text:
Algeria Angola Benin Botswana British Indian Ocean Territory Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo Congo, DRC Cote d'Ivoire Djibouti X Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa St. Helena Sudan X Swaziland Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
Antarctica (1 of 4)
Antarctica X Bouvet I. French Southern & Antarctic Lands Heard I. & McDonald Is.
Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Faroe Is. Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Jan Mayen Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Reunion Romania Russia San Marino Serbia X Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Ukraine United Kingdom
North America (NONE of 36)
Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda Aruba Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Is. Canada Cayman Is. Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Montserrat Netherlands Antilles Nicaragua Puerto Rico St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre & Miquelon St. Vincent & the Grenadines The Bahamas Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Is. United States Virgin Is.
Cuba is an independent island country situated in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the islands and covers 42,000sq miles. The climate is sub tropical throughout the year with most of the rainfall in Read More Show Less
the northern parts of the country. Temperatures of between 20C to 35C are fairly standard throughout the year. Generally the winter effects of the American continent only last for short periods.
Safety & Security:
The majority of tourists visiting Cuba will have no difficulty but bag snatching and other street crime appears to be increasing. The old Havana area and other major tourist resorts may be particular areas of concern in this regard. On arrival be careful to only use your recognised tour operator. If you are taking a taxi at any stage make sure it is a registered one and not a private vehicle. It is unwise to carry large quantities of money or jewellery away from your hotel and try not to flaunt wealth with your belongings. Pickpockets are too common an occurrence on buses and trains and at train stations so be careful with your essential documents and credit cards. Valuables should not be stored in suitcases when arriving in or departing from Havana as there have been a number of thefts from cases during the time the cases are coming through baggage handling. There is an airport shrink-wrap facility for those departing Havana which reduces the risk of tampering. Remember to carry a photocopy of your main documents (passport, flight tickets etc).
Road Safety:
Following a number of serious road accidents involving tourists, you are advised not to use mopeds for travelling around Cuba or in Havana. Also, if you are involved in any accident a police investigation will be required to clear you and this may significantly delay your travel plans. On unlit roads at night there have been a number of accidents associated with roaming cattle (sounds like Ireland!). The traffic moves on the right side of the roads. There is a main highway running the length of the country but many of the country roads are in poor repair.
Local Laws & Customs:
When arriving into Cuba make sure you are not carrying any items which could be considered offensive. Any illicit drug offense is treated very seriously and Cuban law allows for the death penalty to be used under these circumstances. If you require personal medication for your health, make sure it is in original packing and carry a letter from your doctor describing the medication. Never agree to carry any item for another individual and always secure your cases once they are packed. Taking photographs of military or police installations or around harbours, rail and airport facilities is strictly forbidden.
Since 1993 it is now possible to use US dollars for all transactions within Cuba. Remember, there is a 20$ airport departure tax. Certain travellers cheques and credit cards may not be acceptable within Cuba. This is particularly true of American Express cheques and cards but check your situation with the travel operator before departure.
Health Facilities:
Generally healthcare facilities outside of Havana are limited and many standard medications may not be available. It is important to carry sufficient quantities of any medications which may be required for the duration of your time in Cuba.
Food & Water:
The level of food and water hygiene varies throughout the country and between resorts. On arrival check the hotel cold water supply for the smell of chlorine. If it is not present then use sealed bottled water for both drinking and brushing your teeth throughout your stay. Cans and bottles of drinks are safe but take care to avoid pre-cut fruit. Peel it yourself to make sure it is not contaminated. Food from street vendors should be avoided in most cases. Bivalve shellfish are also a high risk food in many countries and Cuba is no exception in this regard. (Eg Mussels, Oysters, Clams etc)
Malaria & Mosquito Borne Diseases:
Malaria transmission does not occur within Cuba and so prophylaxis is not required. However, a different mosquito borne disease called Dengue has begun to reoccur in the country over the past few years. This viral disease can be very sickening and even progress to death. It is rare for tourists to become infected but avoiding mosquito bites is a wise precaution.
Swimming, Sun & Dehydration:
The extent of the Cuban sun (particular during the summer months (April to October) can be very excessive so make sure your head and shoulders are covered at all times when exposed. Watch children carefully as they will be a significant risk. Drink plenty of fluids to replace what will be lost through perspiration and, unless there is a reason not to,
take extra salt either on your food or in crisps, peanuts etc. Take care if swimming in the Caribbean to stay with others and to listen to local advice. Never swim after a heavy meal or alcohol.
Rabies Risk in Cuba:
This viral disease does occur throughout Cuba and it is essential that you avoid any contact with all warm blooded animals. Dogs, cats and monkeys are the most commonly involved in spreading the disease to humans. Don't pick up a monkey for a photograph! If bitten, wash out the wound, apply an antiseptic and seek urgent medical attention.
Vaccinations for Cuba:
There are no essential vaccines for entry / exit if coming from Ireland. However, for your own personal protection travellers are advised to have cover against the following;
Tetanus (childhood booster)
Typhoid (food & water borne disease)
Hepatitis A (food & water borne disease)
For those planning a longer or more rural trip vaccine cover against conditions like Hepatitis B and Rabies may also need to be considered.
Cuba is becoming a popular destination for tourists and generally most will stay very healthy. However commonsense care against food and water borne disease is essential at all times. Also take care with regard to sun exposure, dehydration and mosquito bites.
Antarctica tourism regulation urgent for environment
Tourism Antartica - 1 year ago
Buenos Aires, May 17, 2018 (AFP) - Tourism regulation in Antarctica has become an urgent matter due to environmental threats, officials from the 53 member countries of the Antarctic Treaty warned at their annual meeting, held this week in Buenos Aires.
In the absence of rules, travel agencies offer trips to the region on boats sometimes equipped with helicopters or submarines, according to Segolene Royal, French ambassador for the Arctic and Antarctic poles. "This activity creates considerable disturbance ... we are witnessing a race toward large-scale tourism that is dangerous for ecosystems," she said at the assembly on Wednesday.
During the austral summer of 2016/2017, around 44,000 tourists set off for Antarctica, compared with just 9,000 in 1995/1996, according to French authorities. However, the push for regulation is not about banning tourism, former environmental minister Royal said, but rather about ensuring it is managed in compliance with the treaty and its environmental protection protocol.
In Buenos Aires, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting -- whose mission is to regulate human activity on the continent -- also sought to encourage scientific cooperation between countries that have collectively set up around 100 research bases across the ice. Also up for analysis is China's proposed fifth permanent scientific station in Antarctica, which would be located in the Ross Sea area south of New Zealand.
Huge Antarctic ice block poised to snap off
Natural Disaster Antartica - 2 years ago
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2017 13:01:49 +0200
By Marlowe HOOD
Paris, July 5, 2017 (AFP) - A chunk of ice bigger than the US state of Delaware is hanging by a thread from the West Antarctic ice shelf, satellite images revealed Wednesday. When it finally calves from the Larsen C ice shelf, one of the biggest icebergs in recorded history will be set adrift -- some 6,600 square kilometres (2,550 square miles) in total, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
The iceberg's depth below sea level could be as much as 210 metres (almost 700 feet), or about 60 storeys, it said. "The crack in the ice is now around 200 kilometres (125 miles) long, leaving just five kilometres between the end of the fissure and the ocean," the ESA said in a statement. "Icebergs calve from Antarctica all the time, but because this one is particularly large its path across the ocean needs to be monitored as it could pose a hazard to maritime traffic."
Scientists tracking the berg's progression expect it to break of within months. The Larsen C shelf will lose more than 10 percent of its total surface area. The massive ice cube will float in water and by itself will not add to sea levels when it melts. The real danger is from inland glaciers. Ice shelves float on the sea, extending from the coast, and are fed by slow-flowing glaciers from the land. They act as giant brakes, preventing glaciers from flowing directly into the ocean. If the glaciers held in check by Larsen C spilt into the Antarctic Ocean, it would lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (four inches), researchers have said.
The calving of ice shelves occurs naturally, though global warming is believed to have accelerated the process. Warming ocean water erodes the underbelly of the ice shelves, while rising air temperatures weaken them from above. The nearby Larsen A ice shelf collapsed in 1995, and Larsen B dramatically broke up seven years later. The ESA is keeping an eye on Larsen C with its Copernicus and CryoSat Earth orbiters.
Man-made global warming has already lifted average global air temperatures by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial levels. Antarctica is one of the world's fastest-warming regions. The world's nations undertook in the Paris Agreement, inked in 2015, to cap average global warming at "well under" 2 C.
