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Alta Mar season 3 cast: Who is in the cast of High Seas? – Express

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Netflix series Alta Mar will be making a comeback with fans embarking on a brand-new voyage. Once again, the Villanueva sisters will be plunged into perilous danger. There are going to be some new faces joining the Spanish-language drama as along as more familiar characters Express.co.uk takes a look at the cast of High Seas.

Reprising her role as author Eva Villanueva will be Ivana Baquero. In season three Eva will be roped into a new mission to stop a scientist carrying a deadly biological weapon to Mexico.

Spanish star Baquero has previously starred in fantasy drama The Shannara Chronicles, Pans Labyrinth and The New Daughter.

Alejandra Onieva returns as older sister Carolina Villanueva, who is now in possession of another ship.

Fellow Spanish star Onieva has had parts in Presunto culpable, Ella es tu padre and El secreto de Puente Viejo.

READ MORE:Alta Mar season 3 release date, cast, trailer, plot

Joining them once more is Jon Kortajarena as the handsome and charming ships officer Nicols Vzquez.

Kortajarena is best known for roles in A Single Man, Andron, TV series La verdad and most recently featured in Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

Taking on the part of the sisters uncle Pedro Villanueva is actor Jos Sacristn.

Sacristn has a distinguished career dating back to the 70s and has starred in many projects including Madrid 1987, Binge, El diputado and The Dead Man and Being Happy.

Vernica de Garca - Begoa Vargas

Begoa Vargas assumes the role of the timid Vernica de Garca, who is likely to have matured since fans last saw her.

Vargas is a rising star and has also featured in A Different View and Boca Norte.

Coming back to the show as well will be Eloy Azorn as Carolinas husband Fernando Fbregas, who does not get along with his sister-in-law Eva.

Prior to Alta Mar, the star appeared in Limbo, Betrayal, The Continental and Without Identity, among other roles.

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Francella has remained fairly vague about his character in Alt Mar but needless to say, the role will be a crucial one.

Francella teased to La Nacion: My character is an Argentine who arrives on this ship, the Brbara de Braganza, and has a friendship with the captain, who is Eduardo Blanco.

He is a very charming boy, who has something in his hands and who will have several faces throughout the season. But I can't tell much more, if I'm not going to spoil it.

The actor has previously starred in Pequea Victoria, The Suffering, The Man of Your Dreams and Daddy Is My Idol.

There are also likely to be more familiar faces returning to the fold as viewers find out what the two sisters have been up to since they completed their initial ill-fated voyage from Spain.

Eduardo Blanco will be back as Capitn Santiago Aguirre and helming another vessel with more intrigue on the cards.

Blanco has many credits to his name including Cannibals, Aqu no hay quien viva and Vientos de agua but is better known for his stage work after he started out in Shakespeare plays such as A Midsummer Nights Dream and MacBeth.

Actor Marco Pigossi is going to be playing a British spy in the show and will enlist Carolina to help him in his mission.

The star will be familiar to audiences from Netflixs supernatural series Tidelands, Edge of Desire and Land of the Strong.

Alta Mar season 3 will be released on Netflix on August 7

Alta Mar season 3 cast: Who is in the cast of High Seas? - Express

High Seas Season 4 Expected Release Date, Cast Info and Every Other Detail – News Lagoon

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Alta Mar additionally known as High Seas, is a Spanish-language mystery series on Netflix. The display follows the tale of two sisters Eva (played through Ivana Baquero) and Carolina Villanueva (Alejandra Onieva) who discover themselves fixing murders aboard a luxurious cruise delivery. Will there be extra of High Seas to come back?

At the instant, Netflix has now not confirmed whether or not there can be the fourth season of High Seas. According to reports, season 4 is said to be in development however these have yet to be shown.

The third series best dropped on Netflix today (Friday, August 6), so it is nevertheless early days for news of the displays future to be announced.

Netflix renews are normally introduced among one and six months after the premiere, so fans might be anticipating information till the stop of the subsequent 12 months.

If High Seas is given the green mild for season four, lovers can count on the new series in 2021. The preceding series have aired at a different period every yr, with season one arriving in May 2019 and season in November 2019. The 3rd series arrived in the summer season 2020 on Netflix global.

Filming for High Seas season four may additionally face delays because of the present-day coronavirus outbreak however lovers should maintain their arms crossed for a 2021 launch.

In the cutting-edge season, Eva and Carolina were on board the Brbara de Braganza, this time to sail from Argentina to Mexico. While onboard, Eva worked along with a Brazillian secret agent. Fabio (Marco Pigossi) to assist him to hunt down a person wearing a toxic chemical onboard the ship.

Which he changed into the use of to kill several of its passengers. In the give up, Eva, Nicholas (Jon Kortajarena), and Fabio had been able to song down the killer. However, in cliffhanger fanatics did not see coming, one of the shows preferred characters became killed off.

Sadly, Nicholas became stabbed again and again by means of the killer and died on board the ship.

The fourth collection will maximum possibly comply with Eva and Carolina onboard a new delivery. With the previous coming to phrases with the loss of Nicholas. Fans were taking to Twitter worrying for the fourth season of High Seas and reacting to season 3.

One fan tweeted: Again, inform me Alta mar season four is occurring.A second viewer stated: Im literally panicking right now due to the fact from the seems of it Jon isnt always going to be in season four of Alta Mar. A third fan commented: If Alta mar doesnt get season four youll by no means listen from me once more

The majority of the main forged are expected to return for the fourth season of High Seas if it is given the green light.

So, this way Pans Labyrinth celebrity Ivana Baquero could be back as Eva Villanueva and Hazings Alejandra Onieva as Carolina. Hopefully, Jos Sacristn will go back as Pedro Villanueva, the uncle of Eva and Carolina. Also probable to go back is Begoa Vargas as Vernica de Garca.

The daughter of maid Francisca and Eloy Azorn as Fernando Fbregas. Carolinas husband and proprietor of the transatlantic ship. At the instant, is unknown if Brazilian actor Pigossi who played secret agent, Fabio in season 3 will return. If Jon Kortajarena returns as officer Nicols Vzquez. Its going to most likely be within the form of a flashback scene.

High Seas Season 4 Expected Release Date, Cast Info and Every Other Detail - News Lagoon

Shark Week 2020: How The Pandemic Added To This Years Programming – Forbes

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

This year's 'Shark Week' celebrates the 20th anniversary of 'Air Jaws'.

Its that time of year again and as always, Shark Week delivers some of the most exciting content on television. This year, Discovery is upping its game with even more science, stars and sharks than ever before. The new lineup includes more than 20 hours of programming and explores the uncharted territoryof how the current Covid-19 pandemic is impacting our seas.

Shark Week has proven to be an extremely important franchise for Discovery from both a ratings standpoint, as well as a vehicle to attract new viewers to the cable network.

This year, the viewer will tag along with A-List stars including Mike Tyson, Will Smith and Shaquille O'Neil. And, this years pandemic offers researchers the once in a lifetime opportunity to study how the global lockdown and reduced amount of human interaction and activity in our oceans has impacted the hunting patterns of sharks.

Last years programming shot Discovery up to the No. 1 slot, making it cables top network during Shark Week. Nearly 27 million viewers tuned in. According to analysis by Alphonso, average unique viewers (total day) last year were up 23% compared to the week before. In total, 28% of Shark Week viewers were new to Discovery last year.

The data shows how important the franchise is for short-term and long-term gains, says Raghu Kodige, co-founder and Chief Product Officer for Alphonso.The sizable audience attracts a variety of advertisers but the ability to pull in new viewers also allows Discovery to expose these individuals to promos for other shows, potentially expanding their base beyond Shark Week.

Two specials in this years lineup are dedicated to the Covid-19 pandemic: In Shark Lockdown researchers explore the waters off New Zealand where the largest female great whites are measuring over 20 feet long, earning the nickname the 747s. With no human interaction during COVID-19, researchers built a self-propelled cage to see how hunting patterns have changed. And, in Abandoned Waters researchers study how Covid-19 has affected the massive great whites at Australias Neptune Islands.

Marine Biologist and Ph.D. Alison Towner details how the worldwide shutdown has given sharks the opportunity to return to their natural behaviors and reclaim the oceans.

Marine biologist and Ph.D. Alison Towner lists 5 ways the pandemic is impacting sharks.

Towner, whose work includes research on white sharks with a focus on tracking and telemetry, as well as the driving factors of their movements, says scientists have recently been able to study sharks up close in ways that were nearly impossible prior. Here she lists five ways in which life for sharks has changed over the last several months.

