France: About 50% flights to be cancelled Thursday

(October 27, 2010)

The French civil aviation authority DGAC said Wednesday that anti-pension reform strikes Thursday will force the cancellation of 50 percent of flights at Paris Orly airport and 30 percent at other airports,

Unions have called for a seventh day of nationwide protests against President Nicolas Sarkozy's bid to raise minimum retirement from 60 to 62 even though the bill is expected to be adopted by parliament on Wednesday.

Airline traffic is expected to return to normal on Friday, October 29, the DGAC said.

The Dominican Republic: Border security to keep the cholera at bay

(October 26, 2010)

The Dominican Republic, Haiti's more prosperous neighbor, with which it shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, tightened up border security to keep the disease at bay.

Officials in Santo Domingo said entry into the country from Haiti would be severely restricted, and border security increased to ensure new regulations are complied with.

"We will maintain strict supervision of our ports, airports and border crossings points to prevent the transmission of this disease to our country," public health minister Bautista Rojas was quoted as saying.

Haiti reported 25 more cholera deaths on Tuesday as UN health officials warned the epidemic was not over yet amid lingering fears it could still infiltrate the capital's putrid refugee camps.

The cholera outbreak, the first in Haiti in more than 100 years, has stabilized in recent days but the number of new deaths announced on Tuesday was more than four times the six reported on Monday.

Indonesia: Tsunami kills over 100 as earthquake triggers waves

(October 26, 2010)
Rescuers battled rough seas Tuesday to reach remote Indonesian islands pounded by a 10-foot (three-meter) tsunami that swept away homes, killing at least 113 people. Scores more were missing and information was only beginning to trickle in from the sparsely populated surfing destination, so casualties were expected to rise.

With few able to get to the islands to help with searches, fisherman were left to find the dead and look for the living. Corpses were strewn about since there were not enough people to dig graves, according to the Mentawai district chief, Edison Salelo Baja. More than 4,000 people expected to spend the night without shelter because tents and other supplies had also not arrived.



Central Java officials warned Tuesday that a lava dome containing pressurized gas could collapse, sparking an explosion far worse than the one in 2006 that killed two people.

Many residents heeded the warning, but thousands more remained near the volcano to watch over their homes and livestock.The slopes of volcanoes provide some of the most fertile soil in Indonesia, creating high population densities in vulnerable areas like the one around Merapi.

Officials with loudspeakers were encouraging thousands to escape the area as hot gas and ash continued to spew from the volcano’s mouth, according to AFP.

Honduras: Tropical Storm Richard hits the northern area of Honduras causing causing strong wind and rains

(October 23, 2010)

Tropical Storm Richard gained strength Saturday, lashing the Caribbean coast of Honduras with strong winds and heavy rain that threatened potentially deadly flash floods and landslides.

Hurricane warnings were issued for all of those areas, and storm warnings were also in place for Mexico's southern Caribbean coast.

Honduran officials said rain was falling on the eastern province of Gracias a Dios, where floods have been severe in the past.

Haiti: Cholera outbreak creeps closer to capital Port-au-Prince

(October 23, 2010)


In Haiti at least 208 people had died and 2,674 others were infected in an outbreak mostly centered in the Artibonite region north of the capital.

Health officials said a spreading cholera outbreak in rural Haiti threatened to outpace aid groups as they stepped up efforts Saturday hoping to keep the disease from reaching the squalid camps of earthquake survivors in Port-au-Prince.

At least five people who traveled from the Artibonite region to Port-au-Prince on Saturday tested positive for cholera once they arrived in the capital, where they are being treated, she said. Aguirre said they are not considered the first cholera cases of Port-au-Prince because officials believe the people contracted the disease in Artibonite.

But the number of cases in towns near Port-au-Prince were rising, and officials worried the next target will be hundreds of thousands of Haitians left homeless by January's devastating quake and now living in camps across the capital.

Haiti: Cholera epidemic spreads in central Haiti

(October 22, 2010)

A cholera epidemic spread in central Haiti on Friday as aid groups rushed doctors and supplies to fight the country's worst health crisis since January's earthquake. Officials are concerned the outbreak could reach the squalid tarp camps where hundreds of thousands of quake survivors live in the capital.

