John Davis, chief nameplate engineer for Ford's compact cars and utility vehicles, said it's all designed to improve the driving experience: from making the 550-mile trek down Highway 99 from Sacramento to San Diego to the daily 20-mile one-way trip to work - the distance some reports suggest the average American commutes.

ENGADGET: Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall

The reason for the trip has not yet been revealed, but reports say it is part of a humanitarian mission led by US politician Bill Richardson.

BBC: US cool on Google's Eric Schmidt visiting North Korea

Expedia.com reports small increases in round-trip flights for June, July and August travel, domestic and international trips combined, but the increase is at a much slower rate than jumps of about 10% the previous two summers.

WSJ: The Best Places to Fly This Summer

The 22 passengers and three crew members on board gave conflicting reports about his whereabouts both during and at the end of the trip.

CNN: A celebrity breakup, then a fishy disappearance

Some reports had said the travelling party were on their way to a ski trip in the Alps but it has now emerged they were en-route to Lloret de Mar in Spain.

BBC: Spirit of France

Robinson will hope the reports do not hamper his side's preparations for the weekend's trip to Brighton.

BBC: MK Dons boss denies Aston Villa Dietmar Hamann approach

People.com reports that Caro, 28, died on Nov. 17 after returning to France from a working trip to Tokyo.

FORBES: Isabelle Caro: Modeling, Anorexia And Death At 28

Today's reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now looking at possible "round-trip trades" haven't hindered the stock, which was up 3.6% as of midday.

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But reports of violence can be overblown, the leader of an expatriate group in Mexico said, describing his trip last month to a butterfly sanctuary in Michoacan, a stronghold of Mexico's La Familia cartel.

CNN: U.S. broadens Mexico travel warning