Multiple protests in France over the government’s plans to raise the retirement age to 62 brought travel to a standstill for several days in late October.

Work stopped at oil terminals in ports and at fuel refineries, preventing deliveries to gas stations and practically halting traffic in multiple cities. There were strikes by subway workers and air traffic controllers throughout the month. Train service was disrupted or reduced.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay and...

Some elements in Iran remain hostile to the United States, thus US citizens there may be subject to harassment or arrest. Dual national Iranian-American citizens may encounter difficulty in departing Iran. Former Muslims who have converted to other religions, as well as persons who encourage Muslims to convert, are subject to arrest and prosecution. 

Some areas where minority religious and ethnic groups reside, including the Baluchistan border area near Pakistan and Afghanistan, the...

An outbreak of cholera in Haiti, the first there in over 100 years, was confirmed in October. Most of the 5,000 cases were in the Artibonite Departmente (50 miles north of Port-au-Prince). At press time, the disease had claimed 330 lives.

The January earthquake and recent hurricanes were cited as causes of the water contamination and poor sanitation that led to the outbreak.