World News

At least 38 deaths have now been linked to a severe Arctic freeze that continues to pummel the US and Canada. Officials say 34 people died across the US, with the worst-hit area being the city of Buffalo, in New York state.

Four fatalities occurred in Canada when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia. The storm has wreaked havoc for days but power has been steadily restored after earlier blackouts.

It is fair to say that the World Cup in Qatar this year has been defined by controversy like no other tournament before.

From the controversial decision to grant Qatar the privilege of hosting the event despite its poor human rights record to the very last moment when the Emir of Qatar put an Arab cloak on the shoulders of the Argentinian football legend, Lionel Messi, as he was about to lift the trophy on Sunday.

200 rescuers in Austria are working on Christmas day and possibly through the entire night to find 10 missing skiers.

The Western Austrian ski resort region in Lech and Zürs is known as the most spectacular area in the Alps. “The name stands for passion.” the visitors’ website said. Arlberg is known as the cradle of skying.

Further conveying the steadfastness of the American traveller, new industry research shares that today’s global economy continues to impact how and when most Americans will travel – but not if they’ll take a trip.

According to new data, 6 in 10 U.S. adults (58%) plan to take a vacation in the next six months despite inflation, the rising cost of travel and other economic factors.

Three locations in Guam (the U.S. Island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific) are set to display and dazzle the midnight sky and say welcome to the 2023 new year.

The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is inviting residents and visitors to ring in the new year in the island’s capital city of Hagåtña and the tourist district of Tumon for the return of the New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

The Gulf and the Middle East are becoming a centre for climate change. The Sharm El Sheikh Green initiative by Saudi Arabia in Egypt set the tone this year, and Abu Dhabi in the UAE will continue in 2023.

Climate change also got top coverage at the just concluded WTTC Summit in Riyadh.

Fellow Statians,

The atrocities committed against enslaved people and Africans in the Caribbean, including the Dutch Caribbean, are too many to count.

We know of the long hours our ancestors were forced to work in unforgiving sunshine to enrich their enslavers. We shall never forget the many revolting and abominable acts of cruelty inflicted on our people.

The annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) just recently concluded in Lucknow, India.

The just concluded 37th annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) held in the ancient-modern city of Lucknow generated much interest and information as 1,000 delegates heard from the Chief Minister Yogi.

Qatar Airways, the Official Airline Partner of FIFA, concluded its FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 journey in style, presenting the medals and individual awards to Argentina after their historic 4-2 victory on penalties over 2018 champions, France. Following a thrilling month of non-stop action and entertainment, the airline operated nearly 14,000 flights, uniting the world in Qatar for the greatest sporting show on Earth.

Africa is a major geopolitical player and boasts some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

From December 13 to December 15, President Biden will host the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The three-day Washington event will bring together leaders from across the African continent to discuss bold, practical ways to strengthen ties and advance shared priorities.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Grenada Chocolate Festival, the event will celebrate the twin delights of chocolate and rum produced on the island.

The Festival will run from 17-21 May and is a great way of exploring Grenada with visits to cocoa plantations, chocolate factories and rum distilleries as well as waterfalls and beaches.

In India, innovative producers have adopted a range of approaches, from flipping the grape-growing season, to using kiwi fruit instead of grapes, to packaging wine in cans.

"When we started in 1997 no one knew what wine was," remembers Rajeev Samant, the founder of India's Sula Vineyards. "All liquor shops in India were called wine shops, so people thought wine meant liquor," he says.

For several years, Mykerline Stéphane Brice had her heart set on pursuing studies in tourism management, but at every turn, a lack of funding got in the way. Having already completed a bachelor’s degree in business management and public administration in 2016, Mykerline, who discovered her passion for tourism at the age of 20, had been wanting to do an advanced diploma programme in hospitality and tourism management, but had been unable to afford the tuition.

The first national edition of the UNWTO Students League concluded with a celebration of Swiss tourism talent with Team SHL from SHL Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern, winning this edition.

The competition for undergraduates, organized with the support of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), attracted students from leading educational institutions from across Switzerland.

The world's only nonuplets - nine babies born at the same time - have safely returned home to Mali after spending the first 19 months of their lives in Morocco.

The babies broke the Guinness World Record for the most children delivered in a single birth to survive. Ahead of the birth in May 2021, the mother Halima Cissé, now 27, was flown to Morocco for specialist care.

People in Bangladesh need a consistent source of safe, drinkable water at an affordable price. Drinkwell, a U.S.-based company, developed a long-term solution.

Instead of purchasing water in bottles that often end up in landfills, customers purchase cards to use at water kiosks, or Water ATMs, akin to a bank’s automated teller machine. The water is filtered to ensure safety and is sold at a fixed price of just 8 cents per 20 liters.