EMERGENCY LINES OPENED FOR STRANDED TOURISTS

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Friday April 16 2010

AUTHORITIES opened phone lines on Friday for passengers on flights cancelled following Wednesday's volcanic eruption in Iceland.

by JAMES TWEEDIE

The second eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in four weeks spewed a massive cloud of volcanic ash into the atmosphere. South-easterly winds have carried the ash across most of the European continent north of the Mediterranean.

Volcanic ash, which contains minute shards of glass, can cause engine failure when sucked into aircraft jets. Thousands of flights have been cancelled as a safety precaution.

Tourismo de Tenerife has asked hotels and tour operators in the south of the island not to take passengers to the southern Reina Sofia airport without first checking with airport operator AENA's crisis room by phoning 922 759 027 or 922 759 028.

Passengers seeking information should call AENA on 902 404 704 or +34 91 321 10 00 for those outside Spain.

Tenerife's tourist board Turismo de Tenerife has opened it's own free information line in English German, French and Spanish on 00800 100 101 00.

The mystery of the Guanches

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Venezuela condemns MUD silence over terror attack

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Ex-pats hail extinction of ‘mammoth’ development

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Venezuelan opposition declares "Zero Hour" for regime change

Venezuela’s opposition declared “Zero Hour” in its putsch against the socialist government on Monday — emboldened by US support. Leaders of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition gathered for the announcement of their takeover plan a day after their unauthorised referendum seeking a mandate for regime change. National Assembly vice-president and Popular Will (VP) acting leader Freddy Guevara said the Mud-controlled parliament would announce the results of the plebiscite on Tuesday. It asked voters to reject President Nicolas Maduro’s calling of a constitutional reform assembly demand the army support the opposition and back a “national unity government.” But before the announcement of the result Mr Guevara said the national Assembly would form a new government on Tuesday — a move beyond its constitutional powers — along with 1,020 local “Zero Hour committees.” He called a “national general strike” for Thursday while on Friday the assembly would again exceed its powe

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