NCL kicks off spring with free amenities and taxfree promo
NCL kicks off spring with free amenities and tax-free promo MIAMI — Spring is off to a sweet start thanks to Norwegian Cruise Line’s ‘Free at Sea’ promotion and ‘Tax-Free Spree’ offer.Running now through May 1, the cruise line’s popular ‘Free at Sea’ promotion provides guests who book a new three-day or longer sailing in an oceanview, balcony or minisuite category stateroom with the chance to select one of two free onboard amenities. These include free unlimited open bar, free Specialty Dining, US$50 towards shore excursions in each port per stateroom, 250 minutes of free Wi-Fi, or Norwegian’s ‘Friends & Family Sail Free’ offer that allows third and fourth guests to sail for free on many 2017 and 2018 sail dates.Inside staterooms, as well as Norwegian’s Studio staterooms for solo travellers can choose one free offer. Guests seeking ultimate luxury at sea are invited to book a sailing in a suite or The Haven by Norwegian and enjoy all five free amenities, providing up to $2,800 in added value to their cruise.More news: Apply now for AQSC’s agent cruise ratesIn addition, guests who book a new seven-day inter-island Hawaii cruise now through May 1 aboard Pride of America in any stateroom^ category have the freedom to select one of five offers to enrich their cruising experience, including a free one-night pre-cruise hotel stay with an option to select reduced airfare starting at $399 from select gateways, a free Specialty Dining Package, free pre-paid service charges for the first and second guest in the stateroom, free $50 per port shore excursion credit per stateroom, or Norwegian’s ‘Friends & Family Sail Free’ on select 2017 and 2018 sail dates. Guests who book a suite aboard Pride of America will receive all five offers.For additional value, NCL will celebrate Tax Day this year with its ‘Tax-Free Spree’, offering guests complimentary government taxes, fees and port expenses on select itineraries. Norwegian is providing further spring savings with 50% reduced deposits for those who book a new cruise vacation in select categories now through April 18. Posted by << Previous PostNext Post >> Travelweek Group 
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Share Tags: Norwegian Cruise Line
Tuesday, May 2, 2017 Posted by Share Travel Leaders Group’s new site will “change the way agents sell travel” Travelweek Group ORLANDO — Travel Leaders Group has launched a new consumer travel site that’s being touted as the travel industry’s very first Perpetual Demand Generation (PDG) vehicle.Simply named ‘Vacation’, the site uses the completely repurposed Vacation.com URL and will initially focus on Honeymoon and Destination Wedding specializations. Since nearly 1,900 Travel Leaders network agents specialize in Honeymoon travel, and another 1,250 specialize in Destination Weddings – making the two categories among the most popular currently listed on TravelLeaders.com – they are being invited to qualify for participation in the initial focus of the new Vacation site.Eventually, other lifestyle specializations will be included, with other Travel Leaders Group agents invited to qualify. The aim of the site is to provide a space where travellers can research and access valuable information about specific types of travel at their own pace. When they are ready to receive personalized advice, they will then be matched with the most appropriate participating Travel Leaders Group travel agent.For the upcoming consumer launch, members from Travel Leaders Network, including TL Network Canada, will be the first Travel Leaders Group agents invited to participate.More news: Sunwing to further boost Mazatlán service with new flights from Ottawa“When we brought our three agency groups together earlier this year, we did so with the realization that the dormant Vacation.com URL was far too valuable to simply allow it to go away. We have transformed Vacation.com into a consumer brand purveyor of quality counsel and expert information,” said John Lovell, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network, Leisure Group and Hotel Division.Vacation will be launched using Travel Leaders Group’s proprietary, science and data-based PDG solution. According to Chief Executive Officer Ninan Chacko, who has personally advocated PDG since taking the helm of Travel Leaders Group, Perpetual Demand Generation is about always being “on” throughout a traveller’s 24/7 search for solid information.“By powering Vacation with PDG, we will empower travellers to consume informative content from a variety of channels. At each stage of their online journeys, we will provide a level of personalized engagement specifically targeted to them, as opposed to a mass market approach,” he said. “Our goal is for each consumer’s Vacation journey to conclude with counsel from one of our agent experts.”More news: Le Boat has EBBs along with its new 2020 brochureBrian Hegarty, Vice President of Marketing for Travel Leaders Group, also praised PDG technology. “Because we can track each consumer on their paths throughout Vacation from the moment they first visit our site right through to each closed sale, we are fundamentally changing the dynamics for how agents can sell travel,” he said.Hegarty also noted that Vacation agents will get the advantage of receiving detailed intelligence on the leads they receive, including where and when prospective clients want to travel, a history of content they consumed, their answers to Vacation’s online quizzes, and what type of planning style they prefer. They’ll also be provided with tools designed to help close sales, including best practice training, consumer call and voicemail scripts, email templates, follow-up collateral pieces and a virtual sales assistant developed to schedule follow-up contact.Travel Leaders Network Member agencies will find registration information on Agent Universe. Go to TravelLeadersNetwork.com for more information. << Previous PostNext Post >>
