NTSB cites air traffic controller distraction in 2023 California near-miss as feds target staffing shortages
A near-collision between two planes at a major California airport two years ago was caused by an air traffic controller distracted by a third plane, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday, as federal officials roll out a plan to boost air traffic controller recruitment. The February 23, 2023, incident involved a Mesa Airlines plane attempting to land on the same runway from which a SkyWest Airlines flight was taking off at Bob Hope Burbank Airport in California. The two planes came within 1,680 feet of each other in one of several high-profile close calls at the time.
American Airlines passenger claims to witness 'gate lice' crackdown ahead of boarding
American Airlines appears to be keeping its promise of not letting pesky "gate lice" passengers board a plane before it's their turn. A flight passenger and Reddit user took to the social media platform to share a recent airport story about an American Airlines gate agent who held up the airline's strong crackdown against "gate lice." The recent flyer, writing on the subreddit thread r/americanairlines, applauds a gate agent at the Pensacola, Florida, airport who strongly enforced the correct boarding zone.
Melania Trump announces return of White House Easter Egg Roll
First lady Melania Trump has announced that preparations are underway for this spring’s White House Easter Egg Roll. The beloved tradition — now marking its 147th year — dates back to Rutherford B. Hayes’ presidency in 1878, according to the White House website. Before that time, egg rolls were banned on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol due to an uptick in popularity that caused landscape concerns, the same source stated.
7 planets will be on display tonight but you only have a short window to see the stunning sight
A stunning cosmic getaway is in store for residents of the United States on Friday evening as seven planets will align in a spectacular display — dubbed a planet parade — that can be seen without traveling far from home. Such a sight won’t be visible again until 2040. "Seven planets will be visible in the evening sky," Bill Cooke, NASA astronomer based at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, told Fox News Digital. "And three of them are going to be easily visible."
The world’s smallest park is about the size of four pieces of paper
If you want to take a stroll around this park in Japan, you will have to be very nimble on your toes. A park roughly the size of four sheets of paper in Japan’s central prefecture of Shizuoka was recently crowned the world’s smallest, according to Guinness World Records. Despite measuring just 2.6 square feet, the recreational space offers a stool made up of a block of wood held up by a rock, with a little bush encircling it. From afar, it could easily be mistaken for a bonsai, an example of the Japanese art of manicuring miniature trees.
Cruise ship rescues 11 people adrift between Cuba and Mexico
The cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas rescued 11 people adrift in the Gulf of Mexico between Cuba and Mexico on Wednesday, according to VACAYA, an LGBT+ vacation company that chartered the ship. The Royal Caribbean cruise line ship departed New Orleans on Saturday for a seven-night cruise. On Wednesday, the captain spotted a boat in the distance “that appeared to be in distress,” said Randle Roper, the CEO of VACAYA, who was onboard the ship.
Popular travel scams and safety warnings you need to know before taking vacation
Travelers beware: From vacation scams to insurance to personal safety, a few key considerations can make or break a big trip, according to industry experts. Here are four things to keep in mind as you plan your next vacation. If a vacation package or a time-share deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Terrorism, political instability, civil unrest and even environmental factors are constantly altering the landscape for travelers. Richter also advises considering your risk tolerance before booking a trip, including who you are traveling with. Whether you’re mountain climbing in the Alps or kayaking in Thailand, would your medical insurance plan cover an accident or illness?
Ramadan begins with the crescent moon. Here’s why the official start time can still vary around the world
You might already know that roughly a quarter of the world’s population is expected to head into Ramadan this weekend, the Islamic holy month perhaps best known for its followers’ dawn-to-sunset abstinence of food and liquids. What you might not realize if you’re not a follower: Muslims tentatively know when it’s coming up, but they may get a notice of mere hours of when Ramadan officially starts. Further, it’s not uniformly observed around the world — the start date can vary country to country and can even be different mosque to mosque in the same city. But what unites all Muslims is the observance of the new crescent moon in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Tipsy tourist fined $520 after diving into Rome’s Trevi Fountain
Tourists-behaving-badly season seems to have started early in Rome this year, with three visitors from New Zealand getting in trouble long before the summer sunshine could be blamed for giddy behavior. The trio were stopped Sunday night as they started to wade into the famous Trevi Fountain in central Rome, a frequent magnet for trouble when peak season crowds start to gather in the city. As they were being escorted away from the area, one of the tourists, a 30-year-old man, wrestled free from the police and jumped into the fountain as the authorities gave chase, a spokesperson for Rome’s Capital Police told.
What it’s like inside the secret World War II tunnels set to become a huge new tourist attraction
Behind an unmarked blue door in London’s Chancery Lane, the historic legal district where Charles Dickens once worked as a clerk, CNN puts on a hard hat and high-viz as we embark on an exclusive hour-long tour 30 meters below ground (nearly 100 feet). We’re here to explore a mile-long series of tunnels so clandestine that until 2007 they were protected by the UK’s Official Secrets Act. There’s a literary connection here too, as this subterranean warren is the real-life inspiration for James Bond’s Q Branch — but that’s just one chapter in these tunnels’ storied history.