NEW YORK (Reuters) – Forget cards, flowers and chocolates, most singles want a special experience rather than a gift for Valentine’s Day and although the economy is stagnating, most romantics will spend as much, or more, on the day this year than last.

Nearly half of single and divorced people questioned in a new poll said they view the day as an opportunity to show someone how much they care but a similar number without a significant other don’t feel any pressure to celebrate Cupid’s big day.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Nearly half of workers around the world would consider moving to another country for the right job, a pay rise and other incentives such as trips home and language training, according to a new survey released on Monday.

With the global economy still struggling, employees in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Turkey and India were most eager to grasp new opportunities, while workers in Sweden, the United States and Belgium preferred to stay closer to home, the Ipsos international poll showed.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Interested in adventure and exploring new places? An international magazine is looking for volunteers to spend a month in Cuenca, Ecuador to test its potential as a retirement destination.

Applicants must be near retirement age, from the United States or Canada and be willing to relax, explore, shop, try local restaurants, maybe take a Spanish class, and report on their experience during an all-expense paid month in the Latin American country.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Six new breeds of dogs, including Mexico’s hairless Xoloitzcuintli, the Finnish Lapphund and the Norwegian Lundehund, will be competing in the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show next month.

They will join other newcomers, the Cesky Terrier, the American English Coonhound and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, along with 179 other breeds and varieties vying to be named Best in Show on Feb 14 at the annual New York event that started in 1877 with 1,201 dogs.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – About one in five workers around the globe, particularly employees in the Middle East, Latin America and Asia, telecommute frequently and nearly 10 percent work from home every day, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters poll.

Telecommuting is particularly popular in India where more than half of workers were most likely to be toiling from home, followed by 34 percent in Indonesia, 30 percent in Mexico and slightly less in Argentina, South Africa and Turkey.

NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters) – About one in five workers
around the globe, particularly employees in the Middle East,
Latin America and Asia, telecommute frequently and nearly 10
percent work from home every day, according to a new
Ipsos/Reuters poll.

Telecommuting is particularly popular in India where more
than half of workers were most likely to be toiling from home,
followed by 34 percent in Indonesia, 30 percent in Mexico and
slightly less in Argentina, South Africa and Turkey.

NEW YORK, Jan 23 (Reuters) – An early 14th century
panel of the Virgin Mary, a view of Venice by Canaletto and a
very rare oil on copper still life will be among the highlights
of Sotheby’s sale of Old Master Paintings this week.

Works by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck and Francesco
Guardi will also be included in the New York auction on Jan. 26,
which is expected to exceed $60 million.

NEW YORK (Reuters)- – Beauty coaching, online wellness, snow showers and sound massages are just a few of the luxury treatments clients at spas around the globe will be experiencing in 2012.

Massages and facials will still be big draws for the $250 billion industry, but spas will be branching out into more personal coaching programs, spa parties and packages for families and even online games, according to a new report.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Men may be helping more in the home but working women still do more multitasking in U.S. families than their partners and are finding it stressful, according to a new study.

Whether it is housework, cooking or childcare, women do about 10 hours more multitasking in the home each week — 48.3 hours compared to 38.9 — which researchers say constitutes an important source of gender inequality.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – They are among the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population and by 2050 their numbers could reach 601,000 but most centenarians never expected to reach 100 and many say lifestyle is the secret to longevity.

More than a third of U.S. centenarians questioned in a new poll credited their lengthy lives to good living, while 27 percent said it was due to genes and 23 percent cite their faith.