CHARLESTON, S.C.—A new study suggests that while downtown Charleston must deal with the passengers, traffic and congestion from cruise ships, the city gets only a fraction of the surrounding region's economic benefit from South Carolina's year-round cruise industry.   Full Story

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.—An Italian real estate group is suing to keep residents of a tiny town south of the Grand Canyon from putting a stop to its plans for major development that include hotels, 3 million square feet of commercial space and hundreds of homes.   Full Story

ATLANTA—A northwest Georgia county has bought the garden where the late folk artist Howard Finster held court for tourists and art lovers from around the world.   Full Story

BEIJING—The U.S. Embassy in China is promising to streamline visa requests and hire more people to process applicants as part of President Barack Obama's push to boost tourism to the United States.   Full Story

PARIS—France's leading pilots' union threatened Thursday to extend a strike that has canceled hundreds of flights worldwide and cost Air France tens of millions of euros (dollars).   Full Story