OSCAR NOMINEES URGED TO REJECT FREE TRIP

Palestinians are urging Oscar nominees to decline a free trip to the Israel sponsored by the Israeli government. Tourism Ministry spokeswoman Lydia Weitzman says 26 stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon Israel are being offered gratis ten-day luxury vacations.

Nathan Chan is a 22 year old musician. He booked two seats from Vancouver to Toronto - one for himself and one for his cello. The booking was made with American Airlines, (which allows passengers to purchase an extra seat to bring an instrument into the cabin) but the flight was operated by WestJet which does not.

Over 30 years have passed since the infamous "Patty Wars" were waged in Toronto. Now Jamaican Patty Day is a peaceful and tasty affair. This year, the Jamaica Tourist Board will be paying homage to this humble treat with a "Patty Party" at the Drake Hotel's 86'd event on February 22.

Forget the negative headlines from the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates thinks it's time to focus on something brighter instead. Prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce a new Cabinet that includes the country's first-ever “minister of state for happiness.”

February is here and that means that love is in the air. As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, many Canadians have romance on their minds. So, do you ever wonder just what kind of impact vacationing has on Canadians in terms of love, lust and romance?

Montreal taxi and limousine drivers targeted the city's airport Wednesday as part of their protest against Uber. Meanwhile, a newly formed group of Toronto taxi drivers says it will go on strike during Friday's afternoon rush hour.

A Chinese woman going from Wuhan to Guangzhou was flying solo last week. She was not only travelling without a companion, she was travelling without any other passengers on the Southern China Airlines plane that normally transports 137 passengers.

A Manitoba aboriginal leader is filing a complaint over the handling of sacred items in his pipe bundle by security staff at Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Grand Chief Derek Nepinak of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says he told a screening officer on Monday what was in the bundle before it went through the X-ray machine.

An Indian-American actor and designer who wasn't allowed to board a Mexico City-to-New York flight after refusing to remove his turban said Tuesday that he is satisfied with an apology from the airline.

Seven months after the Pan Am Games and five months after the Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto hotels are looking forward to another boon. The city can expect thousands of tourists to arrive for the first NBA All-Star Game to take place outside of the United States. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment estimates revenue from the games will reach up to $100 million.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson has called for the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the voyage of the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas that ran into high winds and rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend.

A Florida advertising agency has an enchanting image of a snowy egret with its head plumage blowing on end. In the past the picture has been used with the tagline, ‘Bad hair day’, but now with a national election on the horizon - the coiffure of the heron is realizing greater potential in its similarity to a particular political candidate.