On Saturday Amazon(AMZN, Tech30) will start collecting sales taxes on purchases in the last four states where it wasn’t doing so: Hawaii, Idaho, Maine and New Mexico. Four other states — Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon — have no sales tax, while a fifth, Alaska, doesn’t have a statewide tax, but it does have municipal sales taxes.
Typically, an online retailer only has to collect sales tax in states where they have a physical presence, such as a storefront or a distribution center. That loophole cost states $17.2 billion in lost sales taxes last year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“The way we are consuming things is so different. Because of that, the states’ sales tax revenue is not keeping pace,” said Max Behlke, director of budget and tax policy for the NCSL. “States have to modernize [sales taxes] to the 21st century. If they can’t collect sales taxes, it’ll mean higher state income taxes or property taxes.”
For years Amazon was one of the leaders in the fight to keep online purchases tax free. But as it has moved to offer faster and faster deliveries, it has expanded its network of distribution centers and started collecting sales taxes in more and more states.
“Their business model has changed. To have same day or next day delivery, you need distribution centers nearby,” said Behlke.
By the end of last year, Amazon was collecting sales taxes in 29 states and Washington D.C. Since that list included all of the largest states, that meant it was effectively collecting sales tax from 86% of the nation’s population. The site has been rapidly adding the remaining states to the list of places where it collects taxes this year, bringing the total to 41 states plus Washington. And as of April 1, it will collect from all 45 states that have a statewide sales tax.
Amazon did not respond to a request for comment on the change in policy.
And there is still one big sales-tax loophole left on Amazon: Shoppers don’t have to pay sales tax when they buy from one of the site’s many third-party vendors.
Those vendors have huge sales in their own right. Amazon says it has more than 100,000 vendors who sell more than $100,000 each annually, which means total sales of more than $10 billion. Amazon says that nearly half the items it sells are from third-party vendors.
“Whatever a state is getting in sales tax from Amazon, it should probably be getting about twice that much,” said Behlke.
CNNMoney (New York)First published March 29, 2017: 2:59 PM ET
While in Las Vegas at CinemaCon to promote his new film “Suburbicon,” which Clooney directed, he also made time to talk about his growing family with wife Amal.
The first time father told Extra his “amazing” wife is doing well.
“I don’t have anything to do” he said. “There is nothing I can do to help, but make tea and stuff.”
“I didn’t know that we’d have kids,” he said. “I was very happy that we were going to get married and then [a pregnancy] seemed like the next step.”
Clooney said the couple is shying away from picking names for the twins prior to their birth.
“Because I’ve had friends pick out names around their parents and then it becomes … whatever name you pick they’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t like that,” he said. “That guy’s a prime minister … Can’t name her Susan. ‘You remember your Aunt Susan?'”
There are at least two names that have already been shot down.
Two and half hours a week of moderate intensity exercise is what is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Ideally, this means 30 minutes, five times per week, of activities such as jogging, ballroom dancing, biking or swimming. Moderate intensity means you’re working in the intermediate zone. If you’re able to hold a conversation with the person next to you while doing that activity, you’re in the zone.Â
If you don’t have time for five workouts per week, recent evidence in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that cramming 150 minutes into the weekend, the so-called “weekend warrior” model, transfers similar health benefits to spreading out fitness across the week. The only risk here is overuse injury, such as a case of Achilles tendinitis from running 10 miles on a Saturday after not doing any exercise all week.
Newer evidence about high intensity workouts known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), shows that intensity minutes reduce required exercise time by almost half. This means if you’d like 30 minutes of exercise but you only have 15 to spare, you’re in luck. As I’ve outlined in my book “The Workout Prescription,” ramping up intensity minutes reduces time requirements, and is safe for anyone.
 Unlike moderate intensity, high intensity exercise means you’re huffing and puffing and conversation is difficult. Although they’re tough, HIIT workouts don’t have to be fancy. They can be set up anywhere, a living room, a garage, or a basement. All that’s needed is an open space, a light set of dumbbells, and a strong dose of motivation.
HIIT programs are generally safe for all ages but we generally recommend touching base with your physician if you’re over 40 and haven’t been previously active before starting this type of program.
