Saudi Arabia and Yemen
The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh province, Aseer, Najran and Jizan provinces, and Taif city and its airport, and still advises against all travel within 10km of the Yemen border. The UN said Houthi attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh "reportedly killed three people and injured several others". Full story in today's lead, with a tradecraft piece on sheltering from intercept debris.
Lebanon
The UN said a UNIFIL position near Kfar Shouba on the Blue Line "came under small arms fire" on the morning of 8 October. No one was hurt, but "most of the rounds struck the perimeter wall, and some also hit accommodation units and UN vehicles inside the base." UNIFIL has opened an investigation. From 5 October to 7 October peacekeepers also reported Israel Defense Forces activity in southern Lebanon, including several air strikes in their area of operations and "119 violations of Lebanese airspace".
Ukraine
The UN, citing Ukrainian authorities, reported that in just over a day "nearly 50 civilians were killed, including 6 children, and 170 injured". In Kramatorsk, which came under heavy attack with strikes hitting public buses, at least 12 people were killed.
Afghanistan
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has verified that between July and September at least 52 women and 1 girl were arrested or detained in Herat and Kabul, for reasons including not wearing a chador, visible hair, colourful scarves or makeup, or being in public without a male guardian. The UN says the real number may be significantly higher. Female operators and principals moving in Kabul or Herat should be briefed on dress and escort rules before deploying.
Sudan
The UN Security Council unanimously extended the Sudan sanctions regime, including the Darfur arms embargo, to 11 December, in what was described as "a short-term technical rollover".
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The FCDO added new information and guidance on the Ebola outbreak to its DRC advice on 8 October. Its advice describes the outbreak as "highly active, evolving and geographically widespread".