"It will be very, very dangerous," said Claude Surena, president of the Haitian Medical Association. "Port-au-Prince already has more than 2.4 million people, and the way they are living is dangerous enough already."

The Ministry of Health confirmed 194 deaths and 2,364 cases of cholera, said Imogen Wall, a spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The sick come from across the desolate Artibonite Valley, a region that received thousands of refugees following the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed as many as 300,000 people and destroyed the capital 45 miles (70 kilometers) south of St. Marc. Most of the new arrivals have been taken in by host families.

In addition to the two cholera cases confirmed by the health ministry in Arcahaie, the International Medical Corps said it was investigating other possible cases in Croix-des-Bouquet, a suburb of the capital. Radio reports also said there were two dozen cases of diarrhea on Gonave island.

France: Fuel supply will take 'several days' to return to normal

(October 22, 20101)

Over the past 11 days France's 12 oil refineries have been disrupted by strikes, and on Friday around one in five filling stations had run out of fuel.

Transport Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said the government has no immediate plans to introduce fuel rationing, despite shortages caused by strikes by workers defending their right to retire at 60.

It will take "several days" to restore fuel supplies to normal at French petrol stations, the premier's office said Friday, October 22th.

Haiti: outbreak of cholera

(october 22,2010)

After the devastating earthquake that plunged Haiti into crisis in January this year, health and relief agencies feared the outbreak of contagious disease.

Two regions north of the capital, Port-au-Prince, Lower Artibonite and the Central Plateau, have been afflicted with the deadly diarrhea-causing disease, with as many as 1,500 people reported ill late Thursday. The United Kingdom Press Association (UKPA) reported that at a hospital in Saint Marc, located 55 miles north of the Port-au-Prince, doctors saw an influx of patients through the night and into the morning. One health care worker said the hospital had treated 476 people through the night.

According to NPR, the outbreak only arose in the past 48 hours. It is thought that overcrowding and poor sanitation are contributing to the outbreak. Many Haitians living in Port-au-Prince had fled the city after the earthquake, although it is thought that there are still about one million Haitians living in unsanitary tent cities in the capital.

At least 142 people have died in rural central Haiti.

Meanwhile, there were reports that the disease had already spread to other parts of the country still reeling from the Jan. 12 devastating earthquake. So far, more than 100 people have died and more than 1,000 people have been hospitalized in the lower Artibonite region in recent days.

The outbreak is Haiti's first cholera epidemic in a century, the World Health Organization said. There are more than 1,500 reported cases of people with symptoms of severe diarrhea and vomiting in the rural area north of Port-au-Prince

Iraq: American influence has so dwindled over the last several months

(October 21, 2010)


Initially, United States officials encouraged the Iraqis to form a government quickly. Recently U.S. started pushing for a slowdown after it became apparent that a political organization led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was poised to play a major role.

The U.S. clearly hopes to stall the formation of a new government long enough for the deal unravel between al-Maliki and al-Sadr, whose hardline Shiite followers are close to Iran. But the days of the U.S. calling the shots in Iraq are long over - largely because of President Obama's intent to scale back America's presence more than seven years after the invasion which ousted Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led regime.

That's led Iraqi leaders to reach out to Mideast neighbors for advice and support on brokering a new government. Leaders from rival political coalitions in the last several months have been to Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia on official visits.

On Thursday, al-Maliki was in Ankara to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a development that may have assured him a second term, al-Maliki this month won al-Sadr's backing. And this week, top Iranian officials gave al-Maliki their clearest nod of support yet during his trip to Tehran. It is Iraq's newly warmed alliance with Iran that worries the United States. According to Sunni lawmaker Osama al-Nujaifi., "there is U.S. influence in the political process and forming of the government, but less so than before. As they (the Americans) begin to withdraw their military, the Iranians are taking advantage of the empty space, and are ready to fill the vacuum."

In Cairo this week, al-Maliki predicted a new government will be formed soon. A senior Iraqi government official said that will happen regardless of whether the U.S. blesses it, though he acknowledged that Baghdad would be weak without American support. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.

