-
Scotland considers economic benefits of breaking up with Britain
DestinationsEnding Britain’s 306-year rule would allow Scotland to reverse generations of economic mismanagement and free its lawmakers to boost economic growth, say Scottish nationalists campaigning to split from the UK. Independence would not only bring the long-standing and sometimes-troubled union to an end, but allow tax cuts and investment focused on boosting exports to spur [...]
-
Eight questions for Transportation Secretary nominee Anthony Foxx
TransportIf confirmed as the next Secretary of Transportation, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will have opportunities to break with the business-as-usual transportation policy that revolves around Washington and special-interest politics. It is important to the confirmation process to understand Foxx’s position on existing programs and to what extent he agrees with the Administration’s centrally run, command-and-control [...]
-
New Jersey Governor criticized for turning tourism ads into campaign asset
DestinationsNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his family are starring in television commercials that are part of a publicly funded $25 million tourism campaign to encourage people to visit the Jersey Shore after Superstorm Sandy, but Democrats say they are simply taxpayer-funded campaign ads. The ad campaign called “Stronger Than The Storm” launched last week [...]
-
U.S. Commerce Sec. nominee and Hyatt heiress faces hotel workers protest
RoomsHundreds of protesters landed outside the Hyatt McCormick Place just as the National Restaurant Association Show, one of the nation’s largest hospitality industry trade shows, was letting out for its third day at McCormick Place. The timing was a coincidence, organizers said. Riding a scooter with an orange windsock and white inflatable No. 1 hand [...]
-
New York senator urges airlines to lower flight change fees
TransportNew York Sen. Charles Schumer is urging airlines to reverse flight change fee increases. The Democrat said Sunday that the additional charge makes it difficult for families on fixed budgets. Four major airlines — Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, U.S. Airways and United Arilines — recently increased fees on ticket changes from $150 to $200. [...]
-
The remote Pacific island that the U.S. military wants to turn into a bombing range
DestinationsThe remote island of Pagan in the western Pacific is home to volcanoes, endangered species and the remnants of an ancient civilization. For biologists, the island about 330 miles north of Guam is the perfect place for ecological research. But for the U.S. military, Pagan could be the solution to a search for new training [...]
-
U.S. Senate rejects bill proposing biometric system to track foreign visitors
DestinationsRepublican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, who is considered crucial for the success of an immigration law overhaul, vowed on Tuesday to fight for a biometric system to track foreigners leaving the country after a Senate panel rejected the provision, in part because it was too costly. Rubio and seven other Republican and Democratic senators, known [...]
-
Greek prime minister tells Greeks to put on a happy face for summer tourists
DestinationsThe Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, issued an unusual appeal on Tuesday, asking his compatriots to put on their best face as the debt-choked country prepares to accept 17 million tourists – an all-time record. Although mired in its worst economic crisis in modern times, Greece is braced for a surge in arrivals with visitors [...]
-
The countries that used the U.S.’s new immigration bill to ease visa rules
DestinationsThe government of South Korea hired a former C.I.A. analyst, two White House veterans and a team of ex-Congressional staff members to help secure a few paragraphs in the giant immigration bill. The government of Ireland, during St. Patrick’s Day festivities, appealed directly to President Obama and Congressional leaders for special treatment. And the government [...]
-
The battle brewing in Los Angeles over control of Ontario Airport
TransportLos Angeles airport commissioners took additional steps Tuesday to halt a dramatic decline in passengers at LA/Ontario International Airport, including potential cost reductions for airlines and incentives that might encourage them to add service. Inland Empire officials, who are trying to wrest control of Ontario from Los Angeles, immediately criticized the measures, saying that they [...]
