Win a two-night weekend stay for two at the St Regis Singapore

By info@businesstraveller.com (Business Traveller Magazine)

The prize includes a two-night bed and breakfast weekend stay in a Deluxe Executive room

Continues…

Source: Business Traveller

    

Win a two-night weekend stay for two at the St Regis Singapore

Reviews round-up

By info@businesstraveller.com (Business Traveller Magazine)

Catch up on Business Traveller’s January and February reviews of flights, rail, hotels, restaurants and technology

Continues…

Source: Business Traveller

    

Reviews round-up

Collected Department Releases: Press Availability With Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

Press Availability With Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

Press Availability

Roberta S. Jacobson
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs

Dean Acheson Auditorium

Washington, DC

Spanish version

February 27, 2015

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ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Good afternoon, everybody. Thanks for being here. Today, February 27th, 2015, U.S. and Cuban officials met in Washington to discuss the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. The foreign ministry’s director general for U.S. affairs, Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, led the Cuban delegation, and I led the delegation for the United States. We view reestablishing diplomatic relations and reopening embassies as critical early steps in the longer-term process of normalizing relations more than half a century after we severed diplomatic relations.

Today was productive and encouraging. In open, honest, and sometimes challenging yet always respectful conversation, we addressed the requirements of each side and the differences we identified in our first discussion in Havana a month ago, and we made meaningful progress towards resolving them. While cognizant that serious disagreements between our governments remain, I am pleased to report that today we saw the type of constructive exchange that advances us toward a more productive diplomatic relationship.

This spirit of exchange is also evident in the events of the coming weeks. Next week, Cuba will send two delegations for separate consultations on trafficking in persons and civil aviation. Next month, a delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy Ambassador Danny Sepulveda will travel to Havana to work with the Cuban Government on increasing its capacity for greater internet connectivity to better support access to information by the Cuban people. Also in March, an interagency delegation will travel to Cuba to exchange ideas and information about recent U.S. regulatory changes. We agreed to meet at the end of March to discuss the structure of our human rights dialogue.

Without ignoring challenges that remain, we are committed to the reestablishment of diplomatic relations, which will allow us to more effectively represent U.S. interests and increase engagement with the Cuban people. Today’s discussion was an important step in that direction. I look forward to continuing my discussions with Director General Vidal. Thank you very much, and I’ll be pleased to take your questions.

MR. RATHKE: All right, thank you. The first question goes to Andrea Mitchell from NBC.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Sorry to – can you tell us, on a separate issue, which I understand is separate as far as the United States is concerned, what progress can be made on removing Cuba from the terror list, which Director General Vidal said was not a precondition but is a priority and would certainly be very difficult to establish diplomatic relations without having that done? And whether you think U.S. embassies – embassies in both countries could be opened before the April 10th Summit of the Americas in Panama.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Thank you. Well, I think our view has been – and we’ve been clear on this – that the two issues are separate. We understand and I appreciated the fact that the Cuban delegation views this as a priority. We view it as important to complete our review, which is still underway, and we have from the beginning believed that we need to do that as quickly as possible. The Secretary made comments today some of you may have seen in which he reiterated that we are going to do that as quickly as we can in accordance with the requirements of the law, but that we see that and the establishment of diplomatic relations as separate processes. So that’s what I would reiterate.

On the timing of this, I do think that we can get this done in time for the Summit of the Americas, and I certainly think that, with the kind of cooperation that we had today, I certainly leave those conversations today optimistic but committed and recognizing the work that still has to be done, but certainly not daunted by the idea that there is a desire to move forward as quickly as we can, and knowing that the summit is a good opportunity if we can get things done in time.

MR. RATHKE: The next question to David Adams of Reuters.

