Nevada Casinos Go Record 9 Months With $1B In House Winnings

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority set a record in November, reporting a ninth straight month of $1 billion or more in house winnings, gambling regulators said Wednesday, providing another sign that business in the nation’s tourist-dependent gambling mecca has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The $1.32 billion in casino winnings reported statewide last month was up from $1.22 billion in October, and almost reached the record $1.36 billion figure set last July, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reported.

The streak beat the previous record of eight consecutive months set before the Great Recession, from October 2006 to May 2007, board senior analyst Michael Lawton said.

Nevada sports betting also set records — reaping a record $72 million in November on sports wagers totaling $1.1 billion.

Lawton said the previous record was $61.8 million in sports bets won by casinos in November 2020, and he noted sports books took in more than $1 billion in wagers in consecutive months for the first time. Most sports wagers were made with mobile betting apps.

“The continued acceptance of mobile sports wagering by customers is driving these results,” Lawton said. “This month represented the highest monthly total recorded in mobile (bets) since the board began tracking these wagers in January 2020.”

Business generally has been buoyed by visitors with money to spend, Lawton said, and a sustained rebound of leisure travel and the return in early November of airline flights from international places other than Canada and Mexico.

Special events and entertainment also helped push casino winnings for the year-to-date to almost 12% past 2019 levels. Only North Las Vegas and Laughlin are still below 2019 calendar year levels, Lawton said.

Most economic and revenue comparisons don’t use 2020, when many businesses were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevada collected almost $93.6 million in tax revenues based on the November figures, the report said.

Lawton noted a full month of events in November included the return to Las Vegas of the big automobile-oriented Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show; the start of entertainer Sting’s residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace; a Rolling Stones concert at Allegiant Stadium; boxing at the MGM Grand Arena and Mandalay Bay Events Center; and two Las Vegas Raiders home games.

The report came with newly renamed Harry Reid International Airport reporting passenger traffic ramping up almost to levels seen two years ago.

The former McCarran International Airport reported Tuesday that it handled about 4 million arriving and departing passengers in November, down just 4.4% from the same month in 2019.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported 3.1 million visitors during the month, down 8% from 3.4 million in October. The regional tourism agency reported an average daily room rate of almost $156, up more than 15% from November 2019.

After Almost 2 Years, Water Park Reopens At Disney World On January 2nd

Orlando- The big waves are returning to Walt Disney World.

The theme park resort said Tuesday that it will reopen its Typhoon Lagoon water park after an almost two-year hiatus.

The water park closed in March 2020 as the coronavirus started spreading throughout the U.S. While Disney World’s other theme parks reopened in summer 2020 with virus safety protocols in place, the water park stayed closed.

Visitors to Typhoon Lagoon will be able to swim in its massive wave pool, slide down its water coaster and meander down its lazy river starting on Sunday.

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Travelers Who Want To Feel Good About How They're Impacting The Planet Will Find Plenty Of Ways To Keep It Green On The Island Of Ireland In 2022

Sustainable new ways to explore the island of Ireland

Ireland is simply green by nature, and as more and more accommodations, facilities and attractions do their bit for planet Earth, all around the island new and sustainable experiences are being added to help travellers lower their impact.

Nothing is as sustainable as walking, so those who like to stretch their legs will love the new Ulster-Ireland section of the International Appalachian Trail, which continues one of the world’s largest trail networks from its origin in the USA, into Canada, Iceland, across to the island of Ireland and beyond.

The newly upgraded trail begins on the west coast of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, starting at the spectacular cliffs of Slieve League. The trail then passes through the wide-open spaces of the Sperrin Mountains, into the rugged Causeway Coast and across the magnificent Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland to finish at the port of Larne.

Spanning 279 miles, the route takes walkers through wonderfully diverse landscapes and can be walked in its entirety, completed in stages or enjoyed as part of a day walk. Historic monuments, dramatic views, areas of outstanding natural beauty and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all with geological links to the Appalachian Mountains, can be encountered along the way.

There are plenty of places to experience the local food and drink along the trail, and for places to rest up look no further than the stunning new treetop lodges of Burrenmore Nest in Castlerock, County Londonderry.

Each of the lodges is perched on stilts so guests can enjoy panoramic views, and they all have ensuite waterfall shower rooms, king-size beds, kitchenettes, built-in home-cinema projectors, private outdoor whirlpool baths and come complete with a complimentary breakfast basket.

The lodges are set within a forest in the historic Downhill Estate and are close to the tourist hotspots of Mussenden Temple and Benone Beach. Sink into your outdoor bath under the night sky, enjoy the peace and tranquillity, or recover from your walking, amid the birdsong of the forest.

At the other end of the country, look out for a spectacular new Wild Atlantic Way Viewing Point on a clifftop site at the unique Blasket Centre in beautiful County Kerry. The new viewing point provides stunning views of the Atlantic coast and the Blasket Islands, a group of six islands located off the coast of County Kerry.

The centre, situated at the tip of the Dingle Peninsula in the heart of a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area), honours the community that once lived on the remote islands. Well worth a visit, the centre illustrates the islanders’ ultimate commitment to a sustainable existence alongside the unique literary heritage of the Great Blasket Island.

For those who like to combine luxury with sustainability, the perfect destination is the Killeavy Castle Estate in County Armagh, recently completed and opened with strong eco-credentials built in.

Named winner of the Luxury Castle Hotel (Europe) Award at the prestigious World Luxury Awards 2021, the hotel is renowned for its environmental consciousness and passion for sustainability.

From saving water to zero plastic, the hotel’s heartbeat is sustainable practices. Guests can even enjoy the sights and sounds of the estate’s working farm, which supplies its restaurant with everything from Cheviot lamb and Longhorn beef to fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs picked daily from a vast walled garden or foraged from the extensive onsite woodlands.

Amazing experiences to be found close to the castle or on site include estate walks, cycling, golf, distillery tours and guided walks to the top of nearby Slieve Gullion mountain, as well as electric biking on a network of trails, and forest bathing right beside the hotel.

www.ireland.com

Puerto Rico Tightens Entry Requirements For American Tourists

Puerto Rico—one of the most popular destinations for U.S tourists—has tightened its entry requirements following the Omicron outbreak. Until now, Puerto Rico hadn’t changed its entry requirements since Omicron emerged.

The new restrictions will start just after Christmas day.

The New Restrictions In Full

Starting December 27, all passengers arriving in Puerto Rico via domestic flights must show a negative COVID-19 test taken 48 hours prior to departure regardless of their vaccination status. Otherwise, travelers will have to take a test on arrival and be subject to fines.

Unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for 7 days on arrival regardless of whether they provide a positive or negative COVID-19 test. Puerto Rico requires all vaccinated travelers to upload an official vaccination card through the Travel Declaration Form portal.

Also, Puerto Rico will require all establishments serving food and drink—such as restaurants and bars—to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken 48 hours prior to arrival starting December 27.

Puerto Rico officials also that those between the ages of 5 and 11 years old can attend large outdoor events by providing negative COVID-19 tests taken 48 hours prior to arrival throughout January.

