archives: News
Fall 2010 Glimpse Correspondents announced
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The Fall 2010 Glimpse Correspondents are announced. More »
Glimpse Correspondents application deadline extended
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We're giving you 10 more days to finish your application. More »
You’ve got 9 days to finish your Glimpse Correspondents application!
Want to get paid for writing while you travel? Then get your Glimpse application in! More »
Matador Travel 2.0 Is Live!
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Though we experienced some frustrations in the transition, Matador Travel is looking awfully snazzy. More »
Matador Sports editor Adam Roy published in 48 Hour Mag
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The selected article? "How to Be a Better Liar." More »
Glimpse opens application period for Fall 2010 Correspondents Program
The Correspondents program provides financial and editorial support for writers and photographers. More »
Matador Acquires Glimpse.org
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Matador acquires the National Geographic supported Glimpse.org. More »
MatadorU student Joannaline C. Young hired by PlanetEye
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The latest MatadorU student to land a paying gig will be PlanetEye's expert on Los Angeles. More »
“Nomadic Matt” Kepnes featured in NYT’s “Frugal Traveler” Blog
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Nomadic Matt makes the NY Times! More »
Matador Meets the New York Times & The Sunday Telegraph
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Matador Nights co-editor, Tom Gates, is one of three Matador writers mentioned by big media this week. More »
Matador U to Offer Travel Photography Course in 2010
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Good news for aspiring travel photographers: the next course offering at Matador U is designed especially for you! More »
Bienvenida Mariel
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Shout it from the rooftops!!! Congratulations Julie Schwietert and family! Warmest welcomes to Mariel! More »
Iraqi Shoe Throw Journo to be Released From Jail
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After serving nine months of a three year sentence, the "shoe throw" journalist is about to be released from prison. More »
Travel to Cuba–Legally
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New York's Katonah Museum of Art offers US citizens the opportunity to travel to Cuba legally. More »
What’s going on in… Japan?
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A former journalist weighs in on the recent Japanese election. More »
World Orchestra Tour Commemorates War and Peace
If only political interests could be so harmonized. More »
Mexico City Breaks Another World Record
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First, it was the world's biggest kiss-in. This weekend, it was the world's largest "Thriller" re-enactment. More »
What’s going on in… Chile?
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A quick guide to Chile's upcoming presidential election. More »
Matador Featured in WordPress Showcase
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On why it's featured in the Showcase: "Matador is made up of a number WordPress blogs that work together to provide content on a variety of travel-rel More »
Libyan Leader Seeks Permission to Pitch a Tent in Central Park
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Libyan leader seeks permission to set up a tent in Central Park. More »
Mexico Passes Drug Legalization Law
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Mexico decriminalizes personal possession. More »
Turks & Caicos Reverts to Colonial Status
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Newly named governor says, "“Our goal is to make a clean break from the mistakes of the past." More »
Freelancing in Cafes: Is the Honeymoon Over?
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What will traveling freelancers do without WiFi enabled cafes? More »
Colombian Singer Juanes Responds to Critics In Advance of Cuban Concert
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"I'm fed up with us asking one another whether we're Muslim, gay, Cuban, or Venezuelan." More »
Grandpa and Grandson Take Wrong Flight to Sydney
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Intending to go to Sydney, Australia, the pair learned there's another Sydney: in Canada. More »
The Word(s) According to Castro
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Cuban professor publishes Dictionary of Fidel Castro's Thoughts. More »
Jet Blue Asks: How Much Can You Fly in 30 Days?
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It's like an all you can eat buffet... for travelers. More »
What’s going on in… Guantanamo?
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Can the detention facility be closed by January 2010? More »
BREAKING NEWS: Matador Contributor Detained in Iran
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A Matador contributor is arrested in Iran. More »
Bill O’Reilly Shows Promise as Tourism Spokesman
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Conservative US talk show host points out all of Amsterdam's "high" lights. More »
Obama Administration Warms Up to Cuba?
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An overlooked story may have important implications for US-Cuba relations. More »
US House of Reps Approves Proposal to Consider Puerto Rico’s Status
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Could the Commonwealth status be coming to an end? More »
Honduras Update
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Here's how you can get Honduras back on your radar screen. More »
Obama to Do Away With Color-Coded Terror Alerts?
