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Afghanistan Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Afghanistan. The security threat to all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan remains critical. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Afghanistan issued December 1, 2011, to remind U.S. citizens of ongoing security risks, including kidnapping and insurgent attacks.No part of Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against U.S. and other Western nationals at any time. Remnants of the former Taliban regime and the al-Qaida terrorist network, as well as other groups hostile to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) military operations, remain active. Afghan authorities have a limited ability to maintain order and ensure the security of Afghan citizens and foreign visitors. Travel in all areas of Afghanistan is unsafe due to military combat operations, landmines, banditry, armed rivalry between political and tribal groups, and the possibility of insurgent attacks, including attacks using vehicle-borne or other improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The security situation remains volatile and unpredictable throughout the country.There is an ongoing and increased risk of kidnapping and assassination of U.S. citizens and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) employees throughout the country. In August 2011, two German aid workers were kidnapped while on a hiking trip in Parwan province; they were found dead a few weeks later. In September 2011,a U.S. citizen civilian working with the U.S. military in Kabul was kidnapped from a power plant by insurgents and later killed. Ten people, including three employees working for the UN Refugee Agency, were killed on October 31, 2011, in a complex suicide bombing attack outside a UN compound in Kandahar. In May 2012, a British and a Kenyan aid worker, along with two Afghan counterparts, were kidnapped in Badakhshan Province while riding on horseback to deliver medical supplies to a remote village; they were freed 10 days later in a NATO rescue operation.  Riots and incidents of civil disturbance can and do occur, often without warning. U.S. citizens should avoid rallies and demonstrations; even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. On April 1, 2011, following Friday prayers in Mazar-e-Sharif, a crowd of worshippers became incensed over reports of a Koran burning in the United States. Several Afghan protesters and United Nations foreign security staff died in the ensuing riot. Following the unintentional mishandling of Korans by U.S. service members at Bagram Air Force base on February 21, 2012, violent demonstrations occurred in several locations throughout Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of two U.S. service members during a protest outside of a military base in Nangarhar Province. Two additional U.S. service members were killed inside Kabul’s Ministry of Interior during a shooting that was likely attributable to the mishandling of Korans.  Kabul and its suburbs are also considered at high risk for militant attacks, including rocket attacks, vehicle-borne IEDs, direct-fire attacks and suicide bombings. More than 18 such attacks were reported in Kabul City from January to June 2012, and many additional attacks were thwarted by Afghan and coalition forces. Recent incidents include a suicide attack against the Intercontinental Hotel in June 2011, in which U.S. citizens were critically injured, and an August 2011 attack against the British Council. Insurgents also carried out a complex sustained attack against multiple targets in Kabul on September 13, 2011, which included the U.S. Embassy and ISAF headquarters, and again on April 15, 2012, targeting the U.S. and neighbouring embassies as well as ISAF headquarters and the Afghan Parliament. Dozens of Afghans and one U.S. citizen lost their lives in suicide bombings in Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif on December 6, 2011 (the Ashura holiday). Insurgents have also targeted the offices, convoys, and individual implementing partners of the U.S. Agency for International Development. The Kabul-Jalalabad Road (commonly called Jalalabad Road) and the Kabul to Bagram Road are highly restricted for Embassy employees. On May 2, 2012, insurgents with vehicle-borne explosives and suicide vests targeted Green Village, a compound on Jalalabad Road in Kabul that houses primarily international security contractors; several guards and local school children were killed at the gates of the compound as a result of explosions. In late October 2011, asuicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into an armored NATO bus on a busy thoroughfare in Kabul, killing 17 people including U.S. citizen contractors working with the military. On June 22, 2012, insurgents attacked Spozhmai Hotel west of Kabul City. This attack resulted in the deaths of a number of Afghan civilians, and others being taken hostage. No U.S. citizens were involved in this incident.  Buildings or compounds that lack robust security measures in comparison to neighboring facilities may be viewed as targets of opportunity by insurgents. Three suicide bombers attacked a guesthouse used by foreigners in Kunduz Province on August 2, 2011, killing four Afghan security guards.  Ambushes, robberies, and violent crime can add to the insecurity in many areas of the country. U.S. citizens involved in property or business disputes -- a common legal problem in Afghanistan -- have reported that their adversaries in the disputes have threatened their lives. U.S. citizens who find themselves in such situations should not assume that either local law enforcement or the U.S. Embassy will be able to assist them in resolving these disputes. From time to time, depending on current security conditions, the U.S. Embassy places areas frequented by foreigners off limits to its personnel. Potential target areas include key national or international government establishments, international organizations and other locations with expatriate personnel, and public areas popular with the expatriate community such as restaurants and hotels. Private U.S. citizens are strongly urged to heed these restrictions as well. We encourage U.S. citizens to obtain the latest information by frequently consulting the Embassy’s travel advisory website.The U.S. Embassy's ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is limited, particularly for those persons outside the capital. U.S. citizens who choose to visit or remain in Afghanistan despite this Travel Warning are encouraged to enroll with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul through the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to obtain updated information on travel and security within Afghanistan. U.S. citizens without Internet access may enroll directly with the U.S. Embassy. Enrollment makes it easier for the Embassy to contact U.S. citizens in case of an emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at Great Masood Road between Radio Afghanistan and the Ministry of Public Health (the road is also known as Bebe Mahro or Airport Road) in Kabul. The Embassy phone numbers are 93-(0)700-108-001 and 93-(0)700-108-002. For after-hours, life-or-limb emergencies involving U.S. citizens, the Consular Section can be reached at 93-(0)700-201-908; please direct routine consular correspondence to KabulACS@state.gov.Current information on travel and security in Afghanistan may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). For further information, please consult the Country Specific Information for Afghanistan and the current Worldwide Caution, which are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website. You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which also contains current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.

Source: Afghanistan Travel Warning

Nigeria Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria, and continues to recommend that U.S. citizens avoid all but essential travel to the following states because of the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks: Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Yobe, Bauchi, Borno, and Kano states. The Department also warns against travel to the Gulf of Guinea because of the threat of piracy. Violent crime remains a problem throughout the country and is perpetrated by both individuals and gangs, as well as by persons wearing police and military uniforms. Based on safety and security risk assessments, travel by U.S. officials to all northern Nigerian states (in addition to those listed above) must receive advance clearance by the U.S. Mission as being mission-essential. U.S. citizens should be aware that in light of the continuing violence, extremists may expand their operations beyond northern Nigeria to the country’s southern states. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated February 29, 2012, to update information on the continued violent activities in the country.On December 31, 2011, the President of Nigeria declared a state of emergency in 15 local government areas in the states ofBorno, Niger, Plateau, and Yobe. This State of Emergency remains in effect, although with modification in some areas. According to the Government of Nigeria, the declaration of a State of Emergency responds to activities of extremist groups. The State of Emergency gives the government sweeping powers to search and arrest without warrants.Retaliatory violence and protests continue in Kaduna State following a series of church bombings on June 17. In Damatura, Yobe State, Nigerian police and security forces have been fighting members of the extremist group Boko Haram since June 19. The government has imposed a 24 hour curfew for the city of Damaturu and the entire state of Kaduna.The risk of continued attacks against Western targets in Nigeria remains high. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for many attacks, mainly in northern Nigeria, killing and wounding thousands of people. Multiple Suicide Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Devices (SBVIEDs) targeting churches exploded June 17, in the Kaduna State cities of Kaduna and Zaria, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Nigerian government forces and local extremists exchanged gunfire in Maiduguri, Borno State in an hours-long confrontation on June 7. On June 10, a Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) exploded in Jos, Plateau State, and extremists shot at people at a church in Biu Town, Borno State, with casualties resulting from both attacks. On April 29, assailants attacked the Theatre Hall on the campus of Bayero University of Kano with improvised explosive devices (IED) and gun shots, killing at least eight people and wounding several others. On April 26, a VBIED simultaneously detonated at “This Day” newspaper in Abuja and the same newspaper’s offices in Kaduna. On the evening of April 24, an IED went off at a Jos sports bar, injuring at least four people. On April 8, a VBIED exploded at a roundabout close to a church in Kaduna, killing at least 20. At least two people died and dozens sustained injuries when a VBIED exploded at a church in Jos on March 11. On February 7, the Boko Haram extremist sect claimed responsibility for three simultaneous attacks on Nigerian military targets across Kaduna that killed or injured dozens of people. In addition,eleven people died during a January 22, gun battle and bomb attacks in Bauchi, Bauchi State. On January 20, elements of Boko Haram claimed responsibility for multiple explosive attacks and assaults against eight different government facilities in Kano. The attacks lasted several hours and claimed hundreds of lives in the most deadly attack yet by Boko Haram members in Nigeria. Boko Haram continued attacks in January and February, focusing on Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, and Kaduna states, and the group continues to publicly threaten attacks throughout northern Nigeria.Extremists conducted other high-profile bombings in Abuja over the past two years. Boko Haram claimed credit for an August 2011 suicide bombing that killed 25 at the UN Headquarters building, a June 2011 bombing at the Nigerian Police Headquarters building, and a December 2010 bombing at a “fish bar.” The Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta took credit for two car bombs that detonated during Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations in 2010.Kidnappings remain another security concern. In May 2012, criminals kidnapped an Italian national in Kwara State. In April 2012, criminals kidnapped a U.S. citizen in Imo State and a Spanish citizen in Enugu State in separate incidents. In January 2012, kidnappers abducted a U.S. citizen from his vehicle in Warri (Delta State) and killed his security guard. Assailants kidnapped a German citizen, also in January 2012, along a road in Kano. The German citizen was killed by his captors on May 31 during a military-led raid. In 2011, five kidnappings of U.S. citizens reportedly occurred in Nigeria. The most recent took place in November when pirates abducted two U.S. citizens, along with a Mexican national, in international waters off the Nigerian coast and held them captive for over two weeks in the Niger Delta. Other kidnappings have occurred in Lagos and Imo States. Also, elements of Boko Haram kidnapped a British national and an Italian national in Kebbi State in May 2011. Their captors shot and killed them on March 8, 2012, when Nigerian and British security forces attempted to rescue them. Since January 2009, criminals have abducted over 140 foreign nationals in Nigeria, including seven U.S. citizens since November 2010. Six foreign nationals died during these abductions, while two U.S. citizens died in separate kidnapping attempts in Port Harcourt in April 2010. Local authorities and expatriate businesses operating in Nigeria assert that the number of kidnapping incidents throughout Nigeria have remained underreported.Travel by foreigners to areas considered by the Nigerian government to be conflict areas should not occur without prior consultation and coordination with local security authorities. The Nigerian government may view such travel as inappropriate and potentially illegal, and it may detain violators. In 2008, Nigerian authorities detained six U.S. citizens, including journalists, on six occasions, in areas where militant groups had operated. The Nigerian government interrogated these U.S. citizens for lengthy periods of time without lodging formal charges against them before their eventual deportation. Journalists must obtain a special accreditation from the Ministry of Information prior to traveling to conflict areas in the Niger Delta region in addition to obtaining a general press accreditation and valid Nigerian visa required to conduct such activities elsewhere in Nigeria.Many foreign oil companies operating in the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers have implemented “essential travel only” policies for their personnel. The U.S. Mission requires advance permission for U.S. government travel to these states, as well as the states of Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara Plateau, Gombe, Kano, and Yobe, given the safety and security risk assessments and the limited ability of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General to provide assistance to individuals detained by Nigerian authorities in these states. Due to recent violent activity, the U.S. Mission has temporarily restricted all but the most essential travel by U.S. government personnel to northern Nigeria. All official travel to northern Nigerian states must receive advance permission by the Mission and be deemed mission-essential to be granted.Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society in which different ethnic and religious groups often live in the same area. A number of northern states have experienced violence in the past year exacerbating tensions along those lines.U.S. citizen visitors and residents have experienced armed muggings, assaults, burglaries, car-jackings, rapes, kidnappings, and extortion -- often involving violence. Home invasions also remain a serious threat, with armed robbers accessing even guarded compounds by scaling perimeter walls; following or tailgating residents or visitors arriving by car into the compound; and subduing guards and gaining entry into homes or apartments. Armed robbers in Lagos also accessed waterfront compounds by boat. U.S. citizens, as well as Nigerians and other expatriates, have become victims of armed robbery at banks and grocery stores and on airport roads during both daylight and evening hours. An extremists’ organization's modus operandi is to attack banking institutions. Law enforcement authorities usually respond slowly or not at all, and provide little or no investigative support to victims. U.S. citizens, Nigerians, and other expatriates have experienced harassment and shakedowns at checkpoints and during encounters with Nigerian law enforcement officials. Traveling outside of major cities after dark is not recommended due to both crime and road safety concerns. Attacks by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea have increased in recent years. Armed gangs have boarded both commercial and private vessels to rob travelers. The Nigerian Navy has limited capacity to respond to criminal acts at sea.The situation in the country remains fluid and unpredictable. The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens in Nigeria to consider their own personal security and to keep personal safety in the forefront of their planning.U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Nigeria are strongly advised to enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens without Internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By enrolling, you make it easier for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to contact you in case of an emergency.U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for up-to-date information on any restrictions. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is open Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos is open Monday - Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja can be reached by telephone, including after-hours emergencies, at 234(9) 461-4000. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos can be reached by telephone, including after-hours emergencies, at 234(1) 460-3600 or 234 (1) 460-3400.Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or a regular toll line at-1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.

Source: Nigeria Travel Warning

Haiti Travel Warning

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Haiti about the security situation in Haiti. This replaces the Travel Warning dated August 8, 2011, to update information regarding the crime level, the prevalence of cholera, lack of adequate infrastructure - particularly in medical facilities - seasonal severe inclement weather, and limited police protection. The United Nations’ Stabilization Force for Haiti (MINUSTAH) remains in Haiti.The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when visiting Haiti. Hundreds of thousands of Americans safely visit Haiti each year, but the poor state of Haiti’s emergency response network should be carefully considered when planning travel. Travelers to Haiti are encouraged to use organizations that have solid infrastructure, evacuation, and medical support options in place. (Please see the Country Specific Information page for Haiti.) U.S. citizens have been victims of violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, predominately in the Port-au-Prince area. No one is safe from kidnapping, regardless of occupation, nationality, race, gender, or age. In recent months, travelers arriving in Port-au-Prince on flights from the United States were attacked and robbed shortly after departing the airport. At least two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in such incidents. Haitian authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate such violent acts, or prosecute perpetrators.The authorities' ability to respond to emergencies is limited and in some areas nonexistent. Should a traveler find him or herself in an emergency, local health, police, judicial and physical infrastructure limitations mean that travelers find themselves with few local resources available to help them to resolve their problem. For this reason, the Embassy limits travel by its staff to areas outside of Port-au-Prince, which constrains our ability to provide emergency services to U.S. Citizens outside of Port-au-Prince.U.S. Embassy personnel are under an Embassy-imposed curfew of midnight to 5:00 a.m. and must remain at home or other safe facility during curfew hours. Additionally, there are restrictions on travel by Embassy staff in certain areas or times. This may constrain the Embassy’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside Port-au-Prince. For additional details on restrictions on staff travel within Haiti, please see our Country Specific Information for Haiti.The Haitian National Police (HNP), with assistance from MINUSTAH, is responsible for keeping peace and rendering assistance. However, given the possibility and unpredictability of violent protests, its ability to assist U.S. citizens during disturbances is very limited. U.S. government-facilitated evacuations, such as the evacuation that took place from Haiti in 2010, occur only when no safe commercial alternatives exist. Please see our website for additional information on how the Department of State assists U.S. citizens during a crisis.Haiti's infrastructure remains in poor condition and unable to support normal activity, much less crisis situations. Medical facilities, including ambulance services, are particularly weak. Some U.S. citizens injured in accidents and others with serious health concerns have been unable to find necessary medical care in Haiti and have had to arrange and pay for medical evacuation to the United States. Given these conditions and the cost of private evacuations, we strongly encourage visitors to Haiti to obtain evacuation insurance, including for medical issues that may arise.  While incidents of cholera have declined significantly, cholera persists in many areas of Haiti. Prior to travel, U.S. citizens should also obtain information about cholera and other health related issues by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov.U.S. citizens who choose to travel to Haiti are urged to review our Country Specific Information page. U.S. private sector organizations with operations in Haiti can obtain additional information on the security situation in the country through the U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). OSAC’s mission is to promote security cooperation between U.S. private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State. OSAC also maintains an active Country Council in Haiti to promote the exchange of security-related information. The Council is comprised of security professionals and is co-chaired by the Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince and a private sector representative. U.S. private sector entities can obtain additional information on OSAC by visiting the OSAC website at www.osac.gov.U.S. citizens are also urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in order to receive the most up-to-date security information. While the Embassy's ability to provide emergency consular services is extremely limited, travel enrollment will enable receipt of warden messages via email. Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States; callers outside the United States and Canada can receive the information by calling a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except U.S. federal holidays. The Embassy of the United States of America is located in Port-au-Prince at Boulevard du 15 Octobre, Tabarre 41, Tabarre, Haiti, telephone: (509) (2) 229-8000, facsimile: (509) (2) 229-8027, email: acspap@state.gov American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit office hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Consular Section is closed on U.S. and local holidays. After hours, on weekends and on holidays, please call (509) (2) 229-8000. The Marine guard will connect you with the Embassy Duty Officer.U.S. citizens can also stay informed about conditions in Haiti by following the Embassy and ACS on Twitter and Facebook.