However, starting February 1, 2022, those between 5 and 11 years old will be subject to the same guidelines as adults. Therefore, they will need proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test taken 48 hours prior to arrival to enter large outdoor events.

Travelers Arriving On International Flights

The rules for tourists arriving on international flights are slightly different. From December 6, all tourists arriving on international flights must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one day prior to departure along with proof of vaccination.

Non-U.S. citizens and long-term residents will need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before traveling by air to the United States from a foreign country.

The New Restrictions Within The Island: What You Should Know

Mask Usage

Puerto Rico requires all travelers—regardless of their vaccination status—to wear masks in indoor places. Unvaccinated people between 2 and 11 must wear masks in public areas, including outdoor areas, when social distancing isn’t possible.

Ferries operating to and from Culebra and Vieques require passengers to wear masks for the duration of the journey Beaches

All public beaches remain open despite the increase in restrictions; however, travelers should follow social distancing guidelines on all beaches.

Restaurants

From December 27, all establishments serving food and drink will require citizens and tourists to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to arrival

Businesses And Other Establishments

Most businesses in Puerto Rico require all travelers to wear masks regardless of vaccination status Some businesses will require proof of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination upon arrival, depending on the business Events

From December 22, everyone attending mass events in Puerto Rico must provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test taken 48 hours prior to arrival. This includes mass events taking place at theaters, coliseums, stadiums, convention centers, and amphitheaters.

The Current COVID-19 Situation In Puerto Rico

Cases have skyrocketed in Puerto Rico thanks to the Omicron variant. The current 7-day case average is 5,712; that’s more than double the 7-day case average of any time during the pandemic.

Puerto Rico has a high vaccination rate with 5.84 million vaccine doses given and 76.6% of the population fully vaccinated.

Source: https://www.traveloffpath.com/

Flight Cancellations Snarl Holiday Plans For Thousands

Airlines continued to cancel hundreds of flights Saturday because of staffing issues tied to COVID-19, disrupting holiday celebrations during one of the busiest travel times of the year.

FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, noted nearly 1,000 canceled flights entering, leaving or inside the U.S. Saturday, up from 690 flights scrapped on Friday. Over 250 more flights were already canceled for Sunday. FlightAware does not say why flights are canceled.

Delta, United and JetBlue had all said Friday that the omicron variant was causing staffing problems leading to flight cancellations. United spokesperson Maddie King said staffing shortages were still causing cancellations and it was unclear when normal operations would return. “This was unexpected,” she said of omicron’s impact on staffing. Delta and JetBlue did not respond to questions Saturday.

According to FlightAware, the three airlines canceled more than 10% of their scheduled Saturday flights. American Airlines also canceled more than 90 flights Saturday, about 3% of its schedule, according to FlightAware. American spokesperson Derek Walls said the cancellations stemmed from “COVID-related sick calls.” European and Australian airlines have also canceled holiday-season flights because of staffing problems tied to COVID-19.

For travelers, that meant time away from loved ones, chaos at the airport and the stress of spending hours standing in line and on the phone trying to rebook flights. Peter Bockman, a retired actor, and his daughter Malaika, a college student, were supposed to be in Senegal on Saturday celebrating with relatives they hadn’t seen in a decade. But their 7:30 p.m. flight Friday from New York to Dakar was canceled, which they found out only when they got to the airport. They were there until 2 a.m. trying to rebook a flight.

“Nobody was organizing, trying to sort things out,” he said, faulting Delta for a lack of customer service. “Nobody explained anything. Not even, ‘Oh we’re so sorry, this is what we can do to help you.’”

Their new flight, for Monday evening, has a layover in Paris, and they are worried there will be issues with that one as well. They have already missed a big family get-together that was scheduled for Saturday.

FlightAware’s data shows airlines scrapped more than 6,000 flights globally for Friday, Saturday and Sunday combined as of Saturday evening, with almost one-third of affected flights to, from or within the United States. Chinese airlines made up many of the canceled flights, and Chinese airports topped FlightAware’s lists of those with most cancellations. It wasn’t clear why. China has strict pandemic control measures, including frequent lockdowns, and the government set one on Xi’an, a city of 13 million people, earlier this week.

Employees who answered the phone Sunday at customer hotlines for Air China and China Eastern airlines said they had received no notice of cancelations of flights to or from the United States.

Air China usually flies between New York City and Shanghai twice a week. China Eastern has two weekly flights to Los Angeles, one from Beijing and the other from the southern city of Shenzhen. Another Chinese airline, Hainan Airlines, suspended flights to the United States early in the pandemic.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China’s flight schedule through the end of March shows a total of 408 international flights planned per week. That is down 21% from a year earlier.

Flight delays and cancellations tied to staffing shortages have been a regular problem for the U.S. airline industry this year. Airlines encouraged workers to quit in 2020, when air travel collapsed, and were caught short-staffed this year as travel recovered.

To ease staffing shortages, countries including Spain and the U.K. have reduced the length of COVID-19 quarantines by letting people return to work sooner after testing positive or being exposed to the virus.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian was among those who have called on the Biden administration to take similar steps or risk further disruptions in air travel. On Thursday, the U.S. shortened COVID-19 isolation rules for health care workers only.

New Year’s Eve In Times Square Still On, With Smaller Crowd

NEW YORK (AP) — Revelers will still ring in the new year in New York’s Times Square next week, there just won’t be as many of them as usual under new restrictions announced Thursday as the city grapples with a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Viewing areas that normally accommodate about 58,000 people will be limited to about 15,000 to allow for more distancing, and everyone in attendance must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news release announcing the changes.

“There is a lot to celebrate and these additional safety measures will keep the fully vaccinated crowd safe and healthy as we ring in the New Year,” de Blasio said, noting the city’s success in getting residents vaccinated while also keeping businesses open.

The added precautions for New Year’s Eve in Times Square were spurred by the rapid spread of the omicron variant in the Big Apple, where lines for testing have snaked around blocks in recent days.

On Wednesday, the city set yet another one-day testing record with 22,808 new cases, though a true comparison to the number of cases during the initial COVID-19 surge in spring 2020 is impossible because tests were very limited at the time.

Because of vaccinations, hospitalizations and deaths from the current surge are far fewer than at the pandemic’s height.

China Puts City Of 13 Million In Lockdown Ahead Of Olympics

BEIJING (AP) — China plunged a city of 13 million people into lockdown on Thursday to stamp out an increase in coronavirus infections, as the country doubles down on its “zero tolerance” policy just weeks before it is set to host the Winter Olympics.

The restrictions in the northeastern city of Xi’an took effect at midnight Wednesday, with no word on when they might be lifted. They are some of the harshest since China imposed a strict lockdown last year on more than 11 million people in and around the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019.

One person from each household will be allowed out every two days to buy household necessities, a government order said. Other family members were required to stay at home, although the rule was not being rigorously enforced, according to social media posts. People who happened to be staying in hotels became stuck.

