Strange Facts Swedes and Norweigans rank top 5 for both providing aid and exporting weapons. On the probability of not reaching 40 graph, the top 34 countries are all African. Former enemies, the Americans and Russians now have a great deal in common – they both lead the world in locking people up . English…

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Uganda.  This is what they have to say: We advise against all travel to northern and north eastern Uganda because of rebel insurgency and tribal clashes.  In July 2005, there was an armed attack on a vehicle in the northern part of the Murchison…

The Great Express, a luxury overnight train for rich Russians and foreign tourists is now running between Moscow and St. Petersburg.  The cost ranges from 3,150 roubles, or $110, for the nine-hour overnight trip in a first-class seat to 12,500 roubles for a luxury compartment with a bed and bathroom.  All compartments are fitted with…

The US government is dropping plans to collect data from commercial data bases to identify potential terrorists on passenger lists. The main reason cited is concern over privacy.

You don't have to go far to encounter trouble!  New research from the UK's Direct Line Travel Insurance indicates that over one in 10 Britons has been robbed while on holiday and a further 27 percent know someone who has. Spain is the country with the highest number of thefts with 38 percent of those…

Be careful what you write whilst on-line in China.  Yahoo was accused last week of helping Chinese authorities identify and imprison a reporter who described government fears about pro-democracy activists.  Shi Tao of China's Contemporary Business News attended a meeting at which an official read a government memo warning of possible social unrest during the…

A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award? Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested? Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and…

Zimbabwe is said to be about to import four endangered Siberian tigers from China for captive breeding.  China had received zebras, elephants and impala as part of an “exchange programme”. Yes, this comes from a country that is rapidly imploding, people being displaced from their homes and land, rampaging inflation and there is not enough…

Ever worried about being able to access your cash whilst overseas?  These two websites allow you to locate Visa and Mastercard ATMs.

A monk has travelled from China to Ruabon, near Wrexham in Wales to help open a special temple to teach the ancient discipline of Shaolin.  Shi Xing Du will draft a syllabus for students to learn the Shaolin way, which includes kung fu, Chinese medicine, Buddhism and meditation.  The centre of the discipline's teaching is…