Report Types

Ecuador: National Police Increase Presence to Combat Crime across the Country

Date: October 29th, 2008 |

Violent crime has increased throughout the country, and in response to it and citizen protests demanding action, the national police recently launched an emergency operations plan to combat crime by increasing the federal police presence in each of the country’s 24 provinces. Travelers can expect more police checkpoints throughout the country and should always carry [read more]

Indonesia: Australia Warns Against Travel Because of Bali Bombers Execution

Date: October 29th, 2008 |

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The Australian government has warned its citizens to reconsider travel to Indonesia, including Bali, because of the pending execution of the Bali bombers scheduled for early November. Australia’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Department said the threat of a terrorist attack is “very high.” The U.S. State Department has not altered its position on travel to [read more]

Netherlands: Two Towns to Close Pot “Coffee Shops”

Date: October 29th, 2008 |

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Two Dutch towns have seen enough of their pot-smoking coffee shops and intend to close them all down within two years. Authorities in the towns of Roosendaal and Bergen-op-Zoom will begin closing the eight coffee shops in the two towns in February 2009. They say the 25,000 French and Belgian “drug tourists” they get each [read more]

Cambodia and Thailand: Border Dispute Still Simmers

Date: October 22nd, 2008 |

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A simmering border dispute flared into a military clash Oct. 15 in the area of the Preah Vihear temple, known as Khao Phra Wihan in Thailand. The region is in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Sisaket province. Additional border disputes exist in at least two other sites, Prasart Ta Moan and Prasart Ta Krabey, [read more]

El Salvador: Ibero-America Summit to Disrupt Travel in San Salvador

Date: October 22nd, 2008 |

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The Ibero-America Summit in San Salvador Oct. 28-31 could create significant delays and inconvenience for visitors. For security reasons, the government has authorized several major road closures and detours, and public transportation may be canceled or rerouted. Hotels are likely to have few or no vacancies. Consult local press reports for advice about how to [read more]

India: Private Delhi Airport Taxis Still Dangerous

Date: October 29th, 2008 |

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Seven months ago Delhi airport authorities rearranged the prepaid taxi system to crack down on illegal taxis and touts preying on unsuspecting tourists. The plan was to eliminate the touts and reduce crime, from simple tourist rip-offs to abductions and robberies. But the situation has improved only slightly, with officers unable to patrol adequately at [read more]

Malaysia: Malacca to Increase Tourist Police Unit

Date: October 29th, 2008 |

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Authorities intend to enlarge Malacca’s Tourist Police Unit from 34 officers to 54 and increase the command structure from one inspector to seven senior officers. The unit, established by police in 1985, now has five mounted patrols and six bicycle patrols. The upgrade was prompted by UNESCO granting World Heritage Site status to Malacca in [read more]

Bolivia: Referendum Agreement May Calm Protests

Date: October 22nd, 2008 |

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Congress approved holding a referendum on a new constitution in January, a move that should end two years of political wrangling and months of protests that occasionally became violent, especially in the lowland eastern provinces where opposition to the proposed constitution has been fierce. President Evo Morales has been pushing for the constitutional reform as [read more]

Dubai: Two Britons Sentenced to Jail for Sex on the Beach

Date: October 22nd, 2008 |

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It may appear that anything goes in the high-flying state of Dubai, but that is not so, as two Britons discovered recently when a Dubai court sentenced them to three months in prison followed by deportation for engaging in sex on a public beach. The law in the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is [read more]

Honduras: Heavy Rains Cause National Emergency

Date: October 22nd, 2008 |

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Continual heavy rain has created severe flooding and landslides throughout the country, prompting the government to declare a national state of emergency and the Disaster Response Office to call a “red alert” in many areas. Towns and cities affected include El Progreso, Santa Rita, El Negrito, Tela, the department of Comayagua, Corquín and other areas [read more]