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Philippines up 10 notches in 'economic freedom' list

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Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The government's anti-corruption efforts helped push the Philippines' global ranking in terms of economic freedom by 10 notches to 97th among 177 countries and territories.

This was according to the editors of the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, jointly released by Washington D.C.-based The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.

Based on the latest annual index, the 19th since it first came out in 1995, the Philippines scored 58.2 out of 100 points.

Such score keeps the Philippines in the category of "mostly unfree" countries or those within the range of 50 points to 59.9 points.

"(The) score is 1.1 points higher than last year, with notable improvements in investment freedom and freedom from corruption outweighing a decline in business freedom," the editors said in a statement.

They added that such score was below the global average of 59.6, but noted that the Philippines' improvement provided contrast to the world's 0.1 point gain.

"The global advance toward economic freedom has ground to a halt," they said. "Since reaching a global peak in 2008, economic freedom has continued to stagnate."

Even then, the editors observed an overall positive trend in 2012, with 91 countries improving their scores compared to 78 that declined.

As for the Philippines, they noted that the government has pursued a series of legislative reforms toward an improved business environment that encourages broader-based job growth.

Still, the editors said Philippine institutions needed "deeper commitment to reform."

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Philippines up 10 notches in 'economic freedom' list

Let Freedom Ring – A Growing National WWII Museum Opens Newest Building

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NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --The National WWII Museum celebrated the next milestone in its $325 million expansion with a Grand Opening ceremony for the new US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. An expansive, patriotic and emotional ceremony was matched only by the grandeur and glory of the new pavilion, which opened to the public today.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/let-freedom-ring---a-growing-national-wwii-museum-opens-newest-building-186696891.html

Called "A Salute to Freedom" and presented by CenturyLink, the event marked a weekend of celebration as an array of VIPs, veterans and young scholars from every state in the union and the District of Columbia gathered in New Orleans for the occasion.Attending were members of the national news media such as Tom Brokaw, politicians including US Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne; representatives from CenturyLink and The Boeing Company; Museum board members; student historians and military figures from all branches of service. The throng joined National WWII Museum President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Gordon H. "Nick" Mueller to dedicate the $35 million building. The thrusting glass and steel exhibit space holds a tribute to WWII Medal of Honor recipients and displays huge macro artifacts including a B-17E Flying Fortress the massive bomber was part of America's "Arsenal of Democracy" that won the war. It now joins one of the world's finest collections of WWII artifacts.

"We are the nation's WWII museum," Mueller said. "And with Sunday's public opening of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, we'll have even more compelling artifacts to display to our community, our visitors and the world. This is an exciting and emotional day."

Other artifacts inside the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center include the "big guns" of American military might, consisting of restored aircraft such as a B-25J Mitchell, SBD-3 Dauntless, TBM Avenger, P-51D Mustang, Corsair F4U-4 and an interactive submarine experience based on the final mission of the USS Tang. Visitors will man authentic positions and perform the battle actions of actual crewmembers as theTangengages the Japanese forces in a recreation of the doomed sub's final war patrol battle. The USS Tang, launched in 1943, was America's most successful submarine during World War II. Roaming the Pacific she sank 33 Japanese ships. In 1944 she was sunk during her last engagement by a circular run of her final torpedo. Only nine men escaped. They were captured by the Japanese and sent to a prison camp. Seventy-eight others died. This educational and interactive exhibit, Final Mission: The USS Tang Submarine Experience, honors their memory. Exhibits in the new pavilion make full use of the newest digital technologies for a thrilling journey into the heart of the war experience.

Funds for the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center came from a $20 million Congressional grant through the United States Department of Defense and $15 million gift from The Boeing Company. The gift from Boeing, which built the B-17, represents the largest private contribution the Museum has received to date. Funding for individual exhibits and artifact restoration were provided by other generous donors including Madlyn and Paul Hilliard, the Goldring Family Foundation & The Woldenberg Foundation, Pratt & Whitney, Martin Granoff, the Ricketts family, the Ready family, Capital One and Whitney Bank.

"The swift progress that has been made on this project is emblematic of the unity of spirit, dedication and selfless hard work that won the war on the battlefronts and on the Home Front seven decades ago," said Dennis Muilenburg, Executive Vice President of The Boeing Company and President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "It is great to see the vision of the Museum's founders come to life as a place where visitors can gain a fuller appreciation of what so many Americans achieved in World War II and can reflect on what today's generation of war fighters continue to do for us every day."

