Articles by Amanda Woods
Lunar New Year: Snow and Rain Hampers Travel in China
Icy weather has already hindered Lunar New Year travel in China - and with more snow and rain in the forecast, the country is beginning to take precautions.
Silent Retreats: Many Vacationers Choosing to Leave the Noise Behind
Those who need a break from their smart phones, Facebook and Twitter updates, emails and phone calls might not benefit from the most action packed vacation - instead, silent retreats, one of the latest travel trends - might be a better option.
Flights to Los Angeles: Cuba Travel Services Stops Charter Service from L.A.
Cuba Travel Services will no longer provide its once-a-week charter service from Los Angeles to Havana, partly because of U.S. government delays in processing applications for tour operators visiting the island republic, The Los Angeles Times reported. The last such flight left Los Angeles on Tuesday and returned from Havana on Wednesday.
Monster Storm to Hit Northeast U.S.: Airlines and Airports Prepare for Disrupted Travel
With reports of a potentially historic snowstorm predicted to pummel the Northeast Friday night, airlines and airports are planning in advance.
Robin Roberts Returning to Good Morning America: After Bone Marrow Transplant Surgery Recovery, She is Back
Robin Roberts will officially be returning to co-anchor Good Morning America on Feb. 20, after her recovery from bone marrow transplant surgery, which she underwent as treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), The Daily News reported.
Valentine's Day Travel: Taking a Trip With Your Significant Other Can Improve Relationship and Sex Life
If you're still not sure how to spend Valentine's Day with your significant other, you may want to take a trip together - considering the results of one new survey.
Lucy Lawless Sentenced: Warrior Princess Actress, Other Greenpeace Activists Charged for Illegally Boarding Taranaki Oil Drillship
Lucy Lawless, an actress best known for her portrayal of Xena, Warrior Princess, was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to illegally boarding an oil drillship in Taranaki with a group of six other Greenpeace activists, One News reported.
Tabber Benedict: Manhattan Socialite Claims Going on European Vacation, Instead, About to Serve Jail Time
Tabber Benedict, known as a "pretentious" Manhattan socialite, celebrated an "optional black tie" affair with his friends in January - calling it a farewell party, because he was about to jet-set to Europe for a years-long vacation. The truth was, though, according to The New York Post, he was going to jail for three to 10 years after nearly killing a man while drunk driving.
6 Spanish Women Raped in Acapulco: Mexican Woman Spared, Tourism Secretary Concerned about Mexico’s Image
Six Spanish female tourists were raped on Monday morning by a gang of armed, masked men in the Mexican resort of Acapulco, the Associated Press reported.
Three Killed in Denver Shooting: Confirmed Murder Suicide, Two Children and Woman Fatally Shot at Home [VIDEO]
Police responded to reports of a woman and two children found fatally shot in their northeast Denver home early Wednesday morning. A third injured child survived, was rushed to the hospital and was listed in critical condition after surgery Wednesday afternoon, CBS 4 Denver reported.
35 Pyramids Found: 2,000-Year-Old Pyramids Found at Sedeinga, Sudan
At least 35 densely clustered small pyramids have been found at Sedeinga, a site in Sudan. At least 35 densely clustered small pyramids have been found at Sedeinga, a site in Sudan.
Ice Destinations: From Canada to Romania, Yes, These Places are Really Made of Ice
If you love the winter so much that even the snowfall in your home city or town doesn't satisfy you, you may like to visit one of these six destinations completely made of ice, compiled by MSN Local.
Nigeria Super Eagles Reach Africa Cup of Nations Final: Defeated Mali 4-1 in Semifinals [VIDEO]
In a 20-minute first-half spell, Nigeria's Super Eagles defeated Mali 4-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final on Wednesday, securing themselves a spot in the finals for the first time since 2000, Reuters reported.
USPS Cuts Saturdays: Postal Service to End Saturday First-Class Deliveries to Cut Costs
The U.S. Postal Service is gearing up for some big changes following its loss of $16 billion last year – beginning on Aug. 1, the service will not deliver first-class mail on Saturdays.
