

The repeal of the fated statutory dispute resolution procedures moved a step closer last week when ACAS issued, in draft, a revised Code of Practice on Discipline and Grievance for consultation.  The Code has been significantly amended and simp...




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HR e-briefing 405 - European age discrimination ruling with a sting in its tail

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has this morning given a ruling that represents a significant victory for the charity Age Concern in their fight to have certain parts of UK age discrimination legislation ruled unlawful. As expected, the ECJ has...




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HR e-briefing 445 - Right to legal representation at internal hearings

When asked whether employees have the legal right to bring a lawyer to internal disciplinary hearings, most employers would say no. Indeed, most organisations have formulated policies around the statutory provisions, which refe...




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Eversheds' HR e-briefing 513: Termination Payments – Parting on good terms

The Employment Appeals Tribunal has issued a decision this week which highlights a potential pitfall for employers who fail to identify correctly the nature of a termination payment. Payments expressed to be “ex-gratia” (ie paid without ...




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HR e-briefing 527: BIS announcements on collective consultation and protected conversations

Today, Vince Cable has announced a number of measures with the stated aim of making “it easier for businesses when taking on, managing and letting go their staff, while also being fair to workers”. As well as announcing further details ...




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HR e-briefing 536: New Regulations pave the way for April’s employment tribunal changes

Last year the Government announced a number of measures aimed at resolving workplace disputes more quickly, reducing the pressure on the employment tribunal system and saving costs for employers and the taxpayer. In November, amid...




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The Draft Construction Contracts Bill: what does it mean for the private finance initiative industry?

In July this year, the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform put forward the Draft Construction Contracts Bill (the 2008 Bill). A number of important changes have been proposed by the 2008 Bill,  but, most importantly for p...




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To disclose or not to disclose? New Freedom of Information guidance for procurement information

Procuring authorities and private sector contractors have for some years struggled with the application of the Freedom of Information Act to PFI/PPP procurement processes, and to the legal documentation that results from them. Procuring authorities...




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PPP: a win-win situation for the public and private sectors

Public-Private Partnerships have become an effective way for Government to raise finances for large infrastructural projects, especially considering the current situation of most public coffers. Business Agenda speaks to Tomasz Korczynski about how ...




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Legislation update: the Enterprise Act 2016 and the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016

Enterprise Bill 2016 On 4 May 2016, the Enterprise Act 2016 (“the Act”) received Royal Assent. The Act will be commenced in stages and has been enacted to help promote the growth of enterprise and small businesses within the UK. One of the main prov...




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Project Financing in Qatar: A case of evolution

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Hydrogen: Fuelling the next generation of rail travel?

Rail prides itself as being a green alternative to competing modes of transport, and with hydrogen-powered trains now a viable proposition, can this fuel a step-change in the pursuit of new low carbon rail services? There have been a number of recen...




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Coronavirus – Income protection – Europe

The COVID-19 global pandemic has moved faster than anyone could have anticipated and governments across the world have rushed to shore up protection on two key fronts: the health of the public and the economy. In the UK, measures were introduced by ...




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Coronavirus – Does the Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate and the Department of Employment and Labour have the power to issue Compliance Instructions, Force Majeure, and Covid-19 as an Occupational Disease?

On 17 March 2020, we sent out an e-Brief: Occupational Health and Safety: COVID-19 (click here to access this e-brief) where we discussed the responsibilities which are placed on employers in terms...




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Coronavirus - Overview of the impacts of the lockdown in Mauritius Part I - National Measures

National Measures 1. Foreign travel restrictions All foreign travel through the port and the airport of Mauritius have been banned from 19 March to 02 April 2020. 2. National curfew The Curfew  Order: In connection with the unfavourable develop...




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Coronavirus - New Guidance: Government update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - UK

On Friday 20 March 2020, the Chancellor announced a new “Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme” (the Scheme) to help pay people’s wages. Updated Guidance on the Scheme was issued on 4 April 2020 (the Updated Guidance). This Alert seeks ...




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Coronavirus - Further guidance on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - UK

In previous Alerts (here and Full Article



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Coronavirus - Court decides important case on furloughing employees in administration - UK

The High Court has provided some clarity on applying the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to insolvent businesses. In particular, how the Scheme permits administrators to pay furloughed employees within the constraints of current ...




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Coronavirus - Final details emerge as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is now live - UK

On Friday evening, 17 April, further revisions were made to the guidance for employers and employees regarding the operation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the Scheme). This time also, the guidance changes were accompanied b...




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Coronavirus – Job retention scheme - UK

On Friday 20 March 2020, the Chancellor announced a new “Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme” (the Scheme) to help pay people’s wages. Importantly, to aid understanding of the Scheme and how it operates, we now have: Full Article



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Coronavirus: Further conditions imposed on the Hong Kong Government’s Employment Support Scheme - Hong Kong

We have previously reported on the initial details of the Hong Kong Government’s Employment Support Scheme (“ESS”) on 17 April 2020. Funding for the ESS has now bee...




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Affordable housing construction briefing: Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act

No hurry to change your construction documents The most significant piece of legislation for the UK construction industry, Part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act...




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Affordable housing construction briefing: contractor insolvency - warning signs

In the current uncertain times it is common to hear rumours of financial difficulties at contractors and sub-contractors which are bound to cause concern for employers on construction works. However, there are a number of steps yo...




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Affordable housing litigation e-briefing: when is a RSHP not a public authority?

After the recent decision in R (Weaver) versus London and Quadrant Housing Trust [2009] EWCA Civ 587 the answer, more frequently than not, will be when it is not acting as a 'hybrid authority' and not exercising the pow...




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Affordable housing - liability for anti-social behaviour

Octavia Hill Housing Trust v Brumby [2010] EWHC 1793 (QB) A landmark case could open the floodgates for Registered Providers. Terri Brumby has won the right in the High Court to proceed with a claim against Registered Provider Octavia Hill Housing ...




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Eversheds' developers, construction and infrastructure newsletter: a response to the Comprehensive Spending Review

The spending review The Coalition Government has released the eagerly anticipated Comprehensive Spending Review which sets out its spending plans for reducing the £155 billion annual deficit. As the government had already announced its inten...