 Why it matters so much
There are obvious benefits to exercise. People feel better, they look better, and they perform better in all aspects of their lives when they exercise regularly. Seen through the prism of the medical community, the medicine of exercise has strong scientific benefits that go far beyond the desire to fit into that new suit or pair of yoga pants.
Across the spectrum of the human body, irrefutable evidence shows that exercise isn’t just about getting a good workout, it’s about staying healthy in a broader sense. Exercise can treat depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances. For your heart, it lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, the risk of heart attack and stroke. Exercise reduces the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and both prevents and treats type 2 diabetes, the most expensive health problem in the United States with annual costs over $100 billion. Regular exercise has even been shown to reduce the frequency of 13 types of cancer including breast, colon, ovarian and endometrial in a large, recent study of 1.44 million subjects.
The major health benefits of exercise kick in at 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity, or at 75 minutes per week of high intensity work.
Exercise is the most efficacious drug known to humankind, works for everyone who takes it, has no side effects, and is free.
That’s why there’s a push to include exercise, as determined through a fitness tracker, as a fifth vital sign along with height, weight, pulse and blood pressure. Movement promotes health and wellness, so why not start tracking it?
The best exercise for you
The ideal form of exercise for you is … something that you’ll actually do! As I discussed in my previous column, smiling and fun promote exercise compliance. If you’re smiling, keep doing exactly what you’re doing.
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In terms of body maintenance, most exercise recommendations involve a combination of endurance training such as walking or swimming, flexibility training such as yoga, and strength training. Although there’s no exact science here, finding the correct formula usually means picking some of each of these activities. This might mean jogging twice per week, trying a HIIT workout once or twice per week, and taking a yoga class. There’s no exact answer, the key is to find what works for you, smile and work hard.
Do as much exercise as you can, there’s no upper limit. When possible, try and keep your total above the recommended weekly “dose” and you’ll be more likely to stay out of the doctor’s office and on your field of choice.
Dr. Jordan D. Metzl is a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and the author of five books including “The Workout Prescription.” He has completed 34 marathons and 14 Ironman triathalons.
But a vote on the war threatens to expose the divisions over the US military campaign between hawks and doves that have lingered since the Obama administration began fighting ISIS in 2014.
On the one hand, congressional approval for the ISIS war could be a public affirmation of President Donald Trump’s plans to accelerate the military campaign and potentially give the commander in chief a freer hand to ramp up troop deployments across the Middle East.
On the other, anti-war lawmakers could press for restrictions on troop numbers and their theater of battle, imposing limits that don’t exist under the current post-9/11 authorization for fighting al Qaeda that successive administrations have until now relied on to fight ISIS as well.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers that for years has tried to force Congress to authorize the war against ISIS, arguing Congress is giving up its constitutional authority to declare war, says Trump’s desire to accelerate the ISIS campaign stresses the need for a formal vote on the war.Â
“I haven’t thought that this war against ISIS is constitutionally authorized from the beginning,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy. “Now that we’re talking about a potential massive increase in troop presence, we need to put some boundaries around it congressionally.”Â
The White House has yet to weigh in directly on the issue, but like the Obama administration, the Trump administration says it has the legal authority to conduct its ISIS campaign even without congressional approval.
But one top administration official signaled the administration also sees a benefit to a new ISIS war authorization — albeit for different reasons than many Democratic advocates.
Defense Secretary James Mattis told a Senate panel last week that he wants them to authorize the war against ISIS because, “I think it would be a statement of the American people’s resolve if you did so.”
“I thought the same thing for the last several years, I might add, and have not understood why the Congress has not come forward with this, at least the debate,” he added.
Congress has been reluctant to debate — let alone vote on — a war authorization, due to an inability to find consensus as well as political concerns that a vote could be used against them later on, as Hillary Clinton’s vote in favor of the Iraq War was.
“I think Congress should weigh in and say what the support should look like, but the devil is in the details” of any authorization for use of military force, Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN. “I don’t want the AUMF to be a blank check to the President to do anything he wants, anywhere, anytime, for any reason.”
Mattis delivered a plan to Trump to accelerate that campaign, and additional US troops in recent days have deployed to Iraq and Syria, including an air assault as part of a major offensive led by US-backed fighters to retake a dam near Raqqa, Syria. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were deploying to Iraq in the “low hundreds” this week, according to a US defense official.
