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Lingering drought has officials on the verge of imposing water restrictions in several places, including Canberra, Melbourne and many towns in New South Wales. Canberra faces the banning of watering gardens and washing cars by July — and possibly sooner if rains don’t come.
AUSTRIA AND CZECH REPUBLIC
Austrian anti-nuclear protesters have repeatedly blocked border crossings with the Czech Republic over complaints that a nuclear power plant at Temelin, Czech Republic, is unsafe. Activists claim that the Czech government has not fulfilled conditions agreed to between the two countries in 2000 to allow the plant to go into operation, and have demanded that the Austrian government take up the issue under international law rather than through diplomacy. They have threatened to block all 16 crossings if the government doesn’t take action within four weeks. Meanwhile, the Austrian interior minister vowed to keep the border crossings open, while a far-right Czech group announced it would block a border crossing on June 2 to keep Austrians from entering the Czech Republic in protest of the Austrian protests. Delays are possible.
GERMANY
Anti-globalization protests are planned for the G8 summit scheduled for June 6-8 at the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm. Police have banned protests within 200 meters of a fence that encircles the summit site, and also at Rostock airport. The main demonstration will take place June 2 in Rostock, and organizers have vowed to keep it peaceful. Many violent incidents have occurred, however, in the weeks leading up to the meeting, and officials are concerned that far left extremists will resort to violence to disrupt the meeting. To control the demonstrations, Germany has planned the largest police deployment for a single event in its postwar history.
TURKEY
A powerful bomb exploded outside a crowded shopping mall in the capital city of Ankara May 22, killing six and injuring scores. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but PKK Kurdish rebels were suspected. The group ended a unilateral cease-fire May 18 and officials were wary of an attack. The bombing may be the worst incident in Ankara in a decade.
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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.