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

MR. RATHKE: If you could wait for the microphone just a moment.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: It’s coming.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. How – were you able to make progress today on the issue of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the freedom of access for movement and meetings for diplomats and access to the embassy. I know you’ve made a big point of how important that is to the United States and the ability, for example, to meet with political dissidents in Cuba.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Well, I think one of the things I said going into these talks was that they might be a little bit disappointing in the way we came out because we won’t have big headlines. But we have said that those are important things for us to talk about. We did discuss those things today. I do think that we made progress. There was a very cooperative spirit. Those are important to us. It’s important that our embassy operate in Havana in ways that are in accord with those conventions. We both agreed to that. So I think those were issues in particular where we did make progress and where there was a very constructive spirit in the conversations. But more than that, I think I’d leave for continued diplomatic dialogue.

MR. RATHKE: The next question to Mimi Whitefield from the Miami Herald.

QUESTION: Did the issue –

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Wait for the mike, Mimi.

QUESTION: Thank you. Did the issue of human rights come up in any context in today’s conversations?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: What I would say is that in a couple of ways, it did – in the sense that certainly, we have always said that the way our diplomats operate in terms of their ability to see as broad a aperture, broad a slice of Cuban society as possible is part of their job. And the ability to see all kinds of people in Cuba is very important to them. I don’t know if people consider that a direct human rights conversation, but it gets you into the issue of people in Cuba who we have always wanted to continue to have conversations with, and the broader civil society question of our ability to talk to, frankly, as many of the 11 million Cubans as we can.

But I also think that in moving ahead – and this is one of the things that I’m most pleased about – in moving ahead to begin to schedule our human rights discussion, we certainly discussed the fact that that is one of the most challenging, most difficult perhaps, but most important dialogues that we have to come up with. And so while there are something like half a dozen dialogues now either scheduled or in the process of being scheduled – and I think that’s very important as a measure of the dynamism and the movement in the relationship – I mentioned some of these in the opening statement. But they range from civil aviation to marine-protected areas to the information and communications technology. It was very important to us that we are now moving ahead on the human rights dialogue as well.

MR. RATHKE: The next question goes to Felicia Schwartz from The Wall Street Journal.

QUESTION: Hi. So you spoke – so you said you might be able to open the embassies ahead of the Summit of the Americas, but will this require another meeting in Havana or elsewhere?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Well, I think you heard Director General Vidal talk about permanent communication. I like that phrase, although it exhausts me slightly because when you use the word “permanent,” it makes it sound like we’re not going to sleep.

But I do think that we have agreed that we will continue to have discussions on many of these issues that we still have some things to resolve. We made progress today, but we still have things we have to both take back to our respective headquarters and things that we have to come to agreement on where we don’t have a complete meeting of the minds. So exactly what form that’s going to take is not clear. Obviously, we do have interests sections in each other’s countries and can have communications without face-to-face meetings.

But we have also, in these last two meetings, I think, really solidified the importance of face-to-face diplomacy. And it reinforces our belief that diplomatic relations and having full embassies is incredibly important in a relationship like this where you have so much to overcome and where you have differences. The ability to have these kinds of very frank conversations is a key variable. So I don’t know in what form that communication will continue, but it certainly will continue until we have an agreement on all of these issues.

MR. RATHKE: Okay. I think we have time for one last question to Indira Lakshmanan of Bloomberg.

QUESTION: Thanks. Your counterpart made clear that she had felt she had assurances from the American side on two issues that were very important to them: the removal from the state sponsor list, and banking. She said she felt confidence that those issues were being worked on and were going to be resolved. What kind of assurances did you get from the Cuban side on some of the issues that are most important to the United States, namely your ability to have unrestricted access for your diplomats to meet with whoever want, go wherever they want, and also keep your democracy programs going, and lastly have cargos coming in that are not going to be inspected?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: Well, let me start off by saying I’m hopeful that my counterpart heard what we were saying at the table, which was that what we gave assurances on was that we are working very quickly and very assiduously on the review of the issue of state sponsor of terrorism, not that we’ve prejudged the outcome of that review. So I want to be clear about that.

And the – on the second issue, on banking, let me just say that I do hope she took away from that assurances that we are working to try and resolve that issue, as we have been for over a year, because that actually is an issue that we’ve been working on since before the President’s announcement.

