After the Russian government was accused of poisoning a former Russian spy and his daughter who were living in the United Kingdom, on March 26 the US expelled 60 Russian diplomatic staff members and closed Russia’s consulate in Seattle. In response, on March 29, Russia expelled 60 US diplomats and closed the US consulate in St. Petersburg.
Egyptian authorities banned the ride-sharing company Uber from operating in that country after receiving complaints from taxi drivers. Another ride-sharing company, Careem, based in Dubai, was also banned in the same order.
Airline passengers who need seat-belt extenders will not be allowed to sit in business class on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets of Thai Airways (800/767-3598, www.thaiairways.com), the airline announced on March 21.
On its new jets, the airline has installed seat-belt airbags in business class. However, the airbags will not work with seat-belt extenders, limiting those seats to people with waistlines of less than 56 inches. The airbags also prevent passengers from flying with infants in their laps.
Seats in all other classes are unaffected.
The National Parks & Wildlife Department of Thailand announced that the beach at Maya Bay, on southwestern Thailand’s Phi Phi Le island, will be closed for four months starting June 1 to allow the sea environment to recover. This closure is set to occur annually. An environmental survey found that parts of the coral reef around the beach had been damaged and the amount of sea life had diminished.
After the beach reopens, visitors will be limited to 2,000 per day, and boats will no longer be allowed to anchor in the bay.
The very first solo exhibit of 16th-century Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder will be on display, Oct. 2, 2018, to Jan. 13, 2019, at Vienna’s Kunsthistoriches Museum (Maria-Teresien-Platz, 1010 Wien, Austria; phone +43 1 525 24 0, www.khm.at/en). Works will include the museum’s own collection of 12 pieces, including “The (Great) Tower of Babel,” plus loaned pieces.
In Florence, Italy, a new gallery of eight rooms opened in a section of the Uffizi Galleries (Piazzale degli Uffizi 6; phone +39 055 294883, www.uffizi.it/en) in February to display the works of Caravaggio and other 17th-century artists.
The Uffizi is closed Mondays. The adult entry fee has been raised from €8 to €20 (near $25), peak season (March 1-Oct. 31), and to €12, off season. Entry the first Sunday of each month is free, but tickets are limited.
Maps and guides to more than 40 national cross-country trails in Italy can be found at www.turismo.beniculturali.it/en/cammini. On the website, a map for each of the multiday trekking trails can be viewed by picking the desired trail from the drop-down menu on the upper right. The maps include distances, suggested itineraries and alternate routes, with links to trekking guides.
With the Arqueoticket, a visitor has access to four archaeological collections in museums in Barcelona, Spain.
The €14.50 (near $18) pass allows admission to the Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya (www.macbarcelona.cat) (normally €5.50), the Museu Egipci de Barcelona (www.museuegipci.com) (normally €12), the Museu d’Història de Barcelona (ajuntament.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/en) (normally €7) and the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria (elbornculturaimemoria.barcelona.cat/en/the-center) (normally €7.50).
Luxury hotelier Ritz-Carlton, under the name Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection (800/542-8680, www.ritzcarlton.com/en/yachts), will be operating three of its own custom-built yachts beginning in 2019. Each will hold up to 298 guests in 149 suites, all with private terraces. Each yacht will feature a restaurant set up by a Michelin-starred chef.
Most cruises are scheduled to last seven to 12 nights. Reservations open in May 2018.
Travelers who already hold tickets for 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer matches, being held in cities throughout Russia, will be able to enter the country visa-free with a FAN ID pass.
To receive the pass, a traveler must fill out the application at www.fan-id.ru and have the pass mailed to him before his departure. The pass is free.