Mexico's Baja California: Powerful quake reported

(october 21, 2010)

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a powerful magnitude 6.9 quake struck off Mexico's Baja California on Thursday, 21 October, at 11:53 am (1753 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers

The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.6, was centered in the Gulf of California, 65 miles south of Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa on the mainland. It was very shallow, just 6.2 miles below the seabed.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. Alberto Montoya Rodriguez, who runs the losmochis.com said "There was a lot a panic,but there was no damage beyond, just a big scare."

Some damage was reported in Los Mochis, but its extent was unclear. Telemundo in Los Angeles reported hotels and public buildings in the cities of Guasave, and Los Mochis and Culiacan were evacuated. According to new statements, Los Mochis's employees and guests were returned to the building shortly after.

The Pacific Tsunami center said the quake had not triggered a tsunami but could cause local waves.

Southern China hits deadly typhoon

(October 20, 2010)


Late Wednesday, Megi was about 350 miles (550 kilometers) southeast of the southern financial hub of Hong Kong and expected to eventually hit the southern Chinese coast, the Hong Kong Observatory said on its website.

In Guangdong, officials have ordered all fishing boats back to shore, put the provincial flood control headquarters on alert and warned that reservoirs should be watched, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday. In the southern island province of Hainan, residents rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food, vegetables and bottled water, Xinhua said.

In Hong Kong, the mood was calmer in the densely populated city of 7 million whose infrastructure has traditionally held up well against the annual summer barrage of typhoons. Still, the Hong Kong Observatory urged residents to make sure their windows could be properly bolted, avoid the coastline and refrain from water sports. It also ordered small vessels to return to shore.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said Thursday that Typhoon Megi was unlikely to make landfall on the island but warned residents in southern and eastern Taiwan to brace for heavy rains and landslides. It also cautioned ships off the southern and western parts of the island to be on the lookout out for rough seas.

France: Riots Exacerbate fuel shortage, blockades continue

(October 20, 2010)


France’s fuel shortage crisis deepened, as roughly a quarter of French filling stations ran short of fuel because of a blockade of fuel depots by workers opposed to a pension reform due for a final vote later this week.

More than 3,000 service stations out of nearly 12,500 in France were out of fuel on Wednesday, according to the government.

The wave of protests - which drew at least one million people on Tuesday or 3.5 million according to unions - has become the biggest and most persistent challenge to austerity measures and economic reforms being enacted across Europe.

Labour unions have tightened their grip on key sectors of the economy with a ninth day of refinery strikes, go-slows by truck drivers and work stoppages at regional airports.

On Wednesday, workers opposed to a higher retirement age blocked roads to airports around France on Wednesday, leaving passengers in Paris dragging suitcases on foot along an emergency breakdown lane.

Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said both the strikes and the violence were taking an economic toll. "I'm calling on people to be responsible, in particular those who are having a roaring time blocking access and breaking things,'' she said in an interview with TF1 television late Wednesday. "It's serious for our country,'' she added.

France: Fuel blockades continue despite police intervention

(October 20, 2010)

Fresh blockades by French workers continued Wednesday as senators examined the contentious pension reform bill. The country's fuel crisis worsened as oil workers blocked depots despite police intervention.

More than 3,000 service stations out of nearly 12,500 in France were out of fuel on Wednesday, as trade unions kept up their resistance to a pension reform due for a final vote this week.

President Nicolas Sarkozy sent in police to clear access to barricaded French fuel depots and restore supply. "If this disorder is not ended quickly, the attempt to paralyse the country could have consequences for jobs by disrupting the normal functioning of the economy," he told a cabinet meeting in remarks released by his office. Sarkozy vowed again to push through his pension reform.

On the other hand, strikes halted operations at two of France's three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals. Public utility EDF told Reuters there was no immediate risk of LNG shortages. "We're ready to continue striking every day and go all the way," a CGT union representative near Marseille told Reuters

Chechnya: Shooting in the parliament, killed people, hostages

(October 19, 2010)

The Russian Interfax news agency also reported that three or four gunmen had broken into the parliament building itself and opened fire. It said a number of hostages had been taken. The shooting started near the office of the parliament's speaker and was continuing, Interfax reported, citing a security source.

