Leake Family Reunion 2020

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The couple who spent their honeymoon riding an African iron ore train

When planning a honeymoon, many couples go for obvious destinations like Paris, the city of love, or the Maldives, with its stunning azure waters.

Anti-Asian hate crimes are scaring Chinese travelers away from the US

Cannon Yu lives in Shantou, Guangdong province.

One of Europe's busiest airports to cap passengers through early 2023

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport -- one of Europe's busiest -- announced plans Thursday to continue capping the number of travelers departing from the airport through early 2023.

Disney World to reopen Friday while some other big Florida parks to remain closed

Florida's major theme parks remained closed Thursday as Hurricane Ian left a wake of destruction on the peninsula and headed into the Atlantic Ocean toward the Carolinas.

These Maldives resorts are leading the charge on sustainability

As the lowest-lying nation in the world -- with much of it sitting just a few feet above sea level -- the nearly 1,200 Indian Ocean islands scattered across the Maldives' sun-soaked atolls are famed not just for their magazine-cover-ready beaches and bungalows, but for their increasing vulnerability to rising sea levels.

15,000 kilometers by boat, train, car and on foot: Highlights of a caffeine-fueled journey through Indonesia

Even after traveling extensively through Indonesia for more than two decades, I sometimes struggle to grasp the true scale and diversity of the biggest island nation on the planet.

The man who knows every sand dune in the desert

Salem Almazrouei grew up in the Empty Quarter maze of sand dunes on Abu Dhabi's border with Saudi Arabia. Now he's sharing his desert knowledge with visitors to a luxury glamping site like no other.

Singapore's Changi Airport is going to get a lot bigger as plans for T5 take shape

Singapore's Changi Airport has long been considered a destination in itself, so much more than just a generic space one passes through to hop on a plane and fly somewhere else.

The gigantic moon hotel that could be built in Dubai

Moon World Resorts wants to build a series of gigantic dome-like hotels resembling the moon, here on planet Earth.

It's one of Europe's most popular destinations. Here's how to avoid the crowds

Dubrovnik is a victim of its own popularity, pulling in millions of visitors a year. For those who like their history, art and architecture with far fewer people, these seven alternative Croatian coastal towns deliver a similar vibe with far fewer people:

What it's like to visit Saudi Arabia now

It's long been closed off to visitors, but now this desert kingdom is opening up both to visitors and to its own people, revealing a fascinating destination where both history and modern transformation can be breathtaking.

The world's best airline for 2022 named

From Covid to chaos, it's been another bumpy year for the aviation industry. In much of the northern hemisphere, the busy summer season was beset by delays and cancellations, while in the United States a new study this week found that airplane passenger satisfaction is declining across the board.

How Holiday Inn revolutionized 20th century travel

Kemmons Wilson was ferrying his family from New York to Washington by car when the idea first came to him.

Fall equinox 2022: Not as 'equal' as you may think

Twice a year, the sun doesn't play favorites. Everyone on Earth is seemingly on equal status -- at least when it comes to the amount of light and dark they get.

Study reveals the North American airports that travelers find the most -- and least -- satisfying

Air travel volume is up and passenger satisfaction is down. This comes as no surprise to anyone who passed through an airport over the summer.

Washington Monument vandalized with red paint

United States Park Police say the Washington Monument is temporarily closed and a man is in custody for allegedly vandalizing the monument with paint on the evening of Tuesday, September 20.

Before you book your next trip, try this TikTok guru's travel tips

Ben Kielesinski spent the pandemic transporting his followers out of lockdowns and into ice caves, lush forests and waterfalls. From where to go to how to pack, he shares his tips for ensuring your next vacation is the trip of a lifetime.

Denmark and Germany now building the world's longest immersed tunnel

Descending up to 40 meters beneath the Baltic Sea, the world's longest immersed tunnel will link Denmark and Germany, slashing journey times between the two countries when it opens in 2029.

The challenges of building a sustainable resort in the lowest-lying country in the world

Many architects would kill to be given a blank slate on which to create their dream project.

Air New Zealand connects Auckland and New York for the first time ever

After 16 hours in the sky, Air New Zealand's first ever direct flight to New York City arrived at JFK airport on September 17.

