Grupo Mexicana suspended operations at its three airlines Saturday “until further notice,” citing the financial problems inherited when the group changed owners a week ago. The company’s three airlines — Mexicana Airlines, MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink — stopped all flights at midday Saturday, according to a statement from the group. “Today’s decision is a painful one [...]
The State Department told U.S. government employees in Monterrey, Mexico, on Friday to send their children elsewhere because of heightened security risks related to drug violence. The order is the first of its kind in any Mexican city, said Brian Quigley, a spokesman for the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, adding it reflects an increasingly [...]
The first foreign tourist marriage ever in Papeete took place Monday morning at the Papeete City Hall. The newlyweds come from Australia. They have been living close to Sydney for fifteen years. But 37-year old Michelle Reid is Scottish and 47-year old Brian Parkinson is Irish. The newlyweds wanted a very exotic and romantic setting [...]
I remember the eager manager leading me down the supermarket’s “ethnic” aisle. “Right here,” he said proudly as we stopped before a few pathetic boxes of matzo and a couple of jars of gefilte fish. He handed me the kosher salt I’d been looking for. “We’ll be getting more Jewish items soon,” he assured me. [...]
French Riviera beaches packed with tourists have been closed for swimming after a suspected shark was spotted circling in the water. The chilling alert was issued yesterday after lifeguards patrolling in a motorboat spotted a creature measuring more than seven feet long. ‘We were taking no chances and issued the swimming ban immediately,’ said Michel [...]
We’ve all splashed water over our face in a bid to wake up in the morning. But one Australian man has taken it to the extreme. Standing perilously close to the edge of a rock face, the fearless individual stood head-on with Mother Nature as she threw giant whitewater waves over Ben Buckler headland North [...]
The US State Department has warned Americans to “carefully consider” the risks involved in travel to parts of Russia, as heavy smog continues to grip Moscow and wildfires rage. “Forest fires and extreme high temperatures in the Moscow region and surrounding areas of central Russia have produced hazardous levels of air pollution and caused numerous [...]
A flight attendant on a plane that had just landed at JFK on Monday afternoon ran out of patience only a few steps from the terminal gate, so he allegedly cursed a blue streak over the public address system, pulled the emergency chute and ran away, sources said. Jet Blue employee Steven Slater was on [...]
ABC News brings us a bizarre video report about the growing business of “tornado tourism” in the Midwest. Some thrill-seeking tourists traveled from as far as Europe to brave extremely high winds and hail the size of tennis balls. The video centers on Roger Hill, who runs a business called Silver Lining Tours, which offers [...]
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Westerners face possible attack from unidentified extremists in the central province of al-Qassim, in the first warning of its kind this year. “We have received credible information that an unidentified extremists in Saudi Arabia may be planning to attack Westerners working and living in al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia,” the [...]
The mysterious deaths this week of seven puppies shortly after landing on a plane in Chicago has rattled the nerves of animal lovers. But there is much that airlines and pet owners can do to ensure the well-being of the 2 million dogs, cats, livestock and other creatures transported by air every year, experts said. [...]
When most of us lose our luggage, we get mad, maybe throw a temper tantrum and ask the airline in question for help. Not Danielle Covarrubias. First she paid $25 to check her bag on American Airlines. Then they lost it and refused to refund her $25. In turn, she is suing them for $5 [...]
Ralph Mothes and Paloma Werner of the Cape Town Sailing Academy had a very close call when a whale breached right on to their yacht recently. Paloma says: “We had been taking some pictures and had just decided to head back when a Southern Right whale, between 11 – 14 m long, breached about 100 [...]
Tourists face fines of nearly $375 for failing to cover up their bikinis or bare chests on the streets of a popular Spanish seaside resort. The resort of Salou on the Costa Dorada, south of Barcelona, has become the first place in Spain to ban shirtless and bikini-clad tourists in a bid to clean up [...]
The short film “Ningen to Magan” (“People and the Greater White-Fronted Goose”), which took first prize in the second Mainichi Video Awards, was taken by the videographer over several trips to Miyajima Lake in Bibai, Hokkaido. The lake will soon be host to vast flocks of the geese, and is a premier example of Hokkaido’s [...]
The United States has warned its citizens not to travel to Nepal after months of street protests and political turmoil in the Himalayan nation. The warning, issued by the State Department, said the United States remains concerned about the security situation in Nepal. The Maoist former rebels shut down the country for more than a [...]
