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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL NEWS BRIEFS:
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CHINA: A scarlet fever epidemic has broken out in parts of southern China, killing a child in Hong Kong and making hundreds sick and health authorities have said the outbreak may get more serious in weeks ahead. "Mainland China and Macau are also suffering from unusually high numbers of scarlet fever cases and we believe it may be a regional phenomenon," a spokeswoman for the Health Department in Hong Kong said.

Bangladesh anthrax outbreak a threat to livelihoods and human health June 6, 2011
Health and livestock officials in Bangladesh have expressed concern over a fresh outbreak of human anthrax in two northwestern districts, but some believe a bigger threat is to livelihoods. more...

Life returns to normal in Tokyo after March 11 quake June 1, 2011
A popular restaurant in the heart of glitzy Ginza had seen a drop in the number of customers after the Great East Japan Earthquake. more...

European food contamination kills 16, sickens 1150 June 1, 2011
A massive and unprecedented outbreak of bacterial infections linked to contaminated vegetables claimed two more lives in Europe on Tuesday, driving the death toll to 16. The number of sick rose to more than 1,150 people in at least eight nations. more...

Volcanic ash cloud: latest travel advice May 25, 2011
Here is a summary of the flight disruption caused as a volcanic ash cloud spreads from Iceland to British airspace, causing a number of airlines to put scheduled departures on hold across Scotland and northern England. more...

China: Beijing police halt unapproved church service April 11, 2011
Beijing police on Sunday detained dozens of worshippers from an unapproved Christian church who were trying to hold services in a public space after they were evicted from their usual place of worship, a parishioner said. more...

Faked Airline-Pilot Records Prompt India to Review Licenses March 25, 2011
India is reviewing the licenses of all of the 4,000-plus airline pilots working in the country, as police investigate at least 18 people suspected of using forged documents to win promotions or certification. more...

Tech bans study abroad travel to Mexico March 25, 2011
The Department of International Affairs officially has banned study abroad in Mexico through Texas Tech because of increased violence in the country caused by drug cartels. more...

FAQ: Japan's earthquake and tsunami explained March 12, 2011
How was air travel to and from Japan affected? After the quake, more than 700 domestic flights in Japan were cancelled. Late Friday, Tokyo's Narita airport has partially resumed flights. Air Canada cancelled flights to Tokyo for Friday. ...

China's Capital Tightens Controls on Foreign Media March 08, 2011
Officials in China's capital said Sunday that foreign reporters must seek government permission to conduct interviews in Beijing, taking a hard interpretation of current, more liberal regulations amid Internet calls for Middle East-style popular protests. more...

Highlights: Egypt: Attacks on Demonstrators and Journalists February 02, 2011
On February 2, 2011, Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department said "After days of peaceful protests in Cairo and other cities in Egypt, today we see violent attacks on peaceful demonstrators and journalists. The United States denounces these attacks and calls on all engaged in demonstrations currently taking place in Egypt to do so peacefully. These attacks are not only dangerous to Egypt; they are a direct threat to the aspirations of the Egyptian people. The use of violence to intimidate the Egyptian people must stop. We strongly call for restraint."

AUSTRALIA BRACES FOR 'WORST EVER STORM' February 02, 2011
A terrifying cyclone roaring towards Australia strengthened to the most dangerous threat level Wednesday, as officials warned it could be the deadliest storm in generations. more...

Thousands of airline passengers bags mislaid during snow January 05, 2011
Passengers face the threat of a fresh wave of strikes in the New Year after leaders of the Unite union withdrew their backing for a peace deal.

Australia city braces for flood peak January 05, 2011
The Australian city of Rockhampton is bracing itself as devastating flood waters are expected to reach their highest levels in the next 12-18 hours. more...

US contemplating travel alert for Europe October 2, 2010
The United States is considering issuing as early as Sunday an alert advising Americans traveling to Europe to be vigilant, a US official said after intelligence suggested an Al-Qaeda attack could be imminent. "We are contemplating a travel alert for Europe," the US official told AFP on Saturday on the condition of anonymity.

