1. CARIBBEAN
Category 5 Hurricane Dean churned through the Caribbean and Mexico Aug. 19-22 causing extensive property damage but generally sparing tourism facilities. Jamaica took a glancing blow, with the north coast resorts suffering little damage and airports fully functioning again. The Cayman Islands largely escaped with just wind damage. In Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Dean hit land near Chetumal, the capital of Quintana Roo state, well south of the major resorts. Most resorts are operating normally. The peninsula’s famous Mayan sites were not damaged.
2. GERMANY
A mob of some 50 neo-Nazi youths attacked a group of eight Indian tourists during a festival in the town of Mugeln near Leipzig in eastern Germany Aug. 19. Witnesses reported hearing xenophobic chants including “foreigners out” during the attack, but town officials seemed perplexed that there could be any right-wing extremists in their community.
3. PERU
The devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Peru’s southern coast Aug. 15 destroyed some 34,400 homes, killed more than 500 people and left 100,000 homeless. Other areas of Peru, including the tourist sites of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, were not affected.
4. RUSSIA
Beginning Aug. 27, Russia will restrict liquids carried aboard airplanes following standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization that are in place in the U.S., E.U. and elsewhere.
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Compiled from various news services and travel sources. For the latest on world conditions, check the State Department’s automated service at 888-407-4747; fax 202-647-3000; travel.state.gov.