Sick workers evacuated in daring South Pole rescue
Disturbances Antartica - 3 years ago
By Jean-Louis SANTINI
Washington, June 22, 2016 (AFP) - Two sick workers were evacuated from a remote US research station near the South Pole on Wednesday in a risky rescue mission carried out in the dead of Antarctica's winter, a US official said. A Twin Otter turboprop plane flew in dark and cold conditions to pick up the workers from the Amundsen-Scott station, about 250 meters from the geographic South Pole, a spokesman for the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Peter West told AFP.
The plane's crew and a medical team had made the 10-hour journey to the South Pole in the middle of Antarctica's 24-hour winter on Tuesday night to reach the unidentified patients, who could not be treated on site. The NSF -- the US research agency that operates the Amundsen-Scott Station -- organized the rescue mission last week given the condition of the first patient, which was not disclosed for privacy reasons. "It was really an emergency," West said. It later became apparent that the second worker also needed to be evacuated.
The sick workers -- employees of the US company Lockheed Martin who worked on base logistics -- were then taken to the Rothera base, a British research station some 2,200 kilometers (about 1,365 miles) away, the spokesman said. The pair, who were not identified, were then to be transferred to a hospital in South America, West said, without giving further details. The Amundsen-Scott base was home to 48 people -- 39 men and nine women -- who work on-site throughout the austral winter, which spans February through October.
- Rare rescue mission -
Near the world's southernmost point, workers spend this period withstanding nearly complete darkness and dramatically low temperatures -- on Tuesday, the thermometer dropped to -60 degrees Celsius (-76 degrees Fahrenheit). It was only the third time that an emergency rescue operation has been launched in the middle of winter. In 2001, the only doctor at the Amundsen-Scott station was suffering from a life-threatening pancreatic condition and required urgent evacuation. A second medical evacuation was carried out that year.
In 1999, the US station's doctor Jerri Nielsen, who was self-treating her own breast cancer, required medical evacuation but weather conditions were more favorable, as the mission took place in the spring. The Twin Otter plane, operated by the Canadian company Kenn Borek Air, is specially designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures.
Research projects at the Amundsen-Scott station include monitoring long-term levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The station also operates two telescopes that observe "cosmic microwave background" radiation -- the faint light signature left by the Big Bang -- to study the origins of the universe, dark energy and dark matter.
Scientists warn of tourism threat to Antarctica
Tourism Antartica - 5 years ago
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2014 09:04:56 +0200 (METDST)
by Martin PARRY
SYDNEY, June 18, 2014 (AFP) - Antarctic scientists warned Wednesday that a surge in tourists visiting the frozen continent and new roads and runways built to service research facilities were threatening its fragile environment. Tourist numbers have exploded from less than 5,000 in 1990 to about 40,000 a year, according to industry figures, and most people go to the fragmented ice-free areas that make up less than one percent of Antarctica. A growing number of research facilities are also being built, along with associated infrastructure such as fuel depots and runways, in the tiny ice-free zones.
It is these areas which contain most of the continent's wildlife and plants, yet they are among the planet's least-protected, said a study led by the Australian government-funded National Environmental Research Programme (NERP) and the Australian Antarctic Division. "Many people think that Antarctica is well protected from threats to its biodiversity because it's isolated and no one lives there," said Justine Shaw from the NERP of the study published in the journal PLoS Biology. "However, we show that there are threats to Antarctic biodiversity. "Most of Antarctica is covered in ice, with less than one percent permanently ice-free," she added. "Only 1.5 percent of this ice-free area belongs to Antarctic Specially Protected Areas under the Antarctic Treaty System, yet ice-free land is where the majority of biodiversity occurs." Five of the distinct ice-free areas have no protection at all while all 55 of the continent's protected zones are close to sites of human activity.
- Fragile ecosystems -
Steven Chown of Monash University, another collaborator in the study, said the ice-free areas contain very simple ecosystems due to Antarctica's low species diversity. This makes its native wildlife and plants extremely vulnerable to invasion by outside species, which can be introduced by human activity. "Antarctica has been invaded by plants and animals, mostly grasses and insects, from other continents," he said. "The very real current and future threats from invasions are typically located close to protected areas. "Such threats to protected areas from invasive species have been demonstrated elsewhere in the world, and we find that Antarctica is, unfortunately, no exception."
The study said the current level of protection was "inadequate by any measure" with Shaw saying more was needed to guard against the threat posed by the booming tourism industry. "(We need) to protect a diverse suite of native insects, plants and seabirds, many of which occur nowhere else in the world," she said. "We also need to ensure that Antarctic protected areas are not going to be impacted by human activities, such as pollution, trampling or invasive species." Antarctica is considered one of the last frontiers for adventurous travellers. Most travel by sea, some paying in excess of US$20,000 for a luxury cabin in the peak period from November to March. There is also a healthy market for sightseeing flights.
Approximately 30 nations operate permanent research stations on the continent including the US, China, Russia, Australia, Britain, France and Argentina, and more are on the way. China's state media said in December that the country was building its fourth base and a fifth was being planned. Fellow study author Hugh Possingham, from NERP, said that without better protection "this unique and fragile ecosystem could be lost". "Although we show that the risks to biodiversity from increasing human activity are high, they are even worse when considered together with climate change," he added. "This combined effect provides even more incentive for a better system of area protection in Antarctica."
Powerful quake strikes far south Atlantic near Antarctica
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 12:27:56 +0100 (MET)
WASHINGTON, Nov 17, 2013 (AFP) - A powerful 7.8 magnitude undersea earthquake struck in the Scotia Sea, a remote region in the far south Atlantic near Antarctica, US earthquake monitors reported Sunday. The quake struck at 0904 GMT in the ocean some 893 kilometers (550 miles) southwest of Grytviken, South Georgia, and 1,140 kilometres (710 miles) southeast of Ushuaia, Argentina, said the US Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes worldwide. The epicenter was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), and was near that of a 6.8 magnitude undersea earthquake that the USGS registered in the Scotia Sea some 30 hours earlier.
The quake occurred at the boundary between the Antarctic tectonic plate and the Scotia Sea plate, said geophysicist Randy Baldwin at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado. "They're sliding past one another horizontally, it's not a subduction zone," Baldwin told AFP. "There will be aftershocks probably for weeks." There were no tsunami warnings since there were no vertical movements in the seafloor as occur in a subduction quake, when one tectonic plate moves under another one, Baldwin said. Yet despite the enormous energy unleashed the area is so remote that there is little or no impact to humans, he said. "You couldn't pick a more remote area for an earthquake," he said.
Sudan US Consular Information Sheet
Sudan is a diverse, developing country in northeastern Africa. The capital city is Khartoum. The civil war between the northern and southern regions, which began in 1 Read More Show Less
83, ended in 2005. A multi-party conflict continues in the west in Darfur, and the armed Ugandan group known as The Lord's Resistance Army is present in the south. Security conditions are adverse in these and some other regions. Transportation networks and other forms of infrastructure are poor and do not meet western standards. Even where available, water and electric services suffer frequent outages. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Sudan for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: The Government of Sudan requires all travelers to present a passport and an entry visa. Most travelers must obtain the entry visa before arrival; only American citizens who also possess a Sudanese national identification document (such as a Sudanese passport or national identification card) may apply for an entry visa at Khartoum International Airport. The Government of Sudan routinely denies visas to travelers whose passports contain visas issued by the Government of Israel or other evidence of travel to Israel such as exit or entry stamps.
Travelers must obtain an exit visa before departure from Sudan as well as pay any airport departure tax not included in the traveler's airline ticket. Visitors may obtain the latest information and further details from the Embassy of Sudan, 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel.: 202-338-8565.
Travel permits issued by the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) or by the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) are not adequate for entry to the country, although travelers may find these documents useful to present to local authorities when in the south. Personal baggage, including computers, is routinely searched upon arrival to and departure from Sudan. The authorities will seize material deemed objectionable, such as alcohol or pornography, and may detain or arrest the traveler. Travelers intending to bring electronic items should inquire about entry requirements when they apply for a visa; restrictions apply to many devices, including video cameras, satellite phones, facsimile machines, televisions, and telephones. Travelers are not allowed to depart Sudan with ivory, some other animal products, or large quantities of gold.
All visitors must register with the authorities within three days of arrival. Travelers must register within 72 hours of arrival in Sudan at the Ministry of Interior. All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in Khartoum. This applies to all travel, including private, commercial, and humanitarian activities. Americans risk detention by Sudanese authorities when traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum without a travel permit issued by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Travelers must register again with the police within 24 hours of arrival. The government requires a separate travel permit for travel to Darfur. These regulations are strictly enforced and even travelers with proper documentation may expect delay or temporary detention from the security forces, especially outside the capital. Authorities expect travelers to strictly respect roadblocks and other checkpoints.
Travelers who wish to take any photographs must obtain a photography permit from the Government of Sudan, Ministry of Interior, Department of Aliens.
