Nigeria
The FCDO now advises against all travel to Sokoto State, according to its change note of 16 October. Its Warnings and insurance page now lists Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto under advice against all travel in the north-west. Its Regional risks page still lists Sokoto under all but essential travel. Full story in today's lead.
Pakistan
On 15 October the UN Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee amended three entries on its sanctions list. In the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan entry, the leader is now given as Noor Wali Mehsud, replacing Maulana Fazlullah. For Mounir El Motassadeq, the address "In prison in Germany" is struck out and Marrakesh, Morocco is added, with a note that he was deported from Germany to Morocco in October 2018. Both individual entries also gain a note that a photo is available for the INTERPOL-UN Security Council Special Notice.
Sudan
Kate Foster, the UK's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, told the Security Council on 16 October that the IPC had warned that week of an increasing famine risk in Darfur and the Kordofans, and that more than 33 million people need humanitarian assistance. She said: "The advancing drone capabilities we are witnessing are procured, financed, transferred, and sustained through networks outside of Sudan." She called for the Council's Sudan sanctions regime to evolve and said the UK looks forward to consultations in Geneva in the week after her statement.
United Kingdom
The Home Office updated its list of accredited explosives detection dog teams on 16 October. Counted from the attached CSV, it holds 102 teams, 21 of them with accreditation expiry dates in 2026. Full story in today's second piece.
