Europe

Scotland: Pickpocketing Surge in Edinburgh

Date: June 25th, 2008 |

A surge of pickpocketing by a gang of thieves that allegedly was not from Scotland occurred in Edinburgh’s central city in recent days, with some 30 thefts reported in Princes Street, Lawnmarket, Waverley Bridge, High Street and Cockburn Street. The incidents prompted police to send in special units to curb the crime and they arrested [read more]

Italy: Venice Promotes Refilling Water Bottles at Fountains

Date: June 11th, 2008 |

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With some 19 million visitors a year and the majority of them wandering the city during the hot summer months, Venice is left with millions of plastic water bottles to dispose of when the tourists leave. Authorities are combating the scourge with a campaign to persuade visitors to refill their bottles at the city’s 122 [read more]

Czech Republic: New Tourist Police in Prague

Date: June 4th, 2008 |

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A new tourist police squad is in place for the summer in Prague’s main tourist areas. In the stretch between Wenceslas Square and Prague Castle via Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge, at least seven special police are on patrol from 10 a.m. to midnight. Their mission is to combat street crime, especially pickpockets [read more]

Italy: Thieves Use Drugs to Rob Tourists

Date: May 28th, 2008 |

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Thieves on Italian trains are increasingly using drugs to sedate victims before making off with their possessions. One method they use is to board sleeper trains and spray a narcotic into cabins before helping themselves to luggage. In a related incident, an elderly American tourist on his way to Hungary after a Mediterranean cruise with [read more]

Switzerland and Austria: Euro 2008 Soccer Tournament June 7-29

Date: May 21st, 2008 |

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Switzerland and Austria will host the Euro 2008 soccer tournament June 7-29, and because it is a major sporting event that is expected to draw 5 million fans, concerns have surfaced about possible terrorist attacks. Posts have appeared on Islamist web sites calling for attacks on the tournament, but Swiss authorities have stated that they [read more]

Austria and Switzerland: Passport Controls During Euro 2008, Vienna Airport Closed to Vehicles on Certain Dates

Date: June 11th, 2008 |

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Passport controls are in effect in both countries through June 29 during the 2008 European Football Championship. All visitors must enter at official border crossings and must have a valid passport to be allowed entry. On certain days during the tournament Vienna’s Schwechat Airport will close access to all traffic except buses and vehicles with [read more]

Balkan Region: UN Report Calls Balkans One of Europe’s Safest Places

Date: June 4th, 2008 |

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According to a UN report, the Balkan region is now one of the safest in Europe. The report found that this region that was wracked by violence and war in the 1990s now has lower rates of homicide, robbery and rape than Western Europe. Of the nine countries in the study—Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, [read more]

Norway: Young Speedsters a Menace on the Highways

Date: June 4th, 2008 |

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Authorities in Norway are concerned about the high rate of traffic fatalities this year, with 106 deaths so far since January, up 50 percent from last year. Historically, most traffic deaths occur here from June through August, so the numbers are troubling. Many of the fatal accidents have involved speeding, intoxication, or both, and young [read more]

Italy: Naples Garbage Still Rots, Raises Health Concerns

Date: May 21st, 2008 |

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For months Naples has been living in a garbage heap because all dumps are full and there has been no place to haul away debris. Now the U.S. military is sampling tap water and soil for pesticides and other pollutants to gauge the health risks to its personnel of living in and around the city. [read more]

Poland: Crime in Warsaw

Date: April 2nd, 2008 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw reported that crime throughout the country is declining but there are places in Warsaw known for criminal activity that are best avoided. Two separate incidents since mid March occurred in the evening near the Wilanow Bus Stop when American juveniles were accosted by young Polish men. No one was seriously [read more]