According to a report of the RIA news agency, at least two people were killed Tuesday when a suicide bomber and a number of gunmen attacked the local parliament in Russia's restive southern republic of Chechnya.

The news agency said a suicide bomber had detonated explosives just outside parliament and that two armed insurgents had then engaged in a gun battle with guards around the building.

Chechen authorities reported that some 30 rebels attacked the village of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov early on Sunday morning. Five civilians and two policemen were also killed in the attack. Police killed 12 rebels as they repulsed the raid on the Moscow-backed president's home village.

China warns: Megi will be year's strongest typhoon

(October 18, 2010)


China's National Meteorological Centre said in a statement that super typhoon Megi is expected to be the strongest typhoon of the year in China. Megi, which means "catfish" in Korean, is expected to enter the South China Sea on Monday and is possible to cause wild winds and huge waves in the South China Sea over the next three days.

The forecast centre issued an orange alert, its second-highest level warning, telling ships to shelter in ports and urging local authorities to prepare for emergencies.

The island province Hainan braces itself for typhoon Megi, after torrential rains affect nearly 1.3 million people. Authorities evacuated 140,000 people from a coastal province ahead of the typhoon.

Philippines: Megi typhoon travel alerts

(October 18, 2010)
Super typhoon Megi hits the northern Philippines this Monday. Megi packed sustained winds of 140 miles (225 kilometers) per hour and gusts of 162 mph (260 kph) as it made landfall midday Monday at Palanan Bay in northeastern Isabela province, and was losing some of its power while crossing the mountains of the main northern island of Luzon.

Megi was expected to move on later Monday toward southern China, which already has evacuated more than 100,000 people from villages because of earlier flooding, according to the China Meteorological Administration. Vietnam's central coast, where 21 people have died in floods, also prepared for another soaking.

With its ferocious wind and rainfall of 1.97 inches (50-60 millimeters) per hour, Megi was the most powerful typhoon to hit the Philippines in four years, government forecasters say.

Philippine weather officials issued the highest of a four-tier public storm alert for the two coastal provinces of Isabela and Cagayan and three mountain provinces where the typhoon is expected to pass before exiting into the South China Sea.

After super typhoon Megi hit Isabela province cutting off power and communications, forcing flight cancellations and putting the region's rice crop at risk, the Philippines declared a state of calamity in a northern province. Megi hit the province province at 11:25 a.m. (0325 GMT) and by early Monday evening was heading west-southwest across the north of the main island of Luzon with winds of 180 kph (110 mph) near the centre, forecasters said.

Pakistan: Suspected political violence kills 25 in Karachi

(October 17, 2010)
Gunmen have killed at least 25 people in Karachi in the past 24 hours, raising tensions in Pakistan's largest city as voters cast ballots Sunday to replace a provincial lawmaker murdered in August.

Karachi police Chief Fayyza Leghari said they cannot say whether all the killings were politically motivated or some gangs were involved because the killings took place in different parts of the city and were not confined to the area where the elections were being held.

The two parties most linked to violence in Karachi - the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM)and the Awami National Party (ANP) - have their electoral bases in different ethnic groups that make up a large chunk of the city's population. Both parties were competing for Haider's vacant seat, but the ANP announced Saturday evening that it would boycott the election, saying the MQM would rig the vote. The shootings began around the time the ANP made its announcement.

The rising tension between the MQM and the ANP represents a serious danger to stability in Karachi, a city of some 16 million people and Pakistan's commercial hub.

Nepal: Travel alerts for the week of October 17, 2010

(October 17, 2010)

The fall festival season is under way with Dashain running through Friday and Tihar from Nov. 5 to 7.

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu reported that criminal activity spikes this time of year, and travelers are urged to remain alert for pickpockets. Street harassment from intoxicated individuals is also a problem.

An additional 1,090 police officers will be on duty in the Kathmandu Valley throughout the holidays, and checkpoints have been set up to screen for weapons and explosives.