France Increases Terror Security September 20, 2010
France's interior minister says the country has reinforced vigilance against terrorist threats, and the moderate rector of the main Paris mosque has been given armed guards. more...

Security tightened for red rally September 16, 2010
Bangkok city inspectors, or Thetsakit, will work with police in guarding about 40 locations in the capital when supporters of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship gather on Sunday. more...

Bangkok raises security to high alert after recent blasts September 03, 2010
BANGKOK : Thailand has put over 460 locations across Bangkok on high alert on Friday in response to a series of grenade attacks that have rattled nerves in a city still under emergency rule after deadly protests. Royal palaces, key government buildings, power plants and public transport will receive special protection from the Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES), the body set up to monitor security since unrest in April.

Bomb Wounds 20 in Mexican Resort City August 27, 2010
Americas - Mexico At least 20 people were wounded, four of them seriously, when unidentified individuals tossed a bomb into a bar in Puerto Vallarta, a resort city on Mexicos Pacific coast, police said Thursday. The attack occurred around midnight Wednesday at the Pink Cheladas bar, where about 150 young people were partying, Puerto Vallarta police department spokesmen told Efe. more...

Thousands evacuated after floods in China, N. Korea August 21, 2010
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated in northeast China following serious floods that have already left four dead and forced the relocation of thousands in neighbouring North Korea. more...

U.S. closes its consulate in Juárez after bomb threat August 2, 2010
CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico A credible bomb threat forced authorities to abruptly shut down the U.S. Consulate in this city gripped by violence and fear, U.S. and Mexican officials confirmed Friday.

Mexico worried by rise in hemorrhagic dengue July 22, 2010
MEXICO CITY Mexico is facing a sort of perfect storm of floods that breed mosquitoes, prompting a big increase in the number of hemorrhagic dengue cases, the country's top epidemiological official said Wednesday.

Mexico Ends Swine-Flu Alert After 14 Months July 1, 2010
The Mexican government announced on Tuesday the end of the health alert for the AH1N1 flu virus after 14 months in which 1,289 people died in this country and 72,000 cases were registered. . .

Thai protesters disrupt Bangkok commuter service April 27, 2010
Anti-government protesters forced a rush hour shutdown of Bangkok's busy elevated train system Tuesday and promised to expand protests that have plunged the Thai capital into chaos by sending teams of demonstrators throughout the city. more...

Army moves into key Bangkok area April 20, 2010
The Thai army moves into the business district of Bangkok to prevent anti-government protesters entering the area. The protests by the "red-shirts", now in their fifth week, are currently focused in the city's shopping hub. The red-shirts are trying to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down and call an election.

Thailand's PM declares emergency April 7, 2010
Thailand's prime minister declares a state of emergency in Bangkok amid growing anti-government protests. In a televised address, Mr Abhisit said the move - which gives sweeping new powers to the security forces to tackle protesters - would help restore order. It comes hours after thousands of "red-shirt" protesters marched on parliament - forcing MPs to flee the building.
1,000 Die Of TB In India Every Day, Says WHO March 25, 2010
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 5,000 Indians develop TB and nearly 1,000 people die from it every day - the equivalent of two deaths every three minutes. Yesterday was World TB Day, organised by the Stop TB Partnership, a network of organisations and countries fighting the disease, which currently infects one-third of the worlds population, according to the WHO.
Massive earthquake strikes Chile February 27, 2010
A massive earthquake has hit central Chile and killed at least 122 people, though the toll is expected to rise. The 8.8 quake caused widespread damage, destroying buildings, bridges and roads in many areas, including the capital where a chemical plant caught fire. President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in affected areas and appealed for calm.

Chile earthquake: Pacific nations brace for tsunami Feb. 27, 2010
Santiago's international airport was forced to close, a highway bridge ..."Tsunami waves in the deep ocean travel about the same speed as a jet plane and ...
Brazil Confirms Dengue Epidemic in 5 States February 20, 2010
Brazilian authorities confirmed Thursday an epidemic of dengue fever in municipalities in five states and they attributed the spread of the disease to the massive movement of people around the country for the Carnival celebrations.

