Travelore News: Ukraine Issues Russia Travel Warning

KIEV, Ukraine – Citizens of Ukraine were warned on Wednesday against traveling to Russia, where they were at risk following an increase in harassment and detentions of Ukrainians by Russian security services.

The move is further testimony to the breakdown in relations between the one-time allies in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in early 2014 and support for pro-Russian separatists in the ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

“On the territory of the aggressor-state, the number of unjustified detentions of our citizens has increased,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in an online statement.

“Russian law enforcement bodies treat Ukrainians roughly, using unacceptable methods of physical and psychological pressure, torture and other acts,” it said, warning citizens against traveling to or through Russian territory.

On Monday a Ukrainian journalist was arrested by Russia’s FSB security service and accused of gathering secret information about Russian defense and security bodies – charges Ukrainian authorities said were trumped up.

The arrest has prompted Ukrainian authorities to consider introducing visa requirements for Russian citizens on the expectation that Russia will tighten rules for Ukrainians wishing to travel to Russia.

“We have to understand that unfortunately Russian security services will quickly adjust to a visa regime. We must not make political gestures, but truly deal with Russia as an aggressor,” Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told journalists on Wednesday.

Traveling between Ukraine and Russia had already become more complicated since the introduction of tit-for-tat direct flight bans in October 2015.

In Case Of Travel Emergency, Download These Apps

Fuse

There's only so much you can plan for on vacation. For the rest, be it pollen counts, heat exhaustion, or a coup, you’ll have to rely on luck—but these four apps just might help, too.

Sure, the best travel stories tend to have an element of calamity to them, but we’re betting most travelers would rather avoid any mishaps if given the chance. But there’s only so much you can plan for. If a travel emergency comes up, you’ll want backup—and these apps provide it, in the form of helpful tips, travel warnings, and illness alerts. You may not be able to avoid an issue, but you’ll at least be better-informed.

Allergy Alert, free

For travelers plagued by allergies, Pollen.com's mobile app is a must-have. The app details both weather and allergy forecasts, noting the levels of specific types of pollen found in your locale so you can prep for the day ahead (or just avoid going outdoors). For those hoping to narrow down the cause of their misery, there's also a built-in diary (with downloadable data) that tracks your symptoms and pollen count, as well as photos and descriptions to help you spot allergens in the wild.

Smart Traveler, free

If you can get past the creep factor of installing a State Department-produced app, Smart Traveler is an essential tool for travel into less stable regions. Sort of like an abridged version of the CIA's World Fact Book, it has a dossier on every country around the globe, as well as up-to-the-minute travel warning, be they political uprisings or natural disasters. Especially handy is the inclusion of STEP, which lets travelers e-register with their local U.S. embassy or consulate when abroad for an added layer of safety, and to receive alerts by email. And in case you're worried about snoops of the foreign or homegrown variety, the app doesn't save personal data or keep track of your searches.

Courtesy Sickweather

Sickweather, free

For those looking to inoculate their vacation against the dread summer cold, there’s Sickweather, which uses data from social networks to record and map outbreaks of about two dozen ailments, from common allergies to serious communicable illnesses. Using GPS, it alerts you to nearby threats via a daily roundup, and uses color coding to reflect how recent a particular outbreak may be. It may seem tailor-made for hypochondriacs, but ask anyone who's ever spent quality time with a norovirus—we bet they’d firmly disagree.

WikiHow, Free

The Red Cross's First Aid app is comforting but lacks how-to steps for dealing with most medical emergencies. That’s where the crowd-sourced wisdom of WikiHow's expansive know-it-all comes in. Click on the menu and scroll to Survival Kit, select among the 11 categories of potential situations—First Aid, Home Emergencies, Wilderness Survival, and so on—and then scroll through dozens and dozens of articles detailing specific steps for virtually any situation one might encounter. Granted, a painstakingly detailed 20-step CPR lesson for choking infants might be a tough read in the moment, but the info is all there for you to research beforehand, and covers a wide swath of issues.

Written by Jon Chase

 www.cntraveler.com

Security Message For US Citizens In Paris. #JeSuisParis

The U.S. Embassy in Paris advises official U.S. personnel and U.S. citizens to shelter in place due to the terrorist attacks in the 10th and 11th arrondissements (districts) and the ongoing hostage situation at the Bataclan Theatre located at 50 Voltaire Boulevard in the 11th arrondissement.  U.S. citizens should heed local authorities and maintain security awareness.  France has declared a state of emergency which includes mobilization of security forces and closing its borders. 

For further information:

• See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and France Country Specific Information.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
• Contact the U.S. Embassy in Paris, located at 2 Avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris, at +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22 or by email atCitizeninfo@state.gov. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22.
• Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

EMERGENCY CONTACT

• ParisEmergencyUSC@state.gov 
  1-888-407-4747 (From the United States and Canada)
  
  +1-202-501-4444 (From all other countries)

Security Alert For U.S. Citizens: United States Embassy Has Instructed Its Employees Not To Travel Anywhere In The Sinai Peninsula

Security Message for U.S. Citizens

November 2, 2015

As a precautionary measure, the United States Embassy has instructed its employees not to travel anywhere in the Sinai Peninsula pending the outcome of the investigation into the tragic crash of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt on October 31. The Embassy will issue another message when this measure is lifted.

For further information:

• See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Egypt.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Contact the U.S. Embassy in Egypt. For non-emergency inquiries, U.S. citizens may send an email to the American Citizens Services Unit at consularcairoacs@state.gov. For emergencies during and after business hours and on weekends and holidays, U.S. citizens can contact the Embassy Duty Officer via the Embassy switchboard at +20-2-2797-3300. The Embassy is located at 5 Tawfik Diab Street (formerly known as Latin America Street), Garden City, Cairo.is
• Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).