Source: Haiti Travel Warning

Somalia Travel Warning

The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Somalia and recommends that you avoid all travel to Somalia.  This replaces the Travel Warning dated August 19, 2011, to update information on security concerns.There is no U.S. Embassy or other U.S. diplomatic presence in Somalia.  Consequently, the U.S. government is not in a position to assist or effectively provide services to U.S. citizens in Somalia.  In light of the serious security threats, the U.S. government recommends that you avoid all travel to Somalia.The security situation inside Somalia remains unstable and potentially dangerous.  Terrorist operatives and armed groups in Somalia have demonstrated their intent to attack air operations at Mogadishu International Airport.  Kidnapping, murder, illegal roadblocks, banditry, and other violent incidents and threats to U.S. citizens and other foreigners can occur in any region.  Inter-clan and inter-factional fighting flares up with little or no warning.  Unpredictable armed conflicts among rival militias are prevalent in southern Somalia, particularly in and around Mogadishu.  This has resulted in the deaths of countless Somali nationals and the displacement of more than one million people.In February 2012, Al-Shabaab announced that it had merged with Al-Qaeda.  Al-Shabaab-planned assassinations, suicide bombings, and indiscriminate armed attacks in civilian populated areas are frequent in Somalia.  In October 2011, a car bomb explosion killed over 70 people at the Ministry of Education in Mogadishu.  That same month, another car bomb killed several people outside the Ministries of Planning and Foreign Affairs.  On November 22, 2011, an explosion killed eight people in Wadajir District, Mogadishu.  On November 28, 2011, two bombs killed at least 11 people in Sanca Junction and Yaaqshild District.  The U.S.-designated and U.N. sanctioned terrorist organization Al-Shabaab continues to pose a significant threat in Mogadishu, although considerable military progress in liberating the city has been made, as in most other parts of southern Somalia. Pirates and other criminals have specifically targeted and kidnapped foreigners working in Somalia.  In October 2011, a U.S. citizen aid worker living in Somalia was kidnapped, and in January 2012, another U.S. citizen was kidnapped while on work-related travel in Somalia.  In both cases, as well as in recent kidnappings of other westerners, the victims took precautionary measures by hiring local security personnel, but those hired to protect them appear to have played a key role in the abductions.  A strong familiarity with Somalia and/or extensive prior travel to the region does not reduce travel risk.  U.S. citizens contemplating travel to Somalia, including Somaliland and Puntland, are advised to obtain Kidnap and Recovery Insurance, as well as Medical Evacuation Insurance, prior to travel. Additionally, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid sailing closer than 300 miles from the coast of Somalia.  Merchant vessels, fishing boats, and recreational craft all risk seizure by pirates and having their crews held for ransom in the waters off the Horn of Africa, especially in the international waters near Somalia.  Somali pirates captured and killed four U.S. citizens aboard their boat on February 22, 2011.  If transit around the Horn of Africa is necessary, it is strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys, maintain good communications contact at all times, and follow the guidance provided by the Maritime Security Center – Horn of Africa (MSC-HOA).  You should consult the Maritime Administration’s Horn of Africa Piracy page for information on maritime advisories, self-protection measures, and naval forces in the region.U.S. citizens who choose to travel to Somalia despite this Travel Warning are strongly urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)in order to receive the most up-to-date security information and be included in our emergency communication system.  Travelers to Somalia should enroll with the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.  U.S. citizens traveling by sea to the area of high threat are urged to inform MSC-HOA by emailing postmaster@mschoa.org, with the subject line 'Yacht Vessel Movement. U.S. Embassy Nairobi is located on United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya; telephone (254)(20) 363-6000; after-hours emergencies (254)(20) 363-6170.  The mailing address is P.O. Box 606 Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya.U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Country Specific Information for Somalia, the Worldwide Caution, and the International Maritime Piracy Fact Sheet, which are located on the Department of State's website.  Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.  Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts.  Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.  You can also download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips. 

Source: Somalia Travel Warning

Philippines Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the Philippines, in particular to the Sulu Archipelago and the island of Mindanao.  This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated January 5, 2012, and reflects continuing threats in those areas due to terrorist and insurgent activities.U.S. citizens should defer non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago, due to the high threat of kidnapping of international travelers and violence linked to insurgency and terrorism there. U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution if traveling to the island of Mindanao in the Southern Philippines.  Throughout Mindanao, criminal groups have clashed sporadically with the Philippine Armed Forces, particularly in rural areas, and terrorist groups have kidnapped international travelers and carried out bombings that have resulted in injuries and deaths.  In Cotabato City, and in the Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces, the government maintains a state of emergency that compels a greater police presence in those areas.  Security and safety conditions in the urban centers of Davao City, General Santos City, and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao are generally more controlled.  Nevertheless, official U.S. Government visitors and Embassy employees must receive special authorization from the Embassy to travel to any location in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, including these urban centers.U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in the Philippines should review the Department of State's Country Specific Information for the Philippines, which contains additional information about conditions throughout the country.The Department of State remains concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world.  The Department's current message recommending Worldwide Caution reminds U.S. citizens that terrorism can occur anywhere.We encourage all U.S. citizens in the Philippines to enroll with the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program or at the U.S. Embassy in Manila.  By enrolling, you can receive the Embassy's most recent security and safety updates during your trip.  Enrolling also ensures that we can reach you, or your designated emergency points of contact, during an emergency.  The U.S. Embassy is located at: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines, tel. 63-2-301-2000.  The American Citizens Services (ACS) section's fax number is 63-2-301-2017, and you may reach the ACS Section by email at ACSinfoManila@state.gov.  The ACS Section's website includes consular information and the most recent messages to the U.S. citizen community in the Philippines.U.S. citizens traveling in the region are encouraged to stay up to date on conditions across the globe by bookmarking the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution.  Follow us on Twitter and become a fan of the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. You can also download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.  If you don't have internet access, current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States, or for callers from other countries, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Source: Philippines Travel Warning

Mauritania Travel Warning

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Mauritania, and urges extreme caution for those who choose to travel to Mauritania, because of activities by the terrorist group al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). AQIM continues to demonstrate its intent and ability to conduct attacks against foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens. This replaces the Travel Warning for Mauritania, issued on October 10, 2011, to update information on security incidents and remind travelers of security concerns.The U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott recommends against all non-essential travel to the border regions of Guidimagha, the Hodh El Charghi and Hodh El Gharbi regions of southeastern Mauritania, the eastern half of the Assaba region (east of Kiffa), the eastern half of the Tagant region (east of Tidjika), the eastern half of the Adrar region (east of Chinguetti), and the Zemmour region of northern Mauritania because of the security risk and the threat of kidnapping to Westerners by AQIM.As noted in the Department of State's Worldwide Caution, AQIM has been designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union. As a result of perceived Western involvement in counterterrorism efforts, AQIM has declared its intention to attack Western targets. It is possible that AQIM will attempt retaliatory attacks against Western targets of opportunity. While military intervention has moved active terrorist operations to the Malian border regions, AQIM-affiliated support systems for logistics and information are present in Mauritania. Additionally, the rebellion and subsequent coup in Mali have given terrorist groups such as AQIM the opportunity to establish territorial claims in the contested region of northern Mali. This, coupled with the influx of tens of thousands of Malian refugees into Mauritania, presents additional safety and security concerns. AQIM and terrorists believed to be affiliated with AQIM have been operating in Mauritania since at least 2005. Actions include kidnapping and murder of Western tourists, aid workers, and Mauritanian soldiers, as well as attacks on foreign diplomatic missions in Mauritania. This culminated in the June 2009 attempted kidnapping and murder of a private U.S. citizen in the capital city of Nouakchott. While there have been no known direct attempts against U.S. citizens since 2009, AQIM continues to threaten Westerners. It has also focused its actions on Mauritanian military installations and personnel. The Mauritanian military continues to actively engage in action against AQIM elements, particularly along the border regions with Mali.In August 2010, a suicide bomber attacked a Mauritanian military barracks in Nema. In February 2011, Mauritanian security forces successfully prevented a car bombing in the capital city, Nouakchott, by intercepting and destroying a vehicle containing large quantities of explosives. In July 2011, AQIM attacked a military base in Bassiknou, near Nema, in southeastern Mauritania. In December 2011, AQIM abducted a Mauritanian gendarme from his post near the eastern border with Mali.As a result of safety and security concerns, some NGOs, private aid organizations, and Peace Corps withdrew staff and/or temporarily suspended operations in Mauritania. Faith-based organizations operating in Mauritania, regardless of location, may be particularly targeted.Travel by U.S. Embassy staff members outside of Nouakchott requires advance approval from the U.S. Embassy's security office. Travel which has been authorized in such fashion is subject to cancellation at any time. Travel to the eastern half of Mauritania occurs only with Mauritanian government escorts.Given AQIM's threats against Western targets in Mauritania and the region, and its desire to kidnap Westerners for ransom, U.S. citizens should remain aware of their surroundings at all times and maintain good personal security practices, including always locking their homes and cars, varying routes and times of travel, and maintaining a low profile by not drawing attention to themselves. When going out, they should avoid being part of large, highly visible groups of Westerners, and refrain from sitting in areas that are easily visible from the street when in restaurants or cafes. U.S. citizens should be particularly alert when frequenting locales associated with Westerners, including hotels, cultural centers, social and recreation clubs, beach areas, and restaurants. Additionally, U.S. citizens should avoid highly publicized events/venues with no visible security presence.U.S. citizens driving in Mauritania are reminded to heed warnings to stop at security checkpoints, and should be particularly vigilant when traveling by road outside of populated areas, even when traveling along main routes and highways. U.S. citizens should not venture outside urban areas unless in a convoy and accompanied by an experienced guide, and even then only if equipped with sturdy vehicles and ample provisions. Driving after dark outside of urban areas is strongly discouraged. There have been reports of banditry and smuggling in the more remote parts of Mauritania. Landmines remain a danger along the border with the Western Sahara. Travelers should cross borders only at designated border posts.   The U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott strongly encourages U.S. citizens who travel to or remain in Mauritania despite this Travel Warning to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive the most up-to-date security information. Please keep all of your information in STEP current. It is important when enrolling or updating information to include multiple phone numbers and email addresses to facilitate communication in the event of an emergency.U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information sheet for the Republic of Mauritania and the Worldwide Caution, both located on the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. If you don't have internet access, current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States, or for callers from other countries, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  The U.S. Embassy is located between the Presidency building and the Spanish Embassy on Rue Abdallaye. The postal address is B.P. 222, Nouakchott, telephone (222) 4-525-2660/2663, 4-525-1141/1145, or 4-525-3038, and fax (222) 4-525-1592. For after-hours emergencies, please call (222) 4-525-3288 or visit the U.S. Embassy Nouakchott web site. In the event of an emergency that interrupts mobile phone (SMS) or Internet communication in Mauritania, U.S. citizens may call the Embassy's dedicated Consular emergency recording at (222) 4-525-3707 to receive the most up-to-date instructions.

Source: Mauritania Travel Warning

Saudi Arabia

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia. There is an ongoing security threat due to the continued presence of terrorist groups, some affiliated with al-Qa’ida, who may target Western interests, housing compounds, hotels, shopping areas, and other facilities where Westerners congregate. These terrorist groups may employ a wide variety of tactics and also may target Saudi government facilities and economic/commercial targets within the Kingdom. This replaces the Travel Warning issued August 5, 2011 without changes.The last major terrorist attack directed against foreign nationals was in 2007. Significant measures since then by the Saudi government have greatly improved the security environment throughout the Kingdom. The Department of State has since authorized the return of all family members to U.S. Embassy Riyadh, U.S. Consulate General Jeddah, and U.S. Consulate General Dhahran. While these changes reflect a continued improvement in the security climate in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, it is important to note that there remains an ongoing security threat. U.S. citizens who visit Saudi Arabia are strongly encouraged to carefully select hotels or housing compounds with security measures in place that meet their particular needs. This is a personal and individual decision for the traveler and/or sponsor. In addition, U.S. citizens should always be aware of their surroundings when traveling or visiting commercial establishments frequented by Westerners. U.S. citizens are also advised to keep a low profile, vary times and routes of travel, exercise caution while driving, entering or exiting vehicles, and ensure that travel documents and visas are current and valid.If the security threat changes or specific threats affecting U.S. citizens are discovered, this information will be made available through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)and U.S. Mission websites. Emergency Messages, Security Messages, and Messages for U.S. Citizens can be found on the U.S. Embassy Riyadh website.The Department of State encourages U.S. citizens living overseas or planning to travel abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency. U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly with the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulates in Dhahran or Jeddah.  U.S. Embassy RiyadhInternational mailing address:P.O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693Mail may also be sent via the U.S. Postal Service to:U.S. Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307Telephone: (966) (1) 488-3800Fax: (966) (1) 483-0773Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (1) 488-3800U.S. Consulate General DhahranInternational mailing address:P.O. Box 38955, Doha-Dhahran 31942Mail may also be sent via the U.S. Postal Service to:Unit 66803, APO AE 09858-6803Telephone: (966) (3) 330-3200Fax: (966) (3) 330-0464Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (3) 330-3200, x3004U.S. Consulate General JeddahInternational mailing address: P.O. Box 149, Jeddah.Mail may also be sent via the U.S. Postal Service to:Unit 62112, APO AE 09811-2112Telephone: (966) (2) 667-0080Fax: (966) (2) 669-3078 or 669-3098Emergency after-hours telephone: (966) (2) 667-0080Up-to-date information on travel and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers from other countries, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. You can alsodownload our free Smart Traveler App for travel information at your fingertips. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.

