Americans Cautioned on Unrest in Nepal

The American Embassy in Katmandu, Nepal, has urged Americans in the Himalyan kingdom to “exercise extreme caution and avoid nonemergency travel� due to “serious civil unrest in Katmandu and other major metropolitan areas.� The embassy’s statement was quoted in a Dec. 27 public announcement from the State Department that is effective through Feb. 28.

The announcement followed rioting that left four people dead in Katmandu, the capital. The rioting was prompted by a rumor that Indian film star Hrithik Roshan had told an interviewer he hated Nepal and its people; Roshan denied making the comment. Violence continued last week. The unrest comes amid a resurgence of tourism in Nepal, which hosts more than 400,000 visitors each year, officials say. Tourism is Nepal’s No. 1 industry.