Apr 9th, 2013 at 9:00AM: The Foreign Service lost one of its own on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives that killed 25-year-old Foreign Service Officer Anne Smedinghoff and four other Americans, three soldiers and one civilian Department of Defense employee in Afghanistan. Smedinghoff was a second-tour public diplomacy officer who was part of a convoy that was delivering donated books to a new school in ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
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A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Tribute To Slain Diplomat Anne Smedinghoff
Apr 9th, 2013 at 9:00AM: The Foreign Service lost one of its own on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives that killed 25-year-old Foreign Service Officer Anne Smedinghoff and four other Americans, three soldiers and one civilian Department of Defense employee in Afghanistan. Smedinghoff was a second-tour public diplomacy officer who was part of a convoy that was delivering donated books to a new school in ...Know Your Spring Break Legal Rights
Mar 24th, 2013 at 12:00PM:
Spring Breakers, did you know that anyone boarding a plane is covered by a "passenger bill of rights?" Or that in Mexico you're guilty until you can prove yourself innocent?
Lawyers.com's editor in chief, Larry Bodine, has some legal insights that Spring Breakers should digest well before their first Jello shot – particularly the 120,000 students heading to Mexico this year.
...US State Department Funds Thai Monument Restoration
Feb 16th, 2013 at 12:00PM: The United States State Department's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation recently bestowed a $131,800 grant to the World Monuments Fund for restoration work at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, a historic Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand.
According to WMF President Bonnie Burnham, "Support from the State Department's Ambassadors Fund will assist the Thai Department of Fine Arts with continuing ...A Traveler in the Foreign Service: The list, the call, the flag- assignments in the Foreign Service
Dec 28th, 2011 at 10:00AM: The most common question I get from people who have a passing interest in joining the Foreign Service is: how hard is to get posted to Rome, Paris, Prague, Sydney and other popular vacation destinations. The best way to get a feel for your chances is to have a look at the complete list of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
There are more than 200 posts in the Foreign Service and for every ...Tomorrow is Passport Day in the USA
Sep 16th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Tomorrow the U.S. Department of State will hold its third annual Passport Day, giving Americans an opportunity to apply for their first passport, or renew their current one. To commemorate the event, all regional passport agencies, along with most application acceptance facilities, including post offices, will be open and no appointments will be necessary.
These agencies are rarely open on a ...Worldwide travel alert issued in wake of Bin Laden's killing
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:30AM:
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The U.S. State Department issued an updated worldwide travel alert in response to the news that broke last night about the death of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. ...
State Department issues Libya travel warning - read more about this forbidden destination
Feb 21st, 2011 at 5:00PM:
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, the US Department of State has issued a Libya travel warning, advising Americans to steer clear of the country, and especially of "gatherings" there. The Wall Street Journal reports:
"'U.S. citizens in Libya should minimize overall travel in-country, exercise extreme caution when traveling, and limit all travel after dark,' the US said in a ...Ten things to know about your destination before you go
Nov 18th, 2010 at 10:00AM: So you've chosen your vacation destination - booked the tickets, agonized over TripAdvisor to find a hotel, and bought the guidebooks or downloaded the apps. Whether you like to plan your itinerary in advance or play it by ear, there are a few things you should research in advance to make your arrival - and your trip - go smoothly.
From airport taxis to local laws to transit passes, what should ...State Department not budging on European travel warning
Oct 14th, 2010 at 3:00PM: The State Department's terror alert for Americans traveling and living in Europe is alive and well – and nobody cares. Even though there are concerns of a terrorist plot for a "Mumbai-style massacre," according to Fox News, the State Department isn't budging and Americans aren't paying attention. But, the good news is that at least the British haven't changed their level, which is "severe," ...State Department issues "travel alert" for Europe
Oct 4th, 2010 at 12:00PM: The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel alert for citizens visiting Europe. This notification, seconded by countries like Japan and Britain, is of a lesser degree than a formal warning.