The Trump administration is also looking at stepping up the US military’s involvement in Yemen’s civil war, and has loosened the rules for counter-terrorism missions in parts of the country.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona tried to team up to pass a war authorization during the Obama administration, and they told CNN they’re now reworking a bill that can get support from both parties.
“We had a bill in for a couple of years nobody was interested in — we tried to wordsmith differences between Democrats and Republicans — so we’re actually exploring some different ways of coming at it,” Kaine said. “It’s the beginning of an administration, a new plan on the table might be time to look at it, and I think Gen. Mattis helps us move in that direction.”
Other Democrats predicted Trump could force Congress’ hand to pass a war authorization if he were to dive too far into military adventurism.
“I’ll tell you what will make it happen, is if the President takes some kind of aggressive military action that’s unexpected and that is not envisioned as just a continuation of the Global War on Terror,” Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill told CNN.
But for Republicans, a “robust” war authorization is what’s needed so the commander in chief’s hands are not tied.
“The draft that the Obama administration put out … it was very, very limiting, extremely limiting,” said Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan. “It might have a better chance now that we have a White House that probably will have a different outlook.”
Mattis said at last week’s hearing that he does not support limitations on time or geography in a war authorization.Â
“Due to the nature of this enemy’s threat, that would only work to help the enemy,” Mattis said in response to a question from Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, about geographic restrictions.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, whose committee would handle legislation to vote on the war, said he wanted the administration to articulate its ISIS strategy first, and then Congress could consider passing an AUMF.
“We’ve said from day one, even back under the Obama days, we’d like for the administration to lay out a strategy. That never really happened,” the Tennessee Republican said. “I do think these guys are formulating one and we’ll see where it goes.”
In an op-ed for The Arizona Republic, Sen. Jeff Flake declared, “Even President Obama’s two Supreme Court nominees were recognized for their ability to do the job and confirmed without incident.” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas quoted The Wall Street Journal when he tweeted, “Never in U.S. history have we had a successful partisan filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of using “obstructionist tactics” to thwart the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
Their hypocrisy is palpable.
In referencing President Barack Obama’s “two” Supreme Court nominees, Flake is conveniently forgetting to tell his readers that Obama made three nominations to the Supreme Court, not two: Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, whom the Senate confirmed, and Judge Merrick Garland, whom Senate Republicans refused to consider even though Obama had almost a year left in his term.
Cornyn surely knows that Senate Republicans effectively engaged in a partisan filibuster of Garland’s nomination by refusing even to hold hearings.
And McConnell must recognize that he himself led “obstructionist tactics” to prevent Garland, as Obama’s nominee, from joining the court.
Regardless of the “alternative facts” the Republicans are peddling, we should all understand the GOP’s tactics last year in opposing Garland for what they were: a blatant power grab that ultimately worked.
For their part, Democratic senators who are opposing Gorsuch are not immune from this affliction. There is no principled reason to oppose Gorsuch beyond politics. On any objective measure he is qualified for the job. If Justice Antonin Scalia had passed away this past February, after President Donald Trump took office, then there would be little justification for Democrats to filibuster Gorsuch’s nomination. The Republicans’ brazen action last year on Obama’s nominee clouds the current debate.
Both sides should acknowledge what is really going on: Republicans refused to consider Garland for purely political reasons; Democrats are going to filibuster Gorsuch for similarly partisan justifications.
This state of affairs shows that the Supreme Court confirmation process is broken. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself recognized, some Republican senators who voted to confirm her in 1993 “today wouldn’t touch me with a 10-foot pole.” The Senate voted to confirm Ginsburg by a 96-3 vote. That kind of bipartisanship on Supreme Court nominees is unfathomable today.
What can we do to fix the problem? For one, senators on both sides need to start telling the truth about their real motivations. Republicans should not hide behind a false claim that the Senate treated Obama’s nominees fairly.
Democrats should acknowledge that their filibuster of Gorsuch is directly related to the Republicans’ failure to consider Garland. Actually telling the truth — which should not be so unfathomable — will help voters discern whether to trust the current incumbents come the next election. Senators’ actions should have consequences, but it is difficult for average Americans to evaluate their senator’s activities without honest and accurate information.