Posted on August 11, 2017 TORONTO — Contiki will be hosting an open-age trade fam to India from Nov. 5-11 to showcase its 12-day ‘Eternal India’ product.Condensed to six nights, the fam will start in Delhi and end in Jaipur before heading back to Delhi for the flight home. In Delhi, they’ll hop in rickshaws and visit the legendary Humayun’s Tomb. At the Taj Mahal, agents will receive an entry ticket so they can explore at their own pace, then head out to a DIY dinner, Agra style. Other highlights include a stay at Ranthambore National Park and a visit to the Pink City of Jaipur, where guests can opt to visit Amber Fort. They’ll also visit the Dhonk Craft Centre, a cooperative that employs those who would otherwise only find income from tiger poaching.“We couldn’t be more excited to host agents in India à la Contiki this November,” says Sheralyn Berry, Vice President of Sales for Contiki Canada. “This India fam will be a great way to not only allow agents to experience this product for themselves, but it will also allow many of them to check this dream destination off their bucket lists!”More news: Help Princess Cruises break the world record for largest vow renewal at seaAgents much complete the mandatory training modules on its Contiki U E-learning Training courses in order to apply. International airfare is not included, however twin-share hotel accommodation, meals including daily breakfast and some dinners, sightseeing of all major cities and select ME Time activities will be part of the trip.To apply, agents are required to tell Contiki in 100 words or more how they plan to increase their Contiki sales after completing this fam, plus indicate how many Contiki passengers they’ve sold in 2016 and 2017. Applications must be sent to sales@contiki.ca no later than Sept. 15. Share Tags: Contiki, FAM << Previous PostNext Post >> Contiki packs in 12 days of sightseeing into 6 on India fam 
Posted by Share Wednesday, November 14, 2018 PARIS — How bad was your morning commute to work today? We bet it was nothing compared to what Parisians had to go through Tuesday morning.Paris Metro authorities announced that traffic on Line 1 was suspended due to an “act of malevolence” by a passenger. Any guesses as to what this malevolent act could possibly be?Turns out a man brought a goat with him onto the Metro.A goat!Passengers onboard reported a woman repeatedly shouting “stop”, which prompted others to assume an attack was taking place. But then the man and his barnyard companion were spotted, with shocked commuters tweeting their disbelief in real time.Tweeter iBao wrote, “This is why the traffic is blocked. A bloke is on the Metro with a goat. How crazy is that. Left earlier only to arrive later because of that.”Another commuter, Kenza Bennani, tweeted, “Stuck on the Metro because of a man with a goat! He’s refusing to get off.”More news: Apply now for AQSC’s agent cruise ratesBennani went on to say that the police were called. The man tried to flee with the goat but was eventually arrested.Paris transport authority RATP told The Local that the goat was stolen. It also confirmed that it is, in fact, illegal to take a goat on the Paris Metro.Traffic was suspended between Chatelet and Concorde, stranding hordes of passengers at packed Metro stations. Services eventually returned to normal after the man was arrested.As for the goat, no word as to whether it was returned to its rightful owner. Also yet to be confirmed? Whether or not the goat paid its fare.Quand tu prends ton bouc avec toi dans le métro et que ça bloque tout le monde : #ratp #paris #ligne1 pic.twitter.com/qWBUDWitx1— Matthieu Frobert (@matthou_picchu) November 13, 2018 You won’t believe what this man brought onto the Paris Metro Vie quotidienne @ClientsRATP @Ligne1_RATP pic.twitter.com/xn84Bmb0fO— Karine Dana (@karine_dana) November 13, 2018 Travelweek Group Tags: Funny, Paris << Previous PostNext Post >>
ACV to increase Sun capacity, particularly in the West, this winter season MONTREAL — Air Canada Vacations’ newly announced winter 2019/20 flight lineup will include 25 new flights to Sun destinations as well as expanded capacity in Western Canada.New this year is a nonstop route from Ottawa to Varadero, operating on Mondays and starting Dec. 23. A further 24 new flights to the Sun include the following:WEST: 14 additional flights per week to Mexico, including 3 new flights from Vancouver to Cancun (now daily), 2 new flights from Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta, 3 additional flights from Vancouver to Los Cabos, and 1 additional flight from Vancouver to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. There are 4 additional flights from Calgary to Cancun (now daily as of Dec. 16), and 1 additional flight from Winnipeg to Cancun (now twice on Saturdays)ONTARIO: 6 additional flights per week including 1 additional flight from Toronto to each of Antigua, Cartagena, Curacao, Huatulco and Saint Kitts. From Ottawa, there’s an additional flight to Cancun (now twice on Friday), as well as seasonal service to Cancun and Punta Cana as early as Nov. 1.More news: ‘Turn around year’ for TPI brings double-digit growthQUEBEC: 2 additional flights from Montreal to Puerto Vallarta (now operating daily except Tuesdays as of Dec. 18)ATLANTIC: 2 additional flights per week including 1 additional flight from Halifax to Cancun, and 1 additional flight to Punta Cana. Service from Halifax to Cancun and Punta Cana will start as early as Dec. 21.EARLY FALL PROGRAM: New this year, 2 flights will start up early, commencing in the fall rather than at Christmas. These include Ottawa to Cancun (starting Nov. 1), and Ottawa to Punta Cana (starting Nov. 2)“This winter, Air Canada Vacations offers both our leisure customers and our travel partners more choices than ever before from across Canada,” said Nino Montagnese, Managing Director at ACV. “We are particularly delighted to offer more flights to our valued partners in Western Canada. Now your customers can access even more packaged vacations with expanded flight options from our top gateways across the country.”ACV is reminding agents of its Winter Early Bird sale featuring $500 in savings until June 20, 2019, $150 per adult and $100 per child. The sale is valid for travel departure dates between Nov. 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020 to select destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, South and Central America.More news: Flights cancelled as British Airways hit by computer problemEarly planners can also take advantage of a $50 deposit per person when booking their 2019/2020 winter holiday. Tags: Air Canada Vacations Posted by Travelweek Group 
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 Share << Previous PostNext Post >>