Italy: Travel alerts for the week of October 17, 2010

(October 17, 2010)
Italian authorities plan to send the army to the southern region of Calabria to combat the powerful 'Ndrangheta Mafia.

The request for the military was made a day after a bazooka was discovered near a courthouse in the city of Reggio Calabria, in what police said was a death threat by the 'Ndrangheta, thought to have become more powerful than the Sicilian mafia, against a senior prosecutor.

Police believe that this criminal network is more powerful than the Sicilian Mafia and extends its operations as far as Australia and the United States. The army will not be patrolling the streets but protecting the judiciary. This is the first army deployment against the Mafia since 500 elite soldiers were sent to neighboring Campania in 2008.

Brazil: Travel alerts for the week of October 17, 2010

(October 17, 2010)

Crime in Rio de Janeiro is not news. The city continues to experience a high incidence of crime. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to street thefts and robberies in commercial and tourist areas

Recent attacks by armed drug gang members have been especially brazen. They set up roadblocks and robbed drivers stuck in traffic jams and, in some cases, stole their vehicles. At least 10 of these robberies occurred this month. The incidents resulted in the firing of 19 police commanders assigned to increase security in the area.

Colombian terrorist groups have been known to operate in the border areas of neighboring countries.

Afganistan: Disfiguring tropical disease WHO says

World Health Organization officials said Friday an outbreak of a tropical disease caused by sand fly bites that leaves disfiguring skin sores has hit Afghanistan, with tens of thousands of people infected.

The disease known as leishmaniasis is caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. The parasites are transmitted by the bite of a tiny – only 2–3 mm long – insect vector, the phlebotomine sandfly.

Peter Graaff, WHO representative to Afghanistan, told The Associated Press on Friday that the stigma and shame attached to the disfiguring disease results in underreporting, and the number of infected people is likely much higher.

In Kabul - described by the WHO as "the world capital of cutaneous leishmaniasis" — the number of cases jumped from an estimated 17,000 a year in the early 2000s to 65,000 in 2009. The sand flies proliferate from June to September 2010, due of unsanitary conditions An outbreak has occurred in a small village in western Herat province's Kohsan district with 63 people infected since August, Graaff said. The cause of the outbreak was unknown and a WHO team has been dispatched to investigate.

Hurricane season warning

The official Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June through November. This Travel Alert expires on December 11, 2010.

Hurricanes can affect the islands in the Caribbean Sea, the northern coast of South America, Central America, Mexico, as well as many areas in the United States. Those regions may experience widespread damage to infrastructure and serious shortages of habitable accommodations, food, water, and medical facilities caused by storm surge, high winds, heavy rain, flooding, mudslides, and tornadoes

Hurricanes and tropical storms can also result in airport closures or limited flight availability due to runway or terminal damage and a shortage of electricity. Americans in affected regions may be required to delay their return to the United States while staying in emergency shelters with basic resources and limited medicine and food supplies.

People living in or traveling to storm-prone regions can prepare for hurricanes and tropical storms by organizing a kit in a waterproof container that includes a supply of bottled water, non-perishable food items, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and vital documents (especially passport and other identification). Emergency shelters often provide only very basic resources and may have limited medical and food supplies.

People traveling in regions affected by hurricanes and tropical storms should monitor local radio, local media, and the National Weather Service to stay aware of area weather developments. Minor tropical storms can develop into hurricanes very quickly, limiting the time available for a safe evacuation. Travelers should apprise family and friends of their whereabouts and remain in close contact with their tour operators, hotel staff, and local officials for evacuation instructions in a weather emergency.

Hungary: Another reservoir could collapse within one day or a week

(october 10, 2010)

Workers raced to build an emergency dam in western Hungary on Sunday as cracks in a reservoir widened, threatening to unleash a second torrent of toxic sludge on the village of Kolontar and nearby rivers.

News agency MTI quoted environment state secretary Zoltan Illes as saying a 25-meter-long crack in the weakened wall of the sludge reservoir had widened slightly further by Sunday and the wall now looked beyond repair. The reservoir content is about 500,000 qubic meters of toxic sludge.

Illes said the northern wall of the reservoir could collapse "within one day or a week" and crews at the scene were scrambling to complete a new dam to protect Kolontar and the nearby town of Devecser, home to 5,400 people.

