Dede Sophie

 COFFEE growers, investors and stakeholders in Papua New Guinea  need to take heed and work closely with the Marape Government to revamp the once thriving industry. Prime Minister James Marape MP said this was totally necessary to give new direction and focus on re-establishing the cash crop which was and still is the life-line and economic security for ordinary Papua New Guineans and businesses that specialize in the development, processing and export of the commodity. Prime Minister Marape said it was unfortunate that over the years the crop had been allowed to deteriorate through lack of attention, research and development, grower incentives, infrastructure development, downstream processing and other value-adding innovations. He said this time around and under his government, the country has no choice but to directly deal with the industry under a newly created Ministry to oversee its expansion from production through to manufacturing and export. The Prime Minister said the coffee ...

It is a gorgeous high altitude village located super close to the Indo-China border in the Trans-Himalayan region of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. It is famous for its apples, apricots, yaks, horses and a 11th century monastery. I am talking about the rustic Himalayan gem called Nako that is situated at the end of Kinnaur and at the start of Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh. Located at an altitude of 11,893 feet and under the backdrop of the mighty Reo Purgyal mountain (22,362 feet), Nako is a small village of about a thousand people in the Hangrang valley. Farming, fruit orchards and cattle rearing are the main sources of livelihood here. Not many tourists stay here. Rather, they continue to Spiti valley for the more famous tourist attractions. But, there is more to Nako than what meets the eye. For starters, there is the Nako lake whose periphery has willow and poplar trees. During the winter months, when it freezes completely, it becomes a skating rink. At other times, it o...

Indian nationals wishing to enter Hong-Kong for a stay of up to 14 days do not require entry Visas. Instead, one is required to have a Pre-arrival registration (PAR) notification slip for which they can apply online. This service is free of charge. The Hong Kong pre arrival registration for Indians came into effect on the 23rd of January 2017 in accordance with a directive announced by the Hong Kong Immigration Department on December 12th 2016. It was introduced with the aim of saving travellers’ time at the border. If one wishes to stay for a duration that exceeds 14 days, they must apply for a HKSAR Visa. HKSAR refers to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which is the official name for the city of Hong Kong. Outlined below is information regarding the Pre-arrival registration (PAR); Requirements, Exemptions, Validity and General Procedures. Requirements for Pre-arrival registration for Indian Nationals Indians must meet the following two conditions to register for a PAR. 1. Have...

Kia Ireland has commissioned three pageant elements for this year’s St Patrick’s Festival Parade in Dublin, under the title ‘A Future That Moves Us’, writes Brian Byrne. The pageant will be a total of 100 metres long within the Parade, exploring the balance between nature and humans and highlighting Creativity, Nature, and Oceans — that last a reflection of Kia’s global support for the Ocean Clean-up project. The pageant is being built by Buí Bolg Youth Arts based in Wexford. A fleet of electrified Kia vehicles will be provided to assist the various celebrations of the Festival from March 16–19. This will include a vehicle display area at the Festival Quarter in Collins Barracks, National Museum of Decorative Arts. Pictured are Ronan Flood, Managing Director of Kia Ireland with Richard Tierney CEO of St Patrick’s Festival, at the partnership launch in Collins Barracks, National Museum of Decorative Arts.