logo
Travel alert: State Dept. issues terrorism warning at European destination

Travel alert: State Dept. issues terrorism warning at European destination

Yahoo23-05-2025

The U.S. State Department reissued its travel warning for Belgium warning travelers to 'exercise increased caution' due to the risk of 'terrorism' in the European country.
On Thursday, the State Department said that 'terrorists may attack with little or no warning' and that locations such as tourist and transportation hubs, markets, government buildings, places of worship, and more may be targeted.
Read More: Travel alert: Don't visit this country 'for any reason,' US officials warn
The Level 2 travel advisory asking travelers to use increased caution falls below the more severe Level 3 and Level 4 categories which warn travelers to reconsider their travel or not travel at all to listed countries respectively.
If U.S. travelers go to Belgium, the State Department said to 'stay alert in tourist spots' and to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. embassy.
Read More: Travel alert: Rethink visiting this tropical country due to its kidnapping risk
The State Department recently issued similar Level 2 travel advisories for other European countries such as Germany and Spain this month and last month for Morocco.
Man killed in Marlborough fatal house fire identified
Wastewater overflow in Connecticut River falls to 543 million gallons in 2024
PVPC working on two-decade plan for bikers and pedestrians
Man faces assault charge in Northbridge fatal shooting
Mass. weather: Heavier rain from nor'easter to fall during evening commute
Read the original article on MassLive.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ryanair threatens ‘unruly' holidaymakers with £500 fines
Ryanair threatens ‘unruly' holidaymakers with £500 fines

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Ryanair threatens ‘unruly' holidaymakers with £500 fines

Ryanair has threatened 'unruly' holidaymakers who disrupt flights with £500 fines amid rising concerns about drunken behaviour. The budget airline on Thursday said the 'major conduct clampdown' was aimed at a small minority of passengers who cause trouble at the expense of everyone else on board. It said anyone thrown off a flight would now be hit with a £500 fine as a minimum, with the carrier then pursuing them for damages. A Ryanair spokesman added: 'It is unacceptable that passengers are made to suffer unnecessary disruption because of one unruly passenger's behaviour. 'While these are isolated events which happen across all airlines, disruptive behaviour in such a confined shared space is unacceptable, and we hope that our proactive approach will act as a deterrent to eliminate this unacceptable behaviour onboard our aircraft.' The airline has been campaigning for tougher curbs on the sale of alcoholic drinks at airports in the past year, with Michael O'Leary, the chief executive, warning of a rise in disorder. Last year, a Ryanair flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Tenerife after several passengers became unruly, with one reportedly urinating in the aisle. In April, police also dragged a woman off a plane that had to be diverted to Bologna, Italy, following 'disruptive' behaviour, including a reported fight between passengers. Ryanair has accused European governments of failing to act 'when disruptive passengers threaten aircraft safety and force them to divert'. Mr O'Leary has called for passengers to be limited to two alcoholic drinks each at airports. On Thursday, a spokesman for the airline said: 'To help ensure that our passengers and crew travel in a comfortable and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers, we have introduced a £500 fine, which will be issued to any passengers offloaded from aircraft as a result of their misconduct.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Fewer Americans want to visit Europe this summer, survey suggests
Fewer Americans want to visit Europe this summer, survey suggests

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Fewer Americans want to visit Europe this summer, survey suggests