There was no word on whether the new cases were of the recently identified omicron variant that appears more contagious and is driving surges in many parts of the world — or the previous version, delta. China has reported just seven omicron cases so far, but none in Xi’an.

Though the latest outbreak is 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) southwest of the Olympic host city of Beijing, any sign that the pandemic might be worsening in China will raise questions about whether and how it will manage to welcome thousands of athletes, officials and journalists when the Games open in just weeks on Feb. 4.

On the one hand, there is a tremendous amount of national pride and investment riding on the Olympics and few would want a cancellation, postponement or dramatic reimagining at this late stage. On the other, Chinese authorities have adopted draconian measures throughout the pandemic under their policy of seeking to stamp out every last case — and it’s hard to see how welcoming so many people from abroad will square with that strategy.

That “zero tolerance” policy, which has led to frequent lockdowns, universal masking and mass testing, has not been entirely successful. It has resulted in massive disruptions to travel and trade, but Beijing credits it with largely containing the spread of the virus. Overall, China has reported 4,636 deaths and 100,644 cases of COVID-19.

Xi’an — the capital of Shaanxi province, famed for its imperial relics, as well as a major center of industry — reported another 63 locally transmitted cases on Thursday, pushing the city’s total to at least 211 over the past week.

China has also been dealing with a substantial coronavirus outbreak in several cities in the eastern province of Zhejiang near Shanghai, although isolation measures there have been more narrowly targeted.

“We are not receiving any new guests, and no present guests are allowed to leave the hotel,” said a receptionist at the Hanting Hotel in Xi’an, who only gave her surname, Li.

Universal Orlando Reinstates Mask Rule As COVID Cases Rise

Universal Orlando is reinstating its mask requirements beginning Christmas Eve as COVID-19 cases are surging as a result of the omicron variant.

Daily cases of coronavirus have quadrupled in the past week in the state of Florida, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalizations have increased by 12%, the CDC says.

But one of the largest hospital networks in Miami, Jackson Health, has reported twice as many COVID-19 patients on Thursday than it had a week ago.

Universal Orlando says masks will be required at all public indoor locations and at all attractions from the moment guests enter the lines to when they leave. A lot of lines for rides and shows in the resort theme parks start in outdoor areas.

The resort has seen a busy holiday season with popular rides this week reporting waits of up to three hours.

The requirements will be for guests and employees regardless of vaccination status and will cover restaurants, shops, and indoor hotel public areas.

Walt Disney World earlier this year relaxed its face covering rules to require them only indoors, and has not announced any decision to revise their policy.

France Seeks To Avoid A Lockdown With Tougher Vaccine Rules

Facing a jump in COVID-19 hospitalizations, France’s government is trying to push through a law requiring vaccination to enter any restaurant and many other public places, and warning of tougher measures if the current surge of infections doesn’t recede.

The government on Tuesday dropped efforts to require a health pass for all workplaces, however, amid opposition from unions and employers..

French Prime Minister Jean Castex spent the day Tuesday meeting with French mayors and lawmakers to persuade them to support tougher vaccine rules.

French travelers and families, meanwhile, were flocking to virus testing tents ahead of the holidays.

France’s virus hospitalization numbers have shot up in recent weeks, with some 16,000 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 60% of the country’s ICU beds occupied by virus patients, according to the state health agency. Confirmed weekly virus infections are at the highest level in France since the pandemic began.

Most are infected with the delta variant, but more than one in three new cases in the Paris region is the fast-spreading omicron variant, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said.

“We don’t have a second to lose,” he told reporters. “The situation in the hospitals is tense.”

The French government wants a law passed by Jan. 15 requiring vaccination to enter restaurants and many public venues, he said. Currently a “health pass” is required to enter all such spaces in France, but people can get the pass with either a vaccination certificate, a negative virus test or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19.

France also is ramping up vaccination and booster efforts, with doses made available to all children 5-11 starting Wednesday. More than 89% of French people 12 and over have had at least two vaccine shots, and about 40% of adults have had three doses, Attal said.

US Advises Against Travel To Ukraine, Citing Russia Threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department advised Americans on Monday to avoid travel to Ukraine because of “increased threats” from Russia amid its military buildup along the country’s border.

In its new travel advisory, the department said Americans should be “aware of reports that Russia is planning for significant military action against Ukraine” and that security could deteriorate in the country.

The State Department regularly issues travel advisories and had one in place for Ukraine already because of COVID-19. But this was unusual because of the direct warning about the massing of Russian troops along the Ukraine border, which has caused soaring tensions between Moscow and Washington in recent days.

American citizens choosing to visit the country despite the warning “should be aware that Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine would severely impact the U.S. Embassy’s ability to provide consular services, including assistance to U.S. citizens in departing Ukraine,” it said.

U.S. intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops and is preparing for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow denies it has any plans to attack, as it did in 2014 when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula, but says it wants guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO.

Travelore Facts: Yes, Masks Do Help Curb Spread Of COVID-19 On Planes

The CEO of a major airline suggested during a congressional hearing this week that face masks provide little value on planes — a claim that was quickly amplified online.

Citing high-quality filtration systems aboard planes, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly stated that “masks don’t add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment.”

But experts strongly disagree. Here are the facts.

CLAIM: Mask-wearing on planes is unnecessary because advanced air filtration systems sufficiently reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

THE FACTS: While it’s true that the common air filtration and distribution systems used in modern aircraft are highly effective at reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission among passengers, masks add another layer of protection for air travelers, experts told The Associated Press.

Kelly’s comments came during a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. After returning home from the hearing, Kelly tested positive for COVID-19, a Southwest spokesperson confirmed to the AP on Friday.

Quebec Limits Businesses To 50% Capacity

Bars, restaurants, stores and entertainment venues across the Canadian province of Quebec will be required to operate at 50% capacity because of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Quebec Premier François Legault announced new pandemic restrictions Thursday after new forecasts that hospitals in the province could reach capacity for COVID-19 patients within weeks. The new restrictions take effect Monday.

Churches and other faith venues will also must keep at half capacity and worshippers will have to show proof of vaccination. Parties at work are banned along with dancing and singing karaoke inside bars, clubs and restaurants.

Quebec also reversed a decision to allow larger indoor private gatherings beginning Dec. 23.

Live Theater In London, NYC Grapple With New Virus Outbreaks

NEW YORK (AP) — Many stages on both Broadway and the West End have been forced to go dark once more as the live theater community grapples with backstage outbreaks of the coronavirus and its variants, temporarily closing everything from London’s revival of “Cabaret” starring Eddie Redmayne to mighty “Hamilton” in New York.

“At the end of the day, we’ll follow the science, and the science will say, ‘You need to shut down this performance,’” Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday. “We anticipated that because they were telling us all along that if more people didn’t get their shots, that new variants would arrive and new variants would have cases. And guess what? It’s called omicron.”

