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People walk at Taksim Square, Istanbul's main business and entertainment center, which hosts a monument to Turkey's ubiquitous national hero, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and other founders of the modern Turkish Republic. Last summer, Taksim Square was the scene of violent confrontations between police and protesters. But protests have faded, and Istanbul is quite calm now and as safe for tourists as it ever was.

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Chinese business travel takes off

LOS ANGELES » For years Americans have led the world in business travel spending. That is about to change.

With China’s economy surging, business travel spending from the world’s most populous country is expected to jump 14 percent in 2013 and 17 percent next year, according to the Global Business Travel Association, a trade group for corporate travel managers.

China is expected to surpass the U.S. as the world’s largest business travel market by 2016, the trade group says.

About 95 percent of that business travel traffic will stay in Asia, with trips to South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong the top destinations. The GBTA estimates that the U.S. will be No. 8 on the list of destinations for Chinese business travelers.

And with the growth in travel from China, Beijing Capital International Airport is expected to surpass Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport next year as the world’s busiest airport.

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"As China’s economy continues to grow, so does their expected demand for business travel," said Tad Fordyce, head of global solutions for Visa Inc.

The demand for air travel from China is expected to grow so fast in the next few years that several of China’s airports have had to double or triple their capacity, and the nation plans to build about 100 new airports over the next decade, said Joe Bates, vice president of research at GBTA.

"The real question is, Can they keep up with the demand?" he said.

Eternal flame restored at JFK grave

ARLINGTON, Va. » The eternal flame at the grave site of former President John F. Kennedy has been restored at Arlington National Cemetery.

On Tuesday the cemetery transferred the flame from a temporary burner to the restored permanent eternal flame that is part of a memorial to the 35th president.

Repairs began in April to replace components of the eternal flame’s burner. Contractors installed new gas and air lines, a new burner assembly and new drainage lines below the flame.

The work was supposed to be completed by late May, but the flame remained on a temporary burner through October. The temporary flame was visible to tourists during the project.

Officials said the repairs were needed after more than four decades of use. The cemetery says the new equipment will provide easier maintenance.