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President Obama prepares to give Americans another color lesson. More »
Pamplona Bull Runner Gored; First Death Since 1995
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27 year old Daniel Jimeno Romero, who had run for the past 7 years, was gored and killed Friday morning. More »
Turtles on Airport Runway Delay Flights
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And you thought the only wildlife in New York City was human? More »
Portugal Reports Results of Drug Decriminalization Act
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The results are in and they look good: drug decriminalization law in Portugal has had positive effects. More »
BREAKING NEWS: Honduran President Attempts to Return to Country; Military Prevents Plane from Landing
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Military carries out airport operation to prevent landing of plane bearing President Zelaya. More »
Israel Detains International Aid Ship Bound for Gaza
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Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship in international waters, arresting Nobel laureate and former US politician. More »
Indian Court Decriminalizes Homosexuality
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In a historic ruling, Indian court strikes down law that criminalized homosexuality. More »
Ugly Produce Makes European Comeback
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Good to know some politicians are busy doing "serious" work. More »
Photo Essay: Honduras After the Coup
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Photographer Yamil Gonzales documents protests following the coup in Honduras. More »
Paying Money to Murder: Russian Luxury Yachts Offer Pirate Hunting Cruises
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This isn't an ordinary luxury cruise. More »
BREAKING NEWS: Honduran President Ousted in Military Coup
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Democracy is threatened in Honduras as the military ousts President Jose Manuel Zelaya from office. More »
Michael Jackson Dead at 50; World Mourns
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From New York to Nairobi, the world remembers Michael Jackson. More »
United Nations Launches Global University
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In an attempt to bridge the digital divide, the UN launches University of the People. More »
Photo Essay: Iranian Women in Post-Election Protests
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Photos of women who have taken to the streets of Iran in the post-election protests. More »
Continental Reports Results of First Biofuel Flight
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Five months after its biofuel demo flight, Continental reports the results to the public. More »
Canada to Conscientious Objectors: Find Another Border to Cross
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The long tradition of conscientious objectors seeking asylum may be ending. More »
Mexico City Launches Free Health Insurance/Care for Tourists
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It's a creative measure by a visionary mayor to woo tourists back to the Mexican capital. The questions are: Will it work? and At what cost? More »
North Korean Court Sentences US Journalists to 12 Years Hard Labor
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The trial was fast, the sentence. . . rough. More »
Brit Detained in Laos Drug Trafficking Case Sentenced
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An update on the case of British citizen Samantha Orobator. More »
North Korea News Roundup
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It's been a busy week in North Korea. And it's only Thursday. More »
Tech Crackdown No Way to Commemorate Tiananmen
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Chinese government blocks access to popular Internet sites prior to Tiananmen Square commemoration. Coincidence? We think not. More »
Wend’s June Friday Photo Contest Theme Announced
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And the grand prize? A pair of Tevas, just in time for summer sporting! More »
Roads Scholarship Winners Announced!
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The applicants were so strong that the Digital Vagabond couldn't choose just one. More »
Expats Launch “Japan Discovered” on Twitter
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Two expats in Tokyo launch JapanDiscovered, the first travel tweetchat. More »
Morbid Medical Tourism?
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Guardian reports 800 British citizens are on the waiting list for a Swiss suicide clinic. More »
Southwest Airlines: Still Cool After All These Years
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There's a reason why Southwest consistently ranks among the US's best domestic airlines. More »
Kuwaiti Women Make Political Gains
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and in so doing, pose some challenges to Western feminism. More »
Economy pushing people past their limit in Asia
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Economic woes are getting everybody down. More »
Nomadic Matt releases travel ebook about SEO and monetizing blogs
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"This book is designed to help those with blogs make an even bigger and better blog and make some money off of it." More »
Good News Out of Africa
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There's good news coming out of Africa. Just ask Chioma and Oluchi Ogwuegbu. More »
Women of Malawi Run for Office in Record Numbers
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220 women are running in Malawi’s presidential and parliamentary polls today. More »
Lithuania Elects Its First Female President
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Dalia Grybauskaite prepares to take the helm. More »
1% of American Students Study Abroad
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Congress acts to improve study abroad opportunities for American students. More »
Slumdog Millionaire Star’s Home Demolished
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Now there's not even the slum for 10 year old Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail. More »
Nobel Peace Prize Winner Arrested
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After a bizarre episode involving a Vietnam vet who swam across a lake to visit the Laureate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the military junta. More »
Cyclists’ Rights Improving in Colorado
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A new Colorado bill should make cyclists safer on the road. More »
Orbitz Campaigns to End Cuba Travel Ban
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And comes up with a genius business strategy in the process. More »
British Nigerian Traveler Accused of Drug Trafficking in Laos
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A look at the curious case of Samantha Orobator. More »
“Maldivians Abandon Archipelago; Establish New Country in Australia”
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Is this a headline ripped from the news of the future? More »
Sunshine Guaranteed – Or Your Money Back
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From May through December, Barbados promises "perfect" weather - and a $100 refund for every day Mother Nature falls short. More »
Controversial American Radio Host Banned from Visiting the UK
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A look at the controversy of Britain's "Do Not Enter" list. More »
News from the Kabul Zoo
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A murdered elephant, hand grenades in the lion's cage, and one quarantined pig. Folks, you can't make this stuff up. More »
Pet Airways to Launch US Flights in July 2009
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Dog & cat owners in the US will soon have more travel options for their pets. More »
Why Flipping the Bird in Dubai Isn’t Smart…
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Learn what gestures don't fly when you're abroad. More »
Happy International Workers’ Day!
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What are you doing to celebrate International Workers' Day? More »
Swine Flu: What it Means for Travelers
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International officials say not to panic, but travelers are definitely being affected by the swine flu outbreak. More »
Could Hugo Chavez Save the Publishing Industry?
