nteresting countries into no-go zones; Algeria's underground conflict is so vicious that even hardened journalists don't travel there. Although the risks are vastly lower in most of the world, vigilance is still needed. Mexico, for example, is generally a safe place for tourists, despite some well-publicized violence and corruption. Yet an unwary visitor strolling the streets late at night might fall victim to an ``express kidnapping,'' in which the victim is hustled from one ATM machine to another before and after midnight, in order to get two days' worth of maximum cash withdrawals. Fortunately, reliable information about travel risks is far more accessible than it used to be, partly because of the rise of the Internet. The State Department, which is sometimes accused of not keeping Americans adequately informed, now records 150,000 visits a day to its Web site for travelers (http://travel.state.gov). The department offers ``consular information sheets'' containing routine security information on every country in the world. It issues ``travel warnings'' that urge Americans to avoid certain countries; currently 29 of those are in force, including such longstanding enemies of the United States as Iran, Iraq and Libya (but not Cuba). The department also issues ``public announcements'' on ``significant'' security risks in other nations; about a dozen of them are in effect. Some of the advice is surprising. A public announcement posted late last year warns of a possible ``terrorist attack'' against Americans in orderly Austria. The State Department listings are also notable for what they leave out. Despite terrorist attacks that killed dozens of Americans in recent years in Israel and Saudi Arabia, neither U.S. ally is the subject of even a public announcement. Russia, where crime is a problem, draws only one public announcement: on ``using GPS devices, radio-electronic equipment and computers.'' Turkey, which has been battling Kurdish reb...
