ICYMI

Israel to ban UNRWA as it continues attacks on Gaza and Lebanon

On Monday, Israel approved legislation that could lead to the complete ban of UNRWA across Israeli-occupied territory. If passed, the UN-mandated humanitarian aid agency would be blocked from providing life-saving support to Palestinians. UN secretary-general Gutierrez warned of “devastating consequences” and urged Israel to act according to UN obligations. Meanwhile, the Israeli siege of Northern Gaza continues, cutting off people from food and medical supplies.

Iranian military targets attacked

On Saturday, 25 October, Israel launched an attack on Iran. It is stated to be the response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on 1 October. This attack was a reaction to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the killing of the Iranian commander alongside Hezbollah Secretary Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut earlier this year.  In Israel’s latest attack on 25 October, around 20 sites were hit over several hours, killing two soldiers according to a statement by the Iranian Army (IRNA).

Attacks on Rojava kill 27 and cause power outages

Turkey’s artillery strikes killed at least 27 people in Rojava, Northern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Various civilian infrastructure sites like medical centers, bakeries, and energy facilities have been targeted. This led to a power outage leaving 250.000 people in the region without water and electricity, reports the local Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES). This follows last Wednesday’s attack by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. in northern Ankara, which killed five people.

Exposing The Far Right

Far-right figure Tommy Robinson has been jailed in the UK. Robinson, (real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon), is known for his racist and anti-Islam rhetoric. In 2021 a Syrian refugee successfully sued him for libellous allegations, which the High Court thereafter banned Robinson from repeating. Robinson broke this ban by airing a film, "Silenced", which repeated the claims. UK campaign group Hope Not Hate complied an 86-page dossier of evidence against Robinson, credited as assisting in the arrest and conviction. Hope Not Hate have this month released an explosive documentary, “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right“, which is receiving positive reviews.

Ongoing violence and famine in Sudan

In one of the deadliest incidents since the 18-month war in Sudan began, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 124 people. The region of Gezira, where this attack happened, has been submitted to ongoing violence by the RSF. In conflict with the Sudanese army, the RSF has killed countless civilians, seized control over large parts of Sudan, and caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Opposition figures say Georgia vote “stolen”

Georgia voted this weekend. The results show the increasingly authoritarian ruling party Georgian Dream remains in power. Pro-EU opposition groups refused to accept the vote and called it stolen. Georgian Dream party chairman and billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili declared victory by 54% via the central election commission. These results differed from the exit polls conducted by some pollsters, prompting key opposition groups to question the validity of the vote and call for protests.

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Header image from AP Images licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED.

First image from Undercover: Exposing the Far Right (2024 Dir. Havana Marking)

Second Image from EPA Images licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED.