Travelers should avoid Lesotho and Eritrea, State Department says

Among the State Department’s recent warnings and alerts:

Lesotho: It has advised U.S. citizens to defer all travel to Lesotho because of the “security situation.” Last month, an attempted coup in Lesotho, which is enveloped by South Africa and received its independence from Britain in 1966, sparked continued unrest.

Mozambique: It issued an alert for Mozambique to advise travelers about elections scheduled for Oct. 15, adding that “widespread violence is not anticipated.”

Eritrea: It issued a warning for Eritrea, warning U.S. citizens “not travel to the country since there is increasing possibility [they] will not receive the requisite exit permit from Eritrean authorities.” To see the most current warnings and alerts, go to travel.state.gov

Bad tip for Greek cabbies

If your taxi driver in Greece seems a little cranky, it might be because of a recent scam that flimflammed cabbies out of $141,300. Seven people were arrested on suspicion of taking deposits for lists of potential VIP customers. A 66-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman are accused of using the bank accounts of homeless people to route the money. The taxi drivers paid nearly $2,000 each on the promise of the list, which was supposed to include dignitaries from the World Health Organization and the European Commission.

London temple revival

By 2017, visitors to London may be able again to see a Roman site in the center of London that was discovered in September 1954. The Temple of Mithras, found on the site of an office building excavation, was moved and reconstructed, apparently badly. Now the property is being redeveloped, and the site will be reconstructed again. The Museum of London Archaeology is asking the public for any memories or photos that might help scientists in their quest for authenticity. Why the public? The news of the discovery captured Londoners’ imaginations, and they flocked to the site, according to the Guardian newspaper, snapping photos and even being allowed to participate in the dig.

Want an iPhone 6?

If you haven’t been able to get your iPhone 6 yet, you could consider going to Beijing. There, for about $4,100, you can get a gold-colored one with 128 GB of memory, the International Business Times reported. The iPhone 6 isn’t on sale yet in Beijing, and the devices that are available appear to have come from Hong Kong, the Business Times reported. Others may have come from people who waited in line in the U.S., bought the phone and took it to China for resale.

Landing in Mexico City

Mexico City’s new airport is expected to open for business by 2020, USA Today reported. The $9-billion facility could handle up to 50 million passengers a year. One of the airport architects is Norman Foster, whose Harmon Hotel was part of Las Vegas’ City Center project. The building was plagued with construction issues, and a Clark County, Nev., judge ruled it could be taken down floor by floor. Deconstruction continues.

Sources: U.S. Department of State, Associated Press, the Guardian, the International Business Times and USA Today