Mueller gave more background to Boeing's wartime accomplishments.

"Activity on the Home Front was vital to the Allied victory in World War II, and Boeing was at the epicenter of that industrial movement, producing more than 19,000 B-17s, B-29s and other essential aircraft," he said. "The B-17 and other artifacts in our US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center represent the nation's tremendous industrial capacity and American wartime ingenuity. We thank Boeing for its contribution to preserving our freedoms then and now."

The Museum opened the new pavilion even as another, the $33 million Campaigns of Courage: European & Pacific Theaters, rises nearby scheduled to open in 2014. The last major building, The Liberation Pavilion (scheduled opening in 2016), will focus on the war's closing months and the immediate post-war years and contain an expansive special exhibits gallery. A proposed hotel and conference center as well as a parking structure, if built, will finish out the expansion. Upon completion, the Museum will directly sustain more than 400 jobs and generate $100 millioneach year in positive economic impact.

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Let Freedom Ring - A Growing National WWII Museum Opens Newest Building

Harley-Davidson Freedom Jacket Journeys Thousands Of Miles In One Year To Unite Independents Around The World

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MILWAUKEE, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --In August 2012, Harley-Davidson fans around the world kicked off a year-long celebration of the company's 110th Anniversary. Over the course of an entire year, millions of fans across 11 countries and six continents are celebrating their shared passion for freedom, self-expression, epic adventure, and the stories that unite them.

As part of the year-long celebration, Harley-Davidson has enlisted individuals from all over the world to take a single black leather jacket the 'Freedom Jacket' on an adventure and to share their stories online. The Freedom Jacket will pass from rider to rider and visit dozens of iconic destinations in all corners of the globe, collecting their stories before coming home to Milwaukee for the final celebration, Aug. 29 Sept. 1, and for display at the Harley-Davidson Museum.

"The Freedom Jacket represents one of the most elemental, yet powerful truths of what it means to be a Harley-Davidson rider," said Harley-Davidson's Chief Marketing Officer Mark-Hans Richer. "A leather jacket is like a rider's soul every pin, scratch, scrape and patch is a visual marker of your journey and becomes part of your identity and the stories you tell."

The Freedom Jacket was born last August when Richer wore a simple Harley leather jacket during an epic ride across the Tibetan Plateau in China to help kick-off the 110th Anniversary. At a stop along the ride, Richer asked a local Chinese man, who was working painting road markers, to paint something on the jacket to symbolize what he thought about Harley-Davidson. The man painted the Chinese character for "freedom."

Since then, the Freedom Jacket has been worn by passionate enthusiasts who've traveled to destinations around the world, including the foothills of the Alps in Faaker See, Austria for European Bike Week; the highways of Mexico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and even the starting line of the NHRA Pro Stock finals in Pomona, CA. In the coming months, the Freedom Jacket will journey to destinations both on and off the beaten path, including official Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary events planned in India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Rome.

Fans can explore the inspiring videos, photos and stories of those who have worn the Freedom Jacket by visiting http://www.h-d.com/110jacket, the company's Facebook page (Facebook.com/Harley-Davidson), Twitter handle (@harley-davidson) or via the hashtag #FreedomJacket.

Harley-Davidson is also inviting fans to share stories about their own journeys via the 110th Anniversary website. On January 22, the company will launch a unique online app that allows fans to create a personalized version of the 110th Anniversary "110 Years of Freedom" graphic with photos of their own epic adventures which will be featured on Harley-Davidson's Facebook page and other online channels. The company is also allowing fans the opportunity to create their own 110th Anniversary pages within the site to share their experiences with the world.

"The 110th Anniversary is, first and foremost, a celebration of our fans, so it's only natural that user-generated content would be at the forefront of our efforts," added Richer.

Harley-Davidson is planning to reveal several other exciting details related to the 110th Anniversary in the coming weeks, including announcing headlining talent for the Rome and Milwaukee celebration events, as well as sharing upcoming Freedom Jacket adventures. Tickets for the 110th Anniversary celebration in Milwaukee are currently on sale at http://www.ticketmaster.com.

About the Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary

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Harley-Davidson Freedom Jacket Journeys Thousands Of Miles In One Year To Unite Independents Around The World

NZMCA seeks to quash Freedom Camping bylaw

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The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) is taking a local body to the High Court in a bid to protect the rights of its members to freedom camp.

The NZMCA will seek to have Westland District Councils Freedom Camping bylaw quashed when New Zealand public and employment law specialists Chen Palmer file papers with the High Court in Greymouth on Monday.