This year's 'Shark Week' includes over 20 hours of programming.

Our oceans cover over 75% of the planet. Every second breath we take comes from the ocean thanks to marine plants and algae, explains Towner. Ecosystems are all about balance. If the top domino is tipped over, a systematic knock-on ripples through each trophic layer until most of the pieces are affected in some way or another.

Sharks, she adds, are one of the oceans top dominos. There are over 560 species of sharks on our planet. The earliest shark remains date back some 450 million years. Sharks Skates and Rays have survived multiple mass extinction events and adapted to thrive in extreme ocean habitats from the shallow coastal seas to the deepest darkest depths.

Their ability to survive is where the hope lies for Towner. Our planet is hurting from over-excessive wildlife extraction and consumption. The virus came from an animal in a wet market in Wuhan, China. If that doesnt support the notion that change needs to happen regarding our impacts on wildlife as humans nothing will. The next generation, those who do not want to see another pandemic rear its head, and those who want to see shark numbers bounding back from the loss of 100 million a year, now have the power at their fingertips to learn, educate and spread the plight of the shark with how to help.

Education is imperative to the plight of sharks. Tragically, these predators are threatened by a global shark fin trade. Efforts to fight this brutal, cruel and wasteful practice continue and through Shark Week the aim is to educate fans about why healthy oceans need sharks.

In the last 50 years, humans have advanced their capabilities to extract from the oceans to industrial scale levels, Towner explains. Factory fleets roam the high seas so advanced that they dont need to dock to offload their catch. These huge fleets can process all the meat fins and other body parts of sharks out of sight. They have naval technology, spotter planes and trackers to locate areas where remaining pockets of fish seek refuge. Nothing can hide and the chase to feed the growing populations of humans never ends. The cure for our suffering shark stocks will be the next generation of ocean ambassadors and their childrens actions.

Shark Week 2020: How The Pandemic Added To This Years Programming - Forbes

Oil Leak Stopped from Bulker as Mauritius Prepares for the Worst Case – The Maritime Executive

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Pumping efforts underway to stop oil leakage - courtesy of the Indian High Commission in Mauritius

By The Maritime Executive 08-10-2020 05:09:24

Reports from Mauritius indicate that the efforts to control oil leaking from the grounded bulk carrier Wakashio have for the moment been successful while frantic efforts continue along the coastline to contain the oil and control the spreading environmental disaster. With the situation remaining precarious, the prime minister of Mauritius, however, has warned his county to prepare for the worst-case scenario. The spill is already being called the worst in Mauritius history.

According to a statement from prime minister Pravind Jugnauths office, the flow of oil from the ships ruptured starboard tanks has been stopped for the moment. The estimates are that between 1,000 and 2,000 tons of fuel however have already leaked from the ship into the environmentally sensitive waters. At the time of the grounding on July 25, the 200,000 DWT bulk carrier was reported to have approximately 3,800 tons of fuel oil, 200 tons of diesel, and 90 tons of lube oil on board.

The first signs of cracks in the hull were reported on August 5 and shortly thereafter oil began to appear in the waters. The ships owners, Nagashiki Shipping Company, reported that it had contracted a professional response organization and salvage team and working with teams from Mauritius and international experts a hose connection was established between the Wakashio and a tanker the MT Elise. A second tanker the MT Tresta Star is also standing by the scene while helicopters have been deployed to transfer containers of fuel oil that was being pumped into drums on deck.

Despite the progress, the prime minister warned that the experts have reported additional cracks forming in the bulk carriers hull. With the weather in the area deteriorating and high seas again expected, the prime minister said they fear it is only a matter of time until the Wakashio breaks apart putting in danger at least two additional fuel tanks that so far are believed to be intact. They are estimating that as much as 2,000 additional tons of oil remain in the ships tanks.

In a further attempt to stabilize the situation, the ships owner in their official statement said that a tow line has been secured between the Wakashio and one of the salvage tugs that is on the scene. They are hoping that the tug can help to secure the Wakashio.

Aid also continues to arrive in Mauritius both from international sources, environmental groups, and residents who flocked to the shoreline trying to clean up the oil. Frances defense minister told Reuters that his country was sending both a military plane and a ship to Mauritius. The ships owner also said that they were seeking permission from Mauritius to deploy oil dispersant chemicals on the water.

Speaking in Japan, Nagashiki Shipping said it, deeply apologizes to the people of Mauritius and will do its utmost to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of the pollution. Similarly the vessel's charter, Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Line said at a news conference Saturday, We apologize profusely and deeply for the great trouble we have caused.

Accusations are also being to circulate to the cause to the grounding with a broad range of environmental groups and residents harshly criticizing the response efforts in the days after the grounding. Seeking to determine the cause of the grounding, Windward, a leader data analysis firm reviewed positioning data for an analysis published in Forbes. They are reporting that the ship was traveling at a normal 11-knot speed but was far to the north of the normal shipping lanes from the time it reached the area around Mauritius two days before the grounding.

Shortly after the grounding, there had also been reports from the media in Mauritius that the Coast Guard spotted the vessels course and tried in vain in the hours before the grounding to contact the Wakashio.

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Oil Leak Stopped from Bulker as Mauritius Prepares for the Worst Case - The Maritime Executive

What series to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO and Prime Video: The extraordinary Playlist of Zoey and the High Sea | Entertainment – Explica

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

A new weekend is coming and with the heat that lurks behind the door, it is better to hide in the cool that we have inside the house with snacks and refreshing drinks and enjoy the series that the streaming platforms bring us.

Like every weekend we recommend the new series that we find in Netflix, HBO and Prime Video. Each one in its own style and with very interesting novelties compete in the middle of summer to capture the attention of the majority of subscribers.

While Netflix brings us the continuation of a national drama with the Spanish actors of the moment, HBO stands out with a happy and fun new series that makes us forget the worries of the moment. For its part, Prime Video is committed to el genre of spies and corruption that so many like.

Between the premieres of the week with movies and series and the titles that have captivated in recent months, the platforms are becoming more complete and are taking advantage of the quarantine pull in many places to entertain everyone, whatever their tastes, at home.

If you like national productions, this list is for you: we have selected the 10 best Spanish series that you can watch on Netflix, HBO and Prime Video.

Netflix opens August with one of its national productions and which brings together a large cast of well-known performers: Ivana Baquero, Jon Kortajarena and Alejandra Onieva, among others. Alta mar returns in its third season and with many secrets still to be revealed, but above all the search for the lethal virus cabin by cabin on the cruise ship and a countdown that does not take her eyes off all the questions that remained to be resolved.

Title: High seas Release date: 2019 Duration: 40 minutes Platform: Netflix

HBO makes a much riskier bet, mixing comedy with musical in a series. Zoeys Extraordinary Playlist its a cool and enjoyable approach to these summer months. Zoey undergoes a medical test that will cause a strange syndrome, begins to perceive what people are thinking but singing. Her friends, co-workers and family sing her most hidden secrets around her and Zoey will have to deal with all that information without being able to reveal what she knows.

Title: Zoeys Extraordinary Playlist Release Date: 2020 Length: 40 minutes Platform: HBO

For Prime Video subscribers we leave you a series of espionage. The candidate addresses crime and drug trafficking in Mexico City. Two CIA agents have infiltrated to overthrow the most dangerous drug lord in the city and they run into the political and police corruption that often surrounds these criminal organizations.

Title: The Candidate Release Date: 2020 Duration: 40 minutes Platform: Prime Video

Continued here:

What series to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO and Prime Video: The extraordinary Playlist of Zoey and the High Sea | Entertainment - Explica

Information sharing with regional partners aims to reel in transnational crime syndicates – Mirage News

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Joint media release with Australian Border Force

Information gathered by Maritime Border Command (MBC), a joint agency taskforce within the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), will strengthen international cooperation in the pursuit of fishing vessels suspected of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Southern Ocean.

This was demonstrated on 18 June 2020 when the fishing vessel FV Cobija was boarded 514 nautical miles south west of Cocos Keeling Islands on the high seas in the Indian Ocean, after being sighted by a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol aircraft.

The FV Cobija, previously named Cape Flower and Cape Wrath II, is an IUU listed vessel and when boarded by MBC and AFMA officers the captain claimed the vessel was registered under the Bolivian Flag.

Following the boarding a request from Australia was made to establish the vessels identity, and Bolivia confirmed the FV Cobija had not been flagged to Bolivia since 2019, therefore the vessel is considered stateless.

Commander Maritime Border Command Rear Admiral Lee Goddard, said the information gathered by MBC and AFMA will be instrumental in shutting down another illegal fishing operation.

