World Travel News: April 2006

San Francisco International Airport is set to close one of its runways tonight for maintenance. One of the airport's two main departure runways will be shut for 15 days so that it can be repaved. more

The Sydney Film Festival will again be playing to packed audiences when it opens in June. The international film festival's beginnings were humble, with screenings at university theatres, before moving to more public venues in the city's centre and suburbs. more

Villagers in Indonesia may be forced to evacuate their homes as a volcano looks increasingly set to erupt. According to experts, Mount Merapi, which is one of the most active in the country, is set to erupt any day. more

Two suicide bombers have blown themselves up in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. As the country looked to recover from the devastating bombs which ripped through the resort town of Dahab just two days earlier, these fresh attacks will come as a blow to the authorities. more

Bird flu is back in Britain, just weeks after it was first confirmed in the country. Fears over the arrival of bird flu in the UK had reduced after experts suggested that the swan in Scotland which was found to be infected with the deadly H5N1 virus had probably recently arrived in the UK as part of its migratory route and did not appear to have been in close contact with any other birds in the country. more

Sri Lanka's government has hit back in the battle with Tamil Tiger rebels across the country. Following a suicide bomber's attack on a military base, the government has sanctioned air strikes by its military forces on suspected Tamil Tiger bases. more

Violent demonstrations have taken place in Athens as American secretary of state Condoleezza Rice visited the Greek capital. Anti-war demonstrators threw petrol bombs and debris as they clashed with police, who fired teargas to disperse the crowds. more

A popular resort in Egypt has been rocked by three powerful bombs, causing devastation and killing at least 23 people. The Egyptian resort town of Dahab is known to be popular with Western tourists and the explosions happened in a busy area, with many people enjoying drinks and dinner at cafes and restaurants in the area. more

One of the most powerful cyclones ever seen off the coast of Australia looks set to be less fearsome if and when it reaches the city of Darwin. Cyclone Monica is thought to be heading towards Darwin and many experts had feared the worst for the city, as the cyclone had been ambling off the Australian coast picking up more and more power. more

Aid has been sent to hundreds of evacuees who have been evacuated from their homes due to the erupting Ubinas volcano. A state of emergency in the area surrounding Ubinas has been declared by the Peruvian authorities, as the army has been brought in to evacuate people from nearby villages. more

The swollen river Danube has burst through flood defences in Romania, forcing 1,500 people from their homes. Despite concerted efforts by the Romanian authorities to prevent the river from flooding, the water managed to breach the defences near the villages of Bistret and Oltina.. more

Nepal is preparing to face further violent demonstrations as the authorities have imposed a new shoot-to-kill policy. As violence has erupted out of demonstrations against King Gyanendra, the authorities have been given increasingly authoritarian powers to tackle the disturbances, particularly in the capital, Kathmandu. more

A delegation from the African Union is heading to Chad following an attempted coup in the country. Describing the attack on Chad's capital N'Djamena as unacceptable, the African Union is sending a team for a week-long visit that is designed to bring out more information about the attack and the reasons behind it. more

Violence has erupted in the Solomon Islands and has resulted in a march on the government by demonstrators. Thousands took part in the demonstration, which comes after a day of violence on Tuesday that has left parts of the Islands' capital Honiara in ruins. more

Bolivian government ministers taken hostage by protesters have been freed, it has been revealed. The Bolivian authorities have stated that security forces were deployed to free the three ministers, who were captured by protestors in Puerto Suarez. more

The Sri Lankan port of Trincomalee has been hit by a new surge in violence as rebels in the region have stepped up their activities. A curfew has been enforced by police in the area as the authorities look to get the situation under control and tackle the violence, which has been blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels. more

A volcano in central Java could be set to erupt at any moment, experts in Indonesia have warned. Mount Merapi has been rumbling and smoke has been billowing from its mouth for the past few days, resulting in the area around the volcano being put on the second-highest alert. more

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, has issued a warning to the world that his country will defend itself from any attack. The international pressure on Iran to end its nuclear programme has been increasing in recent months, but despite this the president last week announced that his country has enriched uranium. more

Ukraine has become the latest eastern European country to be affected by the Danube river flood. Following on from the floods which forced thousands from their homes in Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria over the Easter weekend, the swollen waters have now arrived in Ukraine and emergency teams in the Odessa region are working to shore up flood defences. more

At least eight people are dead and dozens missing after mudslides devastated parts of south-west Colombia. The landslides followed hours of heavy rain and burst river banks, with mud sweeping through the Buenaventura region on the Pacific coast, taking down homes, buildings and residents. more