Source: Saudi Arabia

Iran Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to Iran. Dual national Iranian-American citizens may encounter difficulty in departing Iran. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and carefully consider nonessential travel. This replaces the Travel Warning for Iran issued October 21, 2011 to add information regarding additional time needed for citizenship documents processed by the Swiss Protecting Power in Tehran, and the Department’s ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency.Some elements in Iran remain hostile to the United States. As a result, U.S. citizens may be subject to harassment or arrest while traveling or residing in Iran. Since 2009, Iranian authorities have prevented the departure, in some cases for several months, of a number of Iranian-American citizens, including journalists and academics, who traveled to Iran for personal or professional reasons. Iranian authorities also have unjustly detained or imprisoned U.S. citizens on various charges, including espionage and posing a threat to national security. U.S. citizens of Iranian origin should consider the risk of being targeted by authorities before planning travel to Iran. Iranian authorities deny the U.S. Interests Section in Tehran access to imprisoned dual national Iranian-American citizens because Iranian authorities consider them to be solely Iranian citizens; access to U.S. citizens is often denied as well.The Iranian government continues to repress some minority religious and ethnic groups, including Baha'i, Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, and others. Consequently, some areas within the country where these minorities reside, including the Baluchistan border area near Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Kurdish northwest of the country, and areas near the Iraqi border, remain unsafe. Iranian authorities have detained and harassed U.S. citizens of Iranian origin. Former Muslims who have converted to other religions, as well as persons who encourage Muslims to convert, are subject to arrest and prosecution.The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Iran. The Swiss government, acting through its Embassy in Tehran, serves as protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran. The range of consular services provided by the Foreign Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy is extremely limited and may require significantly more processing time than at U.S. Embassies or Consulates outside of Iran. The Iranian government does not recognize dual citizenship and will not allow the Swiss to provide protective services for U.S. citizens who are also Iranian nationals. Our ability to assist U.S. citizens in Iran in the event of an emergency is extremely limited. U.S. citizens in Iran should ensure that they have updated documentation at all times and make their own plans in the event of an emergency. For more information, see "What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis" at the Department's Internet website. U.S. citizens who travel or reside in Iran are strongly encouraged to enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.  U.S. citizens may also enroll in person at the Foreign Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy, located at No. 39, Shahid Mousavi (Golestan 5th), Pasdaran, Tehran. The telephone numbers for the U.S. Interests Section are ( 98)(21) 2254-2178 and ( 98)(21) 2256-5273, fax ( 98)(21) 2258-0432, email: tie.vertretung@eda.admin.ch, website: http://www.eda.admin.ch/tehran.U.S. citizens should also review the Department of State's Country Specific Information for Iran and stay up to date by bookmarking the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. If you don't have internet access, current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers from other countries, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Source: Iran Travel Warning

Cote D'Ivoire Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Cote d'Ivoire. U.S. citizens who reside in or travel to Cote d'Ivoire should monitor conditions carefully, maintain situational awareness, and pay very close attention to their personal security. While the security situation has improved during the past several months, the potential for some civil unrest remains. Security conditions could change quickly and without warning. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning of December 16, 2011 to inform U.S. citizens that the U.S. Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire has returned to "fully accompanied" status, and to provide an update on the current security situation.As of March 26, the U.S. Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire is authorized to operate again as a fully accompanied post, meaning minor dependents of U.S. government employees are now permitted to travel to or accompany family members to Abidjan. Since the post-electoral crisis ended, schools and businesses have reopened and government services such as police and gendarme activity have nearly returned to pre-crisis levels. The airport and ports have also resumed operations at levels at or near the pre-crisis state. With international support, the government is planning security sector reform, the re-opening of the national assembly, infrastructure and educational upgrades, and other activities to further enhance development prospects in Cote d'Ivoire. The Embassy continues to monitor the host country's capacity for providing basic services to its population, particularly related to safety and security issues. The potential for some civil unrest, however, remains. Crimes, such as muggings, robbery, burglary, and carjacking, pose risks for foreign visitors in Abidjan and around the country. Embassy personnel are required to obtain approval from the Embassy’s security office for proposed travel to western Cote d’Ivoire because of ethnic tension and criminal activity targeting Western travelers. You should take precautions when stopped in heavy traffic or at road blocks due to the threat of assault and/or robbery, and avoid travel outside Abidjan after dark. Land routes to neighboring countries are open, but you should be cautious and alert when traveling these routes. Local law enforcement authorities have limited capacity to respond to emergencies.The Embassy instructs its staff to avoid large gatherings, crowds, demonstrations, and political events. U.S. citizens are reminded that even demonstrations and/or political events intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations or political events. If you are planning travel to Cote d'Ivoire despite this Travel Warning, particularly to destinations outside of Abidjan, consult the Embassy or your host organization for the most recent security assessments of the areas to which you plan to travel. You can stay in touch and receive Embassy updates by checking the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan’s website.  Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 if calling from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.If you are going to live in or travel to Cote d’Ivoire despite this Travel Warning, please take the time to tell us about your trip by enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). If you enroll, we can keep you up-to-date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. You should remember to keep all of your information in STEP up-to-date. It is important during enrollment or updating of information to include your current phone number and current email address where you can be reached in case of an emergency.The Embassy is located at01 B.P. 1712 Abidjan 01 Cote d’Ivoire. If you have questions or concerns about safety or related issues, you are encouraged to contact the consular section at the Embassy by sending an email message to AbjAmcit@state.gov. The Embassy Consular’s section can be reached by telephone at 225-22-49-45-94 and emergency after-hours telephone at 225-22-49-44-50.

Source: Cote D'Ivoire Travel Warning

Eritrea Travel Warning

The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Eritrea and strongly recommends U.S. citizens defer all travel to the country. This replaces the Travel Warning for Eritrea dated November 4, 2011, to update information on security incidents, including attacks near the border with Ethiopia, and to remind U.S. citizens of ongoing security concerns in Eritrea. The Eritrean government continues to restrict the travel of all foreign nationals. These restrictions require all visitors and residents, including U.S. diplomats, to apply 10 days in advance for permission to travel outside Asmara's city limits. Permission is rarely granted. As a result, the U.S. Embassy is extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency consular assistance outside of Asmara.A number of Eritrean-U.S. dual citizens have been arrested and some are currently being held without apparent cause. Once arrested, detainees may be held for extended periods without being told the reason for their incarceration. Conditions are harsh – those incarcerated may be held in very small quarters without access to restrooms, bedding, food, or clean water. The Eritrean government does not inform the U.S. Embassy when U.S. citizens, including those who are not dual nationals, have been arrested or detained. Should the U.S. Embassy learn of the arrest of a U.S. citizen, the Eritrean government rarely allows consular access, regardless of the reason the U.S. citizen is being held. The Eritrean government-controlled media frequently broadcasts anti-U.S. rhetoric, and has done so repeatedly since December 2009, when the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) first imposed sanctions on Eritrea. Anti-U.S. messages scripted by the current regime, which often appear as cover stories in the sole English-language state-run newspaper in Eritrea, have grown even stronger since UNSC sanctions were strengthened in December 2011. Although there have been no specific incidents of violence targeting U.S. citizens, U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution, stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times. U.S. citizens are strongly advised to avoid travel near the Eritrean-Ethiopian border and the Southern Red Sea region. U.S. citizens should be aware of the presence of large numbers of Eritrean and Ethiopian troops along the Eritrean-Ethiopian border and of political and military tensions between the two countries. On March 15, 2012, Ethiopian troops attacked three locations approximately 10 miles inside Eritrean territory. On January 16, 2012, a group of tourists was attacked in Ethiopia not far from the Eritrean-Ethiopian border. Five tourists were killed and four others kidnapped. In May 2010, 13 people were injured when a bomb exploded on a bus just over the border in Ethiopia. In April 2010, a bomb near the border in Ethiopia killed five people and injured 20. In January and February 2010, skirmishes between Eritrean and Ethiopian troops resulted in military fatalities. Although Eritrean forces have withdrawn from disputed territory at the border with Djibouti, tensions in this area remain high. U.S. citizens on ships and sailing vessels are strongly advised not to sail off the Eritrean coast nor to attempt to dock in Eritrean ports or travel through Eritrean waters. U.S. citizens are also urged to avoid remote Eritrean islands, some of which may be used for Eritrean military training and could therefore be unsafe. The Eritrean government does not issue visas to persons arriving by marine vessel. Additionally, fuel and provisions are often unavailable in Massawa and other parts of Eritrea, and are often scarce in the capital city of Asmara.In April 2012, the Yemeni government reported that three Yemeni sailors continue to be held in Eritrean prisons three years after their boat inadvertently sailed into Eritrean waters. Yemen also reported at the end of March 2012 that Eritrean boats had attacked four Yemeni fishing boats in international territorial waters. In February 2012, a U.S. company reported that two of its vessels were seized by Eritrean authorities in the Port of Massawa, where they had sought assistance after one vessel was distressed while off the Eritrean coast. To date, neither vessels nor crew have been released. In December 2010, a British ship attempting to refuel in Massawa was detained by Eritrean authorities, and its crew of four was held without consular access for six months before being released. There are reports of additional vessels carrying nationals from other countries being detained for several months. In nearly all cases, the Eritrean government has neither given a reason for detention nor granted consular access. The port of Assab is closed to private marine vessels.In August 2011, three separate incidents of piracy were reported off the Eritrean coast near the port of Assab. High-speed skiffs with armed persons on board continue to attack merchant vessels. If transit around the Horn of Africa is necessary, vessels should travel in convoys, maintain good communications contact at all times, and follow the guidance provided by the Maritime Security Center – Horn of Africa (MSC-HOA). U.S. citizens should consult the Maritime Administration’s Horn of Africa Piracy page for information on maritime advisories, self-protection measures, and naval forces in the region.Landmines and unexploded ordnance remain a serious problem throughout the country. There are reports of accidents and incidents in which vehicles or people occasionally detonate mines. Many detonations occurred on relatively well-traveled roads in and near the Gash Barka region of western Eritrea; subsequent investigations indicated that several mines were recently laid. In September 2011, press reported that a vehicle in Senafe, 60 miles south of Asmara, ran over a landmine; five people were killed and another 34 injured in the incident. Vast areas of the country still have not been certified free of mines and unexploded ordnance following the 30-year war for independence and the subsequent 1998-2000 conflict with Ethiopia. You should avoid walking alone and hiking in riverbeds or areas that local government officials have not certified as safe.U.S. citizens choosing to travel to Eritrea despite this Travel Warning must obtain an Eritrean visa before their arrival. Persons arriving in Eritrea without a visa are generally refused admission and returned on the next flight back to their point of origin. However, the Embassy is aware of persons being jailed for several months after arriving without a visa. The Embassy urges Eritrean-U.S. dual citizens to obtain an Eritrean visa in their U.S. passport before travelling to Eritrea and to enter the country as U.S. citizens. Eritrean-U.S. dual citizens who enter Eritrea with an Eritrean ID card may find it difficult to obtain the required visa to legally exit the country. The Embassy is aware of numerous cases where dual Eritrean-U.S. citizens have not been permitted to leave the country. The Embassy cautions travelers not to stay beyond the period of time granted at the time of admission by Eritrean Immigration.  Crime in Asmara has increased as a result of deteriorating economic conditions accompanied by persistent food, water, and fuel shortages, and rapid price inflation. The combination of forced, open-ended, low-paying, national service for many Eritreans and severe unemployment leads some Eritreans to commit crime to support their families. Eritrean authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate crime or prosecute perpetrators. Modern telecommunications options are limited in Eritrea and cannot be counted upon in an emergency. International cell phone service plans do not work on Eritrean networks. Local cellular phone service is tightly controlled by the Eritrean government and difficult to obtain. When available, international cell phone calls are extremely expensive and only available using pre-paid minutes. Internet cafés are rare and hours are limited. Internet service is limited and slow, and generally does not support Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services such as Skype.The U.S. Embassy in Asmara strongly encourages U.S. citizens who travel to or remain in Eritrea despite this Travel Warning to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so you can receive the most up-to-date security information. Please keep all of your information in STEP current. It is important when enrolling or updating information to include multiple phone numbers and email addresses to facilitate communication in the event of an emergency.The consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, though closed for most visa services, is open for all U.S. citizen services between the hours of 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday, or by appointment.  The U.S. Embassy in Asmara is located at 179 Alaa Street, P.O. Box 211, Asmara; telephone 291-1- 12-00-04, available 24 hours in case of emergency; fax 291-1-124-255 and 291-1-127-584.Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, a regular toll line at-1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook, and download our free Smart Traveler I-Phone App to have travel information at your fingertips.

Source: Eritrea Travel Warning

Chad Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Chad and recommends U.S. citizens avoid all travel to eastern Chad and border regions. High levels of violent crime and a continuing risk of clashes between the Chadian government and armed groups exist in these areas. In particular, there is a heightened risk of carjacking and kidnapping for ransom within these conflict zones. The U.S. Embassy in Chad has prohibited travel by official U.S. government personnel to all areas outside the capital, N’Djamena, and its immediate environs without express advance authorization. U.S. citizens affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts should review security precautions and consider measures to mitigate exposure to violent crime. U.S. citizens residing in Chad should exercise caution throughout the country. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Chad dated August 16, 2011, to make note of a change in the Embassy's policy toward minor dependents, and to update U.S. citizens on the current security situation in Chad. The U.S. Embassy in Chad is now authorized to operate as a fully accompanied post, meaning minor dependents of U.S. government employees are now permitted to again travel to or accompany family members to N’Djamena. The security situation in Chad has slowly but steadily improved since the conclusion of an effective peace agreement between Sudan and Chad in early 2010. Citizens should note, however, that despite recent stability, the security environment has been historically volatile and can still deteriorate unexpectedly. The Embassy, therefore, strongly recommends that all U.S. citizens in Chad be prepared to implement their personal evacuation or safe haven plans on short notice should the situation warrant, and exercise extreme caution. U.S. citizens in Chad should closely monitor news media and the U.S. Embassy N’Djamena website. The incidence of violent crime in rural Chad is highly variable. Outbreaks of robbery and carjacking at gunpoint, kidnapping and attempted kidnapping, and murder follow periods of calm without warning. Violence is often associated with car accidents and other events causing injury to Chadian nationals. Robbery victims have been beaten and killed, surgeons conducting unsuccessful medical interventions have been threatened with bodily harm, and law enforcement/military units have been implicated in violent crime. In addition, armed groups continue to be a threat in border regions.  The Government of Chad has few resources to guarantee the safety of visitors in rural Chad.U.S. citizens affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts in rural Chad are strongly urged to adhere closely to the policies and procedures of their host organizations to mitigate risks from violent crime. The Government of Chad requires all individuals traveling to or residing in refugee-affected areas in Chad to obtain movement permits issued by the Ministry of Territorial Administration in N'Djamena, and to register in Abéché upon arrival in eastern Chad. U.S. citizens intending to enter Cameroon, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, or Sudan from Chad should consult the Department's Travel Warnings for those countries and obtain any requisite visas or travel permits prior to traveling.The U.S. Embassy communicates with U.S. citizens residing in Chad through its warden system; however in the case of an emergency, including an evacuation, the support that can be offered to those in remote and rural areas is limited. All U.S. citizens affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts in eastern Chad must have an evacuation plan developed with the United Nations agency coordinating their work on the ground. Embassy updates are available at the U.S. Embassy N'Djamena web site. The currentWorldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Informationas well as global updates are available at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs. Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or from other countries on a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well or you can download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App for travel information at your fingertips.U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Chad are encouraged to inform the Department prior to traveling and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). By enrolling in STEP, the Department can keep travelers apprised of important safety and security announcements. Enrolling in STEP will also make for easier communication in the event of an emergency. Travelers should remember to keep all of their information in STEP up to date; it is particularly important to include a current phone number and e-mail address in order to receive the Embassy’s emergency messages.The U.S. Embassy in N’Djamena is located on Avenue Felix Eboue in N’Djamena; mailing address BP 413 N’Djamena Chad. The Embassy telephone numbers are 235 2251-62-11, 2251-70-09, 2251-77-59, 2251-90-52, 2251-92-18 and 2251-92-33,. The Embassy fax number is 235 2251-56-54. For after-hours emergencies, U.S. citizens in N’Djamena should call ( 235) 6662-2100 and ask to speak with the duty officer.