As a result of this activity we have been able to share important information with our international partners, Rear Admiral Goddard said

Stateless vessels operate without governance and oversight to exploit the worlds marine resources.

These collective efforts will hopefully lead to another alleged transnational organised crime network being shut down for good.

AFMAs General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Peter Venslovas, said IUU fishing on the high seas is highly organised, mobile and elusive.

IUU fishing undermines the sustainability of marine resources and threatens world food security, Mr Venslovas said

We are urging our regional partners to deny the FV Cobija port access or, where possible, take action under national laws. These efforts work to shut down the vessels ability to enter port where it could unload illicit catch and access port facilities to resupply and refuel.

More here:

Information sharing with regional partners aims to reel in transnational crime syndicates - Mirage News

African states are critical in advancing ocean governance – The Patriotic Vanguard

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

By Lewis Kihumba, BirdLife-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

High Seas or Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) - outside of states jurisdictions, cover more than 50% of the Earths surface and provide critical ecosystem services to humanity. These areas are increasingly under threat from human activities including land-based activities, fishing, and emerging deep-sea mining leading to pollution and disturbance to species and habitats. There exists strong ecological connectivity between Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction and national waters. Simply put, the ocean knows no political boundaries and ecological impacts are felt across borders.

The United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) governs the rights and duties of states in maritime zones. Additionally, ocean governance takes the form of sectoral initiatives in various sectors including fisheries and shipping. There are also a number of regional initiatives concerned with ocean governance. However, the governance of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction is fragmented and complex. In 2015, the United Nations (UN) passed Resolution 69/292, which began negotiations on a treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity. In 2018, the negotiations were formally launched, focussing on four main elements namely: Marine Genetic Resources, including questions on benefit sharing, Environment Impact Assessments, Area based Management Tools, including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Capacity building and marine technology transfer.

The Abidjan Convention, ratified in 1984, is one of Africas established organisations active in ocean governance on the continent. The Convention covers a geographical area of 22 countries on the Atlantic seaboard and provides a framework for the protection of marine and coastal environment in the region. The STRONG High Seas initiative which the Abidjan Convention is a partner, provides a platform and facilitates dialogue among Member States on issues around Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and the treaty currently being negotiated.

African States face a number of challenges, including limited mandates to address BBNJ issues, limited cross-sectoral co-operation, uneven participation in negotiations around international agreements and diverse cultures and languages. Consequently, a Working Group, with representation from the Abidjan Conventions member States, was constituted to explore areas of mutual interest, for co-operation and opportunities for joint programmes and a coordinated approach to ocean protection and governance in the region. This Working Group has had a number of meetings with the latest one in July 2020, as preparations gather pace for the Abidjan Convention 13th Conference of Parties (COP) to be held in April 2021. STRONG High Seas is working with the Abidjan Convention Working Group to produce research and to hold workshops to build awareness of the importance of BBNJ in the region and support decision-making processes in this topic.

The project also seeks to improve the participation of African States in the negotiations taking place around a binding treaty for BBNJ. Ocean governance should be informed by robust scientific information. To this end, the STRONG High Seas has developed an ecological baseline study highlighting the status of marine biodiversity in the South East Atlantic, which is critical for key decision makers in the region. Additionally, STRONG High Seas has started a study looking at the socio-economic connections between Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, and national waters and the relation of these socio-economic activities with marine biodiversity. Linking these efforts in the West, Central and Southern Africa, with other initiatives around the world, will provide the momentum needed to achieve effective and meaningful ocean governance for Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. Ultimately, as the conversation on conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity continues, African states will be instrumental in the realization of an inclusive ocean governance framework.

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African states are critical in advancing ocean governance - The Patriotic Vanguard

No end to South China Sea disputes without code of conduct – The Star Online

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

A series of events, ranging from social unrest in the United States, Hong Kong and much of Europe to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 18 million people and killed nearly 700,000 of them, should prove that 2020 has so far been a very difficult year to navigate.

The South China Sea has not been spared the nail-biting tension of 2020. As claimant states are preoccupied with efforts to fight the pandemic, numerous worrying incidents have occurred within the maritime territory, exacerbating the animosity among the states. The presence of external actors has added strain to the geopolitical turmoil.

Violations of sovereign rights form one of the most pressing issues in the South China Sea. The biggest incident so far was the West Capella standoff after Malaysia started an oil and gas survey in late 2019 within the Malaysia-Vietnam Joint Defined Area.

The operation of the West Capella drillship prompted Beijing to dispatch several China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels to trail, and harass, the drillship and its supply vessels. Vietnam also scrambled some of its maritime militia into the area to observe the drillship.

Meanwhile, Malaysia doubled-down on its initial move by deploying the Royal Malaysian Navys KD Jebat, a 2,270-ton guided missile frigate, to protect the West Capellas operation. At one time the Malaysian warship forced a CCG vessel to stand down.

Beijing has simultaneously initiated a showdown with Malaysia at the Luconia Shoals, where CCG vessels maintain a near-constant presence off the coast of Sarawak. At the culmination of it all, China sent its survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8, along with a flotilla of coast guard and paramilitary vessels.

In response to the standoff, the US maintained a presence there for a month with an array of multi-day patrols involving the US Navy, and a flyby of US Air Force bombers. On top of that, the US conducted five Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the South China Sea in the first half of the year to challenge the unilateral claims of China on the entirety of the South China Sea, and to maintain the act of innocent passage by any ships on the high seas and held a joint military exercise with Australia in April.

Another incident pitted China against the Philippines at Commodore Reef in February. It started when Philippine Navy corvette BRP Conrado Yap encountered a Peoples Liberation Army Navy corvette during a patrol mission in the area. As the Philippine Navy radioed the PLA Navy to continue to their next destination, the PLA Navy insisted that the Commodore Reef area was a sovereign territory of China. BRP Conrado Yap later identified that the PLA Navy had their weapons aimed toward the Philippine Navy.

This incident not only amounts to a violation of Philippines EEZ but also to the illegal use of threat in high seas, which is in direct breach of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, to which China is a party.

The rising tension caused a spillover effect on Indonesia, with CCG vessels constantly seen trespassing into Indonesias Exclusive Economic Zone from December 2019 to January 2020.

The turmoil has gone unabated when the negotiation of the Code of Conduct (CoC) in South China Sea has been put on hold, mostly because of the pandemic.

The talks on the CoC, however, have been subject to criticism in the first place. One American scholar commented that the current draft, passed in September 2019, had very little agreed upon. Some points are still very contentious, such as dispute settlement procedures, and fishing and seabed management. Meanwhile, a Singaporean scholar said that, as the negotiation was suspended, Beijing was consolidating its presence amid the Covid-19 outbreak. As ASEAN member states have their hands full in dealing with the pandemic, Beijing wants to raise its leverage in the negotiation when it restarts.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is another source of disputes among claimant states in the South China Sea. A fleet of more than 300 Vietnamese fishing vessels ventured into Chinese waters around February 2020. Some vessels were identified to operate with their transponders switched off. Several Chinese analysts suggest that some vessels were there to spy on Chinese military facilities.

Several cases of illegal fishing were also identified venturing into Indonesian waters. An incident in March saw Indonesian authorities capture five Vietnamese fishing vessels and detain the 68 crew members. In the following month, two Vietnamese fishing vessels were seized in the North Natuna Sea.

There seems to be no indication that the situation in the South China Sea will simmer down anytime soon. With the US set to hold an election in November, President Donald Trump cannot afford to back down against Chinas assertive behaviour within the South China Sea.

This will encourage emboldened Southeast Asian claimant states to fight further aggression, as the Philippines has demonstrated in its decision to suspend termination of its Visiting Forces Agreement with the US.

It only shows that claimant states need support to stake their claims within the area.

With the CoC negotiation stagnating in these pressing times, there will be a lot clutter to clean up before any agreement could be pushed forward between the South China Sea littoral states. The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Gilang Kembara is a researcher at Department of International Relations, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia. The original article was published in CSIS Commentaries.

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No end to South China Sea disputes without code of conduct - The Star Online

Tuesday’s weather: Mainly fine and cool, but high seas in Western Cape and fire alerts elsewhere – News24

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the extreme south-eastern part of the Northern Cape, extreme southern part of the Free State and in some places over the interior of the Eastern Cape, the South African Weather Service warns.

Special weather advisories:

High seas, with wave heights between 6-7m are expected between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas on Wednesday evening, spreading to Plettenberg Bay overnight, subsiding by Thursday night.