Flights canceled to turn skies silent for Queen's funeral

Flights to and from London's Heathrow Airport on the day of the Queen's funeral are being canceled or re-timed "as a mark of respect" to the late monarch.

Oktoberfest returns after two-year hiatus

The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, kicked off on Saturday for the first time since 2019, marking the end of a two-year hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

8 Italian villages you may have never heard of

Travelers tend to head to the big name destinations like Venice, Florence, Rome, and even Naples when visiting Italy.

TGV unveils high-speed trains of the future

Welcome to the future of European high-speed rail travel.

Hanoi's popular 'Train Street' cafes ordered to close

Hanoi's popular "train street" is once again the subject of a significant crackdown.

She was only in Paris for three days. She met the love of her life on the Metro.

Andye was only in Paris for three days. On day one, she jumped aboard a Metro train and met Steven. Here's what happened next.

Most stylish new hotels and spas for 2022 revealed

The hospitality industry is back in full swing and the last couple of years have seen a host of exciting new hotels and spas open around the world.

Backpacking parents who homeschool their kids

Backpacking tends to be associated with young people with few responsibilities.

World's longest outdoor escalator system

The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, billed as the world's longest outdoor escalator system, can ease the aching feet and legs of Hong Kong tourists.

5 ways to deal with the post-vacation blues

Most people have a little anxiety at returning to normal life after a break, but after two years of pandemic the post-vacation blues are hitting harder. Here are expert tips on how to get through it.

Tesla's AI Day is tonight. It may wow you -- or end with a gaffe

Tesla will hold its second annual AI Day in Palo Alto, California, Friday evening. The six-hour event will include updates on Tesla's work in artificial intelligence, "Full Self-Driving," its supercomputer "Dojo" and maybe a humanoid robot, according to invitations posted online by Tesla supporters. The event is expected to be live-streamed.

Elon Musk's texts show how his relationship with Twitter went sideways

Days before publicly announcing his investment in Twitter, Elon Musk texted with Jack Dorsey. The former Twitter CEO suggested he no longer believed in the company he founded, according to new court filings in the legal battle between Musk and Twitter.

Anyone can now use powerful AI tools to make images. What could possibly go wrong?

If you've ever wanted to use artificial intelligence to quickly design a hybrid between a duck and a corgi, now is your time to shine.

California bars tech companies from complying with other states' abortion-related warrants

California is attempting to stymie abortion prosecutions in other states by making it illegal for Silicon Valley giants and other businesses based in the Golden State to hand over the personal information of abortion-seekers to out-of-state authorities.

Meta is using AI to generate videos from just a few words

Artificial intelligence is getting better and better at generating an image in response to a handful of words, with publicly available AI image generators such as DALL-E 2 and Stable Diffusion. Now, Meta researchers are taking AI a step further: they're using it to concoct videos from a text prompt.

Sandy Hook parent recounts years of harassment after Alex Jones called him a crisis actor

In emotional testimony on Thursday, Robbie Parker, the parent of a Sandy Hook shooting victim, recounted the violent threats and harassment he and his family have suffered in the years since conspiracy theorist Alex Jones called him a crisis actor.

Ex-eBay execs heading to prison for harassing couple behind newsletter

Two former eBay Inc security executives were sentenced to prison on Thursday for carrying out a campaign to harass and intimidate a Massachusetts couple through threats and disturbing home deliveries after their online newsletter drew the ire of the company's then-CEO.

Google is shutting down its gaming service Stadia

Google plans to shut down its cloud gaming service Stadia in January, a little more than three years after it launched, citing lackluster demand from customers.

Out-of-service satellites must be removed within 5 years, FCC says

Satellites that are no longer in service must get out of the sky far more quickly under a new rule adopted by US federal regulators Thursday — and it's all in the name of combating the garbage in Earth's orbit.

Have you eaten off a "butter board" yet? CNN's Jeanne Moos reports on a food trend that's literally spreading.

Amazon raising hourly pay for warehouse and delivery workers

Amazon on Wednesday said it is raising the average starting pay for its warehouse workers and delivery drivers to more than $19 an hour, up from $18 previously, at a time when union pushes continue to spread across several of its facilities.

Google rolls out tool for users to request excluding search results that contain private information

Google on Wednesday said it has begun rolling out an option for users to request excluding search results featuring their phone numbers and other sensitive personal information, potentially adding an extra layer of protection for private data online.