By Gabriela Díaz |Special to The Tico TimesWe enter the studio in silence and roll our mats out in near darkness. A few candles cast a dim glow on our teacher, who sits in meditation, wrapped in a blanket. In a dreamlike state, our bodies start to bend and twist. It’s 4 a.m. and our creaking bones and deep breathing are the only sounds to pierce the stillness of brahma muhurta, Sanskrit for the time of universal consciousness, the hours before sunrise. Slowly, the sweat starts to break. Ashtanga yoga and other spiritual disciplines are traditionally practiced during brahma muhurta, when the world is silent and the mind fresh. At its source, in Mysore, India, the Shri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Institute opens its doors at this hour. In San José, Costa Rica, Namasté Yoga Studio, located near Hospital México, follows suit. The studio, founded by Mariela Cruz, the first Central American and third Latin American authorized to teach ashtanga by the now deceased guru Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, celebrated its 11th anniversary in June. Namasté is the country’s only studio dedicated to the serious practice of ashtanga yoga taught in the tradition of Pattabhi Jois, fondly known as Guruji. Ashtanga varies somewhat from other types of yoga because it is a rigorous discipline that involves as much physical effort as internal work. “It’s the most demanding yoga. It’s not the ‘fun’ yoga where you go to the studio to socialize. It’s internal work and you have to be consequent,” said Cruz, who after 12 years of practice and nine trips to Mysore still considers herself a beginner. Despite the challenging nature of ashtanga, anyone who is interested can take up the practice. Guruji’s grandson Sharath Rangaswamy, who, along with his mother Saraswathi, took over the Ashtanga Institute in Mysore after Jois’ death, claims that “anyone can practice yoga – young people, old people, sick people, fat people, weak people. The only people who can’t practice yoga are lazy people.”Ashtanga, which translates as “eight limbs,” is a system outlined in the sage Patanjali’s “Yoga Sutras,” a classical text on Raja Yoga, the royal yoga. The eightfold path described in the sutras involves a set of ethical guidelines and spiritual practices ultimately leading to a state of enlightenment referred to as Samadhi. The practice of asanas, or postures, is but one of the eight branches. “In ashtanga yoga, the asanas are very attractive and acrobatic, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. When the body starts to breathe and calm down, you start to enter another space of consciousness,” explained Cruz, adding that “it doesn’t mean that life will get any easier, but you will have the resources to resolve what comes up.” María Lourdes “Lula” García, a 51-year-old industrial engineer who runs a catering service and has practiced at Namasté for over a decade, agrees with Cruz. “Ashtanga has given me strength. It has helped me to make decisions that I couldn’t have made otherwise, things that were holding me back. My practice has helped me love myself,” she said. All is comingAshtanga yoga is practiced six days a week. Traditionally, Saturdays are rest days and the practice follows the lunar calendar, with full moon and new moon days taken off for rest. Because ashtanga is so physically demanding, it is recommended that women do not practice during menses. The practice is done on a Mysore rug, a cotton rug placed over a yoga mat or on the floor to absorb the large amounts of sweat generated in each session. In Costa Rica, Mysore rugs shipped directly from India are sometimes available at Namasté Studio. There are six series in the ashtanga yoga system, although only the first four are documented. Each series is a sequential arrangement of postures with a specific aim: The primary series aligns and detoxifies the body; the intermediate series cleanses the nervous system; and the advanced series provide steadiness in body and mind. Students are responsible for learning the series, and lessons are taught in two styles, Mysore style, in which they practice the sequence individually while teachers make adjustments, and led classes, where the teacher guides students through the series. The ashtanga method uses vinyasa, a system of breathing and movement, and the tristhana method of three focal points for the mind during each asana: the posture, the breath and the drishti, or gazing point. Ujjayi breathing, a Darth Vader-like, deep breathing technique where each breath passes through the throat, is practiced throughout. The sweat produced as a result of these techniques is considered cleansing and detoxifying. Guruji’s most famous words are perhaps “practice and all is coming.” Their meaning is clear to ashtangis everywhere, whose first understanding of these words is through the sense of peace and equanimity that arises after each session – a feeling that is difficult to describe. Medical student Roberto Carter, 25, who has studied at Namasté for over a year, said that “after practice, few things appear to be wrong in our lives, almost everything has a solution, many times this solution is less complicated than we thought … but our perception fogs and hides this. Everything is lighter, life happens more in the present, less in the past or future.”Pattabhi Jois learned the ashtanga vinyasa method from his teacher Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), who developed it in the 1930s for young men, primarily. Most of the yoga styles practiced today stem from Krishnamacharya’s work. Jois, a Sanskrit scholar, preserved and refined Krishnamacharya’s method, initially teaching in a modest yoga hall at the back of his home in Mysore. Western students started trickling in during the 1960s and ’70s, and in the next decades, ashtanga yoga spread all over the world. In Costa Rica, Namasté Yoga Studio offers Mysore style and led classes, workshops, yearly retreats, and hosts a teacher training led by YogaWorks, a company founded by a group of Pattabhi Jois’s first Western students with headquarters in California. The next training will take place Aug. 20-31. For more info on teacher training, schedules or fees, visit www.ashtangayogacostarica.com. For more information on ashtanga yoga or the Shri K. Pattabhi Jois Institute in Mysore, India, visit www.kpjayi.org Facebook Comments No related posts.
