1. CHINA
Smoking is now banned in Beijing’s taxis as officials try to clean up the city ahead of next year’s Olympics. The ban affects both drivers and passengers. A non-smoking Olympics has been on their agenda since 2004, and they plan to prohibit smoking and cigarette sales at Olympic venues.
2. GERMANY
National rail engineers planned an indefinite strike Oct. 5 in a months-long wage dispute after talks with government representatives broke down.
3. KENYA
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi warned that Islamic extremists from Somalia may be planning to kidnap Westerners, especially U.S. citizens, on beaches in the popular Kiwayu Island tourist area and other beach sites on the northeast coast near Somalia.
4. MALDIVES
A bomb in Sultan Park in the capital city, Male, injured 12 foreign tourists, two seriously Sept. 29. Ten suspects were arrested but the motives for the attack were not known. This was the first bomb attack since 1988. The international airport is not on the island of Male nor are the main tourist resorts so most visitors can avoid the capital city if necessary.
5. TURKEY
Seven British tourists hoping to win a free drink playing bingo in a bar in Altinkum were arrested, detained for four hours and fined the equivalent of $97. According to the district police chief, bingo is a form of gambling, and gambling is illegal unless licensed.
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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.