The weather in your province:

Gauteng will be fine and cool.The expected UVB sunburn index is high.

Mpumalanga can expect morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and cool but warm in the Lowveld.It will become fine in the afternoon.

There will be morning fog patches along the escarpment of Limpopo, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm.

It will be fine, windy and warm in the North West.

The Free State will be fine, windy and cool, but warm in the extreme north.

In the Northern Cape, it will be cloudy in the west with light showers and rain from the afternoon, otherwise partly cloudy and cold to cool but fine and warm in the north and east.

Morning fog patches are expected along the coast.

The wind along the coast will be moderate north-westerly, becoming fresh south-westerly.

The Western Cape will be cloudy and cold in the west and south-west with rain and showers, otherwise fine and cool in the east.

It will be partly cloudy to cloudy and cool along the south coast.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-westerly along the west coast, becoming south-westerly in the afternoon otherwise fresh to strong westerly to south-westerly.The expected UVB sunburn index is low.

The western half of the Eastern Cape will be fine and cool, but warm in places over the interior, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon.

The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly, becoming moderate westerly at midday, but strong south-westerly in the afternoon.

Fine and cool conditions can be expected in the eastern half of the Eastern Cape. The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly at first, otherwise moderate south-westerly.

There will be morning fog over the interior of KwaZulu-Natal, otherwise fine and warm. The wind along the coast will be moderate northerly to north-easterly, freshening towards the afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index is high.

Tuesday's temperatures.

Click here to see the specific forecast for your city over the next few days

- Compiled by Maxine Becket

Tuesday's weather: Mainly fine and cool, but high seas in Western Cape and fire alerts elsewhere - News24

High Seas Season 4 : Will The Spanish Series Return For On Netflix? – Topbuzztrends.com

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Alta Mara, often known as Excessive Seas, is a Spanish-language thriller collection on Netflix. The present follows the story of two sisters Eva (performed by Ivana Bakero) and Carolina Villanueva (Alejandra Oniva), who discover themselves fixing murders aboard a luxurious cruise ship.

In the mean time, Netflix has not confirmed if there would be the fourth season of Excessive Seas. The fourth season is reportedly stated to be in growth. However, theyve but to be confirmed.

The third collection solely airs on Netflix at present (Friday, August 6), so there are nonetheless the first days within the information to announce the way forward for the gift. Netflixs renewal takes typically place one to 6 months after the premiere so that followers can count on data by the tip of the subsequent 12 months.

The primary two seasons of Excessive Seas had been filmed concurrently and premiered 5 months aside. Season three had solely six episodes, so its secure to imagine that the fourth season with comparable events might hit Netflix in late 2020 or early 2021.

Evas former love curiosity was absent for many of the season as she was despatched to Captain Carolinas ship. Nevertheless, she returns to Barbara de Braganza, as issues spiral uncontrolled. Sadly, her battle with the villain of the season sees her falter, and he or she falls into Evas arms. In the meantime, Barbara de Braganza was additionally shot.

Season four could reboard a ship. However, this one will likely be totally different. Perhaps it may very well be Carolinas boat. Within the meantime, its doable that in season 4 we are going to get to know Fabio extra, and we will hope that there will likely be a complicated relationship between Fabio and Eva.

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High Seas Season 4 : Will The Spanish Series Return For On Netflix? - Topbuzztrends.com

Mars Perseverance Mission Launches with Sophisticated SuperCam On Board – Novus Light Technologies Today

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is on its way to the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples to send back to Earth.

Humanity's most sophisticated rover launched with theIngenuity Mars Helicopterat 7:50 a.m. EDT (4:50 a.m. PDT) Thursdayon a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The ULA Atlas V's Centaur upper stage initially placed the Mars 2020 spacecraft into a parking orbit around Earth. The engine fired for a second time and the spacecraft separated from the Centaur as expected. Navigation data indicate the spacecraft is perfectly on course to Mars.

Right now, the Mars 2020 mission is completing a full health assessment on the spacecraft and is working to return the spacecraft to a nominal configuration for its journey to Mars.

The Perseverance rover'sastrobiologymission is to seek out signs of past microscopic life on Mars, explore the diverse geology of its landing site,Jezero Crater, and demonstrate key technologies that will help us prepare for future robotic and human exploration.

The Martian rock and dust PerseverancesSample Caching Systemcollects could answer fundamental questions about the potential for life to exist beyond Earth. Two future missions currently under consideration by NASA, in collaboration with ESA (European Space Agency), will work together to get the samples to an orbiter for return to Earth. When they arrive on Earth, the Mars samples will undergo in-depth analysis by scientists around the world using equipment far too large to send to the Red Planet.

JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and will manage operations of the Mars Perseverance rover. NASA's Launch Services Program, based at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for launch management, and ULA provided the Atlas V rocket.The mission to Mars in 2020 will send the Mars Rover up to look for natural resources, inspect for hazards and investigate generable habitability of the planet in preparation for future human expeditions. The Rover will be equipped with advanced instruments including the SuperCam, which uses remote optical measurements and laser spectroscopy to examine the composition of samples taken on Mars.

OptoSigma Europe SASis contributing to the development of SuperCam, a remote sensing instrument for the NASA Mars 2020 mission to the red planet. Among other suppliers, OptoSigma has been selected to provide different optical elements, such as advanced beamsplitters for selecting specific wavelength ranges and directing them to the different sensors of the instrument.

The SuperCam is the result of a cooperation between teams led by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL, New Mexico, US) and the Astrophysics and Planetology Research Institute (IRAP, Toulouse, France). IRAP and a consortium of six French laboratories will supply an optical and electronic unit plus spectrographs, to be mounted at the top of the rover mast. The Mars 2020 rover will be launched in July 2020 and will land 7 months later. Surface operations are scheduled to last until August 2023.

The instrument will use remote optical measurements and laser spectroscopy to determine fine-scale mineralogy, chemistry, and atomic and molecular composition of samples encountered on Mars. To enable these measurements, SuperCam is, in fact, many instruments in one.

For probing elemental composition, it integrates the remote Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) capabilities of the highly successful ChemCam instrument included in the payload of the Curiosity rover currently exploring Mars. LIBS uses a 1064-nm laser to investigate targets up to 7 m distance from the rover.

SuperCam in addition performs Raman spectroscopy at 532 nm to investigate targets up to 12 m distance from the rover, Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) spectroscopy, Visible and InfraRed (VISIR) reflectance spectroscopy (400 900 nm and 1.3 2.6 m) to provide information about the mineralogy and molecular structure of probes from rocks on Mars. It will also be able to search directly for organic materials.

Further, SuperCam can acquire high-resolution images of samples with a remote color micro-imager (RMI). Measurements can be rapidly obtained without the need to position the rover or rover arm on a target. As demonstrated by ChemCam, the SuperCam laser can be used to blast off dust from surfaces at a distance enabling a better look at solid surfaces on Mars, without having to drive up to samples and perform manipulations with the rover arm or associated tools.

About seven cold, dark, unforgiving months of interplanetary space travel lay ahead for the mission a fact never far from the mind of Mars 2020 project team.

"There is still a lot of road between us and Mars," said John McNamee, Mars 2020 project manager at JPL. "About 290 million miles of them. But if there was ever a team that could make it happen, it is this one. We are going to Jezero Crater. We will see you there Feb. 18, 2021."

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of America's larger Moon to Mars exploration approach that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA'sArtemis program.

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Mars Perseverance Mission Launches with Sophisticated SuperCam On Board - Novus Light Technologies Today

Lava Tubes on Mars and the Moon May Be Suitable for Planetary Bases Up to 1,000 Times Wider Than Those on Earth – SciTechDaily

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

The international journal Earth-Science Reviews published a paper offering an overview of the lava tubes (pyroducts) on Earth, eventually providing an estimate of the (greater) size of their lunar and Martian counterparts.

This study involved the Universities of Bologna and Padua and its coordinators are Francesco Sauro and Riccardo Pozzobon. Francesco Sauro is a speleologist and head of the ESA programs CAVES and PANGAEA, he is also a professor at the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna. Riccardo Pozzobon is a planetary geologist at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua.

We can find lava tubes on planet Earth, but also on the subsurface of the Moon and Mars according to the high-resolution pictures of lava tubes skylights taken by interplanetary probes. Evidence of lava tubes was often inferred by observing linear cavities and sinuous collapse chains where the galleries cracked, explains Francesco Sauro. These collapse chains represent ideal gateways or windows for subsurface exploration. The morphological surface expression of lava tubes on Mars and the Moon is similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Speleologists thoroughly studied lava tubes on Earth in Hawaii, Canary Islands, Australia, and Iceland.