On Broadway, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” canceled its Wednesday matinee, “Tina” canceled two shows on Wednesday and “Hamilton” has called off shows through Friday night. “Ain’t Too Proud” scrapped its Tuesday performance and “Freestyle Love Supreme” canceled two performances. “Mrs. Doubtfire,” which just opened and has been dark since Sunday, intends to resume performances Tuesday. ​​

“We still just had five of 32 shows with a canceled performance yesterday, which says the other 27 were working and the protocols work,” said St. Martin, who notes that many shows have daily staff testing.

“If somebody tests positive, even if it’s a false positive, they’re not allowed to go on and potentially infect everyone else. That should be a reason for safety and comfort, for not only the community, but our theatergoers.”

Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association, which represents actors and stage managers, said the cancellation of shows means that Broadway producers are taking cases seriously and acting appropriately.

“The fact that performances are being paused shows that the producers and the unions are staying vigilant,” McColl said in a statement. “That’s what the safety protocols are there to be in place for, and this shows that they’re working.

During the more than 18 months that Broadway was closed, many theaters adjusted, adding rigorous personal testing and installing portable air fans and air filters with MERV-13 or HEPA technology. But old theaters are uniquely risky when it comes to transmission, with narrow backstage spaces and staff that often crowd. St. Martin said a booster campaign is being worked on.

London’s rocketing coronavirus infection rate, driven by the omicron variant, is also sparking a slew of cancellations among West End shows.

It’s a big blow to the theater sector in both cities, which have only recently reemerged after more than a year of lockdown and counts on the holiday season for a big chunk of their incomes.

UK shows including “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” “Life of Pi,” “Come from Away” and “Matilda the Musical” canceled one or more performances this week because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Others have gone further: The National Theatre has pulled the plug on “Hex” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” for the next two weeks “due to company illness.”

The Donmar Warehouse has canceled performances of “Force Majeure,” about an avalanche and its consequences, until Dec. 29 after several members of the company tested positive.

“It is sadly ironic that we must cancel performances of this brilliantly funny show titled ‘Force Majeure’ because of a… force majeure event,” said artistic director Michael Longhurst.

Shows that remain open fear audiences will stay away after public health authorities warned people to cut back on socializing to help slow the spread of omicron.

New rules that took effect this week in London mean that theatregoers have to show a negative coronavirus test or proof of vaccination to be admitted. At “Cabaret,” the rules were even stronger: All attendees, even those fully vaccinated, were required to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the theater.

In New York, the rules have tightened for children: All kids aged 5 to 11 must now show proof of receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to attend a Broadway show and must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult. If the child has been vaccinated less than 14 days before the performance, he or she must also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test for entry.

Madison Square Garden said late Thursday that it would comply and ask for proof that children ages 5 to 11 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to gain access to the holiday show at Radio City Music Hall and its Cirque du Soleil show.

And the Metropolitan Opera is requiring the audience and employees to receive COVID-19 booster shots for entry starting Jan. 17. The company said anyone not yet eligible to receive a booster shot will be allowed a two-week grace period after they become eligible.

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France To Restrict Travel From Britain To Fight Omicron

PARIS (AP) — France will sharply restrict travel to and from Britain because of fast-spreading cases of the omicron coronavirus variant, putting limits on reasons for traveling and requiring 48-hour isolation upon arrival, the government said Thursday.

The move suddenly disrupted travel plans for families and others on both sides of the English Channel. Travelers questioned whether the measures were politically driven, and U.K. officials suggested they were pointless.

With omicron now seeded around the world, “red list” travel bans “wouldn’t be effective or proportionate,” said Boris Johnson’s spokesman, Max Blain. He said Johnson hadn’t spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron about the move, and that Britain doesn’t plan to take a reciprocal measure.

The new French measures will take effect first thing Saturday, just after midnight, “in the face of the extremely rapid spread of the omicron variant in the U.K.”, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said in a statement.

The French government is holding a special virus security meeting Friday that will address growing pressure on hospitals in France from rising infections in recent weeks. Delta remains the dominant variant in France, but omicron is spreading so fast in Britain that it’s raising concerns across the Channel.

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on BFM television that tourism and business travel to and from Britain will be strongly curtrailed, and all those arriving from Britain will need to have a negative virus test less than 24 hours old, and to test again upon arrival and isolate “in a place they choose” for at least 48 hours pending the result.

The measures will apply to vaccinated travelers as well as unvaccinated travelers.

U.K. travel industry officials expressed dismay at the French restrictions, describing the new rules as a hammer blow to the industry. Travel officials demanded government help for battered businesses.

“The winter sports and school travel markets are particularly exposed, and the government must now bring forward a support package if we are not to see company failures and job losses,” said Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel and trade association Abta.

Tanzer said the sector has had little opportunity to make money since the start of the pandemic nearly two years ago, and will now be faced with another wave of cancellations.

There are several hundred flights scheduled between Britain and France over the week leading up to Christmas, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. That’s the equivalent of more than 90,000 seats, though the new restrictions mean they are likely to be largely empty.

The U.K. recorded the highest number of confirmed new COVID-19 infections Wednesday since the pandemic began, and England’s chief medical officer warned the situation is likely to get worse as the omicron variant drives a new wave of illness during the Christmas holidays.

According to France’s new measures, citizens of any EU country can still enter France from Britain, in addition to non-EU citizens with a long-term EU residency permit or long-term visa, and some other categories of people including truckers who are only transiting France, diplomats and health care workers. All other foreigners are not allowed in.

People will only be allowed to leave France for Britain if they aren’t French, or if they have an urgent health or legal reason to travel.

The abrupt move comes after weeks of political tensions between France and Britain over post-Brexit fishing rights and how to deal with migration in dangerous small boats across the English Channel.

It also comes as France’s government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown or stricter measures that would hurt the economy and cloud President Emmanuel Macron’s expected campaign for the April presidential election.

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Hard Rock International Buying The Mirage In Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hard Rock International said Monday it wants to see how a guitar-shaped hotel will play in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

In what MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle called “a significant milestone for MGM Resorts and for Las Vegas,” the companies announced that MGM Resorts will sell operations of The Mirage to Hard Rock International in a cash deal worth nearly $1.1 billion.

Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel at the 80-acre (32-hectare) property, Hard Rock chairman, Jim Allen, said in a statement.

The sale marks the end of an era for a property credited with helping transform Las Vegas from a gambling hub into an ultra-luxury resort destination with broader appeal.

The Mirage, developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, opened with a Polynesian theme more than three decades ago.

Its iconic volcano fountain was among Las Vegas’s first strip-side attractions, pre-dating the Venetian’s canals and the Bellagio’s fountains. It was known as a venue where tourists could see Siegfried and Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles soundtrack.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the volcano will remain at the property, which MGM Resorts acquired in 2000.

As traditional gambling industry players shift their business focus to sports betting and expand in markets in Asia and the Middle East, the sale reflects the growing presence of tribal-run enterprises on the Strip.

When the Connecticut-based Mohegan Tribe opened a casino at the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas earlier this year, it became the first tribe to operate a Las Vegas casino.

And gaming regulators are expected this week to issue a decision on the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ bid to acquire the off-strip hotel-casino, The Palms.

