| Germany - Europe's Comeback Kid! |
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The German economy has staged an impressive comeback in the first quarter. According to a first estimate of the statistical office, the Eurozone's biggest economy grew by 0.5% QoQ, from -0.2% in 4Q 2011. Compared with 1Q 2011, this is an increase of 1.7% ...read more |
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| EBX Recommends... May 2012 |
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A selection of hotels and resorts recently reviewed by our team. The palatial, the clubable, ski resorts and health retreats, the family-friendly and the secluded. Dip your toe in the water ...read more |
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| Czech And Slovak Xendpay Launched |
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Xendpay.com, a global Online Money Transfer brand, said to be revolutionary in its class, is the first website of-its-kind to facilitate payments to and from the Czech Republic and Slovakia in local languages. The FSA-authorised websites aims ...read more |
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| European Online Recruitment Up 6% |
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New data from the Monster Employment Index (MEI) shows positive online recruitment growth in Europe, up 6 percent from this time last year, with notable increases in trade worker occupations ...read more |
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| U.S, EU Sign On Trusted Traders |
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the European Union (EU) have signed a Mutual Recognition Decision between CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program and the EU’s Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program ...read more |
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| Draghi's Inconvenient Truth |
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Last Thursday's meeting in Barcelona, the ECB left interest rates unchanged. The ECB looks set to keep rates unchanged for a long while. ECB president Draghi's main message could be an inconvenient truth for those hoping for a quick fix of the euro crisis... ...read more |
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| Lough Eske Castle, Gone Fishin’... |
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Lough Eske, for all its refined opulence, is a place to get close to nature, though not so close that you forget that a foot spa and glass of champagne wait for you after your weary legs have carried you back to a room fit for an Earl... ...read more |
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| Mövenpick Hotels Positions In China |
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A Chinese name and logo, a new Shanghai executive team, a website in Mandarin, three new hotels under development and a record number of Chinese consumers embracing Swiss products are paving the way for success in China for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts ...read more |
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| German Employment Is Under 3 Million |
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German unemployment dropped by a non-seasonally adjusted 64,600 in April, bringing the number of unemployment under the psychological threshold of 3 million for the first time since December 2011 ...read more |
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| Devine Addition To Preferred Hotels |
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The Preferred Hotel Group, a leading provider of sales and marketing support to independent hotels throughout the world, has announced the appointment of Susan Devine as Executive Vice President of Preferred’s European Region. The appointment is part of a larger presence for Preferred Hotels in Europe ...read more |
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| Oil Prices Press EU Inflation Lower |
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Inflation rates in four states dropped to 2% and below. Only inflation in Brandenburg remained above 2% (with 2.1%). As a result, German headline inflation should have dropped in April. Last month, German headline inflation stood at 2.1% YoY based on the national definition and 2.3% YoY based on the harmonised European definition ...read more |
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| Europe And Jordan Draw Closer |
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José Manuel Durão Barroso President of the European Commission, met Tuesday with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Brussels, Barroso declaring that "EU-Jordan relations are very good and our ties are getting even closer."...read more |
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| Russia's Economy Steady & Growing |
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Russia will continue to grow in the coming months - the forecast is given by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which includes representatives from 33 developed countries. The conclusion is based on the OECD’s analysis ...read more |
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| Simple Power's €60 Million Wind Deal |
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United Kingdom wind energy company Simple Power, has announced an exclusive agreement with global manufacturer Vergnet SA to deliver the company’s wind turbines throughout Northern Ireland. The agreement with France's Vergnet is valued at over €60 million....read more |
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| 200 Million Euros For Castilla y León |
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The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a EUR 200 million loan to the Castilla y León Region to finance its investment in RDI, heritage conservation and educational and social facilities. The loan agreement was signed in Valladolid this by the President of the Government of Castilla y León, Juan Vicente Herrera ...read more |
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| Qatar Airway's Berlin 787 Seat Launch |
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Qatar Airways has unveiled what it claims to be "revolutionary new Business and Economy Class seats" for its Boeing 787 aircraft. Touting space, comfort and a revamped in-flight entertainment system the airliner will be inducted into the fleet this summer ..read more |
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| ECB's Draghi Looks At New Horizon |
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Thursday's ECB meeting left interest rates unchanged. According to ECB president Draghi rate changes were not even discussed. While there was not much news from the ECB on the sovereign debt crisis and Greek PSI, the ECB's brought back some gentle anti-inflation rhetorics. It looks as if the ECB has lost this its sense of fear ...read more |
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| Barnier Tightens Financial Regulation |
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In an attempt to limit damage caused in the event of a securities markets meltdown, Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, announced new measures to tackle the need for greater transparency in Europe's financial system ...read more |
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| Mercury Wins UK Gold In Olympic Year |
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The London 2012 Olympics may still be months away but Northern Ireland has already secured its first gold medal of the year, thanks to a leading security firm. Mercury Security Management, has been awarded the United Kingdom's National Security Inspectorate's prestigious Gold Medal, one of the industry’s most sought after awards...read more |
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| Turkey, The EU & Diminishing Returns |
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Joining the dots, Europe has a migraine headache just waiting for the light of day. The choice, when the moment arrives, will be the accession of an increasingly Islamic Turkey to the European Union by compulsion of the rule of law; or the exclusion of Turkey from full EU membership for fear of popular revolt ...read more |