On January 1, 2008, unknown assailants shot and killed two U.S. Embassy employees - an American USAID officer and a Sudanese national driver. Terrorists are known to operate in Sudan and continue to seek opportunities to carry out attacks against U.S. interests. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, or kidnappings. U.S. citizens should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, which include tourist sites and locations where westerners are known to congregate, and commercial operations associated with U.S. or Western interests. Terrorists are known to have targeted both official facilities and residential compounds. Anti-American sentiment is prevalent and Americans should exercise utmost caution at all times.
The U.S. Embassy's ability to provide consular services in Sudan, including emergency assistance, is severely limited. Many areas outside the capital of Khartoum are extremely difficult to access.
Travel in many parts of Sudan is hazardous. Outside the major cities infrastructure is extremely poor, medical care is limited, and very few facilities for tourists exist.
Conflict among various armed groups and government forces continues in western Sudan, in the states of North Darfur, South Darfur, and West Darfur. Banditry and lawlessness are also common in the west. Many local residents are in camps for internally-displaced persons, and receive humanitarian assistance for basic needs such as food, water, and shelter. Expatriate humanitarian workers have been the targets of carjackings and burglaries.
Land mines remain a major hazard in southern Sudan, especially south of the city of Juba. Visitors should travel only on main roads unless a competent de-mining authority such as the UN has marked an area as clear of mines. The armed Ugandan group known as The Lord's Resistance Army is present along the southern border and reportedly has announced it will target Americans.
Occasional clashes between armed groups representing communal interests continue to occur in the centrally-located states of Upper Nile, Blue Nile, and Bahr al Ghazal. Banditry also occurs.
Sudan shares porous land borders with nine other countries, including Chad, the Central African Republic, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Conflict in these countries occasionally spills over into Sudan.
Americans considering sea travel in Sudan's coastal waters should exercise caution as there have been incidents of armed attacks and robberies by unknown groups in recent years, including one involving two American vessels. Exercise extreme caution, as these groups are considered armed and dangerous. When transiting in and around the Horn of Africa and/or in the Red Sea near Yemen, it is strongly recommended that vessels convoy in groups and maintain good communications contact at all times. Marine channels 13 and 16 VHF-FM are international call-up and emergency channels, and are commonly monitored by ships at sea. 2182 Mhz is the HF international call-up and emergency channel. Wherever possible, travel in trafficked sea-lanes. Avoid loitering in or transiting isolated or remote areas. In case of emergency, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. In the event of an attack, consider activating Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs' web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME: Crime is on the increase throughout Sudan. Additional security measures should be taken at places of residence to protect life and property. Anti-American sentiments can be found throughout the country. Americans should exercise caution by avoiding crowded public areas and public gatherings. Americans should avoid traveling alone. Report all instances of anti-American acts and crime targeting westerners to the American Embassy, and report incidents of crime to the Sudanese Police.
Americans should guard their backpacks or hand luggage. When traveling by air, travelers should maintain constant contact with their baggage and assure that they do not contain illicit items, such as alcohol or military ordinance. Americans have been removed from international airlines and detained when suspect items have been detected in checked baggage.
Carjacking and armed robbery continue to occur in western and southern Sudan. Sexual assault is more prevalent in the areas of armed conflict. Travelers who do not use the services of reputable travel firms or knowledgeable guides or drivers are especially at risk. Travel outside of Khartoum should be undertaken with a minimum of two vehicles so that there is a backup in case of mechanical failure or other emergency. Solo camping is always risky.
The Sudanese mail system can be unreliable. International couriers provide the safest means of shipping envelopes and packages, although anything of value should be insured.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Individuals with medical conditions which may require treatment are discouraged from traveling to Sudan. Medical facilities in Khartoum fall short of U.S. standards; outside the capital, very few facilities exist and hospitals and clinics are poorly equipped. Travelers must pay cash in advance for any medical treatment. Ambulance services are not available. Medicines are available only intermittently; travelers should bring sufficient supplies of needed medicines in clearly-marked containers.
Malaria is prevalent in all areas of Sudan. The strain is resistant to chloroquine and can be fatal. Consult a health practitioner before traveling, obtain suitable anti-malarial drugs, and use protective measures, such as insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito nets. Travelers who become ill with a fever or a flu-like illness while in Sudan, or within a year after departure, should promptly seek medical care and inform their physician of their travel history and the kind of anti-malarial drugs used. For additional information about malaria and anti-malarial drugs please see the Center for Disease Control travelers' health web site, http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/index.htm.
Officially, people with HIV are not granted a visa and are not permitted to enter Sudan. A negative HIV test result must be presented at a Sudanese embassy or at Khartoum airport in order to obtain a visa. However, anecdotal reports indicate this requirement is not enforced in practice. Please confirm this requirement with the Embassy of Sudan at www.sudanembassy.org.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Sudan is provided for general reference only, and may not be accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Road conditions throughout Sudan are hazardous due to erratic driver behavior, pedestrians and animals in the roadways, and the lack of basic safety equipment on many vehicles. Only major highways and some streets in the cities are paved; many roads are narrow, rutted, and poorly maintained. Local drivers do not observe conventions for the right-of-way, stop in the road without warning, and frequently exceed safe speeds for road, traffic, and weather conditions. Driving at night is dangerous and should be avoided if possible; many vehicles operate without lights.
In the north and west, dust storms and sand storms, known locally as haboobs, greatly reduce visibility when they occur. Roads in these areas can be quickly covered with shifting sand at any season of the year. Roads in southern Sudan often are impassable during the rainy season, from March to October.
U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling, including traffic laws. In Sudan vehicles have the steering wheel on the left side and drivers use the right side of the road.
Traffic from side streets on the right has the right-of-way when entering a cross street, including fast-moving main streets. Traffic on the right has the right-of-way at stops. Right turns on a red light are prohibited. Speed limits are not posted, but the legal speed limit for passenger cars on inter-city highways is 120 kph (about 70 mph), while in most urban areas the limit is 60 kph (about 35 mph.) The speed limit in congested areas and school zones is 40 kph (about 25 mph).
Many local drivers carry no insurance despite the legal requirement that all motor vehicle operators purchase third-party liability insurance from the government. Persons involved in an accident resulting in death or injury must report the incident to the nearest police station or police officer as soon as possible. Persons found at fault can expect fines, revocation of driving privileges, and jail sentences, depending on the nature and extent of the accident. Persons convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol face fines, jail sentences, and corporal punishment.
Americans may use their U.S. driver's licenses for up to 90 days after arrival in Sudan, and then must carry either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Sudanese driver's license. There are no restrictions on vehicle types, including motorcycles and motorized tricycles.
Public transportation is limited to within and between major urban areas. Passenger facilities are basic and crowded, especially during rush hours and periods of seasonal travel. Schedules are unpublished and subject to change without notice. Vehicle maintenance does not meet U.S. standards. There is routine passenger train service on the route from Khartoum to Wadi Halfa (on the border with Egypt) and to Port Sudan (on the Red Sea.) Bus service between major cities is regular and inexpensive. Intra-city bus service in the major urban areas is regular, but most buses and bus stops are privately-operated and unmarked. Taxis are available in the major cities at hotels, tourist sites, and government offices. The motorized rickshaws in common use in Khartoum are unsafe. Travelers are encouraged to hire cars and drivers from reputable sources with qualified drivers and safe vehicles. Irregularly-scheduled mini-buses provide some public transit to rural communities; many areas lack any public transportation.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Sudan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.
Enforcement of aviation safety standards in Sudan is uneven; civil aviation in Sudan continues to experience air incidents and accidents, including 5 crashes with at least 64 fatalities between November 8, 2007, and June 30, 2008. Incidents included engine failures, collapsed landing gear, and planes veering off the runway. Whenever possible, Americans traveling to Sudan despite the ongoing travel warning are advised to travel directly to their destinations on international carriers from countries whose civil aviation authorities meet international aviation safety standards for the oversight of their air carrier operations under the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program. Adverse seasonal weather conditions, such as dust or sand storms in the north between April and June and severe rain storms in the south between March and October, cause frequent flight cancellations.
Two hijackings originated in Sudan in 2007; no passengers were harmed.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: In November 1997, the U.S. imposed comprehensive financial and commercial sanctions against Sudan, prohibiting U.S. transactions with Sudan. Travelers intending to visit Sudan despite the Travel Warning should contact the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Office of Compliance, telephone 1-800-540-6322 or 202-622-2490, regarding the effect of these sanctions.
Travelers must be prepared to pay cash for all purchases, including hotel bills, airfares purchased locally, and all other travel expenses. Major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, cannot be used in Sudan due to U.S. sanctions. Sudan has no international ATMs. Local ATMs draw on local banks only.