On the issue of the issues, the themes on the agenda, if you will, that were of concern to us, I think we did make progress on a number of them. I don’t feel that it would be appropriate for me to go into specifics about which issue we made more or less progress on. Suffice it to say that I feel that we made sufficient progress on enough of them that I think we came out here with a very positive statement; that I feel that some of them, quite honestly, are close to resolution. Others we have to take back to our respective leadership and talk further; some, I think, require more discussions because they’re still not resolved. We may have some differences in interpretation on certain things, whether it’s under the Vienna Convention or the way that things will proceed going forward.

But I was impressed with the seriousness of the conversation. I was impressed with the level of frankness between our two delegations to put on the table all of the differences and think creatively about how to overcome some of them – in our case, not compromising on our values, but to try and resolve this so that we can have the kind of relationship we want to have. So I don’t want to get into the assurances on each one of those issues. But I’m very encouraged that we will have an embassy functioning in Havana that’s able to do its work in a way that is significantly different and better than our interests section has been able to function up until now.

Thank you very much.

MR. RATHKE: Thank you.

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JACOBSON: (Via interpreter) Well, I will just – wanted to underline that we had a very fruitful conversation, a very positive conversation, a very constructive conversation. We have made progress in many issues and we will continue to discuss these topics, because I believe that both delegations and particularly we are committed to reach the ultimate goal expressed by our President, which is to re-establish relations and open embassies. Thank you.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Source: Dept. Of State – Releases

    

Collected Department Releases: Press Availability With Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

Marlon Brando"s island paradise in Tetiaroa, French Polynesia

By Rosemary McClure A 4-foot lemon shark flashed by my bare legs as we waded in shallow lagoon waters. I grimaced and hoped it wasn’t hungry.

Source: LA Times

    

Marlon Brando"s island paradise in Tetiaroa, French Polynesia

Africa: Readout of DRL Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein Trip to Sudan

Readout of DRL Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein Trip to Sudan

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

February 28, 2015

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During his February 22-26 visit to Sudan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Steve Feldstein met with Sudanese government leaders, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and civil society activists, including representatives of Sudan’s religious communities, journalists, and humanitarian groups and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Blue Nile State. His visit highlights the importance of advancing democracy and human rights in Sudan and resolving the ongoing conflicts in Darfur and the Two Areas. He also reiterated U.S. support for an inclusive and comprehensive National Dialogue to resolve Sudan’s conflicts. Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein said the United States will continue to emphasize key democracy and human rights priorities in Sudan. He underscored the importance of ending human rights abuses especially in Darfur and the Two Areas, increasing space for civil society, opposition political parties, activists, and journalists, and addressing concerns about religious freedom.

In meetings with Sudanese government officials Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein expressed his concern about targeted attacks against civilians in Darfur and the Two Areas, including aerial bombardments of civilian targets, and attacks on aid workers. He called upon the Government of Sudan to fully investigate and hold perpetrators of these acts accountable as a necessary step towards peace. Feldstein urged the government to allow the UN to investigate the allegations of mass rape in the town of Tabit, and bring the perpetrators to justice. Feldstein further called on the government to create a conducive environment for National Dialogue and pressed for the release of political prisoners including Farouq Abu Eissa, Amin Mekki Medani, and Farah Agar.

Members of Sudan’s human rights community and civil society highlighted a range of concerns, including harassment, intimidation, detention, government restrictions on their ability to operate, and severe violations of religious freedom.‎ Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein expressed concern that the Sudanese government had confiscated at least 15 newspaper print runs and stressed that respect for press freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of association would demonstrate the government’s commitment to National Dialogue.

In Blue Nile State Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein noted that the situation continues to deteriorate, hundreds of thousands remain displaced from their homes, and restrictions on access continue to limit the ability of humanitarian organizations to reach people in need. In meetings with local officials he raised allegations of human rights abuses, including those involving rape, beatings, assault, and restrictions of movement for displaced persons.