Source: Chad Travel Warning

Yemen Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest. The Department urges U.S. citizens not to travel to Yemen. U.S. citizens currently in Yemen should depart. Effective September 1, 2011, the Department of State lifted the Ordered Departure status for U.S. government employees at the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a. The embassy remains a restricted staffing post. As staff levels at the embassy are restricted, our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency remains limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Yemen issued on September 2, 2011 to provide updated information regarding the security situation in Yemen.The security threat level in Yemen is extremely high. While political violence in Sana'a has calmed in recent months, violent clashes are still taking place in various parts of the country and may escalate without notice. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are urged to avoid areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of a demonstration. Terrorist organizations continue to be active in Yemen, including al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). A U.S. citizen was attacked and killed in Taiz on March 18 and the press reports that AQAP has claimed responsibility. The U.S. government remains highly concerned about possible attacks against U.S. citizens, facilities, businesses, and perceived U.S. and Western interests. Piracy in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean is also a security threat to maritime activities in the region. See our International Maritime Piracy Fact Sheet at http://travel.state.gov.U.S. government-facilitated evacuations occur only when no safe commercial alternatives exist. Evacuation assistance is provided on a cost-recovery basis, which means the traveler must reimburse the U.S. government for travel costs. The lack of a valid U.S. passport may hinder U.S. citizens' ability to depart the country and may slow the U.S. Embassy's ability to provide assistance. U.S. citizens in Yemen should ensure that they have proper and current documentation at all times. For more information, see "What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis" at Department's Internet website. Evacuation options from Yemen are extremely limited due to the lack of infrastructure, geographic constraints, and other security concerns. The U.S. government typically evacuates U.S. citizens to a safe haven, and travelers are responsible for making their own onward travel plans. Travelers should not expect to be evacuated to the United States.U.S. citizens remaining in Yemen despite this Travel Warning should limit nonessential travel within the country, make their own contingency emergency plans, enroll their presence in Yemen through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and provide their current contact information and next-of-kin or emergency contact information.The U.S. Embassy Sana'a is located at Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, P.O. Box 22347. The telephone number of the Consular Section is (967) (1) 755-2000, extension 2153 or 2266. For after-hours emergencies, please call (967) (1) 755-2000 (press zero for extension) or (967) 733-213 509. From time to time the Embassy may temporarily close or suspend public services for security reasons. Emergency assistance to U.S. citizens during non-business hours (or when public access is restricted) is available through Embassy duty personnel.For the latest security information, U.S. citizens living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, and Country Specific Informationcan be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407- 4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers in other countries by calling a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Source: Yemen Travel Warning

Mexico Travel Warning

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens about the security situation in Mexico.  General information on the overall security situation is provided immediately below.  For information on security conditions in specific regions of Mexico, which can vary, travelers should reference the state-by-state assessments further below.This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Mexico dated April 22, 2011 to consolidate and update information about the security situation and to advise the public of additional restrictions on the travel of U.S. government (USG) personnel.General Conditions:Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year for study, tourism, and business, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day.  The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations, and there is no evidence that Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) have targeted U.S. visitors and residents based on their nationality.  Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes.Nevertheless, U.S. travelers should be aware that the Mexican government has been engaged in an extensive effort to counter TCOs which engage in narcotics trafficking and other unlawful activities throughout Mexico.  The TCOs themselves are engaged in a violent struggle to control drug trafficking routes and other criminal activity.  As a result, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country and can occur anywhere.  U.S. citizens have fallen victim to TCO activity, including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery. According to the most recent homicide figures published by the Mexican government, 47,515 people were killed in narcotics-related violence in Mexico between December 1, 2006 and September 30, 2011, with 12,903 narcotics-related homicides in the first nine months of 2011 alone.  While most of those killed in narcotics-related violence have been members of TCOs, innocent persons have also been killed.  The number of U.S. citizens reported to the Department of State as murdered in Mexico increased from 35 in 2007 to 120 in 2011. Gun battles between rival TCOs or with Mexican authorities have taken place in towns and cities in many parts of Mexico, especially in the border region.  Gun battles have occurred in broad daylight on streets and in other public venues, such as restaurants and clubs.  During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area.  TCOs use stolen cars and trucks to create roadblocks on major thoroughfares, preventing the military and police from responding to criminal activity.  The location and timing of future armed engagements is unpredictable.  We recommend that you defer travel to the areas indicated in this Travel Warning and to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the northern border region.  The rising number of kidnappings and disappearances throughout Mexico is of particular concern. Both local and expatriate communities have been victimized.  In addition, local police have been implicated in some of these incidents.  We strongly advise you to lower your profile and avoid displaying any evidence of wealth that might draw attention. Carjacking and highway robbery are serious problems in many parts of the border region and U.S. citizens have been murdered in such incidents.  Most victims who complied with carjackers at these checkpoints have reported that they were not physically harmed.  Incidents have occurred during the day and at night, and carjackers have used a variety of techniques, including bumping/moving vehicles to force them to stop and running vehicles off the road at high speeds.  There are some indications that criminals have particularly targeted newer and larger vehicles, especially dark-colored SUVs.  However, victims driving a variety of vehicles, from late model SUVs to old sedans have also been targeted.  While violent incidents have occurred at all hours of the day and night on both modern toll ("cuotas") highways and on secondary roads, they have occurred most frequently at night and on isolated roads.  To reduce risk, we strongly urge you to travel between cities throughout Mexico only during daylight hours, to avoid isolated roads, and to use toll roads whenever possible.  The Mexican government has deployed federal police and military personnel throughout the country as part of its efforts to combat the TCOs.  U.S. citizens traveling on Mexican roads and highways may encounter government checkpoints, which are often staffed by military personnel or law enforcement personnel.  TCOs have erected their own unauthorized checkpoints, and killed or abducted motorists who have failed to stop at them.  You should cooperate at all checkpoints.Effective July 15, 2010, the U.S. Mission in Mexico imposed restrictions on U.S. government employees' travel. U.S. government employees and their families are not permitted to drive for personal reasons from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior of Mexico or Central America.  Personal travel by vehicle is permitted between Hermosillo and Nogales but is restricted to daylight hours and the Highway 15 toll road (cuota). U.S. government personnel and their families are prohibited from personal travel to all areas described as “defer non-essential travel” and when travel for official purposes is essential it is conducted with extensive security precautions.  USG personnel and their families are allowed to travel for personal reasons to the areas where no advisory is in effect or where the advisory is to exercise caution.For more information on road safety and crime along Mexico's roadways, see the Department of State's Country Specific Information.State-by-State Assessment:Below is a state-by-state assessment of security conditions throughout Mexico divided into northern and southern regions.  The accompanying map will help in identifying individual locations.  Travelers should be mindful that even if no advisories are in effect for a given state, crime and violence can occur anywhere.  For general information about travel conditions in Mexico, see our Country Specific Information.    Northern MexicoBaja California (north): Tijuana is a major city/travel destination in the Northern portion of Baja California -see attached map to identify its exact location: You should exercise caution in the northern state of Baja California, particularly at night.  Targeted TCO assassinations continue to take place in Baja California.  Turf battles between criminal groups proliferated and resulted in numerous assassinations in areas of Tijuana frequented by U.S. citizens.  Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured, have occurred during daylight hours throughout the city.  In one such incident, an U.S. citizen was shot and seriously wounded.  According to the Government of Mexico, as of August 2011, the city’s murder rate was approximately 20 per 100,000.  During 2011, 34 U.S. citizens were the victims of homicide in the state.  In the majority of these cases, the killings appeared to be related to narcotics trafficking.Baja California (South): Cabo San Lucas is a major city/travel destination in the Southern portion of Baja California -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: No advisory is in effect.15.  Chihuahua: Juarez and Chihuahua are the major cities/travel destinations in Chihuahua -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Chihuahua.  The situation in the state of Chihuahua, specifically Ciudad Juarez, is of special concern.  Ciudad Juarez has one of the highest murder rates in Mexico.  The Mexican government reports that more than 3,100 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2010 and 1,933 were killed in 2011.  Three persons associated with the Consulate General were murdered in March 2010. The state of Chihuahua is normally entered through Columbus, NM, and the El Paso, Fabens and Fort Hancock, TX, ports-of-entry.  There have been incidents of narcotics-related violence in the vicinity of the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua.Coahuila: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Coahuila.  The State of Coahuila continues to experience high rates of violent crimes and narcotics-related murders.  TCOs continue to compete for territory and coveted border crossings to the United States.  In August 2011, suspected members of TCOs and police exchange fire near a crowded soccer stadium in Torreón causing panic.  The city of Torreón had a murder rate of more than 40 per 100,000 population between January and August of 2011.  USG personnel may not frequent casinos, sport books, or other gambling establishments and adult entertainment establishments. Durango: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Durango.  Between 2006 and 2010, the number of narcotics-related murders in the State of Durango increased dramatically.  In 2011 several areas in the state continue to experience high rates of violence and remained volatile and unpredictable.  USG personnel may not frequent casinos, sport books, or other gambling establishments and adult entertainment establishments. Nuevo Leon: Monterrey is a major city/travel destination in Nuevo Leon -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Nuevo Leon, except the metropolitan area of Monterrey where you should exercise caution.  The level of violence and insecurity in Monterrey has increased, illustrated by an attack on a popular local casino in August that resulted in 52 deaths.  One U.S. citizen was injured in that incident.  Local police and private patrols do not have the capacity to deter criminal elements or respond effectively to security incidents.  As a result of a Department of State assessment of the overall security situation, on September 10, 2010, the Consulate General in Monterrey became a partially unaccompanied post with no minor dependents of USG personnel permitted.  USG personnel serving at the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey may not frequent casinos, sport books, or other gambling establishments and may not travel outside the San Pedro municipal boundaries between midnight and 6 a.m.  Although there have been no such incidents in 2011, in 2010 TCOs kidnapped guests out of reputable hotels in the downtown Monterrey area, blocking off adjoining streets to prevent law enforcement response.  TCOs have also regularly attacked local government facilities, prisons and police stations, and engaged in public shootouts with the military and between themselves.  TCOs have used vehicle born improvised explosive devices against military and law enforcement units.  Pedestrians and innocent bystanders have been killed in these incidents. San Luis Potosi: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of San Luis Potosi, except the city of San Luis Potosi where you should exercise caution.  The entire stretch of highway 57D in San Luis Potosi and portions of the state east of highway 57D towards Tamaulipas are particularly dangerous.  In February 2011, one U.S. government employee was killed and another wounded when they were attacked in their U.S. government vehicle on Highway 57 near Santa Maria del Rio.  Cartel violence and highway lawlessness are a continuing security concern.  USG personnel may not frequent casinos, sport books, or other gambling establishments and adult entertainment establishments. Sinaloa: Mazatlan is a major city/travel destination in Sinaloa -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Sinaloa except the city of Mazatlan where you should exercise caution particularly late at night and in the early morning.  One of Mexico's most powerful TCOs is based in the state of Sinaloa.  With the exception of Ciudad Juarez, since 2006 more homicides have occurred in the state's capital city of Culiacan than in any other city in Mexico.  Travel off the toll roads in remote areas of Sinaloa is especially dangerous and should be avoided.  In the last year, the city of Mazatlan has experienced a level of violence (primarily confrontations between TCOs) not seen before and incidents of violence are occurring more frequently in tourist areas.  USG personnel are permitted to travel between the Mazatlan airport and the tourist areas only during daylight hours.  We recommend that any other travel in Mazatlan be limited to the tourist areas (Zona Dorada and the historic town center).  In 2010 there were over 300 narcotics-related murders within the city, compared to fewer than 100 in 2009.  In the first seven months of 2011, there were 300 narcotics-related murders. Sonora: Nogales and Puerto Peñasco are the major cities/travel destinations in Sonora -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel between the city of Nogales and the cities of Sonoyta and Caborca (which area also includes the smaller cities of Saric, Tubutama, and Altar), defer non-essential travel to the eastern edge of the State of Sonora which borders the State of Chihuahua (all points along that border east of the northern city of Agua Prieta and the southern town of Alamos), defer non-essential travel within the state south of the city of Ciudad Obregon with the exception of travel to Alamos (traveling only during daylight hours and using only the Highway 15 toll road, aka cuota, and Sonora State Road 162), and exercise caution when visiting the coastal town of Puerto Peñasco.  Sonora is a key region in the international drug and human trafficking trades, and can be extremely dangerous for travelers.  The region west of Nogales, east of Sonoyta, and from Caborca north, including the towns of Saric, Tubutama and Altar, and the eastern edge of Sonora bordering Chihuahua, are known centers of illegal activity.  U.S. citizens visiting Puerto Peñasco are urged to use the Lukeville, Arizona/Sonoyta, Sonora border crossing, in order to limit driving through Mexico, and to limit travel to main roads during daylight hours.Tamaulipas: Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, and Tampico are the major cities/travel destinations in Tamaulipas -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Tamaulipas.  All USG employees are: prohibited from personal travel on Tamaulipas highways outside of Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo due to the risks posed by armed robbery and carjacking; may not frequent casinos and adult entertainment establishments within these cities; and in Matamoros are subject to a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew.  Be aware of the risks posed by armed robbery and carjacking on state highways throughout Tamaulipas.  In January 2011, a U.S. citizen was murdered in what appears to have been a failed carjacking attempt.  While no highway routes through Tamaulipas are considered safe, many of the crimes reported to the U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros have taken place along the Matamoros-Tampico highway, particularly around San Fernando and the area north of Tampico.Zacatecas:You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Zacatecas except the city of Zacatecas where you should exercise caution.  The regions of the state bordering Durango and Coahuila as well as the cities of Fresnillo and Fresnillo-Sombrete and surrounding area are particularly dangerous.  The northwestern portion of the state of Zacatecas has become notably dangerous and insecure.  Robberies and carjackings are occurring with increased frequency and both local authorities and residents have reported a surge in observed TCO activity.  This area is remote, and local authorities are unable to regularly patrol it or quickly respond to incidents that occur there.  Gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur in the area of the state bordering the state of Jalisco.  There have also been reports of roadblocks and false checkpoints on highways between the states of Zacatecas and Jalisco.  The  city of Fresnillo, the area extending northwest from Fresnillo along Highway 45 (Fresnillo-Sombrete) between Highways 44 and 49, and highway 49 northwards from Fresnillo through Durango and in to Chihuahua are considered dangerous.  Extreme caution should be taken when traveling in the remainder of the state.  USG personnel may not frequent casinos, sport books, or other gambling establishments and adult entertainment establishments.  USG personnel may not travel outside the City of Zacatecas after dark and must abide by a curfew of midnight to 6 a.m. within a secured venue.Southern MexicoAguascalientes: You should defer non-essential travel to the areas of the state that border the state of Zacatecas.  The security situation along the Zacatecas border continues to be unstable and gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur.  Concerns include roadblocks placed by individuals posing as police or military personnel and recent gun battles between rival TCOs involving automatic weapons. Campeche: No advisory is in effect.Chiapas: San Cristobal de las Casas is a major city/travel destination in Chiapas -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: No advisory is in effect.Colima: Manzanillo is a major city/travel destination in Colima -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: You should exercise extreme caution when traveling through the areas of the state of Colima that border the state of Michoacán.  You should also exercise caution when traveling at night outside of cities in the remaining portions of the state.  The security situation along the Michoacán border continues to be unstable and gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur.  Concerns include roadblocks placed by individuals posing as police or military personnel and recent gun battles between rival TCOs involving automatic weapons. Estado de Mexico: Toluca is a major city/travel destination in Estado de Mexico -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: No advisory is in effect.Guanajuato: San Miguel de Allende and Leon are the major cities/travel destinations in Guanajuato -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: No advisory is in effect.Guerrero: Acapulco, Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo and Taxco are the major cities/travel destinations in Guerrero -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel to the northwestern and southern portions of the state (the area west and south of the town of Arcelia on the border with Estado de Mexico in the north and the town of Tlapa near the border with Oaxaca), except for the cities of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Ixtapa.  In those cities, you should exercise caution and stay within tourist areas.  You should also exercise caution and travel only during daylight hours on highway 95D (cuota/toll road) between Mexico City and Acapulco and highway 200 between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa.  In Acapulco, defer non-essential travel to areas further than 2 blocks inland of the Costera Miguel Aleman Boulevard, which parallels the popular beach areas.  In general, the popular tourist area of Diamante, just south of the city, has been less affected by violence.  Flying into the coastal cities in southern Guerrero remains the preferred method of travel.  You should also exercise caution in the northern region of Guerrero (the area north of the town of Arcelia on the border with Estado de Mexico in the north and the town of Tlapa near the border with Oaxaca).  The state of Guerrero has seen an increase in violence among rival criminal organizations.  Acapulco's murder rates increased dramatically since 2009; in response, the Government of Mexico has sent additional military and federal police to the state to assist State security forces in implementing operation  “Guerrero Seguro” (Secure Guerrero) that focuses on combating organized crime and returning security to the environs of popular tourist areas. Hidalgo: No advisory is in effect.Jalisco Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta are the major cities/travel destinations in Jalisco -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: You should defer non-essential travel to areas of the state that border the states of Michoacán and Zacatecas.  You should also exercise caution when traveling at night outside of cities in the remaining portions of this state.  The security situation along the Michoacán and Zacatecas borders continues to be unstable and gun battles between criminal groups and authorities occur.  Concerns include roadblocks placed by individuals posing as police or military personnel and recent gun battles between rival TCOs involving automatic weapons. Mexico City (also known as the Federal District): No advisory is in effect.Michoacán: Morelia is a major city/travel destination in Michoacán -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: You should defer non-essential travel to the state of Michoacán except the cities of Morelia and Lázaro Cardenas where you should exercise caution.  Flying into Morelia and Lázaro Cardenas, or driving to Lázaro Cardenas via highway 200 from Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, are the recommended methods of travel.  Attacks on Mexican government officials, law enforcement and military personnel, and other incidents of TCO-related violence, have occurred throughout Michoacán.Morelos: Cuernavaca is a major city/travel destination in Morelos -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: You should exercise caution in the state of Morelos due to the unpredictable nature of TCO violence.  Numerous incidents of narcotics-related violence have occurred in the city of Cuernavaca, a popular destination for U.S. students.Nayarit: You should defer non-essential travel to all areas of the state of Nayarit north of the city of Tepic as well as to the cities of Tepic and Xalisco.  The security situation north of Tepic and in these cities is unstable and travelers could encounter roadblocks or shootouts between rival criminals.  There is no recommendation against travel either to Riviera Nayarit in the southern portion of the state or to principal highways in the southern portion of the state used to travel from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta.Oaxaca: Oaxaca, Huatulco and Puerto Escondido are the major cities/travel destinations in Oaxaca -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: No warning is in effect.Puebla: No advisory is in effect.Queretaro: No advisory is in effect.Quintana Roo: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum are the major cities/travel destinations in Quintana Roo -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: No advisory is in effect.Tabasco: Villahermosa is a major city/travel destination in Tabasco -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: No advisory is in effect.Tlaxcala: No advisory is in effect.Veracruz: You should exercise caution when traveling in the state of Veracruz.  In recent months, the state of Veracruz has seen an increase in violence among rival criminal organizations.  In response, the Government of Mexico has sent additional military and federal police to the state to assist State security forces in implementing operation “Veracruz Seguro” (Secure Veracruz) that focuses on combating organized crime. Yucatan: Merida and Chichen Itza are the major cities/travel destinations in Yucatan -see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify its exact location: No advisory is in effect.Further InformationWe encourage you to review the U.S. Embassy's Mexico Security Update.  The update contains information about recent security incidents in Mexico that could affect the safety of the traveling public.  For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the State Department's Country Specific Information for Mexico.For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the State Department's internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found.  Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  U.S. citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to enroll with the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.  For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or the closest U.S. Consulate (see list below).  The numbers provided below for the Embassy and Consulates are available around the clock.  The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000.  U.S. citizens may also contact the Embassy by e-mail.Consulates (with consular districtsCiudad Juarez (Chihuahua): Paseo de la Victoria 3650, telephone (011) (52) (656) 227-3000. Facebook& TwitterGuadalajara (Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguas Calientes, and Colima): Progreso 175, Col. Americana; telephone (011) (52) (333) 268-2100. Facebook& TwitterHermosillo (Sinaloa and the southern part of Sonora): Calle Monterrey 141 Poniente, Col. Esqueda; telephone (011) (52) (662) 289-3500. FacebookMatamoros (the southern part of Tamaulipas with the exception of the city of Tampico): Avenida Primera 2002 y Azaleas; telephone (011) (52) (868) 812-4402. Facebook& TwitterMerida (Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo): Calle 60 No. 338 K x 29 y 31, Col. Alcala Martin; telephone (011) (52) (999) 942-5700.Monterrey (Nuevo Leon, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, and the southern part of Coahuila): Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente; telephone (011) (52) (818) 047-3100. Facebook & TwitterNogales (the northern part of Sonora): Calle San Jose, Fraccionamiento “Los Alamos”; telephone (011) (52) (631) 311-8150. FacebookNuevo Laredo (the northern part of Coahuila and the northwestern part of Tamaulipas): Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin; telephone (011) (52) (867) 714-0512.Tijuana (Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur): Paseo de Las Culturas s/n Mesa de Otay; telephone (011) (52) (664) 977-2000. FacebookAll other Mexican states, the Federal District of Mexico City, and the city of Tampico, Tamaulipas, are part of the Embassy's consular district.Consular Agencies (mainly serving the location city only)Acapulco: Hotel Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 – Suite 14; telephone (011)(52)(744) 481-0100 or (011)(52)(744) 484-0300.Los Cabos: Las Tiendas de Palmilla Local B221, Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 27.5, San José del Cabo, BCS, Mexico 23406 Telephone: (624) 143-3566 Fax: (624) 143-6750.Cancun: Blvd. Kukulcan Km 13 ZH Torre La Europea, Despacho 301 Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico C.P. 77500; telephone (011)(52)(998) 883-0272.Cozumel: Plaza Villa Mar en El Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque Juárez between Melgar and 5th Ave.) 2nd floor, Locales #8 and 9; telephone (011)(52)(987) 872-4574.Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa; telephone (011)(52)(755) 553-2100.Mazatlan: Hotel Playa Mazatlán, Playa Gaviotas 202, Zona Dorada; telephone (011)(52)(669) 916-5889.Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcala No. 407, Interior 20; telephone (011)(52)(951)514-3054 or (011)(52)(951) 516-2853.Piedras Negras: Abasolo 211, Local 3, Col. Centro; telephone (011)(52)(878) 782-5586 or (011)(52)(878) 782-8664.Playa del Carmen: The Palapa, Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and Avenida 20; telephone (011)(52)(984) 873-0303.Puerto Vallarta: Paseo de Los Cocoteros 85 Sur, Paradise Plaza – Local L-7, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit C.P.; telephone (011)(52)(322) 222-0069.Reynosa: Calle Emilio Portes Gil #703, Col. Prado Sur; telephone: (011)(52) (899)-921-6530San Luis Potosi: Edificio "Las Terrazas", Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco; telephone (011)(52)(444) 811-7802 or (011)(52)(444) 811-7803.San Miguel de Allende: Centro Comercial La Luciernaga, Libramiento Manuel Zavala (Pepe KBZON), telephone (011)(52)(415) 152-2357.

