Australian leader Tony Abbott raises terrorist threat level to high

Australian leader Tony Abbott raises terrorist threat level to high: http://bbc.in/1uKSEOK

The move which is the first in more than a decade, comes in response to growing concerns over the impact of militant conflicts in Iraq and Syria on Australia.

Sarah Palin to Barack Obama: 'Go big or go home'

Sarah Palin urged President Barack Obama to “go big or go home” against the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, but said it’s hard to put much faith in his new promises.

“War is hell. So go big or go home, Mr. President,” Palin wrote on Facebook on Wednesday night. “Big means bold, confident, wise assurance from a trustworthy Commander-in-Chief that it shall be worth it. Charge in, strike hard, get out. Win.”

Palin’s post came shortly after Obama’s prime-time television address in which the president outlined plans to “degrade and ultimately destroy” ISIL.

“Go big and be real, Mr. President, if you’ve really changed your mind again and now wish to engage,” Palin wrote.

She continued, “For the sake of peace-loving people in America and throughout the world, let’s hope Barack Obama means what he says when he uses terms like ‘defeating’ ISIS. He is so inconsistent in leading a failed agenda that it’s virtually impossible to put any hope in his new promises, because either his past statements shrugging off ISIS as just a ‘JV squad’ was all talk, or tonight’s new terminology is just all talk.”

TRAVEL TREND ALERT: HOTELS FOLLOWING AIRLINES INTO PROFITS FROM FEES

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/04/14 -- The high cost of travel may be getting higher these days while consumers find themselves paying extra for items that were formerly included. Hotels across the country are raking in the cash by charging for amenities and services that may not even be used by patrons, seeing revenues nearly double in the past ten years by charging fees.

The latest issue of Travel-Intel, the news channel for Tours.com, reports that while the airlines took in a whopping $12.7 billion in profits last year -- nearly half of that in baggage and change fees -- the hotel industry may not be far behind. Travelers who want a bed, a bath and maybe some Wi-Fi are now paying more than the sticker price with resort fees that have soared to a record $2.25 billion for the hospitality industry.

Lark Ellen-Gould, Content Director, Travel-Intel & Tours.com

Travelers checking into a hotel in the future may find the bellhop is actually a "botlr." The issue looks at an experiment by Aloft Hotels, starting with a property in Cupertino, CA, that is dispatching R2-D2-sized robots for various on-property duties and guests are showing their appreciation through tweets, rather than tips.

Travel-Intel also reports on the vanishing vacation that is slowly evaporating within perceptions of disapproval in corporate America. A report released last month through the U.S. Travel Association shows that 40% of American workers are leaving paid vacation days on the table this year, sacrificing their health and well-being and adopting a "work martyr complex" to demonstrate their value.

The article also highlights a recent study that shows how important to health and well-being a vacation can be, starting with findings that vacations can spark romance in a relationship (80%). Respondents also noted (71%) that taking a vacation often makes them feel better about their job.

Bookish travelers looking for literary immersion within a thrilling safari in Africa will want to read about Micato's "Hemingway Wing Safari Tour" that traces the paths of the author and spends time in some of his favorite spots in Kenya and Tanzania. Micato is a trusted upscale tour company and part of the exclusive Kurtz-Ahlers Collection.

Meanwhile, Disney Cruise Line gets some light shed on its new offerings and itineraries as presented through an in-depth interview between Travel-Intel cruise editor Bill Becken and Disney Cruise Line's CEO Karl Holz.

Finally, Travel-Intel offers a tip to travelers who may need to access medical records while traveling -- something that can be daunting even in the best of circumstances and often impossible during an emergency. MyMedicalRecords.com offers a solution to that problem, a very welcomed convenience that could be life saving.

Travel-Intel goes out weekly to more than 130,000 sellers of travel and is also posted online at Tours.com. It partners witheGroup Communications to offer strategically targeted marketing services to keep travel agents and sellers of incentive and group travel up on an ever-changing world of products and destinations.

The publication reports from travel conferences and popular hotels, exotic resorts, cruise ships and travel destinations near and far with stories that feature the latest intel on travel. Current features and archives can be viewed at www.travel-intel.com.

"Travel is not just about beaches and best bets. It's a wide and wild industry that is changing every day and as a trusted news publication to travel agents and travel providers, Travel-Intel helps keep players in this industry on top of their game," says Lark Gould, content director for Travel-Intel and Tours.com.

As a veteran travel journalist who has been covering the travel industry for more than 20 years, Gould puts her incisive perspective into the weekly publication, with features and news updates, and also "packages" issues that detail great deals to be found at hotels and resort locations worldwide. Travel-Intel can be viewed as a stand-alone site on Tours.com. Gould publishes travel columns and stories in Larkslist, genConnect, Barclay's Travel Community, the Washington Times and Business Traveler USA.