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After giving President Obama a book, it rocketed to the top of Amazon's bestseller list. More »
Mia Farrow Starts Hunger Strike for Darfur
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Farrow starts fast "as a personal expression of outrage at a world that is somehow able to stand by...." More »
Is Traveling to Mexico Dangerous?
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Matador weighs the evidence and decides: Only if your plans include Spring Break in Juarez. More »
Obama Makes Good on Campaign Promises, Allows Travel & Money to Cuba
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The foreign policy talk becomes tangible with the announcement of some new policies. More »
Woman Sets Guinness Record Eating 51 of the World’s Hottest Chilis
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How many could YOU eat in a minute? More »
What’s going on in…Uruguay?
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Uruguayans move to quash a law that supports absolving a dictatorship of its crimes. More »
Berlusconi’s Disaster Diplomacy
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Italy's prime minister says "No grazie" to offers for aid after the earthquake. Why is self-reliance being viewed by some as a diplomacy faux pas? More »
How to Drop $400,000 at Disneyland
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I knew Disney was expensive. But THIS expensive? More »
Turks & Caicos: R&R Has Suddenly Taken on a Whole New Meaning
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Plenty of travelers have enjoyed the rest & relaxation offered by the Turks & Caicos. But recently, islanders learned that a whole different kind of R More »
Next hot destination for gay travelers… Iowa?
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Iowa becomes the third state in the US to rule that same-sex marriages are legal. Might the state enjoy an uptick in tourism as a result? More »
What’s happening in… Argentina?
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A Matador member arrives in Buenos Aires...only to find herself surrounded by three unfolding news stories. More »
From the Editor: Viva the Embargo?
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Not for long, it seems. Political momentum is building in Washington, D.C. to relax restrictions against Cuba--including travel. More »
Big Mouth Biden on Bush
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The US Vice-President tours Latin America...and doesn't miss the opportunity to jibe the past administration. More »
President Obama Signs Wilderness Bill
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He may have gotten more press about the auto bail-out. But environmentalists were focused on another headline. More »
Spanish Tell Bush Cronies: Your Day in Court is Coming
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January 20, 2009 marked the end of the Bush Era, but not everyone is willing to forget some of the administration's legacies. More »
RIP Shane McConkey (1969-2009)
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Sad news today. One of our heroes, Shane McConkey, died in a ski-BASE jumping accident in the Italian Dolomites.
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Reason #170,894 Why Fox is a Joke
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Conservatives: say what you will about their beliefs on gay rights, or birth control, or other touchy issues -- but at least you can count on them to More »
South Africa Bars the Dalai Lama
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A spokesman for the President claimed the move was intended to prevent any distractions in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup, but the truth behind the More »
“Daggering” in Jamaica: A Dance Craze Gone Too Far?
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The spiraling popularity of "daggering" -- a "lewd" dance style with accompanying, explicitly-lyric'd dancehall tunes -- has led the Jamaican governme More »
The Global Press Corps Goes Online
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Lately it seems everywhere you look -- in print or online -- you'll find someone sermonizing about the death of print and the inexorable, irresistible More »
6th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq
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It's nothing to celebrate, but it's important to notice. And in the mainstream media, hardly anyone did. More »
The Pope+Condoms+Africa= WHAT?
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Add another entry to the list of reasons why I’m a recovering Catholic:
Photo: beyondforgetting
While visiting Africa this week, Pope Benedict More »
A New Way of Looking at the News
As the Matador Network gets a face lift, we'll continue to bring you news about travel--and we're not talking about fare deals or new airline routes. More »
Kenya Reduces Visa Fees
Now, there's even more motivation to plan a Kenya trip: the country's tourism ministry has announced a reduction in visa fees that's effective now thr More »
El Salvador Leans to the Left
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For those who worry about Latin America's swing to the political left, there was one more country to start fretting about this weekend: El Salvador. More »
Obama’s Gift Gaffe
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Perhaps you missed the story that was a mere footnote to many newscasts the week of March 6. More »
What’s Going On In… Guinea-Bissau?
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Two weeks ago we blogged about the assassination of Guinea-Bissau's President, Joao Bernando Vieira, by members of the army. Details in the media have More »
Three Stories From Under the Radar: Brazil, Madagascar, and a Few Ugly Eco-Disasters
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Welcome to a new, occasional feature here at Pulse: "Three Stories from Under the Radar" will showcase global news stories that aren't necessarily mak More »
Iraqi Shoe-Throw Journalist Gets 3 Years in Prison
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The BBC reported this morning that Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi, more famous for hurling his shoes at former President Bush than for his reporta More »
Protests for Peace in Northern Ireland
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The people of Northern Ireland have been hitting the streets this week to protest the recent murders of two soldiers and a police officer. More »
Marriott CEO Announces Pay Cut… for Himself
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As the effects of the economic crisis begin to be felt not just on the institutional level, but on the personal level, it's been hard for me to feel e More »
Congo: Africa’s “Invisible War”
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Is the decade-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo "Africa's invisible war"? Some fascinating number-crunching from Social Design Notes c More »
The Battle for Pascua Lama
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It was a classic war in the making. To the left, a worldwide consortium of protesters, outraged by a mining project alleged to destroy a big chunk of More »
Morgan Tsvangirai Wounded, Wife Killed in Car Crash
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Grim news from Zimbabwe: The leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, who recently entered into a power-sharing agreement with despot More »
The Fight Over Gandhi’s Glasses
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Photo: Mataparda
The auction, set for today at Manhattan’s Antiquorum auction house, is described simply as a collection of “important More »
Arrest Warrant Issued for Sudan’s President Bashir
Big news today: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been formally charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal More »
President of Guinea-Bissau Assassinated
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Joao Bernardo Vieira, President of the small West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, has been shot and killed by a group of “renegade soldiers,&# More »
Hitting the Slopes in Kashmir
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Over the past few years, after decades of tension and on-again off-again violence, the disputed, war-torn Indian territory of Kashmir has been on a s More »
What’s going on in… South Korea?