Travelers, including journalists, must obtain a photography permit before taking any photographs. Even with a photography permit, photographing military areas, bridges, drainage stations, broadcast stations, public utilities, slum areas, and beggars is prohibited.
Sudan is a conservative society, particularly in the capital and other areas where the Muslim population is the majority. Alcohol is prohibited by law and modest dress is expected. Loose, long-sleeved shirts and full-length skirts or slacks are recommended attire for women visitors. Women who are not Muslim are not expected or required to cover their heads. Men may wear short-sleeved shirts but short pants are not acceptable in public.
Please see our information on Customs Information.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Sudanese laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in alcohol or illegal drugs in Sudan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States as well in Sudan.
Sudan's Public Order Courts have continued to serve as the state mechanism for morality enforcement since the early 1980's. Today the court still issues punishments ranging from fines, to lashings, to lengthy prison sentences for offences such as drinking alcohol, wearing inappropriate clothing, or associating with unmarried women.
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children's Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
Americans living or traveling in Sudan are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Sudan. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at Sharia Ali Abdel Latif, Khartoum, Sudan; tel: 249 1 83 774-701, http://sudan.usembassy.gov/.
This replaces the Country Specific Information dated March 12, 2008, to update sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Medical Facilities and Health Information, Aviation Safety Oversight, and Criminal Penalties.
Major concern as Ebola case reported near South Sudan border
Disease Ebola Virus Sudan - 14 days ago
Juba, July 3, 2019 (AFP) - South Sudan has stepped up surveillance along its porous southern border after an Ebola case was detected just inside DR Congo, an health official in Juba told AFP Wednesday. The case of the deadly virus was confirmed in Ariwara, in Congo's north-eastern Ituri province, just 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the frontier with Yei River State in South Sudan.
It is the closest Ebola is known to have come to South Sudan since a major outbreak began in Congo last August. Dr Pinyi Nyimol, the director general of South Sudan's Disease Control and Emergency Response Centre, said a team of reinforcements had been sent to the region to bolster surveillance after the case was confirmed. "We are very worried because it is coming nearer, and people are on the move so contact (with Ebola) could cross to South Sudan," he told AFP.
South Sudan has already declared a state of high alert and vaccinated health workers. There are screening centres at border crossings in high-risk areas and an Ebola treatment unit and laboratory in the capital Juba, Nyimol said. But the world's youngest country is considered particularly vulnerable to the notorious virus.
Years of ruinous civil war have left its health system in tatters. The border with the Democratic Republic of Congo has many unofficial crossing points, posing challenges for detection. Fighting in and around Yei River State since September has also driven nearly 20,000 civilians into DR Congo and Uganda, both countries that have detected Ebola.
The outbreak in the eastern Congo provinces of North Kivu and Ituri has already claimed more than 1,500 lives since August. Two people also died in Uganda in June after a family returned from eastern Congo where they buried an Ebola-stricken relative. Ebola spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person, or objects contaminated by such fluids.
Authorities in US warns citizens to take shelter in Sudan
Disturbances Sudan - 1 month ago
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2019 23:49:47 +0200
Washington, June 5, 2019 (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday warned its citizens in Sudan to exercise "extreme caution" and prepare to leave the country as the death toll in a crackdown on protests topped 100. The United States had already in April warned its citizens against non-essential travel and ordered the departure of all but vital US embassy personnel as demonstrations swelled in the capital Khartoum.
Updating its guidance after the army forcibly ended protests, the United States said that the embassy was closed to the public and that US citizens still present should "make plans to leave Sudan." "Shelter in place at home or another safe location," the State Department said. "Exercise extreme caution if you must go outside."
Protesters, led by students and ordinary residents alarmed by the cost of living, have staged months of demonstrations that led to the army sacking veteran leader Omar al-Bashir in April. The protesters kept up their sit-in, urging a transition to civilian rule, but Sudanese forces this week forcibly dispersed them, prompting strong condemnation by Western nations.
Population in Sudan braces for strike as protesters pile on pressure
Disturbances Sudan - 2 months ago
Date: Tue, 28 May 2019 04:55:43 +0200
By Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali and Aziz EL Massassi
Khartoum, May 28, 2019 (AFP) - Sudan is bracing for a two-day nationwide strike from Tuesday called by protesters to pile pressure on the military to hand power to a civilian administration as talks remain deadlocked. Leaders of the umbrella protest movement, the Alliance for Freedom and Change, and army generals who seized power after ousting president Omar al-Bashir last month, have so far failed to iron out differences over who should lead a new governing body -- a civilian or soldier. The new governing body is expected to install a transitional civilian government, which in turn would prepare for the first post-Bashir elections after a three-year interim period ends.
In a bid to step up pressure on the generals, the protest movement has called for a two-day general strike starting on Tuesday. "The response to the call for a strike has been better than we expected," said Siddiq Farukh, a leader of the protest movement. "The two-day strike aims to deliver a message to the whole world that the Sudanese people want a real change and they don't want the power to be with the military," he told AFP. Protest leader Wajdi Saleh told reporters late Monday that there was "still no breakthrough" in negotiations but the protest movement was ready to negotiate if the generals offer fresh talks.
Saleh did not rule out an "indefinite strike" at a later date if the deadlock continues. "But we hope that we reach an agreement with the military council and won't have to go on an indefinite strike," he said. Protest leaders said medics, lawyers, prosecutors, employees in the electricity and water sectors, public transport, railways, telecommunication and civil aviation were set to participate in the strike. They said that the strike in the telecommunication and aviation sectors will not affect operations. But the protest movement's plan has been dealt a blow after a key member, the National Umma Party, said it opposed the strike plan as there had been no unanimous decision over it. "We have to avoid such escalated measures that are not fully agreed," the party said on Sunday.
- 'Let the people decide' -
Umma and its chief Sadiq al-Mahdi have for decades been the main opponents of Bashir's iron-fisted rule. The party threw its weight behind the protest movement after nationwide demonstrations erupted against him in December. Mahdi's elected government was toppled by Bashir in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. In a recent interview with AFP, Mahdi warned protesters not to "provoke" the army rulers as they had been instrumental in Bashir's removal. Protester Hazar Mustafa said a civilian government was the only solution to Sudan's problems. "We see the military council as part of the former regime. We don't see it upholding any rights and building a just state," she said. The army ousted Bashir after tens of thousands of protesters camped outside military headquarters from April 6 demanding an end to his autocratic rule. Five days later the generals removed Bashir and since then have resisted calls from protesters and Western powers to hand over power to a civilian administration.
- Regional backing -
Thousands of protesters remain camped outside the army complex round-the-clock, demanding the generals step down. Ahead of the strike, the chief of the ruling military council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have been touring Khartoum's regional allies Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The oil-rich Gulf states Saudi Arabia and the UAE along with Egypt are seen backing the generals even as the United States leads Western calls to swiftly establish civilian rule in the country. Talks between the generals and protest leaders remain deadlocked. Protest leaders insist a civilian must head the new sovereign council and that civilians should make up the majority of its members, proposals rejected by the ruling generals. Before suspending talks on May 20, the two sides had agreed on several key issues, including the three-year transition and the creation of a 300-member parliament, with two thirds of lawmakers coming from the protesters' umbrella group.
Sudan protesters plan general strike as talks falter
Strikes Sudan - 2 months ago
Khartoum, May 21, 2019 (AFP) - Sudanese protest leaders called on their supporters Tuesday to prepare for a general strike after talks with the country's military rulers stalled on who will lead an agreed three-year transition. Protest leaders had reached agreement with the ruling military council on the other main aspects of the transition. But early on Tuesday, the generals who overthrew veteran president Omar al-Bashir last month baulked at protesters' demands for a civilian head and a civilian majority for an agreed new sovereign council to lead the transition.
"In order to achieve a full victory, we are calling for a huge participation in a general political strike," said the Sudanese Professionals Association, which took the lead in organising the four months of nationwide protests that led to Bashir's ouster. "The strike is our revolutionary duty and the participation in the sit-in ... is a crucial guarantee to achieve the goals of the revolution."
Protest leader Madani Abbas Madani told AFP the preparations for a "general political strike and civil disobedience" were already under way. "Whenever we will decide on applying these plans, we will make an announcement," said Madani, a prominent leader of protest umbrella group the Alliance for Freedom and Change. The two sides launched what had been billed as a final round of talks on the transition late on Sunday.
The military council has faced pressure from Western government and the African Union to agree to a civilian-led transition -- the central demand of the thousands of demonstrators who have spent weeks camped outside army headquarters in Khartoum. When talks broke up early on Tuesday, neither side said when they would resume.
Protest leader Siddiq Yousef told reporters they had been suspended. "The main point of dispute that remains is concerning the share of representatives of the military and the civilians in the council and who will be the head of the new body," the two sides said in a joint statement. The military council has been pushing for its chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to head the new sovereign council but protest leaders want a civilian.
