Saudi Arabia
The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Saudi Arabia, and still advises against all travel to within 10km of the Yemen border. The change was published late on 16 October and follows widening steps on 20 September, 8 October and 11 October. Full story in today's lead.
Nigeria
The FCDO now advises against all travel to Sokoto State, according to its change note of 16 October. Its current advice also lists Katsina and Zamfara states under advice against all travel in the north-west, alongside Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe in the north-east.
Ethiopia
The FCDO added new information on 16 October about fighting in Tigray. It says there is ongoing fighting between federal government forces and forces opposed to the federal government, that all civilian flights to and from Tigray were suspended on 22 September, and that anyone in the region should shelter in place and leave by commercial means once they judge it safe to do so. It advises against all travel to Tigray.
Ukraine
At the UN daily press briefing on 16 October, Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said, citing OCHA, that according to authorities at least 6 civilians were killed and 84 injured between the previous day and that morning. Power and water supplies were disrupted in 11 regions, and some 270,000 households and businesses lost electricity in the Volyn region alone. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported at least 328 civilians killed and more than 2,100 injured in September, an 85 per cent increase on the same period last year.
UK security industry
The SIA updated its Approved Contractor Scheme data on 13 October. Median initial annual assessment scores for the year to 30 September 2026 run from 41 for firms with up to 10 licensable staff to 125 for those with over 250. Full story in today's second piece.
