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 

• At least 6 mercenaries with Russia’s Wagner group killed in an extremist attack in Mali (AP News) – The group, known by its acronym, JNIM, said it ambushed a convoy of mercenaries working for the Wagner Group on Thursday in the Mopti region, killing fighters and burning vehicles. A Mali security official who works in the area confirmed an attack on Russian soldiers occurred on Thursday and that several people died while manning a checkpoint in the center of the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity on Saturday because he was not authorized to speak to the media. 
• 10 children killed by security forces in Mozambique’s election protests (AP News) – Mozambique security forces killed at least 10 children and injured dozens of others while trying to suppress weeks of protests following a disputed presidential election, Human Rights Watch said Monday. Hundreds of other minors were detained by security forces, some of them for days in violation of international law, since election results were announced a month ago, the rights group said. 
• Haiti: Child recruitment by armed groups surges 70 percent (UN News) -The number of children being recruited into armed groups in Haiti has increased by 70 per cent over the past year, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)  has reported.  The unprecedented spike also reveals the alarming deterioration of child protection amid escalating violence in the Caribbean nation. According to the latest estimates, children now comprise up to half of all armed group members, with recruitment driven by widespread poverty, lack of education and collapse of essential services.   
• Gunmen in southeast Mexico open fire in a bar killing 6 and injuring 5 as violence spirals (AP News) – The shooting took place in the coastal province of Tabasco, which is struggling with a recent increase in violence. Public Safety Secretary Omar García Harfuch said on X that the shooting happened in Villahermosa and that federal authorities are working with local officials to help solve the crime. 
• Pakistan strikes seven-day ceasefire deal between warring sectarian groups (Reuters) – A Pakistani government team mediated a seven-day ceasefire deal between rival sectarian groups on Sunday, halting days of clashes that have killed at least 68 people and injured dozens in the northwest of the country, one of the mediators said. The violence began when gunmen attacked convoys of civilian vehicles on Thursday, killing at least 40 people, mostly Shi’ite Muslims. That sparked retaliatory attacks against Sunni Muslim residents and there have been pitched battles between armed groups from both sides. 

Environment 

• Indonesia – Flash floods and landslides (ERCC) – Since 23 November, heavy rainfall has been affecting most of Sumatra island, triggering landslides and flash floods that resulted in casualties and damage. At least 16 people died, most due to a landslide in North Sumatra province where four people died and a flash flood event in the same province that resulted in four fatalities and two missing people. Moreover, a total of six people are missing, several have been injured and hundreds of houses have been damaged. 
• Democratic Republic of the Congo – Landslide (ERCC) – On 22 November, a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall occurred in Kalehe territory in South Kivu province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in casualties and damage. As of 25 November, media reports at least ten fatalities, three injured people including eight children, seven houses destroyed and 31 damaged. On 25-26 November, more heavy rainfall is expected over most parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
• United Kingdom, Ireland – Severe Weather and floods (ERCC) – Heavy rainfall has been hitting several counties of the UK and parts of Ireland since 22 November causing severe weather-related incidents, the overflow of some rivers and floods that resulted in casualties and damage. In the UK, at least five people died across the countries of England and Wales. Moreover, thousands of houses experienced power outages, and flights and train services have been delayed and cancelled. Furthermore, the Taff river overflowed in Pontypridd town (Wales), flooding homes, and resulting in business closures. In Ireland, over 60,000 households, farms, and businesses were without power on 22-23 November. 

Health 

• Three countries report new polio cases (CIDRAP) – Pakistan has one more wild poliovirus type 1 case, and Chad and Nigeria have more vaccine-derived cases. In Pakistan, the case-patient experienced paralysis in late September in Balochistan. The country now has reported 49 polio cases this year. Five circulating vaccine-derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2) cases were reported this week in Chad,  from N’Djamena and Tandjile, with onsets of paralysis in August and September. The cases bring Chad’s 2024 total to 20. Nigeria reported a single case of cVDPV2 in September and now has 81 cases for the year. 

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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