Group targets spiked drinks during Games February 10, 2010
Vancouver is fast becoming a party town as the Olympic Games near. But organizers of the SafeVibe campaign hope residents and visitors hitting bars and lounges don't fall victim to spiked drinks. . .

U.S. starts aid airdrops into Haiti January 19, 2010
The US military begins airdrops of food and water into Haiti, as aid efforts gather pace a week after the devastating earthquake. Some 14,000 ready-to-eat meals and 15,000 litres of water were dropped north-east of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the US said.

SKorea to kill animals to curb spread of 1st outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 8 years January 7, 2010
SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea reported its first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in eight years, prompting quarantine officials to prepare to slaughter cows, pigs and other animals to stop its spread, an official said Thursday. Six out of 185 dairy cows at a farm in Pocheon, about 30 miles (45 kilometres) north of Seoul, tested positive, Agriculture Ministry official Lee Chang-buhm told reporters.

US lifts HIV/Aids immigration ban January 4, 2010
The US lifts a 22-year immigration ban that stopped anyone with HIV/Aids from entering the country. . .It put the US in a group of just 12 countries, also including Libya and Saudi Arabia, that excluded anyone suffering from HIV/Aids.

Volcanic ash disrupts Puerto Rican flights December 30, 2009
Caribbean air traffic is being snarled by a cloud of volcanic ash floating 10,000 feet above the island of Montserrat, forcing the cancellation of more than 60 flights in Puerto Rico. At least eight U.S. carriers have had their operations affected by the Soufriere volcano, which has been spewing ash for several weeks.

China H1N1 flu death toll triples in two weeks December 2, 2009
BEIJING: China's official H1N1 flu death toll has tripled in the past two weeks after the government ordered more accurate reporting of fatalities amid suspicions of a cover-up. A statement posted on the health ministry's website late Tuesday said the number of people reported killed by the influenza A(H1N1) virus had jumped to 178 at the weekend, up from a previously reported nationwide tally of 53.
Canadians think H1N1 risks exaggerated: poll November 11, 2009
Canadians are evenly split over the federal government's handling of the swine flu, but more than half believe concerns over the risk of H1N1 are exaggerated, a new poll by EKOS indicates.
Flights cancelled as Beijing blanketed in snow November 10, 2009
BEIJING - Nearly 70 flights were cancelled and more than 30 delayed at Beijing's airport Tuesday after the second major snow storm of the season blanketed the Chinese capital, airport officials said.

Massive security at Asian summit in Thailand October 22, 2009
Thailand has mounted one of its biggest security operations in recent history with more than 36,000 military and police to prevent anti-government demonstrators from overrunning a summit of Asian leaders, an official spokesman said Thursday.

PHILIPPINES: October 19, 2009
The Philippines orderes imports of 250,000 tonnes of rice and lawmakers rushed to approve funding for immediate rebuilding of farms and roads badly damaged by two typhoons that killed over 650 people. The Philippines, the world's biggest rice buyer, would hold a tender two months earlier than normal on Oct. 30 for the shipment of the grain, which it wants delivered between January and April, the National Food Authority said.

The Philippines turned its focus on Sunday from rescue operations to sending relief to northern provinces devastated by floods and cut off by landslides as the death toll from two typhoons in 14 days rose to more than 600. Using shovels and their bare hands to avoid triggering more landslides, rescue teams kept up a search for bodies in the areas of northern Luzon island that remained isolated. In this statement, the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reminds us that up to 400,000 people fled their homes in the south of the Philippines last year to espace from fighting.

Indian Ocean test for tsunami warning October 14, 2009
East Asia / Pacific, Middle East / N. Africa, South / Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa - Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Timor-Leste Eighteen countries around the Indian Ocean are holding the first region-wide test of a tsunami warning system aimed at saving thousands of lives.