Sudan protest leaders threaten strike unless demands met
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:11:55 +0200
Khartoum, April 24, 2019 (AFP) - Protest leaders in Sudan threatened Wednesday to launch a "general strike" unless the country's military rulers meet their demand to hand power to a civilian administration. Responding to a journalist's question on what steps demonstrators would take if the ruling military council fails to cede power, protest leader Siddiq Farouk threatened "escalatory measures". "We will launch a million-strong march, and we are preparing for a general strike," he said.
Djibouti - US Consular Information Sheet
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Djibouti is a developing African country located on the Gulf of Aden. It is a multi-party democracy with a legal system based on French civil law (Djibouti was a Fr Read More Show Less
nch colony until 1977), though modified by traditional practices and Islamic (Sharia) law. Although exact statistics are unavailable, unemployment is estimated in excess of 50% of the working-age population. About two-thirds of the country's 650,000 residents live in the capital, also called Djibouti. Modern tourist facilities and communications links are limited in the city of Djibouti and are virtually non-existent outside the capital. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Djibouti for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport, visa, and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required. Travelers may obtain the latest information on entry requirements from the Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti, 1156 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005, telephone (202) 331-0270, or at the Djibouti Mission to the United Nations, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 4011, New York, N.Y. 10017, telephone (212) 753-3163. Overseas, inquiries may be made at the nearest Djiboutian embassy or consulate. In countries where there is no Djiboutian diplomatic representation, travelers may sometimes obtain visas at the French Embassy. See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on Djibouti and other countries. Visit the Embassy of Djibouti web site at www.embassy.org/embassies/dj.html for the most current visa information.
American journalists or any American connected with the media must contact the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs section prior to travel to facilitate entry into Djibouti. If you are unclear whether this applies to you, please contact the U.S. Embassy for more information.
See Entry and Exit Requirements for more information pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction . Please refer to our Customs Information to learn more about customs regulations
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Djibouti enjoys a stable political climate. However, its international borders are porous and lightly patrolled. In particular, Somalia, Djibouti's neighbor to the south, is considered by many to be a haven for terrorists and other insurgent elements. In addition, tensions exist between neighboring Ethiopia and Eritrea due to the unsettled nature of their long-running border dispute. Civil unrest or armed conflict in neighboring countries could disrupt air travel to and from Djibouti or otherwise negatively affect its security situation.
Terrorism continues to pose a threat in East Africa. U.S. citizens should be aware of the potential for indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, including tourist sites and other sites where Westerners are known to congregate.
Travelers should exercise caution when traveling to any remote area of the country, including the borders with Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Djiboutian security forces do not have a widespread presence in those regions. In recent years, acts of sabotage have occurred along the Djibouti-Ethiopia railway. Although Americans were not specifically targeted in any of these attacks, U.S. citizens should exercise caution.
Demonstrations have become more frequent due to the recent increase in energy prices. Americans are advised to avoid all demonstrations as they may become violent.
Americans considering seaborne travel around Djibouti's coastal waters should exercise extreme caution, as there have been several recent incidents of armed attacks and robberies at sea by unknown groups. These groups are considered armed and dangerous. When transiting in and around the Horn of Africa and/or the Red Sea near Yemen, it is strongly recommended that vessels convoy in groups and maintain good communications contact at all times. Marine channels 13 and 16 VHF-FM are international call-up and emergency channels and are commonly monitored by ships at sea. 2182 Mhz is the HF international call-up and emergency channel. In the Gulf of Aden, transit routes farther offshore reduce, but do not eliminate, the risk of contact with suspected assailants. Wherever possible, travel in trafficked sea-lanes. Avoid loitering in or transiting isolated or remote areas. In the event of an attack, consider activating the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons. Due to distances involved, there may be a considerable delay before assistance arrives. Vessels may also contact the Yemeni Coast Guard 24-hour Operations Center at 967 1 562-402. Operations Center staff members speak English.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times for readily available proof of identity and U.S. citizenship if questioned by local officials. Police occasionally stop travelers on the main roads leading out of the capital to check identity documents.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement , Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad .
CRIME: Accurate crime statistics are not available, but crime appears to be on the rise. Petty thefts and pickpockets are common, and a few home invasions have been reported. Major crimes involving foreigners are rare, but are increasing in frequency. In the past year the number of murders has increased in Djibouti, involving mainly Djiboutian and third country nationals (TCNs). This increase in crime is possibly linked to declining economic conditions and a deepening resentment toward the increasing number of TCN workers brought in to assist with major construction projects in Djibouti.
See our information on Victims of Crime .
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Adequate medical facilities in the capital of Djibouti are limited and medicines are often unavailable. Medicines that are available are extremely expensive. Medical services in some outlying areas may be completely nonexistent. Motorists especially should be aware that in case of an accident outside the capital, emergency medical treatment would depend almost exclusively on passersby. In addition, cell phone coverage in outlying areas is often unavailable, making it impossible to summon help.
Malaria and dengue fever are prevalent in Djibouti. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what anti-malarial drugs they have been taking.
In 2005, polio was found in all of Djibouti's neighbors (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen) and health professionals strongly suspect it is present in Djibouti. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all infants and children in the United States should receive four doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) at 2, 4, and 6-18 months and 4-6 years of age. Adults who are traveling to polio-endemic and epidemic areas and who have received a primary series with either IPV or oral polio vaccine should receive another dose of IPV. For adults, available data does not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV.
In May 2006, avian influenza was confirmed in three chickens and one human in Djibouti. For more information about this illness, see the Department of State's Avian Flu Fact Sheet .
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's internet site at . For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at . Further health information for travelers is available at .
MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas .
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Djibouti is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
The Djiboutian Ministry of Defense and the national police force share responsibility for road safety in Djibouti. While Djibouti has been declared a "mine-safe" country, this indicates landmines have been identified and marked, not that they have been removed. Landmines are known to be present in the northern districts of Tadjoureh and Obock. In addition, there may be mines in the Ali Sabieh district in the south. Travelers should stay on paved roads and should check with local authorities before using unpaved roads.
The two main international routes to the capital city via Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, and Yoboki, Djibouti, are both in poor condition due to heavy truck traffic, whose presence demands that drivers remain vigilant. Major roads outside the capital are paved but lack guardrails. Railroad crossings are often not clearly marked.
Roads are often narrow, poorly maintained, and poorly lit. Drivers and pedestrians should exercise extreme caution. Excessive speed, unpredictable local driving habits, pedestrians and livestock in the roadway, and the lack of basic safety equipment on many vehicles are daily hazards. Speed limits are posted occasionally but are not enforced. The leafy narcotic khat is widely used, particularly in the afternoons, creating another traffic hazard. Travelers should be aware that police set up wire coils as roadblocks on some of the major roads, and these may be difficult to see at night.
The only means of public inter-city travel is by bus. Buses are poorly maintained and their operators often drive erratically with little regard for passenger safety.
Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the web site of Djibouti's national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at .
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service between the United States and Djibouti, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Djibouti's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's Internet website at .
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Although the narcotic khat is legal and widely chewed in Djibouti, it is considered an illegal substance in many countries, including the United States.
Djiboutians are generally conservative in dress and manner, especially in rural areas.
Photography of public infrastructure (including, but not limited to, public buildings, seaports, the airport, bridges, military facilities or personnel) is not allowed in Djibouti. Use extreme caution when photographing anyone or anything near prohibited areas. Photographic equipment will be confiscated, and the photographer may be arrested.
Djibouti is a cash-based economy and credit cards are not widely accepted. Reliable automated teller machines (ATMs) are not available. Changing money on the street is legal, but be aware of possible scams as well as personal safety considerations if people observe you carrying large amounts of cash. The exchange rate on the street will be similar to that at a bank or hotel. It is important that the U.S. banknotes that you carry have a date of 2003 or newer because some currency exchanges will not accept U.S. paper money older than 2003.
Djiboutian customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Djibouti of firearms. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Djibouti in Washington, D.C., for specific information regarding customs requirements.
Please see our information on Customs Information .
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Djiboutian law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Djibouti are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties .
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children's Issues website.
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Djibouti are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Djibouti. Americans withoutInternet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti City. The mailing address is Ambassade Americaine, B.P. 185, Djibouti, Republique de Djibouti. The telephone number is (253) 35-39-95. The fax number is (253) 35-39-40. Normal working hours are Sunday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated November 2, 2005, to update sections on Safety and Security, Crime, Medical Facilities and Health Information, Special Circumstances, and Registration/Embassy Location.
