World Travel News: July 2007

Residents of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh will attempt to break into the Guinness Book of World Records today, with a massive environmental effort. An amazing 10,266,736 saplings will be planted at 9,320 sites across the 70 districts of the state, an attempt that would smash the previous tree planting record. more

Though the heatwave wreaking havoc in southern Europe continues to cause huge disruption, a different type of environmental crisis has arisen on Gran Canaria. more

Brazil's hopes of securing hosting rights for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics have been buoyed by the success of the Pan American Games. The two-week event - attended by over 5,000 athletes from 42 nations - has been widely hailed as a triumph, after the Brazilian government vastly exceeded its original budget to ensure security concerns were met. more

Two Russian mini-submarines have made a test dive to the floor of the Arctic Ocean, as part of the nation's attempt to claim territory on the seabed. more

Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts will receive a furry invasion in the next few years, thanks to the opening of the new Henson Wing. The family of the late Jim Henson, creator of the Muppet Show, has agreed to donate his collection of puppets and artwork to the museum, for the wing's opening in 2012. more

A tsunami warning was issued in Indonesia, after an undersea earthquake hit the north-province of North Maluku. The 6.6-strength quake struck around 200 kilometers north of the city of Ternate, though no damage or casualties have been reported. more

Backpackers looking to pick up some extra funds while hostelling in India are in luck if they have some IT knowledge. Police in Chandigarh in Punjab are looking to recruit a team of IT experts to help in the fight against cyber crime. more

South Korean scientists have uncovered a trove of valuable ancient pottery, thanks to an octopus found with crockery attached to its suckers. A fisherman caught the animal off the west coast of South Korea in May and said that it had appeared to be hiding under a porcelain plate. more

The World Heritage Committee has placed the Galapagos Islands on its lists of World Heritage sites at risk. With annual visitor numbers having doubled since 1996, invasive plant species have threatened the natural habitat of the islands. more

Backpackers planning on blowing their budget with some supernatural spending should head to Norway, it has emerged. Princess Martha Louise, fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, plans to open an alternative therapy centre, where attendees can learn how to communicate with angels, apparently. more

Greek archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable find - the remains of a prehistoric mastodon. more

Yves Leterme, the Belgian prime minister-in-waiting has provoked the ire of millions of his countrymen, before he has even been officially sworn in. more

The architectural complexity of Amsterdam is causing engineers to use innovative new techniques in the bid to provide the city with a subway system. more

Anti-government attacks in the Somalian capital Mogadishu have led to at least 10,000 people fleeing the city, according to the UN. more

Junk yards can turn out all manner of amazing finds, but workers at the Scrap All Inc, in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, had a rather explosive surprise this week. more

A ten-year-old Nepalese girl is to be reinstated as a living goddess, after having been stripped of her title. more

Monday's earthquake in Japan did, in fact, cause a leak at the nuclear power plant hit by the blast, according to plant officials. more

New York residents were fearful of a new terrorist attack yesterday, as a steam pipe explosion caused panic in midtown Manhattan. more

Rain storms in China continue to claim dozens of lives, with at least 31 people killed in Jinan, the capital of Shandong province. more

Safe drivers in the Fribourg region of western Switzerland have been rewarded with a mouth-watering prize. more

Northern Tanzania has been hit by an earthquake so strong that its aftershocks were felt over 150 kilometers away. more

At least 191 people have been killed after a passenger jet crash at Brazil's busiest airport. more

Kenyan donkeys could be forced to redo their toilet training, in a bid to improve town sanitation. more

A South Korean tourist has filed a risky claim with his travel insurance company, after a mishap in Varanasi, northern India. more

A Taiwanese dog has proved a great help to his shopkeeper owner, reports Ananova.com. more

Budget travel in China could prove a bit of a mouthful, with the recent news that restaurant dishes are doing a roaring trade in rat cuisine. more

A replica Viking longship will be towed across the North Sea to the Orkney Islands, after unfavourable winds hampered its progress, reports the Associated Press. more

An ancient golden mask has been unearthed in south-east Bulgaria, according to archaeologists. more

At least 50 people have been injured by a train crash in Athens, after a suburban passenger train and a freight train collided. more

The opening day of the African Games was marred by a suicide bombing, reports the Associated Press. more

German television bosses are to launch a channel devoted exclusively to ageing, dying and death, reports Australian newspaper the Age. more

Backpackers considering a trip to the Philippines should note that the country's military has threatened to launch a war against militants within, reports AFP. more

An earthquake in central Japan has killed at least five people, as well as sparking a fire at a nuclear power plant. more

Backpackers in Japan could find themselves lucky recipients of gifts from the Mystery Lavatory Man. more

The annual Pamplona Bull Run produced its normal amount of casualties today, as foolhardy participants braved the speeding beasts. more

It might have been the subject of a Billy Connolly comedy, but a Romanian convict has recently failed in his very real legal action against God, reports Ananova. more

An intrepid team has set out on an historic ocean crossing, using a 41-foot raft constructed of reeds and wooden planks. more

The tourist hotspot of New York City's Times Square was the subject of brief terror alert yesterday (Tuesday, July 10th), as police investigated a bomb scare. more

Travellers seeking budget travel in Kenya should take care not to stop for a quick cigarette - a ban on smoking in public places is to be enforced in the capital, Nairobi. more

Backpackers making their way through the scenic state of Vermont could run into some Hollywood royalty. more

A 70-year-old woman from Utah clashed with police who had come to arrest her for the crime of not watering her lawn. more

Farmyard animals aren't generally thought of as an especially dangerous type of wildlife, but seven schoolgirls in Dorset, England, were so scared that a major search and rescue mission was sparked. more

Heightened security risks in Rio have led the US Department of State to issue a travel warning for all tourists planning on visiting the city. more

Fears of an imminent volcano eruption in Indonesia have caused the evacuation of thousands. more

Tourists travelling in South America should wrap up warm, as an historic cold snap hits the continent. more