ASIA

Pakistan (Security threat level – 5): On 28 October 2022, a caravan of supporters affiliated with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gathered in the eastern city of Lahore for a protest march to the capital Islamabad via the Grand Trunk Road. Khan is leading the caravan to Islamabad to demand snap national elections after he was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote in early April 2022. The caravan is expected to travel through the cities of Daska, Gujjar Khan, Gujranwala, Kamonki and Rawalpindi, and tens of thousands of additional supporters are expected to join the march along the route before arriving in the capital city on 4 November. After entering Islamabad, Khan and his supporters are expected to stage a sit-in protest against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government.

EUROPE

Italy (Security threat level – 2): At approximately 1830 local time (1630 UTC) on 27 October 2022, a man stabbed five people at a store in the Milanofiori shopping center in the town of Assago — located in the southern part of the Milan metropolitan area. The attack began after the suspect took a knife from the shelves of the supermarket and proceeded to randomly stab customers. One person was killed and the other four were wounded. The attacker — who local media report has a history of mental health issues — was arrested at the scene. Authorities do not believe the stabbing spree was an act of terrorism.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Philippines (Security threat level – 4): As of 1700 local time (0900 UTC) on 28 October 2022, Tropical Storm Nalgae was located approximately 660 km (410 mi) southeast of the capital Manila, according to the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center. At that time, Nalgae was moving west at a speed of approximately 22 kph (13 mph), with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph and higher gusts. Nalgae is projected to strengthen as it tracks north toward Luzon Island and approaches Northern Samar province; the storm is expected to make landfall or pass close to the province on the night of 28 October.

Overnight on 27-28 October, Nalgae caused torrential downpours, heavy flooding and severe landslides throughout the southern area of the Philippines. On the southern Mindanao Island, heavy rain felled trees, downed powerlines and submerged dozens of local residences and businesses. According to local authorities, large areas of Cotabato city, located on Mindanao Island, continues to be inaccessible due to high floodwaters. Search and rescue personnel — who are conducting operations with boats and small rafts due to the flooding — have been deployed in Cotabato, as well as in Cebu City and the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinduat and Upi. Officials at Manila International Airport (RPLL/MNL) have canceled at least nine flights due to inclement weather conditions. The effects of Tropical Storm Nalgae have killed at least 42 people, while several others remain missing.

GOVERNMENT WARNINGS

Nigeria (Security threat level – 5): On 27 October 2022, the U.S. Mission to Nigeria issued a Security Alert, which reads in part as follows: “The Travel Advisory for Nigeria has been updated due to a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in Abuja. We recommend U.S. citizens do not travel to Abuja at this time. In addition, on October 27, 2022, the Department ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees from Abuja due to heightened risk of terrorist attacks, following on the October 25 authorization of departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members from Abuja due to heightened risk of terrorist attacks.”