England

Europe: Extreme Weather Plagues Britain, Continent

Date: July 25th, 2007 |

Extreme weather is plaguing Europe, with England suffering its worst floods in 60 years and intense heat contributing to forest fires in southern Italy and across the Balkan peninsula. Romania saw temperatures above 100 for seven straight days, while a fast-moving brush fire drove thousands of tourists out of hotels and campsites to the beaches [read more]

United Kingdom: Heart of London Has Wifi

Date: May 2nd, 2007 |

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The square-mile heart of London now has wireless internet access, with transmitters embedded in lampposts and street signs to remain out of sight. The service, operated by Cloud Networks and available to anyone with a wifi card in their devices, will be free for a one-month trial but will cost about $24 per month t [read more]

United Kingdom: Train Wreck Blamed on Faulty Switch Points

Date: February 28th, 2007 |

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A report on the Feb. 23 derailing of an express train from London to Glasgow revealed that the accident was caused by faulty switching points on the track that were supposed to have been visually inspected Feb. 18 but were not. Railway officials have vowed to uncover why parts were missing from the points and [read more]

France and England: Terrorist Threat to the Channel Tunnel

Date: December 26th, 2006 |

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The British newspaper The Observer reported Dec. 24 that the Channel Tunnel faces a terrorist threat throughout the holiday season. The paper cites a secret Dec. 19 report to the French government by the French security service with information from the CIA that the plot was planned in Pakistan to be carried out by [read more]

United Kingdom: Heathrow Full Service Restored, Possible Strikes at Gatwick

Date: August 22nd, 2006 |

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London’s Heathrow airport has resumed full flight service after ten days of reduced operations because of the thwarted plot to bomb multiple airplanes. Tight carry-on restrictions remain in effect. For passengers arriving at Gatwick airport, travel into London may be more complicated because of a series of one-day strikes threatened by Gatwick Express drivers. The [read more]

United Kingdom: Suspects Detained in Failed Car Bombings

Date: July 4th, 2007 |

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Following attempted car bombings in London and at Glasgow’s international airport June 29-30, the threat level in Britain was temporarily raised to “critical” while police searched for suspects. By July 4 they had arrested eight, seven in Britain and one in Australia, and felt they had detained all main suspects in the case. The threat [read more]

United Kingdom: ATM Fraud in London a Growing Problem

Date: April 25th, 2007 |

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ATM fraud in London is a growing problem, both with skimming technology and various scams perpetrated by thieves. Travelers should avoid isolated ATMs or any ATM that looks unusual or appears to have a device attached to it. Scams that have been used in Central London are usually crimes of distraction that occur after the [read more]

United Kingdom: London Expands Automobile Restrictions

Date: February 21st, 2007 |

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A “congestion charge” for driving in the center of London has been in force since 2003, and the area covered by the law expanded west on Feb. 19 to include Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea. The law requires anyone driving into the area to pay eight pounds (roughly $17) per day, but gives area residents a [read more]

United Kingdom: Rail Strikes, New Security Training for Heathrow Express Staff and BAA Airports

Date: August 29th, 2006 |

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The threatened strike by train drivers for Gatwick Express Sept. 8 was canceled following negotiations, but strikes on Sept. 11, 22 and 25 are possible depending on the success or failure of the talks. Striking drivers of South West Trains shut down 90 percent of service into London Aug. 29 and intend to strike again [read more]

United Kingdom: No Berths on the River Cam in Cambridge

Date: April 18th, 2006 |

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Boaters on the River Cam, including tourists who have chartered vessels for holiday cruises, will have a rude awakening when they arrive in Cambridge: there will be no berths available. City officials assigned all berths in the city to local houseboats when faced with a surge in applications for space, but they failed to consult [read more]