In announcing the legal challenge, NZMCA General Manager Bruce Lochore said the Westland District Council has adopted an overly restrictive Freedom Camping Bylaw in breach of the Freedom Camping Act. "Thats a view shared by the Westland District Councils own Strategy Committee, which recommended a number of changes to the Draft Policy and Bylaw," said Mr Lochore."However, the council opted to ignore the Strategy Committees recommendations - even with the knowledge the NZMCA would seek a judicial review to have the bylaw quashed if it went ahead."

Mr Lochore explained that in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup, councils sought to have a mechanism to deal with the worst offending freedom campers. "The Government gave them the Freedom Camping Act which allowed them to ban or restrict freedom camping in certain areas and the ability to issue fines. The Government also ensured the rights of every Kiwi who freedom camps responsibly are secured by making councils identify specific sites they want banned and justifying those decisions."

During Parliamentary debates on the issue, Kate Wilkinson (Minister of Conservation) said: "The Act is pro-camping and local authorities are expected to take a permissive approach."

"However, the Westland District Council has effectively imposed a prohibition on freedom camping on all public land and roads within 1km of the boundary of all townships and settlements," said Mr Lochore."In doing so they have ignored their obligations to adequately assess any perceived issues and consider alternative measures which may be appropriate and proportionate to the issue."

Chen Palmer will also present a number of other breaches the WDC has committed in creating the bylaw.

Mr Lochore stated the NZMCA is bitterly disappointed to have been forced to take this action: "We have committed considerable expertise and resources to councils over the past months and have demonstrated our willingness to work with them. But we will not sit back and have the rights of our members to responsibly freedom camp stomped on by any council."

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NZMCA seeks to quash Freedom Camping bylaw

Freedom Academy breaks ground for new addition

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Freedom Preparatory Academy students, families, staff, faculty, board members and community members gathered Saturday afternoon for the groundbreaking of the school's new building in Provo.

The new school, which will be built near the current building, will house students in grades seven through 12. Kindergarten through sixth grade classes will remain in the old building. The expansion will be finished in August, in time for the 2013-14 school year.

The decision to expand the charter school to include a high school involved a lengthy application process and much discussion in the community about the building of the new school.

On Saturday, though, excitement was high.

"It's a great day," said Ken Parkinson, the school's chief administrative officer. "It's going to be a beautiful school."

Director Lynne Herring credited the parents of students at the school for the expansion, explaining that many of them wanted to keep their children in the charter school.

For the small group of ninth-graders who have been students at the school since its creation, the day held particular significance.

Taylor Parkinson, a ninth-grader from Springville, said he had been thinking of going to a different school for high school. But with Freedom Academy's expansion, he's excited to continue at the school.

Beck Hansen, 14, of Provo explained that "it's cool to know that we were the first ones at the school and have been here since the beginning."

"It's a magical day," Bethany Day, 15, of Provo added, as a big smile spread across her face.

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Freedom Academy breaks ground for new addition

Freedom campers hit in pocket

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Freedom campers who break the rules in the Queenstown and Wanaka districts are being hit hard in the pocket.

Under the new Freedom Camping Bylaw, 511 infringement fines have been issued in Queenstown and Wanaka since December 22 - nearly double the number for the same time the year before.

The new bylaw came into effect on December 19, replacing the former bylaw which also allowed the council to issue $200 infringement fines.

Lakes Environmental regulatory and corporate manager Lee Webster said since the enforcement level was the same as under the previous bylaw, his only explanation for the increase was a rise in visitor numbers to the Lakes District.

He said for the period from December 22, 2011, to January 11, 2012, a total of 279 fines were issued.

''That's 232 more - it's getting up to almost double.

''It's demonstrating the influx of people to our community,'' Mr Webster said.

Under the new bylaw ''some boundaries have changed but the general principles are the same''.

The council's enforcement officers worked for two hours ''in the early hours of the morning'', the same as under the previous bylaw.

Mr Webster said 47 freedom camping infringements had been issued in the Boundary St car park, all in January.

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Freedom campers hit in pocket

Freedom To Glide The Wait OUT NOW – Video

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Freedom To Glide The Wait OUT NOW
Freedom To Glide - The Wait 6 track mini album OUT NOW Available as CD and Download at: freedomtoglide.bandcamp.com Join f2g on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com Hear The Wait in full at: http://www.progstreaming.com http://www.freedomtoglide.com Music Zero - Wind Gales by Freedom To Glide Video by Spooky Nook Creative: http://www.spookynook.co.uk

By: FreedomToGlide

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Freedom To Glide The Wait OUT NOW - Video

In the Index of Economic Freedom, Liberalization Slips

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The foundations of economic freedom are weakening around the world, according to the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, published today by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. Particularly concerning are the rise of populist "democratic" movements that use the coercive power of government to redistribute income and control economic activity.