Source: Mexico Travel Warning

Air Philippines Promo for September 2013 Travel

by pna

Aided by six boxers from Escalante City, three of them female, Negros Occidental's District 1 captured the 2nd Negros First Gov. Alfredo G. Marañon, Jr. Boxing Cup held at the Silay Covered Court here last Sunday.

District 1 collected eight ( gold medals and seven (7) silvers to wrap the title against five other districts in the province.

District 4 represented by Bago City boxers, once the country’s boxing capital, collected seven (7) gold and three (3) silver medals to place 1st runner-up; while District 2 comprised of Cadiz and Sagay Cities and the municipality of Manapla placed 2nd runner-up with five (5) gold and three silver medals.

District 6 composed of Cauayan, Hinobaan, Ilog, Kabankalan and Sipalay (CHICKS area) collected three gold and two silver medals; District 5 had three golds and one silver medal, while District 3 had a gold and nine silver medals.

The District 1 boxers were Greg Pableo who defeated Talisay Jimlo Chua in the Kids 26 kgs; Feedielyn Mantalaya over Socorro Talamante of Himamaylan City in the Female 36 kgs; Baby Johmil Casiple over Christian Calapardo of Sipalay City in the Female 44 kgs; Sarah Jean Mag-osara over Renalyn Soberano of Murcia in the Female 48 kgs; Sheila Mae Mag-osara over Rosebelle Laurilla of Murcia in Female 50 kgs and John Mahinay who scored a first round referee-stop-contest over Jaypee Rivas of Candoni in the Elite 46 kgs.

Two other boxers who gifted District 1 with gold medals were Don Salvador Benedicto Elmer Duoma who won on points over Kyle Malunes of Cadiz City in the Kids 32 kgs. and San Carlos City's Carlo Peñalosa who outpointed Cadiz City's Eric Hulleza in the Elite 49 kgs. Peñalosa was also adjudged the best boxer in the division.

District 4 winners were boxers Neil Tambanillo who won over District 1's Richard Patoc in the Kids 30kgs. He was adjudge best boxer in the division. Jasper Anida over Mike Gian Duoma of District 3 in the Schools Boys 38 kgs; Roselyn Gamo over Roxanne Alisna in Female 46 kgs; Argie Alabado over Murcia Elmer Liboon in the Youth 52 kgs; Ronaldo Saturno over Nestor Bautista of Murcia in the Elite 56 kgs; and James Palicte over Romeo Redondo in the Elite 60 kgs.

The gold medalist received cash prizes or P1, 800 starting from winning the elimination, quarterfinals and semifinals. The eliminated boxers, meanwhile, received P300 each.

The champion team received a cash prize of P5,000 and trophy; the 1st runner-up P3,000 plus trophy and 2nd runner-up with P2,000 plus trophy.

A four-year study (1979-1983) in Pennsylvania found that the chess-playing experimental group consistently outperformed the control groups engaged in other thinking development programs, using measurements from the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking.

source: quadcity.com

In a 1977-1979 study at the Chinese University in Hong Kong by Dr. Yee Wang Fung, chess players showed a 15% improvement in math and science test scores.

In a 1974-1976 Belgium study, a chess-playing experimental group of fifth graders experienced a statistically significant gain in cognitive development over a control group, using Piaget's tests for cognitive development. Perhaps more noteworthy, they also did significantly better in their regular school testing, as well as in standardized testing administered by an outside agency which did not know the identity of the two groups. Quoting Dr. Adriaan de Groot: ...``In addition, the Belgium study appears to demonstrate that the treatment of the elementary, clear-cut and playful subject matter can have a positive effect on motivation and school achievement generally...''

source: quadcity.com

In a 1973-74 Zaire study conducted by Dr. Albert Frank, employing 92 students, age 16-18, the chess-playing experimental group showed a significant advancement in spatial, numerical and administrative-directional abilities, along with verbal aptitudes, compared to the control group. The improvements held true regardless of the final chess skill level attained.

source: quadcitychess.com

http://www.pbc.org/system/message_files/522/20121104.mp3
Audio Sermon: The Need for a King by Scott Grant

To listen to this audio file streaming, just click the play button above.

Lovable Anda, Bohol

Ice and Ice Juice for Sale

Anda, Bohol Scenery

dear friends,

you might have noticed that there are photos posted in tubag bohol that have stopped appearing here. this is all because facebook has prohibited linking photos to external websites.

i wish everyone to stop linking photos from facebook. photos linked from fb may appear in our site for a couple of days but soon they would no longer appear in our site. facebook no longer wants to share photos posted in its site.

the experience is shared by many webmasters who run forum sites.

good sites for uploading photos are photobucket.com, Google Plus, and picasaweb.google.com.

for your information.

regards,
mike

By Holly Lane - highbeam.com

History (Birth to 1987)

Alan Greenspan was born in New York City on March 6, 1926, an only child of Jewish parents Herbert and Rose Greenspan. Greenspan's parents divorced when he was young and he was primarily raised by his mother. Growing up, Greenspan was very interested in music and, in 1944, he entered the Julliard School of Music to study the clarinet. Less than one year later, Greenspan dropped out of Julliard in order to tour with a swing band by the name of "Henry Jerome and His Orchestra." While travelling with the Henry Jerome band, Greenspan became increasingly interested in mathematics and economics, and his role as the band's bookkeeper and tax accountant gradually overshadowed his role as a clarinet player and saxophonist. While his band mates went out partying, Greenspan preferred to stay in his hotel room, reading books on business and the economy. In September of 1944, Greenspan made the decision to quit the band and enroll in the economics program at New York University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1948, and his Master of Arts degree in economics in 1950, both from New York University.

Greenspan enrolled in a PhD program at Columbia University and took a job with the National Industrial Conference Board to pay his tuition. However, he was unable to afford his continued education and, in 1953, had to drop out of Columbia. During his time at Columbia, Greenspan befriended Arthur Burns, an economist who would eventually become chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, and dated an artist named Joan Mitchell, who introduced him to Ayn Rand. Rand was a serious philosophical writer, whose ideas on the moral foundation of capitalism greatly inspired Greenspan's subsequent approach to American business economics.

In 1954, Greenspan partnered with William Townsend to form a consulting firm called Townsend-Greenspan and Co., Inc. Townsend-Greenspan specialized in providing businesses with financial and industrial forecasts, and was almost instantly a success, making Greenspan a very wealthy man. Riding on his business's success, Greenspan became a highly sought-after advisor, and served as a board member for high-profile corporations like J.P. Morgan and Mobil. William Townsend died in 1958, leaving Greenspan solely in charge of business operations.

The Nixon campaign recruited Greenspan as an advisor in 1968. In 1974, under the urging of Arthur Burns, Greenspan accepted the position of chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. His top priority was to combat inflation and, over the course of the three years in which he served the council, inflation dropped by over four percent. When Jimmy Carter entered the presidency in 1977, Greenspan's chairmanship with the Economic Advisory ended. New York University awarded Greenspan an honorary PhD that same year. He continued to run Townsend-Greenspan until 1987.
Greenspan and the Federal Reserve (1987 to 2006)

James Baker, United States Secretary of Treasury, nominated Greenspan as Federal Reserve chairman in 1987. The Federal Reserve is a complex network of 12 Federal Reserve banks. Each bank has an administration consisting of a president, a board of directors, research personnel and bank officers. In Washington D.C., the Federal Reserve also employees a board of economic advisors. As chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Greenspan was chief of the entire system and, because of his astute decision-making and firm leadership style, he came to be known as one of the most powerful men in the world.

