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The traditional summer procession in Belgium known as the Ommegang (Old Flemish for “walking around”) will be held on June 30 and July 2, 2015.
The procession, which was first held in 1549, will begin at Parc de Bruxelles (Brussels Park), where an entire medieval village will be created, and end with a show at the Grand Place. More than 1,400 performers dressed in medieval costume will participate.
In the book “Around the World in 50 Years: My Adventures to Every Country on Earth” by Albert Podell (2015, Thomas Dunne Books — 384 pp., $26.99), the author describes some of the most compelling and dangerous situations he’s encountered. In a unique, wry style, using colorful asides, he candidly reports the adventures and obstacles he faced as a traveler. The book is available in bookstores and online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
Ireland is celebrating poet William Butler Yeats in 2015, the 150th anniversary of his birth.
The celebrations center on the town of Sligo, where Yeats spent his formative years. In Hargadon, one of Sligo’s oldest pubs, a poem of Yeats will be read at 1 p.m. every day, as well as at 6 p.m. on Sunday, in 2015. Sligo will also commemorate Yeats’ birthday, June 13, with a 4-day festival, June 11-14, which will include poetry, drama, music and crafts.
To be used only for nonemergency help and information, a helpline for visitors to India was launched by the India Tourism Ministry on Dec. 25, 2014. Operators will offer information on sites of interest and can help with complaints and concerns.
Currently available only in Hindi and English but with eight more languages to be added, the number 1800 111 363 can be called toll-free 24 hours a day from any phone in India.
As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 37 destinations: Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, El Salvador, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Kenya, North Korea, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Republic of South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen.
On Jan. 29, the Malaysian government officially declared the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 an accident, with no survivors.
Heading from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and carrying 239 people, the flight disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014, and has yet to be found. According to satellite data, it is believed to have gone off course and crashed into the ocean west of Australia.
Investigators using information from the black boxes recovered from AirAsia flight QZ8501 believe that the plane stalled after making an unusually fast and steep climb, leading to its crash into the Java Sea on Dec. 28.
Before the crash, the pilot had requested permission from ground control to climb above an approaching storm. The plane disappeared from radar before being given instructions on changing course.
Aware of information about potential terrorist threats aimed at US interests in the Republic of Djibouti, the US Department of State continues to warn of the risks of travel there.
The most recent terrorist incident took place back on May 24, 2014, when two suicide bombers attacked a restaurant popular with Westerners in the capital, Djibouti, killing one person. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.
The US Department of State continues to warn of the risks of traveling to Sudan and urges avoiding all travel to the Darfur region and the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states. Elements of terrorist groups remain in Sudan and have threatened to attack Western interests.
(2nd of 3 parts on Brazil)