In the post-Arab Spring Middle East, some democratically elected governments are adopting totalitarian practices reminiscent of revolutionary Iran or the Taliban. Economic freedom can't flourish under the arbitrary rule of authoritarians and despots, and it has declined significantly in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.

Corrupt political and legal environments cause underdevelopment in poorer countries, and this year's index devotes a special section to the importance of the rule of law in fostering freedom and economic growth. Unfortunately, economic favoritism and cronyism exist in advanced democracies, too. In the index, Matt Mitchell of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University catalogs a dozen ways in which government privileges for special interests hurt productivity and reduce efficiency. The damage isn't just economic. The pathology of privilege, which tends to favor the rich and powerful, erodes the integrity of political systems, too.

Elsewhere in the index, Harvard's Robert Barro warns of advanced democracies engaging in redistributionist economics on behalf of electoral majorities. The resulting transfers of income and wealth tend to compromise property rights and reduce the incentives to work and invest. Policies that promote the rule of law and protect individuals from arbitrary government regulation, by contrast, ensure fairnessand, as documented in years of empirical data, promote higher incomes and faster growth.

Surprisingly, ailing Europe made the most progress last year, while the average economic-freedom score world-wide increased only a 10th of a point. The threat of imminent collapse in the euro zone has prompted some serious efforts to rein in government spending and taxation. Leading the way in Europe are those countries that know firsthand the ravages of socialism. Georgia, a former Soviet republic, showed the most improvement in the 2013 index, with Estonia and Poland not far behind. Even Sweden, the former poster child for democratic socialism, has adopted more market-oriented policies promoting economic freedom.

Still, almost all of the most advanced countries lost ground this year. Even top-ranked Hong Kong saw its score decline due to increased government spending and higher inflation. The United States, ranked only 10th most free in the world this year, joins Ireland as the only advanced economies to have lost economic freedom five years in a row.

It is no exaggeration to blame the recent slowdown in economic liberalization around the world on the lack of U.S. leadership. Trade flowsthe engine of world growthhave declined as the U.S. economy has stagnated. Protectionism threatens consumers and businesses with higher costs and restrictions in supply. Ill-conceived banking regulations such as the Dodd-Frank law generate uncertainty and anxiety. And investment freedom declines in the face of higher costs and new legal and tax liabilities such as those introduced by ObamaCare. These misguided U.S. policies hurt Americans first, but others feel the harm as well.

Nor is the loss of economic freedom a necessary byproduct of the quest to ensure greater fairness. All around the world, the true cost of lost economic freedom isn't just slower economic growth but poorer performance on social indicators such as health, education, poverty reduction and environmental protection. Freer economies are better able to achieve such progressive social goals than are economies that rely more on government regulation and centralized control.

-Mr. Miller is the director of the Center for International Trade and Economics at the Heritage Foundation.

First appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

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In the Index of Economic Freedom, Liberalization Slips

Freedom fighter passes away

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Freedom fighter, social worker and a senior lady advocate of 60 years standing at the bar P. Jaganmohini passed away here on Thursday. She was 84. Jaganmohini was ailing for some time and was being treated at a private hospital for the last few days.

Born to Dr. Rama Rao and Subhadramma in 1930 at Berhampur, Jaganmohini was a first generation advocate and said to be the first lady advocate of the city. She was known for providing legal help and educational assistance to the poor and downtrodden and remained a spinster to serve the people. Jaganmohini had the credit of solving many cases through the Lok Adalat and the District Legal Services Authority. She was actively involved in establishing and running many educational institutions and service organisations like Ba-Bapu Seva Kendram, All India Mahila Samakhya, Visakha Seva Sadan, Gayatri Vidya Parishad, MLB Trust, Bhagavatula Charitable Trust, etc.

Principle District Judge V. Venkata Prasad, several judges, former chairman of Bar Council of India and president of GVP D.V. Subba Rao, secretary P. Soma Raju, principals and faculty of GVP institutions, secretary of Gandhi Centre K.S. Sastry, president of Visakhapatnam Bar Association K. Adibabu, secretary of GVP MLBT School V. Srirama Murthy, and others paid rich tributes to Jaganmohini.