In addition, Senate Republicans and the Trump White House should offer Democrats an olive branch. Perhaps it is an agreement to consider only names from a pre-approved list that the Democrats provide for the next vacancy. Maybe Republicans would agree to give Garland a vote if a liberal such as Ginsburg steps down. Or perhaps there is something else that would cause both sides to stand down.
And both because they are in the majority and because they were at fault last year by being so political with the Garland nomination to the Supreme Court, Republicans should be the first actors in a ceasefire. Although the confirmation process was already breaking down somewhat before last year, McConnell pushed it over the edge by refusing to consider Obama’s choice with almost a full year left in the presidential term.
Good leaders know how to compromise for the good of the country. McConnell should show his leadership skills. Both sides are obscuring their real motives for their partisan actions. Neither side’s spin is good for the country.
To get that message across to the Senate, let’s tell our representatives they must acknowledge what they are really doing and force them to account for their political power grabs. It would be the first step in fixing a truly broken process.
But one thing beats, and links, them all: Amsterdam’s canals.
Not only do these 17th-century transport routes lend the Dutch capital a certain grandeur, they also provide locals and visitors with a great place to soak up the city’s atmosphere.
Staying in a hotel that overlooks one of these elegant canals is one of the best ways to enjoy these waterways.
Here are 12 of the best luxury five-star canalside hotels Amsterdam has to offer.
Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam
Few hotels in the city can beat the Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam for both location and looks.
The five-star venue, which originally opened in 1916 as offices, sits within the Scheepvaarthuis, or shipping house, a classic building sitting right next to the city’s Central Station.
The Scheepvaarthuis’s radical expressionist design — Art Nouveau with a Dutch twist — went on to define the Amsterdam School of architecture, heavily influencing the look of subsequent modern buildings.
The Amrâth, recently extended to 40 rooms, offers sublime views over the spacious IJ, Amsterdam’s main waterfront, and the romantic Waalseilandsgracht canal.
InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam: The city’s “grande dame.”
Located on the banks of the River Amstel, the InterContinental is known as the city’s grande dame, thanks to its longevity and rather formal appearance.
In 2017, the hotel is celebrating its 150th anniversary with festivities and a complete restoration of its palatial exterior.
The Royal Afternoon Tea provides the perfect chance to relax while staring out over the river.
The classically beautiful Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam is made up of six traditional canalside palaces from the 17th century.
It sits on the Herengracht, and though it’s relatively new, it’s earned TripAdvisor’s 2017 Travelers’ Choice Award for the luxury category of The Netherlands.
The luxurious but modern decor feels airy, and the tulips in the private gardens add to the Dutch feel.
One of its restaurants, the Librije’s Zusje, has two Michelin stars.
An extra bonus: the honey served at breakfast comes from the hotel’s rooftop beehives.
Twenty-five connecting 17th- and 18th-century aristocratic canal houses make up the Pulitzer, resulting in a dazzling maze on the inside with a tranquil inner garden.
One of the best features of this stylish hotel is the possibility to walk around the city with one of the concierges, allowing guests to see Amsterdam through a local’s eyes.
Another option is to cruise the canals in the hotel’s stylish boat built in 1909.
The entrance gate of The Grand will be covered with tulips from April to mid-May.
The Grand was first a 15th-century convent, then housed royals before becoming the City Hall of Amsterdam.
Princess Beatrix, the former queen of The Netherlands, married Prince Claus in 1966 in the former council chamber here.
Though the hotel, which opened in 1992, is situated near the Red Light District, where sex workers legally ply their trade, it’s a quiet oasis away from the tourists.
Planning to visit Amsterdam in spring? The entrance gate will be covered with orange flowers for the Tulip Festival which runs from April 1 to May 14.
Newcomer Luxury Suites combines the services of a hotel with the independence of an apartment.
Order food or cook a homemade meal in the suite’s private kitchen.
The large and fully equipped suites overlook the Oudeschans, a wide canal at the east side of the city center, and are surrounded by typical Amsterdam warehouses.
The hotel offers packages including one for romance and another for diamond lovers.
Andaz is located in a former library and designed by the renowned Dutch designer Marcel Wanders.
The hotel made no effort to make the interior traditional — more than 50 pieces of video art are on display, giving the place a modern feel splashed with Delft blue pottery and vases.
