Nov. 11--Maldives: A nationwide 30-day state of emergency was imposed by President Abdulla Yameen, limiting the constitutional freedoms of locals and increasing powers of arrest. Officials claimed that the state of emergency, which was put in place after the arrest of the country's vice president Oct. 24 amid an alleged plot to assassinate the president, will not have a negative effect on tourism. Most political activity is in Male, and protests are being planned.
Honduras: The U.S. State Department released an updated travel warning citing high levels of violent crime as cause for heightened awareness and security measures while traveling in the country. The notice also indicated that the country's lack of security infrastructure and its inadequate police force made it easier for criminals to commit muggings, kidnappings and armed robbery against locals and tourists alike. The travel warning also noted that the Bay Islands, including Roatan, have lower crime rates than the mainland.
India: Tourist visa fees under the Electronic Tourist Visa programs were reduced Nov. 3 to a flat fee of $60 for Americans. Since introducing the program a year ago, India has issued more than 340,000 ETVs to travelers from around the world. While ETVs are more convenient to obtain than regular visas, wait times to enter the country can be long, as much as two hours, because of the time it takes to process each person.
Romania: Anti-government protests continued across the country, with the largest in University Square in Bucharest, as well as in the cities of Cluj, Timisoara and Constanta. The Nov. 4 resignation of Prime Minister Victor Ponta helped quell the demonstrators, but further unrest is possible. Tourists should stay up to date with information on the country's political situation and avoid large crowds and protests.
Vietnam: A few cases of diphtheria have been reported, primarily along the border of Laos, where 17 provinces have seen high numbers of infection; health officials fear cases may spread throughout the country. So far cases of infection have been limited to K'Bang in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, and Phuoc Loc Commune in the Phuoc Son district of the central Quang Nam province. Diphtheria is a serious respiratory disease that can be prevented with the proper vaccinations, which are recommended before travel to the region.
Compiled from news services and travel sources. For updates, check with the State Department at 888-407-4747, www.travel.state.gov.
Larry Habegger and Dani Burlison are freelance reporters.