The underlying Mirage real estate is now owned by MGM Growth Properties, which is being bought by New York-based VICI Properties in a $17.2 billion deal expected to close next year.

“This announcement marks the culmination of a series of transformational transactions for MGM Resorts during the last several years,” said Paul Salem, Chairman of the MGM Resorts board of directors.

He added: “The monetization of our entire real property portfolio, together with the addition of CityCenter and our agreement to acquire The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, will position the company with a fortress balance sheet, premier portfolio and significant financial resources to pursue our strategic objectives.”

Jonathan Halkyard, MGM Resorts treasurer and chief financial officer, said that as the real estate owner of The Mirage, VICI Properties will be expected to reach a new lease agreement with Hard Rock.

Allen said Hard Rock International will welcome The Mirage’s 3,500 employees to its roster.

He noted that his company had no previous involvement with the former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino that operated from 1995 to 2020 east of the Las Vegas Strip.

That property was purchased in 2018 and renovated and rebranded by Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Hard Rock International bought the naming rights in May 2020 with plans to eventually open a Las Vegas Strip property.

Under the terms of the agreement, MGM Resorts will keep The Mirage name and brand, licensing it to Hard Rock royalty-free for up to three years while it finalizes its plans to rebrand the property.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022, following regulatory approvals.

The sale is one of several involving MGM Resorts in recent months on Las Vegas Boulevard. The company currently operates 13 hotel-casino properties in Las Vegas and 32 worldwide.

The Las Vegas-based company said in July it would buy out its partner in the sprawling CityCenter development for $2.1 billion, take control of The Aria and Vdara resorts, and lease the property to New York private equity firm Blackstone Group for nearly $3.9 billion.

MGM Resorts still remains invested in the Strip, with properties including the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Luxor and New York-New York. The company announced in September it will buy the operations of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for $1.6 billion from Blackstone. That is part of a $5.65 billion deal to put ownership of the 3,000-room Cosmopolitan in hands of the Cherng Family Trust, headed by Panda Express billionaires Andrew and Peggy Cherng; real estate investment firm Stonepeak Partners; and a Blackstone real estate fund named Real Estate Income Trust Inc.

Philadelphia Will Require COVID-19 Vaccine For Anywhere Food Is Served Indoors, Including Restaurants And Wells Fargo Center

“This winter looks like it could be very difficult,” said Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole. “We have to do something to slow the spread now before it’s too late.”

by Laura McCrystal and Anthony R. Wood, https://www.inquirer.com/

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required to eat indoors, see a movie, attend a wedding, or go to a Sixers or Flyers game in Philadelphia starting in January, officials announced Monday, as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to surge in the city and state.

Anyone entering an establishment where food is served indoors will need to show proof of vaccination at the door as of Jan. 3.

“This winter looks like it could be very difficult,” said Philadelphia Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole. “We have to do something to slow the spread now before it’s too late.”

The announcement comes as Philadelphia’s rate of new cases of COVID-19 has doubled and hospitalizations have increased 50% in the past few weeks — a spike that officials blame on Thanksgiving, cold weather, and indoor gatherings. They are also bracing for the spread of the omicron variant, which is rapidly spreading through other countries and has been found across the United States — including a few cases in Philadelphia.

Rising case numbers have raised concerns on both sides of the Delaware River. In New Jersey on Monday, the 1,650 COVID-related hospitalizations represented an 81% increase from two weeks ago, said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. The unvaccinated constituted 80% of the hospitalizations.

In Pennsylvania, which has one of the highest case rates in the country, masking remains a source of contention among school districts. After the state Supreme Court struck down the school masking mandate on Friday afternoon, a number of districts in the region, including Central Bucks, the state’s third-largest, opted to make face coverings optional as of Monday.

But along with Philadelphia, other local and state governments are adding restrictions; New York’s statewide indoor mask mandate took effect Monday. Philadelphia’s indoor mask mandate remains in effect, and its new vaccine requirement is similar to policies already in place in New York City, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

Mayor Jim Kenney said he visited New York this month and found that it was easy to show his vaccine card. Philadelphia’s current surge in cases requires a similar policy, he said.

“The tipping point was our case counts and hospitalizations,” Kenney said. “We just don’t want to go back to where we were a year ago. And it’s really not that much of a burden to ask people to be vaccinated.”

Boosters aren’t part of the requirement. Proof of a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines is enough.

The vaccinations will be required “any place that sells food or drink to be consumed on-site,” Bettigole said.

“I’m all for it,” said Stephen Starr, who owns 15 restaurants in Philadelphia and at least a half-dozen in New York City, which implemented similar measures in August. But Jay Ho, who opened Mei Mei, a Chinese night spot in Old City, on 2020, said he feared he would lose customers.

“I’m all about the safety of the public,” he said, “but I’m afraid of the negative fallout.”

In addition to restaurants, affected establishments include bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys, sports venues, concert venues, casinos, food court seating areas, catering halls, and seated restaurants or bars inside the Philadelphia International Airport. Inside establishments such as museums and hotels, guests do not have to be vaccinated but they must present proof of vaccination to enter a restaurant or cafe area.

The mandate means that anyone attending an event at the Wells Fargo Center must be fully vaccinated. At Lincoln Financial Field, vaccination won’t be required for most of the stadium but will be mandatory for indoor areas such as suites.

This won’t have much impact on most music and entertainment venues. Since early October, indoor venues such as Met Philadelphia, Fillmore Philadelphia, and Theater of Living Arts, all are owned and operated by promoter Live Nation, have required visitors provide proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of the event.

Under the city’s mandate, between Jan. 3 and Jan. 17, people can show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 24 hours. Starting Jan. 17, only proof of vaccination will be accepted. There is no end date currently planned for the policy, which Bettigole said would be rolled back “as soon as we can.”

But she also didn’t rule out the possibility of further restrictions.

“We don’t know what’s coming,” Bettigole said. “We have winter and omicron on the horizon.”
People with medical or religious exemptions for vaccination or children under age 5 will still be permitted to dine indoors, but must present a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 24 hours to enter a venue that holds more than 1,000 people.

Some institutions are exempt from the mandate, including schools, day-care centers, hospitals, stores, and soup kitchens, or other places serving vulnerable populations.

Individual businesses will be responsible for checking the vaccination status of their own employees and patrons. Enforcement will work much like it has for the city’s mask mandate and other COVID-19 restrictions, with checks for compliance through complaint-driven inspections and regular food safety inspections, Bettigole said. Noncompliance could mean fines of up to $2,000 per day.

In New York, both the city and the state released apps that allow people to prove their vaccination status by storing photos of their vaccine card. The state’s Excelsior Pass also verifies that people who enter their information are in the state vaccination records.

But Philadelphia isn’t considering its own vaccine app, Managing Director Tumar Alexandar said Monday. He said some restaurants or event operators he spoke with last week mentioned they are in talks with technology companies to help them manage enforcement.

Kenney said he didn’t know New York had an app. He said he simply brought his passport and vaccine card.

