Wherever
you go, our worldwide
assistance is by you side
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We
at Sunburst International Risk Management
are dedicated to being your trusted source for global risk
assessment and mitigation consulting
and training services.
Whether
you travel for business, leisure, adventure, or study, the best way to
ensure an enjoyable, productive, and safe trip is
to be aware of what types of problems you may encounter, take steps to
prevent problems before they happen, and be prepared to deal with problems
if they do occur.We focus on the things that
we believe matter most to our clients - helping them
learn
how to reduce the uncertainties of international travel
and providing them with global protection and peace of
mind.
We are committed to delivering individualized services, risk
assessment expertise, and
carefully considered advice to our clients.
We are proud to
provide superior global protection and peace of mind to
international travelers in over 100 countries.
Click Here for Current Travel News & Travel Advisories
Click Here to Join Sunburst on the World, a Global Community
Why Buy Travel Insurance? The answer is simple. International travel involves risk. You may
arrive at your destination only to find that your luggage with valuable personal items has
disappeared, a personal emergency may necessitate your early return to your Home Country,
or a medical emergency may necessitate hospitalization or even air evacuation. In most
cases, your existing insurance will not provide adequate protection to you for these and
other risks involved with international travel. Without appropriate travel insurance, you
can be exposed to significant financial liability. The Atlas Professional was designed
to take the risk out of international travel, so that you can have an enjoyable and
productive trip.
Am I Eligible For
The Atlas Series? If you are under age 66 and you
maintain medical insurance that covers you while you are in your Home
Country, you are eligible for Atlas Professional. Your Spouse under age 66
and dependent children who are at least 14 days up through age 18 may also
be covered, provided they too maintain medical insurance that covers them
while they are in their Home Country. The Overall Maximum Limit is
$1,000,000 per person.
If you reside in Florida or have a mailing address in Florida, please contact
us at 877-211-3654 orInfo@worldwidemedicalplans.com before
submit your application for Atlas Professional.
When Does Annual Coverage
Become Effective and When Does It End? The Effective Date is the later of: the date we receive your Application
and correct premium or the date you request on your Application. The Period is 12 months.
During the Period, you are covered for all trips of 30 days duration or less outside your
Home country. Coverage is effective on the date you depart your Home Country, and ends on
the date you return to your Home Country. If you purchase coverage for your Spouse and/or
Dependents (under age 19), they are covered during the same time period as you as long as
they accompany you on your trip.
Does Atlas Professional Provide Any Home Country Coverage? If you started a Benefit Period
during a covered trip, you are covered for Medical expenses only for the
duration of the Benefit Period regardless of whether you are at home or
abroad. Your Benefit Period begins on the first date you receive a diagnosis
or treatment of a covered Illness or Injury while outside your Home Country
and lasts for 180 days.
What Is Covered?
Limits apply to all benefits (See Schedule of
Benefits and Limits):
Medical:
Inpatient and Outpatient charges made by a
Hospital.
Charges made by a Physician, surgeon,
radiologist, anesthesiologist, and any other medical specialist to whom
the Physician has referred the case.
Charges made for dressings, sutures, casts or
other supplies prescribed by the attending Physician or specialist, but
excluding nebulizers, oxygen tanks, diabetic supplies and all devices
for repeat use at home.
Charges for diagnostic testing using
radiology, ultrasonographic or laboratory services.
Charges for oxygen and other gases and
anesthetics and their administration.
Charges for prescription drugs for treatment
of a covered Injury or Illness, but not for the replacement of lost,
stolen, damaged, expired or otherwise compromised drugs.
Charges made by a licensed Extended Care
Facility upon direct transfer from an acute care Hospital.
Emergency local ambulance transport incurred
in connection with Injury or Illness resulting in inpatient
hospitalization.
Let us
help you when you need help most:
Prescription
Drug Replacement
Emergency Travel Arrangements
Dispatch of Physician
Credit Card/Traveler Check
Replacement
Complications of Pregnancy:
Treatment of Complications of Pregnancy during
the first 26 weeks of Pregnancy is covered under this insurance.
Complications of Pregnancy is defined as: Illnesses whose diagnoses are
distinct from Pregnancy, but are adversely affected by Pregnancy or caused
by Pregnancy, and not associated with a normal Pregnancy. This includes:
ectopic Pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, hyperemesis gravidarum, pre-eclampsia,
eclampsia, missed abortion and conditions of comparable severity.
Hospital Indemnity:
If you are hospitalized as an Inpatient for
treatment of a covered Illness or Injury, the Atlas Professional plan will
provide $100 for each night you spend in the hospital. This benefit is in
addition to payments for other covered expenses and is not subject to
Deductible or Coinsurance.
Acute Onset of
a Pre-Existing Condition:
If you experience an Acute Onset of a
Pre-existing Condition during a covered trip, you are covered for up to
$5,000 Lifetime Maximum for Medical expenses plus $25,000 Lifetime Maximum
for Emergency Medical Evacuation expenses. The conditions for Emergency
Medical Evacuation benefits, as described herein, must be met in order for
this benefit to be available. An Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition is
a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition,
which occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of
Physician recommendations or symptoms. Treatment must be obtained within 24
hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence.