Photo: diongillard
He who owns the medium controls the message
Liberal and conservative forces in South Korea are jockeying in parliament, on the st More »
Brazilian Favela Gets Wired
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Photo: anthony goto
Earlier this week, Matador Change published an article by Dominic DeGrazier about a company offering travelers “insider t More »
Latin America Changes War on Drugs Strategy: Legalize!
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Photo: r0bz
The news might have escaped the notice of the media outside Latin America, but last week’s announcement that three of the region More »
What happens when your travel is TOO transparent…
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Here at Matador, we’re all about transparent travel.
Photo: mihalorel
We want travelers to blog about their journeys, share their photos and v More »
6 Reasons Why the Michael Phelps “Scandal” is Uniquely American
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When a multimillionaire Olympian burns through half your stash in one bong-load, maybe you feel a bit taken advantage of. More »
Korea Finally Shows Its Panty Line
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Matador Life editor Tom Gates talks to one of the stars of ‘Shortbus’ about a landmark film censorship decision in Korea.
As recently rep More »
What’s going on in… Juarez, Mexico?
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Photo:scazon
The emergence of armed vigilante groups threatening to take public security into their own hands has added a new sense of urgency to M More »
Iranian Election: Khatami Throws his Hat into the Ring
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Could Iran have a shot at some change we can believe in, too?
High-profile pro-reform politician Mohammed Khatami, who served as President of Iran fr More »
Matador Talks with Best Job in the World Applicant, Anny Chih
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If you believe the copy, the best job in the world is lying on a beach, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef and blogging about it for a cool AUD $15 More »
Controversy in Canada: Expats, Aid Workers and Citizenship
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The Problem
The Globe and Mail reports that some sweeping changes to Canada’s citizenship laws could have a serious impact on the country’ More »
Much Ado About Rendition
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In all the discussion about President Obama’s planned closure of Guantanamo Bay and other special prisons, one order has gone largely unnoticed More »
The Bolivian Referendum: Watershed Moment or Politics as Usual?
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“Se acabo el colonialismo (Colonialism is over),” declared President Evo Morales as his country voted to adopt a controversial new consti More »
What’s Going on in… Madagascar?
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[Editor's Note: This is the first article in an occasional series from guest writers responding to the prompt, "What's going on in your country?"]
In More »
No Kissing Law Passed in Guanajuato, Mexico
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Jail time for kissing in public? For using slang in the street?
Sound like Dubai?
Try Guanajuato, a city in central Mexico, the world’s PDA c More »
NYC Visitors, Celebrate!: Obama Considers Reopening of Liberty’s Crown
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It was a busy first week of work for President Obama, and one filled with some landmark executive orders.
Within two days of taking the oath of offi More »
Congolese Rebel Leader Arrested In Rwanda
Big news out of Central Africa today, where a messy, many-sided, on-again-off-again war has been bubbling along for the better part of two decades.
L More »
Grim/Absurd Zimbabwe News du Jour: The 100 Trillion Dollar Bill
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We’ve been following Zimbabwe’s increasingly dark economic and political story here on Pulse for some time now, and I’ve got to say More »
Satellite Wars: Iran vs. The BBC
Global media giant the BBC has launched a Persian (or Farsi) language television station, available by satellite in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. More »
Bad News for the Backcountry?
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It’s still early in the 08-09 ski season, but it’s already been a season of tragedies for British Columbia’s winter sports communit More »
Finding the Words to Talk About What’s Happening in Gaza
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We’ve been quiet on Pulse about what’s been occurring in Gaza the past two weeks.
It’s hard to know what to say, exactly, when the More »
The People’s Inauguration
President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn into office on January 20, and increasingly it seems that the inauguration will be even more historic than More »
Bhutto’s Daughter Raps About Her Mother’s Death
Just over a year after the assassination that made headlines worldwide, the daughter of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has released a More »
America’s Most Literate Cities… Really?
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I’m slightly suspicious of superlatives– you know, the best of this or the worst of that– so I tend to approach them with some skep More »
Is the Pound Headed for Parity with the Euro?
