1 BALKANS
According to a UN report, the Balkan region is now one of the safest in Europe. The report found that this region that was racked by violence and war in the 1990s now has lower rates of homicide, robbery and rape than Western Europe. Countries in the study were Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro and Serbia.
2 MEXCIO
The first fatal shark attacks in 30 years along Mexico’s Pacific coast occurred near the resort of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. Two surfers were killed and one was maimed in three incidents since late April.
3 CZECH REPUBLIC
A new tourist police squad is in place for the summer in Prague’s main tourist areas. Their mission is to combat street crime, especially pickpockets and currency scammers who exchange with unknowing tourists Bulgarian levas instead of Czech crowns for foreign currency.
4 INDIA
Thousands of ethnic Gujjar women seeking job and education parity blocked rail tracks in Rajasthan, causing cancellation of 50 trains on the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra routes and stranding 40,000 passengers June 3.
5 NORWAY
Authorities in Norway are concerned about the high rate of traffic deaths this year, with 106 deaths since January, up 50 percent from 2007.
———-
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.