Greenspan served 19 years on the Federal Reserve Board, through the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. During that time, Greenspan coaxed America through one of the biggest stock market crashes in history, adjusted interest rates to successfully counter threats of inflation, gave U.S. monetary policy directives, revised lending practices with tighter regulations and helped the U.S. recover economically from the Cold War by refusing inflation on oil and supplementing U.S. cash reserves.

During his chairmanship on the Federal Reserve Board, unemployment rates dropped to a low 4.7 percent and the U.S. inflation rate dropped to below 2 percent. Additionally, the U.S. economy flourished at unprecedented rates and the federal budget came into balance under Greenspan's advisement. Greenspan had such a reputation for economic acuity that when he presented his twice-yearly assessments of the state of U.S. economic affairs before Congress, investors listened and acted accordingly. Therefore, Greenspan had the power to affect a wave of economic change with just his words.
Present Day

Shortly after leaving the Federal Reserve Board chairmanship, Greenspan penned a memoir entitled, "The Age of Turbulence." Greenspan's reputation was called into question in the financial housing crisis of 2008. As chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, he had advised against regulations that could have averted the stock market and housing bubbles that caused the 2008 crisis. He continues to speak publicly about issues the U.S. economy is facing. Greenspan is currently married to television correspondent Andrea Mitchell. They wed in April of 1997.

By Hollee Chadwick
Overview

John McCain has long been praised and vilified for his reputation as a leading defense hawk, using his seat on the Armed Services Committee and his war-hero status to advocate for a stronger military. McCain is no stereotypical hawk, however. He is quoted as saying, "War is wretched beyond description, and only a fool or a fraud could sentimentalize its cruel reality." McCain has an incredible record of leadership and experience that demonstrates his lifelong commitment to service. The son and grandson of distinguished Navy admirals, McCain's life has been devoted to duty and honor. His grandfather, Adm. John S. "Slew" McCain, commanded aircraft carriers in the Pacific during World War II. His father, Adm. John S. "Jack" McCain Jr., commanded two submarines during World War II.
History

John Sidney McCain III was born August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in Panama Canal Zone, Panama, to John and Roberta McCain. McCain attended Episcopal High, in Alexandria, Va.

In June 1954, he began his military training at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Each year, he was in the "Century Club," made up of students with more than 100 demerits. McCain’s Academy roommate, Frank Gamboa, said: “The demerits were issued for messy quarters, unshined shoes, reporting late to formationâ€"mostly small stuff. He and I, we got a lot of demerits. It was almost impossible not to."

McCain's grades were good in the subjects he enjoyed, such as literature and history. Gamboa said McCain would rather have read a history book than do his math homework. McCain graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1958, fifth from the bottom in class rank, 894th out of 899. He was a naval aviator in training, first at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., through September 1959, and then at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, and was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade.

McCain started dating Carol Shepp, in 1964, while stationed in Pensacola. The next year, the two were married in Philadelphia. He adopted Carol's two sons from a previous marriage. In 1966, their daughter, Sidney, was born. On July 29, 1967, McCain was preparing to take off on a bombing mission over North Vietnam from his ship, the USS Forrestal. A missile accidentally fired from a nearby plane and struck the fuel tanks on his plane. McCain was not injured. Although he was eligible for release from the service, McCain chose to re-enlist. He would not see his family for almost six years.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd bombing mission, a missile struck his plane, forcing him to eject, knocking him unconscious, and breaking both of his arms and a leg. He was taken as a prisoner of war into the "Hanoi Hilton," where he was denied necessary medical treatment and often beaten by the North Vietnamese. Much of this time was spent in solitary confinement. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, ending direct U.S. involvement in the war. McCain was released on March 14, 1973.

McCain's last Navy duty assignment was to serve as the naval liaison to the United States Senate. He retired from the Navy in 1981. His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On April 2, 1980, John and Carol McCain were granted a divorce. Speculative reports of infidelity on John McCain's part were denied by him in his 2002 memoir, Worth the Fighting For. McCain wrote that he had separated from Carol before he began dating Cindy Hensley, the young heiress to a lucrative Arizona beer distributorship. He wed Hensley five weeks after his divorce was final. John and Cindy McCain have three children of their own: daughter Meghan, sons John Sidney IV and James, and adopted daughter Bridget. In March 2000, McCain lost his first bid for the Republican nomination for president to George W. Bush, withdrawing from the race after losing nine of 13 primaries on Super Tuesday. He went on to serve a third and fourth Senate term. In September 2007, McCain again sought the Republican nomination. He was successful in gaining the nomination; however, he and his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin (R-Ala.), lost the election to Democrat Barack Obama.
Present Day

McCain currently serves on the following Senate Committees during the current (112th) Congress: Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Committee on Indian Affairs.
source: www.highbeam.com

by Highbeam.com

Gloria Steinem

BORN: March 25, 1934 • Toledo, Ohio

American author; editor; women's rights activist

Gloria Steinem became famous in the 1970s as a symbol of the feminist movement in the United States. A journalist and founder of Ms. magazine, Steinem enjoyed a high media profile that helped to win over public opinion on some of the most hotly debated women's rights issues of the era. She is often credited with coining one of feminism's most enduring slogans, "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." However, she corrected the record in a 2005 letter to the editor of O, The Oprah Magazine. She noted that "Irina Dunn, the Australian feminist … leader deserves to be in history for many reasons, including this bit of humor."

"[T]he role of 'wife' is so inhuman and unattractive to me. Marriage makes you legally half a person."
Endures difficult childhood

Gloria Steinem was born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio. Her father, Leo, often bragged that he had never held a real job in his life. The family's income came from the antiques he occasionally sold and from an inheritance. Steinem's mother, Ruth Nunevillar Steinem, was a college graduate who had worked as a journalist. Later in life, Steinem was surprised to learn that her father's mother, Pauline Steinem, had been active in the women's suffrage (right to vote) movement earlier in the century, and had even spoken before the U.S. Congress. Her grandmother was also the first woman ever elected to a local school board in Ohio.

Steinem and her sister Susanne, nine years her senior, had an unconventional childhood. Their parents disliked winters in Ohio and took their daughters to warmer climates out west and down south once the weather turned cold. The family also owned a lakefront resort in Michigan, where they spent the summer months. Her mother suffered from depression that went untreated, and she was known as the "crazy woman" on their East Toledo street. After her parents divorced in 1945, when Steinem was eleven years old, she took care of her mother by herself. They lived in poverty in a two-family house, but she earned good grades in school despite her stressful home life.

When Steinem was seventeen, she and her sister convinced their father to take care of his ex-wife for a year, while Gloria went to live with Susanne in Washington, D.C. Steinem finished high school there and won a scholarship to Smith College, an elite women's school in Northampton, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1956 with top honors as well as membership in the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa. In addition, she won a fellowship for study in India. She was shocked by the poverty she saw in India and returned home with a determination to pursue a career as an advocate for social justice issues. Her first job was with a foundation that sent Americans abroad to the international music festivals usually sponsored by the Soviet Union, the former collection of nations dominated by Russia that collapsed in 1991.
Undercover assignment

By 1960 Steinem had settled in New York City and embarked upon a career as a freelance, or independent, magazine writer. One of her first articles of note was "The Moral Disarmament of Betty Co-Ed," which appeared in a 1962 issue of Esquire. It examined the impact of the birth control pill, introduced in the United States two years earlier, on the dating behaviors of college women. Her next major assignment launched her career as a daring new investigative journalist. She went undercover for three weeks as a cocktail waitress at the Playboy Club in New York City. This was one of a chain of members-only nightclubs for men established by the sexually graphic magazine of the same name. Tying in to the concept of the "Playboy Bunny," the club featured scantily clad waitresses who wore actual bunny costumes, including a headband with bunny ears and a fluffy cotton tail. The resulting two-part series, "I Was a Playboy Bunny," appeared in a magazine called Show in 1963. Steinem's article detailed the tough working conditions at the club, where the "bunnies" were poorly paid and treated disrespectfully by management and customers alike.

That same year, Betty Friedan (1921â€"2006) issued her landmark book, The Feminine Mystique. The work would be widely credited with launching the modern feminist movement, which was organized around the belief that women and men are politically, socially, and economically equal. However, as Steinem said in an interview that appeared on the Jewish Women's Archive Web site, the book became "very important for homemakers in the suburbs who were well educated and wanted to get into the paid labor force, but I thought, 'I've always been in the labor force, and I'm still getting [cheated].'"

As a journalist, Steinem had fought hard for equal recognition and pay from her male editors, and within a few years was commanding $3,000 per article. Still interested in social reform issues, she was drawn to the plight of America's migrant farm workers as publicized by César Chávez (1927â€"1993), head of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. She aided him by financing a delegation he led to the Poor People's March on Washington, D.C., in 1968, and did it with the help of her credit card. At the time, it was rare for single women to have such access to credit, and the company promptly canceled the card when the charges were discovered.

In 1968 Steinem was involved in the start-up of New York magazine, a new title that would ultimately gain fame for its investigative journalism. For a time, she wrote a weekly column about politics for the publication. When researching material for a column, Steinem visited one of the new "women's liberation" discussion groups to learn more about it. The gatherings were run by a Manhattan group called the Redstockings. Steinem's resulting column, titled "After Black Power, Women's Liberation" (1969), urged younger women involved in other social justice issues, such as the civil rights and antiwar movements, to join with more established feminist leaders, like those in Friedan's National Organization for Women (NOW), founded in 1966. Taking her own advice, she became active in the movement herself. Because she was somewhat of a media celebrity in Manhattan already thanks to her magazine career, Steinem quickly emerged as an unofficial spokesperson for women's liberation.
The new face of feminism

Famously attractive and stylish, Steinem became a household name across the United States. She was referred to by the media as the icon, or symbol, of the feminist movement's younger generation. She wore miniskirts, which were still prohibited in the workplace and in schools in many parts of the country. She wore her blonde-streaked hair long, as was the fashion, along with purple-tinted aviator-frame eyeglasses. The issue of women's rights was a hotly debated topic at the time, and opponents of the movement called feminists "man-haters" or ridiculed them as women who were too unattractive to appeal to a male partner.

Steinem was single by choice and had turned down occasional marriage proposals from the succession of high-profile, well-connected men she dated. On talk shows, she criticized marriage as an outdated concept. "Marriage is like a door slamming in my head," she once said, according to Marcia Cohen in her book The Sisterhood. "That's only because the role of 'wife' is so inhuman and unattractive to me. Marriage makes you legally half a person."

Steinem took part in various organized protests of the era, including the Women's Strike for Equality, held on August 26, 1970. The occasion marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave American women the right to vote nationally. The march and rally were thought to be the largest women's rights demonstration in the country since the suffragists' era of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. An estimated 50,000 participated in a march down Fifth Avenue in New York City. Steinem carried a sign depicting a violent scene from the Vietnam War (1954â€"75), a conflict that was becoming increasingly unpopular in the United States. The sign featured the words "The Masculine Mystique," which played off the title of Friedan's earlier book. The protesters moved on to Bryant Park, where Steinem served as host for an impressive list of guest speakers.

In July 1971 Steinem co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus along with Friedan and two recently elected congresswomen from New York State, Bella Abzug (1920â€"1998) and Shirley Chisholm
Maureen Dowd

Journalist Maureen Dowd stirred debate in 2005 with her second book, Are Men Necessary?: When Sexes Collide.A New York Times columnist known for her criticisms of the administration of President George W. Bush (1946â€"; served 2001â€"), Dowd looked at women's roles and gender equality in U.S. society. "My thesis is that feminism is dead," she explained in an interview with Dermot McEvoy in Publishers Weekly. "I'm definitely a feminist, but feminism as a movement has fluttered out and as a word has taken on implications that young women don't like at all. They [the feminists] took all the fun out of it. Barbie was wrong and fashion was wrong and sexiness was wrong."

Born in 1952, Dowd grew up in an Irish American household in Washington, D.C., where her father was a police officer in the U.S. Senate building. She studied English literature at the city's Catholic University and began her career in journalism in 1974. In 1981 she joined the staff of Time magazine and moved on to the New York Times in 1983 as a reporter. Three years later, she began covering politics for the Times from Washington, and in 1995 became a columnist. In 1999 she won a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary.

Dowd's first book, Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk (2004), is a collection of her New York Times columns on the George W. Bush administration. She followed the volume with Are Men Necessary? a year later. The book generated much media coverage and debate about her theories. In it, she traces the history of the feminist movement since her teen years in the late 1960s. She draws on the work of social scientists, insight from her peers, and even the advice given to her by her mother. She discusses dating rituals, commitment issues, and modern-day attitudes toward money, career, and family life. Dowd also notes how difficult it is for smart women to find dates and husbands. She concludes that focusing on one's personal career goals may, at least for a woman, leave her single and childless as she enters middle age, and neither by her own choice.

Dowd discusses other trends that conflict with the feminist ideas of her generation. She notes that many more cosmetic-enhancement procedures are being made available to women and that popular culture depicts women in highly sexual ways. Dowd explains that a growing number of newly married women are taking their husbands' last names rather than keeping their own. Many new female college graduates, she states, plan to give up their careers when they have children.

Dowd recalls the groundbreaking 1963 book by Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, which inspired the women's liberation movement. A college-educated suburban homemaker, Friedan wrote about the unhappiness and dissatisfaction that her generation of American women felt because society expected them to be good wives and mothers, and not seek careers. Friedan called it a world in which its female residents feared "losing their identities and turning into 'anonymous biological robots in a docile [passive] mass,'" Dowd noted in her book. The early twenty-first century's generation of educated young women, Dowd suggests, seem to "want to be Mrs. Anonymous Biological Robot in a Docile Mass."

Since history often repeats itself, Dowd wondered in a New York Times Magazine article if there might be a negative response in twenty-five years among that new generation of career homemakers, "now middle-aged and stranded in suburbia … deserted by husbands for younger babes, unable to get back into a work force they never tried to be part of?" She added: "With no power or money or independence, they'll be mere domestic robots, lasering their legs and waxing their floorsâ€"or vice versaâ€"and desperately seeking a new Betty Friedan."

(1924â€"2005). The group's goal was to increase the number of women involved in the political process. Steinem noted that if more women had voted for president in 1968, the victory would have gone to Democratic contender Hubert Humphrey (1911â€"1978) instead of Richard Nixon (1913â€"1994; served 1969â€"74). With this in mind, the caucus focused its energies on the upcoming 1972 presidential election. Steinem attended the National Democratic Party Convention in Miami, Florida. By now one of the most prominent feminists, she used her status as a media favorite to criticize the Democratic Party leadership for its poor record on women's issues.
Launches Ms. magazine

Steinem had become so popular that she even appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine, which called her "The New Woman." Her celebrity had earned her a few enemies, however, even inside the women's movement itself. Her critics claimed that although she despised marriage as offensive and unimportant, she was always someone's girlfriend. Some people thought she received an excessive amount of attention for her looks. The criticism intensified when she announced plans to launch a new magazine that would be the first mass-market publication devoted to feminism. Steinem called it Ms. At the time, feminists were campaigning for the title "Ms." to replace "Miss" and "Mrs." They didn't believe that a woman's martial status should be part of her title. Men, they contended, were always called "Mr.," a title that did not reflect whether they were married. The magazine's choice of title helped make "Ms." standard usage in the English language over the next decade.

