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From grubby packaging engulfing small Southeast Asian communities to waste piling up in plants from the US to Australia, China's ban on accepting the world's used plastic has plunged global recycling into turmoil. For many years, China received the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world, processing much of it into a higher quality material that could be used by manufacturers. But at the start of 2018, it closed its doors to almost all foreign plastic waste, as well as many other recyclables, in a push to protect the local environment and air quality, leaving developed nations struggling to find places to send their waste. "It was like an earthquake," Arnaud Brunet, director general of Brussels-based industry group The Bureau of International Recycling, told AFP. "China was the biggest market for recyclables. It created a major shock in the global market." Instead, plastic is being redirected in huge quantities to Southeast Asia, where Chinese recyclers have shifted en masse. … [Read more...] about China plastic waste ban throws global recycling into chaos

The world's largest gathering of twins returns this summer, with thousands of siblings — all coming with carbon copies of each other — expected to descend on a city called Twinsburg. The 2019 Twins Day Festival is officially recognized as the largest annual gathering of twins in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records. In August, thousands of lookalike siblings will turn Twinsburg, located 40 km outside Cleveland, Ohio, into the world capital of doppelgangers. This year, participants will celebrate under the theme of “Home for the Holidays”. Read also: George and Amal Clooney welcome birth of twins Because along with occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas, Twins Days is a special kind of holiday reserved for a small segment of the population. For the festivities, participants are encouraged to dress up for their favorite holiday. Activities include twin contests, talent show, and “double take” parade. The Twins Day Festival runs August … [Read more...] about Thousands of twins, multiples headed for Twinsburg in August

The Christian Dior museum in Granville, France, will present the exhibition "Grace of Monaco: Princess in Dior", open from April 27 to November 17 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of Grace Kelly. A wonderful opportunity to (re)discover the style and personality of one of the greatest fashion icons of the 20th century, and to go back to the close — even friendly — links with the celebrated couture brand. Numerous public figures have entered into relationships with the great fashion houses, but few have cultivated real relationships — both artistic and friendly — that last decades. This was the case of Grace Kelly, who became princess of Monaco in 1956 following her marriage to Prince Rainier III, and the house of Dior. Loyal to the brand from the start, Grace Kelly never failed to show her affection for Dior, beginning with the ball thrown to celebrate her nuptials with Prince Rainier III. The heroine of Rear Window appeared at the Waldorf-Astoria … [Read more...] about Fashion icon Grace Kelly honored at Christian Dior museum in France

Looking for vacation inspo? How about checking your calendar for some anniversaries that will highlight unique destination ideas. Here are five trips that will make a lot of sense in 2019. 30th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall The fall of the infamous barrier between the two Germanies will be one of late 2019's flagship historical events. The collapse of the "Wall of Shame" will be commemorated on November 9, on which numerous events will take place throughout the reunified capital. A festival will be held from November 4 to 10, with open-air exhibitions held all over the city. Visitors will be able to retrace the road back to revolution and freedom. Beyond these events, 2019 will be a perfect year to (re)discover Germany on the occasion of the Bauhaus centenary. The famous art, architecture and design school was opened in Weimar in 1919, giving its name to an entire artistic movement. Woodstock festival's 50th anniversary Fifty years ago, over 500,000 people congregated … [Read more...] about 5 anniversaries in 2019 that will inspire unforgettable vacations

A railway reconnecting Cambodia and Thailand was officially inaugurated on Monday, April 22 in a bid to slash travel times and boost trade between the South-east Asian neighbors. Cambodian premier Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-O-Cha witnessed a signing ceremony at a Thai border post before riding together to the Cambodian town of Poipet on a train donated by Thailand. The pair - with Prayut dressed in a bright yellow shirt - stepped from the carriage in Poipet with their clasped hands held high to the cheers of waiting crowds, waving flags of both countries. Hun Sen described their journey as "historic" and thanked Thailand for its efforts "to reconnect the railway between Cambodia and Thailand". The railway would also better link his country to other South-east Asian neighbors and boost economy and trade, he added. Bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia currently stands at US$6 billion. Read also: In Thailand, tourists are drawn to Communist relics in deep … [Read more...] about Cambodia and Thailand reconnected by rail after 45 years