The morphological surface expression of lava tubes on Mars and the Moon is similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Credit: ESA / Luca Ricci

We measured the size and gathered the morphology of lunar and Martian collapse chains (collapsed lava tubes), using digital terrain models (DTMs), which we obtained through satellite stereoscopic images and laser altimetry taken by interplanetary probes, reminds Riccardo Pozzobon. We then compared these data to topographic studies about similar collapse chains on the Earths surface and to laser scans of the inside of lava tubes in Lanzarote and the Galapagos. These data allowed to establish a restriction to the relationship between collapse chains and subsurface cavities that are still intact.

Researchers found that Martian and lunar tubes are respectively 100 and 1,000 times wider than those on Earth, which typically have a diameter of 10 to 30 meters. Lower gravity and its effect on volcanism explain these outstanding dimensions (with total volumes exceeding 1 billion cubic meters on the Moon).

Riccardo Pozzobon adds: Tubes as wide as these can be longer than 40 kilometers, making the Moon an extraordinary target for subsurface exploration and potential settlement in the wide protected and stable environments of lava tubes. The latter are so big they can contain Paduas entire city center.

What is most important is that, despite the impressive dimension of the lunar tubes, they remain well within the roof stability threshold because of a lower gravitational attraction, explains Matteo Massironi, who is professor of Structural and Planetary Geology at the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua. This means that the majority of lava tubes underneath the maria smooth plains are intact. The collapse chains we observed might have been caused by asteroids piercing the tube walls. This is what the collapse chains in Marius Hills seem to suggest. From the latter, we can get access to these huge underground cavities.

Francesco Sauro concludes: Lava tubes could provide stable shields from cosmic and solar radiation and micrometeorite impacts which are often happening on the surfaces of planetary bodies. Moreover, they have great potential for providing an environment in which temperatures do not vary from day- to night-time. Space agencies are now interested in planetary caves and lava tubes, as they represent a first step towards future explorations of the lunar surface (see also NASAs project Artemis) and towards finding life (past or present) in Mars subsurface.

Researchers also point out how this study opens up to a completely new perspective in planetary exploration, which is increasingly focusing on the subsurface of Mars and the Moon.

In autumn 2019, ESA called up universities and industries with a campaign seeking ideas for developing technologies for lunar caves exploration. They are specifically looking for systems that would land on the lunar surface to operate missions exploring lunar tubes, clarifies Unibo professor Jo De Waele, who is one of the authors of the study and a speleologist. Since 2012, in collaboration with some European universities including Bologna and Padua, ESA has been carrying out two training programs for astronauts focusing on the exploration of underground systems (CAVES) and planetary geology (PANGAEA). These programs include lava tubes on the island of Lanzarote. So far, 36 astronauts from five space agencies have received training in cave hiking; moreover, six astronauts and four mission and operation specialists have received geological field training.

###

Reference: Lava tubes on Earth, Moon and Mars: A review on their size and morphology revealed by comparative planetology by Francesco Sauro, Riccardo Pozzobon,Matteo Massironi, Pierluigi De Berardinis, Tommaso Santagata and Jo De Waele, 20 July 2020, Earth-Science Reviews.DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103288

The title of this study is Lava tubes on Earth, Moon and Mars: A review on their size and morphology revealed by comparative planetology and it was published in the journal Earth-Science Reviews. The authors are: Francesco Sauro, Jo De Waele and Pierluigi De Berardinis (Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna); Riccardo Pozzobon and Matteo Massironi (Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua); Tommaso Santagata (VIGEA Virtual Geographic Agency in Reggio Emilia).

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Lava Tubes on Mars and the Moon May Be Suitable for Planetary Bases Up to 1,000 Times Wider Than Those on Earth - SciTechDaily

Mars and the Moon have lava tubes so big they could host astronaut bases, scientists say – The Independent

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Vast lava tubes beneath the surface of Mars and the Moon could be large enough to host bases for visiting astronauts, scientists have said.

New research examined the similar tubes that can be found on Earth, and used them to estimate the size of similar but much bigger tunnels that are thought to exist underneath the surface of other worlds.

Living inside such tubes, beneath the surface, could theoretically provide some protection for the astronauts who are expected to visit other parts of the solar system in coming years.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

On the Moon, the tubes are thought to be 1,000 times wider than those on Earth, where they already can be span around 30 meters across. The extra size is explained in large part by the lower gravity found on those worlds.

Despite their vast size, the tubes are still thought to be stable enough to serve as a home. The lower gravity also means that the forces that might collapse the tubes on Earth would not pull them down on the Moon or Mars, scientists said.

As part of the research, scientists from the European Space Agency as well as the universities of Bologna and Padua explored examples of such caves on Earth, where they can be found in Hawaii, the Canary Islands, Australia and Iceland.

They also measured the size of collapsed tubes on the Moon and Mars, using images and other data taken from visiting probes. They then compared that data with information about collapsed chains on the Earth's surface, allowing them to understand the relationship between those tubes that collapse and others that stay stable.

They found that the conditions on other worlds would allow them to grow much bigger before they fall in.

"Tubes as wide as these can be longer than 40 kilometres, making the Moon an extraordinary target for subsurface exploration and potential settlement in the wide protected and stable environments of lava tubes," said Riccardo Pozzobon, one of the researchers on the paper, and a scientist at the University of Padua. "The latter are so big they can contain Padua's entire city centre".

Such tubes on other worlds could form a key part of plans to go and stay on the Moon and Mars, where conditions would be much more dangerous than they are on Earth.

Mystic Mountain, a pillar of gas and dust standing at three-light-years tall, bursting with jets of gas from fledgling stars buried within, was captured by Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope in February 2010

Nasa/ESA/STScI

The first ever selfie taken on an alien planet, captured by Nasa's Curiosity Rover in the early days of its mission to explore Mars in 2012

Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Death of a star: This image from Nasa's Chandra X-ray telescope shows the supernova of Tycho, a star in our Milky Way galaxy

Nasa

Arrokoth, the most distant object ever explored, pictured here on 1 January 2019 by a camera on Nasa's New Horizons spaceraft at a distance of 4.1 billion miles from Earth

Getty

An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory in January 2012. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust

Nasa

The first ever image of a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon telescope, as part of a global collaboration involving Nasa, and released on 10 April 2019. The image reveals the black hole at the centre of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. This black hole resides about 54 million light-years from Earth

Getty

Pluto, as pictured by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft as it flew over the dwarf planet for the first time ever in July 2015

Nasa/APL/SwRI

A coronal mass ejection as seen by the Chandra Observatory in 2019. This is the first time that Chandra has detected this phenomenon from a star other than the Sun

Nasa

Dark, narrow, 100 meter-long streaks running downhill on the surface Mars were believed to be evidence of contemporary flowing water. It has since been suggested that they may instead be formed by flowing sand

Nasa/JPL/University of Arizona

Morning Aurora: Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station in October 2015

Nasa/Scott Kelly

Nasa/ESA/STScI

The first ever selfie taken on an alien planet, captured by Nasa's Curiosity Rover in the early days of its mission to explore Mars in 2012

Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Death of a star: This image from Nasa's Chandra X-ray telescope shows the supernova of Tycho, a star in our Milky Way galaxy

Nasa

Arrokoth, the most distant object ever explored, pictured here on 1 January 2019 by a camera on Nasa's New Horizons spaceraft at a distance of 4.1 billion miles from Earth

Getty

Nasa

Getty

Pluto, as pictured by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft as it flew over the dwarf planet for the first time ever in July 2015

Nasa/APL/SwRI

A coronal mass ejection as seen by the Chandra Observatory in 2019. This is the first time that Chandra has detected this phenomenon from a star other than the Sun

Nasa

Nasa/JPL/University of Arizona

Morning Aurora: Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station in October 2015

Nasa/Scott Kelly

"Lava tubes could provide stable shields from cosmic and solar radiation and micrometeorite impacts which are often happening on the surfaces of planetary bodies," said Francesco Sauro, on of the authors of the new paper, who works on European Space Agency programmes.

"Moreover, they have great potential for providing an environment in which temperatures do not vary from day- to night-time. Space agencies are now interested in planetary caves and lava tubes, as they represent a first step towards future explorations of the lunar surface (see also NASA's project Artemis) and towards finding life (past or present) in Mars subsurface".

A paper discussing the findings, titled 'Lava tubes on Earth, Moon and Mars: A review on their size and morphology revealed by comparative planetology', is published in Earth-Science Reviews.

