A false news release was broadcast from ABC Radio Australia and posted on the Internet May31st, stating that an 18 km volcanic cloud of ash was being erupted from Mt Yassur. This release was put out by a meteorologist sitting hundreds of miles away, looking at satellite images.

The release went on to say that aircraft flights were being disrupted and tourists forbidden to visit the live volcano.

Yet, visitors stood on the lip of the fabulous volcano that same evening, saying the volcano was giving off the most wonderful display of fireworks. There was no sign anywhere of a huge cloud of volcano ash.
Read the rest of the report and how it follows up a false earthquake report only days before…

Costa Ricas Arenal volcano, is spewing geysers of lava, ash and toxic gases from its crater and forced the evacuation of the national park, in which it is located.

At 4am on May 24th 2010, the 1633-metre-tall cone-shaped mountain in northern Costa Rica shuddered into activity at. Eight successive rivers of lava flowed down its steep slopes, National Volcanology and Seismology Observatory expert Elicer Duarte said.
Read more about the world’s active volcanoes…

Officials from airlines around the world are angrily demanding compensation from European authorities for what they feel was an over reaction to the threat of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud. The EU triggered the world’s biggest closure of airspace since 9.11.2001.It is estimated that up to 100 thousand flights were cancelled and around half a million travelers stranded. The cost to the industry is estimated to be in the range of $1.75 billion.
Read how the European Union took five days before even a conference call could be arranged…

In his book The Most Important Person On Earth, Dr Myles Munroe’s final chapter is a special word of encouragement to Third World nations. A theme that is seen to be carried forward at an upcoming International Apostolic Network seminar, being held in the tropical island nation of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific in September, 2010.

Dr Munroe is a well known international motivational speaker, best-selling author, lecturer, educator and consultant for government and business.
Read why many see this as a ray of light for Third Word (developing nations)…

Naming kids weird names seems to be the norm for people who live in the limelight. The latest polls show that Barrack and Beckham were popular in 2008.
Just check out a few of these odd names such as Sixx Pennell and Shiloh Nouvel Pitt…

The streets of Fiji were eerily empty on the 14th March, 2010, as Tropical Cyclone Tomas approached the northern islands of Fiji. Schools closed, public services suspenced and international flights were cancelled, as a night-time curfew was put into operation.

“Wind gusts were peaking at around 230 mph,” said Matt Boterhoven, senior forecastor for the Fiji Meteorological Service.

The nation’s Disaster Council, chaired by Fiji’s self-appointed prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, declared a state of emergency for the northern and eastern parts of the country on Tuesday morning. Up to eight metre ocean surges and rising rivers were reported.

Tropical Cyclone Tomas, was recorded as being a category 4, (out of a possible 5), with wind speeds between 131 and 155 mph. Up to 17,000 people fled to 240 evacuation centres across the country. Moving at only 4 mph, the slow speed of the Cyclone increased the potential danger.

A 31 year old woman, Tamarisi, Tabua is the only reported death to date, with dozens of others injured. Tabua saved her sisters and two children, before being swept away by a strong sea surge on Vanua Levu.

The eye of CT Tomas was 48 kilometres in diameter, with storm-force winds extending out 240 kilometres, making it 480 miles in diameter.

TC Tomas was expected to drop to a category 3 (winds of 111-130 mph) late on, Tuesday, back to a category 2 by Wednesday. The cyclone is one of the strongest to hit Fiji for several years.

Meanwhile, further across the South Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Ului, another Category 4 Tropical Cyclone, also moving at 4mph, lashed the southern-most parts of the Solomon islands.

Originating in the northern part of archipelago of the Vanuatu islands, as a tropical storm, Ului did a tiny sharp dog leg north and travelled west, north-west. Gathering in strength, it briefly became a category 5, (winds over 156 ,mph) before turning south, south west.

On Sunday, 14th March, warnings were issued in Australia, of an extremely dangerous tropical storm heading its way. However, as TC Ului neared the Australian coast it was expected to decrease to a category 1 (wind gusts between 74-95 mph) by Thursday and remain at sea, according to the Queensland weather bureau.

TC Ului comes on the fourth anniversary of the TC Larry, category 5, which hit Innisfail, March 20, 2006. The high winds affected an area 150 km in each direction from the eye of the storm. This was the first category 5 Cyclone to hit the Queensland coast in 30 years.

However, officials admit, the path of Tropical Cylcone Ului remain unpredictable and expected to cross the Australian coast eventually as a Tropical Depression. The tropical islands of Vanuatu and New Caldeonia remain quietly tucked safely in between the two Tropical Giants.

With the retail economy in tatters following weak Christmas and New Year trading and the Australian dollar firm, Easter travel deals abound.

2009 was rated as being the worst ever year for airlines and the hotel industries. Airlines were forced to take a long hard look at the efficiency of how they manage their operations, including coming up with ways for more passengers to manage their own travel arrangements. Some airlines now offer the traveler the ability to ‘check in’ on line. Airlines have been forced to offer super deals, amidst fierce competition, in order to struggle to capture a dwindled market.  Easter deals are all over the Internet as Australians get set once again explore the world, after a year of cubing overseas travel. Read how South Pacific islands have so much to offer right now, particularly for really good Easter deals…

With EC02, an international forestation company, looking to plant 3.3. million kiri (paulonia) trees over 20,000 acres of land on the island of Malekula, Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, it seems big business has arrived in tropical island nation.

Creating jobs, providing social and economical stability to an area that sadly lacks even the basics of schools and providing medical care shops, is highly commendable. However there are other things to consider before such a huge project can get underway. Read about some of the side effects of growing Kiri trees.

At an exclusive restaurant in London, on Valentine’s Day last year, a couple started arguing. Suddenly the wife stood up, slapped her husband across the face and stormed off in a huff.  The husband composed himself, took a few more gulps of his red wine and proceeded to call his mistress on his mobile. He spoke loud enough for everyone around to hear. Within 15 minutes an immaculately dressed young mistress turned up at the restaurant and sat down, delighted that her lover had arranged the restaurant meal especially for her on Valentine’s Day. Read what happens when the wife unexpectedly returns…

Insiders of the travel industry insiders have finally expressed their concern that Trip Advisor and similar sites that rely on anonymous reviews, are beginning to wield too much power. According to the Independent in the UK the concern has been around for quite some time, but Trip Advisor’s Dirtiest Hotels list made it an even hotter topic in the past week. Read more of how the opinion of disgruntled guests can ruin a reputation…