Brazil: Fingerprinting and photographing of arriving US citizens will continue indefinitely under new rules that make the policy permanent. The interminable delays, however, may be over, as the rules call for the immediate installment of electronic fingerprinting machines and Web cameras to speed up the process. Americans will no longer be called out of immigration lines and forced to stand in separate lines that move at a snail's pace. Brazilian federal police also have been granted the right to waive the requirement at ports where cruise ships dock if passengers cannot be processed without undue delays. The photograph-and-fingerprint policy was put in place Dec. 30 in retaliation for a similar policy initiated by the United States. Some Americans were forced to wait as long as nine hours before being permitted entry.
Greece: The president dissolved Parliament and called new elections for March 7, whereupon the country's largest trade union umbrella group announced it would greet the new government with a nationwide strike March 31. Such strikes are common in Greece, but they can wreak havoc with transportation and other public services. The US Consulate in Thessaloniki was closed Feb. 13 until further notice because of an undisclosed telephone threat. Several arson attacks have occurred in Thessaloniki since June, two on the day the consulate closed.
Haiti: A troubled country in the best of times, Haiti is in the midst of civil unrest that could see the fall of the current president or violence that spins out of control with many civilian casualties. Travel to Haiti should be deferred.
Israel: Hamas has vowed to step up suicide attacks in response to two Israeli Defense Forces attacks in Gaza on Feb. 11 that killed 15 Palestinians. Israeli police are on high alert, and visitors should follow security guidelines posted by the US Embassy in Tel Aviv and the US Consulate in Jerusalem. This advice includes avoiding discos and clubs, all large crowds or gatherings, and restaurants, cafes, malls, or theaters, especially during peak business hours. The guidelines also recommend avoiding Jerusalem's Old City after dark and Friday between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the downtown areas of West Jerusalem and City Center. The Ben Yehuda Pedestrian Mall, Mahane Yehuda Market area of West Jerusalem, King George Street between Ben Yehuda and Jaffa Street, and Jaffa Street also are off-limits to embassy personnel.
Trinidad and Tobago: The crime rate here is high, but most incidents are crimes of opportunity such as pickpocketing, assault, robbery, and fraud. Most violent crimes are gang-related and do not target foreigners, and the majority of crime occurs in isolated areas. On Tobago, there is a high incidence of petty theft and hustling of tourists, and thefts of large sums of cash and passports taken from hotel rooms. Police response is slow, especially at night, and especially away from major cities.
Editor's note: Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you leave home. From the United States, contact the State Department via phone (888-407-4747; 317-472-2328; 202-647-5225), fax (202-647-3000), or website (http://travel.state.gov); abroad, check in with the nearest US embassy or consulate.
