October 22, 2024

*) ​​Israel kills 29 Palestinians in northern Gaza strikes At least 29 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, as the army continues its massive offensive, now in its 18th day, in northern Gaza. Artillery shelling targeted a school sheltering displaced civilians near Birket Abu Rashid in Jabalia, killing seven people and injuring dozens. According to witnesses, civilians gathered upon Israeli military orders at the UN-run Kreism School when an Israeli tank fired a shell towards them. Six people were also killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted a group of civilians filling water containers in Jabalia al-Balad in northern Gaza. *) Blinken heads again for Middle East to push for Gaza truce US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back again in the Middle East to push for a Gaza ceasefire two weeks before the US elections. This will be his 11th trip to the region since Israel’s war on Gaza broke out a year ago, without any results. Ahead of the trip, US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him for his actions in Gaza and Lebanon even as Israel has received widespread condemnation for its genocidal war in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Meanwhile, last week, Pentagon announced the deployment to Israel of a THAAD anti-missile system battery and a crew of US military personnel. *) Australian senator to King Charles: 'Give us what you stole from us' An Indigenous senator in Australia told King Charles III that Australia is not his land and the monarch was not needed as the British royal visited Australia's parliament. Indigenous independent Senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted out of a parliamentary reception for the royal couple after shouting that British colonisers had taken Indigenous land and bones. She lamented that British colonialism committed genocide against the indigenous people and shouted …. “Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty.” *) Ukraine blasts UN chief for accepting BRICS summit invitation in Russia Ukraine's Foreign Ministry blasted UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for what it said was his acceptance of an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to a BRICS summit. Putin will host the 16th BRICS summit on Oct. 22-24 in Russia’s city of Kazan, where 32 countries have confirmed their participation, with 24 being represented by their heads of state, while the remaining eight will send high-ranking officials. Major topics at the summit are likely to include economic cooperation, trade agreements and the challenges faced by BRICS members, such as geopolitical tensions, the global economic slowdown and climate change. Russia will likely highlight multilateralism, using the BRICS platform to counter Western-dominated global governance structures. *) Turkish Festival in Washington attracts thousands with rich cultural displays Thousands of people gathered in Washington, DC for the annual Turkish Festival, immersing themselves in a lively celebration of Turkish culture, featuring vibrant performances, traditional music, and authentic cuisine. Organised by the Turkish-American Association of Washington DC (ATA-DC), the festival took place on Pennsylvania Avenue, near the Capitol, offering a showcase of Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage. Visitors were treated to a variety of performances, including traditional Turkish folk dancing, live Turkish folk music, and performances by musicians from the broader Turkish republics, all of which captivated the audience.