"We are not - repeat, not - advising Americans not to go to Europe," State Department Undersecretary Patrick Kennedy was quoted saying in USA Today. "This is an alert. We put out alerts to ensure that ...Hezbollah theme park: an attraction designed with terror in mind
Oct 1st, 2010 at 1:30PM:
Are you always searching for a roller coaster that will make your hair stand on end? Well, if you really want to scare yourself, skip the traditional amusement park rides and catch a flight out to Beirut. There's a "theme park" in town that will open your eyes wide and keep you looking over your shoulder.
Hezbollah has gotten into the Disney business.
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State Department issues travel alert in response to planned Qur'an burnings
Sep 9th, 2010 at 3:00PM: The State Department has issued a worldwide Travel Alert in response to media reports of planned Qur'an burnings in Florida. The alert urges U.S. citizens to be cautious of "the potential for anti-U.S. demonstrations in many countries in response to stated plans by a church in Florida to burn Qur'ans on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks."
The alert continues by saying ...Israel complains about travel warning, gets change
Aug 11th, 2010 at 1:30PM: There are two important steps to take in getting what you want in the travel world. First, you have to complain. Next, you need to do it to the right people. Israel did both, and it seems to have worked out fairly well for the country.
The problem started with a U.S. State Department travel warning for Israel five days ago. The Israeli government, according to the Associated Press, griped that ...Is Thailand Safe Now?
Jun 24th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Yeah, pretty much.
A full month has passed since Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the slightly Orwellian-sounding CRES (Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation) gave themselves an all-clear. The official sigh of relief follows a few weeks of fairly intense civil unrest--the chaos of ongoing street protests between yellow-shirted PAD and the red-shirted UDD claimed 88 lives and ...Register with the Department of State - International travel tip
Mar 14th, 2010 at 4:32PM: Utilize the U.S. Department of State's Travel Registration service. Yes, it seems like an invasion of privacy and feels like Big Brother is watching. However, in the case of natural disaster or political unrest, there is no better group of people to share your travel plans.
It also works in reverse -- if you must be contacted in case of an emergency stateside.
Travelers register their ...Latest U.S. traveler to North Korea has been detained
Dec 29th, 2009 at 4:00PM: The inevitable has happened. Robert Park, who had announced his plans to enter North Korea illegally, has been detained. The U.S. citizen crossed from China in order to bring attention to human rights abuses in the isolated nation and said before his departure that he doesn't want the U.S. authorities to come rescue him. Park told Reuters last week that he sees this mission as his Christian duty ...Which way is up? The travails of travel writing on North Korea
Dec 28th, 2009 at 8:00AM:
It's easy to be attracted to news about North Korea- for travel writers and every other type of journalist. So little comes out that even the appearance of information makes it noteworthy. This is why those of us interested in covering the most unusual place on Earth will run with press releases or other announcements that would make us groan if they came from anywhere else (I hope this answers ...Not your normal Asian adventure vacation
Dec 27th, 2009 at 2:00PM: We travel for many reasons. Maybe it's to relax, learn something new or see friends and family. And then there are the so-called "adventure travelers" – sorry guys, you just don't know the meaning of the expression. Keep your kayaks and your climbing gear in the garage, and trade them for a pencil so you can take some notes. Robert Park is redefining "adventure."
Park, 28 years old, ...Nine foreigners kidnapped in Yemen
Jun 14th, 2009 at 10:30AM: Nine foreigners, including three children, have been kidnapped in northern Yemen, the BBC reported.
The foreigners were having a picnic when they were taken on Friday by the Huthi Zaidi, a Shia rebel group. The victims include a British and a Korean citizen. The rest of the group, including the children, are German. The adults were working in a local hospital as part of an international aid ...A peek inside the North Korean courts
May 15th, 2009 at 3:00PM:
There's something chilling about journalists being detained and tried in a foreign country ... a prospect made all the more uncomfortable when you throw the "Dear Leader" into the mix. But, do we really know what's about to happen? Well, aside from the fact that they're going to be tried "according to the indictment of the competent organ"?
Frankly, there's little information about what Laura ...
