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

• Lone wolf terrorists in Europe are not so lonely anymore – who is radicalising and recruiting them? (YAHOO!News) Europol warns that lone actors will carry out the majority of terrorist attacks in the EU – with Islamist terrorism the biggest threat in Western Europe.
• Israel mounts new sortie into Gaza, hints there may be several ‘invasions’ (Reuters). Israel said its ground forces had pushed into Gaza overnight to attack Hamas targets as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “preparing for a ground invasion” that could be one of several.
• Anti-Black racism is rising in EU countries, led by Germany, study finds (Reuters on MSN.com). Racism towards Black people is growing in Europe, with Germany, Austria and Finland showing the highest rates of discrimination and harassment, a survey of first- and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries published on Wednesday found.
• Mexico deploys 300 National Guard troopers to area where 13 police officers were killed in an ambush (AP News). The Mexican government sent 300 National Guard troopers to bolster the southern state of Guerrero on Tuesday, where a local police chief and 12 officers were shot dead in a brutal ambush the day before.

Infrastructure

• Finland blames Chinese ship for Baltic Sea gas pipeline damage (YAHOO!News). Finnish police say they have data pointing to the Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel NewNew Polar Bear as the culprit in damaging the pipeline running under the Baltic Sea.

Environment

• New Caledonia (France) – Tropical Cyclone LOLA, update (ERCC). As of 26 October, media report damage to infrastructure, schools, some destroyed houses and a number of blocked roads across Penama and Malampa Provinces.
• Malaysia – Floods (ERCC). Since 22 October, heavy rainfall has affected the peninsular states of Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Perak, causing floods and resulting in damage and displacement.
• Mexico – Tropical cyclone OTIS, update (ERCC). OTIS made landfall over the area of the coastal City of Acapulco, central Guerrero State, southern Mexico on 25 October around 6.25 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h (Cat. 5 Hurricane). According to NOAA, there are no hurricanes on record even close to this intensity for this part of Mexico. Acapulco residents are left in flooded and windblown chaos with hurricane’s toll still unknown (AP News). A day after Hurricane Otis roared ashore in Acapulco, unleashing massive floods and setting off looting, the resort city of nearly 1 million descended into chaos, leaving residents without electricity or internet service as the death toll remained uncertain.
• Indonesia – Severe weather (ERCC). Over the past few days, strong winds and tornadoes have affected parts of Sumatra and Java Island, resulting in widespread damage.
• Philippines – Severe weather (ERCC). Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms have affected southern Philippines, in particular Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato Province, on 21 October, causing flash floods and landslides that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Yemen, Oman – Tropical cyclone TEJ, update (ERCC). The passage of tropical cyclone TEJ which made landfall over the southern coast of Al Mahrah Governorate, eastern Yemen on 24 October, resulted in casualties and displacement.
• Somalia – Flash floods (ERCC). Heavy rainfall has been affecting Somalia in the last few weeks, particularly Banadir, Galmuduug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West States, causing flash floods that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Parts of the United Kingdom continue to grapple with widespread flooding stemming from the passage of Storm Babet (floodlist). Authorities have confirmed a grim toll of at least four fatalities linked to the storm that has swept the nation in recent days. Hundreds of people have evacuated their homes in parts of Scotland and central and northern England. Previously flooding from the storm caused major damages in southwest Ireland.
• First Person: Farmers running out of water in Punjab, India (UN News). For farmers in the Punjab region of India, water shortages are a harsh reality, and ahead of the publication of a UN report Interconnected Disaster Risks, three rice cultivators have been talking about the challenges they face due to the scarcity of water and the solutions they are adopting.

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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