People of Kolontar were evacuated on Saturday after cracks appeared in the northern wall of the reservoir, threatening a second spill of the toxic red sludge, which swept through neighboring areas on Monday, toppling cars and wreaking havoc in houses.

Late on Sunday the Veszprem county disaster unit advised crews and residents in the area affected by Monday's spill to wear protective masks and glasses as dust levels in some places had exceeded the health limit as the sludge was drying out.

People travelling in Hungary are strongly advised to exercise a high degree of caution if they must travel in those contaminated areas.

Hungary: Possible new wave of toxines

Disaster management officials in Hungary have decided to evacuate the village of Kolontar over concerns it may be exposed to a second toxic waste leak from a nearby red sludge reservoir.

The regional chief of Hungary's disaster relief services, Tibor Dobson, said the damaged section of the reservoir containing another 5000,000 cubic meters of red sludge has further weakened and was at risk of complete collapse, threatening the village.

"The evacuation of Kolontar began at six in the morning [4:00 a.m. GMT] after we noticed a weakening in one of the reservoir's dykes," Dobson said. "The decision to evacuate was taken by Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, who took part in the meeting of the local defense committee early Saturday."

Dobson added that the neighboring village of Devecser was also under consideration for evacuation.

Hungary: Small town Kolontar symbol of manmade disaster

The name of Kolontar the small Hungarian town invaded by red sludge may soon join those of Bhopal and Chernobyl as symbols of manmade disasters. The bucolic region looks like a horror movie: 16 square miles of landscape — all painted red — cornfields, gardens, woods and the first stories of many homes.

The death toll from this week's industrial disaster in Hungary reached seven on Friday when another body was recovered.

Dozens more are still being treated for burns received when millions of gallons of toxic waste escaped from storage reservoir on Monday. The red tide covered villages and farmland in poisonous red sludge after part of the retaining wall collapsed.

Walls and streetlights are stained red to a height of 3 yards. Hundreds of soldiers, policemen and volunteers, equipped with face masks and rubber boots, are hosing down streets and homes and shoveling mud onto trucks.

About 250 families have been evacuated and the most immediate concern is health.

Bulgaria on alert caused by Hungarian red sludge

Bulgarian opinions are divided regarding the possible impact of the Hungarian toxic red sludge disaster on Bulgaria, with one Bulgarian senior environmental official saying that there was "no risk of pollution".

Assen Lichev, head of the Environment and Water Ministry’s water management directorate, said that there was no risk of pollution of the Bulgarian section of the Danube River, Bulgarian news agency BTA said.

Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) said that any contamination from the incident in Hungary, reported to have led to four deaths and more than 120 injuries, would reach Bulgaria’s part of the Danube by October 12 2010 at the earliest.

It was expected that the contamination would be highly diluted by the time in reached Bulgaria, because it would pass through the Romanian Iron Gate hydro power facility, BNR said, quoting the Enviroment Ministry.

Mayors of towns along the Danube and civil defence authorities in Bulgaria are on alert, the ministry said.

Pakistan to reopen border crossing used by NATO

Pakistan said Saturday it will reopen a key border crossing and allow convoys to resume delivering supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan, ending a 10-day blockade during which trucks were stranded on their way to the border and almost 150 were destroyed by attackers.

Pakistan closed the northwest crossing at Torkham on Sept. 30 in an apparent protest over a NATO helicopter incursion that killed two of its soldiers on the border.

Hungary: toxic sludge disaster

october 7, 2010

On Monday, October 4th, a large reservoir filled with toxic red sludge in western Hungary ruptured, releasing approximately 700,000 cubic meters (185 million gallons) of stinking caustic mud, which killed many animals, at least four people, and injured over 120 - many with chemical burns.


The 12-foot-high flood of sludge inundated several towns, sweeping cars off the road as it flowed into the nearby Marcal River. Emergency workers rushed to pour 1,000 tons of plaster into the Marcal River in an attempt to bind the sludge and keep it from flowing on to the Danube some 45 miles away.