No related posts. Costa Rica’s broadband Internet access is improving but still lags behind many developing nations, according to theState of Broadband Report 2013 from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Broadband Internet access is “essential” to modern society, according to UNESCO, and the World Bank estimates that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration could yield 1.21 to 1.38 percent for high-income and low/middle-income countries, respectively.The report defines broadband as “always on, high-capacity connectivity enabling combined provision of multiple services simultaneously.”The Central American country improved the most in mobile broadband Internet access, up to 81st place in the world in 2012 from 104th in 2011, according to the UNESCO report, bringing the total to 14.5 Ticos per 100 with mobile Internet access.The report estimated that Internet-ready smartphones could make up half the sales of all mobile phones by 2016.While mobile penetration is up, Costa Rica still lags behind the world average of 22.1 per 100 inhabitants. Costa Rica had the third-highest percentage of households with Internet in Latin America, at 47.3 percent, behind Uruguay (48.4 percent) and Argentina (47.5 percent). The percentage of households with broadband access also increased from 33.6 percent in 2011.The report laments that while much of the developed world enjoys access to high-speed Internet connections over 5 Mbps, the same cannot be said for much of Africa, southern Asia and Latin America. Facebook Comments
Interpol on Tuesday included former Nicaraguan guerrilla leader Edén “Comandante Cero” Pastora on a list of internationally wanted people, following a request by Costa Rican judicial authorities.According to Interpol’s website, Costa Rica wants Pastora on charges of “usurping public property” and violating Costa Rica’s Forestry Law.Comandante Cero, who recently caused an ongoing bilateral dispute by dredging the Río San Juan, which forms a natural border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, told Nicaragua’s Channel 15 that he believes there is no basis for the international alert.“This is an error – we have never invaded Costa Rican territory,” Pastora said. “They can try to capture me anywhere in the universe.” Costa Rica’s Presidency Vice Minister Celso Gamboa confirmed the Costa Rican request via his Twitter account, saying that Pastora could be sentenced to prison if brought to Costa Rica.Pastora, 76, was appointed by the Nicaraguan government to direct the dredging project that led to an international dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica in 2010, after Nicaraguan troops entered a small swampland that both countries claim as their own.The dispute is currently being resolved by the Hague-based International Court of Justice, which last Friday rejected Nicaragua’s claim that Costa Rica was causing environmental damage with the construction of a road parallel to the San Juan. That was the the second time in less than a month that the court ruled against Nicaragua and in favor of Costa Rica. Facebook Comments Related posts:Nicaragua’s Shakespearean drama continues with new political pact Nicaragua’s Ortega threatens to ‘reclaim’ Costa Rican province Nicaragua’s Edén Pastora accuses Costa Rican officials of ‘bribing’ Interpol Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua: Ludicrous feud between neighbors continues through 2013
(Via El 19 Digital) Facebook Comments Óscar Duarte, uniter of nations, delivered an autographed Costa Rica jersey to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Monday night.The Nicaragua-born member of Costa Rica’s national team has been on a victory tour in his birth country after the Ticos’ historic World Cup run. And on Monday he received a tribute from the country’s president. He provided Ortega with his #6 La Sele uniform, which was signed by all the players on the Costa Rican squad.Duarte was the first-ever Nicaraguan to play in the World Cup, and he scored the game-winner in Costa Rica’s opening match against Uruguay — an impressive header that proved to be one of the best goals of the tournament.Duarte’s performance in Brazil earned his Costa Rican team fans throughout Nicaragua despite the tense relations between the two countries. The 25-year-old defender received a celebratory homecoming when he visited both Managua and his hometown of Catarina last week.Ortega and Duarte met at the Registry of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), with only state-run media El 19 Digital given access to the event. Family members of the president and Duarte attended the tribute as well.The player’s family also delivered a photo to Ortega of Duarte’s grandmother posing with the Sandinista leader in 1990.The center-back will return to Costa Rica on Wednesday before flying on Friday to Belgium, where he plays professionally. Nicaraguan center-back Óscar Duarte delivers his La Sele jersey — signed by the entire Costa Rican team — to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. (Via El 19 Digital) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega holds a photo showing him posing with Óscar Duarte’s grandmother in 1990. (Via El 19 Digital) Óscar Duarte fue recibido por el presidente de Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, acá el momento #Brasil2014: pic.twitter.com/YjigaUlhqk— Deportes Monumental (@RadioMonumental) July 15, 2014
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Comments Share SHERBROOKE, Quebec (AP) – A third person has died from injuries related to a powerful explosion and fire at a manufacturing plant outside Montreal earlier this week.Sylvie Robitaille, a spokeswoman for a Montreal hospital, says Marc Couture, a worker at the plant, died at the hospital Saturday evening.She said Sunday that Couture suffered burns on 90 percent of his body and was in an induced coma.The bodies of two other people were found in the ruins of the plant in Sherbrooke, Quebec, after the explosion on Thursday. 5 people who need to visit the Ultrastar Multi-tainment Center 4 must play golf courses in Arizona Construction begins on Chandler hospital expansion project Mary Coyle ice cream to reopen in central Phoenix The blast could be heard for miles (kilometers) and 18 others were hospitalized. Robitaille says three people remain hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.The plant belonging to Neptune Technologies & Bioressources produces and exports health products.