The Brief U.S. interest in traveling to Europe this summer has dropped by 7 percentage points. Cost concerns are the top barrier, but politics and global perception may also play a role. Chinese tourism to Europe is rising sharply, making up for lost American visitors. LOS ANGELES - Fewer Americans are planning to vacation in Europe this summer, and international travel sentiment in the U.S. remains weak compared to 2024, according to new survey data from the European Travel Commission. Just 33% of U.S. respondents say they plan to visit Europe this summer, a 7% drop from last year. While high travel costs and the appeal of domestic trips were the top reasons cited, the ETC also noted a more subtle factor: a growing number of Americans may be feeling self-conscious about how they're perceived abroad — particularly under the foreign policy direction of President Trump's administration. The data suggests a cooling of enthusiasm not just among Americans toward Europe, but possibly in the other direction as well. The backstory The report attributes much of the drop to rising travel costs, which were cited by nearly half of U.S. respondents not planning a European trip. Still, the ETC noted that "worries about being negatively perceived overseas under Trump's confrontational foreign policy" may also be playing a role in shaping travel behavior — a trend supported by the regional split in travel intent. For example, 43% of Americans from the Northeast, a region that typically leans Democratic, still plan to visit Europe — compared to just 33% nationally. That regional gap, the ETC suggests, reflects a political divergence that's influencing how comfortable people feel traveling internationally. Despite a small uptick in overall long-haul travel sentiment in 2025, travel to Europe specifically has lost ground across several major markets. Dig deeper While U.S. enthusiasm has declined, other regions are showing different patterns: China stands out, with 72% of surveyed travelers planning a trip to Europe — a 10% increase from 2024. Brazil and Canada both showed declines of 6% and 5%, respectively. Japan recorded the lowest level of interest, with just 13% of respondents planning a European vacation. The ETC attributed the rise in Chinese travel to economic recovery, higher disposable incomes, and a growing cultural emphasis on travel and lifestyle experiences. Why you should care The shift has real implications for both the European tourism industry, which was valued at $1.3 trillion in 2024, and for U.S. global engagement. Visits to the U.S. from countries like Germany have plunged — down 28% year-over-year in March — as global visitors increasingly turn to destinations that feel more politically neutral or welcoming. The ETC warns that strained international relations and economic instability make long-term travel forecasts harder to predict. However, they also emphasized that Europe remains committed to attracting high-value travelers by promoting earlier departures, lower-cost destinations, and off-season opportunities. What they're saying "At a time of declining consumer confidence globally, it is more important than ever to strengthen Europe's position as a top destination," said Miguel Sanz, President of the European Travel Commission. "This means improving the competitiveness and accessibility of European experiences while continuing to showcase lesser-known destinations and off-season travel." The Source This article is based on the Long-Haul Travel Barometer 2/2025, jointly published by the European Travel Commission and Eurail BV. Additional context and commentary were included in a press release dated June 2025, with attribution to Miguel Sanz and regional travel sentiment data collected across multiple international markets.

Passengers stuck on 32-hour flight ended up back where they started: Reports
Passengers stuck on 32-hour flight ended up back where they started: Reports

Yahoo

time9 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Passengers stuck on 32-hour flight ended up back where they started: Reports

The Brief A Condor flight that was headed from Switzerland to Greece made five stops, which included a layover, before ultimately landing back at its starting point. The flight was supposed to last just three hours but instead took 32 hours. During a layover in Thessaloniki, Greece, passengers allegedly had to foot the bill for their own hotel. Flying can sometimes be stressful, but can you imagine being subjected to a 32-hour flight that was actually meant to last just three hours? A Condor flight headed for Heraklion, Crete, in Greece, spent 32 hours in the air before ultimately landing back at the airport from which it started its exhausting journey. Dig deeper Flight DE1234 took off from Zurich, Switzerland, on May 24, and was headed for Greece. There were approximately 137 passengers and six crew members on board. The flight departed about 30 minutes late, according to the New York Post, but other than the delay, the trip appeared to have no other issues, until it came time to land. What they're saying Condor airlines told People magazine that "strong winds" were the culprit that led to the long trip. The pilots attempted to land several times in Crete and even made pit stops, including a layover in Thessaloniki (the second-largest city in Greece), Athens, before ultimately returning to Zurich. Passengers were allegedly only given water and during the layover in Thessaloniki, passengers were reportedly forced to foot the bill for their own accommodations, despite European aviation guidelines that say they are entitled to reimbursement, NYP said. Last June, a British Airways flight that was headed to Houston, Texas, from London, had crossed the entire Atlantic Ocean and was just on the coast of Newfoundland before it turned around and headed back to Heathrow Airport. Passengers and crew had traveled over 4,833 miles at the end of the nine-hour ordeal – and still no closer to their desired destination. The backstory British Airways told FOX Business at the time that the reason they returned was due to a "minor technical issue." "The flight returned to London Heathrow as a precaution due to a minor technical issue," a spokesperson explained. "It landed safely and customers disembarked as normal." "We've apologized to our customers for the disruption to their journey." The Source Information for this article was taken from reporting by the New York Post, People magazine and previous reporting from FOX News. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store