U.S. Issues 'Do Not Travel' Warning for Country on May 14
Back on May 7, the U.S. government issued Level 2 advisories for Cuba and Uruguay. That means Americans can still travel to those countries, but they should exercise increased caution due to armed robberies, theft and other crimes.
One day later, a Level 4 warning was issued for Russia due to its war with Ukraine. The U.S. is telling its citizens to avoid traveling there at all costs.
"The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow," the May 8 advisory said. "The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has reduced its staff and the Russian government has restricted travel for embassy personnel. All U.S. consulates in Russia have suspended operations, including consular services. Do not travel to Russia for any reason."
Russia isn't the only country that was tagged with a Level 4 advisory this month. On May 14, the U.S. Department of State informed everyone to avoid traveling to Somalia.
The U.S. government has issued a Level 4 warning for Somalia due to the following reasons:
Crime
Terrorism
Civil Unrest
Health concerns
Piracy
Kidnapping
Lack of availability of consular services
"Due to security risks, U.S. government employees working in Somalia are prohibited from traveling outside the Mogadishu International Airport complex where the U.S. Embassy is located," the advisory states. "The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu maintains normal staffing."
The odds of kidnappings and bombings in Somalia are high at airports, hotels and other popular spots for tourists. It's unclear how long this Level 4 warning will remain active.
Considering four countries have received "Do Not Travel" advisories this month alone, it might not be long before another country gets added to the "No Fly List."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Largest RV dealer reports strong profit despite closing 16 stores
Owning a recreational vehicle (RV) and spending a year, or a few years, traveling around the world is still a dream for me and my husband. When we were younger, we often wondered why people whom we usually saw driving RVs were always older than us (we were in our early 20s then). It didn't take long to figure it out - the expense. RVs are quite pricey, but the cost matches the offering - adventurous, unrestrained, and liberating traveling. The best kind! Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter How much does an RV cost? According to HomeGuide, it's between $20,000 and $600,000 on average. Or more precisely: $20,000 – $100,000 average towable RV price;$50,000 – $600,000 average RV motorhome price;Up to $5,000,000 for a luxury RV. Thankfully, for those who are still not able to own one, there are options of renting or buying a used one. Over the last couple of years, RVs have become more popular. It started with the Covid pandemic when travel trailer sales experienced a notable boost, earning them the nickname "Covid campers." Many Americans were desperate to travel during the crisis but feared being infected. The safest option turned out to be a camper. And the popularity of RVs seems to have continued in the post-pandemic environment. Camping World (CWH) is one of the biggest retailers of RVs, RV accessories, and RV-related services in the United States. It has operated for 59 years and went public nine years ago, raising $251 million. Related: Delta Air Lines faces pushback over new pricing policies On July 29, the retailer posted impressive second-quarter results with $2 billion in revenue, up 9.4% from the same period last year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share missed analysts' estimates, delivering $0.57 instead of the projected $0.6. However, earnings per share improved 50% from the previous quarter. More importantly, Camping World set a record in quarterly RV sales, selling 45,602 units - including 26,696 new and 18,906 used units - in the three months ended June 30. Both new and used RV sales improved over 20%, indicating the popularity of RVs, writes RVtravel. The largest RV dealer has also faced challenges in the last few months. Since January, the company has had to lay off 1,000 employees. "That's an unfortunate circumstance, but we have made the hard cuts," explained Camping World CEO Marcus A. Lemonis during an earnings conference. More Retail: Supermarket inflation: Beef prices soar as egg prices fallPopular energy drink pulled from shelves for containing vodkaAmazon's quiet pricing twist on tariffs stuns shoppers Over the last five to six months, the company closed 16 stores, but this helped it raise unit count per store, improving profitability and margin profile per store. One of the store closures was particularly unusual. It all started in October 2024, when Camping World hung a gigantic American flag at the company's location on the corner of Evans Street and Red Banks Road in Greenville, North Carolina. Related: Popular energy drink pulled from shelves for containing vodka According to council members, the flag is close to the size of a basketball court and flies on a 130-foot-tall pole, almost double the size of the current regulations. City lawmakers voted to take legal action against the flag because it violates city ordinance, and they fined Lemonis $15,000. The dispute impacted the company's business in Greenville, as the company had to close one of its two stores there. The lawsuit was officially filed in June and is costing the city a whole lot of money - thousands in taxpayer dollars. In early July, Camping World was said to be facing $27,500 in fines, while the city is fining it $250 per day until the flag is removed or complies with the rules, reports News ABC 12. Camping World Representatives requested 30 more days to respond to the suit, taking matters into August. So far, Lemonis reiterated several times he has no plans to take the flag down, as it represents something very personal for him - a symbol of his childhood dream. Looking forward, business-wise, Lemonis says the company is confident in its "mid-cycle earnings power." It projects to generate well over $500 million of adjusted EBITDA and aims to expand gross margins by 100 basis points over the next 18 months. Earlier in June, Camping World expressed support for the One Big Beautiful Bill, especially praising the RV loan interest deduction provision, which would "provide RV families with long overdue affordability relief after years of rising inflation, and stubbornly high interest rates." Year-to-date, Camping World's shares have dropped 34.35%, trading at $13.84 per share. Related: US travel industry faces huge setback from One Big Beautiful Bill Act The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.

