US issues global travel alert, cites potential al Qaeda threat

The United States issued a worldwide travel alert on Friday, warning US citizens about the "continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa."

In a statement, the State Department said current information suggests al Qaeda and its affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in the Middle East and beyond, and may concentrate those efforts in August. A US official said the alert was based on the same intelligence information that prompted US embassy closures for this Sunday. (Reuters)