Emergency Dental:
The following Emergency Dental expenses are
covered: Emergency Dental treatment and Dental surgery necessary to restore
or replace sound natural teeth lost or damaged in an Accident which is
covered under this insurance subject to the Overall Maximum Limit; and
Emergency Dental treatment necessary to resolve acute, spontaneous and
unexpected onset of pain subject to a maximum benefit of $100.
Political Evacuation:
If the United States government issues a travel
warning that becomes effective after your arrival in your destination
country, the plan will provide for transportation to the nearest place of
safety or for return to your Home Country. You must contact HCCMIS within 10
days of the date the travel warning is issued and the evacuation must be
approved in advance and coordinated by the Plan Administrator.
Emergency Medical Evacuation: If recommended by your attending Physician,
who certifies that Evacuation is necessary to safeguard your life and that
Medically Necessary treatment is not available locally, and if approved in
advance and coordinated by HCCMIS, the Atlas Professional plan will provide
the following benefits: Emergency air and/or ground transportation to the
nearest Hospital that is qualified to provide the Medically Necessary
treatment.
Medical Monitoring Consultations with attending medical
professionals during your hospitalization and establishment of a
single point-of-contact for family members to receive ongoing
updates regarding your medical status.
Emergency Reunion:
In the event of a covered Emergency Medical
Evacuation, Atlas Professional will provide the following benefits: The cost
of an economy round-trip air and/or ground transportation ticket for one of
your relatives (parent, spouse, sibling or child age 18 or older) for
transportation to the area where you are hospitalized following Emergency
Medical Evacuation and reasonable expenses for lodging and meals for your
relative, for a period not to exceed 15 days.
Return of Minor Children:
If you are the only person age 18 or older, traveling
with one or more children under the age of 18, who are also covered by Atlas
Professional, and you are Hospitalized for treatment of a covered Illness or
Injury resulting in the children being left unattended for a period of time
expected to exceed 36 hours, Atlas Series will provide the following
benefit: The cost of a one-way economy air and/or ground transportation
ticket for each covered child to the terminal serving the area of Principal
Residence of each covered child.
Travel
Document Replacement
Assistance with obtaining
replacement passports, birth certificates, visas, airline
documents, and other travel-related documents.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment:
In the event of your Accidental Death (except while
traveling on a common carrier) or Dismemberment resulting from a covered
Injury, Atlas Professional will provide the following benefit:
Accidental Death – Principal Sum to the
Beneficiary designated on your Application
Loss of 2 eyes or 2 or more limbs – Principal
Sum to you
Loss of 1 eye or 1 limb – One-half of the
Principal Sum to you
Age
Principal Sum
14 days
to 17 years
$5,000
18 to 65
$25,000
The Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefit
is deleted during participation in a hazardous sport.
The Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefit is doubled in the event
of loss resulting from Hijacking, Kidnapping or attempted Kidnapping.
All Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits are subject to a maximum
of $250,000 per family.
Common Carrier Accidental Death:
In the event of your Accidental Death while traveling
on board a commercial common carrier (except during a Hijacking), the Atlas
Professional will provide the following benefit: Principal Sum of $50,000
($25,000 for children under age 18) to the Beneficiary designated on your
Application, subject to a maximum of $250,000 per family.
Repatriation of Remains:
In the event of a covered Injury or Illness resulting
in your death, Atlas Professional will provide the following benefit: Air
and/or ground transportation of bodily remains or ashes to the area of your
Principal Residence, and reasonable costs of preparation of your remains
necessary for transportation.
Natural Disaster:
In the event of natural disaster (hurricane, flood,
tornado, tsunami, etc) Atlas Professional will provide up to $100 a day for
up to 5 days for replacement accommodations if you are Displaced from
planned, paid accommodations due to evacuation from forecasted disaster or
following a disaster strike. Displaced is defined as required to depart the
destination due to an evacuation ordered by prevailing authorities. Proof of
paid accommodations must be submitted at time of claim.
Trip Interruption:
If, after you have departed, you learn of the
death of a parent, spouse, sibling or child, or you learn of the
substantial destruction of your Principal Residence by fire or weather,
Atlas Professional will provide the following benefit: The cost of an
economy one way air and/or ground transportation ticket for you to the
area of your Principal Residence; or
If, following a covered Emergency Medical
Evacuation, the attending Physician states that it is Medically
Necessary for your return to your Home Country or to the area from which
you were initially evacuated for continued treatment, recuperation and
recovery, Atlas Professional will provide the following benefit: The
cost of a one-way economy air and/or ground transportation ticket for
your transportation from the area where you were hospitalized following
the Emergency Evacuation, to the area where you were initially evacuated
from, or to the terminal serving the area of your Principal Residence.
Provider Referrals Contact
information for Western-style medical facilities and medical and
dental practices and pharmacies in your destination country
where English is spoken.
Lost Checked Luggage:
In the event your checked luggage is permanently lost
by the carrier, Atlas Professional will provide the following benefit: Up to
$250 for replacement of clothes and personal hygiene items, not to exceed
$50 for any one item. You must file a formal claim with the transportation
provider and provide copies of all claim forms and proof that the
transportation provider has paid you its normal reimbursement for the lost
checked luggage.