Mourners and tourists were caught up in riots in the Indian city of Bangalore as police fought to control the crowds who had gathered to say goodbye to the country's favourite actor. Groups of people had been crowding round the actor, 77-year-old Kannada, as he lay in a glass casket in the city. more

Holidaymakers have been advised to choose their rental firms carefully after new research revealed that many hired cars are dangerous. The survey, conducted by the AA Motoring Trust, found that around a quarter of vehicles from local hire firms in locations across Europe were not meeting safety standards. more

Research into what season it is, what clothes are appropriate and what time of day is best is vital to a successful safari holiday, according to Explore. The holiday adventure firm has issued advice for all travellers considering booking a safari holiday in popular locations such as Kenya or South Africa, urging people to do their research. more

Nepal is continuing to suffer violence as protestors and police clash for the sixth day in a row, resulting in advice for tourists to avoid the country. Local protestors, campaigning against the Nepalese government, have been out in the streets across the country calling for democracy and justice, with groups including Maoist rebels and opposition parties. more

A new tourism campaign is being launched to highlight the range of activities and scenery available in the northern regions of Peru. Although many travellers are aware of famous Peruvian attractions such as Machu Picchu and the Inca trail, the northern Amazon regions remain something of a mystery to most people, prompting this new initiative. more

Tourism chiefs and potential visitors are hoping that the decision to replace the controversial French youth labour law will bring calm to the country. The French president revealed plans to scrap the unpopular legislation, which would have allowed employers to fire those under 26 without a reason for the first two years of work, after protests brought the nation to a halt. more

A special range of low-cost deals has been unveiled by Cheapflights.co.uk in order to provide an alternative to the 2006 World Cup. If you would rather visit the different countries than watch them play against each other, the deals cover a wide range of destinations and budgets to help bring some welcome relief to the footie fever affecting the country. more

Spanish tourism officials have unveiled a new clean-up initiative to attract more holidaymakers to its coastal regions. Focussing on cleaning up and improving the appearance of beaches and coastlines, the campaign will also remove derelict buildings and old plots to restore some the natural beauty of the areas. more

In the battle of the airlines, British Airways has come out on top and won the title of best in-flight food provider. Over 2,300 travellers took part in the survey, with the majority rating BA as having the best food and the best general amenities, according to TripAdvisor.com. more

Residents and travellers in Georgia are at risk from potential flooding, according to latest reports. People may be forced to evacuate as environmental experts predict the onset of severe flooding, landslides and mud flows. more

The structure of an ancient pyramid has been uncovered by archaeologists digging in Mexico City. The discovery was made after exploratory digging at Iztapalapa hill had been going for two years and the pyramid is thought to be around 1,500 years old. more

The Maldives has further established itself as one of the best scuba diving locations in the world thanks to the successful completion of a new world record. Diving enthusiasts and water sports lovers have been flocking to the island to make the most of its clear waters and impressive diving facilities and the new record is expected to bring even more travellers to the area. more

Holidaymakers looking to travel from Liverpool airport to Europe will welcome the launch of a new Ryanair sale. Flights to a number of beautiful European cities are available at bargain prices, with usual prices slashed in celebration of the start of 11 new routes for the low-cost airline. more

Croatia has well and truly established itself as a popular tourist destination and an affordable yet stylish alternative to traditional European holiday haunts, so how better to view the country than by boat. more

Singapore welcomes the very best of the culinary world to its hotels and restaurants, from the 10th to the 28th April, as part of the World Gourmet Summit. Newcomers and industry professionals descend on the country to catch up with the latest food news and trends. more

Malaysia is benefiting from a recent increase in visitor numbers, with new tourism initiatives and improved facilities helping to attract more people. Travel statistics have shown that Malaysia welcomed over 16 million tourists in 2005, one of the highest numbers on record, as 16.5 million people chose to cross the border between January and December. more

Delhi and Mumbai airports have been handed over to private companies, despite protests from airport workers and trade unions, reports the BBC. The announcement was made by Indian officials, who confirmed that a deal had been agreed and that control over development and improvement plans had passed over to the companies. more

Figures have revealed that Namibia is currently experiencing record rainfall, with the highest levels recorded in 50 years. Weather reports and overall rainfall measurements have confirmed the increase in rain, helping to boost nature and wildlife in the often-barren landscape of the country, according to Travelbite.co.uk. more

Passengers flying from the UK are being faced with an increasing number of flight delays, according to new data. Despite pledges to improve delay statistics, figures revealed that over a third of scheduled trips to Dubai, Athens and Lisbon were delayed by at least a quarter of an hour. more