(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Top Stories RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A consistent ally of Sepp Blatter, Danny Jordaan already has a new job.Jordaan, the head of the South African Football Association, was credited with bringing the 2010 World Cup to South Africa. He is under pressure to explain an alleged $10 million bribe paid to land the event, part of the corruption scandal that pushed Blatter to resign as FIFA president.A day after the corruption and bribery scandal broke last week, Jordaan was appointed the new mayor of his South African hometown. He plans to stay on as the soccer federation’s head, a job with no salary. But he’s hedging his bets. Romario singled out Brazil’s authoritarian football leadership, often described as more powerful than the country’s president.Former Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin is in a Swiss jail awaiting extradition to the United States, and current president Marco Polo Del Nero is keeping a low profile.Another former president, Ricardo Teixeira, is under investigation in Brazil for corruption related to bank transfers during preparations for the 2014 World Cup.“We need the corrupt ones in prison,” Romario said.Blatter had automatic support in Brazil, home to his 99-year-old predecessor Joao Havelange and host for last year’s World Cup. His real power came from guaranteeing that tiny Caribbean islands, or countries distant from Europe, receive millions in FIFA development money.FIFA spent about $1 billion on development projects in the last three years — from Zambia to Andorra — and Blatter got the credit, even if not all the money reached the grassroots.“Sad day for Futbol,” Zambian Football Association President Kalusha Bwalya said on Twitter. “You will always have my support.”Ibrahim Sanni Darra, a spokesman for the Ghana Football Association, said Blatter’s 17-year reign would be viewed “with nostalgia” and said Africans “will not forget.” Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility The difference between men and women when it comes to pain “Before his tenure, Africa had only two slots in the World Cup,” Darra said. “He not only increased it, he also brought the World Cup to Africa.”New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin called Blatter’s resignation “a great day for football.”“I think we can all get together now and start repairing the tarnished brand of football, and that’s what everybody wants.”Wilmar Valdez of Uruguay, a vice president of football’s South American governing body CONMEBOL, called Blatter departure a “shock to world football.”Uruguay, Argentina and Chile were among the South American federations that voted against Blatter on Friday. In previous elections, South America was solid Blatter territory.“What we were sure of is that sooner or later Blatter’s reign would end,” Valdez said. “FIFA needed change, and now we have to see how the (new) pieces fit.”Jules Boykoff, who studies sports politics at Pacific University in Portland, Oregon, called Blatter’s resignation an “unexpected shift in the tectonic plates at FIFA.”“This is a remarkable opportunity to move world football in a very different direction,” said Boykoff, a former professional soccer player who is lobbying for changes in women’s soccer. How do cataracts affect your vision? New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies
Milstead says best way to stop wrong-way incidents is driving sober Call it the domino effect, or a chain reaction, or simply bracing for change coming to FIFA.Blatter is going, so can federation presidents who run world soccer — some like feudal lords in Africa, Asia and Latin America — hang on for long?Several officials have already been suspended, but experts say they don’t expect massive changes.Peter Alegi, a historian at Michigan State University and author of “Africa’s World Cup,” said a “mild reformer” — not a radical — was likely to succeed Blatter.“I do not see much of a chance of a domino effect from Blatter’s resignation,” he said in an email. “I believe it’s more likely that the diverse members of the global football establishment will do whatever it takes to hold on to power, privilege, and prestige.”Former Barcelona and Brazil star Romario hopes not.An outspoken Brazilian federal senator, Romario termed Blatter’s downfall “a big wave that can sweep away” bribery and impunity.“This is the best news we’ve had in a long time,” Romario said through his social media accounts. “His fall will come as a tsunami to every corrupt leader in confederations around the world.” FILE – In this Tuesday, June 23, 2009 file photo FIFA president Sepp Blatter gestures as he speaks at the inaugural ‘Football for Hope Forum’, during the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, at a hotel in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. (AP Photo/David Azia, File) Sponsored Stories Comments Share “For decades FIFA has represented a privileged sliver of the global 1 percent; a sexist bastion of power. If there’s ever been a chance to dent that reality, this is it.”___Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa; Francis Kokutse in Accra, Ghana; Deborah Rey in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Steve McMorran in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.___Stephen Wade on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP___This story has been corrected to clarify that Danny Jordaan is not under investigation.Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 5 ways to recognize low testosterone