Andaz offers complimentary wine for a couple hours daily, as well as free bikes.
Rooms come with a choice of a view of the tranquil inner garden or the mesmerizing canal.
Hilton Amsterdam throws one of the best herring parties in the country.
John and Yoko Ono held their famous “bed-in for peace” in one of the rooms here in 1969, the aptly named John and Yoko suite.
The hotel is within walking distance of the Amsterdam’s Museum Square where the Van Gogh Museum and the famous Dutch national museum Rijksmuseum are located.
The Dutch love their salted herring, and they also like to launch the season with a good party.
One of the most renowned ones is the private, invite-only, VIP, glamorous party held every year at the waterside garden in the Hilton Amsterdam.
Central as it comes, this hotel is near shopping, tourist attractions, the Red Light District, the Canal Ring and Amsterdam’s Central Station.
Built as an inn in 1636, the hotel has welcomed guests ever since.
The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant Bord’Eau offers a great, reasonably priced three-course lunch menu.
This not only gives guests somewhere decent to eat, but also helps the ongoing campaign to convince locals that there’s more to lunch than just a sandwich.
De L’Europe, Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-14, Amsterdam; +31 20 531 1777
NH Collection Amsterdam Doelen
NH Collection Amsterdam Doelen: Outstanding river views.
Rembrandt painted the famous Nachtwacht (The Night Watch) originally to be exhibited in the De Doelen, as the hotel was called in the 17th century.
After that, many VIPs booked rooms at the Doelen, such as Empress Elisabeth of Austria and The Beatles.
Stunning views over the River Amstel can be seen through the hotel’s grand windows.
All the rooms were renovated in 2016, giving it a grand but modern feeling.
Katja Brokke is a freelance journalist and editor from Amsterdam specializing in food, travel and media. Follow her on Twitter at @KatjaSchrijft or take a look at katjaschrijft.nl.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Watch “Finding Jesus” Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, followed by religious scholar Reza Aslan’s new show, “Believer,” at 10 p.m. ET starting March 5.
The companies were targeted based on their role in manufacturing some of the opioid painkillers with the highest sales in 2015.
The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. According to the United Stated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1999, the number of drug overdose deaths involving prescription drugs has quadrupled. During the same time period, the sales of prescription drugs have also increased four-fold. In 2014, nearly 2 million Americans abused or depended on prescription drugs.
McCaskill is the senior Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. This is not her first effort in attempting to uncover what has contributed to this epidemic. Earlier this year, she requested the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General open an investigation into the role of drug distributors in the opioid epidemic. In addition, she’s also been involved in investigating Medicare Part D’s role in preventing abuse of prescription narcotics.
‘Single-handedly destroying families’
“I hear it everywhere I go: ‘Drug overdose deaths, the vast majority of them related to prescription opioids or heroin, are single-handedly destroying families and communities across Missouri and the country,’ and I refuse to just stand by and watch, we have an obligation to everyone devastated by this epidemic to find answers,” McCaskill said in a statement.
This is not the first time the Senate has investigated the relationship of drug manufacturers in the opioid epidemic. In 2012 the Senate Finance Committee began looking into the relationship between drug manufacturers and pain organizations that advocated for their use. The findings have yet to be released.
In addition, counties and cities across the country have begun filing lawsuits against manufacturers for their roles in the drug epidemic. In Cabell County, West Virginia a complaint was filed (PDF) earlier this month alleging that between 2007 and 2012, drug companies and distributors, including pharmacies such as Walgreen’s and Rite Aid, sold nearly 40 million doses of prescription opiates such as hydrocodone and oxycodone to county pharmacies. The county population during those years grew from just over 94,000 to just over 96,000 people. Similarly, nearby Kanawha County, West Virginia, filed a lawsuit (PDF) at the same time alleging the drug companies sold 66 million doses of these medications during the same time period when the county population ranged from about 191,000 to 192,000 residents.
The cities of Everett, Washington and Chicago, Illinois (PDF) have also filed similar complaints, alleging aggressive marketing and deceptive messaging about the risks of opioid painkillers.
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“All of this didn’t happen overnight. It happened one prescription and marketing program at a time. The vast majority of the employees, executives, sales representatives, scientists, and doctors involved with this industry are good people and responsible actors, but some are not. This investigation is about finding out whether the same practices that led to this epidemic still continue today, and if decisions are being made that harm the public health,” said McCaskill.