About Tours.com: Tours.com Since 1995 - The Worldwide Directory of Tours & Vacation is the most comprehensive directory of tour and vacation providers searchable by company name, destination and/or activity. Find a Travel Agent Specialist search feature allows one to find travel agents with in-depth knowledge in their chosen specialty. The Travel Resource section includes all the information a travel professional may need from Passport & Visas, Travel Insurance, Accommodations ( B&B, castles, villas and more, etc) Cruises, Barges, Boats, Yachts & Ferries, Rail & Railroad Vacations just to name a few.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2670431

Contact:
Maria Polk
President & CEO
Phone: 415-332-7916
maria@tours.com 

Mugabe prepares to exit power as his wife warms up for the seat

TOO BAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ1La7yCrqg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ1La7yCrqg

Marekani kupambana na Islamic State

Katika hotuba yake kwa taifa hilo ilooneshwa kupitia runinga ya taifa ameelezea mipango yake ya utekelezaji dhidi ya wanamgambo hao kua kikundi chochote cha kigaidi kitakachoitishia Marekani hakitakua salama milele.

Rais Obama pia amesema kwamba kikosi namba 475 watapelekwa Iraq ingawa hawatakua na jukumu lolote la kupambana na wanamgambo hao.

Inaelezwa kuwa kundi hilo la wanamgambo wa dola ya kiislam wanatwala eneo kubwa la Syria na Iraq,na wanamgambo hao wamegeuka kua hatari kwa matendo yao ya kuua watu kwa kuwakata vichwa waandishi wa habari kutoka ughaibuni huku ulimwengu ukishuhudi.

Marekani imesha fanya mashambulizi ya anga yapatayo

150 dhidi ya kikundi hicho cha Is na kugawanya silaha kwa wale wanakipinga kikundi hicho Iraqi vikundi vya ki Kurdi .

Katika hotuba yake hiyo ilodumu kwa muda wa dakika rais huyo amesema huu ni muda muafaka Marekani kuingilia kati na lazima Marekani itaongoza na kuwarejesha nyuma wanamgambo hao wa IS.

Akiizungumzia Iraq, amesema ataongeza nguvu za kulinda raia wa Marekani na kusambaza misaada ya kibinaadamu na tutaipiga Is .

Rais Obama amesema kwamba anakaribisha uungwaji mkono kutoka katika Bunge la Marekani lakini kwa mamlaka laonayo anayweza kuendelea na dhamira yake bila ruhusa ya bunge hilo.

Rais Obama alichaguliwa na chama chake cha Democrat kwasababu ya ari yake ya kupinga uvamizi katika nchi ya Iraq mnamo mwaka 2003 na kuongoza harakati za kuondoa wanajeshi wa Marekani nchini humo.

Russian Helicopters builds largest gearbox, assembly and testing facility

Russian Helicopters, a subsidiary of Oboronprom, part of State Corporation Rostec, has launched construction of a new assembly and testing facility at its Reductor-PM plant in Perm. An official ceremony in Perm today was attended by Perm region Governor Viktor Basargin, Russian Helicopters Deputy CEO for Production Andrey Shibitov, Perm region Prime Minister Gennady Tushnolobov, Perm region Minister for Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade Alexey Chibisov, and Perm city administration head Igor Sapko. On completion, the facility will be the largest of its type in Russia.

Construction facilities are currently being put in place at the site, and preparatory groundworks are under way. At today’s official ceremony a plaque was unveiled with the start and end dates of the construction, August 2014 and December 2016. This period will see an advanced 20,000 sq m production facility built to house Reductor-PM’s assembly and testing plant.

“The start of construction of this assembly and testing facility is an important event for the whole of our region,” said Perm region Governor Viktor Basargin. “The development of advanced high-tech manufacturing will create a solid foundation for the regional economy and will be a key factor in its future growth, by making the region more attractive as an investment destination and strengthening its reputation as a national leader both economically and technologically.”

“For Russian Helicopters, upgrading our production facilities is an extremely important task,” said Andrey Shibitov, Deputy CEO for Production. “Today we are making significant investments to create unique centres of excellence. Reductor-PM is home to one of these centres, for designing, producing, testing and after-sales service of helicopter transmissions.”

“Construction of this new facility is long overdue,” said Nikolai Semikopenko, Managing Director of Reductor-PM. “Today our plant is home to unique isolating test-stands for testing 8M transmissions as well as tail transmissions and angle gearboxes for the Mi-28N. We are also working on creating test stands for VR-8A, VR-14, VR-23, VR-29 and VR-26 main gearboxes. We want to create Russia’s largest helicopter gearbox testing centre while meeting strict sustainability criteria. Construction of the new production facility is a major step towards reaching this goal.”

As well as increasing testing capacity, the new facility will significantly expand Reductor-PM’s assembly plant, meaning that gearboxes and transmission units can be assembled to meet global best practices.

Over the last five years, Russian Helicopters has implemented several large-scale investment projects at Reductor-PM. In 2013 a thermo-chemical parts processing plant – the only one of its kind in Russia – was opened, following investment of more than RUB 1.3 billion. More than 40 machines were purchased for processing gear-wheels, including some with spiral-bevel teeth. Work is ongoing to upgrade the plant’s machine tools for production of body parts and shaft machining. Today the company is also upgrading its electroplating facilities. Total investment in 2014-2016 will amount to more than RUB 3.5 billion.

Source and image: Russian Helicopters