Clean energy: Why it matters for Arizona Sponsored Stories Top Stories Mesa family survives lightning strike to home A majority of Democrats say sanctions should be reduced or eliminated, while a majority of Republicans think they should be maintained or increased.MOST APPROVE OF OBAMA’S HANDLINGAccording to the new poll, 58 percent of Americans approve and 40 percent disapprove of President Barack Obama’s handling of the U.S. relationship with Cuba. By contrast, only 39 percent approve of his handling of world affairs more generally, while 59 percent disapprove.DIPLOMACY SEEN AS MOST EFFECTIVEIn general, Americans consider diplomatic engagement to be more effective than punishment when dealing with unfriendly countries. Six in 10 picked diplomacy, 4 in 10 said punishment.More than three-quarters of Democrats opted for engagement; a slim majority of Republicans chose punishment.___The AP-GfK Poll of 1,004 adults was conducted online from July 9 to July 13, using a sample drawn from GfK’s probability-based KnowledgePanel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using phone or mail survey methods and later interviewed online. People selected for KnowledgePanel who didn’t otherwise have access to the Internet were provided access at no cost to them. Comments Share 4 ways to protect your company from cyber breaches ___Online:AP-GfK Poll: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.comCopyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WASHINGTON (AP) — The restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba seems to sit well with Americans.An Associated Press-GfK poll found the vast majority of respondents favor the move. The poll was conducted before the reopening of the countries’ embassies on Monday but after they announced that would happen.Five things to know about U.S. public opinion on Cuba:LARGE MAJORITY FAVORS NEW TIES Seven in 10 Americans said the United States should have a diplomatic relationship with Cuba, the AP-GfK poll finds. Support for ties with Cuba is much higher than for ties with some other states without diplomatic recognition from the United States — 51 percent said the U.S. should have a diplomatic relationship with Iran, 41 percent with North Korea. The poll was conducted before the nuclear deal with Iran was reached last week.More than 8 in 10 Democrats, along with 6 in 10 Republicans and 6 in 10 independents, support re-establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba.STILL UNFRIENDLY, NOT AN ENEMYSixty percent of Americans still think Cuba is at least unfriendly toward the United States, but just 15 percent said it’s an enemy. Most Americans consider Iran and North Korea to be an enemy; a third say the same of Russia.Democrats are about equally split on whether Cuba is friendly to the U.S. while three quarters of Republicans say it’s unfriendly or even an enemy.Among Americans who consider Cuba an enemy, just 31 percent favor a diplomatic relationship.MANY WANT SANCTIONS REDUCTIONSA combined 48 percent of Americans in the new poll say the United States should either reduce economic sanctions against Cuba (29 percent) or eliminate them (19 percent). On the other side, 47 percent think they should be kept at their current level (38 percent) or increased (9 percent). New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Parents, stop beating yourself up Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall A U.S., and a Cuban national flag, hang from a balcony to mark the restored full diplomatic relations between Cuba and the Unites States, in Old Havana, Monday, July 20, 2015. The new era began with little fanfare when an agreement between the two nations to resume normal ties on July 20 came into force just after midnight Sunday and the diplomatic missions of each country were upgraded from interests sections to embassies. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Flooding has submerged hundreds of acres (hectares) of paddy fields and inundated roads and rail lines, disrupting transportation. Heavy rain also has damaged sections of central Myanmar’s Mandalay-Myitkyina rail line, forcing a partial suspension of service.The U.N. report said flooding has affected more than 800 households in northern Kachin state, forcing the relocation of some.Flooding is common during Myanmar’s monsoon season, which typically starts in late May and ends in mid-October.Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Monsoon rain in northwestern Myanmar has triggered heavy flooding, leaving nine people dead and affecting 70,000 others, the U.N.’s emergency relief organization said Saturday.The report on Sagaing Region from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that 12,000 houses have been damaged and schools forced to close.The region registered a 24-hour rainfall of 7.8 inches (20 centimeters), the highest in 24 years, according to The Myanmar Ahlin newspaper. Arizona families, Arizona farms: A legacy of tradition embracing animal care and comfort through modern technology Top Stories Sponsored Stories Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies
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Comments Share On Monday Syria’s main Kurdish militia and an activist group said Turkish troops had shelled a Syrian village near the border, targeting Kurdish fighters.The Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, said the Sunday night shelling on the border village of Til Findire targeted one of their vehicles. It said Til Findire is east of the border town of Kobani, where the Kurds handed a major defeat to the Islamic State group earlier this year.But Turkish officials dismissed the claims, insisting their forces were only targeting the IS group in Syria, and the PKK in neighboring Iraq.A government official said Turkey returned fire after Turkish soldiers at the border were fired upon, in line with Turkey’s rules of engagement.“The Syrian Kurds are not a target of the operations. Our operations only target IS in Syria and PKK in Iraq,” he said.The Turkish official said authorities were “investigating claims that the Turkish military engaged positions held by forces other than ISIS.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of rules that bar officials from speaking to journalists without authorization.The YPG did not say in its Monday statement whether there were casualties in the shelling. The U.S. has long rejected Turkish and other requests for a no-fly zone to halt Syrian government air raids, fearing it would draw U.S. forces further into the civil war.The discussions come amid a major tactical shift in Turkey’s approach to the Islamic State. After months of reluctance, Turkish warplanes started striking militant targets in Syria last week, following a long-awaited agreement allowing the U.S. to launch its own strikes from Turkey’s strategically located Incirlik Air Base.But in a series of cross border strikes since Friday, Turkey has not only targeted the IS group but also Kurdish fighters affiliated with forces battling the extremists in Syria and Iraq. The Syrian Kurds are among the most effective ground forces battling the IS group and have been aided by U.S.