1. AUSTRALIA
A ban on alcohol on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory will affect travelers visiting such iconic sites as Uluru (Ayers Rock) when it goes into effect Sept. 14. The ban being imposed by the federal government is an effort to reduce alcohol-related child abuse in Aboriginal communities.
2. GREECE
Six days of wildfires burned wide swaths of Greece’s forests, primarily in the Peloponnese region, with firefighters from some 20 countries finally getting the blazes under control Aug. 29. Continuing dry, hot weather, however, could rekindle the flames.
3. RUSSIA
A Chilean citizen, who bought Red Army medals and old rubles in a small town south of Moscow, has been detained and is awaiting trial because the items were deemed cultural treasures by officials and thus fell under a law prohibiting their export. The law covers art and religious objects more than 50 years old, antique medals and awards, among other things. The maximum sentence is seven years in prison.
4. SOUTH AFRICA
Fifteen muggings in 14 days on Cape Town’s Table Mountain prompted the city’s top tourism official to ask the army to patrol the famous peak so visitors can explore it safely. Fifty-two rangers and 200 volunteers patrol the peak daily.
5. UNITED KINGDOM
London Underground workers announced two strikes: from 6 p.m. Sept. 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 6, and from 6 p.m. Sept. 10 to 6 p.m. Sept. 13.
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.