The January 1972 preview issue of Ms. sold out, and the periodical became a regular monthly later that year. As editor, Steinem set the magazine's daring but coolly humorous tone, but it nevertheless refused to take a moderate stance on some of the most important topics of the day. One typical article from this era was titled "Never Again: Death, Politics and Abortion." It featured a police photograph of a naked woman who had bled to death from an illegal abortion.

Steinem's groundbreaking magazine had its critics. Friedan was quoted in the press as saying that Steinem was using the movement to make a profit. The Redstockings group claimed the organization that Steinem had worked for in the late 1950s, after college, had been funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a way to keep track of American students who harbored pro-Soviet sympathies. Steinem responded by claiming that she had no knowledge of the link. Freedom of speech advocates also objected to Ms. magazine's anti-pornography stance. A publisher of one of the more notorious pornographic magazines liked to print the Ms. office phone number along with the words "Call for a prostitute" to taunt the staff.

Ms. magazine's debut was just one of the high points of the feminist movement in the United States in 1972. That year also saw both houses of the U.S. Congress pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which then entered the ratification process necessary for it to become a constitutional amendment. Its first sentence read, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Steinem spent much of the decade rallying support for passage of the ERA at the state level, but there were many opponents. Critics claimed it would outlaw same-sex schools; require women to register for potential military service, including combat duty; and possibly even legalize same-sex marriage. The ERA failed to gain the minimum number of states to ratify it before its 1982 deadline arrived.
Defies convention at age sixty-six

Steinem remained active on many other levels, especially in Democratic politics. Her first book, the essay collection Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, was published in 1983. By this time, feminism was widely declared by the media to have died out, thanks in part to the immense strides women had made in all segments of public life, including the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor (1930â€") to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981. In 1986, a year before Steinem stepped down as editor of Ms., the New York Times finally switched to using "Ms." instead of "Miss" or "Mrs" in its articles.

Steinem wrote other books, including Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem in 1992 and a critique of women's images in the media and popular culture in 1994's Moving Beyond Words. In September 2000, at the age of sixty-six, Steinem shocked other feminists, the media, and the public as well when she got married. Her spouse was South African-born business tycoon and environmentalist David Bale, who was five years her junior. Bale died of lymphoma, a form of cancer, three years later.

Even in her early seventies, Steinem remained an influential figure. She was an outspoken critic of Republican Party policies, had established a women's media center, and was investigating the possibilities of a women-owned national radio network. Still interviewed for her opinions on women and their status in America, Steinem could deliver sharp words when she felt it necessary. Asked by journalist Sheelah Kolhatkar about the hit HBO television series Sex and the City in a 2005 interview for the New York Observer, Steinem judged it "unrealistic and self-destructive in its devotion to its idea that you can run in high heels, and that your relationship with a man is the single most important thing in your life, more than your own self."
For More Information
BOOKS

Cohen, Marcia. The Sisterhood: The True Story of the Women Who Changed the World. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988.

Dowd, Maureen. Are Men Necessary?: When Sexes Collide. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005.

Steinem, Gloria. Moving Beyond Words. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.

Steinem, Gloria. Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1992.

Wheaton, Elizabeth. Ms: The Story of Gloria Steinem.Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds, 2002.
PERIODICALS

Dowd, Maureen. "What's a Modern Girl to Do?" New York Times Magazine (October 30, 2005): p. 50.

Kolhatkar, Sheelah. "Gloria Steinem." New York Observer (December 19, 2005): p. 7.

McEvoy, Dermot. "Dame in the Newsroom." Publishers Weekly (October 24, 2005): p. 20.

"We Hear You!" (letter to the editor). O, The Oprah Magazine (May 2005): p. 38.
WEB SITES

The Equal Rights Amendment. http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/ (accessed on July 5, 2006).

Feminist.com. http://www.feminist.com/ (accessed on July 5, 2006).

"Gloria Steinem." Jewish Women's Archive. http://www.jwa.org/feminism/_html/JWA067.htm (accessed on July 5, 2006).

Steinem, Gloria. "After Black Power, Women's Liberation." Jewish Women's Archive. http://www.jwa.org/feminism/_html/_pdf/JWA067a.pdf (accessed on July 5, 2006).

China: Communism
By Angie Johnston

Overview

After 1911, when Chinese Imperialism fell, widespread infighting and civil war took center stage in China as communism consumed the country. Early Chinese communism was a form of Marxism and Leninism, adapted to the lives of Chinese peasants. This hybrid political formula, called Maoism, was named for its founder, Mao Zedong. The Communist Party of China (CPC) was officially established in 1921. The party took over leadership of the country and formed the People?s Republic of China in 1949, with Mao serving as chairman. As of 2011, The CPC continues to rule the People's Republic of China.
History

A new era of Chinese history, known as the May Fourth Movement, started in 1915. Many students and intellectuals in China longed for cultural change. Concerned with the hordes of warlords in their country, many Chinese no longer wanted to be ruled by imperialists. Inspired by Russia?s revolution, many Chinese intellectuals became interested in communism. Beijing University translated books on Marxism and flooded Chinese society with them.

In July 1921, the Communist Party of China was founded by three main players: Li Dazhao, a librarian from Beijing University; Chen Duxiu, the editor of a journal for young citizens entitled "New Youth"; and Mao Zedong, a student at the university. Ten years later, Mao Zedong was appointed the first chairman of the Communist Party of China. The members of an organization called the Kuomintang, also known as the Chinese Nationalist Party, were the CPC?s political rivals. The Communist Party of China took advice and strategic tips from the Communist International of Moscow (Comintern) to infiltrate the Kuomintang and attempt to turn the members to communism from within. The Kuomintang quickly discovered the plot, and in 1927 they forced the Communists out. Mao then turned to the peasants of China to support the Communist Party and populate the Chinese army.

The clash between the CPC and the Kuomintang led to civil war in the 1930s. The war took a hiatus in 1936 so the two parties could join forces to fight Japanese warlords in Northern China, but the temporary truce ended with World War II in 1945. The parties resumed their bloody battles, and despite significant aid from the United States, the Kuomintang lost control of China's mainland. Four years after the civil war resumed, the Kuomintang lost control of everything but Taiwan and some surrounding islands. The CPC officially founded the People?s Republic of China, with Mao at the helm. Mao stepped down from the presidency in 1959 and was replaced by Liu Shaoqi; however, he remained chairman of the CPC for several more years.

Deng Xiaoping, who had been one of Mao?s greatest supporters in his earlier years, held several political offices in China during Mao?s tenure. By the 1960s, he began to openly disagree with Mao on economic and political issues. As a result, Mao eventually exiled his former supporter for a decade. In 1973, Mao brought Deng back to China and back to the Chinese government. When Mao died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping succeeded him as chairman of the CPC.
Present Day

CPC Chairman Deng Xiaoping restructured the Communist government of China into two overarching entities: the Formal Government and the People?s Liberation Army. The Formal Government?s National Congress elects a central committee; the central committed elects a Politburo; the Politburo elects the Politburo Standing Committee. The Standing Committee is the CPC?s focus of power. The Formal Government also has two bodies to oversee the People?s Liberation Army -- the Central Military Commission and the General Political Department. There are also several advisory committees in place to aid the central government in daily functions and in making major decisions.

The institutional changes we now see as modern day China can also be attributed to Deng Xiaoping. His four-pronged approach to modernizing China included agriculture, industry, defense, and science and technology. China?s economic revival is, in part, due to the semi-privatization of farming that had been banned under Maoism. Special economic zones established to allow foreigners to invest in manufacturing for export also assisted in the capitalist leaps China has taken in recent years. China?s current president, Hu Jintao, continues in the tradition of loyalty to the CPC and acts in the interest of keeping China under communist rule.

    The Greek passion for coins, and for beautiful
    coins at that, is well known and sometimes
    misunderstood. For a long time this passion was
    not shared by many of their most advanced
    neighbours, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Etruscans,
    Romans, because it was essentially a political
    phenomenon, 'a piece of local vanity, patriotism
    or advertisement with no far reaching
    importance'

source: Finley (1973) 166: the quotation is from J. M. Keynes, A Treatise on
Money (London, 1930), i. 12.

mobalik ra na sila, hubs. and love will be sweeter the second time around.

Facebook has blocked linking pictures to external sites. I notice that there are many pictures in TubagBohol originally linked from Facebook that no longer show up here.

If you wish to upload pictures, use picasaweb.google.com

One thing nga atong hinumduman in a forum like TubagBohol, we can revive any topics nga napost niadtong 2007 pa.

Sa ubang forums, bawal ang pagrevive ug old topics. In fact, idelete ang old topics to accommodate sa new ones. Here walay prohibition. Pwede buhion ang gianod na unta sa mga balod sa kalimot.

In Facebook, lisud ug tedious ug non-sense ang pagrevive ug topic that was posted years ago. Sulayi ra gud.

Diri sa TubagBohol.com makagara-gara without fear of being rejected or alienated. Dili ko ka-express kaayo sa akong thoughts didto sa Facebook kay managana man ta kung unsay mahimong reaction sa mga dili kaayo kaila nga nahimong part sa imong so-called "friends." Murag awkward kung mag-open-up ko didto.

Part 1
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/roberts-june2011a.mp3
Part 1: Demonstrating results in fragile situations through community-based development, working with women, building institutions and creating employment.

Part 2
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/roberts-june2011b.mp3

No low-income, fragile state will achieve a single Millennium Development Goal.  Nigel Roberts, co-director of the 2011 World Development Report, talks about why conflict and insecurity may be the greatest development challenge of our time.

Part 2:  Lessons in leadership and legitimacy from recent events in the Middle East, opinion polling in fragile states, and how donors can support institutional transformation.

Note: To listen this audio file, just click the play button of this mini-MP3 Player.

http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/hein-may2011.mp3
Once aid recipients themselves, some countries with emerging economies are becoming significant donors in their own right.

The Asia Foundation's Gordon Hein tells us about the priorities for this new group of donors emerging through a ground-breaking discussion series with China, India, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.

Note: To listen this audio file, just click the play button of this mini-MP3 Player.

About: DrColbert.com, provider of vitamin supplements, nutritional products, and protein powders from acclaimed alternative health practitioner Dr. Don Colbert.  New York Times Bestselling author Dr. Don Colbert, M.D., has been featured on Fox News, ABC World News, BBC, Readers Digest, Newsweek, Prevention Magazine, and many prominent Christian TV programs for his inspiring approach to health and wellness. Board-certified in family practice and anti-aging medicine, Dr. Colbert’s specially formulated Divine Health supplements are available at DrColbert.com, including the popular Living Green Superfood with organic green grasses and natural food factors to increase longevity.

At DrColbert.com, customers can search for the appropriate supplementation for particular health concernsâ€"including weight loss issues, brain, bone, and joint health, or energy and detoxification needsâ€"and there’s even formulations for children. Also available are Dr. Colbert’s books and DVDs for inspiration and guidance on how to live well and treat the whole personâ€"mind, body, and spirit.

Website

About:  DramaFever is a leading distributor of international movies, documentaries, dramas and variety TV shows. By signing up for premium memberships, for one low price, our Premium Members can watch unlimited dramas, documentaries, and movies from DramaFever without any advertisements. Premium Members also enjoy extra content, unlimited mobile device access and High Definition quality where available.

Enjoy over 7,000 videos, documentaries and movies. Watch as many as you want without commercial interruptions. Our library of High Definition (720p) videos is growing every day - but only our Premium Members have access! Non-Premium users are limited to Standard Definition. Our applications include iPad, iPhone, Roku and Android applications.

Website

About: GUESS was established in 1981 by the Marciano brothers, who left the south of France in pursuit of the American dream. Inspired by a European influence, the Marcianos redefined denim. One of their initial designs was a stonewashed, slim-fitting jean, the 3-zip Marilyn. Bloomingdale's was the first department store to welcome the brand by ordering two dozen pairs of jeans. They disappeared from the shelves in just hours. This was the beginning of a long success story. Today GUESS is a truly global lifestyle brand with a full range of denim, apparel and accessories offered in over 80 countries around the world.

Website

About: Karin Herzog (us.karinherzog.com), provider of oxygen-infused skincare products from Switzerland.

Created by Swiss husband and wife team Dr. Paul and Karin Herzog, Karin Herzog skincare products are based on an oxygen-infused emulsion that helps to normalize the functions of the epidermis. With thousands of customers world-wideâ€"including celebrity fans like Victoria Beckham, Uma Thurman, and Princess Kateâ€"Karin Herzog offers skincare solutions for those suffering from sensitive, uneven, or dry skin or who want to combat the effects of aging or cellulite. From the popular Oxygen Face line (which includes the Vita-A-Kombi 1, a patented anti-wrinkle moisturizer with oxygen and vitamins) to moisturizers, cleansers, and toners like Oxygen Body, the best-selling two-in-one exfoliator and moisturizer, Karin Herzog keeps the A-listâ€"and each one of its customersâ€"looking their best.
Company Website
Contact: KarinHerzog@eaccountable.com

Company Profile:

Queensboro Shirt Company offers custom embroidered logo and digitally printed apparel as well as promotional products. We embroider logos on Polo shirts, dress shirts, sweatshirts, tee shirts, jackets, hats, and bags and digitally print on short and long sleeve tee shirts. In addition to our Queensboro brand of apparel we offer apparel from Nike, Adidas, Eddie Bauer, Carhartt, Dickies, and Ashworth. Our typical customer is a small business because we have no minimums but we often have orders for larger businesses, groups and events.

Website
Contact: mmacdowell@queensboro.com

The Israeli air force continues to bombard targets within the Gaza Strip, but thus far ground forces have not yet begun an incursion into the territory. Whether the current air campaign escalates to a ground assault will largely depend on the mission that the Israeli military is trying to accomplish.

Israel Defense Forces' official statements have emphasized that the goal is the severe degradation of Gaza militants' ability to launch rocket strikes, particularly the new Fajr-5 rockets that are purportedly capable of striking Tel Aviv. Halting rocket attacks was also the mission during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's most recent large-scale military operation involving Gaza, which took place in late 2008 and early 2009 and consisted of an air campaign similar to the current one followed by a ground invasion. Examining how Operation Cast Lead developed could provide useful context for how an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza could unfold.

Source: Stratfor

In the past decade, global aid flows have increased from 80 billion US dollars to 130 billion, but the average size of aid activities is shrinking.

Internationally, more than half of all donor projects amount to less than US$100,000 dollars.

Johannes Linn, Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, explains how donors can grow small activities and bring them to scale, in order to reach more people and reduce burden on partner governments.
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/linn-mar2011.mp3

To listen this audio file, just click the play button of this mini-MP3 Player.

To listen this audio file, just click the play button of this mini-MP3 Player.
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/moss-feb2011.mp3
In the second edition of ODE Talks, Todd Moss from the Centre for Global Development talks about the rise of cash transfers in the development world, and his ideas for combating the resource curse.

To listen, just click the play button of this mini-MP3 Player.
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/collier-nov2010.mp3

Professor Collier talks about Australia’s comparative advantage as a donor in Africa, sets out his ideas about how to work in fragile states, and provides advice to the aid effectiveness review panel currently reviewing the Australian aid program.

