A US appeals court ruled that an airline that forced an elderly woman to check a bag with her medical devices must bear responsibility for her subsequent death after losing the bag. A lower court ruled in 2002 that Americans Airlines parent company AMR and BWIA International Airways should pay USD$226,238.81 to Caroline Neischer's relatives because she died soon after her bag was lost. Mrs Neischer’s said it was the first case of its kind. “The significance of the case is that never before has an airline been held liable for the death of a passenger caused by delayed or missing baggage.” Mrs Neischer, who spent most of her life in her native Guyana, died at age 75 after flying from Los Angeles to Guyana in 1997. After Mrs Neischer transferred from an American Airlines flight in New York, a ground agent forced her to check a bag that contained a breathing device to treat her respiratory problems. The agent promised she would be given the bag immediately upon arriving in Guyana. However, the bag was lost and Neischer died days later.

From January 7 2005, London Underground Piccadilly line trains heading for Heathrow's Terminal 4 station will not go beyond Hatton Cross.

Passengers will have to take a shuttle bus from Hatton Cross to Terminal 4.

Piccadilly line services to the Heathrow Terminal 1, 2 and 3 station will not be affected, although there will be no direct service to this station on the weekend of January 8 and 9, 2005.

The long-term closure of Terminal 4 station is due to work on the Piccadilly line extension to the under-construction Heathrow Terminal 5. London Underground have said that during the 20-month period, the Terminal 4 journey should 'only take about five minutes longer than now', while trips to Terminal 1, 2 and 3 will be slightly quicker.

Around 2,500 people travel to and from Terminal 4 by Tube each day.

Air passengers flying to the US may have to board their planes an hour before take-off to allow for more rigorous security checks. US Homeland Security undersecretary Asa Hutchinson said the current practice of airlines giving the names of passengers to US officials 15 minutes after take-off did not make sense. Officials want the information earlier so they can check travellers' details against those of suspects on their security watch lists before the plane is in the air, he said.

The airline industry responded by saying any proposals needed careful discussion, adding that they could cause problems with connecting flights and increase the number of passengers who book seats on flights and then fail to show up.

Under a deal signed in May 2004, the United States is able to access personal information on every passenger flying from the 25 European Union countries, and since October 2004 most visitors to the United States have needed scans of their faces and fingers taken under its new US-VISIT program.

Anne writes in: I've been living in Mexico City for 8 months and I'd like to communicate to all the travellers to Mexico the address of a great French Bistro located in one of the most popular area of Mexico City, la Condesa.

Its atmosphere is warm and friendly, and the menu counts with delicious French and Mediterranean specialties. Moreover, the restaurant presents

fantastic photo exhibitions by Mexican and foreign artists, which change every 2 months, the photos being auctioned to the benefit of children living on the streets of Mexico City.

The prices are affordable (32 pesos for soups and salads, from 48 to 165 pesos for main dishes), the service excellent.

To get there:

PHOTO BISTRO Calle Citlaltepetl No. 23 (at the corner of Avenida Amsterdam, between Ozuluama and Campeche, close to the Chilpancingo metro station) Col. Hipodromo Condesa Mexico, D.F.

Tel : 5286 5945 Fax : 5211 9806 Email : photobistro@att.net.mx

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

If you want to change US dollars in Cuba, you will now have to pay a 10% tax on exchange. The move will affect Cuban citizens who receive money from relatives overseas as well as foreign visitors. The Cuban government said the move was a response to the toughening of the US embargo on Cuba wanted by the Bush administration. Cubans in the US can now only visit the island once every three years and can only send money to their immediate relatives. Cuba made US dollars legal tender a decade ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union forced it to accept foreign capital and legalise some forms of private enterprise. Expect a foreign exchange black market to appear.

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

Under 30? A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?

Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?

Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we'll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!

Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

1. Bahrain — Manama
2. Japan — Tokyo
3. Saudi Arabia — Riyadh
4. Somalia — Mogadishu
5. Burundi — Bujumbura

0 out of 5 – you need to get out more!

1-3 – not bad

4 – very good! You are a Globetrotter!

5 – are you sure you didn’t sneak a look?

If you are interested in forest conservation, then take a look at this: http://forests.org/

This website provides news from around the world on issues in countries about the protection of forests to volunteer positions.

Also, spotted by Padmassana: Christopher Rogers

He does some fabulous pictures of London, showing all the buildings, they come with a “Key” so you can pick places, buildings etc out.