England
Security is being questioned ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in London after a worker smuggled in a fake bomb. The employee drove with the artificial bomb in the cabin of his digger through two checkpoints without being searched by security staff. The organizer of the games has been called in to investigate. Security is expected to get tighter, including a full search of the Olympic park and village. The Royal Air Force is considering arming half a dozen sites with surface-to-air missiles, and military snipers in helicopters will be patrolling the skies. Forty thousand people attending the opening of the Olympic stadium May 4 were subjected to airport-style security checks.
Lebanon
The U.S. State Department has warned against all travel to Lebanon because of the potential for spontaneous violence. The Lebanese government is unable to guarantee protection for visitors, the department said, and access to evacuation routes can be interrupted with no warning. The warning also described the constant threat of anti-Western terrorist activities in Lebanon.
Mexico
Mexico City’s government has begun distributing nearly 500,000 masks to residents who need protection from ash being spewed by Popocatepetl, a volcano 40 miles outside the city. The distribution is targeting mostly boroughs on the east side and focusing on children and the elderly, who are more susceptible to lung disease. Authorities have raised Popocatepetl’s threat level as increased seismic activity and ash plumes cause concern. Travelers should check local conditions before departure.
Peru
The government issued a health alert along its northern coast May 5, urging people to stay away from long stretches of beach as authorities investigate the mysterious deaths of hundreds of dolphins and pelicans. At least 1,200 dead birds have washed ashore in recent weeks after an estimated 800 dolphins died in the same region over the last few months.
Spain
A British tourist fell to her death from a hotel balcony May 5 in the popular resort of Magaluf on Mallorca. Her death was the third British death on the island in less than a month. On April 20, another British national fell from a balcony in Magaluf. Authorities believe that he went out for a cigarette and fell after leaning too far over the rail. Three days before that, another man suffered fatal injuries after falling from a stairwell in the same resort. Magaluf is famous for its party-friendly attitude, but visitors should be aware of balcony railings that might be too low to prevent a fall.
Compiled from news services and travel sources. For updates, check with the State Department at 888-407-4747, travel.state.gov.