Djibouti ruling party claims landslide parliamentary win
Miscellaneous Djibouti - 1 year ago
Djibouti, Feb 26, 2018 (AFP) - President Ismael Omar Guelleh's ruling party claimed a resounding victory in Friday's parliamentary elections in Djibouti, taking nearly 90 percent of seats after the opposition largely boycotted the poll. Mohamed Abdallah Mahyoub, a senior member of Guelleh's UMP party and campaign spokesman, told AFP late Sunday the party had won 58 out of 65 parliamentary seats, an increase of three since the last vote in 2013. There was no immediate figure for turnout among the tiny Horn of Africa nation's 194,000 registered voters. Guelleh has ruled Djibouti since 1999 and was last re-elected in 2016 with 87 percent of the vote.
The UMP's victory has helped by the badly-divided opposition with two parties -- MRD and RADDE and a faction of a third party, ARD -- refusing to put forward any candidates, saying the elections would neither be fair nor transparent while others accused the election commission of bias. The UMP claimed every seat outside of the capital and all but seven seats in Djibouti city with the remainder going to the UDJ party. The law stipulates that 25 percent of seats must go to women, an increase from just 10 percent in the outgoing parliament. According to Mahyoub, this threshold was nearly met as 15 women won parliamentary seats, 14 of them from the UMP.
Drought and malnourishment across Djibouti
Famine Djibouti - 5 years ago
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 16:56:37 +0200 (METDST)
GENEVA, June 12, 2014 (AFP) - Nearly a quarter of the population in drought-hit Djibouti is in desperate need of aid, with malnutrition and a dramatic lack of water causing a mass exodus from rural areas, the UN said on Thursday. "Persistent and recurring droughts have resulted in a general lack of water for both people and livestock," said the UN's Djibouti coordinator Robert Watkins. The crisis, which has dragged on since 2010, has left a full 190,000 of the country's 850,000 residents in need of humanitarian assistance. They include 27,500 refugees, mainly from neighbouring Somalia, Watkins told reporters in Geneva.
Yet the crisis in Djibouti has received little international attention, with a UN appeal for aid last year reaching only a third of its target -- the lowest level of funding for any such appeal worldwide. The appeal comes amid warnings from Britain on Thursday that Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents were planning further attacks in the tiny and traditionally tranquil Horn of Africa country. Shebab suicide bombers hit a crowded restaurant in Djibouti last month, killing at least one, in an attack apparently linked to the country's participation in the African Union force in Somalia. Djibouti's port also serves as a key base for international anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast.
Watkins also said on Thursday that some 60,000 migrants -- most of them Ethiopians trying to reach the Gulf for work -- were also in need of aid inside Djibouti. Last year alone, 100,000 passed through the country, he said. Most migrants come on foot, staggering alongside the roads in the extreme heat. "Many die from dehydration," he said. Foreigners are not the only ones on the move in the country, where most people still live off livestock which have been hard-hit by the drought. "There has been a huge exodus of people living in rural areas," Watkins said, adding that the population in the capital Djibouti City had more than doubled since 2010, now home to 85 percent of the population.
Nationwide, a full 18 percent of the population is considered acutely malnourished, rising to 26 percent in some areas -- well above the 15-percent emergency threshold, Watkins said. Sixty percent of the country's population was also suffering from diarrhoeal diseases, he said. Watkins said he hoped the lack of interest from funders would change, pointing out that a new appeal last month for $74 million (55 million euros) was already 13 percent funded, with contributions from the United States, the EU and Japan among others.
Nearly half a million Arabs said to be infected with HIV
Disease AIDS Djibouti - 7 years ago
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:20:54 +0100 (MET)
RIYADH, Nov 26, 2012 (AFP) - The United Nations said on Monday that the number of people in Arab countries infected with HIV more than doubled to 470,000 in the eight years to 2009. "The number of adults and children living with HIV has more than doubled between 2001 and 2009 from 180,000 to 470,000," according to data from UNAIDS, the UN programme on HIV and AIDS. New HIV infections increased from 43,000 in 2001 to 59,000 in 2009, it said at a meeting in Riyadh on combatting AIDS, organised by the Arab League and the Saudi government. The number of deaths from AIDS also surged from about 8,000 in 2001 to 24,000 in 2009.
In Djibouti and Somalia, the percentage of infected people represents 2.5 percent and 0.7 percent of the countries' respective populations. "These figures are very worrying and need an immediate response," it said in an Arabic-language statement. The figures appear in contrast with the global trend. UNAIDS said last week that 25 low- and middle-income countries had managed to at least halve their rate of new HIV infections since 2001, representing a reduction of 700,000 new HIV infections. Globally, new HIV infections fell to 2.5 million last year from 2.6 million in 2010 and represented a 20-percent drop from 2001, it said.
Update on Cholera in Djibouti with 127 new cases in November
Disease Cholera Djibouti - 8 years ago
Date: Wed 23 Nov 2011
Source: IC Publications [edited]
<http://www.africasia.com/services/news_africa/article.php?ID=CNG.9bdd1d5b82f023fa74048f611ee23327.701>
Authorities in Djibouti have reported a serious outbreak of a potentially fatal diarrhea infection in the capital [Djibouti], with 2 deaths since October 2011 and 127 new cases this month [November 2011], the WHO said on Tuesday [22 Nov 2011]. WHO said 5000 cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) have already been reported this year [2011] compared to 2000 in the Red Sea port in 2010.
Poor hygiene and sanitation along with recent rainfall in some areas had led to the contamination of already limited and unsafe water supplies, according to the UN health agency, which said the drought in the Horn of Africa had exacerbated the situation.
"The effects of the recurring drought on several parts of Djibouti and neighbouring countries have resulted in a malnourished, poorer and more vulnerable population," a WHO statement said. [WHO] is working with the Djibouti ministry of health to train health workers and set up treatment centres.
Thousands hit by diarrhoea outbreak in Djibouti
Disease Diarrhoea Djibouti - 8 years ago
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:16:01 +0100 (MET)
GENEVA, Nov 22, 2011 (AFP) - Authorities in Djibouti have reported a serious outbreak of a potentially fatal diarrhoea infection in the capital, with two deaths since October and 127 new cases this month, the WHO said on Tuesday. The World Health Organization said 5,000 cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) have already been reported this year compared to 2,000 in the Red Sea port in 2010.
Poor hygiene and sanitation along with recent rainfall in some areas had led to the contamination of already limited and unsafe water supplies, according to the UN health agency, which said the drought in the Horn of Africa had exacerbated the situation. "The effects of the recurring drought on several parts of Djibouti and neighbouring countries have resulted in a malnourished, poorer and more vulnerable population," a WHO statement said. The body is working with the Djibouti ministry of health to train health workers and set up treatment centres.
Last week the UN rights agency reported an outbreak of cholera among Somali refugees in Kenya's huge Dadaab refugee camp, with one death. The WHO said on Tuesday that all five camps were affected by AWD but no cases had been reported in Kenya outside the camps. AWD is rife in south central Somalia where more than 53,000 cases were reported this year, resulting in 795 deaths, the agency said.
New deaths from West Nile reported in Serbia
Disease West Nile Virus Serbia - 11 months ago
Source: DW [edited]
<https://www.dw.com/en/west-nile-virus-claims-more-lives-in-serbia-and-eu/a-45270444>
Health officials in Serbia have reported new deaths from West Nile virus, where over 200 people are confirmed to be infected. The disease has also claimed lives in several EU countries.
Serbian authorities announced on Wednesday [29 Aug 2018] that 6 people have died after being infected by the West Nile virus last week, bringing the current death toll to 21. Serbia, with 213 infected cases, is the European country worst-hit by the disease.
At the same time, Greece reported 5 deaths due to the West Nile virus during the past week. The overall toll now stands at 16, with 130 registered cases of infection.
At least 9 people have died from the disease in Italy and another 6 people in Romania. Two fatalities have also been reported in Kosovo.
The exact number of cases is likely much larger, as humans infected with the mosquito-borne virus typically show no signs of disease and require no treatment. Only about 20 percent of those infected exhibit symptoms similar to influenza, such as fever, headaches, fatigue and swelling of the lymph nodes. Less than one percent of patients develop encephalitis or meningitis, which could potentially lead to death.
The virus has been present in Serbia since 2012, according to infectious disease specialist Dragan Delic, as cited by the Serbian daily Blic. He warned that global warming is likely to boost the spread of other tropical diseases into new areas, including "malaria and dengue fever."
Health experts believe the West Nile virus expanded its foothold in Europe through migratory birds. While there is no vaccine for it, doctors say the risk of infection can be managed by using protection from mosquito bites.
[WNV activity has been higher than in previous years, with cases reported from many countries, and Serbia has reported 213 cases to date according to the ECDC update in section [1] above.
