Rome, Italy (AHN) – Divers recovered on Sunday two more bodies inside a cruise ship that listed off the coast of western Italy, bringing the death toll from the accident to five.

The Italian coast guard said the bodies of two elderly persons were found in the submerged restaurant of the Costa Concordia, which hit a rock near Giglio Island off the coast of Tuscany Friday night. The rock caused a hole in the hull of the ship, causing it to take on water and lean to its right side.

Also among the dead were two French passengers and a Peruvian crew member. One of them died of heart attack after jumping into the icy water.

Fifteen people remain missing and are believed trapped inside the ship. A total of 3,216 passengers and 1,013 crew members were aboard the Concordia.

Meanwhile, the captain of the Concordia, Francesco Schettino, was detained to face manslaughter charges. He is accused of abandoning the ship before the last passenger was rescued.

The Concordia, which was built in Italy in 2004-2005, was cruising the Mediterranean when it hit the rock.

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London, United Kingdom (AHN) – Venerable travel agency Thomas Cook has announced plans to shut 200 of its branches in the United Kingdom over the next two years.

The closures are part of its UK business turnaround plan designed to restore the confidence of investors.

However, the plan now calls for the agency to shutter 125 more of its branches than previously announced. The company is focusing on underperforming branches with leases set to expire in two years or less.

Company officials said that 661 employees at 115 of the branches slated for closure would learn their fate on Wednesday.

Thomas Cook is the world’s oldest travel agency. It has 1,300 branches worldwide.

Business for the agency has declined overall because more people book travel on the Internet. In addition, other conditions led to a drop in travel bookings this year. That included the recent Arab Spring uprisings, which caused a steep drop in bookings to some locations, including popular Tunisia and Egypt. Floods in Thailand, another popular location, also resulted in a drop in bookings.

Although company officials say they think there will always be a need for physical locations and staff to help people with travel plans, the question is how many locations and staff.

Company officials say they are going to focus on turnaround plans for locations with long-term leases.

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West Palm Beach, FL, United States (AHN) – Millions are traveling over the river and through the woods this Thanksgiving–42.5 million, according to estimates from AAA.

About 42.5 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more during the 2011 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a 4 percent increase from 2010. It is also the highest number since the start of the recession at the end of 2007.

AAA predicts that about 900,000 people are expected to travel by train, bus or other forms of mass transit, and more travelers are also expected to take to the skies. More than 23 million people will fly to their Thanksgiving destination.

The 90 percent of holiday travelers who plan to drive will pay 16 percent more for gas this year than last. The average cost for a gallon of gasoline as of Wednesday was $3.33 a gallon.

Air travelers will also feel the pinch. The average round trip airfare for the top 40 U.S. routes is $212, a 20 percent increase from 2010. Rail tickets on Amtrak have risen 2 to 5 percent. Hotel and motel rates are also modestly higher.

Besides dealing with weather-related delays and hassles, and the added cost of getting to their final destination and then back home, folks will also be crying foul over the increased cost of a turkey dinner.

A 16-pound bird with all the trimmings will cost an average of $49.20 this year, up 13 percent from last year, or about $5.73 more, according to the American Farm Bureau.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Scary but true: pumpkin prices are higher this season due to a wet spring and summer.

The higher prices, while unnerving, are no trick. Heavy rains from Hurricane Irene and dry weather in other parts of the country have contributed to the frightening price increases.

While some areas in the country may face lesser quality and limited supply, other areas have no shortage, but have raised prices just the same. Prices for pie pumpkins grown in New York state are a bloodcurdling 60 percent higher they were in 2010.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “In general, the 2011 pumpkin seasons will feature variable quality, below average supplies areas hit by excessive rain or heat, and higher wholesale and retail prices.”

Pumpkins, especially in demand around Halloween, are not just used for decorative purposes. They are also in great demand for pies, breads and muffins. But growers say the great pumpkin scare should not affect the pumpkin pie supply come Thanksgiving.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – For kids it is never to early to start making a Christmas list. That is why one of the most referred to toy guides comes out in September.

Among the top 20 toys for the 2011 are, according to the Toy Insider: Scene It? Harry Potter: The Complete Cinematic Journey; Let’s Rock Elmo; Redakai Championship and Leap Pad.

Now in its sixth year, the Toy Insider features expert toy and gift recommendations at all price points for a range of ages. Their aim is to make it easy to find the perfect holiday gift for kids and tweens on anyone’s gift list. All of the toys in the guide have been selected by a revered and select panel of toy trend experts.

The 2011 Toy Insider is the biggest ever. This year’s guide is bursting with 110 toy recommendations from more than 80 manufacturers.