Spirit Airlines pilots went on strike Saturday in a dispute over pay, and the discount carrier immediately canceled all of its flights for the day. The walkout and cancellations threatened to disrupt the travel plans for thousands of vacationers. Spirit flies from several airports in the eastern U.S., through Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to points in [...]
Tourists buying fake designer goods on holiday in Italy have been warned to think twice after a woman was fined $1,500 for buying a handbag. Austrian senior citizen Ursula Corel, 65, was spotted handing over $10 for a Louis Vuitton handbag copy from a street vendor. She was spotted by the officers as they scanned [...]
Flight restrictions affecting London’s two major international airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – were lifted Monday after a no-fly zone had been imposed due to dense volcanic ash drifting down from Iceland. Restrictions remained in place in Amsterdam, Northern Ireland and smaller airports on Scottish islands, but charts published by Europe’s air traffic control agency [...]
It is more than just another case of lost baggage — because this baggage was alive. A Canadian couple has turned to the internet for help in finding their pet dog Paco, lost by Delta Airlines l after he was checked in for a flight from Mexico City to Detroit. Josiah Allen, a college student [...]
Tourists visiting Greece have been warned to exercise “extreme caution” as the country’s parliament prepares to vote on austerity cuts to tackle the financial crisis. The Foreign Office advice came a day after three bank workers died in a petrol bomb attack as demonstrations against the hefty cuts turned violent. President Karolos Papoulias warned that [...]
Tourists were warned about travel to Thailand after the worst political violence in nearly two decades left 21 dead and 874 injured. Governments around the globe are warning its nationals to exercise extreme caution throughout their travels in Thailand while avoiding the anti- government “red shirt” demonstrations in Bangkok that erupted into brutal clashes with [...]
The United States has renewed a travel alert to Mexico, citing increased violence in the country. The alert, issued Sunday by the State Department, is in effect until August 20 and supersedes an alert issued August 20, 2009. “Recent violent attacks have caused the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to [...]
Disgruntled would-be passengers are complaining about hundreds of canceled or delayed flights as air traffic controllers begin a four-day strike across France. France’s civil aviation agency has ordered airlines to cut back half of the flights in and out of Paris’ Orly aiport and one in four at Charles de Gaulle amid staffing shortages caused [...]
The pilots’ union of Lufthansa began a strike Monday after a last-ditch effort at negotiations over pay and job security failed, a spokeswoman for the airline told reporters. The four-day work stoppage by the pilots’ union of one of the world’s largest airlines threatened to disrupt travel on more than two dozen partner airlines later [...]
Chile’s Chaiten volcano has been placed under red alert due to an increase in seismic activity for three weeks, the Chilean government said. The volcano in southern Chile became active in May 2008 after being dormant for more than 9,000 years. Volcanic activity was on the decline in the past few months until picking back [...]
It’s not just famous directors who are getting kicked off planes for bizarre reasons. A New York doctor claims that he was booted from a Spirit Airlines flight for asking for water for his pregnant wife on Sunday. Mitchell Roslin, the Chief of Obesity Surgery at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Hospital, says that after being grounded [...]
Virgin unveiled the latest addition to Richard Branson’s luxury fleet on Friday: an underwater plane that will fly riders into the depths of the Caribbean Sea. Guests on Necker Island, a retreat in the British Virgin Islands, will be able to dive underwater in a submarine dubbed the Necker Nymph for $25,000 a week. But [...]
A 16-year-old has set out to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone. Abby Sunderland of Thousand Oaks sailed into the sunny Pacific Ocean on Saturday after being delayed a few days by a series of violent storms in California. Her boat-builder father, Laurence, along with other family members and fiends, cheered [...]
The Transportation Security Administration is going after bloggers who wrote about a directive to increase airline security after the Christmas Day attempt to destroy a Northwest Airlines jet as it approached Detroit. TSA special agents served subpoenas on travel bloggers Steve Frischling and Chris Elliott, demanding that they reveal who leaked the security directive to [...]
You are now free to move about the cabin. Or not. After a two-day security clampdown prompted by a thwarted attempt to bomb a jetliner, some airline officials told The Associated Press that the in-flight restrictions had been eased. And it was now up to captains on each flight to decide whether passengers can have [...]