Vector control and community mobilization, awareness, and support are the key steps to controlling disease transmission for WNV, as with other vector borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya - ProMED Mod.UBA]
[HealthMap/ProMED maps available at:
Serbia: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/79>
Europe: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/6010>]
'Yugonostalgia' drives iconic Yugo car tours
Tourism Serbia - 1 year ago
By Katarina SUBASIC
Belgrade, June 18, 2018 (AFP) - "Join us comrade!" tourists are warmly greeted, as they climb into a vintage car that is no longer produced for a visit back in time to a country that no longer exists. As a symbol of the former Yugoslavia, the Yugo car is back in vogue on Belgrade's streets. Like in other places once stranded behind the detested Iron Curtain, the Serbian capital has found a unique way to cater for a surge in interest and even nostalgia for life under communism.
On a three-hour tour, visitors see some of Yugoslavia's most significant sites, seated in one of the once ubiquitous Yugos, ending up at the Museum of History of Yugoslavia which holds dictator Josip Broz Tito's mausoleum. "People come to experience rides in an iconic car and it is something they cannot experience anywhere else in the world actually," Jovana Stojiljkovic, who manages the Yugotour travel agency, told AFP. The last Yugo cars were produced a decade ago, but, says Stojiljkovic, they are still a hit among tourists for the "Rise and Fall of a Nation" tour, on which most clients are foreigners. "It's something similar to a Trabant (East German car) tour in Berlin," she says.
- Made in Yugoslavia -
For vintage car aficionados, Belgrade has a lot to offer, with sightings of American Chryslers or Ford limousines not uncommon. And for the handful of "Made in Yugoslavia" makes of car, thousands still rumble around on Balkans roads more than 25 years after Yugoslavia's collapse. As well as the Yugo, the small Fica and Zastava 101, all produced at the Zastava plant in the central town of Kragujevac, were the pride of communist Yugoslavia.
They were highly popular due to their low price. But the Yugo car was also often the butt of jokes over its design and unreliability. It even appeared in the 1995 Hollywood blockbuster "Die Hard With a Vengeance" with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. Now it is tourists from all over the world climbing into the Yugos, which in their heyday were exported from Yugoslavia to 74 countries, including Egypt, India and even the United States. Described by the communist authorities as the "deal of the century" for the US market, the Yugo had only limited success there, however.
- 'View of history' -
When Stojiljkovic was born in 1992, Yugoslavia had already fallen apart in a series of bloody wars and most of its republics were already independent states. But by the age of 25, she had launched a career in preserving the memory of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) and telling its story, coinciding with a wave of "Yugonostalgia" among some for a period viewed as having enjoyed peace and relative prosperity before the onset of the conflicts. Dennis Bertelsen, a 38-year-old Dane on a weekend visit to the city, was among the hundreds of thousands of tourists descending on Belgrade -- it hosted one million last year, 835,000 of whom were from abroad, according to
official figures.
With his three friends, he said he took the tour "to get a view of the history and what actually had been the development and downfall of Yugoslavia". The itinerary includes passing by the famous Hotel Jugoslavija on the Danube river bank, one of the country's most luxurious at the time. Guests included US presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter as well as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. The hotel has been out of service since it was hit in a 1999 NATO bombing campaign to force the then Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his troops from Kosovo but the building still has a mythical status.
- 'Commercialisation' -
Polish student Dominik Wojciechowski came across the tour while researching the Fica car for his photo-art project on so-called Yugonostalgia, a feeling still present in all the countries that emerged after Yugoslavia's collapse, although much less in Croatia where a national sense of being Croat is ultra dominant.
"I am interested in this process of commercialisation of Yugonostalgia and how people today are trying to preserve knowledge of Yugoslavia, while the older generation even (attempts) to return to these times," the 25-year-old said. For him, the most impressive part of the tour was a 30-floor twin tower called Genex, or Western Gates of Belgrade, still among the tallest in the city. "You stand below it and look up how big it is and feel this grandiosity of Yugoslavia and how powerful it was," he said. Most tourists know very little about Yugoslavia, its 22 million people and dictator Tito who led it from the end of World War II until his death in 1980.
A decade later, the federation comprising six republics -- Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia -- collapsed in a series of wars that claimed more than 130,000 lives. Although Stojiljkovic never lived in Yugoslavia she said she nevertheless knows a lot about it. "I have heard all the stories from my parents, their friends and the rest of my family, so based on their experience it was a really nice time, they had a good time," she said. And she herself is now the proud owner of two Fica cars, which, she said, was "to show to the rest of the world what they meant to us".
Authorities in Serbia probe vaccination opponents amid Measles outbreak
Disease Measles Serbia - 1 year ago
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2018 18:47:46 +0100
Belgrade, March 20, 2018 (AFP) - Serbian authorities said Tuesday they have launched an initial investigation of some public opponents of vaccination after 12 people, including two children, have died in an outbreak of measles. "The prosecutor's office for high-tech crime is looking into whether there is criminal accountability by a number of public persons, opponents of vaccination of children," the Serbian prosecutors's office said in a statement.
The probe came about after a group of 270 parents last month accused 43 people of "causing panic", including a famous folk singer Jelena Krleusa, a writer and even a doctor who have publicly spoken against vaccination, local media has reported. The prosecutor did not reveal the names of those being investigated. According to Serbia's Institute of Public Health, more than 3,800 cases of measles, including a 15-day-old baby, have been recorded since the beginning of the outbreak in October. The 12 people who died of the disease included two children, aged two and four, the Institute said on its web site.
Earlier this month Serbian Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar urged parents to vaccinate their children, saying "the outbreak of measles would have never happened if they had listened to doctors and not celebrities." The vaccination, including against measles, is mandatory for children in Serbia, but courts have rarely issued fines that are 30,000 to 150,000 dinars (250 to 1,250 euros/$300 to $1,550). Measles has also struck in neighbouring Romania as well as Italy, France, Germany and Greece.
20yo dies from complications associated with Measles in Serbia
Disease Measles Serbia - 2 years ago
Date: Wed 27 Dec 2017, 10:41 AM
Source: B92 [edited]
<https://www.b92.net/eng/news/society.php?yyyy=2017&mm=12&dd=27&nav_id=103133>
A 20-year-old man from Belgrade has died in a hospital's intensive care unit from complications caused by measles, RTS is reporting. He is the first victim of measles in Serbia. The patient had not been inoculated against the infectious disease.
Since October [2017], a total of 630 persons in central Serbia and in Serb-majority areas in Kosovo and Metohija contracted the disease, the Public Health Institute Batut announced on [Tue 26 Dec 2017].
A total of 91 percent of those have either not been vaccinated against the disease, or have incomplete or uncertain vaccination status.
Since the measles epidemic was reported in late October [2017], there had been 259 cases in Serb and non-Albanian municipalities in Kosovo.
In early November [2017], an epidemic of the disease was also reported in central Serbia.
[Measles can be a serious illness in all age groups. However, children younger than 5 years of age and adults older than 20 years of age are more likely to suffer from measles complications. Some people may suffer from pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). They may need to be hospitalized and can die.
According to the CDC:
As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children. About 1 child out of every 1000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability. For every 1000 children who get measles, 1 or 2 will die from it.
Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.
(Excerpted/edited from
<https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html>)
A Healthmap/ProMED of Serbia may be found at
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/79>. - ProMED Mod LK]
Authorities in Belgrade (Serbia) report Measles epidemic
Date: Thu 9 Nov 2017 16:03 CET
Source: b92; Tanjug News Agency report [edited]
The Institute of Public Health of Serbia on [Wed 8 Nov 2017] reported an epidemic of measles in the city of Belgrade. This came after tests confirmed the presence of the virus in 5 patients.
The Institute explained on [Thu 9 Nov 2017] that this does not mean an epidemic has been declared.
The Institute stated on [Wed 8 Nov 2017] that none of these patients have been in contact with persons from the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, nor with persons exhibiting a similar clinical picture in the territory of their residence.
The patients have either not been vaccinated against this contagious disease, or are of unknown vaccination status. One patient has pneumonia -- a serious complication of measles.
There have been 65 cases of measles in the territory of Serbia since early October [2017]: in Serb enclaves in Kosovo, as well as in Bujanovac, Kraljevo, and Belgrade.
Measles is a disease slated for eradication, and in such circumstances, even a single case is considered an epidemic.
[Maps of Serbia can be seen at
<http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/serbia-map.jpg> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/1714>. - ProMED Mod.LK]


text:
Фердінанд Адамс (; 3 травня 1903, Берхем — 1992) — бельгійський футболіст, грав за «Андерлехт». Учасник чемпіонату світу 1930.