US defeats Russia in a battle to control the future of the global internet

The United States has soundly defeated Russia in an election to control a United Nations body responsible for shaping global internet development, a contest viewed as geopolitically symbolic amid wider US-Russia tensions and an answer to fears of growing censorship online by authoritarian regimes.

Amazon's $999 dog-like robot is getting smarter

Amazon on Wednesday unveiled a collection of product updates that tie together its vast suite of services and help ensure it remains at the center of peoples' lives and homes.

Amazon debuted a series of new devices and software updates, including a bedside sleep tracker, a Kindle you can write on, and new software for its home robot that allows it to monitor pets.

Amazon pausing operations at some facilities as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida

Amazon is temporarily pausing operations at some of its facilities as Hurricane Ian barrels towards Florida, the company confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.

Apple stock drops on concerns about iPhone 14 demand

Shares of Apple fell 4% in early trading Wednesday amid concerns about demand for the company's latest lineup of iPhones.

Google will make it easier to search for nearby soup dumplings, and tell you if they're spicy

Google is making it easier to find specific dishes at nearby restaurants, whether it's an ahi tartare, soup dumplings, or something else entirely.

Property in the metaverse can sell for millions of dollars. CNN's Anna Stewart explores why companies around the world are looking into virtual real estate.

Apple removes Russian social media giant VK from app store

Apple has removed VKontakte, a top Russian social media platform, from its app store, according to the app's developer.

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207)

Rumi was a great Persian poet and Sufi mystic whose influence has spread to Persian-speakers in Afghanistan, central Asia, Turkey, and beyond. His Masnavi-ye Manavi, a six-volume work of spiritual teaching and Sufi lore related in the form of stories and lyric poetry, widely influenced Muslim mystical thought and literature. Rumi's followers founded the Mevlevi order, whose members use dancing and music as part of their spiritual method and are popularly known by what name? Discuss

Miguel de Cervantes (1547)

Cervantes was a Spanish author best known for Don Quixote de la Mancha, his novel about an aging "knight." A superb burlesque of the popular romances of chivalry, the work was an enormous success and has had an indelible effect on the development of the European novel. Cervantes himself led an eventful life: he was imprisoned several times, captured by pirates, and sold as a slave. How long was he enslaved before his family managed to scrape together the money to secure his release?

Georges Clemenceau (1841)

Clemenceau was a French journalist and statesman whose politics brought him into conflict with Napoleon III's government. After spending several years in the US, he returned to France and became mayor of Montmartre. In 1880, he began publishing La Justice, which became the primary organ of Parisian radicalism, and he later published Emile Zola's "J'accuse," a passionate criticism of the Dreyfus Affair. He served as premier during World War I and was a key architect of what treaty?

First Photos Taken of a Giant Squid in the Wild (2004)

In 2004, two teams of Japanese researchers traveled to a sperm whale hunting ground south of Tokyo, where they attached bait, a camera, and a flash to a 3,000-foot (914-m) line. After numerous attempts to lure their prey, a 26-foot (8-m) giant squid attacked and became entangled in the lure, breaking free after more than 500 photos were taken over a four-hour period. What did the photos—the first ever taken of a live giant squid in its natural habitat—reveal about the mysterious creature? Discuss

Japan Resumes Diplomatic Relations with China (1972)

The first Sino-Japanese War in the late 19th century damaged relations between the two countries for decades, as it marked the emergence of imperial Japan and saw harsh terms imposed on a badly defeated China. Relations did not improve until Kakuei Tanaka was elected prime minister of Japan in 1972. Shortly after his election, Tanaka visited China and signed an agreement establishing diplomatic relations between Japan and the Beijing regime. Who else made a historic visit to China in 1972?

Second Intifada Begins (2000)

In 2000, Israeli politician Ariel Sharon visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque—a site holy to Muslims and Jews—in Jerusalem. Accompanied by soldiers, he claimed that Israel had sovereignty over this and other holy sites. His visit sparked riots that escalated into a new cycle of violence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Israel. Israelis blamed Yasir Arafat—leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization—for Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians. What is the estimated death toll from the violence?

Aesop

Self-help is the best help. Discuss

Victor Hugo

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Robert Louis Stevenson

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.