-led airstrikes, but Turkey fears they could revive an insurgency against Ankara in pursuit of an independent state.It was not immediately clear how an IS-free zone would be established along the Turkish-Syrian border, most of which is controlled by the Kurds. Syria’s main Kurdish fighting force is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey and maintains bases in remote parts of northern Iraq. Clean energy: Why it matters for Arizona The YPG said Turkey first shelled Til Findire on Friday, wounding four fighters of the rebel Free Syrian Army and several local villagers. It urged Turkey to “halt this aggression and to follow international guidelines.”The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four fighters were wounded in the village of Zor Maghar, which is also close to the Turkish border. Conflicting reports are common in the aftermath of violent incidents.Earlier this month, Syria’s main Kurdish party, the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, warned Turkey that any military intervention would threaten international peace and said its armed wing, the YPG, would respond to any “aggression.”Turkish police meanwhile raided homes in a neighborhood in the capital on Monday, detaining at least 15 people suspected of links to the Islamic State group, the Turkish state-run news agency said. The Anadolu Agency said those detained in Ankara’s Haci Bayram neighborhood include a number of foreign nationals, without naming their home countries.Turkey has arrested hundreds of people with suspected links to violent extremists.On Sunday, it called for a meeting of its NATO allies to discuss threats to its security, as well as its airstrikes. In comments published Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey and the United States had no plans to send ground troops into Syria but said they had agreed to provide air cover to moderate Syrian fighters.“If we are not going to send land units to the ground — and we will not — then those forces acting as ground forces cooperating with us should be protected,” Davutoglu told a group of senior journalists over the weekend. His comments were published in Hurriyet newspaper.Davutoglu also said Turkey wanted to clear its border of IS extremists.“We don’t want to see Daesh at our border,” Hurriyet quoted Davutoglu as saying, using the Arabic acronym of the group. “We want to see the moderate opposition take its place.”The Turkish leader also said Turkey’s action against the IS has “changed the regional game.”Despite the U.S. and Turkey’s shared interests in fighting the Islamic State, the Turks have also prioritized defeating Syrian President Bashar Assad. While the U.S. says Assad has lost legitimacy, it has not taken direct military action to try to remove him from office.___Pace reported from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. Top Stories Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Arizona families, Arizona farms: working to produce high-quality milk New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies Mesa family survives lightning strike to home Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Sponsored Stories Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall BEIRUT (AP) — The United States and Turkey are finalizing plans for a military campaign to push the Islamic State group out of a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border, a move that would further embroil Turkey in Syria’s civil war and set up a potential conflict with U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.A U.S. official said the creation of an “Islamic State-free zone” would ensure greater security and stability in the Turkish-Syrian border region. However, the official said any joint military efforts with Turkey would not include the imposition of a no-fly zone. The official insisted on anonymity because this person was not authorized to publicly discuss the talks with Turkey. A police officer checks IDs as Turkish police raid homes in the Haci Bayram neighborhood of the capital Ankara, Turkey, Monday, July 27, 2015. Security forces has detained at least 15 people suspected of links to the Islamic State group, the state-run news agency said. The Anadolu Agency said those detained in the Haci Bayram neighborhood include a number of foreign nationals. It did not give details of the foreigners’ home countries. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) 3 international destinations to visit in 2019
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Customs and law enforcement personnel in Mexico say they found an undetermined amount of cocaine dissolved in fruit pulp imported from Colombia.The drug was detected among 24 metric tons of red berries packed into 120 fifty-five-gallon drums of frozen fruit pulp. The berries were thawed, and tests revealed that 16 of the drums contained cocaine mixed into the fruit.Mexico’s customs and tax authority said Monday that it was a “sophisticated” and “unprecedented” smuggling attempt. Arizona families, Arizona farms: providing the local community with responsibly produced dairy Comments Share 5 greatest Kentucky Derby finishes Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Top Stories New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies
Sponsored Stories Authorities said the Mexican company named as the importer of the shipment had listed its headquarters at an abandoned, half-built house.Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Mesa family survives lightning strike to home Check your body, save your life Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall
Australians are comfortable using online services for travel booking, especially with trusted brands, a survey has found. Trust no longer seems to be the critical issue for Australians in the online travel space, though a trusted brand remains important for transactions involving credit card details, a Digital Travel Study conducted by TNS research agency revealed. The research found that brand trust was considered more important online than offline. “In theory the internet creates an open playing field, but in practice trust is more important when you can’t see the other person – leveraging or building brand equity is the key to building trust online,” Director of Travel and Leisure research at TNS, Carolyn Childs said.Price was also a prominent factor when it came to booking online, as forty-eight percent of respondents perceived it to be cheaper than booking offline. “The incentive to use online is cost and price savings, and with consumers becoming more comfortable and experienced booking online we can expect to see more travellers opting to do it themselves,” Ms Childs commented.“Relatively few across male, female and different age groups agree that booking online is only for experienced travellers (17 percent of respondents), positively positioning online trading for future growth.” The research also suggested an increase in competition between online and offline travel agents, as 30 percent of respondents think that travel information online is more reliable than offline sources. This finding was complemented by 27 percent believing that the service of online travel companies was as good as traditional travel agents.TNS’ Digital Travel Study was conducted in April and July with 1,000 Australians per wave. Source = e-Travel Blackboard: C.C
