Middle East

Iran: Female Tourists Must Comply with Iran’s Islamic Dress Code

Date: May 2nd, 2007 |

Tourists and other foreigners are required to follow Iran’s Islamic dress code, meaning that women in public must cover their heads and conceal their figures or face criminal detention. Authorities handed out some 10,000 warnings in the last ten days of April in an annual pre-summer crackdown that Tehran’s deputy chief of police said would [read more]

Asia, Middle East, Australia: Henna Dyes Sometimes Use Boot Polish

Date: February 7th, 2007 |

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Many young travelers to Asia and the Middle East get temporary henna tattoos, but Australian authorities have warned that the dyes used are often synthetic and contain boot polish or other toxic compounds. One, para-phenylenediamine (PPD), is commonly used by street vendors in tourist areas throughout Asia and the Middle East, and can cause a [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]

Middle East and North Africa: U.S. State Department Advisory

Date: November 28th, 2006 |

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The U.S. State Department reissued its public announcement alerting Americans to ongoing security concerns throughout the region, given continuing violence in Iraq, clashes between Israel and Palestinians, and credible information indicating that terrorist groups continue to target U.S. interests here. These terrorist groups often choose soft targets such as public transportation and places where Westerners [read more]

Islamic World

Date: September 26th, 2006 |

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The Muslim holy month of Ramadan runs until Oct. 24. Muslims fast during daylight hours and non-Muslims should not eat, drink or smoke in their presence. In many Islamic countries groceries are sold during the day but restaurants are closed. Restaurants in hotels catering to Westerners, however, usually re [read more]

Turkey: Kurdish Group Threatens Tourists

Date: March 7th, 2007 |

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The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TKK), a Kurdish separatist group that claimed responsibility for several bomb attacks on tourist sites in recent years, warned European tourists to stay away and threatened to target tourists and tourist facilities again. The group’s warning cited arrests of 15 suspected Kurdish terrorists in France and Belgium in February and blames [read more]

Israel: Suicide Bombing in Eilat

Date: February 1st, 2007 |

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A suicide bombing of a bakery in the Red Sea resort of Eilat killed three Jan. 29 and brought the violence from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to this popular tourist town. Three Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attack that occurred in a residential area away from the seaside tourist zone. It was the first such [read more]

Israel and Palestinian Territories: Hostilities between Hamas and Fatah

Date: December 26th, 2006 |

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In an announcement released Dec. 21, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem urged U.S. citizens to defer all travel to the West Bank and Gaza because of hostilities between Fatah and Hamas factions that could produce armed conflict and potentially violent demonstrations. Violence between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip and the West [read more]

Syria: U.S. Travel Warning Remains in Effect

Date: November 14th, 2006 |

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The U.S. State Department has authorized the return of non-emergency employees and their families to the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, but still urges Americans to defer non-essential travel to Syria. The department’s travel warning cites the Sept. 12 attack on the U.S. Embassy as evidence that terrorist groups are present in Syria and “have the [read more]

Israel: Jewish and Muslim Holy Months Coincide

Date: September 26th, 2006 |

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The Jewish holy month of Tishrei and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan are coinciding this year. Police in Jerusalem are worried that clashes could occur in the Old City between tens of thousands of Jewish and Muslim worshippers, so have allocated separate streets for them to use during the peak hours of Friday prayers. [read more]