China number two in world for rabies deaths East Asia / Pacific - China September 28, 2009
BEIJING: China is second only to India worldwide in the number of people killed by rabies every year, the government reported, making the disease one of the nation's biggest public health threats.
"China is one of the countries most severely affected by rabies, and in recent years the number of annual reported deaths from rabies has averaged around 2,400," the health ministry said in a statement on its website. "It is only inferior in number to India, and gives us the world's second-place ranking." The statement, issued to coincide with World Rabies Day on Monday, said rabies was among the top three infectious diseases in China.
China Bars Foreigners From Making Visits to Tibet September 25, 2009
China has stopped issuing travel documents to foreigners seeking to visit Tibet, according to local tour operators, another indicator of the governments skittishness over the coming anniversary of the Communist victory in 1949.
Vast, red dust storms choke Australia September 23, 2009
East Asia / Pacific - Australia SYDNEY - Red Outback grit shrouded Australia's largest city Wednesday, blotting out such landmarks as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge and even reaching underground to coat subway stations. The country's worst dust storm in 70 years diverted planes and produced an eerie orange sky.

Strong quakes hit Japan and India Aug. 11, 2009 East Asia / Pacific, South / Central Asia - India, Japan
A strong earthquake has struck Tokyo and central Japan, halting train services, closing motorways and causing a nuclear power station to shut down.
Taiwan braces for Typhoon Morakot Aug. 7, 2009
Schools and offices shut and transport is disrupted as Typhoon Morakot nears Taiwan, bringing high winds and heavy rain.

Flu infects 100,000 in past week July 23, 2009
The number of new cases of swine flu in the past week has reached an estimated 100,000 in England, the BBC has learnt.

Mexico fights resurgent dengue fever June 25, 2009
Americas - Mexico Dengue fever is on the rise in Mexico and elsewhere in the Americas.

Acapulco, Long Dotted With Tourists, Is Now Home to Drug War June 9, 2009
Americas - Mexico MEXICO CITY Cliff divers, all-night discos, towering hotels on the sand that is one side of Acapulco. But a four-hour gun battle over the weekend between soldiers and suspected drug traffickers made clear that the popular beach resort has a dark side and that no part of Mexico may be completely immune from the continuing drug war.

H1N1 flu cases pass 500 in Australia, state's alert level raised June 3, 2009
East Asia / Pacific - Australia Australia raised the H1N1 flu alert level in the worst hit state of Victoria on Wednesday and warned more areas would follow as the national total topped 500.

Worried About Flu, China Confines U.S. Students May 29, 2009
When 21 students from a private school in Silver Spring, Md., arrived in the Chinese city of Kaili last Friday, they enjoyed a weekend of exploring the regional province of Guizhou. . . At lunch on Monday, Chinese officials quarantined the group to their rooms in the Heaven Sent Dragon hotel, Mike Kennedy, interim head of the school, the Barrie School, said Thursday.

Japan reports 135 swine flu cases, closes schools May 19, 2009
Japan on Monday reported 135 swine flu cases and shuttered more than 2,000 schools and kindergartens in a bid to slow the spread of the virus that may already have infected hundreds.

Swine flu: No cause for alarm, not considered a pandemic so far ... April 28, 2009
Among such organizations taking actions, the United Nations health agency on Monday elevated the international pandemic alert to phase 4, on a six-point scale, for the first time since the current warning system was introduced in 2005 in ... WHO would not recommend the closing of borders or the restriction of travel, which would have little to no effect in stopping
the movement of the virus, Mr. Fukuda said. Phase 5 of the WHO pandemic alert levels is characterized by ...
Avian Flu Cases in Egypt Raise Alarms April 21, 2009
Middle East / N. Africa - Egypt An unusual pattern of avian flu cases in Egypt almost all are in toddlers, all of whom have survived has led some flu-tracking Web sites to speculate that dozens of silent cases are circulating there.
Thai troops crack down on protesters April 13, 2009
East Asia / Pacific - Thailand Thai soldiers fired volleys of shots in the air to disperse protesters blocking key roads in Bangkok Monday, as the first show of force by the government since declaring emergency rule left 74 wounded.