8 hours ago
Enjoy a free visit to any national park on Great American Outdoors Day
Spending time outside in nature is synonymous with summertime, and to ensure Americans enjoy it to the fullest, the National Park Service is offering free admission to any of its parks for one day, in celebration of Great American Outdoors Day. What is Great American Outdoors Day? The NPS created this free park entrance day on Aug. 4 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act. The legislation, described as "the single largest investment in public lands in U.S. history," was signed into law on Aug. 4, 2020, according to the Department of the Interior. "The Great American Outdoors Act ... is a historic investment in the protection and sustainment of our public lands and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. GAOA established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (GAOA LRF) to address overdue maintenance needs," the DOI states on its website. It adds, "By addressing the maintenance backlog, we help ensure that visitors and staff are safe and comfortable as they access our national parks, public lands and roads, national wildlife refuges, and BIE-funded schools." National Park Service celebrates Great American Outdoors Day with free admission While many national parks are typically free to visit, some require entry passes or fees, according to the NPS website. Busier parks may also require a reservation. However, on Monday, Aug. 4, to celebrate Great American Outdoors Day, the National Park Service is offering free admission to all parks, including those that typically require an entry fee. "Entrance fees will not be charged on August 4, 2025, in celebration of the Great American Outdoors Act's anniversary. Everyone is encouraged to visit parks to experience the benefits of GAOA projects," the NPS states. If you're interested in taking advantage of the free entry day, grab your hiking shoes, sunscreen, and reusable water bottles, and click here to search for a park near you to visit on Aug. 4.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
More American couples are turning to Italy's ‘dolce vita' in a quest for memorable weddings
James Atkinson and Samantha Fortino toured a Tuscan vineyard and learned to make pasta and a Bolognese sauce alongside their family and friends in Florence. Atkinson discovered a penchant for chianti, while Fortino fell for Italy's hugo spritz — a cocktail that posed no risk of staining her wedding dress on July 24. Italy has hosted a number of star-studded weddings in the past decade, most recently Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez 's extravaganza in Venice. Away from the spotlight, tens of thousands of ordinary Americans have set their sights on the country for their special day in recent years. 'Weddings in America can be a little too grand and a little bit too big and it ends up not really being about the couple,' said Fortino, 28, a neonatal nurse from Skaneateles, New York. 'We both just really wanted something intimate and meaningful.' Over 15,000 foreign couples wed in Italy last year, up 64% from 2019, the year before the pandemic, according to market research from the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence. Growth was led by US couples, who account for almost one-third of that total. Italy was the top international destination for American couples after Mexico, according to Maryland-based wedding planning website The Knot. For many Americans, Italy embodies the simple, beautiful romance of a bygone era. Weather is balmy and its varied landscapes, from the sea to the mountains, stunning. The food is familiar and crowd-pleasing. But perhaps the biggest driver of the recent uptick is ample opportunity for a range of outings, which together with the wedding event are alluring for those on a quest for unique, memorable moments — part of a consumer trend termed 'the experience economy.' 'In the United States, everything is just more expensive for one night and we wanted to make an experience, so we did two nights here,' said Atkinson, 31, who owns a concrete company. 'It just seemed like way more worth it to us to do that and make a trip out of it with our family, our loved ones.' 'Nobody cancels' One guest who had never visited Italy was ecstatic about the invite, and took advantage to tack on side trips, first to Venice and then with the wedding crew to Cinque Terre. Another, Gary Prochna, nearly didn't attend because of work piling up at his paving company. He eventually came around and was floored by the venue — a 15th-century villa with a sweeping view over Florence and its famous Duomo. 'I got married in the United States and our venue was very nice. I thought — until this moment — we had the best wedding,' said Prochna, 68, adding that he now hopes his daughters will get hitched abroad. Marcy Blum, a prominent luxury event planner based in Manhattan, said almost 90% of the weddings she plans are in Italy. 'The reason Italy is so popular is because that's where your guests want to go,' she said. 'You send an invitation that you're getting married in Capri or Positano and everybody comes. Everybody. They want to come. Nobody cancels.' Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel and destination event service also based in Manhattan, said 60% of his company's events were outside the US before the pandemic. Today it's almost 90%, nearly all split evenly between Italy and France. The threat of tariffs under President Donald Trump has given destination weddings a boost. Ezon has moved six events from the US to Europe this year, because people were afraid tariffs on alcohol would cause their bar bill to explode. Cost comparison The shift to destinations has benefited planners with networks across Italy and local vendors. According to Wedding Italy, the husband-and-wife team who put on the Atkinson wedding, American clients spend three times as much as Italians, due to more elaborate wedding decor and other events in their multi-day lineup. Average spend on hometown weddings in the US was $32,000 last year, according to The Knot. By comparison, foreigners' weddings in Italy cost an average $70,600 and typically have dozens fewer guests, the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence's data showed. In the garden where the Atkinsons held their service, cypress trees swayed in the wind as the bride emerged from the chapel, beaming in her lace mermaid-silhouette gown. She walked down the aisle as speakers played the theme song to Star Wars. It was her sneaky trick to make the groom cry, and it worked like a charm. Before the exchange of rings, before the lovebirds threw their arms around one another, their officiant said: 'Traditionally I would ask: Is there any reason why this couple shouldn't be married? But for goodness' sake – we all flew to Italy and can't get our points back! So instead I'll ask: Who here approves of this union?' Cheers all around. Solve the daily Crossword