Lost
Luggage Assistance Tracking service
to assist in locating luggage or other items lost in transit.
Travel
Assistance Travel Assistance
Services are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
while your Atlas plan is in effect. In addition to the services
already described, the following services are included:
Embassy and consulate referrals
Legal and accounting referrals
Bail bond assistance
Translation and interpretation
assistance
For a complete list of
available assistance services or for more information, please
contact our office.
Atlas Professional Travel
and Medical Assistance Services are not insurance benefits. Any
Assistance Service provided is not a guarantee of any other
benefit under Atlas Professional.
Schedule of Benefits and
Limits
Benefit
Limit
Deductible:
$250 per person, per trip
Coinsurance
– Claims incurred in US or Canada:
For each trip, Underwriters will
pay 80% of the next $5,000 of Eligible Expenses after
the Deductible, then 100% to the Overall Maximum Limit.
Coinsurance will be waived if expenses are incurred
within the PPO and expenses are submitted to
Underwriters for review and payment directly to the
provider.
Coinsurance
– Claims incurred outside US or Canada:
For each trip, Underwriters will
pay 100% of Eligible Expenses after the Deductible up to
the Overall Maximum Limit
Hospital
Room and Board:
Average Semi-private room rate,
including nursing services
Local
Ambulance:
Usual, Reasonable and Customary
charges when Covered Illness or Injury results in
hospitalization
Hospital
Indemnity:
$100 per day (not subject to
Deductible or Coinsurance)
Intensive
Care Unit:
Usual, Reasonable and Customary
charges
Outpatient
Treatment:
Usual, Reasonable and Customary
charges
Acute Onset
of Pre-existing Condition:
$5,000 Maximum Lifetime Limit for
Eligible Medical Expenses
$25,000 Maximum Lifetime Limit for Emergency Medical
Evacuation
Emergency
Dental:
Accident – Overall Maximum Limit
Acute Onset of Pain – $100 limit per Certificate Period
(not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Emergency
Medical Evacuation:
$500,000 Maximum Lifetime Limit
(not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Emergency
Reunion:
$15,000 limit per Certificate
Period (not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Return of
Minor Children:
$5,000 limit per Certificate
Period (not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Accidental
Death and Dismemberment:
Not subject to Deductible or
Coinsurance
Lifetime Maximum - $25,000 adult; $5,000 children
Death - $25,000 adult, $5,000 children under age 18;
Loss of 2 Limbs - $25,000 adult, $5,000 children under
age 18; Loss of 1 Limb - $12,500 adult, $2,500 children
under age 18; $250,000 Maximum per family
Common
Carrier Accidental Death:
Not subject to Deductible or
Coinsurance
$50,000 per adult, $25,000 children under age 18;
$250,000 Maximum per family
Repatriation
of Remains:
Overall Maximum Limit (not subject
to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Natural
Disaster Benefit:
Up to $100 a day for 5 days when
Displaced from planned, paid accommodations due to
evacuation from forecasted disaster or following a
disaster strike (not subject to Deductible or
Coinsurance)
Trip
Interruption:
$5,000 limit per Certificate
Period (not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Lost Checked
Luggage:
$250 limit per Certificate Period
(not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Hospital
Pre-certification Penalty:
50% of Eligible Medical Expenses
Optional
Sports Rider:
Overall Maximum Limit
Political
Evacuation:
$10,000 Maximum Lifetime Limit
(not subject to Deductible or Coinsurance)
Terrorism:
$50,000 Maximum Lifetime Limit,
Medical Expenses only
Maximum per
Injury / Illness
$1,000,000
Overall
Maximum Limit per Certificate Period (does not include
Emergency Medical Evacuation)
$1,000,000
What Is Excluded?
The following
charges, treatments, surgeries, medications, conditions and circumstances:
For US citizens/residents, all charges
incurred in the United States of America, including Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands, except for US citizens who have started a Benefit
Period. This exclusion also applies to all non-US citizens/residents
electing coverage excluding the US.
Charges resulting directly or indirectly from
any Pre-existing Condition, as herein defined, are excluded from this
insurance, except for an Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition, up to
the limit set forth in the Schedule of Benefits and Limits. A
Pre-existing Condition is any (1) condition for which medical advice,
diagnosis, care, or treatment (includes receiving services and supplies,
consultations, diagnostic tests or prescription medicines) was
recommended or received during the 2 years immediately preceding the
Certificate Effective Date; (2) condition that had manifested itself in
such a manner that would have caused a reasonably prudent person to seek
medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment (includes receiving
services and supplies, consultations, diagnostic tests or prescription
medicines) within the 2 years immediately preceding the Certificate
Effective Date; (3) injury, illness, sickness, disease, or other
physical, medical, mental, or nervous conditions, disorder or ailment
(whether known or unknown) that, with reasonable medical certainty,
existed at the time of application or within the 2 years immediately
preceding the Certificate Effective Date. For the purposes of the
Complications of Pregnancy coverage offered hereunder, Pregnancy will
not be included within the definition of a Pre-existing Condition. An
Acute Onset is a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a
Pre-existing Condition, that occurs spontaneously and without advance
warning either in the form of Physician recommendations or symptoms.
