A minister in Nigeria in charge if the capital, Abuja, has banned “okada” motorbikes citing high accidents rates and being used as getaway vehicles in armed robberies across the city. At the last minute, an extra 150 buses were made available on Abuja's streets, but the public transport system is struggling to cope with the extra demand and fares have almost doubled. Prince Ngige, 26, who says he is the secretary of a branch of the okada drivers' union accuses the government of being insensitive and says, “In the next three or four days, the rate of crime will increase because you know that an idle mind is the devil's workshop.”

North Africa & Sahara Travel Day on Tuesday 21st November 2006 At the Exmouth Centre, 26 Exmouth Market, London EC1

Coffee will be served from 9.00am First film screening, 9-10.30 am Morning session: 10.30-12.30am Lunch hour 12.30-1.30pm: make your own arrangements amongst the cafes, bars and restaurants on Exmouth Market, though for those bringing their own sandwiches there will be a second film screening Second session: 1.30pm-3.30pm Tea, 3.30-4 pm Afternoon session: 4-6pm Drinks will be served from 6.30pm to launch re-publication of Red Moon & High Summer.

Speakers, writers, photographers and film-makers will be on hand to discuss various aspects of travel and life in North Africa.

Julian Richards will be showing his recent film, With the Nomads and at 6.30 pm there will be the launch party of Red Moon & High Summer with bookshop table, textiles and jewellery (of which at least 10% of price will be donated) to benefit Sophie Sarin’s venture to equip and support a nurse on a pirogue on the Niger river.

TICKETS for the event – which include an invitation to the evening launch party – are £15 per person, please make cheques payable to “North Africa & Sahara Travel” and post to North Africa & Sahara Travel Day, Third Floor, 61 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL

Need to convert currency?

Take a look at The Globetrotters Currency Converter – get the exchange rates for 164 currencies The Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet – create and print a currency converter table for your next trip.

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid

Love ‘em or hate ‘em (the Beetle prefers Café Nero in London,) Starbucks is coming to town. Starbucks is planning to increase its long-term store expansion target to 40,000 outlets around the world, more than triple the existing number. They currently have 12,000 global outlets, and envisage that half of the planned 40,000 stores will be in the US and the other half overseas – they are aiming to expand into China, India, Egypt, Brazil and Russia.

If you have a travellers tale that your aching to tell. Then why not visit the “Travel Sized Bites” section of the Website and share it with the world. Travel Sized Bites

Spotted by webmaster Paul: the show will appear in Calais 28 September – 1 October) and in Le Havre 26 – 29 October 2006.

Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) is set to launch two low-cost carriers — one for international services, one for domestic — by sometime in the first half of 2007, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun daily.

The move by ANA, Japan's second-largest airline, would aim at competing with other low-cost carriers ahead of a planned expansion of Tokyo's Haneda Airport, which is scheduled to complete a fourth runway in 2009.

US President George W Bush has signed a controversial bill into law that will pay for a 700-mile fence (1,125km) fence along the border with Mexico.

The barrier, equipped with hi-tech surveillance equipment, will be built in areas where many illegal immigrants cross over into the United States. The outgoing Mexican President, Vicente Fox, has called the fence shameful, and compared it to the Berlin Wall.

An outbreak of dengue fever has so far killed 38 people in and around the Indian capital, Delhi. Nearly 3,000 dengue cases have been reported, three of them close relatives of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Health officials are playing down the threat, telling people not to panic and to develop better sanitation.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease which affects Indians every year in the weeks following the monsoon, when mosquitoes breed in pools of stagnant water. Dengue is easily cured but can be fatal if not treated in time.