Bosnia, Serbia restart steam train line in bid to attract tourists, boost ties

Steam train connects Bosnia, Serbia
VISEGRAD, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Bosnia and Serbia restarted an old steam-powered train Saturday in an effort to increase tourism in a region that was devastated by war in the 1990s.

Thousands of people gathered in the eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad to greet the train on century-old, narrow-gauge rails as it ended its [..] Read the original article: here.

Obama, rest of first family, travel to private beach as Martha’s Vineyard vacation nears end

First family hits beach as vacation nears end
EDGARTOWN, Mass. – The first family is spending time at the beach.
President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, on Saturday spent part of their final full day on Martha’s Vineyard at a private beach.
The family motorcaded from their rented farm … Read more >>.

Obama, wife, daughters go on vacation bike outing under brilliant skies on Martha’s Vineyard

First family goes on island vacation bike outing
EDGARTOWN, Mass. – President Barack Obama is following up a morning bike ride on Martha’s Vineyard with an afternoon round of golf.
Under brilliant New England skies Friday, the president headed back to the Vineyard Golf Club. The outing marked his fifth round off golf during his … Read more >>.

Enjoy the Holiday Weekend with Labor Day

WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com) — It seems that this holiday weekend will be quite exciting as a number of people tend to take trips in the coming labor day holiday. AAA projects the number of Americans traveling this Labor Day holiday weekend will increase 9.9 percent from 2009, with about 34.4 million travelers taking a trip … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Enjoy the Holiday Weekend with Labor Day.

National Gallery of Canada deputy director David Franklin to lead Cleveland Museum of Art

Franklin named director of Cleveland Museum of Art

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Museum of Art has hired a new director.
He’s David Franklin, the deputy director of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. He replaces Deborah Gribbon, who became interim director last year when Timothy Rub left to take the top job at the Philadelphia Museum …. Original source  : National Gallery of Canada deputy director David Franklin to lead Cleveland Museum of Art.

FAA hits American Airlines with $24.2 million penalty over maintenance problems

FAA hits American with $24.2 million penalty

DALLAS – Federal officials are seeking a record penalty of $24.2 million against American Airlines over maintenance lapses that caused thousands of canceled flights in 2008.
American said the civil penalty was unwarranted and it would appeal.
The dispute dates to 2008, when American had to cancel more than 3,000 flights … Read this article on Gaea Times at : FAA hits American Airlines with $24.2 million penalty over maintenance problems.

Renovated Bandelier National Monument tells story of NM’s pueblo people, early dwellers

Bandelier monument shares NM pueblo people’s story

BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT, N.M. – The canyons and cliff dwellings of Bandelier National Monument are telling a story, and this time it’s through the voices and artwork of the American Indian tribes whose ancestors inhabited this sliver of northern New Mexico.
After nearly a decade of careful consultation with neighboring …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Beachfront Hawaii estate rented by Obama family during Christmas vacations sold for $6.9M

Obama’s Hawaii vacation rental sold for $6.9M
HONOLULU – The beachfront Hawaii home rented by President Barack Obama and his family during their last two Christmas vacations has been sold for $6.9 million.
The five bedroom, single-story, 4,900-square-foot Kailua estate was sold to Paradise Point Estates LLC, a company managed Glenn Weinberg of Owings Mills, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

After 4-day deluge, rain lifts on Martha’s Vineyard and the first family has lunch out

Rain lifts, vacationing Obamas dine out for lunch
OAK BLUFFS, Mass. – Emerging from semi-seclusion after four days of drenching rain, President Barack Obama and his family ate lunch at a wharfside restaurant on Wednesday in their first joint public appearance since beginning their Martha’s Vineyard vacation.
“Hey, how are you guys doing? You dried …. Original source  : After 4-day deluge, rain lifts on Martha’s Vineyard and the first family has lunch out.

Muppet homecoming: original Kermit the Frog back in DC for good at Smithsonian

Henson donates original Kermit to Smithsonian

WASHINGTON – The original Kermit the Frog, his body created with an old dull-green coat and his eyes made of pingpong balls, has returned home to the nation’s capital, where the puppet got his start.
The first Kermit creation from Jim Henson’s Muppet’s collection appeared in 1955 on the early TV …. Original source  : Muppet homecoming: original Kermit the Frog back in DC for good at Smithsonian.

