Nabil Giacaman has worked in his father’s shop off of Bethlehem’s Manger Square for as long as he can remember. He is the third generation in his family to make a living crafting wood and mother-of-pearl figurines, peddling miniature nativity scenes and baby Jesuses to the tourists who flock to this famed plaza just steps from the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born. He will also be the last.

Following a deadly gun fight in the Mexican resort town of Puerto Peñasco on Wednesday, officials from the state of Sonora are trying to reassure Arizonans the town – also known as Rocky Point – is still safe for tourists. The identities of the five people who died have not been released, but authorities say they were all criminals who fired at federal police.

More than five years after flights by Israeli airlines to Turkey stopped, Israel signed an agreement with Ankara to renew service. Civil Aviation Authority director Giora Romm his Turkish counterpart, Bilal Eksi, struck the deal after talks that took place in Turkey, Haaretz has learned. The sides agreed to address Israel's security concerns which were cited as the reason flights were ceased.

This is the busiest time of year for travel along the United States-Mexico border. Many Mexican shoppers head north and unload their wallets at American stores. Americans with family ties in Mexico travel south to visit relatives, sometimes carrying loads of presents. During this year's holiday season the Mexican government is making it easier for southbound traffic to enter the country.

Brazil's government tourism authority Embratur took advantage of today's live World Cup draw to start targeting online videos at potential visitors to Brazil from key tourism markets. The draw, eagerly awaited by soccer fans around the world, places the 32 national teams in 8 groups and determines which teams will play each other first, and in which of the 12 Brazilian cities that will host World Cup games starting in June 2014.

New Zealand's national airline unveiled a giant image Monday of the dragon Smaug on one of its planes to celebrate the premiere of the second movie in the Hobbit trilogy. Air New Zealand showed the 54-meter (177-foot) image that's featured on both sides of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft. The plane is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles in time for the premiere of "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," which screens Monday, Pacific Standard Time at the Dolby Theatre.

The ACT Government will launch a $2.6 million campaign to promote Canberra in the wake of this year's centenary celebrations. The campaign includes a new Canberra logo to represent the capital city, with the letters 'CBR' standing for 'Confident, Bold and Ready'. The brand development is the product of a 15-month process, with the full brand set to be revealed in March 2014.

Port-au-Prince is experiencing a building boom in luxury hotels. There is the Royal Oasis, which bills itself as Haiti’s first five-star hotel. The general manager, Jean-Marc Rousseau, shows me a suite with two rooms, two TVs, and a dramatic view of the mountains. I notice a gleaming white building below. “It is The Rancho,” he says. “Our new competitor.”