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Freedom fighter passes away

Freedom High's Woodard stays focused amid craziness

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By JEFF BERLINICKE | Tribune correspondent Published: January 11, 2013 Updated: January 11, 2013 - 12:00 AM

Faith Woodard's mailbox was bursting every day with more than 30 letters from colleges all over the country asking her, practically begging her, to be the bedrock of their basketball programs.

Then things got really crazy.

Woodard, a recent transfer to Freedom High from Riverview, is a multisport athlete and every coach's dream. She won the state championship in the high jump and competed in four other events at the state track meet. She has been the Tribune's Hillsborough County Female Athlete of the Year for the past two years.

Depending on who is asked, the senior ranges anywhere from 6-foot-1 to 6-4. Woodard said it's closer to 6-2, but she won't argue with any of the projections. Either way, the height doesn't matter as much as the 21.6-point scoring average and the 16-2 record.

The college letters are still pouring in, even though she has committed to Georgetown University, and the farther the Patriots roll through the season, the more calls and letters she is likely to receive.

"It just started to get crazy when I transferred to Freedom,'' Woodard said. "I wanted academics and let everyone know that, but I also wanted to stay close to home. I love my family, and South Florida seemed like a great choice, but I just decided on Georgetown. It was tough, but I am happy with my decision and I don't plan to change.''

Woodard is looking forward to Georgetown, but first she wants to take Freedom to Lakeland, site of the state Final Four.

After transferring from Riverview, where she averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds a season ago, she had the advantage of knowing her new coach, Laurie Pacholke, through AAU basketball for several years. Pacholke said she had no doubt that Woodard would fit in.

"I've known her for a while, and I knew what she could bring to the team,'' Pacholke said. "She is hungry to get even better. You haven't even seen how good I know she can be. She likes being pushed to the limits and she never complains.''

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Freedom High's Woodard stays focused amid craziness

Which Country Offers the Most Economic Freedom?

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The world's largest economy the U.S. came in at number 10. While no euro zone country made it to the top 10 in economic freedom, Switzerland and Denmark were placed 5th and 9th respectively.

The ranking, which covers 185 countries, is based on 10 factors ranging from freedom in trade and labor markets to the extent of government spending.

Hong Kong and Singapore have occupied the top two spots since the Index was launched almost two decades ago, owing to their efficient and transparent legal frameworks, vibrant engagement in global trade and investment and low tolerance for corruption, according to the Heritage Foundation report.

"The biggest freedom area is still Asia, (it) remains the brightest spot in terms of economic freedom. There are no euro currency countries anymore in the top 10. It was not really a good year for economic freedom," Edwin Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation told CNBC on Thursday.

In 2013, Ireland fell down the ranks from 9th to 11th place, which meant that no country from the single currency bloc is represented in the top 10. Other European nations including France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom each received scores similar or lower than those they first registered nearly two decades ago.

Overall, 35 countries saw declines in their economic freedom scores by one point or more over the past year, compared with 31 countries which saw an increase of that magnitude, which Feulner said is a reflection of policy stagnation. Each nation is marked on a scale of 0-100, with the latter representing the most freedom.

While on the whole government spending scores improved as many countries attempted to restrict their rapid budget growth, regulatory efficiency marks declined as a number of governments increased minimum wages and tightened control over labor markets. (Read More: Is Asia's Hot Spot for Investment Under Threat?)

US Faces Declining Freedom

The U.S. score fell to 76 from 76.3 in 2012 - the fifth straight year of decline. It is now at its lowest level since 2000. It also came in below neighboring Canada which was placed 6th.

"Entrepreneurial growth is stifled by evermore-bloated government and a trend toward cronyism that erodes the rule of law," Feulner wrote.

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Which Country Offers the Most Economic Freedom?

Which Country Offers Most Economic Freedom?

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The world's largest economy the U.S. came in at number 10. While no euro zone country made it to the top 10 in economic freedom, Switzerland and Denmark were placed 5th and 9th respectively.

The ranking, which covers 185 countries, is based on 10 factors ranging from freedom in trade and labor markets to the extent of government spending.

Hong Kong and Singapore have occupied the top two spots since the Index was launched almost two decades ago, owing to their efficient and transparent legal frameworks, vibrant engagement in global trade and investment and low tolerance for corruption, according to the Heritage Foundation report.