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Well, it sure looks that way.
One tourist-hungry British village is already accepting the currencies at par, hoping to attract for Irish and contine More »
R.I.P. Helen Suzman, 1917-2009
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Helen Suzman, the lone anti-apartheid voice in the South African parliament for more than a decade, died today. She was 91.
Suzman served as a South More »
Editors’ Roundup: Matador 2008 Year in Review
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Earlier this month we asked everyone on the editorial staff what their picks were for the best of 2008, both personally and at Matador. As expected it More »
Now Hiring Travelers: U.S. Foreign Service
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Well, tough economic times may be upon us, but at least one large-scale employer is looking for fresh blood — and travel experience is a plus. More »
7 Memorable Matador Stories that Went Popular on Digg in 2008
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44 Matador articles graced the Front Page of Digg in 2008. Here's a look back at 7 of our favorites. More »
Last Call For Injustice
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A US pre-trial hearing for a Canadian child soldier (sorry, make that child “enemy combatant”) who’s been held in Guantanamo for si More »
Mugabe: “Zimbabwe Is Mine”
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The BBC reports the latest ravings from Zimbabwe’s resident lunatic megalomaniac:
I will never, never, never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am More »
Guantanamo Bay to Close? Gates Says Pentagon Working on Plan
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According to a Spanish language article in the newspaper, El Pais, the Pentagon has announced that it has (finally) begun to develop a proposal for More »
Rwandan Genocide “Masterminds” Convicted, Sentenced
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More than 18 years later, three of the leaders behind the Rwandan genocide have been convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, a More »
Sometimes, The News Hurts
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I hate to admit it, but after awhile the grim headlines from around the world can become a bit of a blur: Kidnappings, floods, shootings, famine, bomb More »
Greyhound Canada: How To Piss Off All Your Customers Without Actually Making Them Any Safer
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I used to really, really hate traveling by bus, for a variety of reasons (among them, that the contraptions make me a little queasy) — so it ju More »
Stephanie Nolen: Goodbye Africa, Hello India
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Photo by Lollie-Pop (Creative Commons)
Stephanie Nolen, the Globe and Mail’s one-woman African bureau, is one of my favourite journalists ̵ More »
Cuba-U.S. Relations Set to Normalize?
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Travelers who have visited Cuba tend to describe the island as a time capsule or a freeze frame 1950s-era photo.
In some ways, that’s true. More »
LA Times, Chicago Tribune Publisher Goes Bankrupt
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In breaking “is this the death of print?” news, the New York Times reports that the Tribune Company, the publisher of both the Los Angele More »
Riots in Greece
With all the bad news over the past few weeks– protests in Bangkok, terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and political chaos in Canada–you might h More »
A Day at Guantanamo Bay: One Guard’s Perspective
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I applied for a press pass to visit the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in February 2008.
Seven months later, I was notified I’d been appr More »
Zimbabwe: Kenya Calls It Like It Is
Photo by dearbarbie (Creative Commons)
Yup, it’s Zimbabwe Day again here at Pulse.
A few months back, I noted that Botswana’s government More »
Bangkok on the Brink: What Unrest Means for Travelers
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Guest Post by Voralak Suwanvanichkij
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Bus Companies vs. Rideshare: It’s Like Napster All Over Again
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File this news story under “out of touch”.
Remember when Napster first came on the scene, and everyone in the music industry was in a gre More »
Black Friday: Consumerism Kills
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Here’s a piece of news that reads like a dark satire:
A Wal-Mart employee on Long Island was killed this morning by crazed, stampeding shopper More »
Take Me Out To Citi-Taxpayer Field…?
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Sports events can be a great way to connect with local culture when you travel.
And now, they can be a great way to learn about recession politics, More »
Chaos in Mumbai
I’m still trying to piece together what’s been going on in Mumbai in the last 24 hours.
Reports are confusing, but it does seem clear that More »
40 Years Later: The Vatican Gives John Lennon a Chance
Happy birthday, White Album.
It’s been 40 years since the iconic Beatles album was released — and hey, in honor of the milestone the Vati More »
WiFi in the Friendly Skies
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Depending on your point of view, this news will either revolutionize your flight experience or make it even more revolting:
WiFi is now available in More »
[Insert "Yarr!" Joke Here]
So unless you’ve been living in a yurt somewhere, you’ve probably heard about the Saudi super-tanker that was hijacked by modern-day pira More »
This Week in Archaeology: Pyramids in Egypt, Chariots in Bulgaria
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There have been a couple of pretty exciting archaeological discoveries worth noting in recent days:
First up, a new pyramid has been discovered in Eg More »
Snowbirds, Take Note: Australian Desert Off Limits
As the chill of winter begins to descend upon some parts of the world, that group of travelers known as “snowbirds” are evaluating the p More »
Why the Economic Crisis May Be an Opportunity for Travelers and Travel Writers
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Everyone I know is worried about the economic crisis.
And with reason.
401(k) values are plummeting. The safety net—if there ever was one—is f More »
Could a Travel Boycott Be Headed Utah’s Way?