Mars and the Moon have lava tubes so big they could host astronaut bases, scientists say - The Independent

The future of travel: How tourism slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

In the blissful days before coronavirus, Lisa Gardner-Springer of Minneapolis hatched a plan for a summer vacation. While their oldest daughter would be exploring Europe with friends, she, her husband, Colin, and their younger daughter would head to Quebec.

Then the pandemic changed everything for the Gardner-Springer family and the entire travel industry.

With stay-at-home orders in place and a novel coronavirus sweeping across the nation, planes stopped flying. Hotels emptied. Rental cars sat in undisturbed rows. Cruise ships eventually, mercifully, docked. Amid a global health crisis, tourism has tanked. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimated in April that the tourism sector worldwide lost more than 100 million jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic, the result of would-be travelers holed up at home.

But eventually, people began exploring again, slowly and carefully.

In September, Gardner-Springer will embark on her first vacation since the pandemic was declared. Her family will relish a long weekend in a cabin at Sleeping Fawn Resort near Park Rapids, Minn. They will kayak, bike and enjoy a view of a quiet lake and woods instead of their own backyard.

In that small family trip lies a larger reality: As travel returns, vacations look different.

Travelers now engage in more outdoor activities, head to destinations that can be reached by car, keep it brief and book shortly before departure.

These new trends derive from the obvious motivation to stay healthy. Other forces are also at play. Leaders and health experts have admonished travelers to avoid unnecessary trips or at least stay close to home. The European Union, Canada, Mexico, Japan and other countries have rolled up their welcome mats for Americans. Some states also began requiring quarantines for visitors from states with high numbers of coronavirus infections, adding uncertainty even within the U.S. Meanwhile, we have learned that outdoors is safer than indoors when it comes to the virus.

A recent poll from Morning Consult for the U.S. Travel Association found that only 44% of Americans plan to travel in 2020, the majority via short car trips. The same poll found that travelers are dipping their toes rather than plunging into the experience, as 78% are planning trips of four nights or fewer.

According to a webinar hosted by Angie Briggs of the U.S. Travel Association, 60% of Americans consider outdoor recreational activities safe. The groups online tool that monitors national park attendance shows visits have been rising through the summer.

Once the coronavirus is mostly in the rearview mirror, avid travelers will likely act on delayed plans and pent-up desires to see the world. According to the U.S. Travel Association and Oxford Economics, travel spending in the U.S. will fall from $1.13 trillion in 2019 to a projected $622 billion in 2020. But spending is expected to rebound to $855 billion in 2021 and $976 billion in 2022.

As Gardner-Springer said, Were all itching for the day, making our fantasy plans.

See the article here:

The future of travel: How tourism slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Breaking Travel News investigates: A virtual tour of the Palm Jumeirah – Breaking Travel News

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

As Dubai continues to reopen to international guests in the wake of the Covid-19 shutdown, Breaking Travel News is taking a virtual tour of the iconic Palm Jumeirah to see what is on offer.

Joining with our sister website at Virtual World, we here showcase some of the leading properties on the manmade island in the Arabian Gulf.

Take a look below as we offer detailed tours of the fabulous locations.

Perched on the eastern crescent of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, an archipelago of islands connected to the mainland, Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort is a remarkable resort inspired by traditional Thai architecture in an Arabian setting.

A 45-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and within easy reach of a plethora of exciting attractions including Aquaventure Water Park, Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai and Dubai Marina, this resort is where one can savour moments of bliss surrounded in unimaginable magnificence.

Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort is also considered the Middle Easts Leading Villa Resort by the World Travel Awards.

Take a 3D tour of the property here.

Next up, One&Only the Palm offers luxurious beach-front accommodation on the Palm Jumeirah peninsula.

Guests can enjoy panoramic views, a private beach and cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Allno.

Or, for the more adventurous, step aboard the One&Only boat and immerse yourself in our cosmopolitan city, just minutes away.

Considered as offering the Worlds Leading Hotel Beach Villas, guests can take a spectacular tour of the hotel with Virtual World here.

A haven within the vibrant city of Dubai, the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah boasts a private soft-sanded beach, six distinct restaurants and lounges and elegant sea-facing guest rooms and suites.

The hotel also offers a supervised Kids Club and numerous leisure activities for the whole family to enjoy.

From snorkelling and paddle-boarding to wind-sailing and deep-sea fishing, your assigned personal concierge will arrange excursions to suit your preferences for an unforgettable experience.

Investigate further before you visit with a virtual tour here.

A Dubai icon, Atlantis, the Palm is the most Instagrammed hotel in the Middle East and an icon of hospitality in Dubai.

The ultimate holiday destination, it offers unforgettable experiences for all ages from thrill-seekers to food lovers and fitness freaks.

Nestled between the calm turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf and the majestic Dubai skyline, Atlantis is the crown of the world-famous Palm.

Whether staying in the world-renowned resort, dining in one of the award-winning restaurants or feeling the rush at Aquaventure Waterpark, the hotel offers an experience a world away from your everyday.

Considered the Worlds Leading Landmark Resort, guests can take a virtual tour here.

Situated at the tip of the Palm Jumeirah crescent, Rixos the Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites is the only luxury multi-concept resort in the United Arab Emirates.

Enjoying the most spectacular location in the city, its 360 panoramic view spans the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, iconic landmarks including Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab as well as the glittering skyline of the Dubai Marina and the remarkable lagoons and architecture of the Palm Jumeirah itself.

Honoured with the title Worlds Leading Lifestyle Resort, guests can take a look here for a virtual showcase.

Inspired by the imperial palaces of the Ottoman era, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a five-star luxury hotel that does absolutely everything in superb style.

From its exclusive location on the west crescent of the iconic Palm Jumeirah to the truly spectacular lobby entrance, every detail inspires awe and delight.

This success has been recognised, with the hotel acknowledged with the title of Middle Easts Leading Resort Residences last year.

Potential visitors are invited to get to know more here.

Sofitel Dubai the Palm Resort & Spa promises a luxury beach location like no other.

Situated opposite Dubai Marina, the Polynesian-themed resort beckons with 360 deluxe rooms and 182 serviced apartments, from classic rooms to expansive beach villas with private pools and butler service.

Guests can spend fun-filled days playing tennis or doing water sports off the private beach or relax with a massage and visit.

Sofitel brings five-star French touch to Dubai hospitality for all the family.

Offering the Worlds Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments, guests are invited to take a tour with Virtual World here.

Finally, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah is a property synonymous with success - a stay here means being immersed in luxury.

Enjoy a stay in one of our 244 luxurious suites, villas and penthouses, and escape from the bustling city streets into a place of complete, five-star relaxation before heading back to enjoy the best attractions, activities and hangouts this global city has to offer.

As a base to explore what makes Dubai so special, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah is a perfect choice.

Home to the Middle Easts Leading Hotel Residences, guests can take a tour of this one of a kind hotel here.

More Information

Take a tour of the whole Palm Jumeriah with Virtual World, here.

Breaking Travel News investigates: A virtual tour of the Palm Jumeirah - Breaking Travel News

Travel restrictions force further IFA cutbacks – Mobile World Live

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Organisers of Berlin consumer electronics show IFA cancelled the Global Markets segment of its already pared-down trade event, but remain convinced they will be able to host the remaining three strands planned for early September.

The B2B supply chain-focused Global Markets part of the show, which had a capacity of 1,000 visitors per day, was cut due to persistent travel restrictions preventing exhibitors from many of its core Asian markets from attending.

It was expected to contribute a quarter of the attendees expected across the entire event, in addition to a significant number of exhibitors.

In a statement IFA executive director Jens Heithecker said: The decision to postpone this event section of IFA 2020 Special Edition to 2021 was not an easy one for us. Especially since almost 600 companies were eager to present themselves in Berlin this year. Yet we have to accept that, with ongoing travel restrictions, for many of our partners it is simply impossible to plan and prepare for this years IFA Global Markets.

Major exhibitor Samsung had already dropped out of attending IFA 2020 citing Covid-19 (coronavirus) concerns. Companies confirming their attendances include Huawei, JVC Kenwood, LG, Qualcomm and Schneider Electric.

Despite the cancellation of the Global Markets section, organisers intend to press-on with the three remaining parts of the physical event which include media launches, keynote sessions, start-up networking event and meeting lounges.

When it announced full details of the rearranged event (having postponed the original in April), it outlined four standalone parts of the event with a maximum attendance of 1,000 per day in each strand. This was already a vastly reduced scale to its usual annual event, with the 2019 edition hosting 240,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors.