Treatment must be obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected
outbreak or recurrence.
Treatment related to birth defects and
congenital illnesses. Birth defects are deemed to include hereditary
conditions
Routine pre-natal care, childbirth, care of
newborns, post-natal care, birth control, artificial insemination,
infertility, impotency or sexual dysfunction, sterilization or reversal
thereof.
False labor, edema, prolonged labor,
prescribed rest during the period of Pregnancy, morning sickness and
conditions of comparable severity associated with management of a
difficult Pregnancy, and not constituting a medically distinct
Complication of Pregnancy, and all charges related to Pregnancy after
the 26th week of Pregnancy.
Mental Health Disorders or Substance Abuse.
Charges which are not incurred during the
Certificate Period or the applicable Benefit Period, and charges which
are not presented to Underwriters for payment within 60 days from the
end of the Certificate Period or the applicable Benefit Period.
Charges for treatment of any condition(s) when
the purpose of departing the Home Country was to obtain treatment in the
destination country/countries.
Charges for use of Emergency Room within the
US for treatment of Illness unless the patient is directly admitted to
the Hospital as Inpatient for further treatment of that Illness.
Not Medically Necessary and administered or
ordered by a Physician.
Provided at no cost, by a family member, or by
a person who ordinarily resides with you, or which are attributable to
or recoverable from any other party including government-sponsored
plans.
Charges which exceed Usual, Reasonable and
Customary.
Investigational, Experimental or for Research
purposes.
While confined primarily to receive Custodial
Care, Educational or Rehabilitative care.
Venereal Disease, and treatment of individuals
who are HIV+ or have AIDS or ARC, and all diseases caused by and/or
related to HIV
Treatment by a Chiropractor.
Treatment for acne, other acne, moles, skin
tags, diseases of sebaceous glands, seborrhea, sebaceous cyst,
unspecified disease of sebaceous glands, hypertrophic and atrophic
conditions of skin, nevus.
Dental treatment, including treatment of the
temporomandibular joint, except for Emergency Dental treatment necessary
to replace sound natural teeth lost or damaged in an Accident covered
hereunder or for the relief of acute, spontaneous and unexpected onset
of pain.
Corrective devices and medical appliances,
including dentures or dental appliances, eyeglasses, vision exams,
contact lenses, hearing tests, hearing aids, hearing implants, eye
refraction, visual therapy, orthoptics or visual eye training or eye
surgery (including cataract surgery and radial keratotomy) or for any
examination or fitting related to these devices or procedures
Injury resulting from participation in the
following activities: Amateur Athletics, Contact Sports,
intercollegiate, interscholastic, intramural, club, and professional
sports or athletic activities. Non-contact and
non-organized/non-sanctioned amateur sports or athletic activities
engaged in by the Member solely for leisure, recreational, entertainment
or fitness purposes are not excluded except the following, which are
excluded: Mountaineering where a reasonably prudent person would use
ropes or guides or at elevations of 4,500 meters or higher. Aviation,
except when traveling solely as a passenger in a commercial aircraft.
Hang gliding, sky diving, parachuting or bungee jumping; Snow skiing or
snowboarding, except for recreational downhill and/or cross-country snow
skiing or snowboarding (no cover provided whilst skiing away from
prepared and marked in-bound territories and/or against the advice of
the local ski school or local authoritative body); Racing by any animal
or motorized vehicle; and spelunking; and subaqua pursuits involving
underwater breathing apparatus unless NAUI/PADI certified, accompanied
by a certified instructor, and at depths of less than 10 meters; jet
skiing; and any other sport or activity which is undertaken for thrill
seeking and exposes you to abnormal risk of injury
Injury sustained while under the influence of
or due wholly or partly to the effects of intoxicating liquor or drugs
other than drugs taken in accordance with treatment prescribed and
directed by a Physician but not for the treatment of Substance Abuse.
Costs resulting from self-inflicted Injury or
Illness and/or suicide or attempted suicide whether sane or insane and
routine medical examinations, including but not limited to vaccinations,
immunizations, annual check-ups, the issue of medical certificates and
attestations, and examinations as to the suitability of employment or
travel
The Deductible, Coinsurance and charges which
are not included as Eligible Expenses as described in the Master Policy,
and charges which exceed the limits set forth in the Schedule of
Benefits and Limits.
Treatment required as a result of
complications or consequences of a treatment or condition not covered
hereunder.
Charges for travel or accommodations, except
as provided for in the Local Ambulance, Emergency Medical or Political
Evacuation, Repatriation of Remains, Emergency Reunion, Return of Minor
Children, Natural Disaster and Trip Interruption sections of this
insurance.
Treatment incurred as a result of exposure to
non-medical nuclear radiation and/or radioactive material(s).
Organ or tissue transplants or related
services.
Acts of Terrorism, war, insurrection, riot or
any variation thereof.
Treatment of all forms of cancer/neoplasm.
This is a summary of exclusions. For more details, or for a complete copy
of the Master Policy, contact our office.
