Sudan
The UN human rights office says drone strikes killed at least 306 people in three weeks, attributed to both the army and the RSF, as reported by UN News on 23 October. The strikes hit displacement sites, markets and hospitals. UN Women said the same day that drone attacks are increasing across five areas including Blue Nile, Khartoum and West Kordofan. A joint ministerial statement published by the FCDO warns of famine risk, with 19.5 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
SIA prosecution
A licence applicant who forged two character references, one claiming to be from a doctor that nobody of that name on the medical register matched, was fined with a total of £904 to pay, the SIA said on 15 October.
Iran
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told the UN General Assembly on 23 October that "the bases on which a diplomatic agreement could be concluded exist". He said inspectors' return "requires a return to the negotiating table". UN News reported that Iran has sharply restricted access since the June 2025 strikes on its nuclear sites, and that in September the IAEA's board referred Iran's non-compliance to the Security Council, which Tehran contests.
DR Congo
UN News reported on 23 October that there have been 9,765 Ebola cases and 4,727 deaths in the DRC outbreak declared in mid-May. It has spread to eight provinces, the latest Nord-Ubangi in the northwest, and cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria and France.
Azerbaijan
The FCDO updated its Azerbaijan entry advice on 23 October. It says the border with Iran is closed, but British nationals might be able to cross at Astara with special authorisation from the Azerbaijani government, facilitated by the British Embassy in Baku. Anyone leaving Iran overland does so at their own risk, and the FCDO warns that holding a British passport can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain someone in Iran.
Jordan
The FCDO added further information on 25 October about the shooting at a church in Karak Governorate on 23 October. It says the shooting caused several casualties, security operations are ongoing, and travellers should expect heightened security and checkpoints. The UN Spokesman said an attack on a funeral service at a church in Hmoud, Karak Province, the same day left seven people dead.