It also plans a virtual event for those not able to attend the physical version.

See more here:

Travel restrictions force further IFA cutbacks - Mobile World Live

The only way to travel the world is to do our duty at home – The News Star

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Dianne Newcomer(Photo: courtesy)

I found a baby frog swimming in our pool today. It was frantically kicking, just trying to get somewhere. My heart went out to the little fellow, but, unfortunately, the minute he hopped into that clear blue water, his fate was sealed. Either I must help him out or the skimmer's sucking action would take care of the situation.

I am betting a lot of us are feeling a whole lot like that little frog and, for those of us in the travel business, the hits just keep coming! Why only last week, the 27 countries in the European Union voted again to not allow Americans into their countries. Ok, ok. I am a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service, and, of course, I know we can get travelers to Paris or Rome if we send them via Croatia, Serbia, or Turkey, but who wants that hassle?

Canada, Japan, South Korea and China made the EU' s cut, but the United States can't? How does that make any sense?It seems we certainly should be intelligent and caring enough of our fellow man to at least take the advice of science and wear a mask. It is such a simple effort. Why not at least gamble on it working?

I just don't get all of this obstinance when it comes to our health, especially when the proof is in the pudding, right?Once again, must I repeat:the Canadians, Japanese, South Koreans, and Chinese are free to go, do, and travel the world again, but not us! Mask wearing, immediate isolation, and social distancing obviously is working for them, while we, the citizens of one of the most advanced countries in the world, have been banned by nations all over the world.

What an embarrassment! We've dropped the ball, and now we are being sidelined from the games we love to play. Like that little frog in my pool, so many of us are kicking as hard as possible to stay afloat, but, unless we all care enough to change our ways, we, too, mightbe circling that drain soon!

Honestly, I sometimes shake my head in total dismay, but, then, I read about the little Caribbean island of St Maarten and St. Martin. Deep in the Carribbean, about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico, this tiny island is one of the most popular getaways we sell at Monroe Travel Service, simply because it is like a 2-for-1 deal: a 37 square mile island owned by both the Dutch and the French!

Not only do our travelers get to enjoy two very different governments, languages, cuisines, currency, and cultures in one place, but they can do it surrounded by pristine turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.Plus, the night and day difference between the Dutch and French owned sides of the island makes it really cool.

The French side of St. Martin is much larger than the Dutch owned St. Maarten. Travelers who like to eat well, party hard, and shop duty-free French products between trips to the nude beaches often favor St. Martin, butSt. Maarten, which also has its share of casinos, bars and clubs, is known for its more relaxed fun vibe and excellent shopping. This shopping is why so many cruise ships include it as a port of call on their eastern Caribbean itineraries.

St. Maarten St. Martin has long been recognized as the smallest and most peaceful undisputed jointly owned landmass on the planet. Even though vastly different, the islanders co-exist easily, and, in fact, it was they not their governments who decided how their island would be divided some 350 years ago.

According to legend, to determine who got what, a race was held. The French racer followed the coastline to the north and the Dutchman had the southern route. Once they had covered the entire island and met up again, a line would be drawn between the starting point and the next meeting point between the French and Dutch runner. Whoever had covered the greatest distance would claim the land for their respective country and, thus, define where the border would be.

To keep themselves hydrated during the race, each man was allowed a beverage of choice. The French runner took a bottle of red wine; the Dutch racer carried a bottle of Dutch gin. Needless to say, this proved to be an error of judgement, because, when he finally met up with his very sober French competitor again, it was too late to rectify his costly mistake for his government.So, for this reason, the French enjoy 2/3's of the island's 37 square mile land mass.

I have no idea the historical accuracy of this story, but it does explain how this island was divided, so, imagine my surprise, when this past Saturday, St. Maarten, the Dutch side, announced it would now be opening its borders to American tourists. I was astounded. Not because the Canadians and Europeans have been enjoying the crystal white sandy beaches and cute little stores on both sides of the island since early July, but because St. Martin or the French side of the island is not!

Now, folks, do not for one minute think we are talking a Trump-South Texas-Mexico style wall that is separating the Dutch from the French side of this tiny dot of land in the Caribbean. There is literally only a sign by the side of the road announcing your departure from St. Maarten into St. Martin, so what's the deal? Does anyone really believe a declared "do not enter" warning is a COVID-19 game changer? What ever are they thinking?

If we are not following the mandates and protocols in our every day life in our own country, why ever would Americans follow rules on vacation and just stay put on the Dutch side especially if there is a party or a nude beach to check out in St. Martin and it's just up the road?

How I do love the fact that we are being invited to the party, but I so wish we could just get our heads in the game, figure out a plan with some hard-fast rules that we all understand, and unite behind them. Sadly though I figure if this tiny Caribbean island cannot agree on a unified COVID-19 policy, there is certainly little hope for us as a nation!

Certainly makes me wonder if our world will ever be well again. Suppose all we can do for right now is wear a mask and just keep on kicking!

Dianne Newcomer is a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service, 1908 Glenmar, Monroe. Per Covid rules, we are working from home, so for all your travel needs, please call 318 323 3465 or email INFO@monroetravel.com. We look forward to sending you away!

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The only way to travel the world is to do our duty at home - The News Star

Younger clients ready to travel, and more from Virtuoso’s Travel Week virtual event – Travelweek

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch and Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

TORONTO Virtuosos July travel consumer research shows that while only one-quarter to one-third of Baby Boomer and older clients are ready to travel in these unprecedented times, a strong majority of Millennial, Generation Z and Generation X clients are ready to travel post-pandemic.

The update came as part of Virtuoso Travel Week 2020, taking place virtually this week in place of the popular in-person event normally held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Presiding over the opening ceremony for Virtuoso Travel Week 2020 this morning were Virtuosos Chairman and CEO, Matthew D. Upchurch, and David Kolner, Senior VP, Strategy.

An original song and performance by Virtuoso agents helped open the virtually streamed Virtuoso Travel Week 2020, taking place this week with training sessions and plenty of networking opportunities. More than 78,000 virtual networking appointments have been booked so far for the week, says Virtuosos Chairman and CEO, Matthew D. Upchurch

Kolner presented the latest stats from Virtuosos research, conducted just last month.

Major travel trends include, not surprisingly, clients looking to stay close to home for their next vacation. Virtuosos client poll shows that 32.5% will opt for a domestic destination a short flight away, 23.4% will choose a multi-day road trip and 13.8% are considering a day trip within a couple hours of home.

That said, almost a third of respondents (30.3%) said their next vacation will be an international destination. Another bright spot? While cruising for 2020 is understandably down, Virtuosos cruise bookings for 2021 are just 6% under historical levels.

Virtuoso Travel Week 2020 continues all this week, complete with opening and closing ceremonies, training sessions and of course, networking. Participants this year can take advantage of up to 106 sessions, 10 minutes each, with industry partners theyre looking to connect with.

While many of the usual highlights at Virtuoso Travel Week will be present in a virtual format, the luxury retail travel group wont be handing out awards this year. We are pausing awards this year. Instead we want to thank all of you for your hard work, with everything youre doing to survive, said Jennifer Campbell, Virtuosos Product Manager, Network Engagements,

Campbell, who was instrumental in making this years virtual event happen, joked with participants this morning: I know were all experiencing more change this year than we planned. Sometimes theres a good side to change. At least were not all freezing in the ballroom at the Bellagio.

This mornings opening ceremony also included a discussion between Upchurch and Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The pandemic arrived just as travel and tourism was heading into an incredibly strong 10th year, says Guevara. Over the past nine years the growth of travel and tourism has outpaced the growth of the world economy, she told Upchurch.

In the wake of the pandemics devastation on the travel industry, she said governments are finally starting to understand the impact on this industry.

Travellers are grappling not just with fears of the virus, but also with concerns about getting stranded in destination, and mandatory and unexpected quarantines. The worlds travellers are losing confidence in travel, and what can the industry do about it?

Four things, says Guevara. We need to have a coordinated approach with countries opening their borders. We need coordinated protocols thats something we learned after 9/11. From SARS, MERS and Ebola we learned the importance of testing and contact tracing. And we need support for the travel sector.

Guevara adds: We need to be together to get out of this. Otherwise its going to be very painful and take a lot longer.

Watch for more coverage from Virtuoso Travel Week in tomorrows edition of Travelweek Daily.

Editor at Travelweek

Kathryn is Editor at Travelweek and has worked for the company since 1995. She has travelled to more than 50 countries and counts Hong Kong, Jerusalem, the Swiss Alps and the Galapagos Islands among her favourite destinations.

