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10 red flags to look for when booking a hotel | Atlas & Boots

I’ve stayed in some ungodly hotels, from a roach-infested room in Sri Lanka to a Fiji campsite with toads in the bathroom. I have cried, despaired and quietly raged on holiday because of poor accommodation. Thankfully, after a decade of travel, I have finessed a list of pitfalls to avoid and red flags to look for when booking a hotel. The post 10 red flags to look for when booking a hotel appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Ella Rock: how to hike it yourself (unguided) | Atlas & Boots

A guide to hiking Ella Rock by yourself, including detailed directions, a downloadable route map, a video and a list of essential tips Ella in Sri Lanka is beautiful, they said. ‘The closest thing to an English country village’ and the perfect place to slow down, we’d read. The post Ella Rock: how to hike it yourself (unguided) appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

The travel that changed me: Melanie White

In a new memoir, former yacht chef Melanie White examines the dark side of luxury travel. Here, she explains why her story had to be told At age 22, Melanie White is flying high. Good grades at school? Check. Reliable university degree? Check. Steady graduate job? Check. Her feet are firmly planted on the ground until she finds herself plunged into the superyacht industry – despite having been on a boat only three times in her life. Melanie White As a yacht chef, Melanie must devise, develop and deliver fine dining menus for some of the wealthiest people on the planet, all while learning how to run, sail and race a multi-million-pound yacht on the job. She is forced to adapt to a wholly unnatural life, largely confined to a crammed galley and bunk bed with live-in colleagues. Amid the...

Sri Lanka launches probe after burning ship pollutes beaches

Sri Lanka launched a criminal probe on Sunday into a huge container ship fire that has swamped the island nation’s coast with plastic pollution causing probably one of its worst marine disasters in history. Tonnes of microplastic granules have inundated the South Asian country’s famed beaches in Negombo, a popular tourist destination, forcing a fishing ban and prompting fears of ecological damage. The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl has been smoldering on the horizon for 11 days after a blaze broke out as it was heading to Colombo from the Indian state of Gujarat. The 25-member crew, who have already been evacuated from the ship, will be questioned on Monday after a complaint was lodged by Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority, police said. Last week, authorities said t...

Minister: We have spent $570,000 on coronavirus prevention in schools

Sri Lanka has spent around $570,000 on COVID-19 precautionary measures in schools around the country, state media reported on Monday. The Minister of Education, Gamini Peiris, said this in Colombo. Peiris was quoted in state-owned Daily News as saying that sets of equipment have been provided to schools in order to protect the health of children ahead of classes restarting in the New Year. He said that schools would be reopened in isolated areas on Jan. 11 following consultation with health officials. The minister said that teachers and ministry officials would meet between Jan. 4 to 11 to discuss the implementation of health and safety protocols. So far, Sri Lanka had recorded 44,774 cases, 213 deaths and 37,252 recovered. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Ev...

Sri Lanka coronavirus prison riot leaves eight dead, over 50 wounded

At least eight prisoners were killed and more than 50 injured in clashes with guards at a Sri Lankan prison, officials said on Monday, as authorities tried to quell a protest over rising corornavirus infections in the country’s crowded jails. Sri Lanka has witnessed an upsurge in coronavirus cases in the past month and over-congested prisons across the country have reported thousands of fresh infections. Inmates have staged protests in recent weeks demanding an increase in coronavirus testing and new isolation facilities for infected prisoners. The latest clash at Mahara prison situated on the outskirts of the capital Colombo started on Sunday when some inmates protested against prisoners infected by the Covid-19 virus being transferred from other facilities to Mahara. “We can’t say it for...

European Union backs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for WTO role

The European Union has endorsed former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Bloomberg reported. The business news outlet cited anonymous officials familiar with the matter that all the 27 EU member countries agreed on Monday in Brussels to support Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala. Bloomberg also reported that the United States has decided to back Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea’s trade minister, for the role. The position has been fiercely contested amongst candidates of different countries since Roberto Azevedo resigned in August. Last month, Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee were selected as the last two candidates in the contest. The EU’s endorsement is seen as a significant boost for Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy, with the final winner expected...

Court issues bench warrant for arrest of two Sri Lankans

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory High Court at Maitama, on Wednesday, issued a bench warrant for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to arrest two nationals of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Trial Justice Olasumbo Goodluck ordered that the two Sri Lankans Messrs Saththiyaraj Kantharasa and Vinith Ukantharasa, should be arrested after they failed to appear in court to enter their plea to a criminal charge pending against them. They were accused of forging the passports, national identity card and driving license of the Republic of Malaysia, in connivance with their Nigerian partner, Anthony Adetokunboh. A statement that was signed by spokesperson for the Commission, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, disclosed that the trio were ...