Warning on Iran updated to highlight risk

The State Department updated its travel warning on Iran on Jan. 29 “to reiterate and highlight the risk of arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, particularly dual national Iranian Americans, in Iran.”

The U.S. relies on the Swiss Embassy in Tehran for consular services because the U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, but the State Department notes that “the range of consular services ... is limited and may require significantly more processing time than at U.S. embassies or consulates.”

Info: www.lat.ms/1KmcpbP

Mexican states a mixed bag

Mexico has a renewed State Department warning, issued Jan. 19, that again considers the country by state. Some are fine; others come with strong warnings. Of special interest to Southern Californians: Baja California, which includes Tijuana and Rosarito.

Both places experienced an “increase in homicide rates from January to October” of last year, but the warning notes that this is criminal activity, not random street crime, although some incidents have happened in places that U.S. tourists go.

Also on the caution list: La Paz in Baja California Sur, which “registered its highest homicide rate ever as of October 2015,” and there has been “an increase in public acts of violence between rival criminal organizations.”

Mexico was also cited in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the areas where the Zika virus has been found.

This mostly mosquito-borne virus is not fatal, but it has been linked to a serious birth defect.

The World Health Organization last week labeled Zika as a public health emergency and has used the word “explosively” to describe its spread through the Americas.

Info: State Department warning: www.lat.ms/1nZX0E8; CDC and Zika: www.lat.ms/1TxMmRb

Lions reappear in Ethiopia

In a rare bit of good news in a beleaguered country, Ethiopia apparently has lions, which were discovered in Alatish National Park in the northwest part of the country.

Born Free, a British charity, apparently has seen tracks and images of the tawny-coated big cats. New Scientist reports there may be as many as 200 lions, important because the population of the cats has declined (think Cecil) to about 20,000 in the wild.

A howler at Rio’s Carnival

The United States has its “Puppy Bowl,” the Animal Planet TV show that features an adorable canine version of Sunday’s Super Bowl, but Brazil may have one-upped it with its dog-centric event in Carnival, which continues in human form through Wednesday.

Dogs were dressed as superheroes, insects and wizards, among other costumes, for the Jan. 31 event in Rio de Janeiro.

You may have missed it for this year, but mark your calendar for next year, when Carnival runs Feb. 24-March 1.

Sources: U.S. Department of State, Associated Press, Centers for Disease Control, New Scientist, CIA’s World Factbook, Animal Planet