UK issues Thailand travel warning April 12, 2009
BANGKOK, Thailand (12 Apr 2009) â?� The Foreign Office has warned Britons against travelling to Bangkok after violence and rioting erupted in the Thai capital.

NZ tourists in Thailand told to keep away from Bangkok protests April 12, 2009
A tourist poses atop an armoured personnel carrier temporarily seized by supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok Foreign Affairs officials in New Zealand latest advice...

Northern India tourist area hit by quake April 9, 2009
NEW DELHI, April 9 (UPI) -- A tourist district in northern India was hit by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake Thursday, injuring three people and damaging a number of buildings, officials said.
China facing HIV 'plague' as new cases leap 45 per cent March 30, 2009
China is facing an epidemic of HIV infection, particularly among its gay population, as the government admitted that new cases had risen by 45 per cent in two years. Aids is now the leading cause of death among infectious diseases on the mainland, as official figures showed that 7,000 people had died in the first nine months of 2008 and 45,000 were infected with HIV.
Spanish airport workers to strike on Wednesday March 25, 2009

Europe - Spain The one-hour strike at all 47 airports is a protest against the government's plans to partially privatise airport operator AENA, says Spains largest trade union.

Thousands in Argentina protest crime March 19, 2009
Americas - Argentina An estimated 10,000 Argentines marched on the historic Plaza de Mayo in the capital, Buenos Aires, on Wednesday to demand more anti-crime measures, reflecting a top priority among Argentines, according to recent polls.

Campus says no to Mexico travel - News March 19, 2009
Godwin said the U.S. State Department's current status of "travel alert" is one step below a "travel warning," which would mean that all study programs in Mexico would be shut down. The Office of Global Education currently offers three study abroad opportunities in Mexico in the cities of Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City. The recent drug violence has been
concentrated in the border town of Juarez, which is located across the border from El Paso, Texas. ...
Bill would end cross-border trucking program March 12, 2009
Wide access to U.S. roads granted to Mexican trucks in NAFTA would be terminated. Critics cite safety concerns, but a spokesman for the Mexican Embassy calls it 'protectionism, plain and simple.
Texas makes emergency plans in case violence spills over from Mexico March 8, 2009
Fort Worth Star Telegram - Fort Worth,TX,USA
The US Joint Forces Command, in a speculative assessment of global security threats, said Mexico and Pakistan "bear consideration for a rapid and sudden ...

Asia capital losses at 9.6 trillion dollars in 2008 March 8, 2009
MANILA (AFP) -- Financial assets in Asia lost 9.6 trillion dollars in value in 2008, slightly more than a year's worth of GDP, the Asian Development Bank said on Monday. It said Asia was hit especially hard as the global
downturn led .
Mexico increases airport security after robberies March 3, 2009
Americas - Mexico More than 800 federal and local police have been assigned to improve security in and around Mexico City's international airport after a series of armed robberies against travelers who exchanged money there, authorities announced Monday.
4 Indonesians die of bird flu; toll climbs to 119 March 3, 2009
East Asia / Pacific - Indonesia Four Indonesians have died of bird flu, bringing the death toll in the country hardest hit by the disease over the past several years to 119, an official said Tuesday.

American in Egypt attacked near bomb site February 28, 2009
Middle East / N. Africa - Egypt Egyptian media report that police have arrested an Egyptian who attacked an American teacher in the same Cairo tourist site where a bomb killed a French teenager a week earlier.

Vietnam bird flu outbreak widens: reports February 6, 2009
The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been reported in more localities across Vietnam, raising fears of a possible epidemic, official and media reports said Friday.

Is China Covering up a New Bird Flu Epidemic? February 3, 2009
Certainly there seems to be very strong evidence it is. There have already been eight reported cases of humans contracting the potential deadly H5N1 virus, from which five people have died this year. And despite the fact that Hong Kong officials have been finding dead birds infected with the virus washing up onto its shores in recent days from the mainland, China has not made any official statement concerning an outbreak among birds.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/02/is_china_coveri.html?campaign_id=rss_blog_asiatech

Thailand To Send 190 Hmong Refugees Back To Laos February 2, 2009
Thailandnews.net -- seeking political asylum claiming they face persecution at home, because they fought alongside U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. "Today we will send 190 Hmong back to. . .

