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Facebook Tweet Email Link AP  —  Bolivia’s charismatic, long-serving ex-President Evo Morales told The Associated Press on Saturday that he didn’t know what to do about threats by the right-wing presidential candidates to arrest him if they came to power. From his stronghold in Bolivia’s tropics of Chapare, where he has been holed up for months under the protection of die-hard supporters, he repeated his call for voters to deface their ballots in Sunday’s high-stakes elections in defiance of the race from which he is barred due to a contentious constitutional court ruling. “What are we going to do? Not…

Facebook Tweet Email Link As evidence mounts of intensifying atrocities, including the torture of children, being committed in Myanmar, the country’s military generals are rebranding their junta regime and planning stage-managed elections in a nation they only control parts of. They’ve rescinded a four-year state of emergency order, imposed during their 2021 military coup, and formed a caretaker administration to govern the war-torn Southeast Asian country until a new parliament is assembled following a national vote. But it is merely a cosmetic change, analysts say — designed to give the appearance that it’s playing by the democratic playbook while remaining…

Palladium Hotel Group’s newest travel advisor tool, Palladium PRO, is an integral element of the company’s long-term strategy to simplify how advisors book and sell Palladium’s 40-plus resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Brazil and Europe. In an interview with TravelPulse, Cristian Caballero, the company’s commercial director for the Americas, outlined the competitive advantages the tool offers advisors. What inspired the creation of Palladium PRO?Palladium PRO was created thanks to direct feedback from our travel advisor partners. Over the years, we’ve heard a consistent message: Advisors wanted more transparency, better tools and a deeper relationship with the brands they…

Facebook Tweet Email Link Reuters  —  US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office. Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News, ahead of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “I will tell you, you know, you have a very similar thing with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don’t believe there’s any way it’s going to happen as long as I’m here. We’ll see,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report.”…

by Lacey Pfalz Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Fri August 15, 2025 Virtuoso, the leading global network specializing in luxury travel experiences, ended its 37th annual Virtuoso Travel Week recognizing the best luxury travel brands during its Global Awards gala this week. The winners were chosen via elected members of Virtuoso’s Boards and Committees and will be showcased in the host agency’s November/December issue and on Virtuoso’s website.  The winners in each category are listed below. Best Airline: Delta AirlinesBest Brand Hotel: Regent Hong KongBest Independent Hotel: The Dewberry Charleston Best New or Reimagined Hotel: Regent Santa Monica BeachHotelier of the Year: Claudio…

A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into left-leaning advocacy group Media Matters. Back in 2023, Media Matters published research showing ads from major companies had appeared alongside antisemitic and other offensive content on Elon Musk-owned X. When major advertisers subsequently pulled back from the platform, X sued Media Matters. It also sued advertisers and advertiser groups over what it claimed was a “systematic illegal boycott.” After Musk’s then-ally Donald Trump took office again in January, the FTC also began an investigation into whether Media Matters had illegally colluded with advertisers. On Friday,…

Within The Wild Adventure Company, a family-owned hospitality group in Southcentral Alaska, has unveiled ‘Alaska Beyond,’ a women-led destination management company that captures the wild essence of Alaska while empowering women in the state’s hospitality industry.Mandy Dixon, Lindsay Mondschein and Kirsten Dixon are leading the charge with their decades of experience in Alaska’s tourism landscape, bringing bespoke itineraries and high-end culinary adventures to its guests. Remote glacier treks, private wildlife encounters and gourmet meals crafted by award-winning chefs are all included in its one-of-a-kind journeys. Kirsten Dixon said, “The launch of Alaska Beyond marks a remarkable chapter of growth and impact in the…

Do A.I. chatbots packaged inside cute-looking plushies offer a viable alternative to screen time for kids? That’s how the companies selling these A.I.-powered kiddie companions are marketing them, but The New York Times’ Amanda Hess has some reservations. She recounts a demonstration in which Grem, one of the offerings from startup Curio, tried to bond with her. (Curio also sells a plushie named Grok, with no apparent connection to the Elon Musk-owned chatbot.) Hess writes that this is when she knew, “I would not be introducing Grem to my own children.” As she talked to the chatbot, she became convinced…

by Lacey Pfalz Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Fri August 15, 2025 A flight on low-cost air carrier Breeze Airways had to be diverted after a passenger who threatened flight attendants with a skateboard broke restraints twice during the flight. According to USA TODAY, Flight 704 was heading from Los Angeles to Virginia when a drunk 46-year-old passenger from Los Angeles began yelling “racist slurs” at flight attendants around 9:00 a.m. on August 13.  Flight attendants managed to restrain the man, but he broke out of his restraints twice, prompting the pilots to make an emergency landing in Grand Junction, Colorado,…

Mark Hennigan. (Source: Mark Hennigan)Travel Advisor Success Stories focus on veteran advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Mark Hennigan, co-owner of Dreamers Travel.How did you get your start as a travel advisor? Nineteen years ago, I had a dream of being my boss. I wanted to work harder for myself than I did for someone else, so I started to tinker around with the idea of becoming a travel agent. I applied for a CLIA number and started to attend some local bridal shows, and before I knew it, I was starting to book trips.How did…