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MoMA comes to Berlin

Key works from the Museum of Modern Art in New York will be on display at the National Gallery in Berlin from March 11 until May 29. Visitors will be treated to more than 260 exhibits, including items from Lee Bontecou and Joseph Beuys, drawings by Elisabeth Peyton and John Currin, and collages from Nick Mauss, Mona Hatoum and Martin Kippenberger. (www.smb.museum)

Travelers heading to the Dominican Republic will be able to visit a brand-new shipwreck museum located in the city of Samana. The Deep Blue Marine museum is home to large numbers of artifacts that have been recovered from shipwrecks in and around the waters of Hispaniola. Objects on display include those retrieved from the French warship Le Scipion, which fought in the American War of Independence. A state-of-the-art conservation laboratory demonstrates how the objects are saved for posterity. (www.godominicanrepublic.com)

New Orleans kicks off Carnival

New Orleans on Thursday kicked off the Carnival season - which will be extra long this year. By the time Carnival celebrations wrap up March 8, about 100 parades will have rolled through area streets or float down waterways.

The first was the Phunny Phorty Phellows on Thursday night. The group rides a St. Charles Avenue streetcar on Twelfth Night - which for some Christians marks the end of the Christmas season - to kick off the debauchery associated with Carnival.

First gay museum in the US

The US's first gay museum opening in San Francisco's Castro district showcases a variety of items ranging from Harvey Milk's pink-framed sunglasses to manuscripts and sex toys.

The 1,600-square-foot museum, which opens Wednesday, chronicles the evolution of what organizers call the liberation of the gay, bisexual and transgender community.

UK pubs stay late for royal wedding

Britain's government says the country's pubs will likely be allowed to stay open late to toast Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding.

Home Office minister James Brokenshire said in a statement Wednesday that all licensed premises could be allowed to serve customers until 1 am.

The government plans to consult with the entertainment industry on the plan. Currently, only bars and pubs with special licenses are allowed to stay open past the traditional final drinks call at 11 pm.

Brokenshire said the relaxation will apply April 29, the date of the royal wedding - which has already been made a public holiday, meaning Britons have the day off - and the following day.

A high-speed railway opened on Thursday in Hainan, China's southernmost province, greatly cutting travel time along the island's eastern coast.

The Donghuan (East Ring) Railway is 308 kilometers long, links up the cities of Haikou, the provincial capital, and Sanya, as well as a number of popular tourist destinations along the way.

The trip between the two cities takes about 82 minutes at a speed of 250 km per hour, half the time it takes by road.

Airline news and deals

Flight route resumed: China Southern Airlines will resume round-trip flights between Zhengzhou and Nanning by way of Changsha on Jan 16 after it canceled the flights in last March. The flights will be on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays.

New flight route added: Air China will opens a new round-trip route between Hefei and Chongqing, four flights a week. The number of the flight taking off at Hefei is CA4560 and the plane is a Boeing 737.

More flights during Spring festival: Shantou Airport will open 180 more flights offering a total of 250,000 seats during the Spring festival travel peak that is expected to start on Jan 19 and end on Feb 27 with total of 40 days.

Deutsche Presse Agentur - Associated Press - China Daily

(China Daily 01/16/2011 page16)