Australia
Authorities are concerned that an international criminal gang of ATM card skimmers is targeting Australia after the arrest of two Romanian men in Sydney. The two were arrested after a repair technician discovered their skimming equipment hidden in an air conditioner in one of their hotel rooms. This followed the arrest in March of five Romanians for stealing money from 5,000 bank accounts in Melbourne with skimming equipment. Be suspicious if an ATM appears to have been tampered with, and cover the keyboard to prevent hidden cameras from capturing your PIN.
Estonia
April 26-27 is the second anniversary of the relocation of the Bronze Soldier statue from a central square in Tallinn to a military cemetery in the city, an event that produced two days of rioting. In 2008, groups both for and against the move gathered, but their demonstrations were predominantly peaceful. Demonstrations are likely again for this year’s anniversary. The Bronze Soldier was erected by the Soviets in 1947 and viewed by Russian immigrants as symbolic of the Russian defeat of Nazi Germany and Russia’s claim to Estonia. Ethnic Estonians, on the other hand, saw it as a symbol of Soviet repression.
Italy
The earthquake that hit L’Aquila, killing more than 200 people and leaving at least 50,000 homeless, will set back tourism in the Abruzzo region, which recently has been emerging as a tourist destination. The mountainous region with hilltop medieval villages and large stretches of national park land lies just a 90-minute drive from Rome. Rebuilding will take time, and the medieval structures that fell will never be the same even if rebuilt.
Thailand
Authorities closed tourist spots near the Preah Vihear temple at the Cambodian border after two clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces killed four soldiers and wounded 16 others. A Thai military spokesman said the clashes followed a land-mine explosion that maimed a Thai soldier a few miles west of the temple in an area that both countries claim. When Thai soldiers arrived to clear the land mines, Cambodian soldiers appeared and told them to leave. Fighting erupted when neither side would retreat. The tourist areas that are closed are Pha Mor E-Daeng cliff, Khao Phra Viharn National Park and its gate to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province. In other news, ongoing political struggles continued with a massive anti-government demonstration April 8 in Bangkok demanding that the prime minister resign.
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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.
