World Status Report

This report intends to give the UTD Community a snapshot of international risks, and other issues as reported by the linked media and official sources from the U.S. and other countries.

More health and security information for each country can be found in the travel advisories issued by the governments of the United States, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and the CDC, ECDC, and WHO sites. Not all advise in these sites will apply to US travelers.

Please note the publication date of this report and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

Security

• Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues (ERCC). Clashes were back to a high level of intensity after some kind of quieter days during the main evacuations of foreigners on 23 and 24 April, in most parts of Khartoum but also other main cities in the country. The respect of the 72h ceasefire announced by the US remains to be confirmed. Power struggle imperils Sudan’s future, ‘lights fuse that could detonate across borders’ (UN News). The on-going power struggle between Sudan’s top generals not only puts the future of the country at risk, but threatens to “detonate across borders”, fuelling widespread suffering that could go on for years, warned the UN chief on Tuesday.
• On 22 April, a triple suicide bomb attack by non-state armed groups against the military camp and airport in Sévaré in Central Mali, killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 60 (ERCC). Most of the victims are internally displaced persons living in the Serema site. The blast destroyed about 20 houses in the neighbourhood.
• Gang violence is expanding at an alarming rate in Haiti (UN News), in areas previously considered relatively safe in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and outside the city, with a shocking increase in criminality and abuses, and a police force that is unable to handle the situation. At the same time, almost half the population, 5.2 million people, needs humanitarian aid, amid an ongoing cholera epidemic that has generated nearly 40,000 suspected cases since October.
• OHCHR calls on authorities to halt imminent trafficking execution (UN News). The Spokesperson for UN human rights office OHCHR, on Tuesday urged the Government of Singapore to “urgently reconsider” carrying out the execution of a man convicted for allegedly using his phone to coordinate the trafficking of cannabis.
• Cameroon to Redeploy Troops to CAR, Nigeria Borders Amid Spike in Attacks (Voice of America). Cameroon’s military says several million civilians in its border towns and villages are living with chronic fear because attacks by rebels and militants have been increasing since January.
• A Taiwan-based publisher who disappeared while in China has been detained for suspected violations of security laws, Chinese authorities confirmed on Wednesday (NYT). The investigation into Mr. Li was the second politically loaded case linked to Taiwan that China confirmed this week. Prosecutors said on Tuesday that a Taiwanese man, Yang Chih-yuan, was formally arrested and accused of “separatist activities.” A Chinese journalist at one of the country’s major state media outlets known for his relatively forthright and liberal writings has been arrested on charges of espionage, his family have said (The Guardian). Dong Yuyu, was detained in February 2022, but his family kept the detention a secret as they sought to secure his release. They now say he is being charged with espionage.
• Authorities find 8 bodies in Mexican resort of Cancun (AP News). Authorities in the Mexican resort of Cancun said Tuesday they are trying to identify eight bodies found dumped in the Caribbean resort. Feuding drug gangs have caused violence in Cancun and the resort-studded Caribbean coast south of it.
• Israel marks Memorial Day plagued by divisions, violence (AP). Israel marked its Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of militant attacks on Tuesday against the backdrop of some of the deepest political divisions in its history and soaring tensions with Palestinians.

Demonstrations

• Sri Lanka: Protests held in northern, eastern provinces over anti-terror bill (The Telegraph). Trade unions and opposition political parties claim that under the new law they could get framed for terrorism for exercising their basic right to protest
• Migrants walking through Mexico threaten road blockades (AP). Around 3,000 migrants walking through southern Mexico in a mass protest procession threatened Monday to block roads or harm themselves unless the government agrees to talks or provides them with buses.

Natural Disasters

• On 23-24 April, heavy storms and strong winds affected 11 provinces of Thailand (ERCC), resulting in casualties and damage.
• A sequence of lightning strikes and thunderstorms affected eastern Bangladesh on 23 April (ERCC) causing a number of severe weather-related incidents (particularly due to lightning) that have resulted in casualties.
• Strong winds and a very large tornado affected the area of the Pazarcik City on 20 April (ERCC), causing several wind-related incidents that have resulted in casualties and widespread damage. The area was previously severely affected by the devastating seismic activity occurred on 6 February.

Health

• Tanzania reports another Marburg virus infection, death (CIDRAP). The latest case raises the country’s outbreak total to 9, and the death lifts the fatality count to 6.
• New fatal Marburg case reported in Equatorial Guinea (CIDRAP). The case lifts Equatorial Guinea’s number of confirmed infections to 17, which includes 12 deaths.
• Measles outbreak in American Samoa declared public health emergency (ABC News) American Samoa has issued a public health emergency after an outbreak of measles has spread across the U.S. territory. As of Tuesday, there has been one laboratory-confirmed case among an 8-year-old and 31 suspected and/or probable cases of the highly infectious disease, according to the Department of Health.

Please note the publication date of this report and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

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