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Quick follow-up to yesterday’s post about the Proposition 8 protests in California and across the States this weekend:
Meg Massie over at Gadli More »
Where’s the Love? A Blogger at the Prop 8 Protests
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Ed. Note: Matador author Robyn Johnson attended one of this past weekend’s massive protests, in San Francisco. Here’s her take on the scen More »
Responsible Tourism Awards 2008: The Winners!
The results are in for the latest round of Responsible Tourism Awards, and New Zealand was the year’s big winner.
NZ took the overall prize bec More »
Rest in Peace, “Mama Africa”
South African singer Miriam Makeba died this week at age 76.
Nicknamed Mama Africa, Makeba was known throughout the world not only for her singing bu More »
Special Comment: Keith Olbermann Tears Proposition 8 Apart
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In the latest of his legendary comments, Olbermann went to town on Proposition 8 and its supporters.
It wasn’t an angry attack, though, but an More »
This Is What Inflation Looks Like
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I’ve mentioned Zimbabwe’s staggering inflation problem here on Pulse before, but these pictures bring it home in a way words never will:
More »
“Chicago! It’s YOUR Kind of Town!”
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Frank Sinatra might have thought Chicago was his type of town, but travel writers, airlines, and tourism boards are scrambling, in the wake of Obama More »
The World’s Best Spots for a Same-Sex Wedding
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Okay, so you’ve probably heard by now that Proposition 8 passed last night in California, banning same-sex marriage in the state.
It’s a More »
OH and PA go to Obama = Nail in the Coffin
CNN hasn’t called it.
MSNBC hasn’t called it.
FOX News hasn’t called it.
NPR hasn’t called it.
We may be jumping the gun, More »
Matador’s Blogging Live from NPR HQ in DC!
I’m currently blogging live from NPR HQ in Washington, D.C., along with 20 other bloggers from around the country.
I’ll be posting here on More »
Election 2008: Who Are You Watching Tonight?
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Photo by stricklin_family (Creative Commons)
There’s more televised election coverage airing tonight than you can shake a stick at – but More »
Attention, Passengers: Your baggage will be delayed due to…
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a cheetah.
How’d you like to get up close and personal to that face?
It was all in a day’s work for a baggage handler at Atlanta’ More »
What’s $15 Billion? Putting Exxon Mobil’s Record-Breaking Profits Into Perspective
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In a time when many Americans are losing their homes, their jobs, and their retirement savings, Exxon’s quarterly earnings of almost $15 billion se More »
Branson vs. the Bermuda Triangle
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Apparently, even Sir Richard Branson is no match for the mighty Triangle.
The billionaire called off his attempt at setting a new trans-Atlantic sai More »
Media Games: What Happened on the Syrian Border?
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Here’s an interesting exercise:
Take two media accounts of the same news event, and compare them.
Step 1: Read what the Globe and Mail had to More »
Well, Finally! Making Planes Run On Bio-Fuel
A team of scientists in North Dakota has successfully created jet fuel from plant oils, Scientific American reports, and the resulting product is More »
Disaster Aid: Killing with Kindness?
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Natural disasters strike all too often, especially in places ill-equipped to handle the resultant humanitarian crises.
When well-publicized, these m More »
Protest of the Day: Cuffing Karl Rove
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As the global financial crisis worsens, tempers are running high.
One woman expressed herself recently by attempting to handcuff the notorious ex-Bus More »
News From The French-Speaking World
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The French language has been in the news a lot lately – in part, because this weekend saw the 2008 summit of the Francophonie – an organi More »
Save those Souvenirs!
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A segment on the local news caught my attention the other night:
The last living survivor of the Titanic, 96 year old Millvina Dean, is auctioning o More »
Pimp WHOSE Ride?
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The Straight Talk Express may have lost a wheel, but don’t worry.
McCain won’t need to pimp his ride: he’s got 13 cars to back him u More »
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe…
I’ve been so wrapped up in the American and Canadian elections these past few weeks, I’ve gotten a little slack in monitoring the news in More »
A day without Mexicans…and Thanksgiving without turkey
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I doubt my hometown has ever made national headlines, but it might just seize its 15 seconds of fame this week.
Unfortunately, it won’t be for More »
Obama Supporter Shot In London
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A man in London is reporting that he was shot three times while attempting to flee a threatening gunman — and all because he was wearing a Bara More »
From Bling to Broke: Iceland Going Bankrupt?
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Last night, the Associated Press reported that Iceland–yes, the country–is “teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.”
I’ll More »
NYC Blog Contest Winner Announced!
A week ago, Pulse announced a contest: write an entertaining blog about an NYC experience and win a Not For Tourists NYC Guide.
You can find the win More »
“Thanks, but we’re already famous.”
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Tonight, the “world’s greatest tenor,” Placido Domingo, gave a concert at Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the modern wor More »
Matador Goes to Guantanamo!
