The US has issued a worldwide travel alert, warning of possible terrorist action in a wide variety of different countries throughout the Christmas and New Year period.
It's a rare move by the US government, and it came just hours before French President Francois Hollande was due to arrive at the White House for talks with President Obama - their first face-to-face meeting since last week's terror attacks on Paris.
Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.
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In the days since Islamic State wrought so much death and destruction in Paris, President Obama has sought to urge the American people not to panic.
He's claimed that journalists were wrong to characterize the ring-leader of the attacks as a "mastermind" - he was, said the President, just a killer who was himself willing to die, and persuaded others to join his cause.
But while the President has avoided pushing the panic button, at his State Department they are being less restrained.
That was how CNN reported news of the new State Department warning.
Americans are being told to remain vigilant wherever they happen to be, because Islamic State, Boko Haram, Al Qaeda and a host of others are planning attacks between now and at least February of next year.
So, the White House spokesman Josh Earnest was asked, is President Obama now ready to shift his strategy in the battle to defeat Islamic State.
It appears not.
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That comprehensive strategy is not as co-ordinated as anyone would like….and the French President Francois Hollande at the White House today, and the Kremlin on Thursday will make the case for the US and Russia to work more effectively together in Syria.
But White House spokesman Josh Earnest indicated that even French grief may not be enough to bridge the gulf between Washington and Moscow.
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Mr. Earnest did say the French knew they could count on the United States to "have their backs".
That, of course, did nothing to prevent the attacks on Paris…and the State Department at least seems to think Americans need to worry about further attempts to take innocent life by extremists acting anywhere at any time.
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