7 killed, 100 hurt in Thailand blast February 1, 2009
BANGKOK -- At least seven people were killed and about 100 others injured when a man lobbed a hand grenade into a busy Buddhist temple compound in north eastern Thailand during a celebration, police s...

Vietnam ferry accident kills 40 January 22, 2009
A small ferry overloaded with holiday shoppers sank in central Vietnam on Sunday, killing at least 40 people ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year. Most of the dead were women and children.
http://www.thestar.com/article/577008

Thailand: Thai Airways To Shift All Bangkok Service To 1 Hub January 22, 2009
BANGKOK, THAILAND: Thai Airways International will move all its Bangkok flights to the capital's main airport, as it struggles to overcome losses from last year's airport siege and the global economic slowdown, its president said Thursday (22 Jan).
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/20450

Number of New TB Cases in Vietnam in 2008 60% Higher Than Previous WHO Estimates, Health Official Says January 21, 2009
The number of new tuberculosis cases reported in Vietnam in 2008 was 60% higher than previous estimates from the World Health Organization, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said Friday in Hanoi, Vietnam, during a conference to review TB prevention and control efforts between 2007 and 2008, VNA/VOV News reports. Nguyen said that TB, particularly among people ages 15 to 24, is the nation's No. 1 health issue.
http://www.globalhealthreporting.org/article.asp?DR_ID=56523

THAILAND'S AVIAN FLU MEASURES FOR MALAYSIA January 19, 2009
Bernama via Yahoo! Malaysia News
BANGKOK, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Successful ways of preventing avian and human influenza in Thailand will be extended to Cambodia, Laos, Malay sia and Vietnam, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said Monday.
http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20090119/tts-thailand-avian-993ba14.html

Thailand issues bird flu warning January 18, 2009
THAILAND'S Public Health ministry warned yesterday that 14 of its 76 provinces are at risk of bird flu this year, as an official said a cold snap boosted chances of the deadly virus spreading. Somchai ...
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/asia_news/2009/01/18/thailand_issues_bird_flu_warning

Bangkok warning on bird flu January 17, 2009
BANGKOK: Thailands Public Health ministry warned yesterday that 14 of its 76 provinces are at risk of bird flu this year, as an official said a cold snap boosted chances of the deadly virus spreading.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=267184&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25

Worlds top 5 murder capitals January 08, 2009
Americas, East Asia / Pacific, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa - Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela
The Washington DC-based Foreign Policy publication, in its edition last September, lists Port Moresby alongside Caracas (Venezuela), Cape Town (South Africa), New Orleans (USA) and Moscow (Russia) as cities where you have a very good chance of getting murdered. The Foreign Policy website (www.foreignpolicy.com), on which the listing is still available, says when it comes to brutal, homicidal violence, these five cities stand in a class of their own.
http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5748&change=71&changeown=79&Itemid=26

Bangkok airports shut down cost Thailand more than Tsunami Jan. 07, 2009
Thailandnews.net
Melbourne, Jan 7 : Anti-government protests that shut down Bangkok's airports last year have cost Thailand 11.5 billion dollars, much more than loses suffered during the Tsunami or SARS, a central bank study has said.
http://www.thailandnews.net/story/450675

Argentina's Deadly Yellow Fever Outbreak Spurs Mass Vaccination Jan.6, 2009
Americas - Argentina Argentina is mass-vaccinating people against yellow fever amid concern its first deadly outbreak of the disease in 42 years may spread from jungle areas to cities.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aKbfIEUciQ9M

New Year's Eve Around the World
New York Times Thu, 01 Jan 2009 1:13 AM PST
From Afghanistan to South Africa to Brazil, revelers rang in the new year.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/01/01/world/0101-WORLDNEWYEAR_index.html