What If I Plan to Participate
in a Sport or Athletic Activity that is Excluded? The Optional Sports
Rider is available for the adventurous traveler. This Rider adds coverage
for the Amateur sports listed in exclusion #20. The maximum coverage under
this Rider is the Overall Maximum Limit you select. The Accidental Death and
Dismemberment benefit is deleted during the course of the activity.
Atlas Terrorism Rider
The Optional Atlas Terrorism Rider provides
Medical coverage for Injuries and Illnesses resulting from an Act of
Terrorism, subject to a $50,000 lifetime maximum, provided all of the
following conditions are met:
The Injury or Illness does not result from
chemical, nuclear or biological weapons or events.
You have no direct or indirect involvement in
the Act of Terrorism.
The Act of Terrorism is not in a country or
location where the United States government has issued a travel warning
that has been in effect within the 6 months prior to your date of
arrival.
You have not unreasonably failed or refused to
depart a country or location following the date a warning to leave that
country or location is issued by the United States government.
An Act of Terrorism is defined as: an act,
including but not limited to, the use of force or violence and/or the threat
thereof, of any person or group(s) of persons, whether acting alone or on
behalf of or in connection with any organization(s) or government(s)
committed for political, religious, ideological or similar purposes
including the intention to influence any government and/or to put the
public, or any section of the public, in fear.
What Are the Pre-Notification
Requirements?
Hospitalizations, Surgeries,
Emergency and Political Evacuations, Emergency Reunions, Trip Interruptions,
Repatriation of Remains, Computerized Tomography (CAT Scan) and Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) must be Pre-certified. Simply call, or have your
Physician call, HCCMIS with the information relative to your claim. You may
also pre-certify by submitting details through Client Zone. Be sure to have
your ID number available. If you do not Pre-certify, medical expenses will
be reduced by 50% and all other expenses will be forfeited.
Who Is The Insurer?
Atlas Professional is insured by
Syndicate 4141 at Lloyd's, London. Lloyd's is the largest and oldest
insurance market in the world and is rated “A (Excellent)” by A.M. Best
Company and “A+ (Strong)” by Standard & Poor's. Lloyd's provides financial
strength and security that is unparalleled in the worldwide insurance
market. Lloyd's is recognized as a market leader in the accident and health
insurance arena and is well known for its innovative products and services.
Presently, Lloyd's provides accident and health insurance to millions of
individuals in almost every country of the world.
Refund of Premium
Only if a written request is received by the Plan Administrator prior to the policy's effective date. The premium is
non-refundable after that date.
If you reside in Florida or have a mailing address in Florida, please
contact us at 877-211-3654 orInfo@internationalriskmanagement.com
before submit your application for Atlas Professional.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us
today. 877-211-3654 or
559-294-0316
HERE'S THE FINE PRINT:
Availability, features, benefits and rates for all plans described on this site are
subject tochange withoutnotice
at the discretion of the insurance carriers. This site is updated weekly, but we recommend
contactingusdirectly to be assured of getting the most up-to-dateinformation available.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY NEWS BRIEFS:
Please
note that we at Sunburst International Risk Management provides the
International Security News Briefs as a value-added service to our
international clients and visitors of this website. Our International
Security News Briefs are updated frequently, in order to provide you with current and
reliable news and events as quickly as we can. We have no control over the content of external websites, and links to various external news sources may
become inactive at any time. We suggest that you bookmark our website and
return frequently to check the current global news posted on our website.
A roadside bomb exploded Monday morning next to a
French Embassy convoy traveling through downtown Baghdad, wounding
seven Iraqis, officials said
more...
Brazilian security forces have occupied
one of Rio de Janeiro's biggest slums as part of a major
crackdown ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
more...
Anti-austerity rallies have been
held across Europe – in Spain thousands marched to
protest against high unemployment and their
government’s handling of the economic crisis.
more...
Tens of thousands of protesters
have taken to the streets of Madrid and other
Spanish cities in a mass march against austerity
measures, social spending cuts and unemployment.
more...
Thousands of school and college
students prepare to join public sector strikes
against cuts on 30 June
more...
Pentagon: Hack Attacks Can Be Act of War
6/1/2011
For the first time, the Pentagon has formally concluded that
computer sabotage carried out by another nation can constitute an act of war
that warrants a response of traditional military force, according to
published media reports.
more...
Kidnapping in Tijuana: The New Normal
6/1/2011
Tijuana is facing a new trend in kidnapping. Unlike the
wave of indiscriminate abductions for ransom that hit this Mexican city in
2008, this time the kidnappings seem more of a way of doing business.
more...
Japan widens evacuations outside plant zone
May 15, 2011
Japan on Sunday started the first evacuations of
homes outside a government exclusion zone after the March 11 earthquake and
tsunami crippled one of the country's nuclear power plants.
more...
U.S. citizen among bus
passengers abducted in MexicoApril 12, 2011
At least one U.S. citizen was among dozens of
men reportedly forced off passenger buses by armed attackers in the
northeastern border state of Tamaulipas, where 72 bodies were found in mass
graves last week, U.S. officials said Sunday.
more...
