Travel Guides & Articles
US has a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for 21 countries – Here’s a complete list
As summer vacation approaches, the US has issued a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for as many as 21 countries. These include Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and even Iraq. The State Department has four levels of advisories, with ‘Do Not Travel’ the most serious. Some of the advisories have been issued for months, while others are fairly recent.
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
This applies to safe tourist spots like Japan, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, urging travelers to stay vigilant despite no specific threats.
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Travelers should be wary in countries like Saudi Arabia, China, and Spain, where risks include crime, civil unrest, or potential terrorism, but travel is still feasible with caution.
Read More: Donald Trump on fallout from trade war: ‘US kids may get 2 dolls instead of 30’
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
This warning covers 23 countries, such as Chad, Niger, Egypt, Jamaica, and Colombia, where serious risks like crime, unrest, or terrorism make travel dangerous.
Level 4: Do Not Travel
The most severe advisory applies to 21 countries with extreme dangers, including active conflicts, targeted crimes against foreigners, or hostile governments. These are:
Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
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The ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory also applies to some Mexican states: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. These advisories are due to crime and kidnapping, as is Gaza, due to the ongoing conflict.
The US State Department also urged travelers to:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X/Twitter.
- Review the Country Security Report for Canada.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Travel Guides & Articles
Guru Nanak’s birth aniv: Centre denies Sikh jatha permission to visit Pakistan
The Union government has refused permission to send a Sikh jatha (group of pilgrims) to Pakistan for Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak’s Parkash Parb in November this year, citing security concerns.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had started the process earlier this year in July, gathering passports of intending devotees and sending applications to the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi for the necessary visas for the 10-day pilgrimage. However, in a letter sent to the chief secretary of Punjab and other neighbouring states, the Union ministry of home affairs stated that the current security situation between India and Pakistan made it unsafe for pilgrims to travel.
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“Considering the prevailing security scenario with Pakistan, it would not be possible to send the Sikh pilgrims’ jatha to Pakistan on the occasion of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurparb in November 2025. We request that Sikh organisations in your state are informed and that the processing of jatha applications is stopped immediately,” reads the letter, dated September 12, sent by the under secretary of the Union ministry of home affairs to the chief secretary of Punjab and other neighbouring states.
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The Union government’s refusal to permit the Sikh jatha follows a series of security-related travel restrictions. The SGPC was unable to send pilgrims to Pakistan for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June this year due to similar concerns.
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The Union government’s refusal to permit the Sikh jatha follows a series of security-related travel restrictions. The SGPC was unable to send pilgrims to Pakistan for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June this year due to similar concerns.
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After the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year, which claimed the lives of 26 people, the Union government tightened travel restrictions, barring Indian citizens from travelling to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border checkpost. In response, Pakistan suspended all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
SGPC condemns move
The decision has sparked outrage, with SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami condemning the government’s refusal. “This decision is an insult to the religious sentiments of Sikh pilgrims. While cricket matches are being played between India and Pakistan, pilgrims wishing to visit their religious shrines are being denied this right in the name of security,” Dhami said.
He appealed to the Union government to reconsider the decision, pointing out that the Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan has been a long-standing tradition, with Sikh jathas visiting Pakistan for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary for decades. “Since Partition, Indian Sikhs have been allowed to visit their religious shrines in Pakistan without interruption. This is the first time such a situation has occurred,” Dhami added.
Guru Nanak’s Parkash Gurparb is a major religious occasion for Sikhs worldwide, with many travelling to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan to pay homage at the Guru’s birthplace. The Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1950 allows Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan’s sacred shrines on four key occasions — Baisakhi (Khalsa Panth foundation), Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day, death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.
In the past, thousands of Indian Sikhs have visited Pakistan for the Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrations. In 2023, over 5,800 Indian pilgrims travelled to Pakistan’s gurdwaras to mark the Khalsa Foundation Day (Baisakhi), setting a record.
KOHIMA- Heavy monsoon rains lashed Nagaland on Sunday, triggering multiple landslides that disrupted traffic along both National Highway-29 (NH-29) and alternative routes, prompting authorities to issue an urgent travel advisory. While no casualties have been reported, officials have cautioned residents and travelers to remain alert as the state braces for more rain in the coming days.
In Peren district, Deputy Commissioner’s office issued a public advisory warning of several landslides along the Mhainamtsi–Pimla road, an alternate route frequently used when NH-29 is blocked. Authorities confirmed that the road is currently impassable, with debris and unstable slopes posing risks of further slides.
Meanwhile, flooding from the Chathe River triggered a major landslide near Pherima village on NH-29, the crucial highway connecting state capital Kohima to the commercial hub of Dimapur. Videos shared on social media showed massive debris covering the highway, stranding vehicles and halting movement of goods.
Emergency teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have been deployed for clearance and restoration work. Officials recalled that this stretch witnessed a deadly landslide in September 2024, which claimed six lives, underscoring the chronic vulnerability of the route.
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) reiterated its warnings about landslide-prone zones in the state, urging people to avoid travel on unsafe stretches, monitor official updates, and remain vigilant in hillside villages. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued heavy showers for the next 48 hours, raising the risk of further landslides and flash floods.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s office assured that state resources have been mobilized, and local communities will receive support. Residents in vulnerable areas have been asked to follow NSDMA’s safety guidelines, including avoiding steep slopes, watching for unusual cracks or ground movement, and preparing for possible evacuations.
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We look forward to seeing you there!
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