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After seeing the documentary, “Gitmo: The New Rules of War,” earlier this year, I applied for a press pass to visit the US military’ More »
The FBI May Be Listening… Even When Your Phone Is Off
So says Fox News:
Are You Friggin Kidding Me – Watch more free videos
Incidentally, this might be the first time I’ve ever repeated someth More »
Churches Endorse John McCain, Face Wrath of IRS
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Several dozen American pastors put their wallets on the line this weekend, breaking a decades-old ban on political endorsements from the pulpit.
In a More »
Remembering Paul Newman, World Citizen… & Actor
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Paul Newman died yesterday at the age of 83.
He’ll be remembered most as an iconic actor of the 20th century (and a damn handsome one), but I More »
Pure Genius
Imagine: Your phone rings. You answer. Someone on the other end of the line says: “Congratulations. We think you’re a genius. And by the w More »
Facilitating Martial Law? US Army’s New Dwell-Time Mission Set to Begin in October
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Earlier this month, ArmyTimes.com reported that the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (1st BCT) is being trained as an on-call federa More »
Matt Damon: Palin As President Is Like “A Really Bad Disney Movie”
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How do you like them apples, Mrs. Palin? More »
Chinese Elephant Kicks Smack Habit, Heads Home
In kinda-funny-til-you-really-think-about-it (then-it-gets-really-sad) news, a young Asian elephant, Xiguang, has recently returned home to China aft More »
Si Se Puede: Yes you can…sell your art!
Are you a starving artist desperate to sell your work?
So is Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, apparently.
Or was.
The Associated Press reported o More »
Green Airport for the Galapagos?
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The government of Ecuador has just announced that it has green-lighted plans to build the world’s first “ecological airport”… More »
Smoky’s Narc Cousin? Bear Busts Utah Grow-Op
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In Utah’s Garfield County, the sheriff’s office has revealed that they found remnants of a major marijuana operation – apparently s More »
NYC for $38 a Night?!
Budget travelers, take note!
New York City is suddenly within your reach!
The Broadway Hotel & Hostel, a self-described “designer hoste More »
Is Water The New Oil? Global h2o Consumption Doubling Every 20 Years
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It’s a familiar story:
A finite, precious resource, long taken for granted in North America, but now coming under increased demand from the em More »
5 Deeply Disturbing Things About Last Night’s RNC
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Be afraid. Be very afraid... More »
All Inclusive Vacation: Spray Paint Not Included
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Have you heard about Jim Clay Harper (a.k.a. “Ether”) and his girlfriend, Danielle Bremner (a.k.a. “Dani”)?
They’re th More »
Storm Warning for Burning Man
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Dust storms could mean burners are in for a wild ride at Burning Man. More »
Room for You… in Space
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So, if you haven’t been following news from outer space lately, here’s an update.
Last year, Galactic Suite Limited established itself a More »
Madrid Crash Kills 153
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Today’s crash of Spanair flight JK5022 upon take off at Madrid’s Barajas Airport was the latest in a series of recent air disasters that h More »
Shooting for a Darwin Award? Kite Surfer Tries to Ride Hurricane Fay
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A kite surfer got a lot more than he bargained for today, when he apparently tried to take on Tropical Storm Fay on a Fort Lauderdale beach.
A news c More »
U.S. Passport Card: Worth the Hassle?
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Christine Gilbert says skip the passport card and stick with the real deal. More »
Botswana Takes On Mugabe (Finally!)
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Photo by openDemocracy
The President of Botswana has broken ranks with most of his African colleagues, and called Robert Mugabe’s so-called re More »
The World’s Primates: See Them Before They’re Gone?
Photo by peasap (Creative Commons)
Sad news from CNN: a new report shows that nearly 50% of the world’s primates are at risk of extinction.
T More »
PETA: Gone Too Far This Time?
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PETA's latest ad compares a recent murder to the meat industry. More »
This Just In: Fast Food Isn’t Good For Your Kids?!
Photo by Xurble (Creative Commons)
In the “duh!” news item of the day, the Associated Press reports that 93% of meal options at America& More »
Weekly Airline Rant: $2 for Water?!
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Frequent fliers have been joking for awhile that we’ll soon be paying for the air we breathe while flying.
And the way things are looking now, More »
Where the Wild Things Are
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For years, tourists have been planning their travels around tales of otherworldly creatures, hoping to confirm with their own eyes what they’ More »
100 Days & Counting…
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With just 100 days left in what’s easily been the most exciting presidential race in my lifetime, voters are beginning to ask:
Who will McCain More »
Kayaking Safety Bill In The Works
U.S legislation that would require kayaking schools to increase their training for beginners has passed the House.
Under the new law, schools would ha More »
When in France… Drink Tap Water
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That’s right, if you want to “do as the French do” on your next trip to Paris or Provence, better put down that bottle of Evian and More »
Americans Afraid of Travel?: Response to Obama Trip Suggests “Yes”
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Barack Obama has had a busy week, jetting through the Middle East and Europe to take the pulse of the world’s attitude towards America and to More »
There Will Be… Guns?
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Of all the travel destinations that are uniquely American, perhaps none are more cherished than the system of national parks.