Thai 'Yellow Shirts' to pay US$17m for airport
seizure
March 25, 2011
A Thai court on Friday ordered 13 leaders of the influential
"Yellow Shirt" protest movement to pay US$17 million in compensation over
their involvement in crippling airport blockades in 2008.
more...
Thousands march against India's embattled government
February 25, 2011 At least 100,000 trade
unionists marched through the Indian capital Wednesday in a protest against
high food prices and unemployment, piling pressure on an administration
under fire over corruption scandals.
more...
China's Web police block US ambassador's name
February 25, 2011 China widened its Internet
policing after online calls for protests like those that swept the Middle
East, with social networking site LinkedIn and searches for the U.S.
ambassador's name both blocked on Friday.
more...
Kidnapped Mexican Sugar Baron Found Dead
February 22, 2011
Western Hemisphere > Mexico > Monterrey
Mexican sugar baron Federico Safi Chagnon, cousin of
World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman, was found dead two weeks after
he was abducted from his home, members of the victim’s family told Efe
Friday.
more...
BAHAMAS
MURDER RATE JUMPS
February 2, 2011 More murders were recorded in The
Bahamas in January 2011 than in any month in 2010, according to police
statistics.
SOLDIERS DETAIN 9 KIDNAPPERS, FREE 4 CAPTIVES IN MEXICO
February 2, 2011 Nine suspected kidnappers,
including a minor, were arrested and four captives rescued during an army
operation in Coatzacoalcos, a port city in the Mexican Gulf state of
Veracruz, the Defense Secretariat said Tuesday.
Major 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Chile
January 3, 2011 A major earthquake of 7.1
magnitude hit central Chile Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of
serious damage or casualties, local emergency officials said.
more...
U.S. tightens air cargo security rules
November 8, 2010
The U.S. has banned toner and ink cartridges that weigh more than a pound
from checked and carry-on luggage. This ban, aimed at preventing a plot
similar to the one foiled last month, also applies to some inbound
international air cargo shipments. In addition, all cargo identified as
high-risk will be subject to additional screening. The U.S. will continue to
ban all air cargo shipments from Yemen, and it has also banned shipments
from Somalia. The Air Transport Association issued a statement noting that
U.S. air carriers "are in full compliance with the new TSA security
requirements regarding printer and toner cartridges."
CNN (11/8)
TSA faces growing criticism of passenger screening
November 8, 2010
Travel groups are voicing increasing frustration with TSA passenger
screening procedures, charging that longer delays, reduced privacy and
embarrassing pat-downs have done little to increase security for the flying
public. "The system is broken, it's extremely flawed and it's absurd that we
all sit back and say we can't do anything about it," says Geoff Freeman of
the U.S. Travel Association, which fears people will eventually stop flying
rather than face the security gauntlet. US Considers
Warning
On Europeon Travel « WWJ AM-
October 02, 2010
Oct 2, 2010
... A European official briefed on the talks said the
language in the ... The implications of a blanket “travel warning”
for all of Europe could be big. ... While the government
cannot stop people from traveling there or ... wwj.cbslocal.com/2010/10/02/us-considers-warning-on-europeon-travel/
Security tightened for red rallySeptember 16, 2010 East Asia / Pacific -
Thailand Bangkok city inspectors, or
Thetsakit, will work with police in guarding about 40 locations in the
capital when supporters of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against
Dictatorship gather on Sunday. more...
Jakarta International Airport faces passenger overcrowdingSeptember 03, 2010
INDONESIA: Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is facing serious
problems of overcapacity and an out-dated air traffic control system.
Authorities are rushing to make improvements, after two recent mishaps left
thousands of passengers stranded.
Bomb Wounds 20 in Mexican Resort City
August
27, 2010 Americas - Mexico
At least 20 people were wounded, four of them
seriously, when unidentified individuals tossed a bomb into a bar in
Puerto Vallarta, a resort city on Mexico’s Pacific coast, police said
Thursday. The attack occurred around midnight Wednesday at the Pink
Cheladas bar, where about 150 young people were partying, Puerto
Vallarta police department spokesmen told Efe. more...
Thousands evacuated after floods in China, N.Korea
August 21, 2010 More than 120,000 people have been
evacuated in northeast China following serious floods that have already
left four dead and forced the relocation of thousands in neighbouring
North Korea. more...
Eight Mexican Cops Arrested on Kidnapping Charges
July 13, 2010
MEXICO CITY – Federal Police officers arrested
eight municipal police officers in Tierra Blanca, a city in the Mexican Gulf
state of Veracruz, on kidnapping and other charges, the Public Safety
Secretariat said. The officers were arrested at Tierra Blanca city hall “while roll call was
taking place,” the secretariat said.
Drug war hits Mexico's richest city
July 9, 2010 Mexico's richest city, once a poster child for development with its
high-rise office blocks and flourishing industries, is being gripped by
drug war terror with rising violence forcing dozens of its factories to
freeze investment.
Japanese kidnap victim sold to FARC
July 1, 2010 The wife of a Japanese man who was
kidnapped in south-west Colombia on March 23 says the army told her that
the criminal gang which abducted her husband sold him to the FARC. more...