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| Chillin' At 'The Carlton' St. Moritz |
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Opened in 1913, it quickly aligned itself to Tsar Nicoljai II, grandson of Tsar Alexander II, it was rumoured to be his summer residence. Elegant, yet understated. Old school luxury tailored for a slightly older generation. The hotel will celebrate its centenary next year. ...read more |
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| Slieve Donard Rises From The Sea |
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Feast on Ardglass king prawns, Fivemiletown goats’ cheese, Lissara Duck or Hereford steak... From the Slieve Donard Hotel’s Oak Restaurant, the views over Dundrum Bay are stunning, and you can envision the original setting, little will have changed since 1898 when it first opened its doors. ...read more |
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| Kick Back At The Kempinski, St. Moritz |
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Ten minutes through the town of St. Moritz, passing another Norman Foster design, Chesa Furtura, lies the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains. Focused on the active guest, visiting for the skiing and the nightlife, this exceptional hotel has direct access to the slopes ...read more |
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| The One And Only Royal Mirage, Dubai |
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Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, The Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE have constructed a true oasis. The short journey from the airport is just long enough to shake off desert dust and contemplate the luxurious calm of the ‘One and Only Royal Mirage’. ...read more |
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| Abu Dhabi's Palatial Tranquility |
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Experience the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. The enormity of its size stuns as you arrive; a grand arch, sits proud at the entrance. This entrance is only for Heads of State and VIP’s - so swiftly by-pass this to the tradesman’s entrance, unless you got that promotion you deserve so richly! ...read more |
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| Zurich's Zenith, The Dolder Grand Hotel |
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Switzerland, land of milk and honey. One entry point to this buffer state is Zurich, and there is no better place to rest your head than in the Dolder Grand Hotel, just 25 minutes from Zurich International Airport...read more |
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| Rebalance Life, At The Obsidian Retreat |
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L’Oreal’s ‘Because You’re Worth It’ slogan epitomised the narcissism of early 21st Century capitalism, according to anyone who disliked Jennifer Anniston; well, that one person. For the rest of us, investing time in our health and fitness equates to the best narcissistic tendency – the desire to feel better ...read more |
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| The Lowry Hotel, A Perfect Seven |
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In keeping with the seven wonders of the UK at least, Manchester has been ranked number seven of UK cities to visit in the Conde Nast Travel Awards, 2011. A 15 minute tram journey from the centre, The Lowry Hotel stands proud among the flagship designs at the Quays, an integral part of the esteemed Rocco Forte Hotel Collection ...read more |
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| Hungary Devalues Its EU Membership |
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Democracy, freedom and the rule of law in Hungary were the focus of a Civil Liberties Committee hearing, with representatives of the Hungarian media, civil society and government. Some MEPs called for a "fundamental rights check"..read more |
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| Rocco Forte, Augustine Hotel, Prague |
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Some of the rooms still have the original doors. Cubism furniture can also be spotted. Sharp points, slicing planes, crystalline shapes. These are the trademarks of the Czech Cubists – a unique, avant-garde group, feverishly active in Prague between 1910 and 1914 ...read more |
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| The Wiesenhof Hotel, Tyrol, Austria |
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The Wiesenhof Hotel rests in the middle of Pertisau, in the Achensee region of the Tyrol. Achensee is the Tyrol’s largest lake, with the Alpine Park Karwendal providing its splendid backdrop. Austrian aristocracy came here to fish, and hunt in tranquillity...read more |
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| Galgorm Resort & Spa, UK |
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At the Galgorm Resort and Spa, trembling upper lips might quiver in anticipation, liberated by the unbridled joy of driving through grand gates... If you are not immediately struck by the grandeur of Galgorm’s Manor House, your heart is of stone Mr D’Arcy. Stone!....read more |
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| Leadership Styles, A Guide |
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As a leader you may have a predominant style, or because individual styles deliver the right outcome for specific situations, you may switch to a more appropriate style - Christine Knott explores the leadership theories of Kurt Lewin. Recognise your style amongst them? ...read more |
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| The Future of Wind Power |
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“Growth in the wind energy sector is attributable to a huge range of factors, including financial confidence, technological advancements, legislative support from local governments...” writes David Blake, Renewable Energy Recruitment Manager for Allen & York ...read more |
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| Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul |
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Istanbul’s great history is awakening. There are few cities in the world to rival the vast culture and learning of this Byzantine city, this Roman capital, this Ottoman jewel. Istanbul, once fought over for centuries, seemed to quietly retreat from global prominence....read more |
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| Le Quartier Français, South Africa |
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Le Quartier Français is rated 36th in the world on the San Pellegrino Worlds 50 Best Restaurants 2011 listing. No mean feat for a small boutique hotel in the valley village of Franschoekin, part of the Cape winelands of South Africa ....read more |
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| Midnight In Paris, Hotel Le Bristol |
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Woody Allen decided upon Italy for his next movie. Though maybe he should consider France again; Allen's current romantic film has become his most successful box office hit in 25 years. It could just be because it has Paris in the title, or maybe it has a little stardust from one of this amorous city’s most refined hotels, Hotel Le Bristol ....read more |
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| Tim Ringo On Leadership, Performance |
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In this month's Q&A, EBX asked Tim Ringo, a Partner in Maxxim Consulting to put on the back of his imaginary envelope some thoughts about leadership and workforce performance ...read more |
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| Take Me To Verta, Or Lose Me Forever |
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Hotel Verta, situated at The London Heliport, has introduced ‘Meeting Energisers’ to its business meeting programme, to ensure the maximum concentration and productiveness from delegates ...read more |
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