British Airways cabin crew have voted in favor of a strike over job cuts and changes to staff contracts. The strikes are set to begin on December 22, 2009 and run until January 2, 2010 and are expected to cause significant disruption over the Christmas period. Cabin crew voted overwhelmingly in favor of the strike [...]
The world’s largest cruise ship has arrived in South Florida. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s 16-deck “Oasis of the Seas” docked Friday at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. It set sail from Finland to Florida in late October. The massive $1.5 billion vessel is nearly 40 percent larger than the industry’s next-biggest ship and five times [...]
Air New Zealand said more than 10,000 passengers faced delays of up to two hours because of a widespread computer meltdown on Sunday. Air New Zealand’s passenger check-in kiosks, call center systems and online bookings failed at 09:00 a.m. The kiosks came back online at about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, though the malfunctions caused multiple backlogs. At about [...]
Amid the economic crisis, more California hotels are being pushed into foreclosure, according to an industry report published on Wednesday. Statewide, more than 300 hotels were in foreclosure or default on their loans as of Sept. 30 — a nearly fivefold increase since the start of the year, said the report published in the Los [...]
The fresh, floral air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters refresh you. The breathtaking, natural beauty renews you. Look around. There’s no place on earth like Hawaii. Whether you’re a new visitor or returning, the six unique islands offer distinct experiences that will entice any traveler. Explore the islands and discover your ideal travel experience. Miles [...]
Bangladesh Anthrax Spreads, Public Panics
Top Police Official In Siberia Accused Of Taking $450,000 In Bribes
Russian Banker Shot Dead In Moscow
Russian Performers Drop Fish-Eating Circus Act
Taliban Chief Says Victory Imminent
North Korea Marks 62nd Founding Day
Fear Of Fresh Violence In Nigeria
Rachel Corrie Trial: During War There Are No Civilians
Egypt’s Leprosy Colony Lives On, VIDEO
US Soldiers ‘Kept Afghan Body Parts’
China’s Blind Activist Lawyer Released From Prison
9th Circuit Throws Out CIA Torture Lawsuit For National Security Reasons
Mexican Mayor Gunned Down Inside Own Office
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Europe Raids File-Sharing Groups Including Sweden
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Meeting The Taliban In Baghlan, VIDEO
United Nations ‘Failed’ Congo Rape Victims
California Regulators Seek Up To $9.9 Billion In Fines From PacifiCare
18 Murdered In Shoe Factory Shooting In Honduras
The Amazing World Of The Praying Mantis
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Dozens Of Homes Burn Across Detroit, VIDEO
John Lennon’s Killer Denied Parole For The 6th Time
Belize Mob Torches Americans’ Animal Sanctuary
Pastor Wonders If It’s Wise To Burn Qurans Amid U.S. Warnings, VIDEO
Italian Crime Fighting Mayor Is Killed In Mafia-Style Execution
With A Little Help From My Friends
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Thieves Steal 3 Ancient Icons From Moscow Region Church
George Soros Donates $100 Million To Human Rights Watch
Congolese Poachers Destroy Protected Birds
French Unions Stage Nationwide Strike
Oracle Hires Former HP’s Mark Hurd
LAPD Kills Unarmed Migrant, Community Protests
El Salvador: 3rd Migrant Survived Mexico Massacre
Mexican Soldiers Open Fire On Family’s Car At Checkpoint, Killing 15-Year-Old And Father
U.S. Considers Boosting Funds For Mexico Drug War
California’s Union Jobs Take Hit From Recession
Israeli Minister: Speed Up Building, A Promise Is A Promise
Miners Seeking Gold Destroy Suriname Ecosystem
Little Rock Nine Member, Jefferson Thomas
Putin Compares Himself To Roosevelt As He Hints At Third Term
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Stone Mason Sparks Cathedral Row With ‘Muslim’ Gargoyle
John Travolta Drops Charges In Extortion Case
150 Arrested In Mozambique Following Deadly Protests
U.S. Investors Sue For Payback For Pre-World War II German Bonds
Saad al-Hariri Retracts Charge That Syria Killed His Father
North Korea Plans Succession Meeting
The Arrest And Trial Of Human Rights Activist Shiva Nazar-Ahari
Arsenic Scare Hits Argentina, VIDEO
President Obama Unveils $50 Billion Infrastructure Plan
Cockroach Immune To Deadly Super-Bacteria
Gulf Residents Test Positive For Oil In Blood