Source = e-Travel Blackboard: N.J Tourism to popular destinations in Queensland has been affected by a lack of public awareness about exactly where and how extensively destinations have been hurt by flooding, a recent survey revealed.According to the survey, 87 percent of respondents identified Queensland as the state flooded, while only 35 percent and 25 percent were aware of weather disruptions in NSW and Victoria respectively.TNS director of travel research Jo Farquhar said during the floods media concentrated on Queensland, overshadowing other states. This uneven coverage resulted in 24 percent of Australians calling off their holiday to Queensland, while only eight percent cancelled Victorian trips.“Areas such as Northern NSW, which were quite hard hit by flooding, have fallen under the radar, while the largely unaffected Tropical North Queensland was identified as affected by 60% of Australians,” Mr Farquhar said. “Similarly the Gold and Sunshine Coasts have suffered from being incorrectly associated with the flooding.”Mr Farquhar added that operators that are informing consumers of the stability and safety in the Sunshine state are “doing an excellent job” and they simply need to continue letting travellers know that Queensland is open and ready for business. “Personal stories and pictures or other vivid examples of ‘fun in the sun’ are the best way for operators to get the more rational message of being open for business across.”
Source = e-Travel Blackboard: N.J Making its debut on a global distribution system (GDS), Australian carrier Strategic Airlines has selected Travelport’s Galileo to be the first online channel to distribute its routes and fares.Travelport said that as part of the full content agreement, the carrier’s growing operations would be accessible to Galileo subscribers as well as agents and wholesalers using GDS systems Worldspan and Apollo over the coming weeks.Focusing on the carrier’s “development”, Strategic Airline chief information officer Robert Kane said the online Company tailored the agreement “for the distribution of Strategic Airlines’ product to travel agents and wholesalers”.“Travelport understands that priority and worked swiftly to help us bring forward this important element of our distribution strategy,” Mr Kane said. Travelport Asia Pacific managing director Simon Nowroz added that the GDS Group was keen to support the carrier in its “next phase of growth” and the partnership would secure increased accessibility to the airline’s fares. Strategic is the first Australian carrier to offer commercial passenger services as well as corporate charter flights. 
Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, Switzerland The George, Christchurch The Oberoi, Mumbai, Mumbai, India Top Small Hotel in the World – Akademie Street Boutique Hotel and Guesthouse, Franschhoek, South AfricaTop Small Hotel in New Zealand – The Dairy Private Luxury Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand Best B&B and Inn in the World – Bindon Bottom B&B, West Lulworth, EnglandBest B&B and Inn in New Zealand – Hillsfield House Bed and Breakfast Marlborough, Renwick, New Zealand The Upper House, Hong Kong, China Commodore Motel, Dunedin Best Bargain Hotel in the World – Castlewood House, Dingle, IrelandBest Bargain Hotel in New Zealand – Gateway Motel Picton Accommodation, Picton, New Zealand Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Westland National Park (Te Wahipounamu) Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, Toronto, Canada Top 10 Hotels in the World: “We’re excited to recognise the world’s best properties, based on the opinions of those who know them best – the millions of travellers around the globe who come to TripAdvisor to share their experiences,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “For those seeking inspiration for their 2014 travel planning, this list of spectacular accommodation that received 2014 Travellers’ Choice awards is a perfect place to start.” The Rees Hotel Luxury & Apartments, Queenstown Travellers’ Choice award winners were determined based on the reviews and opinions of millions of TripAdvisor travellers around the globe. In total, 7,123 unique properties worldwide won awards in 2014. New Zealand featured 126 award winners. Additional Select 2014 Winners: Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa, Queenstown Regal Palms 5 Star City Resort, Rotorua 
According to oceanographers, it is not surprising that BlueFin 21 is restricted in what it can do – with the amount of pressure being put on BlueFin 21 underwater being equivalent to the weight of an elephant being put on a postage stamp. It is suspected that the AUV has been damaged from trying to go beyond its 4.5 kilometre limit below sea level, The Guardian Australia reported. “It could probably go down further than that once, but it wouldn’t be functional after that,” Commander Matthews said. Source = ETB News: Tom Neale BlueFin’s failure to find of anything of significance has again raised questions about its suitability for searching for signs of MH370 following an earlier malfunction due to reaching 4.5km below sea level. Following BlueFin’s return to the ocean surface, staff at the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) could not find any data recorded in the submersible’s data banks. BlueFin 21, the Automated Underwater Vehicle (AUV) being used to search for the remains of Malaysia Airlines 777 flight MH370 has had to come back to the ocean surface because of a technical glitch. Other search vehicles used to scientific purposes are being prepared in case BlueFin 21 stops working. Mark Matthews, the US naval commander coordinating BlueFin 21, said that if the AUV went down again below 4.5km it would probably stop working.