The red sludge in the reservoir is a byproduct of refining bauxite into alumina, which took place at an alumina plant run by the Hungarian Alumina Production and Trading Company. A criminal probe has just been opened by Hungarian authorities.

By this way, people travelling in Hunhary are strongly advised to exercise a high degree of caution if they must travel in those contaminated areas.

As the toxic red sludge that burst reached the mighty Danube on Thursday after wreaking havoc on smaller rivers and creeks, a special alert for people travelling in Danube areas from Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Hungary: Toxic red sludge has reached the Danube

(october 7, 2010)

The toxic red sludge that burst out of a Hungarian factory's reservoir reached the mighty Danube on Thursday after wreaking havoc on smaller rivers and creeks, and downstream nations rushed to test their waters.

The European Union and environmental officials fear an environmental catastrophe affecting half a dozen nations if the red sludge, a waste product of making aluminum, contaminates the Danube, Europe's second-longest river.

Countries bordering the Danube have reinforced water quality controls and are monitoring the concentration of heavy metals. Officials from Croatia, Serbia and Romania were taking river samples every few hours Thursday but hoping that the Danube's huge water volume would blunt the impact of the spill.

Scores of people have already suffered burns in affected areas, with at least 120 receiving treatment. If you get it in your eyes it is also not good news.

Experts say the effects are only more serious if the substance is ingested, when it can cause damage to lungs and the digestive system, and could prove fatal in some cases.

By this way, people travelling in Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria are strongly advised to avoid Danube area and exercise a high degree of caution if they must travel in those areas.

Pakistan refuses to open border despite U.S., NATO apologies

october 7, 2010

Pakistan said Thursday it has not decided when to reopen a key border crossing NATO uses to ship supplies to Afghanistan

The Torkham crossing was closed in late September after NATO helicopter gunships, in pursuit of Afghan militants, mistakenly attacked a Pakistani border post, killing three Pakistani soldiers and injuring three more. Experts expected the crossing to be reopened in just a day or two, though it has remained closed for seven days.

The Washington Post reports that on Wednesday Gen. David Petraeus, the coalition commander in Afghanistan, issued a public apology for the incident, saying that the US and NATO "deeply regret this tragic loss of life and will continue to work with the Pakistan military and government to ensure this doesn't happen again."

The Associated Press reports that Pakistan was still mulling Thursday whether to reopen the crossing after a public apology by the US-led NATO forces.

Drivers of Afghanistan-bound NATO vehicles are parked at Pakistani border town of Torkham wait on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Pakistan blocked a vital supply route for U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan in apparent retaliation for an alleged cross-border helicopter strike by the coalition that killed three Pakistani frontier troops.

US issues travel alert for Americans in Europe

(october 7, 2010)

As Intelligence sources say al-Qaeda plans to carry out attacks in the UK, France and Germany, the US government has warned its citizens in an official travel advisory to be vigilant travelling in Europe, amid fears of an al-Qaeda commando-style attack.

The state department advised Americans to take care while in tourist areas, commercial and public establishments (hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events).

The department did not specify a country, issuing the updated guidance for the whole of Europe. They said cities in the UK, France and Germany were thought to be targets for the militants, in attacks analysts feared could be similar to the 2008 atrocities in Mumbai. Security sources have warned of an al-Qaeda plan to send teams of gunmen to crowded places to kill civilians.

Country travel reports and warnings: Uzbekistan

(October 6, 2010)

As recent reports indicate that terrorists may be planning attacks in Uzbekistan, people traveling to this country should exercise a high degree of caution.

1. Exercise caution, especially in areas frequented by foreigners, such as tourist areas and commercial and public establishments (hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events).
2. Maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times, monitor local news reports, and avoid crowds and demonstrations
3. Be aware that these terrorist attacks could occur anywhere at any time, and foreigners may be targeted.

Due to the unstable security situation people are advised against non-essential travel to areas bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic, including the city of Andijan.

Incidents of violence have been reported in the mountainous border area where the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan meet.

The situation in the Kyrgyz Republic is currently unstable, so border crossings between Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic have been closed to foreigners for an undetermined period. Travelers can also expect stringent security measures and increased police presence on the Uzbek side of the Fergana Valley.