40,000 may be evacuated in southern Philippine floods
June
1, 2010 Up to 40,000 people may be forcibly evacuated after torrential rains caused
heavy flooding in the southern Philippines, an official said Tuesday. Ten
villages in the town of Sultan Kudarat on southern Mindanao island were
under waist-deep waters after a river overflowed its banks due to rains that
began on Friday, local social welfare department head Pombaen Kadir said.
Indian plane crash kills scoresMay
22, 2010
A plane crashes on landing near India's
southern city of Mangalore with 166 people on board, with reports of seven
survivors.
Thai protesters said Tuesday that they would
fortify their sprawling encampment in Bangkok's upscale
hotel-and-shopping district before venturing out to "wage a big war" to
topple the government they decry as illegitimate
Thailand's PM declares emergency
April
7, 2010 Thailand's prime minister declares a state of
emergency in Bangkok amid growing anti-government protests.In a televised address, Mr Abhisit said the move - which gives
sweeping new powers to the security forces to tackle protesters - would help
restore order. It comes hours after thousands of "red-shirt" protesters
marched on parliament - forcing MPs to flee the building.
1,000 Die Of TB In India Every Day, Says WHO
March 25, 2010 The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 5,000 Indians
develop TB and nearly 1,000 people die from it every day - the equivalent of
two deaths every three minutes. Yesterday was World TB Day, organised by the
Stop TB Partnership, a network of organisations and countries fighting the
disease, which currently infects one-third of the world’s population,
according to the WHO.
Massive earthquake strikes Chile
February27, 2010 A massive earthquake has hit central Chile and killed at least 122 people,
though the toll is expected to rise.The 8.8 quake
caused widespread damage, destroying buildings, bridges and roads in many
areas, including the capital where a chemical plant caught fire. President
Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in affected areas and
appealed for calm.
Olympic security doesn't stop at Canadian border
February 10, 2010 BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A few days before the
opening ceremonies for the 2010 Olympic Winter Gamesin
Vancouver, the doors to a nondescript warehouse will open here without
fanfare.
Tourists still stranded at Machu Picchu
January28, 2010 Clayton Fredrik is standing in the distant shadow of the Incan ruins
in Machu Picchu, battling boredom and helping locals repair flood-damaged
roads.One of many foreign tourists stranded in
the town at the base of the fabled Peruvian site since the beginning of the
week, the 24-year-old Dutch man from Amsterdam has been twiddling the time
away before a helicopter flies him off -- hopefully in a day or two.
Security fears in quake-hit Haiti
January16, 2010
Security concerns rise in Haiti's capital as
distribution problems continue to hamper the supply of aid to desperate
quake survivors.Days after the quake devastated
Port-au-Prince, killing tens of thousands, there are some reports of gangs
preying on residents and looting. Officials say thousands of prisoners are
unaccounted for after the main prison was destroyed. Relief has been
arriving, but little has moved beyond the jammed airport.
U.S. toughens air screening rulesJanuary4, 2010
Passengers flying to the US from or via 14
nations deemed a security risk face tougher screening, under new measures.
Pilot praises crew in Jamaica runway incident
December
29, 2009
The pilot of an American Airlines plane that overshot a runway in Jamaica
last week praised the quick-acting crew during the incident. "It's a
testament to the professionalism of American Airlines," he said. "I have the
highest praise for my first officer and eternal gratitude for the way the
flight attendants reacted in their professionalism to get all the passengers
home to their families, as well."
Saudi Official: 5 Dead From Swine Flu at HajjNov.
29, 2009 MINA, Saudi Arabia – Five people died from swine
flu during the hajj,
Saudi Arabia said Sunday, a relatively small number considering the
event is the largest annual gathering in the world and is seen as an ideal
incubator for the virus.
Flights cancelled as Beijing blanketed in snowNovember10, 2009
BEIJING - Nearly 70 flights were cancelled and
more than 30 delayed at Beijing's airport Tuesday after the second major
snow storm of the season blanketed the Chinese capital, airport officials
said.
Massive security at Asian summit in Thailand
October 22, 2009 Thailand has mounted one of its biggest
security operations in recent history with more than 36,000 military and
police to prevent anti-government demonstrators from overrunning a
summit of Asian leaders, an official spokesman said Thursday.
Chinese ship hijacked in Indian Ocean: EU October18, 2009 East Asia / Pacific,
Sub-Saharan Africa - China, Seychelles A
Chinese bulk carrier was hijacked in the Indian Ocean on Monday, the
EU's anti-piracy naval mission in the region reported, immediately
launching an investigation into the incident.
UK Taxi driver told to bring
'bomb' October
16, 2009 Armed and masked men in Strabane told a taxi
driver they had put a bomb in his car and ordered him to bring it to the
town's courthouse.
China number two in world for rabies deaths East Asia / Pacific - China
September
28, 2009 BEIJING: China is second only to India worldwide
in the number of people killed by rabies every year, the government
reported, making the disease one of the nation's biggest public health
threats.
"China is one of the countries most severely affected by rabies, and in
recent years the number of annual reported deaths from rabies has averaged
around 2,400," the health ministry said in a statement on its website. "It
is only inferior in number to India, and gives us the world's second-place
ranking." The statement, issued to coincide with
World Rabies Day on Monday, said rabies was among the top three infectious
diseases in China.