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Younger clients ready to travel, and more from Virtuoso's Travel Week virtual event - Travelweek

France ‘on the cliff-edge’ of removal from UK safe travel list – The Guardian

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

France is on the cliff-edge of being removed from the UKs travel corridor list, according to an industry figure, with a decision expected by the end of the week that could mean hundreds of thousands of Britons holidaying there would have to quarantine on their return.

The country, which is the second most popular overseas holiday destination for Britons, recorded its highest Covid-19 surge since May on Friday, with 2,288 new cases. UK ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation.

Should data from the next two days confirm a continued rise in cases, Frances current exemption from quarantine restrictions is likely to end, meaning UK arrivals who have been there recently would again have to self-isolate for 14 days.

The list of approved countries is typically reviewed at the end of each week with a decision announced on Thursday or Friday but Downing Street warned it would act very rapidly to impose fresh restrictions on countries if necessary.

Travel firms were bracing for a further shockwave, according to Paul Charles, a consultant and spokesman for the Quash Quarantine campaign, who urged consumers to continue making plans to travel regardless of the uncertainty.

Charles said that on a key benchmark, infection rates published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, France had already surpassed the level he claimed Whitehall deemed safe.

He said France appeared on a similar trajectory to Spain which was abruptly removed from the Department for Transports safe list last month. As of Monday, the 14-day cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in France was 26 per 100,000 people.

Charles said: They are seeing it in France; the surge wasnt strong enough last week, but it is on a cliff-edge at the moment. Unless they can demonstrate they can keep a lid on the numbers, based on the latest data its not looking good at all nor in Malta, Netherlands or Switzerland.

He added that he hoped that ministers had learned their lesson from Spain and would give people notice, following the 30-hour grace period when 14-day quarantine restrictions were imposed on returnees from Belgium last week.

Asked whether quarantine restrictions would be imposed on arrivals from France later this week, the prime ministers official spokesman said on Monday: We keep the data for all countries and territories under constant review. Any decisions to update the exemption list will be informed by the latest health data, and we can and will act rapidly if we judge that the public health risk not requiring travellers to self-isolate increases beyond an acceptable level.

He said the exemptions list had been updated on a weekly basis to reflect the international health picture, but added: If there is a need to act very rapidly in order to protect public health, then we wouldnt hesitate to do so.

Speaking during a visit to a school on Monday, Boris Johnson echoed the chancellor Rishi Sunaks message last week that the government would not hesitate to impose quarantine restrictions.

Government decisions on which countries are removed from the travel corridor list are informed by a risk assessment from the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which looks not only at infection rates but other factors including testing capacity, assessment of the quality of data available, trends in incidence and deaths, as well as transmission status.

Labour called for more transparency over how quarantine decisions were made, including publishing all the scientific background. The shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: This transparency is vital if people are to have faith over how decisions are being made. Ministers also need to bring forward sector-specific support for those industries most impacted.

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France 'on the cliff-edge' of removal from UK safe travel list - The Guardian

Travel virtually anywhere in the world pandemic style – Yakima Herald-Republic

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Does it seem as though youve had virtually no fun this summer? No flights to exotic locales? No luxuriating aboard a cruise ship? Are you sick and tired of your own backyard?

Take heart. With an electronic device and a little imagination, you can take a virtual trip to almost anywhere in the world from the safety of your own home. Castles or cruise ships. Train rides or tigers at the zoo. The Great Wall or a glass art museum.

It may take some time to sort through the myriad choices available. In coming up with a few examples, I passed over videos with too much chatter, too much commercial promotion and some that just took too much time to get rolling.

A virtual trip to the Eiffel Tower spent minutes focusing on crowds and walking up to the tower. A trip to one European castle featured several minutes of the backsides of horses pulling a cart which, I assume, eventually arrived at the castle. A visit to the Louvre spent too much time on crowd shots, followed by silent glimpses of art. (Hmmm. I wonder what that is?) I almost included a kids photo safari in South Africa, until the final scene featured a spitting contest with (I sincerely hope) sterilized animal droppings. In short, before you view a virtual tour with others, you might want to preview it!

Of the options available, youll find varying quality and length. Some are elaborate with sweeping aerial shots and glorious interiors. Others are basic, requiring you to click or touch arrows to follow a path through a site. You may want to skip past ads from sponsors.

Ditto sites which include cookies or registration.

Here are a few selections to begin your virtual travels. To help locate the tours, you may need to add the words virtual tour when you search, and then compare the length of choices listed to the following:

The Great Wall of China.

There are numerous virtual tours for this famous site. China Tours The Great Wall of China (World Spree) on YouTube is a concise, three-minute overview, with a short history, aerial views and closeup shots. The Great Wall of China Walking Tour on YouTube is a 30-minute, up-close and personal walk which almost made me feel as though I was there.

The videographer says nothing, merely walks along showing what you would actually see on the Wall. You pass by other tourists, look out over the wall to surrounding hillsides, climb staircases and enter watchtowers. As the tour progresses, you can hear the more labored breathing of the videographer and I actually began to have the sense of, Oh no, not another staircase!

Cruise Ships and Ports.

Many cruise ship tours are blatant ads for cruise companies.

However, I did find one 16-minute tour that combines a look at liners from numerous companies, along with various Caribbean ports. Cruise From Home 6 Cruise Ships and 5 Ports (Talking Cruise) on YouTube wanders through ships from Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival, MSC and Princess lines.

Designed perhaps for a younger, trendier crowd, there are glimpses of elaborate onboard atria, stage shows, pools, water slides, putting greens and an occasional zip line plus one juggling bartender. No cabins, dining rooms or libraries in evidence. Onshore settings are primarily private islands owned by cruise companies, with a heavy emphasis on surf and sand.

Neuschwanstein Castle.

Of the many castles of the world, Germanys Neuschwanstein is sometimes described as the most beautiful. This fairytale-like structure was reportedly the inspiration for Sleeping Beautys Castle at Disneyland. A nine-minute World Sites Guide.com Neuschwanstein Germany virtual tour includes historical commentary, with aerial and closeup outdoor shots, plus a few inside views. Another nine-and-a half-minute Schloss Neuschwanstein (Germany) Vacation Travel Video Guide also includes history, and exterior shots of the castle, plus extensive indoor shots of ornate gold detail, mosaics, wall paintings, wood carvings and angel images.

Inside shots tend to be dark. Yet another, three-and-a half-minute Neuschwanstein Castle GERMANY condensed virtual tour shows both sweeping aerial views and a few interiors. (Note: Tours may include a brief glimpse of mural figures in limited attire.)

The Orient Express.

Have you ever wondered what a ride on this famous train would be like? Two YouTube offerings offer very different perspectives.

Venice Simplon Orient Express Full Experience from Venice to London is a 30-minute tour, beginning with canal travel in Venice through boarding the train and travel on to England. You can view private compartments, white-linen table service in dining cars, grand piano music in a lounge, and then tea service on a Pullman train transfer from Calais. This offers a taste of what actual travel on the Orient Express would be like.

A more commercialized two-and-a-half minute YouTube summary, Luxury Trains The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, includes still photos of the interior of the train plus a few landscapes, all with a musical backdrop.

San Diego Zoo.

The whole family can enjoy the YouTube San Diego Zoo American Treasure Earth Day 2020. Here, youll have a quick, 10-minute glimpse of pink flamingos, a cute koala, hippos, peacock, monkeys, camel, giraffes, bears and big cats. You may want to mute the sound to eliminate crowd noise and comments, and just focus on the animals.

Chihuly Glass Art.

Want to travel in the Northwest instead? Take a virtual tour through some of glass artist Dale Chihulys latest designs. In YouTubes Chihuly Garden and Glass Seattle, Washington by David Ellis, viewers take a stroll past both indoor and outdoor glass creations, many with a botanical theme, all set under a backdrop of the Seattle Space Needle.

Pyramids of Giza.

Take a virtual walk through the sands of Egypt to visit thegreat pyramids on the YouTube Pyramids of Giza Walking Tour (Prowalk Tours). This is a no-frills walk, complete with the sound of crunching sand, that lets you know what such a walk would really be like (minus the heat and sore muscles).

Although the entire video runs about an hour and a half, you can jump in on the parts that interest you most, selecting a certain pyramid, for example. A companion piece, The Sphinx at 8 a.m. Walking Tour (Prowalk Tours), only lasts about 23 minutes and offers a much better view of the sphinx.

This eclectic assortment barely scratches the surface of possibilities. So, where in the world would you like to go?

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