U. of Mich. Museum of Art exhibits more than 100 prints from James McNeill Whistler collection

U-M art museum exhibits Whistler prints collection

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Museum of Art has opened a three-month show of more than 100 prints by 19th century American artist James McNeill Whistler.
The exhibition called “On Beauty and the Everyday: The Prints of James McNeill Whistler” runs through Nov. 28. It’s the largest … Original article on : U. of Mich. Museum of Art exhibits more than 100 prints from James McNeill Whistler collection.

AAA sees Labor Day weekend travel to increasing nearly 10 percent, most driving close to home

AAA: More people will hit the road this Labor Day

DENVER – More Americans will get away for the Labor Day weekend this year, yet stick closer to home as they try to get the most for their money, AAA said Wednesday.
The auto club expects 34.4 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home … Read more >>>.

Muppet Homecoming: Original Kermit the Frog heads back to DC for home at Smithsonian

First Kermit the Frog being given to Smithsonian

WASHINGTON – The original Kermit the Frog from Jim Henson’s Muppets collection is coming home to Washington where the characters were created in the 1950s.
On Wednesday, Henson’s widow Jane Henson will donate 10 characters from the early TV show “Sam and Friends” to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of … Read : Muppet Homecoming: Original Kermit the Frog heads back to DC for home at Smithsonian.

Ahoy, Philadelphia! Paddleboat to start cruises at Penn’s Landing on Delaware River

Paddleboat cruises coming to Philly waterfront

PHILADELPHIA – There’s a new attraction expected soon on Philadelphia’s waterfront: a 260-foot paddlewheel riverboat replica.
The newly dubbed Philadelphia Belle arrived at Penn’s Landing on Tuesday amid fanfare that included a Mummers string band and a Ben Franklin impersonator.
A group of investors led by Norfolk, Va.-based CI Travel bought the … Read more >>>.

Philippines acknowledges mistakes in handling hostage crisis that killed 8 Hong Kong tourists

Philippines mourns, HK angry after hijack deaths

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines acknowledged “inadequacies” in handling a hostage crisis that killed eight Hong Kong tourists, as anger over the botched negotiations erupted Tuesday in Hong Kong with demonstrations and harsh words.
A heartbreaking picture emerged of the victims – a mother of three who lost her husband … Read more >>>.

Yankee mag celebrates 75th year, names Kent, CT top foliage town in New England

Yankee mag names Kent, CT tops for leaf-peeping

Yankee magazine has been celebrating New England for three-quarters of a century, but even after all these years, there’s still room for surprise.
In its 75th anniversary issue, on newsstands Tuesday, the magazine named Kent, Conn., population 3,000, the best town in New England for fall foliage.
Kent trumped better-known … Original source on Gaea Times at : Yankee mag celebrates 75th year, names Kent, CT top foliage town in New England.

Philippines in shock as 9 die after fired cop, demanding job back, hijacks Hong Kong tour bus

Mayhem in Manila: 9 killed on hijacked tourist bus

MANILA, Philippines – It looked like a hostage rescue in slow motion: Police creeping up on the bus with sledgehammers and smashing first one window, then another, then trying and failing to rip open the door.
When they finally got inside, authorities said, they found nine bodies: eight …. Read the original article  : Philippines in shock as 9 die after fired cop, demanding job back, hijacks Hong Kong tour bus.

Secret History: Former US spy goes to work for DC’s International Spy Museum as historian

Spy Museum adds another former spy to staff in DC

WASHINGTON – The International Spy Museum in Washington has recruited an ex-spy as its new historian.
The museum said Monday that Mark Stout would become historian after spending 13 years in intelligence. He is the museum’s first research chief with an intelligence background.
Stout worked at the CIA …. Read the original article  : here.

Manila hospitals say 6 out of 15 Chinese bus hostages killed after gunman seizes vehicle

Hospitals: 6 out of 15 bus hostages dead
MANILA, Philippines – Hospitals in the Philippine capital say six out of 15 Chinese tourists have been killed as police stormed their bus to end a daylong hostage-taking by a dismissed policeman.

Police said earlier the hostage-taker was killed Monday evening.
The Manila Hospital says five hostages were brought there, … Read more : Manila hospitals say 6 out of 15 Chinese bus hostages killed after gunman seizes vehicle.

Spain’s tourist numbers up 4.5 percent in July, biggest increase since 2008

Spain’s tourist numbers up in July
MADRID – Spain’s government says the nation’s tourist arrivals rose by 4.5 percent in July, the biggest year-on-year increase in more than two years.

The tourism ministry says about 7 million tourists arrived last month, the third consecutive month of increase.
But the ministry also said Monday that 30 million foreign tourists … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Spain’s tourist numbers up 4.5 percent in July, biggest increase since 2008.