“It worked very smoothly in restaurants, in delis, at theaters,” he said. “It wasn’t an issue at all.”

Inquirer staff writers Dan DeLuca, Maddie Hanna, Michael Klein, and Justine McDaniel contributed to this article.

Travelore Update: Brazil Justice Rules Vaccine Passport Mandatory For Visitors

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ruled Saturday that all travelers arriving in Brazil must present a vaccine passport documenting they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The decision from Luís Roberto Barroso challenges a more lenient rule announced by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, who has opposed mandatory immunization against the virus that can cause COVID-19.

Barroso’s ruling must be reviewed by all 11 judges of the Supreme Court next week.

The federal government announced Tuesday that travelers arriving in Brazil did not have to produce a vaccine passport though they would have to undergo a five-day quarantine.

In ruling on a petition filed by the Network Sustainability party, Barroso said monitoring the quarantines of thousands of travelers would be too difficult and would put Brazilians at risk.

“The threat of promoting anti-vaccine tourism, due to the imprecision of the regulations that require the voucher, represents an imminent risk,” Barroso said in the ruling.

Brazil’s president has argued that those backing the use of vaccine passports want to restrict freedoms of the population.

Austria To End Lockdown On December 12, But Not For Unvaccinated

BERLIN (AP) — Austria’s fourth national lockdown of the pandemic will end on Sunday but lockdown restrictions will remain for unvaccinated people, the country’s new chancellor said Wednesday.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the end of the lockdown will be a “opening with a seatbelt,” meaning some measures — such as an obligation to wear masks on public transportation and inside stores and public spaces — will stay in place also for people who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. There will also be an 11 p.m. curfew for restaurants and limits on the number of people attending cultural events.

Stricter measures can be implemented independently by regions that are especially affected by the pandemic, Nehammer said.

Nehammer stressed that unvaccinated people could end their lockdowns immediately by getting the jab, but also acknowledged that “it still takes a lot of convincing to get those who haven’t even been vaccinated yet.”
“The lockdown for the unvaccinated continues. I also understand that the people who are affected by it feel aggrieved,” Nehammer told reporters in Vienna. “At the same time, there is the offer of science, that by getting vaccinated these troubles can be quickly put aside and that then common freedom can actually be lived together.”

Austria has a relatively low vaccination rate for Western Europe, with just 67.7% of the population fully vaccinated. Tens of thousands have protested across the Alpine nation in recent weeks against the lockdown and the upcoming vaccine mandate.

The government announced last month that it would implement a vaccine mandate early next year and said Wednesday that details about the compulsory vaccinations will be presented later this week.

Under the lockdown, which started on Nov. 22, people were allowed to leave their homes only for specific reasons, including buying groceries, going to the doctor or exercising. Day care centers and schools remained open for those who need them, but parents were asked to keep children at home if possible.

The country’s seven-day infection rate declined by about half during the lockdown. It stood at 535.6 cases per 100,000 residents on Tuesday, down from more than 1,100 on the day the lockdown started.

Nehammer was sworn in Monday as Austria’s third chancellor in two months, capping a round of upheaval triggered by the decision last week of Sebastian Kurz, the country’s dominant political figure of recent years, to bow out of politics.

Nehammer, 49, has been Austria’s interior minister since early 2020. He also is taking over as leader of the conservative Austrian People’s Party, which Kurz led to election victories in 2017 and 2019.

Nine Top Things To Do At National Harbor During The Holidays

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—National Harbor is one of the Washington, D.C. region’s top destinations. With more than 12 million visitors a year, the waterfront destination is constantly adding new shops, restaurants and entertainment options to continue to delight guests. The holidays are no exception. The whole property is dressed up with more than two million lights. While Holidays at the Harbor features dozens of things to see and do, here are nine highlights:

1. See the 54-foot tree with its spectacular light show and a dazzling fireworks display following tree lighting on Saturdays. Tree lighting takes place every half hour daily starting at sunset through 9 p.m. (at the Belvedere event space , adjacent to Bond 45, 149 Waterfront St.) On Saturdays through Dec. 18, tree lighting is following by fireworks at 5:30 p.m.

2. Enjoy a classic holiday movie with Movies on the Potomac every Sunday through Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. on the waterfront screen (150 National Plaza.)

3. Gaylord National celebrates the season with its I Love Christmas MoviesTM exhibit. Participants walk through iconic scenes from favorite Christmas movies (some are the same movies being shown on the waterfront above,) in a multi-sensory experience. The fun continues with Christmas activities like the new ice bumper cars and snow tubing. Christmas on the Potomac runs through Dec 31.

4. MGM National Harbor brings back its annual tradition of Cirque Dreams Holidaze on Dec. 16-19—a family holiday spectacular that will delight all ages. It has been described as “A Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus artistry.” Don’t miss the MGM Conservatory while you’re there with its spectacular holiday design.

5. Grab a drink, make s’mores and catch up with friends at the new (pop-up) Gumdrop Tavern. This fun, creative drink spot (137 Waterfront St.) with a gingerbread theme features cocktails, mocktails, hot chocolate and s’more kits to enjoy indoors or on the outdoor patio with fire pits. Open through Jan. 9 from Thursday to Sunday with hours of 4 to 9 pm. Thursdays and Fridays and 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

6. Young children will want to visit National Harbor to see Santa and take in Storytime. Santa will be at The Capital Wheel on Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. Storytime takes place on Saturdays at 2 p.m. on American Way where Prince George’s County Library and Mahogany Books take turns reading to children.

7. Shop and Sip in the Waterfront District at National Harbor with dozens of unique boutiques and brands you know. Select Waterfront District retailers and restaurants will provide free hot chocolate on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. through Jan. 2. Free cocoa mugs will also be given out by select retailers with a purchase of $50 or more, while supplies last.

8. Keep up your golf swing over the holidays and relax with friends at Topgolf (6400 Clipper Way) with half-price Tuesdays and a special Holiday Bonus Card-a-thon (buy a $50 card, get $10 free.)

9. Mix fun with shopping at MGM National Harbor and Tanger Outlets. Shop Tanger’s 85 designer brands while you partake in a holiday scavenger hunt with Elf on the Shelf, a Christmas Tradition.

For more information about all of National Harbor’s holiday fun, visit www.NationalHarbor.com\hohoho.

Brazil To Quarantine Unvaccinated Airline Visitors

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil will require international travelers who aren’t vaccinated against the coronavirus to quarantine for five days in their city of destination after arriving by plane.

The decision issued by the ministries of health, justice, infrastructure and the government’s chief of staff was published in the nation’s official gazette Thursday.

The administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, who is unvaccinated himself, will start enforcing the measure Saturday. It is unclear how effectively Brazil can or will track those required to quarantine.

The head of the country’s health regulator, Antonio Barra Torres, told The Associated Press that the policy will “mean discouragement of anti-vaccine tourism to Brazil.”

The quarantine requirement “is a deterrent and educational measure,” Torres said by phone.

Travelers coming to Brazil still need to submit a negative PCR test result before boarding in their country of origin and submit a declaration to the country’s health regulator.

