Britain

United Kingdom: Unusual Crime Comes to London’s St. John’s Wood

Date: April 21st, 2010 |

The U.S. Embassy in London reported several recent incidents of young men pursuing individuals on the street in London’s posh St. John’s Wood neighborhood with the apparent intent to rob them. In one incident, a teenager and friend were robbed at knifepoint by young men at mid-afternoon on a busy street. St. John’s Wood is [read more]

United Kingdom: British Airways Cabin Crews, National Rail Workers May Strike

Date: March 17th, 2010 |

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British Airways cabin crews planned to strike for three days March 20-22 and four days March 27-30 ahead of the Easter holidays in an ongoing dispute that almost produced strikes at Christmas and New Year’s. If the strikes occur, the airline intends to use substitute crews to operate a substantial number of both its long-haul [read more]

United Kingdom: London Tube Strike Coming Sunday

Date: February 10th, 2010 |

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Maintenance workers on the London Underground’s Victoria, Bakerloo and Central routes plan 24-hour strikes every Sunday beginning Feb. 14 until their labor dispute is resolved. The issue involves new work schedules put in place by management and increased use of outside contractors. The strikes are scheduled to start at 6:45 a.m. and could cause disruptions, [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]

United Kingdom: Thameslink Trains Running Reduced Schedule, Driver Strike Possible in December

Date: November 19th, 2009 |

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A shortage of train drivers caused significant delays in service on the First Capital Connect Thameslink line linking London and several cities including Gatwick airport. The drivers are not on strike, but they are refusing to work automatic overtime, forcing the train system to reduce the number of trains operating. A revised schedule is in [read more]

Europe: Airline Strikes to Disrupt Travel, Again

Date: March 24th, 2010 |

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Airline strikes are likely to disrupt travel again in late March and April, with British Airways cabin crews striking for a second time in as many weeks March 27-30, TAP Portugal pilots walking out March 26-31, and Lufthansa pilots refusing to work April 13-16. All three strikes will cause havoc on their airlines’ respective [read more]

Europe: Economic Crunch Prompts Strikes Across Continent

Date: February 24th, 2010 |

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Strikes hit both the public and private sectors of several countries as the financial crisis put increasing pressure on workers and businesses, and some walkouts will carry on into March. Lufthansa pilots struck, French air traffic controllers walked out for four days, Greek unions blockaded the Athens stock market, and prepared to shut down much [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]

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]

United Kingdom: Anti-Islam Demonstrators Clash with Muslim Counter-Protesters

Date: September 16th, 2009 |

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Authorities are concerned about violent clashes between anti-Islam demonstrators and Muslim counter-protesters that have occurred in the last few months in Birmingham, London and Luton. The English Defense League and other far-right groups have been accused of trying to provoke a response from the Muslim community with their demonstrations, and in several instances they have, [read more]