DAS Feldstein said the United States remains committed to the Sudanese people and pledged to continue our efforts to advance respect for human rights for the Sudanese people.

DAS Feldstein’s engagement with nongovernment representatives and government officials reinforces the United States’ belief that a comprehensive and inclusive national dialogue to address the deteriorating environment for human rights and civil liberties is urgent. The United States in the coming weeks will be working closely with international partners to encourage and support an inclusive political dialogue, including by continuing to press for a cessation of hostilities in all conflict areas. Finally, the United States will continue to condition development of its bilateral relationship with Sudan on the Sudanese government improving its respect for human rights and democratic principles.

For further information, please contact Chanan Weissman at WeissmanC@state.gov or telephone him at 202-647-4043.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Source: Dept. Of State – Africa

    

Africa: Readout of DRL Deputy Assistant Secretary Feldstein Trip to Sudan

Easy Ways To Save Big On Your Next Getaway

By hogga

Who doesn’t love to travel? There are so many incredible places to discover. Whether you are a chill out on the beach type or you prefer to experience absolutely everything the local culture has to offer…. travelling is the one thing that brings us all together. Unfortunately, many of us put off trips, vacations, and sensational getaways. Why does it happen? Money. Budgets and personal finances are the most common reason that men and women avoid jetting off somewhere completely unforgettable.

If this problem sounds familiar, listen up! Travelling doesn’t have to break the bank. At least not anymore. There are tons of great ways that you can save big on your next getaway. Here are a few easy tips to make it happen.

Don’t Overspend On Your Airfare

How many times have you checked out the prices of a flight only to feel disappointed? It doesn’t have to be that way. These days, there are many fantastic ways to avoid overspending on your airfare. Need a few ideas? You can always use a travel app to compare rates between companies, travel at off peak times of day (late at night as opposed to mid-morning or the afternoon), plan your trip during the low season, or simply start looking early. Booking cheap flights in advance is the best way to save, save, and save some more. Often, you can score the best deals in advance, before other travellers start planning their vacations. Know the saying, the early bird catches the worm? When it comes to saving money on your airfare, nothing could be more accurate.

Bring Along All Of The Essentials

Packing smart is another great way to save. That doesn’t mean remembering to bring your toothbrush, an extra pair of shoes, or that new shirt you bought especially for the occasion. The items you bring with you can allow you to save an awful lot of money. For instance, why not pack some granola bars or hard candies? Most places you travel will not have an issue with these items so long as they are in your checked luggage. Having these items on hand during your vacation will help you spend less on food while you are out. Rather than splurging on a $10-15 snack item, you can just reach into your bag!

Other essentials to bring along with you are things like extra batteries and phone chargers, a luggage scale (to avoid running into overweight baggage fees on your return home), and so on. Anything you might need to buy while you are out having fun? Bring it with you to avoid spending unnecessarily.

Look For Discounts on Attractions

Do you want to visit a local museum? Amusement park? Take a luxurious day trip checking out the countryside? These exciting attractions can be a lot of fun – but they can also be very expensive. To save more than you spend, look online for discount codes, coupons, and group deals. Or you can always ask at your hotel for cheaper rates for preferred guests and so on. The more you look around the more likely you are to enjoy your travel plans for a whole lot less.

Source: Geeky Traveller

    

Easy Ways To Save Big On Your Next Getaway

Four hours in New York

By info@businesstraveller.com (Business Traveller Magazine)

Take a bite out of the Big Apple with these six must-see attractions writes Clement Huang

Continues…

Source: Business Traveller

    

Four hours in New York

Tour company Best of Morocco went the extra mile for travelers

My friend and I had the opportunity to travel to Morocco. I contacted the Best of Morocco, and they were very flexible and willing to organize my tour according to places we wanted to see and the length of time we were staying. Hafid, our guide and driver, made us feel very safe. The hotels and…

Source: LA Times

    