In response to the investigation, Purdue Pharma issued the following comment: “The opioid crisis is among our nation’s top health challenges, which is why our company has dedicated itself for years to being part of the solution. OxyContin accounts for only 2% of the opioid analgesic prescriptions nationally, but we are an industry leader in the development of abuse-deterrent technology and advocating for the use of prescription drug monitoring programs. We are reviewing Senator McCaskill’s letter and will respond accordingly.”
Cappadocia, Turkey: Hot-air ballooning is a popular tourist activity in Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Central Anatolia. The area is characterized by a distinctive volcanic landscape and large network of ancient underground dwellings.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Wuhan, China: People view springtime cherry blossoms at Wuhan University in central China’s Hubei Province.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Hameem desert, United Arab Emirates: A man guides his camels across the Hameem desert, around 170 kilometers (about 106 miles) west of Abu Dhabi.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Porto, Portugal: A view over Porto from a lookout point in Vitoria. “Miradouros” is the Portuguese word for lookout spots offering impressive views.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Saint Petersburg, Russia: An aerial view of the Saint Peter and Paul Fortress, built in the 18th century on Zayachy Island, also known as Hare Island.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Beijing: Beijing’s Forbidden City was China’s imperial palace for around 500 years, from 1420 until 1912. It now houses the Palace Museum.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Petra, Jordan: The 43-meter-high facade of Al-Khazneh, also known as the Treasury, is one of the first sights to greet visitors to the ancient Jordanian city of Petra, built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Annual Carnival celebrations got underway in Rio de Janeiro in February, with hundreds turning out for the Ceu na Terra (Heaven on Earth) street party on February 18.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Siem Reap, Cambodia: UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world. The 41-acre temple complex was built to the Hindu god Vishnu by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Washington: A tourist visits the Jefferson Memorial, dedicated to American Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, on US President’s Day on February 20.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Havana: Cuban children limber up during a baseball training session in Havana in February. Baseball is one of the country’s most popular sports.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Moscow: Moscow’s Red Square is pictured during a February snowfall. St Basil’s Cathedral appears background left, and the Kremlin’s Spasskaya tower is on the right.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Catania, Italy: Crowds gather in Catania on February 5 for a religious festival celebrating Saint Agatha, a Christian martyr and the city’s patron saint.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Tokyo: A bride and groom pose in traditional dress by a rapeseed oil field in Hamarikyu Garden in February. The flowers are expected to remain in bloom until the end of March.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
London: Chiswick House’s Magic Lantern Festival is an annual part of London’s Lunar New Year celebrations. The 2017 event takes a Silk Road theme and features more than 50 illuminations, an ice rink, street food stalls and a pop-up ice bar. The festival finishes February 26.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Potsdam, Germany: Sanssouci was the summer palace of Frederick the Great, who was King of Prussia from 1740 until 1786. It was built in the Rococo style and is regarded as Germany’s answer to France’s Palace of Versailles.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Gaza City: Palestinians enjoy the sunset on one of the city’s beaches. Gaza City is home to about half a million people.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Valle del Cauca, Colombia: Agricola Himalaya owns the only tea crops in Colombia and exports to markets in the US and Latin America. Here, a worker picks tea leaves at the Bitaco farm.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Dallol, Ethiopia: A sulfur lake is pictured in Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression. At 100 meters below sea level, it’s one of the hottest places on Earth. Temperatures here have been known to reach 125 F (51.6 C).
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Kathmandu, Nepal: A child wheels his bike through UNESCO World Heritage site Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a former royal plaza filled with temples, statues and other landmarks.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
London: A real peasouper: The south of England was wrapped in freezing fog mid-January, with London’s Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower — better known as Big Ben — pictured here in the gloam.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Budapest, Hungary: Cold weather also gripped Budapest mid-January, where sightseers gathered under the stone pillars of Margaret Bridge to take photos of ice floes floating down the River Danube.
Instant vacation: The world’s best travel photos
Srinagar, Kashmir: Traditional wooden shikara boats are moored in the popular Dal Lake tourist spot. The Zabarwan mountain range lies beyond.
