News Watch

Zimbabwe declared a state of emergency on Sept. 12 after an outbreak of cholera in the capital, Harare. Markets and schools were closed to prevent spreading the disease. At press time, the number of cholera cases in Harare was nearly 5,500, with 38 deaths attributed to the disease. The outbreak is believed to have been caused by overflowing sewers.

Cholera is a bacterial disease that is spread through contaminated drinking water. It causes watery diarrhea and vomiting, which, if left...

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The Taliban, an Islamist political group, has stepped up attempts to control key cities in Afghanistan in recent months. In August, the Taliban briefly took control of the city of Ghazni, just south of the capital, Kabul. The city was quickly retaken by the Afghan military.

Taliban militants attacked the city of Sar-e Pul, in the north, on Sept. 9, killing at least 17 members of the local security forces during an assault that lasted more than 24 hours. Officials claimed that at least...

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At least 25 people were killed when gunmen opened fire on a military parade in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, on Sept. 22. Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard were targeted, but women and children also were victims. Two of the gunmen were killed and two others were detained during the attack.

An ethnically Arab separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack, as did the Islamist militant group Daesh (ISIL), but evidence points to the Arab group as the culprits. After the...

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The entire police force of Acapulco, Mexico, numbering 700 officers, was suspended from duty on Sept. 26, as the department is being investigated for ties to criminal organizations. Two commanders were also arrested under suspicion of murder. Mexico's Federal Police and the military will take over policing duties in the city during the investigation.

In 2017, Acapulco's murder rate averaged 106 murders per 100,000 people, the highest in the world. Due to the high level of...

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In late August, at least 16 men armed with rifles entered the Tawali Resort, at Milne Bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea, taking about 20 guests hostage and robbing them of all their money and luxury items. The guests were from North America, Europe and Asia. No one was injured during the robbery.

According to a statement from an anonymous former employee, it was the third time the resort had been robbed in this fashion in the last few years.

More than 30 passengers on a Jet Airways plane needed medical attention after the cockpit crew forgot to pressurize the cabin on a Sept. 20 flight. The resulting low pressure caused nose and ear bleeds.

The plane, scheduled to fly from Jaipur, India, to Mumbai, was carrying 166 passengers and five crew. It safely returned to Jaipur shortly after takeoff.

An Air Niugini 737 plane flying from Pohnpei, Micronesia, to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, overshot the runway in low-visibility conditions on Sept. 28 and crashed into a lagoon, remaining intact on top of the water. Locals used fishing boats to rescue 36 passengers and 11 crew. No major injuries were reported, but unconfirmed reports stated that one passenger was missing.

The US Department of State posts up-to-date travel advisories on every country and many territories, ranking each 1 (Exercise normal precautions), 2 (Exercise increased caution), 3 (Reconsider travel) or 4 (Do not travel). Note: A country's regions are also ranked, and may have different rankings than the country as a whole. Visit travel.state.gov and click on "Travel Advisories" at the top of the page.

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