Wednesday, September 5, 2012

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com


Cathay Pacific bans shark's fin cargo flights

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:57 AM PDT

by Pamela Boykoff, CNN

Cathay Pacific, the world's largest carrier of air cargo, will stop shipping unsustainably sourced shark products in a move marine conservationists characterized as a big step forward in efforts to protect the animals.

"We believe that we now have compelling evidence that the majority of shark fishing is incompatible with our position on Sustainable Development," Cathay Pacific said in a statement.

"Due to the vulnerable nature of sharks, their rapidly declining population, and the impacts of overfishing for their parts and products, our carriage of these is inconsistent with our commitment to sustainable development," the airline said.

There have been several campaigns in China and Hong Kong recently to ban shark's fin. The  Peninsula Hotels group (which owns the iconic Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel) officially banned shark's fin from its menus this year.

Read the full story on CNN: Airline bans shark's fin

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World's first vegetarian McDonald's to open at Indian holy sites

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 11:38 PM PDT

by Zoe Li

McDonald's will open outlets serving all-vegetarian menus for the first time at two of India's most-visited pilgrimage sites.

The news came on September 4, the same day that international sandwich chain Subway opened its first all-vegetarian outlet in the Indian state of Punjab.

McDonald's will open near the Golden Temple in Amritsar by mid-2013. Its second vegetarian outlet will be in the small town of Katra in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, at the base of the mountain shrine Vaishno Devi.

A holy site for Sikhs, the Golden Temple hosts thousands of visitors per day from around the world, while Katra welcomes around 8 million pilgrims a year en route to the Hindu shrine.

Both pilgrimage districts are entirely vegetarian. But beef-centric McDonald's won't have it easy despite bending to local dietary customs. 

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Common tourist scams -- what, where and how to avoid

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT

by Tina Hsiao and Jules Kay

Have tourists, will scam 'em.

Along with construction sites, grumpy waiters and unnecessary towel art, places that attract travelers also attract chancers.

The best, of course, you never hear about. But we know of a few.

Some tourist scams aren't specific to a single destination, though techniques vary. Here's a look at some of the more common ones, and how to avoid them. 

The taxi/tuk-tuk scam

taxi scamVerbal agreements aren't binding. Write down the fare before hopping into that cyclo. Tourists are an easy target for taxis and tuk-tuks looking to make a quick buck, from non-metered cabs that swarm airport arrival gates to those that hold your luggage hostage in the trunk until exorbitant fees are paid.

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More than Terracotta Warriors: 7 Best things to do in Xi’an

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT

by Raemin Zhang

Xi'an is home to the most impressive underground attraction in China: the Terracotta Warriors. 

Every year, millions of travelers fly to the former capital just to set eyes on the subterranean army, which was painstakingly fashioned from clay more than 2,000 years ago.

But what's next? 

The answer is plenty, and here are some of the best.

Terracotta Warriors Museum (秦始皇兵马俑博物馆)

best things to do in XiMost unique angle to view Xi'an.

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