A high-speed Japanese ferry has collided with what is thought to be a whale, leaving 49 people injured, 13 of whom in a serious condition. The two-deck ferry, carrying more than 100 passengers and crew, was near the city of Kagoshima on the southern island of Kyushu when it happened. Ships in the area often…

A recent BBC report tells of a British magazine, the New Scientist, that says Pentagon scientists are planning to turn sharks into “stealth spies” capable of tracking vessels undetected. Apparently, they aim to remotely control the sharks by implanting electrodes in their brains, “to exploit sharks' natural ability to glide through the water, sense delicate…

At the end of 2005, the Beetle was diving around Sipadan, East Sabah, so she was particularly interested in an Australian travel issued 28th Feb warning to its nationals: “We strongly advise you not to travel to coastal resorts and other centres on and islands and dive sites off the east coast of Sabah because…

CNN recently ran an article, spotted by Webmaster Paul about what do you do when you are on a plane and surrounded by people coughing and snuffling or you are the one with a cough and cold. A US doctor recommends these actions: as colds and the flu spread through droplets and close contact, it's…

The Chinese government is introducing a 5% tax on disposable wooden chopsticks in a bid to preserve its forests. It produces about 45 billion pairs of chopsticks a year, consuming millions of trees and bamboo plants.

According to the World Health Organisation, the number of people who have died from bird flu around the globe has reached 103 since late 2003. The latest deaths from the H5N1 strain occurred in Azerbaijan, where five have died since February, the WHO reported. Confirmed human deaths: Vietnam – 42 Indonesia – 22 Thailand –…

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all but essential travel to Nepal. The political situation in Nepal remains tense and unpredictable following the end of the Maoist ceasefire and elections, which took place on 8 February 2006. There is a possibility of further violence and disturbances with planned blockades in Kathmandu and other…

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…

Spotted by Globetrotter Steve: police in India’s Bihar state in northern India are so short of resources they are using a pack of stray dogs to protect themselves from Maoist rebels. A recent BBC report says that the 24 policemen are spending around 5% of their salaries to feed and keep the dogs who perform…

The latest edition of the Lonely Planet Guide to London says that London has become “dynamic and forward-looking” full of great places to visit, eat and stay, chic inner-city neighbourhoods, excellent architecture and is therefore richly deserving of its Olympic success. Previous editions of the London LP have criticised London for being the home of…