Unvaccinated travelers will have to take a new virus test after the five-day quarantine period and must check in with a health agency center that will have their addresses.

The Barnes Foundation Presents Water, Wind, Breath: Southwest Native Art In Community

Philadelphia, PA.—This spring, the Barnes Foundation will present Water, Wind, Breath: Southwest Native Art in Community, a major exhibition of historic and contemporary Southwest Native art, including Pueblo and Navajo pottery, textiles, and jewelry. Exploring living artistic traditions that promote individual and community well-being through their making and use, this exhibition is the Barnes’s first dedicated to Native American art and will be on view in the Roberts Gallery from February 20 through May 15, 2022.

This exhibition is sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and Comcast NBCUniversal. Additional support has been provided by Citizens and the Coby Foundation.
Terra Foundation for American Art,
Co-curated by Lucy Fowler Williams, associate curator-in-charge and Jeremy A. Sabloff Keeper of American Collections at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, and Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), curator of ethnology at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, Water, Wind, Breath: Southwest Native Art in Community features approximately 100 works, including objects that Dr. Albert C. Barnes collected in New Mexico in 1930 and 1931, as well as works by contemporary Native American artists that highlight the connections between historic pieces and modern practices.

“We are delighted to present this exhibition showcasing objects from the Barnes collection and exploring their artistic, cultural, and historical contexts alongside works by contemporary Native artists. It is a fitting show to kick off the Barnes’s centennial year and the tenth anniversary of our home in the heart of Philadelphia as it exemplifies what we strive to accomplish through our exhibition program: to provide thought-provoking, educational experiences and scholarship that explores our collection and resonates with our history,” says Thom Collins, Neubauer Family Executive Director and President. “We hope this project will bring Southwest Native art to the attention of a broad audience and forge new pathways for study and collaboration between Native and non-Native communities long into the future.”

Dr. Albert C. Barnes initially traveled to the Southwest for the health of his wife, Laura. On their first trip in 1929, the couple was hosted in Taos, New Mexico, by American art patron Mabel Dodge Luhan and her Pueblo husband, Tony Lujan, who introduced them to artists and activists who defended Native rights to land and religious practices. Archival correspondence reveals Dr. Barnes’s relationship with leading figures who influenced his collecting, including artist Andrew Dasburg and archaeologists Kenneth Chapman and Jesse Nusbaum (then director of the Museum of New Mexico), along with prominent traders across the region. In a letter to the French painter Henri Matisse, Dr. Barnes wrote about the harmony, religious seriousness, and communal nature of a Pueblo winter deer dance that he attended.

“Each part of this exhibition examines the histories and ideas that Dr. Barnes and other non-Native visitors to the Southwest were likely unaware of but that influenced the lives of Native peoples and the materials, forms, and design of the art objects they admired and collected,” say Lucy Fowler Williams and Tony Chavarria. “One of our goals with this exhibition is to uncover the importance of the ongoing generative practices of these arts within the contexts of their home communities, where they have adapted and quietly continued over generations, despite innumerable challenges. These art forms endure today as material expressions that mark meaningful connections to places, histories, and life forces, and their making and remaking bind, rebind, and renew essential relationships that nurture individual and community health and well-being.”

The exhibition is organized into five main sections—evoking the four cardinal directions surrounding a central dance plaza—including Pueblo pottery, Navajo weaving, silver jewelry making, and Dr. Barnes’s experiences in the Southwest. A final section examines the importance of the Pueblo dance as an enduring practice essential to communal health and well-being.

Exhibition highlights include:

Storage Jar (c. 1780), San Ildefonso Pueblo. The oldest Pueblo vessel in the Barnes collection, featuring designs of the cardinal directions and sacred wild turkey feathers.

Serape with Poncho Slit (c. 1840–60), Navajo. One of the oldest Navajo textiles in the Barnes collection, it will be on view for the first time in more than 20 years.

Squash Blossom Necklace (c. 1910–15), Navajo. One of 25 squash blossom necklaces collected by Dr. Barnes, who loved this symbolic jewelry form.

Virgil Ortiz’s (Cochiti Pueblo) clay work Tahu (2011) reclaims and retells histories of resistance to Spanish oppression in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

Melissa Cody’s (Navajo) 4th Dimension (2017) features a vibrant palette that speaks to Navajo weavers’ courage and survival after the destruction of their homes, sheep, and land by the federal
government in the 19th century.

Charles Loloma’s (Hopi) Beauty Within Bracelet (1976) combines turquoise and silver as signs of water, sky, and beauty hidden within.

Cara Romero’s (Chemehuevi) photograph Water Memory (2015) recalls the drought that brought her family’s ancestors to their present location on the land.

Roxanne Swentzell’s (Santa Clara Pueblo) Pin-da-getti (Strong Heart) (2021), a new sculpture that reminds us to renew our connections to the earth.

EXHIBITION ORGANIZATION This exhibition is organized by the Barnes Foundation and co-curated by Lucy Fowler Williams, associate curator at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), curator of ethnology at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe.

ABOUT THE CURATORS

Lucy Fowler Williams is associate curator-in-charge and Jeremy A. Sabloff Keeper of American Collections at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia. A cultural anthropologist, her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania examined the production and meanings of Tewa Pueblo textiles and embroidery in New Mexico. Before coming to Penn, she trained at the Indian Arts Research Center of the School of American Research, Santa Fe, and at the University of New Mexico. Some of her recent curatorial projects include the Penn Museum exhibition Native American Voices: The People—Here and Now (2014), the Louis Shotridge Digital Archive about the work and collections of a Tlingit Alaskan Indigenous curator (2011), and the exhibition Paths of Beauty: Pueblo Embroidered Garments of Isabel Gonzales and Shawn Tafoya at the Poeh Center Museum, Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico (2015). Foregrounding collaborative methodologies, her work examines issues of Native American identity and revitalization, museum histories of collecting and representation, textiles, and material culture.

Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo) is curator of ethnology at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe. He has over 30 years’ experience collaborating with tribes and curating Native material culture. He has curated many exhibitions at the museum, including Comic Art Indigéne (2008) and What’s New in New: Recent Acquisitions (2013). He is also co-curator for the first Native exhibition at Epcot Center, Creating Tradition: Innovation and Change in American Indian Art (2018–23). When possible, he is an occasional potter and artist.

CATALOGUE

This exhibition is accompanied by a 224-page catalogue published by the Barnes Foundation in association with Yale University Press that will serve as the collection catalogue to its Southwest art collection. A major new contribution to the field, this book offers the first in-depth scholarly examination of this outstanding collection within the cultural, historic, and artistic contexts of its source communities.

This book includes introductory essays on the formation of the collection based on extensive new archival research and on the experience and significance of Pueblo dance. Each medium—pottery, textiles, and jewelry—is studied in a dedicated section with entries on the objects including the most up-to-date technical information about each and the use and meanings of the objects for Native practitioners. This publication interprets the works from the perspectives of its makers and users within their lived contexts of circulation and meaning.

