Europe

Spain: EU Presidency Raises Concerns about Possible ETA Incident

Date: January 6th, 2010 |

The EU presidency is Spain’s for the next six months, and with it came a reminder that the Basque separatist group ETA remains an active threat. Authorities are concerned that the group may try to stage a kidnapping or other incident during this period to draw attention to its cause. ETA’s violent campaign for an [read more]

Russia and Georgia: Agreement to Reopen Border Crossing Marks Political Thaw

Date: December 30th, 2009 |

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These two countries that fought a brief war in August 2008 have agreed to reopen a border crossing that has been closed for three years. The Verkhny Lars crossing is on the only highway between the two countries that does not go through the breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where most of the [read more]

United Kingdom: Train Drivers in Southern England to Strike Dec. 28

Date: December 16th, 2009 |

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Train drivers voted to stage a 24-hour strike Dec. 28 to protest the Southern Railway’s refusal to pay holiday wages for drivers working the Monday after Christmas. The strike will affect Southern’s routes, which run from London to England’s south coast and throughout southeastern England. The walkout will likely cause extensive disruption in service. Thinking [read more]

Italy: Rome Taxi Company Trying to Improve Drivers’ Reputations

Date: December 3rd, 2009 |

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Rome is trying to make tourists feel more welcome and reduce scams perpetrated against them with billboards that proclaim “Rome loves tourists” and posters with the slogan “Be smart, don’t try to be clever” aimed at service providers, not visitors. Part of the campaign is meant to burnish the reputation of Rome’s taxi drivers by [read more]

Germany: Government Takes al-Qaeda Threats Seriously

Date: November 19th, 2009 |

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The U.S. State Department reissued a travel alert for Germany warning of threats by al-Qaeda against German interests. The original threats mentioned the German elections in September, but German authorities feel the threats remain and are taking them seriously, continuing to actively investigate them. The travel alert encourages Americans to remain alert and aware, to [read more]

United Kingdom: Winter Chill and Snow Disrupt Travel across the Country

Date: January 6th, 2010 |

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The harshest winter weather since 1981 shut down airports and highways across the country Jan. 5 when some 16 inches of snow fell in various places as a cold front swept down from Scotland. Temporary closures hit Gatwick and Luton airports and Heathrow saw many flight cancellations. Freezing temperatures were forecast for another two weeks [read more]

Europe: Heavy Snow, Cold Disrupt Travel Across Continent, Eurostar to Resume Normal Schedule Dec. 28, Venice Flooded

Date: December 23rd, 2009 |

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Severe winter weather before Christmas disrupted travel throughout Europe, causing flight delays and cancellations in the UK, Germany and Italy, and shutting down the Eurostar “Chunnel” train service between London and Paris for three days. Twenty-five-hundred passengers were stranded without food, water or air conditioning for 16 hours. The breakdown was believed to have been [read more]

Northern Ireland: Police Urge Stores to Check Security in Wake of Car Bomb

Date: December 9th, 2009 |

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Police urged retailers across the province to review their security arrangements because of concerns that a dissident IRA faction might mount a Christmas bombing campaign. The Real IRA splinter group left a car bomb that partially detonated at the Policing Board headquarters in Belfast Nov. 22, and authorities worry that they have access to a [read more]

Russia: Two Train Bombings Raise Worries Over New Terrorist Campaign

Date: December 3rd, 2009 |

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Two train bombings occurred within days recently, raising fears that a new wave of violence against the state may be underway similar to the campaign carried out by Chechen rebels in Moscow five years ago. The first bombing derailed a high-speed train on the main line between Moscow and St. Petersburg overnight Nov. 27-28, killing [read more]

Russia: Work Permit Red Tape Becomes Redder, Government Admits Many Police Are Corrupt

Date: November 19th, 2009 |

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The red tape for working in Russia just got a little more tangled now that immigration officials are requiring foreigners seeking work permits to present “diplomas” showing their credentials along with an “apostille,” a stamp from the foreigner’s Foreign Ministry certifying the diploma’s authenticity. The law demanding an apostille has been on the books since [read more]