Примітки

Посилання
 Профіль на сайті «Андерлехта»

Уродженці Берхема
Бельгійські футболісти
Гравці збірної Бельгії з футболу
Гравці чемпіонату світу з футболу 1930
Футболісти «Андерлехта»
Уродженці Андерлехта

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods
Julian Thamboo, Marco Corradi*, Keerthan Poologanathan
Masonry often requires strengthening to withstand against extreme actions such as earthquakes, cyclones and flooding. Recently, new methods have been developed to strengthen masonry, such as fabric reinforced cementitious matrixes and fibre reinforced polymers. However, other strengthening systems such as welded wire meshing (WWM), reticulatus and plastering with cementitious matrixes/mortar (CP) have been also practiced to reinforce masonry, conversely no systematic design guidelines are available for these methods. In this study, an attempt has been made to establish rational design approaches to predict the shear resistance of WWM, reticulatus and CP methods. Three sets of experimental database have been developed for design verification. The effectiveness of these strengthening methods was appraised by comparing their structural performances. The available formulations to predict the shear resistance of unreinforced masonry (URM) and CP strengthened masonry were assessed against the established database, and suitable modifications were proposed to effectively account the contribution of cementitious matrix. A unified approach to estimate the shear strength was proposed based on the contribution of URM, CP and reinforcements. The design approach is shown to conservatively predict the shear strength of strengthened masonry.
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering
E-pub ahead of print - 11 Nov 2022
Dive into the research topics of 'Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
masonry Physics & Astronomy 100%
wire cloth Physics & Astronomy 99%
Shear strength Engineering & Materials Science 32%
shear strength Physics & Astronomy 21%
matrix Earth & Environmental Sciences 17%
Mortar Engineering & Materials Science 16%
Thamboo, J., Corradi, M., & Poologanathan, K. (2022). Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-022-01546-1
Thamboo, Julian ; Corradi, Marco ; Poologanathan, Keerthan. / Design approach of shear strengthened masonry : welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods. In: Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering. 2022.
@article{5d4420ccf9f24d2aa634f7f293df2619,
title = "Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods",
abstract = "Masonry often requires strengthening to withstand against extreme actions such as earthquakes, cyclones and flooding. Recently, new methods have been developed to strengthen masonry, such as fabric reinforced cementitious matrixes and fibre reinforced polymers. However, other strengthening systems such as welded wire meshing (WWM), reticulatus and plastering with cementitious matrixes/mortar (CP) have been also practiced to reinforce masonry, conversely no systematic design guidelines are available for these methods. In this study, an attempt has been made to establish rational design approaches to predict the shear resistance of WWM, reticulatus and CP methods. Three sets of experimental database have been developed for design verification. The effectiveness of these strengthening methods was appraised by comparing their structural performances. The available formulations to predict the shear resistance of unreinforced masonry (URM) and CP strengthened masonry were assessed against the established database, and suitable modifications were proposed to effectively account the contribution of cementitious matrix. A unified approach to estimate the shear strength was proposed based on the contribution of URM, CP and reinforcements. The design approach is shown to conservatively predict the shear strength of strengthened masonry.",
keywords = "Cementitious matrix, Masonry, Reticulatus, Shear resistance, Strengthening, Welded wire meshing",
author = "Julian Thamboo and Marco Corradi and Keerthan Poologanathan",
note = "Funding information: The research work reported in this paper is part of a research project undertaken at the Department of Civil Engineering, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka to assess the behaviour of strengthened masonry assemblages. The financial support of this project was provided by the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, under the research grant of SEU/ASA/RG/2019/02. ",
journal = "Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering",
Thamboo, J, Corradi, M & Poologanathan, K 2022, 'Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods', Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-022-01546-1
Design approach of shear strengthened masonry : welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods. / Thamboo, Julian; Corradi, Marco; Poologanathan, Keerthan.
In: Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, 11.11.2022.
T1 - Design approach of shear strengthened masonry
T2 - welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods
AU - Thamboo, Julian
N1 - Funding information: The research work reported in this paper is part of a research project undertaken at the Department of Civil Engineering, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka to assess the behaviour of strengthened masonry assemblages. The financial support of this project was provided by the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, under the research grant of SEU/ASA/RG/2019/02.
N2 - Masonry often requires strengthening to withstand against extreme actions such as earthquakes, cyclones and flooding. Recently, new methods have been developed to strengthen masonry, such as fabric reinforced cementitious matrixes and fibre reinforced polymers. However, other strengthening systems such as welded wire meshing (WWM), reticulatus and plastering with cementitious matrixes/mortar (CP) have been also practiced to reinforce masonry, conversely no systematic design guidelines are available for these methods. In this study, an attempt has been made to establish rational design approaches to predict the shear resistance of WWM, reticulatus and CP methods. Three sets of experimental database have been developed for design verification. The effectiveness of these strengthening methods was appraised by comparing their structural performances. The available formulations to predict the shear resistance of unreinforced masonry (URM) and CP strengthened masonry were assessed against the established database, and suitable modifications were proposed to effectively account the contribution of cementitious matrix. A unified approach to estimate the shear strength was proposed based on the contribution of URM, CP and reinforcements. The design approach is shown to conservatively predict the shear strength of strengthened masonry.
AB - Masonry often requires strengthening to withstand against extreme actions such as earthquakes, cyclones and flooding. Recently, new methods have been developed to strengthen masonry, such as fabric reinforced cementitious matrixes and fibre reinforced polymers. However, other strengthening systems such as welded wire meshing (WWM), reticulatus and plastering with cementitious matrixes/mortar (CP) have been also practiced to reinforce masonry, conversely no systematic design guidelines are available for these methods. In this study, an attempt has been made to establish rational design approaches to predict the shear resistance of WWM, reticulatus and CP methods. Three sets of experimental database have been developed for design verification. The effectiveness of these strengthening methods was appraised by comparing their structural performances. The available formulations to predict the shear resistance of unreinforced masonry (URM) and CP strengthened masonry were assessed against the established database, and suitable modifications were proposed to effectively account the contribution of cementitious matrix. A unified approach to estimate the shear strength was proposed based on the contribution of URM, CP and reinforcements. The design approach is shown to conservatively predict the shear strength of strengthened masonry.
KW - Cementitious matrix
KW - Masonry
KW - Reticulatus
KW - Shear resistance
KW - Strengthening
KW - Welded wire meshing
JO - Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering
JF - Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering
Thamboo J, Corradi M, Poologanathan K. Design approach of shear strengthened masonry: welded wire meshes, Reticulatus and cementitious plastering methods. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering. 2022 Nov 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-022-01546-1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Doncaster trio Thorsten Stuckmann, Dany N'Guessan and Gary MacKenzie are among five players the club has placed on the transfer list.
German goalkeeper Stuckmann, who has made 43 appearances this season, former Leicester and Millwall midfielder N'Guessan and defender MacKenzie, plus striker Curtis Main and Billy Whitehouse have all been made available.
The club has also released defender Ben Askins and midfielder Matty Davies. Neither player appeared for Darren Ferguson's side during their unsuccessful relegation fight.
"The club would like to thank them for their efforts in their time here and wish them well for the future," Rovers said on their official website.
The club has confirmed midfielder Richard Chaplow and striker Nathan Tyson have both verbally agreed to have relegation clauses in their contracts activated.


•	Review and Approve all Journal Entries.
•	Direct the staff that process the accounting transactions and reconcile the accounts, ensuring success against agreed KPI's.
•	Monitor individual and team performance, and give feedback as needed.
•	Train and develop staff.
•	Oversee the implementation of the financial system.
•	Manage and maintain internal and external audit compliance.
•	Manage the Interface with the billing system / IN to retrieve information to book revenue and reconcile deferred revenue; interface with POS system to book cash and sales.
•	Cycle count all Inventory (Retail; Scratchcard; Roll-out; Spare Parts; etc.).
•	Reporting: management reporting (including monthly business review presentation; board pack), VAT reporting and settlement; statutory and tax reporting and filing.
•	Other tasks and duties as directed by Finance Director.
* Expand self-confidence on setting up new dept.


How does a band director end up as Tech Teacher of the Week you ask? Well it's simple, you embrace technology in a classroom not known for technology use, and you modify it's use to fit the needs of your students. That's exactly what our Director of Fine Arts, Jason Anderson, did this Fall.
When he heard that every student in his band classes, both Jr. High and High School, were going to have Chromebooks in their possession everyday, he and his staff went to work on how they could use them in the band class. They found Chromebook apps & extensions, Doctopus and Goobric, that allow them to save time and "technify" their music playoff's and tests.
That was only the start of the Tech Invasion of the KCISD Band and Choir programs. Since then the band staff continues to find apps and extensions to make use of the students Chromebooks to enrich the musical learning in their classrooms. The band staff and students are using, Google Classroom, School Video Recorder for Google Classroom, Waves Metronome, Tuner Apps, and Piano Apps.
Way to go Mr. Anderson! Salute you Yoda does!