Developed in close collaboration with Native and non-Native scholars and practitioners to emphasize the perspectives and voices of the communities in which the objects were and continue to be made, this fully illustrated catalogue includes contributions by co-curators Lucy Fowler Williams, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, artist TahNibaa Naataanii (Navajo), and specialists Kenneth Williams (Arapaho/Seneca), Laurie D. Webster, and Robert Bauver.

For more details, please visit: https://www.barnesfoundation.org/plan-your-visit

Japanese Tourists Dock At International Space Station

MOSCOW (AP) — A Japanese billionaire and his producer rocketed to space on Wednesday and reached the International Space Station several hours later, the first visit by self-paying space tourists to the orbiting outpost in more than a decade.

Fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa and producer Yozo Hirano, who plans to film his mission, blasted off for the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin.

The trio lifted off as scheduled at 12:38 p.m. (0738 GMT) aboard Soyuz MS-20 from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan and successfully docked at the orbiting outpost almost six hours later.

In several more hours, the crew will be able to open the hatches and move to the space station from the Soyuz.

Maezawa and Hirano are scheduled to spend 12 days in space. The two are the first self-paying tourists to visit the space station since 2009. The price of the trip hasn’t been disclosed.

“I would like to look at the Earth from space. I would like to experience the opportunity to feel weightlessness,” Maezawa said during a pre-flight news conference on Tuesday. “And I also have a personal expectation: I’m curious how the space will change me, how I will change after this space flight.”

A company that organized the flight said Maezawa compiled a list of 100 things to do in space after asking the public for ideas. The list includes “simple things about daily life to maybe some other fun activities, to more serious questions as well,” Space Adventures President Tom Shelley said.

“His intention is to try to share the experience of what it means to be in space with the general public,” Shelley told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Maezawa made his fortune in retail fashion, launching Japan’s largest online fashion mall, Zozotown. Forbes magazine estimated his net worth at $2 billion.

The tycoon has also booked a flyby around the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship that is tentatively scheduled in the next few years. He’ll be joined on that trip by eight contest winners. ___

Travelore News: Dangerous Storm Threatens Havoc Across Hawaiian Archipelago

HONOLULU (AP) — From the empty shores of Oahu’s Waikiki Beach to the snowy summit of the Big Island’s highest peak, an unusually strong winter storm is clobbering the Hawaiian Islands and raising the threat of dangerous flash floods, landslides and crashing tree limbs.

The strong storm over the nation’s only island state left eloping couples without weddings and tourists stuck indoors. It also threatened the state’s infrastructure with a deluge of rain and wind.

Five boys between the ages of 9 and 10 were rescued from a raging creek by Honolulu Fire Department workers, a statement from the agency said.

Weather officials warned that slow-moving thunderstorms, high winds and heavy rains could persist through Wednesday and Gov. David Ige issued a state of emergency for all of the state’s islands Monday night.

Veterans and survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago planned to meet for the anniversary celebration Tuesday morning at Pearl Harbor. Navy spokesperson Brenda Way told The Associated Press in an email Monday that she has heard of no discussion of canceling the event because of the storms.

The National Weather Service said the storm brings the threat of “catastrophic flooding” in the coming days as a low pressure system slowly moves from east to west and lingered on the edge of the archipelago. The storm knocked out power in communities across Hawaii and the worst of the rain was just arriving in the state’s most populous island of Oahu Monday evening.

“Now is the time to make sure you have an emergency plan in place and supplies ready should you need to move away from rising water,” Ige said in a statement.

On Oahu, where four shelters had been opened, most of the beaches in Waikiki were empty Monday as only a few people walked with umbrellas during passing heavy showers. Roadways were flooding in the area and cars crept through downtown as water gushed out of manhole covers.

On Maui, power outages and flooding already have been reported, with more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain falling in some areas.

The relentless rain forced three couples from the U.S. mainland to postpone their Maui elopements, said Nicole Bonanno, owner of Bella Bloom Floral, a wedding florist and boutique in Wailea.

The weather also led to delayed flower deliveries, a lei company with no power and employees braving flooded roads littered with debris, Bonanno said.

“The roads, everything are a mess,” she said. “There are lots of trees down.”

resident Jimmy Gomes was waiting for the lights to come back at his home on Monday after losing power at 6 p.m. Sunday. His rain gauge measured 7 inches (17.78 centimeters): “I haven’t seen this kind of rain in a long time,” he said.

“Last night the wind was howling,” he said. “But this morning, it came in really foggy and it rained, then it stopped.”

Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth declared a state of emergency Sunday for potentially heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Some areas south of Hilo were hit hard with extremely heavy rain over the weekend, weather officials said.

All islands still face the threat of flash flooding, lightning strikes, landslides and strong winds over the next two days, according to the National Weather Service.

Oahu and Kauai could see the brunt of the storm Monday and Tuesday. But for Maui and the Big Island, which have already been soaked, “it’s not going to take a lot of additional rain to really lead to big problems,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologist Robert Ballard said.

The winter weather system known as a “Kona low” prompted emergency alerts throughout the weekend while delivering wind, rain and even blizzard conditions at some of Hawaii’s highest elevations.

A weekend blizzard warning was issued for the state’s highest peak, on the Big Island.

Snow is not rare at the summit of Mauna Kea, which is nearly 14,000 feet (4,270 meters) high. The last time there was a blizzard warning for the summit was in 2018. No residents live at the summit, but there are telescope observatories and other offices where officials work.

The weather service said there were reports of 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow on the road below the top of Mauna Kea, and officials were working to get to the summit to get more measurements. The forecast was for a foot of snow at the mountain’s peak.

There were also strong winds, with gusts of nearly 90 mph (138 kph) recorded atop Mauna Kea.

Other areas at lower elevations also saw strong winds, with gusts above 50 mph (80 kph) recorded at several locations across the state, according to weather officials.

Kona low is a type of low pressure system that forms near Hawaii during the winter season, and it has some unique meteorological characteristics, said Ballard, the National Weather Service’s science and operation officer in Hawaii.

“What we tend to see are a tremendous amount of tropical moisture gets drawn up from equatorial regions. Kona lows tend to move slowly and so they can keep heavy rain and thunder showers focused over one area for a prolonged amount of time, and they can also cause pretty strong to damaging winds,” Ballard said.

Hawaii has aging dams across the state that have been problematic during previous storms. In 2006, an earthen wall of Kauai’s Kaloko Reservoir collapsed during heavy rain and sent a wave of water and mud rushing down a hillside. Seven people, including a pregnant woman, were killed.

Rainfall in March caused fears that a dam had breached on Maui when floodwaters destroyed homes and inundated roadways. The same storm system brought damaging floods to Oahu and a landslide on Kauai.

Ballard said other state and federal agencies monitor dams, but that these are the conditions that people need to be cautious of.

“It’s just a situation that we need to continue to monitor and be aware of and make sure that folks understand that this is the type of situation where we can get flash flooding that happens very, very suddenly,” Ballard said.