The border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on the road between Tashkent and Samarkand is closed. Before traveling to the Tajikistan border, please contact the Consulate of Canada for up-to-date information.

Terror Plots Spark Travel Alerts

(October 6, 2010)





Officials from the U.S. and Japan have warned its citizens traveling aboard of terror plots targeting European cities. Bob Orr reports that Osama Bin Laden himself may have sanctioned the attack plans.

Yemen: French man has been killed in a shooting at an Austrian gas firm

(October 6, 2010)

In a terrorist attack, a local guard shot dead a French national at the offices of Austria's OMV energy group in Sana'a. A British employee was also injured in the shooting, OMV said.

Identified by the Ministry as Hesham Muhammad Ahmad Assim, the shooter was assigned to guard one of OMV's buildings in Sana'a by the private security company Alcon which is owned by the son the chairman of the state intelligence services Ghalib al-Qamish.

An investigation has been launched to determine if the attack by the guard, who was employed by a security firm, was politically motivated or simply a criminal act.

The victim, who was not identified, was an employee of the French industrial engineering company SPIE and was attached to OMV, the French Foreign Ministry in Paris confirmed.

Yemen: Four British diplomats escaped an al-Qaeda attack on their car on Wednesday

(October 6, 2010)

The al-Qaeda attack on a car carrying four British diplomats in the Yemen's capital Sana.. The Yemen's Interior Ministry said in a statement that police would 'continue search for perpetrators of this terrorist crime that carry the hallmarks of al-Qaeda terrorist group.'

Witnesses told the German Press Agency dpa that two men disguised in street-cleaner uniforms fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the car as it passed them on the Thalatheen street at the Noqum area, in the east of the city. He and other witnesses said the embassy car ran over a woman and her daughter after it was hit by the rocket. A security source said three passers-by were injured. The ministry, however, said only a woman and a girl were injured. They were rushed to hospital, they said.

Sources confirmed that Fionna Gibb, the British deputy ambassador to Yemen, was among diplomats travelling in the embassy car when it was attacked. But she escaped unhurt.

Europe Remains on Guard Against Possible Terror Threats

(October 6, 2010)

Europe remained on guard against possible terror threats Tuesday as French authorities arrested 12 people in operations against people with ties to suspected Islamic extremists.

According to a Reuters report, two men were arrested by anti-terror police in Marseille and a third person taken into custody in Bordeaux for alleged involvement in a ring supplying false papers to extremists returning from Afghanistan.

Contact information on the three was found in the possession of Ryad Hannouni, who was arrested in Naples, Italy, in possession of a bomb-making kit.

Nine others were arrested in a separate operation in Marseille and Avignon targeting a "suspected Islamist network," police told CBS News. Firearms, including a Kalashnikov assault rifle, were seized in one of the searches.

Police said searches in that operation were still ongoing, but there has been no confirmation that the operations were related to the broader European terror threat or a specific threat against France.

French Police said the two sets of arrests were unrelated to each other.

Current Travel Warnings

(October 6, 2010)

Travel Alerts and Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country.

State Department also issues warnings when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

The countries listed below meet those criteria.

Sudan 10/01/2010
Eritrea 09/24/2010
Mexico 09/10/2010
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 08/27/2010
Afghanistan 08/13/2010
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza 08/10/2010
Mali 08/06/2010
Mauritania 08/02/2010
Uzbekistan 07/22/2010
Pakistan 07/22/2010
Chad 07/09/2010
Haiti 06/24/2010
Guinea 06/16/2010
Nepal 06/15/2010
Nigeria 06/15/2010
Burundi 05/19/2010
Cote d'Ivoire 05/12/2010
Niger 05/11/2010
Georgia 05/03/2010
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 04/21/2010
Philippines 04/02/2010
Algeria 04/02/2010
Lebanon 03/29/2010
Iran 03/23/2010
Kenya 03/16/2010
Colombia 03/05/2010
Central African Republic 02/26/2010
Yemen 02/25/2010
Iraq 02/25/2010
Saudi Arabia 02/18/2010
Somalia 12/31/2009