"The biggest freedom area is still Asia, (it) remains the brightest spot in terms of economic freedom. There are no euro currency countries anymore in the top 10. It was not really a good year for economic freedom," Edwin Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation told CNBC on Thursday.

In 2013, Ireland fell down the ranks from 9th to 11th place, which meant that no country from the single currency bloc is represented in the top 10. Other European nations including France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom each received scores similar or lower than those they first registered nearly two decades ago.

Overall, 35 countries saw declines in their economic freedom scores by one point or more over the past year, compared with 31 countries which saw an increase of that magnitude, which Feulner said is a reflection of policy stagnation. Each nation is marked on a scale of 0-100, with the latter representing the most freedom.

While on the whole government spending scores improved as many countries attempted to restrict their rapid budget growth, regulatory efficiency marks declined as a number of governments increased minimum wages and tightened control over labor markets. (Read More: Is Asia's Hot Spot for Investment Under Threat?)

US Faces Declining Freedom

The U.S. score fell to 76 from 76.3 in 2012 - the fifth straight year of decline. It is now at its lowest level since 2000. It also came in below neighboring Canada which was placed 6th.

"Entrepreneurial growth is stifled by evermore-bloated government and a trend toward cronyism that erodes the rule of law," Feulner wrote.

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Which Country Offers Most Economic Freedom?

Freedom Summit 2013 Bay Area Groups Fighting Human Trafficking to Gather at Freedom Summit 2013

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MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

On January 25-26 in Fremont, California, Freedom Summit 2013, will bring together civic, law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations, community groups, churches, students and healthcare professionals interested in building a collective response to the problem of human trafficking and forced labor in the Bay Area.

Freedom Summit is the largest event of its kind in the United States, and there is growing urgency around its mission. On a global level, the sale of human beings is the third largest illicit trade, following drugs and weapons, but it is growing at the fastest rate1. California is among the nations top three states in terms of human trafficking activity2 and it generates the second highest volume of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego are among the top 10 U.S. cities in terms of child sex trafficking3. In the Bay Area, trafficking victims include domestic servants, sex slaves and forced laborers of all ages.

Along with keynote speakers, Freedom Summit 2013 will feature breakout sessions with more than 50 anti-trafficking organizations sharing best practices and resources for community education and engagement. Event highlights include screenings of new film documentaries. Among the event's sponsors are Google, Humanity United, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, and Stanford University.

In her opening remarks, event host Betty Ann Boeving will shine a spotlight on the problem and the incredible progress that is being made by experts and everyday citizens alike. Ms. Boeving is founder and executive director of the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition, a 501c3 non-profit and the organizer of this biennial conference and expo.

Keynote Addresses: Justin Dillon, Founder and CEO, Slavery Footprint Nathan George, Founder, Trade As One Jaida Im, Founder and Executive Director, Freedom House Sean Litton, SVP of Field Operations, International Justice Mission Bradley Miles, Executive Director and CEO, Polaris Project Betty Ann Boeving, Founder and Executive Director, Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition

TO THE MEDIA: To register, visit http://www.freedom-summit.org and use promo code "deleteslaveryPR" for your complimentary press pass.

FREEDOM MONTH: Three years ago, President Obama proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Read his Presidential Proclamation. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is January 11th.

CONTACTS: Betty Ann Boeving, Chair, Freedom Summit 2013; founder and Executive Director, Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition (bettyann@baatc.org). Robin Shepherd, Freedom Summit 2013 volunteer (shepherdrobin7@gmail.com).

Visit http://www.baatc.org or follow us: facebook.com/baatc.org, Twitter @BaatcDotOrg Betty Ann Boeving Speaks at TEDx Event: http://vimeo.com/32157524 Freedom Summit 2013 Intro Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81vy4Zwfh18&feature=youtu.be

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Freedom Summit 2013 Bay Area Groups Fighting Human Trafficking to Gather at Freedom Summit 2013

Horsemanship; (Part 3) Overcoming Fear and Riding with Freedom. by Christa Pynn – Video

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Horsemanship; (Part 3) Overcoming Fear and Riding with Freedom. by Christa Pynn
Follow me on this exciting journey, as we "Overcome Fear and Ride with Freedom." http://www.animalkrackersmonthly presents our Cowgirlsdontkry Horsemanship Series. Christa Lynn works with a woman finally living out her life long dream of owning a horse. Realizing the fears she has and wanting to find a way to ride with the freedom she had as a child.

By: Christa Pynn

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Horsemanship; (Part 3) Overcoming Fear and Riding with Freedom. by Christa Pynn - Video


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