Middle East/Persian Gulf

Yemen: Attacks on Foreign Residences, U.S. Embassy Prompt Departure of Embassy Personnel

Date: April 10th, 2008 |

The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa has ordered the departure of non-emergency staff and their families from Yemen following a series of violent incidents, most recently the April 6 attack on the Hadda residential compound in Sanaa where many foreigners live and the March 18 mortar attack on the U.S. Embassy. Three explosive rounds were fired [read more]

Dubai: Police to Chase Reckless Drivers

Date: December 26th, 2006 |

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Police have been trained in high-speed driving skills and are now authorized to execute hot pursuits of reckless drivers. Until the plan went into effect Dec. 22, police avoided chasing motorists because of the likelihood of causing accidents. A crackdown on dangerous drivers in November reduced by 42 percent the road fatalities in this city [read more]

Saudi Arabia: Non-Religious Tourists Now Welcome

Date: May 9th, 2006 |

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Saudi Arabia is hoping to develop a tourism industry outside the religious pilgrimage market and will start issuing regular tourist visas to foreigners in June. Until now most visitors not arriving on work assignments have been religious pilgrims going to Mecca for the hajj or the lesser pilgrimage, umra. Officials hope to draw visitors from [read more]

Bahrain: Phony Police Rob Foreigners

Date: February 28th, 2006 |

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Thieves posing as plainclothes police have been snatching wallets from unsuspecting foreigners when making phony spot-checks for ID. The thieves approach the victim, singly or in pairs, ask to see ID, then grab the wallet when it is presented and flee. A case of attempted sexual assault also occurred when a woman got into the [read more]

Yemen: More Kidnappings of Westerners

Date: January 3rd, 2006 |

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Five Italian tourists were kidnapped a day after a former German diplomat and his family were released unharmed from a four-day kidnapping. These incidents followed on the heels of the abduction of two Austrians in December who were also released unharmed. The incident with the Italians was the fifth kidnapping in a year and the [read more]

Yemen: Attack on Tourist Site

Date: July 4th, 2007 |

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Authorities have tightened security around government buildings and foreign facilities in response to the suicide car bombing of a group of Spanish tourists at an archaeological site in the troubled eastern province of Marib. Seven Spanish citizens and two Yemenis were killed in the bombing, which was blamed on al-Qaeda. The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a [read more]

Saudi Arabia: Terrorist Warnings for Outskirts of Riyadh

Date: May 23rd, 2006 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh has received information that terrorists may be targeting foreigners who camp or exercise on the outskirts of the city or farther out in the desert. The Embassy is barring diplomats from such activities and urges others to avoid them as well, including group runs in isolated areas or other activities [read more]

Dubai: Immigrant Laborers Will Protest at Tourist Sites

Date: April 11th, 2006 |

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Angry immigrant laborers who have no right to speak out about what they consider to be exploitation are plotting to take their protests to the beaches and shopping malls in this Persian Gulf state. They hope to shame tourists into concern about their plight and foster international press coverage of a system that a director [read more]

Worldwide: Muslim Anger over Muhammad Cartoons

Date: February 7th, 2006 |

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Muslim anger over Danish political cartoons depicting Muhammad has produced demonstrations in countries from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe, Asia, and Southeast Asia. Some of these protests have turned violent, with at least five deaths and the burning of the Danish and Norwegian Embassies in Damascus and the destruction of the Danish [read more]

Yemen: Kidnapped Austrian Tourists Released Unharmed

Date: December 27th, 2005 |

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Two Austrian tourists were kidnapped by a local tribe Dec. 22 and released unharmed two days later in Marib province, one of two regions that the U.S. Embassy recommends travelers avoid. The Embassy�s warning was released two days before the kidnapping and cited information on current tensions in Marib and Saada. Travel for Embassy personnel [read more]