September 1st, 2010
Bolivia and Peru: Bubonic Plague in Border Region
By Larry Habegger |
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An outbreak of bubonic plague is occurring along the border in the Bolivian province of La Paz and Peru’s Ascope. Bolivia’s health authorities put La Paz on epidemiological alert, with one death and three more suspected cases in the town of Apolo. One person has died and 30 have been affected in Peru.
September 1st, 2010
Mexico: Possible Retaliatory Attacks in Puerto Vallarta
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Following the detonation of a hand grenade in a bar popular with locals near, but outside the main tourist area of Puerto Vallarta Aug. 25, the U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara issued a warning about two other establishments that might be targeted for retaliatory attacks: La Vaquita Grill located at Lazaro Cardenas #567, El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, or the Mandala near the corner of Central and Margarita Maza de Juarez. Authorities believe the attack was related to local drug rivalries.
September 1st, 2010
Nepal: Residents to Block Tourists from Upper Mustang near Tibet
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Residents of the former kingdom of Mustang on the border with Tibet vowed to ban tourists beginning Oct. 1 to protest broken promises by the government. Upper Mustang opened to tourists only in 1992 and visitors are required to pay $500 for a pass to enter the region. The locals said the government promised to spend 60 percent of that revenue in the poor area, but has not done so, while the government said it had made no such promise. Travelers to Mustang may be turned back.
September 1st, 2010
Northern Ireland: Tourism Officials Call Australia’s Travel Alert an Overreaction
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Australia warned its citizens to be cautious about travel to Northern Ireland because of a series of bombings over the last month and rising sectarian strife. The warning addressed the possibility of being caught in violence directed at others or in demonstrations that become violent. The U.S. State Department’s notice on Northern Ireland also advises travelers to remain alert to their surroundings and to be aware of possible violence during parades, but Northern Ireland Tourism officials stated that such advisories are overreactions and the vast majority of travelers to the province find it to be safe and secure. The political situation has improved dramatically in Northern Ireland in the last few years as the era of the Troubles has passed.
September 1st, 2010
Venezuela: Violent Crime Rate Remains Sky High
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Venezuela is facing a crime crisis of such proportions that its murder rate in 2009 was dramatically higher than Iraq’s, a country with a similar size population and active war zones. More than 19,000 murders occurred in Venezuela, making it one of the world’s most dangerous countries. Small gangs are responsible for much of the crime, and they are usually well armed and use their weapons at the first sign of resistance. Violent crime occurs throughout the country, with gangs often setting up roadblocks to look like police checkpoints and sometimes impersonating police officers. This type of crime often occurs on the main road to Caracas from the international airport.
August 25th, 2010
China: New UNESCO Site to Limit Tourists; 60-Mile Traffic Jam to Last for Weeks
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Officials in Henan province plan to restrict tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, which comprises several structures including the renowned Shaolin Monastery and was added to UNESCO’s list on Aug. 1. During peak times tourist numbers will be held down to reduce damage from burning incense, carbon dioxide and humidity. In other news, a massive 60-mile traffic jam on the highway that links Inner Mongolia to Beijing entered its second week and will likely last another three. The jam was blamed on the opening of coal mines in the region, which put more trucks on the road, and road construction that will continue until Sept. 17. In some stretches, vehicles were moving less than a mile a day.
August 25th, 2010
Germany: Tourists Disturbing the Local Harmony in Berlin’s Kreuzberg
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Young tourists who have found “authentic” Berlin are proving to be too much for local residents who are seeing their well being disturbed by visitors loving their neighborhood too much. The Admiralsbruecke in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, a 19th-century cobblestoned bridge over a canal, has become a nightly gathering place for young foreigners who have been playing music and drinking long into the night with the usual consequences: drunken behavior, broken bottles, garbage tossed about and the occasional prank. Many of them learn about the site through the travelers’ grapevine and online, but locals are fed up. Professional mediators and even Berlin’s mayor so far have failed to find a solution.
August 25th, 2010
Indonesia: Women-Only Rail Cars Rolling in Jakarta
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Authorities for the state-run train system have established women-only rail cars in Jakarta in an attempt to prevent sexual harassment on crowded trains. So far two new carriages have been added to the busy commuter line between Jakarta and Bogor, and more will be added if the trial is effective. Women have complained that men often purposely push up against them in jammed rail cars and buses.
August 25th, 2010
Thailand: State of Emergency Lifted in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
Thai authorities lifted the state of emergency in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani that had been in place since “Red Shirt” demonstrations paralyzed the center of Bangkok for several weeks beginning in March. The Red Shirts remain active throughout the region and have called for demonstrations to protest what they consider the government’s double standard in cracking down on dissent. In the past they have gathered near Tha Pae Gate in the center of Chiang Mai city. Such demonstrations have the potential to escalate into violence.
August 25th, 2010
United Kingdom: London Tube Strike Planned for Sept. 7
By Larry Habegger | Add a Comment »
London Underground workers plan to hold monthly 24-hour strikes beginning Sept. 7 to protest plans to reduce ticket window hours and eliminate 800 jobs. They plan to continue their strikes until management withdraws its plans. The strikes could cause significant disruption on London’s Tube system.
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