Tour company Best of Morocco went the extra mile for travelers

Chips a must along Arizona"s Salsa Trail

By Jay Jones The closer you get to the border, the more passionate people become about Mexican food. In southeastern Arizona’s Graham County, where tomatoes and peppers grow in abundance, folks are downright competitive about their salsa. A dozen mom-and-pop restaurants in Graham County, about three hours…

Source: LA Times

    

Chips a must along Arizona"s Salsa Trail

Collected Department Releases: Under Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Travel to Switzerland

Under Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Travel to Switzerland

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

February 28, 2015

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Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and the U.S. negotiating team will travel on March 2 to Montreux, Switzerland where they will join with Secretary of State John Kerry to meet with Iranian officials. These bilateral consultations take place in the context of the P5+1 nuclear negotiations with Iran and thus include Deputy Secretary General for the EU’s External Action Service Helga Schmid and her team. At the request of Secretary Kerry, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz will travel to Montreux to join in the negotiations.

The full U.S. delegation list for Montreux follows:

The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State

The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy

The Honorable Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs

Robert Malley, Senior Director for Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf States, National Security Council

James Timbie, Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security

Paul Irwin, Director for Nonproliferation, National Security Council

Christopher Backemeyer, Principal Deputy Coordinator for Sanctions Policy, Department of State

Kevin Veal, Director of the Office of International Nuclear Safeguards, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy

Felicia Swindells, Senior Sanctions Policy Advisor, Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Newell Highsmith, Deputy Legal Advisor, Department of State

Mark C. Appleton, Special Advisor to the Secretary, Department of Energy

Julia Jacoby, Special Assistant to Under Secretary of State Sherman

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Source: Dept. Of State – Releases

    

Collected Department Releases: Under Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman Travel to Switzerland

Black Country Living Museum

Heritage buildings relocated from their original Black Country settings form this 26 acre living heritage museum. See craftsmen at work, exhibition halls, a reconstructed colliery, 1930s fairground, and typical village settings.

Source: Britain Express – Attractions

    

Black Country Living Museum

Biggleswade Castle

A rare ringwork and bailey castle, there is little to see beyond minor earthworks. The location of the castle was not discovered until 1954, when aerial photography revealed the outline of the earthworks. Excavations were undertaken in the 1960s, but the site has since regrown.

Source: Britain Express – Attractions

    

Biggleswade Castle

Etihad Airways appoints general manager for SA

By Breaking Travel News Etihad Airways has appointmented John Friel as its new General Manager in South Africa. Based at the airline’s offices in Johannesburg, John is responsible for leading Etihad Airways’ commercial operations in South Africa as it continues to grow its presence and operations across the region.

Source: Breaking Travel News – News

    

Etihad Airways appoints general manager for SA

Sabre unveils three data-driven solutions

By Breaking Travel News Sabre Corporation is launching three new, powerful data-driven, personalization solutions which source insights on customers from multiple touch points and then use that data to create personalized, meaningful engagements with travelers.

Source: Breaking Travel News – News

    

Sabre unveils three data-driven solutions

Cathay Pacific to serve Illy to premium passengers

By Breaking Travel News Cathay Pacific Airways has partnered with illy to serve premium coffee to First and Business Class passengers. Freshly brewed coffee from the renowned Italian coffee roasting company is already being served on flights, while illy’s espresso, café latte and cappuccino will be gradually introduced onboard beginning from March 2015.

Source: Breaking Travel News – News

    

Cathay Pacific to serve Illy to premium passengers

Lufthansa first class rolled out accross Munich fleet

By Breaking Travel News Lufthansa has completed fitting its new first class cabin onto all its long-haul aircraft based at Munich airport.

Source: Breaking Travel News – News

    

Lufthansa first class rolled out accross Munich fleet

Biel House

Biel is an 18th century mansion incorporating a 14th century tower house. The house was remodelled in Gothic style in the 19th century and is surrounded by terraced gardens.

Source: Britain Express – Attractions

    

Biel House