China has stopped issuing travel documents to foreigners
seeking to visit Tibet, according to local tour operators, another
indicator of the government’s skittishness over the coming anniversary
of the Communist victory in 1949.
Americas - Honduras
The
United States will stop issuing most visas on Wednesday at the U.S.
Embassy in Honduras because the current government is standing by its
refusal to sign an accord that would bring back overthrown President
Manuel Zelaya.
Europe - Turkey
After a German tourist was killed in broad
daylight Monday morning on İstiklal, a crowded pedestrian street in Taksim, the question of safety
in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu area has once
again become the talk of the town.
Europe - France
Workers at a bankrupt car parts supplier are
threatening to blow up their factory unless they get paid a EUR 30,000
compensation.
Tensions linger between Colombia and EcuadorJuly 13, 2009 Americas - Colombia, Ecuador
Ecuador today will begin imposing stiff
tariffs on hundreds of Colombian imports, the latest round in a
festering dispute between the neighbors.
Americas - Argentina
Normally the winter period in July is the most
profitable time of year for children's theatre companies and cinema
owners in Argentina. But swine flu has changed everything this year.
East Asia / Pacific - Hong
Kong, SAR Hong Kongers ventured out
unafraid Tuesday, as police searched for suspects behind a third acid
attack that injured 24 people in one of the city's most densely
populated shopping districts. Nearly 100 people have been injured in the
assaults so far.
Americas - Mexico
Sixteen gunmen thought to be linked to drug
cartels and two soldiers have been killed in clashes in the Mexican
resort of Acapulco, officials say.
2 JOURNALISTS ON TRIAL IN N. KOREA
June 4, 2009 SEOUL,
South Korea -- North Korea's top court began hearing
the case Thursday of two American journalists accused of crossing into the
country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts" -- charges that could draw
a 10-year sentence in a labor camp...
French plane lost in ocean storm
June 1, 2009
An Air France
airliner carrying 228 people from Brazil to Paris vanishes over the Atlantic
after a possible lightning strike.
EARTHQUAKES
May 28, 2009 A
powerful earthquake of 7.1 magnitude has struck off Honduras and a
tsunami watch is in effect for Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. The quake
knocked out power in some areas and a handful of houses collapsed in the
town of Santa Barbara in northwest Honduras, but there were no immediate
reports of deaths. The quake hit 39 miles (64 km) northeast of Roatan, an
island in the Islas de la Bahia, and had a shallow depth of 6.2 miles.
East Asia / Pacific, South /
Central Asia Health authorities across
Asia were scrambling Saturday to limit the spread of swine flu after
reporting two confirmed cases in one of the world's most densely
populated regions.
11 bodies found in Mexico, some with torture signsApril 6, 2009 Americas - Mexico
Eleven people were found shot to death around
Mexico on Saturday, some bearing signs of torture and left with
threatening messages emblematic of drug violence.
Americas - Mexico
The US government is to increase security at
the country's border with Mexico in an attempt to combat drug cartels,
the White House has announced.
HLLN on the report that 30000 Haitians have been ordered deported ...March 19, 2009
Atlantic Free Press -
Groningen,Netherlands At this point, Haiti is in much worse shape than
Central Americans
were at ... the need for France to repay the extraordinary 1825 ransom it extorted from
...
Europe - Turkey
Turkish police lead an operation against the
terrorist group called Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) on 10th
of March.
5 human heads discovered in ice chests in central MexicoMarch 11, 2009
Five human heads were found in ice chests on
Tuesday under a ficus tree in the central Mexican state of Jalisco,
police said.The grisly find appeared to be
the latest indication of drug cartels fighting for supremacy in battles
that have left thousands dead. Police in the municipality of Ixtlahuacan
del Rio were informed of the discovery at 2 a.m., the prosecutor's
office said in a written statement.
Canada warns about Mexico travel
- International Herald
Tribune Feb 27, 2009 ... TORONTO: Canada issued an
travel advisory Friday warning asurge in ... The
U.S. State Department recently issued a travel alert for... International
Herald Tribune, Alison Smale, on the big global issues ofthe week. ...
Americas - Mexico
Federal police made two arrests and confiscated
weapons and marijuana Sunday in Tijuana, across the U.S. border from San
Diego, after coming under attack by men linked to a drug cartel.
Americas - Mexico
The people of Villanueva said they'd had
enough. Men in cowboy hats, women with hand-scrawled signs, children on
bikes -- they gathered outside town and blocked the main interstate
highway.
Europe - Netherlands, Turkey
A
Turkish Airlines plane has crashed on landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol
international airport, killing nine people and injuring 84, six
critically. The plane, carrying 127 passengers and seven crew, crashed
short of the runway near the A9 highway. It broke into three pieces, but
did not catch fire.
'Small cell' behind Cairo blastFebruary23, 2009 Middle East / N. Africa - Egypt
Security services in Cairo believe a small
Islamist cell carried out Sunday's deadly bombing, according to reports in
the pro-government press.
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