Sarai Sierra Aftermath: Following Murder of Lone Female Tourist in Turkey, Should Women Travel Alone?
Following the murder of Sarai Sierra, the 33-year-old Staten Island mother who was killed by a blunt head trauma wound on her solo trip to Turkey, some raise one key question: should women travel alone?
India’s Rural Olympics: Run Over with Tractor, Lifting Bicycles with Mouth, Other Grueling and Bizarre Events [VIDEO]
If you want to compete in India's rural Olympics, there's one key requirement: you must have a high tolerance for pain.
Smoking Family on Plane Update: Canadian Tour Operator May Sue for Cost of Flight Diversion
Sunwing Travel Group, a Canadian tour operator, may sue a Cape Breton family for $40,000 -- the cost of a flight diversion to Bermuda after the parents and son smoked on a plane Friday night.
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Special to Air on Travel Channel: Show Will Follow Swimsuit Models to All Seven Continents
The Travel Channel and Sports Illustrated are set to team up for a one-hour TV special about the making of the magazine's 2013 swimsuit issue.
Kill Americans Memo: U.S. Government Memo Authorizes Killing of American Citizens Overseas Who Pose Imminent Threat
The U.S. government has issued an unclassified Justice Department memo that authorizes the killing of American citizens as part of its controversial drone campaign against al-Qaeda, even without the intelligence that the Americans have plans to attack a U.S. target, Reuters reported.
Ice Age Art at British Museum: Exhibit to Feature 10,000 to 40,000-Year-Old Works
The British Museum will host an exhibit, beginning on Thursday, that includes the oldest known figurative art in the world, the Associated Press reported.
New Florida Logo: Enterprise’s Florida’s Logo with Necktie Sparks Gender Debate
A new logo released on Thursday for Florida's economic development group, Enterprise Florida, has ignited a gender debate - because it includes a necktie.
Chinese New Year: Best (and Worst) Last-Minute Flights to Asia
If you want to experience an authentic Chinese New Year, you're an adventurous world traveler, and maybe a bit of a procrastinator, don't worry - it's not too late to book flights to Asia for its Spring Festival celebrations on Feb. 10.
Otter Devours 200 Fish: Most of Koi Pond’s Wildlife Eaten During Norfolk, UK Family’s Vacation
Upon returning to their Norfolk, UK home in mid-January after a vacation, Alan and Linda Brown found that 200 out of 250 fish in their koi pond were gone, supposedly massacred by an otter.
Cult Musician Dying: Stricken with Pancreatic Cancer, Wilko Johnson Has Less Than Year to Live
Cult guitarist Wilko Johnson is battling terminal pancreatic cancer with less than a year to live -- but true to the name of his 1970s beat band Dr. Feelgood, he is feeling better than ever.
Women in Paris Finally Allowed to Wear Pants: 200-Year-Old Law Repealed
Parisian women can now wear pants without fear of arrest, with the Jan. 31 repeal of an archaic 1799 by-law that forbade women from wearing trousers in the city.
Vacation is Good for You: New Study Shows that Vacation Reduces Blood Pressure & Stress, Improves Sleep
Workers looking for a break now have a new reason to use their vacation time: new research shows that going on vacation can improve your health.
Smoking Family on Plane: Flight from Halifax to Punta Cana Diverted
A plane flying from Halifax, Canada to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was forced to land in Bermuda Friday night when three smoking passengers refused to put out their lights, CBC reported.
Michigan Couple Killed at Missouri Vacation Home
One elderly Baldwin Michigan couple's stay at their Missouri vacation home ended tragically when burglars allegedly killed both of them, KSDK reported.
Oprah Hit With Lawsuit: Former OWN Employee Claims Sex and Pregnancy Discrimination
Oprah Winfrey has been in the news a lot this week. First, she injured her back while carrying her birthday present -- and more recently, she was slapped with a lawsuit.
Obama Gun Photo: White House Releases Photo of Obama Shooting Skeet
Amid President Barack Obama's promises that he will make addressing gun violence a priority in his second term, the White House has released a photo of the chief executive shooting skeet last August at his Camp David retreat.