From Assateague Natio More »
Minimum Wage on the Rise
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A wage increase goes into effect today for American workers who get paid the hourly minimum.
Up 70 cents to $6.55, the two percent of Americans who More »
Hello, Dolly!: Latest Hurricane News
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Hurricane Dolly made landfall earlier today in the coastal region of Texas and northern Mexico. While locals brace for gale-force rains and winds, a More »
Big In Kosovo: Passports
It’s been five months since Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia – an act that sparked violence between ethnic Albanians and Serb More »
What would you do with $100 billion?
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In Zimbabwe, the answer is: not much.
The troubled country has just introduced a $100 billion banknote – according to this CNN story, it is equ More »
Sleepless in SEA? (or JFK, LAX, or ORD?)
If you’re a regular Pulse reader, then you know that every few weeks or so I’m due a new rant on the American airline industry.
ItR More »
What have you watched on YouTube lately?
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Photo by Shht! (Creative Commons)
Thanks to a U.S. district court, media megalith Viacom Inc. could be about to find out.
Last week, in the latest r More »
From Diplomat’s Daughter to FARC Hostage: Ingrid Betancourt Timeline
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1961: Ingrid Betancourt is born in Bogota, Colombia. Her father, Gabriel Betancourt, was Colombia’s Minister of Education, assistant director of More »
Ingrid Betancourt: LIBRE!!
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I couldn’t have been happier to come home last night to the news from journalist and Colombia-based Matador member Richard McColl that Ingrid Be More »
Bye-bye backpacker, hello flashpacker?
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Guest Editorial by Matador member Matt Kepnes
Somewhere before my bus broke down in Australia, I was called a flashpacker. Despite being on the road More »
Police Blotter: News from Mexico City
Every week is a big news week as far as the police of Mexico City are concerned, and the MCPD’s PR folks clearly have their jobs cut out for t More »
Save Our Archives!
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Photo by moriza (Creative Commons)
‘Wow,’ someone said to me the other day, after I’d finished telling him about my recent career More »
Megabus or Megabust?
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If you’re a budget traveler, I’ll bet you’re already hip to the cheap tickets for the so-called Chinese buses that run between Chi More »
Reality Check: South Africa
Photo by Lollie-Pop (Creative Commons
I can still remember the first time a college professor opened my eyes to the way ‘Africa’ (and, o More »
Afro-Latins: No Longer the Silent Minority
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A few years back, my husband and I had some Spanish teachers over for dinner. They were lovely people and we’d enjoyed a spirited conversation More »
Picks of the Week: Update from Zimbabwe
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The grim ins and outs of the Zimbabwean ‘elections’ this spring have been tough to keep up with.
Vote-rigging, intimidation and violence, More »
You can bet your bottom dollar…
that I’ll be avoiding all these new bag charges that US airlines are imposing.
After the April announcement that they’d be charging a & More »
SOBRO, Represent!
SOBRO, in case you didn’t know, is the hip new name for the South Bronx (or, if you prefer ‘Da South Bronx).
Imagine my surprise upon fin More »
On Bad Terms with Tourism?
I’ve just cleaned out my mailbox after being on the road for six weeks, and a bundle of magazines and review copies of travel related books now More »
‘It all starts with respecting yourself’
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Adam Beach isn’t just one of the more high-profile Canadians in Hollywood these days – he’s also almost certainly the most high-prof More »
Call Me Cynical…
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I’m an airplane seat scavenger, picking up the newspapers and magazines other travelers have left behind.
That’s my only excuse for readi More »
Big in Canada: Vegan KFC
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Photo by bigbold (Creative Commons)
Check your calendars, folks: April Fool’s Day was more than two months ago. So, yes, this is for real.
Aft More »
Sunshine Guaranteed…or Your Money Back
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So, you’ve plugged away in your cubicle all year and can FINALLY see your vacation days on the horizon. Your bags are packed, you’re on y More »
NY Times: Manitoba is a Must-See
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Photo by Matt Callow (Creative Commons)
Imagine my surprise when, scanning the New York Times list of 31 closer-to-home places to visit this summer, More »
“Oh give me a home…”
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If you’re a writer, you don’t need me to tell you about that creeping feeling of anxiety that swells up at the end of each month when yo More »
Here’s one way to spend your ‘economic stimulus check’…
Photo by babasteve (Creative Commons)
I came across this grim story on TheRoot.com yesterday about fistula – a potentially life-threatening co More »
Can Cell Phones End Poverty?
That’s the question Sara Corbett asked in a recent New York Times Magazine article about the varied uses of cell phones around the world.
Corb More »
How To Get Aid To Burma
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Photo by khaipi (Creative Commons)
One of the more agonizing aspects of the Cyclone Nargis aftermath has been watching Burma’s military rulers More »
Battle Over Border Searches Heats Up
Photo by androog (Creative Commons)
An unlikely coalition of activists is warning travelers to think twice about the data on their laptops before cr More »
Attn. All Wired Travelers!
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Photo by Jace (Creative Commons)
For those of you who travel fully wired, the airport internet service provider, Boingo, is offering a promotion for More »
