The economic crisis means that Spanish hotels will have more domestic than foreign tourists this summer for the first time in decades, an industry official predicted Friday. In the 1980s an estimated 70 percent of tourists were foreigners, Roman Estalella, head of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation, told the Europa Press news agency.
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Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 7:46 PM GMT
Dutch bar owners won a new victory in their fight against a smoking ban on their premises when an appeal court cleared two of them of breaking the law and quashed a 1,200 euro fine. "The law contains no formal obligation for landlords of cafes, restaurants and hotels without staff to implement a smoking ban," the appeal court at Leeuwarden in the northern Netherlands said in a statement. Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 7:02 PM GMT
Vietnam, concerned that too many boys are being born, will destroy more than 30,000 copies of books instructing couples on how to have a baby of their desired sex, state-linked media said Friday. The books include 27 titles and were seized last month, VietnamNet online news service said, citing officials. Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 7:06 PM GMT
The Hong Kong government said Friday it has approved a proposal to add five extra meetings to the horse racing season in a bid to lure punters away from the glitzy casinos of its neighbouring cities. Carrie Yau, permanent secretary for home affairs, said the change, which would extend the season from 78 to 83 meetings, was necessary to boost the city's economy and tourism due to the fierce competition from places such as Macau and Singapore. Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 6:29 PM GMT
Goodbye "fashionista" brands, where neither the price nor the planet counts. The recession has made recycled "recessionista chic" a hit at Berlin Fashion Week -- some of it even organic and free trade. "When I started six years ago, no one wanted to hear about 'rubbish textiles'," Liza Arico -- who describes herself as Franco-Argentine-Brazilian -- creator of the Customisee par (Customised by) label, told AFP. Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 6:35 PM GMT
The haute couture shows for next autumn-winter open next week in a sombre mood, with the fate of the house of Christian Lacroix hanging in the balance since it went into administration in May. Despite its critical acclaim and popularity with fashion editors, it has struggled financially and looks set to become the first big name victim of the global recession in the luxury sector. Forbes Lifestyle Features
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The African Union decided Friday not to act on an international war crimes warrant for Sudan's president, at a summit that also yielded a deal on the powers of a new regional Authority. The refusal to arrest Sudan President Omar al-Beshir granted a continent-wide reprieve to a leader accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 8:13 PM GMT
Latest Regional News
Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrived in Canada on Friday for a 11-day goodwill visit, the first since the emperor ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989. The royal couple was welcomed by Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and Cooperation Minister Bev Oda on their arrival in Ottawa.
Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 7:01 PM GMT
Latest Sci-Tech News
Rampant piracy and a crumbling market for CDs has put the music industry in Asia under immense pressure, but experts are hoping that technology and social media will help fill the gap. While demand for music continues to rise across the region, the global economic downturn has accelerated the Internet-fueled fall in sales of physical music.
Agence France-Presse - 7/3/2009 4:39 AM GMT
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