Category: Top Stories

In a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, participants at a daily ritual clutch a bunch of flowers and lie down in a coffin with a sheet pulled over them as monks chant. The Wat Bangna Nai temple in the Thai capital draws more than 100 people a day who choose to perform the ceremony in the hope it can improve their fortunes or give them a fresh start. And for some at least, the pressures of life during the pandemic have made the ritual take on more importance. “I have to admit that I’m stressed these days because I ... Read more

Russia has lifted the travel restrictions, which were imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, from India. Russian Embassy today confirmed it via a tweet. On Monday, Russia lifted the travel ban that it had imposed last year in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Travelers from India, Finland, Vietnam, and Qatar will now be able to fly to Russia. Apart from India, the travel restrictions have also been lifted from Finland, Vietnam, and Qatar. “For citizens of Finland, Vietnam, #India & Qatar the restrictions on entry to Russia, imposed due to spread of COVID19, are being lifted. ... Read more

Unspoilt villages, rugged moorland and golden beaches – Devon is brimming with heritage, natural beauty and fresh sea air. From tranquil boat trips along the Jurassic Coast and hikes through National Parks to surfing in azure waters and tucking into locally caught seafood, here’s a taste of all Devon has in store if you’re dreaming of a British adventure… With the Bristol Channel to the north and the English Channel to the south, Devon is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Britain. Why not start with Croyde Bay, in North Devon. This glistening beach is surrounded by ... Read more

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) helps travellers to keep dreaming and not lose hope in future travel to the island destination JNTO has revealed a new portal to inspire people around the world to look ‘beyond the clouds’, utilising its vast library of content that allows people to travel without leaving home. As many international borders continue to stay closed and travelling is limited to relatively short distances, JNTO has collated a series of compelling content to ensure potential visitors from around the world can still be inspired by the offerings found in Japan. The new portal showcases content that inspires ... Read more

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birlaon Tuesday, inaugurated the ‘Bharat Parv 2021’, a virtual national festival showcasing the country’s diverse culture, cuisines, and handicrafts. Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism and Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel was also present on this occasion. The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with other central Ministries is organizing this year a virtual ‘Bharat Parv’ event from 26th to 31st January 2021, showcasing the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. Shri Om Birla in his address to the august gathering greeted everyone on the occasion of 72nd Republic Day.  Praising India’s democracy, the Lok ... Read more

A historic pub in the centre of Oxford that has served students, scholars and literary greats for over 450 years is to shut down, a cultural casualty of the COVID pandemic. The Lamb and Flag, once frequented by the likes of “Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien and his friend C.S. Lewis, who wrote “The Chronicles of Narnia”, has suffered a disastrous loss of revenues since the start of the pandemic. The pub first opened in 1566 and was moved to its present location on St Giles, a broad thoroughfare in the city centre, in 1613. It is owned ... Read more

A children’s library on a boat was launched in Kolkata on Republic Day, a first of a kind initiative. Children will be able to choose from a selection of 500 titles in English and Bengali on the Young Readers’ Boat Library, an official said on Tuesday. The idea behind the boat library is that one can read some good collection of books while appreciating the beauty of Kolkata, cruising on the Hooghly, he said. “The boat library would take people on a three-hour-long trip,” the official said. The trip will start at Millenium Park and the boat will travel all ... Read more

Arvind Singh, Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI), has been appointed as the new Secretary of Tourism, Govt of India. He replaces Yogendra Tripathy who has been shifted to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals as Secretary under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. The change at the Tourism Ministry is part of a reshuffle announced by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in the top-level Indian Administrative Services responsibilities. Singh joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1988. His initial assignments were as Assistant Collector at Aurangabad and as Chief Executive Officer of Aurangabad and Nagpur Zilla Parishads. After ... Read more

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently launched the “Thailand Traveller Voice” online survey platform that encourages tourists to provide feedback and recommendations on issues affecting tourist destinations, attractions and establishments, especially on safety, hygiene, and general travel services. Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said, “The Thailand Traveller Voice online platform formed part of the TAT’s strategy to utilise technology to develop a smart data system that can better support tourism development and serve the needs of tourists to help move Thailand forward.” Available in English and Thai, the www.thailandtravellervoice.com platform is open for information and feedback from tourists on the sanitary ... Read more

The critical endangered Yellow Breasted Bunting has been reconfirmed recording in Boeung Prek Lapouv, a Landscape Protection Area in a large wetland in the Lower Mekong Delta, located in Borey Chulsar and Koh Andet districts of Takeo province. According to a news release of the Birdlife International Cambodia Programme issued recently, a field team, led by Mr Ly Samphors, BirdLife project coordinator, and Mr. Chhoeurn Sochheat, Ranger team leader, has recorded a flock of Yellow Breasted Bunting – about 20 birds. “This is a reconfirmed recording after we lost information for the last three years. Land encroachment, water shortage in ... Read more

Delhi-Pakyong (Gangtok) is a UDAN route To launch Delhi-Pakyong-Delhi flights from 23rd January 2021 Bookings open Pioneering regional connectivity in India, SpiceJet, the country’s favourite airline and the largest regional player today announced the launch of a daily non-stop flight connecting Delhi with Pakyong (Gangtok), Sikkim effective 23rd January 2021. SpiceJet was awarded Pakyong under UDAN II. Pakyong airport is the only operational civil airport handling commercial flight operations in the State and SpiceJet will be the first and only airline to offer daily direct air connectivity between Delhi and the North-Eastern State of Sikkim. The airline will deploy a ... Read more

Lumbini is the Buddha’s birthplace, one of the world’s most important spiritual sites, and attracts Buddhist pilgrims from around the world. Today you can visit over twenty-five Buddhist monasteries built by diverse countries from Vietnam to France, study Buddhism, meditate and visit the birthplace within the sacred Mayadevi Gardens. Mayadevi Temple is the most sacred site in the Lumbini Garden where archaeologists have identified the exact spot where Lord Buddha was born. Inscriptions on the Ashoka Pillar nearby also refer to the spot as his birthplace. It is said that the newly born Prince Siddhartha (later became the Buddha) took his first seven steps and delivered ... Read more

As we enter into the new year, Malaysians are looking forward to a healthier, happier, and more prosperous Year of the Ox. In the spirit of keeping traditions alive in the new normal, Fahrenheit88 welcomes “A Blessed Moo Year” this Chinese New Year. From now until 28 February 2021, Fahrenehit88 is decked in shades of red and pink with cherry blossoms, symbolizing longevity, spring, and the renewal of life. From 26 January, the Moo Moo Market, Level 2 features Midorie and marketplace BeLokal selling local artisan. From 27 January, shoppers may redeem a product’s Bonus Gold Nugget with a min. ... Read more

President Joe Biden on Monday is expected to reinstate COVID-19 travel restrictions to combat COVID-19 infections. The restrictions, which were in place for most of 2020, apply to non-U.S. citizens who have been in Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe. Then-President Donald Trump rescinded the restrictions days before the end of his term. “With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,” the now-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Twitter last Monday. “On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not ... Read more

Will you ever pay to spend time in prison? Well, it seems very much possible in the coming days. The Maharashtra government will start ‘jail tourism’ in the state from Pune’s Yerawada prison on January 26 to facilitate people to visit and see from close quarters the historical prisons, a minister said on Saturday. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will inaugurate the jail tourism initiative at Yerawada Central Jail on Republic Day, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said in a press conference. This is the first of its kind initiative in the country, he claimed. ... Read more