Online Features
Travel
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What are America's most popular travel plans?
It’s never too early to make your summer travel plans. DreamPlanGo , the popular website and social community devoted to bringing travelers vacation ideas and trip inspiration, surveyed a cross-section of Americans and found some interesting answers to that age-old question, “What are you doing this summer?” True to f...
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Hitting the road or water? Tips to make outdoor time fun, memorable and safe
(BPT) - Americans are falling in love with Mother Nature all over again, which could be why ownership of boats and recreational vehicles is more popular than ever. If you own a boat or RV, do you use it frequently, or is it sitting in your driveway? It’s time to get the most out of it, and with a few simple ideas, you’l...
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How your unused airline miles can help a child
(BPT) - Helping a child in need may be easier than you think, by redirecting a common resource that often just goes to waste. Industry experts say Americans collectively are holding on to 9.7 trillion unused airline miles. Many people don’t have enough miles to qualify for reward travel. Others aren’t able to use the m...
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Safer flying strategies for travelers with peanut allergies
(BPT) - From bag-checking charges and unexplained delays to rude fellow passengers and flight attendants who are having a bad day, flying can be a huge hassle. If you’re among the approximately 1 to 1.5 percent of Americans living with a peanut or tree nut allergy, boarding a commercial airplane can raise concerns that ...
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Ease travel worries with three simple tips
(BPT) - Traveling has its fair share of challenges, from never-ending lines to unexpected layovers and uncomfortable flights. Fortunately, by incorporating just a few expert tips, traveling can be less stressful whether you are jetting off for business or pleasure.  New York City lifestyle expert, Justine Santaniello, ...
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Keep your cool: Don't get stuck on the road this summer
(BPT) - Summer is the time for road trips, whether they cover thousands of miles across the country, or are “staycation” day trips. As we head into the summer months, gasoline prices continue to fluctuate and are expected to average $3.56 per gallon for regular-grade gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Ad...
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Tips for traveling solo
Is there such a thing as a typical traveler? Not anymore. Travelers run the gamut in age, interests, preferences, likes and dislikes. For couples, families and solo travelers alike, travel preferences have never been so diverse. Nor has the world of travel been so accessible and appealing. And, if you’re thinking about ...
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Traveling made simple: easy, convenient snacks to tag along on your next trip
(BPT) - With family vacation time nearly here and plans for road trips underway, it’s tempting to give in to quick, unhealthy solutions while packing snacks for the road. Here are some creative ways to revitalize your family’s snack routine and help you enjoy delicious and nutritious snacks on the go. Crunch time Crun...
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From metropolis to countryside, the top 5 things to see on a China tour
Defining China succinctly is a difficult, if not impossible, task. Perhaps that’s what travelers love so much about it: a trip to China can be virtually anything you want it be. The country’s incredible range of landscapes, from rice paddies to river gorges, and cultures, from ultra-modern to fiercely traditional, ensur...
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Today's RVs and travel trailers are not one-size-fits-all
Like many products and pursuits that have developed over the decades, recreational vehicles have come a long way from the tow-a-longs of the early to mid-20th century. Before motorized recreational vehicles hit the road, pulling a trailer behind your car or truck – loaded with food, sleeping and cooking gear – was the best way to get you and your family out of the city and into nature for a long weekend. Today there are many types of RVS available from wholesale RV dealers or individuals,...
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Must-do trip for any traveler: a Panama Canal cruise
It might seem that, to find a relatively untouched tropical paradise, you’d need to travel halfway around the world. However, one of the best-kept secrets in travel – Panama – is close at hand and has everything you could want in a warm-weather getaway. The country combines the modern (its capital and the engineering ma...
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Get the best deal on travel with these travel hacks [Infographic]
As the travel industry continues to rebound in 2013, the ever-changing economic landscape will create a new set of challenges and opportunities for both consumers and businesses alike. To help travelers best navigate the road ahead, the experts at Hotels.com(R) have identified the top tips to guide guests searching for the perfect place and price by using new technology and the well-respected Hotel Price Index(TM) (HPI(R)) . The HPI is a regular survey of hotel prices in major destination...
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national news
Rescuers search Oklahoma tornado town ruins as recovery starts
By Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescue workers with sniffer dogs picked through the ruins of an Oklahoma town on Wednesday to ensure no survivors remained buried after a deadly tornado left thousands homeless and trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. "Yesterday I was numb. Today I cried a lot. Now I'm on the victory side of it," said Beth Vrooman, who hid in a shelter in her garage during Monday's storm in Moore, Oklahoma. When the winds died down, she realized a car was blocking her exit. ...
Wed May 22 10:31:09 UTC 2013
FBI says man shot dead while being questioned about Boston bombings

FBI Agent Kills Man After Questioning Him About the Boston Marathon BombingBy Barbara Liston and Mark Hosenball ORLANDO, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI agent shot and killed a Florida man who turned violent while being questioned about the Boston Marathon bombings early on Wednesday, the bureau said. A friend of the dead man identified him as 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev of Orlando, a Chechen who had previously lived in Boston, the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando television stations reported. Two brothers named by the FBI as suspects in the April 15 bombings were also ethnic Chechens with roots in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region. ...


Wed May 22 10:48:37 UTC 2013
Chicago school board to vote on mass school closing

File photo of demonstrators marching during a Chicago Teachers Union protest in ChicagoBy Mary Wisniewski CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Board of Education is due to vote on Wednesday on a controversial proposal to close 54 schools in the country's third-largest public school district in what would be the largest mass school closing in the nation. The district's plans to close 53 elementary schools and a high school this year, mainly in Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods, has been met with protests by parents and union leaders who say the closings will disrupt communities and put children in danger with longer walks through troubled areas. ...


Wed May 22 06:01:05 UTC 2013
Found after tornado: Web attention might reconnect dog with owner
Rescuers scouring the devastation after a huge tornado tore through Moore, Okla., on Monday tweeted a photo of one furry find that has since gone around the Web, receiving more than 51,000 "likes" on Facebook. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's office posted the photo of the mud-spattered pup with the description, “Scared, but this little pup [...]
Wed May 22 09:25:04 UTC 2013