The Hot 20 toys include, for toddlers 0-2: Elefun Busy Ball Popper; Let’s Rock Elmo; Little People Zoo Talkers Animals Sounds Zoo; Pocoyp Swiggletracks;

For 3-5 year olds the list includes: Chuggington Interactive Railway; Lazer Stunt Chaser; Mini Lalaoopsy Treehouse; LeapPad; Lite Sprites; and PlasmaBike.

For 6 to 8 year olds: Angry Birds Plush; Justin Bieber Rockin’ Tour Bus and Concert Stage; Nerf Vortex Proton Blaster; Radica Fijit Friends; Redakai Championship Tin; and Skylanders Spryro’s Adventure.

For those 9 years and older the top toys are: Alien Mothership; Paper Jamz Pro Series Microphone; Scene It? Harry Potter: The Complete Cinematic Journey; and uDraw Game Tablet.

Toymakers typically account for at least a third of annual revenue for the fourth quarter. Dont tell the kids, but with unemployment at 9.1 percent, consumer spending weak and consumer confidence even weaker, it may not be such as happy holiday season for retailers or toy makers.

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Nairobi, Kenya (AHN) – Suspected bandits killed a British tourist at an exclusive resort in Kenya’s Lamu Island and kidnapped his wife on Sunday.

Six armed men attacked the couple, who were the only guests at the luxury Kiwayu Safari Village, according to police. Police commissioner Mathew Iteere identified the couple as David and Judith Tebbut, both writers.

The husband was shot dead apparently for resisting the armed men, according to Iteere. The attackers then fled with the wife on a motor boat heading towards neighboring Somalia.

The couple checked in at the private resort on Saturday afternoon. They were coming from a tour of the Masai Mara reserve.

The resort was supposed to be secured by six police officers and 21 security guards.

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London, United Kingdom (AHN) – A newly-wed man from Britain honeymooning in Seychelles died Tuesday from injuries he suffered from a shark attack while snorkeling off Praslin island.

Ian Redmond, 30, lost an arm and part of his leg in the second such attack in the Indian Ocean tourist destination’s Anse Lazio beach area in two weeks. He was pulled out of the water by other tourists who heard his cries for help but succumbed from loss of blood.

His wife, Gemma Houghton, 27, was sunbathing in the shore when she heard his screams. The two were married on Aug. 7.

The Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration temporarily banned swimming in the site of the attack to hunt the shark that killed Redmond and remove it. Authorities believe the shark is a native to Seychelles waters and only strayed there.

Residents believe the shark was the same one that attacked and killed French tourist also snorkeling off Praslin on Aug. 1.

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London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – The calendar reads July 28, and the temperature is a balmy 77 degrees, but for department store giants Harrods and Selfridges, it is getting very close to Christmas.

At 8 a.m., the department stores opened their Christmas departments, a full five months before the big day. While both stores traditionally open their holiday departments early, usually in August, this year marks their earliest opening yet.

Harrods and Selfridges stressed the need for the very early open due to increased demand, especially from China. The Chinese “Peking pound” spent in the UK has seen a jump in sales of Christmas goods as many Chinese tourists view British Christmas items as the perfect souvenir.

In Harrods alone more than 250,000 Christmas decorations are available. The store is also giving out free samples of mince pie, Christmas pudding, and brandy butter ice cream from its signature collection. And for the first time ever, there is a ice skating rink on the roof.

Hot items include Christmas trees and exclusive stag and polar bear hats. While many left singing Christmas carols, several mumbled “Bah Humbug.”

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Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Tuesday launched a new smart i-series application for American travelers during their trips abroad to keep track of American citizens in a changing and threatening world.

Releasing the new application Smart Traveler (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-traveler/id442693988?mt=8) for the U.S. travelers going abroad, the State Department in a statement said, “Smart Traveler provides easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.”

“Travelers can also set up customized e-tineraries to keep track of arrival and departure dates and make notes about upcoming trips,” the statement noted, adding, “Additionally, the app provides a link for travelers to enroll in the Department’s free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the State Department can better assist them in an emergency.”

The application is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (requires iOS 4.0 or later).

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Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Tuesday launched a new smart i-series application for American travelers during their trips abroad to keep track of American citizens in a changing and threatening world.

Releasing the new application Smart Traveler (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-traveler/id442693988?mt=8) for the U.S. travelers going abroad, the State Department in a statement said, “Smart Traveler provides easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.”

“Travelers can also set up customized e-tineraries to keep track of arrival and departure dates and make notes about upcoming trips,” the statement noted, adding, “Additionally, the app provides a link for travelers to enroll in the Department’s free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the State Department can better assist them in an emergency.”

The application is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (requires iOS 4.0 or later).

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