To listen, just click the play button of the mini-MP3 Player
http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/kharas-july2012.mp3
Challenges for traditional aid donors and the latest development and aid trends

http://www.ode.ausaid.gov.au/assets/audio/labelle-transparency-sept2012.mp3
Audio File: Combating Corruption in Society

http://archive.org/download/Political_videos-GeorgeWBush20060113_1_323/Political_videos-GeorgeWBush20060113_1_323_512kb.mp4
Free Video Streaming: George Bush Welcomes German Chancellor Merkel to the White House

http://archive.org/download/Political_videos-GeorgeWBush20020212_8_472/Political_videos-GeorgeWBush20020212_8_472_512kb.mp4
George W Bush on Drug Control Strategy

http://archive.org/download/BlackFury1935/BlackFury1934.mp4
Free Movie Streaming: Black Fury 1935

http://ia600703.us.archive.org/15/items/PrehistoricPresent_the/PrehistoricPresent_the.mp4
Watch Online Streaming: The Prehistoric Present
From their earth headquarters on Zero Zero Island, Colonel Bleep, Squeek and Scratch battled intergalactic villains such as Doctor Destructo, the master criminal of the universe, The Black Knight, and Captain Patch, a displaced pirate...

Little Nemo is a very early animation (1911) drawn by Windsor McCay and based on his comic strip, Little Nemo in Slumberland. It is interesting in that it shows McCay drawing the pictures which will later go into the animation. - archive.org

http://archive.org/download/LittleNemo_548/LittleNemo_512kb.mp4
1911 Animation: Little Nemo

http://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/2012/November/111112_WreathCeremony_HD.mp4
Obama at Arlington National Cemetery

Download or watch
http://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/2012/November/briefings/110912.mp4
White House Presscon

@bran: it takes a lot of patience to deal with certain government workers, bran. only very few can be considered public servants.

@islander: maayo kay central visayas ra. basin mapareha sa attitude sa AMALAYER.

sa ato kay barangay tanod lang gani, hawod na kaayo. naa ganiy mga city traffic enforcer nga murag nagtoo sila ang tag-iya sa kalsada.

World Economic Outlook, September 2011: Slowing Growth, Rising Risks

The September 2011 edition of the World Economic Outlook assesses the prospects for the global economy, which is now in a dangerous new phase. Global activity has weakened and become more uneven, confidence has fallen sharply recently, and downside risks are growing. Against a backdrop of unresolved structural fragilities, a barrage of shocks hit the international economy this year, including the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami, unrest in some oil-producing countries, and the major financial turbulence in the euro area. Two of the forces now shaping the global economy are high and rising commodity prices and the need for many economies to address large budget deficits. Chapter 3 examines the inflationary effects of commodity price movements and the appropriate monetary policy response. Chapter 4 explores the implications of efforts by advanced economies to restore fiscal sustainability and by emerging and developing economies to tighten fiscal policy to rebuild fiscal policy room and in some cases to restrain overheating pressures.

Source: World Economic Outlook, September 2011: Slowing Growth, Rising Risks

World Economic Outlook, October 2010: Recovery, Risk, and Rebalancing

The recovery from the Great Recession is proceeding broadly as expected, but most advanced economies and a few emerging economies still face large adjustments, are recovering only sluggishly, and have continued high unemployment. By contrast, many emerging and developing economies are again seeing strong growth. A sustained, healthy global recovery rests on two rebalancing acts: internal rebalancing, with a strengthening of private demand in advanced economies, allowing for fiscal consolidation; and external rebalancing, with an increase in net exports in deficit countries and a decrease in net exports in surplus countries, notably emerging Asia. This edition of the World Economic Outlook examines the interactions between these two rebalancing acts and explores the policies required to support them. One of the two analytical chapters examines the effects on output and employment of fiscal consolidation in advanced economies using detailed budget data, and the other examines the collapse and recovery of trade in economies that have experienced crises.

Source: World Economic Outlook, October 2010: Recovery, Risk, and Rebalancing

World Economic Outlook, October 2009: Sustaining the Recovery

This edition of the World Economic Outlook explores the prospects for growth in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The fragile nature of the recovery will present many challenges. These include the need for continued strong monetary, fiscal, and financial policies, ongoing efforts to restore the financial sector to health, improvements in private demand, and preparation of exit strategies on the fiscal, monetary, and financial fronts. The first of two analytical chapters included in this edition, "Monetary Policy and Asset Prices: What Do We Learn from Booms and Busts?" explores whether there is a role for monetary policy in preventing asset price busts. The second, "Medium-Run Output Evolutions after Crises: A Historical Perspective," explores the effect of large economic shocks on output and its composition, including variations related to initial conditions, the type of shock, and economic policies.

Source: World Economic Outlook, October 2009: Sustaining the Recovery

World Economic Outlook, April 2009: Crisis and Recovery

This edition of the World Economic Outlook explores how a dramatic escalation of the financial crisis in September 2008 provoked an unprecedented contraction of activity and trade, despite active policy responses. It presents economic projections for 2009 and 2010, and also looks beyond the current crisis, considering factors that will shape the landscape of the global economy over the medium term, as businesses and households seek to repair the damage. The analysis also outlines the difficult policy challenges presented by the overwhelming imperative to take all steps necessary to restore financial stability and revive the global economy, and the longer-run need for national actions to be mutually supporting. The first of two analytical chapters, "What Kind of Economic Recovery?" explores the shape of the eventual recovery. The second, "The Transmission of Financial Stress from Advanced to Emerging and Developing Economies," focuses on the role of external financial linkages and financial stress in transmitting economic shocks.

Source: World Economic Outlook, April 2009: Crisis and Recovery

World Economic Outlook, October 2008: Financial Stress, Downturns, and Recoveries

A unique international exercise in information-gathering and analysis  An extraordinary confluence of global forces has kept the world economy strong in the past few years, but there are now numerous challenges to growth. The World Economic Outlook (WEO) presents the IMF's leading economists' analyses of global economic developments during the near and medium terms. It is a respected, one-stop, trusted resource offering remarkable insight, balance, and perspective to decision makers and policymakers worldwide.  Published at least twice yearly, the World Economic Outlook presents the outlook for growth, inflation, trade, and other economic developments in a clear, practical format. Each WEO considers the issues affecting advanced and emerging economies. The analytic chapters provide the global intelligence required to deal with global interdependence. These analyses focus on pressing concerns or hotly debated issues, putting prospects for liquidity, inflation, and growth into context. The statistical appendix presents historical data as well as projections and selected series from World Economic Outlook database updated for each report. The October 2008 edition examines commodity prices and inflation, economic cycles in the aftermath of financial crises, the role of fiscal policy during downturns, and current account imbalances in emerging economies. Recent analytic chapters have examined climate change, the housing cycle, commodity prices, capital inflows, globalization and inequality, and the global business cycle.

Source: World Economic Outlook, October 2008: Financial Stress, Downturns, and Recoveries

World Economic Outlook, April 2008: Housing and the Business Cycle

The global expansion is losing speed in the face of a major financial crisis. The slowdown has been greatest in the advanced economies, particularly in the United States, where the housing market correction continues
to exacerbate financial stress. The emerging and developing economies have so far been less
affected by fi nancial market developments and have continued to grow at a rapid pace, led by China and India, although activity is beginning to slow in some countries. At the same time, headline infl ation has increased around the world, boosted by the continuing buoyancy of food and energy prices.  Policymakers around the world are facing a diverse and fast-moving set of challenges, and although each country's circumstances differ, in an increasingly multipolar world it will be essential to meet these challenges broadly, taking full account of cross-border interactions.

The World Economic Outlook (WEO) presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups (classified by region, stage of development, etc.), and in many individual countries. It focuses on major economic policy issues as well as on the analysis of economic developments and prospects. It is usually prepared twice a year, as documentation for meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, and forms the main instrument of the IMF's global surveillance activities.

Source: World Economic Outlook, April 2008: Housing and the Business Cycle

World Economic Outlook, October 2007: Globalization and Inequality



Source: World Economic Outlook, October 2007: Globalization and Inequality

World Economic Outlook, April 2007: Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy

The IMF?s World Economic Outlook is packed with country specific facts, figures, and worldwide projections that present the outlook for growth, inflation, trade, and other economic developments in a clear, practical format. Leading international economists pull together the latest data on key topics, producing informed projections and policy analyses that show where the global economy is headed in the years to come. Business executives, policymakers, bankers, investors, marketing strategists, and economists worldwide refer to the WEO with confidence because it delivers a balanced view of the current economic situation, built upon the respected and extensive macroeconomic expertise and statistical resources of the IMF.  The WEO is the product of a unique international exercise in information
gathering and analysis performed by over 1,000 economists on the IMF staff.  An annual subscription to the World Economic Outlook, published at least twice a year in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, offers a comprehensive assessment of the international economic situation as well as prospects for the future. With its analyses backed by the expertise and unparalleled resources of the IMF, the World
Economic Outlook is the authoritative reference in its field. Today, when even small economic fluctuations can trigger major financial swings, the WEO supplies a solid source of actionable information and data.

Source: World Economic Outlook, April 2007: Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy

World Economic Outlook, September 2006: Financial Systems and Economic Cycles

The IMF?s World Economic Outlook is packed with country specific facts, figures, and worldwide projections that present the outlook for growth, inflation, trade, and other economic developments in a clear, practical format. Leading international economists pull together the latest data on key topics, producing informed projections and policy analyses that show where the global economy is headed in the years to come. Business executives, policymakers, bankers, investors, marketing strategists, and economists worldwide refer to the WEO with confidence because it delivers a balanced view of the current economic situation, built upon the respected and extensive macroeconomic expertise and statistical resources of the IMF.  The WEO is the product of a unique international exercise in information
gathering and analysis performed by over 1,000 economists on the IMF staff.  An annual subscription to the World Economic Outlook, published at least twice a year in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, offers a comprehensive assessment of the international economic situation as well as prospects for the future. With its analyses backed by the expertise and unparalleled resources of the IMF, the World
Economic Outlook is the authoritative reference in its field. Today, when even small economic fluctuations can trigger major financial swings, the WEO supplies a solid source of actionable information and data.

Source: World Economic Outlook, September 2006: Financial Systems and Economic Cycles

After Philex mine spill, a world of gray



Source: After Philex mine spill, a world of gray

Life in frontline Marine camp is now coed

Camp Bud Datu in Jolo, Sulu – A Philippine Marine camp in dangerous territory like this one used to be a man’s world. Now a teddy bear hangs on a makeshift closet and pink civilian slip-ons are found amidst the combat boots.

Source: Life in frontline Marine camp is now coed

Old wounds, new battleground? Anakbayan, Akbayan and Left parliamentary politics



Source: Old wounds, new battleground? Anakbayan, Akbayan and Left parliamentary politics

This multimedia timeline produced by GMA News Online traces the steps that have been taken in the last four decades to end the armed conflict waged by Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines, culminating in the signing of the peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front this week.

Source:

Tweaked food threshold distorts PHL poverty picture



Source: Tweaked food threshold distorts PHL poverty picture

Double talk on citizens' rights: abridging freedom of expression, reneging on freedom of information

More than just a bad law, Replic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, betrays official sarcasm and indifference to two popular and long-overdue advocacies of human rights groups and citizens – to decriminalize libel and to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Source: Double talk on citizens' rights: abridging freedom of expression, reneging on freedom of information

The status of women in the Philippines: a 50-year retrospective

Lila Ramos Shahani highlights a seeming contradiction and clear injustice: women are outperforming men in education but lag far behind in employment.

Source: The status of women in the Philippines: a 50-year retrospective

The great divide: The politics and economics of splitting CamSur



Source: The great divide: The politics and economics of splitting CamSur

Martial Law journalism: A personal story



Source: Martial Law journalism: A personal story

Martial Law Timeline: The Road to Proclamation 1081 and Beyond

Forty years after the declaration of Martial Law, GMA News Online looks back at the events that led to Proclamation 1081 and the years that followed, which many Filipinos describe as the 'darkest period in recent Philippine history.'

Source: Martial Law Timeline: The Road to Proclamation 1081 and Beyond

Analysis: Were the M4 rifles overpriced? PNoy, Puno give conflicting answers

When he announced his resignation this week, former undersecretary Rico Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government highlighted his role as the “eyes and ears” of his shooting buddy, President Benigno Aquino III, in the police force. However, questions over his role in the canceled bidding of allegedly overpriced M4 rifles for the Philippine National Police belie Puno’s statements, and even Aquino has not come out in his defense.

Source: Analysis: Were the M4 rifles overpriced? PNoy, Puno give conflicting answers

While searching for Jesse Robredo, a brush with death

While looking for DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo three days after his plane crashed in Masbate, Photojournalist Danny Pata and some Navy officers had an aerial emergency of their own.

Source: While searching for Jesse Robredo, a brush with death

What would Jesse do? 4 ways to uphold Jesse Robredo’s legacy



Source: What would Jesse do? 4 ways to uphold Jesse Robredo’s legacy

'Teresa Magbanua of France' and other new ways of looking at Pinay heroines

The two-day 21st National Conference of History Students at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman last month revolved around the contributions of Filipina heroines to the revolution, and gave little-known insights about their pivotal roles in the struggle to gain the country’s freedom.

Source: 'Teresa Magbanua of France' and other new ways of looking at Pinay heroines

forgiveness can be given but it doesn't mean criminals don't have to face the consequences of their evil deeds.

gangnam style si caty.

Mura man ug hugot akong kabalaka nga yatak-takan lang ning iroa.

It's a long wait. Now we don't need to go to Singapore or Hong Kong to experience cruise ship journey.

li·ar [līr]
(plural li·ars)
noun
teller of lies: somebody who tells lies

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

number one search topic on Twitter Worldwide yesterday #AMALAYER

Sakto kaayo ning tambag ni Lolo Pikoy. "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." - Proverbs 27:5

naa diay domino effect ning pagka-bugo ni senator sotto?

Quote from: hubag bohol on November 15, 2012, 09:14:37 AM
Usahay, ang kamingaw sa pag-inusara sayo sa buntag kilid sa baybayon maoy motukmod kanato ngadto sa nangalisbo nga bilahan sa pagmahay...

Hahaha. Ngano man kaha dunay nangalisbo sa mga ngilit sa pagmahay?

Harmony in Nature

Playful Child

Land and Water Boundary

Sad day for Philippine Star readers: New Philippine Star Website Looks Horrible, So Slow

The biggest mistake any corporation could make is fixing something that is not broken. The original design/format of the Philippine Star (www.philstar) website loaded fast. The previous design was a lot better than PDI's. This is one reason why I loved reading Philippine Star online. (Take note of the past tense of love).

Lately, Philippine Star revamped the entire site, this time using Drupal software, an open-source application. This is tragic. Hundreds of thousands of Google-indexed articles of Philstar.com have disappeared, and could no longer be accessed by any reader. These digitally archived files of philstar.com were supposed to be part of our Philippine history. Now they are all gone. Before this disgusting, foolish change was made, one can read news stories dating as early as year 2002.

To make matters worse, the front page layout of philstar.com is one of the ugliest designs I've ever seen in the Internet. And worst, page load is horribly slow. Literally crawling regardless of what browser or Internet connection you use.

The online version of Philippine Star newspaper, for me, is now dead. Rest in peace.

Free Internet Explorer 10 Download for Windows 7
You can now upgrade your Internet Explorer 9 into version 10. Microsoft has released its latest version of IE, and is now available for download free at microsoft.

download link

AMALAYER Tickets Now Available

Before AMALAYER, There Was Tito Sotto

AMALAYER Made Into an Instant Film Showing Nationwide

Quote from: hubag bohol on November 14, 2012, 03:40:41 PM

didto sa angkor wat area, dihay nahagbong nga tourist. i won't risk mosaka ug walay railing.

could be applicable when we were still in high school.

Hello Manay, kumusta naman ang imong mga parents-in-law. It's been a while since this post was updated.