The lead
At the UN General Assembly Third Committee on 27 October, the Chair of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said elections under current conditions risk triggering a wider war. She cited military orders for civilians, peacekeepers and aid agencies to leave Akobo, according to the UN summary, which adds that the area hosted an estimated 270,000 people. The UN summary gives no election date and does not say whether the operations have started.
The second post
The FCDO published "Arrested or in prison in the USA" on 28 October. It sets out rights, timelines and bail rules, and warns that an immigration detainer can mean no release even after full bail is paid. It says nothing about firearms or close protection; our reading for travelling teams is labelled as ours.
Myanmar
A UN Special Rapporteur told the Third Committee on 27 October that Myanmar has passed "a grim milestone: more than 100,000 conflict-related deaths since the coup, the vast majority of which were civilians". The UN summary does not say who counted them. The head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar said planes bombed a monastery in Sagaing Region and a church complex in Chin State about two weeks ago, and recalled a bombing at a Rakhine State market that killed over 50 people. The UN summary of Special Envoy Julie Bishop's briefing says the Arakan Army controls 14 of 17 townships in Rakhine.
Spain
The UN said more than 60 people were killed in a train accident in Spain, in the noon briefing of 28 October. The FCDO added a section to its Spain page the same day saying two high speed trains collided between the towns of Mora and Orgaz, in Toledo province, and that significant disruption to rail services is expected. The FCDO page gives no casualty figure. Neither source gives a cause.
Italy
The FCDO has warned since 21 October that a national strike is planned for Friday 30 October and is expected to affect transport systems. Its Italy page also refers to recent demonstrations across northern Italian cities that it says have led to violent riots and looting, and to an increased police and military presence in Milan. The page does not say which unions are involved or the strike hours.
Yemen
OCHA told the UN noon briefing on 28 October that more than 281,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the start of August, more than half in Taiz governorate. Damage to a key road linking Taiz to the south has forced aid onto narrow mountain routes, and access has become increasingly difficult over the past three weeks. Asked whether the road was damaged or encircled by the Houthis, the UN spokesperson said he did not want to guess. The cause of the damage is not stated.
Sudan
The UN noon briefing of 28 October referred to reports of drone strikes on Monday 26 October that "hit a market and a residential neighbourhood in Nyala" in South Darfur, killing dozens and injuring more than 150. It also reported civilian casualties from drone strikes near the airport in El Geneina, West Darfur. The UN does not give an exact toll for Nyala or say who launched the strikes.
DR Congo
The UN noon briefing said that, according to its humanitarian partners on the ground, "at least 19 civilians have been killed in armed clashes in and around the village of Muganga in Djugu Territory" in Ituri since Sunday 25 October, with more than 25,000 people fleeing to Mahagi Territory. It said movement and access constraints complicate the Ebola response, and that national authorities report more than 10,100 confirmed Ebola cases with over 4,900 deaths. The briefing does not say who is fighting.
