City at the heart of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and a holy site for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Palestinian communities face encroachment as Israeli settlers, backed by a hard‑line government, move to seize springs and designate heritage sites. Water diversions near Fasayil contribute to a new “Herod’s Pool,” while funding for archaeology signals a broader push to consolidate control over land and memory in the West Bank.
A US-backed Board of Peace has presented a six-month, $2.45bn, 66-project plan to begin Gaza's reconstruction, but implementation has not started. The plan depends on Hamas disarming, Israeli cooperation and major donor funding that remains unpaid. Israeli forces continue to control much of the Strip and aid and movement restrictions are persisting.
More than 100 Israeli settlers have attacked the West Bank village of Jalud while Israeli forces were attempting to escort a displaced Palestinian family back to their home. Settlers set fire to houses and vehicles, injured three security officers and blocked the family's return; police have detained a small number of suspects and court rulings had ordered the family's return.
Britain has warned it could expel up to about 27 Israeli diplomats if Israel closes the UK consulate in East Jerusalem on Thursday. Israel has ordered the consulate to shut within 30 days after Britain announced sanctions on goods and services linked to West Bank settlements. British officials have tried last-minute talks to avert the closure but have not reached a deal.
Benjamin Davis has been dismissed from the FAO after a 26-year tenure, amid controversy over his Gaza hunger brief and moments of silence protests. Qu Dongyu has warned staff about firing more for political activism, while Davis argues the dismissal undermines the UN’s human-rights mandate. The case now moves to the FAO’s internal justice process.
A gunman has opened fire outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, wounding a police officer; the suspect has died after hospitalisation. Ontarios SIU and Belleville police have opened investigations and police have increased patrols near places of worship. Separately, Reform synagogues in Jerusalem and other countries have reported repeated vandalism and harassment targeting LGBTQ-friendly and non-Orthodox communities.
Israel has demolished a vast Hezbollah tunnel complex beneath the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to collapse tunnels that extended over 2km. The blast has registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor, Israeli forces say they have established operational control and will hold a security zone while continuing strikes when needed.
Palestinian worshippers face access restrictions as Israeli security forces tighten control around Al-Aqsa during Sukkot and Yom Kippur, with settlers and high-level Israeli officials conducting rites at the site. Across East Jerusalem and the West Bank, clashes, closures, and arrests continue as international actors call for restraint.
Saudi authorities have said they have intercepted a Houthi-launched drone south of Mecca and have called the attempt a "red line" because it targeted Islam's holiest sites. Regional capitals and Muslim organisations have condemned the strikes on Saudi cities and infrastructure, and analysts warn the attacks will raise pressure on shipping routes and global energy supplies.
Archaeologists have uncovered a well-preserved ritual bath complex from the early first century CE near the Temple Mount, offering new details on pilgrimage practices during the Second Temple period. The find includes a hydraulic drainage system and multiple mikvaot, with researchers highlighting its role in serving thousands of pilgrims during major festivals.
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has led Brazil's first-round presidential vote, finishing ahead of incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but without an outright majority. With neither candidate reaching 50%, the race has moved to an October 25 run-off. Bolsonaro's far-right Liberal Party has won large congressional representation, while both campaigns are preparing for a tight second round.
Gaza remains under heavy Israeli strikes with multiple fatalities reported across Khan Younis, Jabalia and Gaza City. Officials say the toll is rising amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations and aid delivery concerns.
Over the past days, Israeli forces have intensified operations following a spate of attacks near West Bank settlements. An Israeli soldier has been critically wounded, and attackers have been killed in multiple incidents. Ambassadors and family members are expressing concern as the conflict escalates amid a festive period.
Multiple cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have been struck by unknown projectiles, causing fires and injuries. UKMTO and local authorities are coordinating evacuations as the incidents raise security concerns for regional shipping routes and global trade.
The Crown Prosecution Service has charged Dr. Vincent Brown, a 65-year-old doctor formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, with conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of murder as a crime against humanity. He is the first person in Britain to face such charges for the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Proceedings have moved to the Old Bailey, with a next appearance scheduled for October 9.
Israel's Netanyahu is seeking reelection as world leaders gather at the UN. Mamdani continues to clash with Israeli policy, calling for accountability and criticizing genocide accusations, while Trump remains a key ally on some fronts. Protests and counter-demonstrations surround Netanyahu's UN appearance.
Palestinian communities in the West Bank report intensified clashes with Israeli settlers backed by occupation forces. Across multiple towns, settlers have attacked homes, seized property, and sparked confrontations amid a surge in violence since 2022.
The Supreme Court has unanimously overturned the Central Elections Committee’s disqualification of Ra’am and the Joint List, reinstating their ballots for the October 27 election. Cassif remains barred, while Sami Abu Shehadeh withdraws his candidacy; the court’s decision keeps Arab citizens represented as the election race tightens ahead of voting.
The narrative centers on a September 8 draft statement seeking to frame UK, France and Canada actions against Israeli settlements as hostile and antisemitic, a document that was never released. Rubio refrained from commenting on the measures as White House and State Department leadership did not back the move. The episode underscores a growing divide within the US political spectrum and a shift in public opinion toward Israel.
Palestinian officials condemn expanding Israeli settlements and related displacement in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. They call for urgent UN action as Gaza endures a humanitarian catastrophe while a fragile ceasefire persists.
Pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrators gather near the UN as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the General Assembly. Arrests occur as protesters block traffic near First Avenue. Celebrities attend or support the protests, while some activists call for halting U.S. funding to Israel.
The UN has updated its human-rights database to list 214 companies across 11 countries, most of them Israeli, with five removals this year. The update, first published in 2020, comes as Britain, France and Canada take steps to restrict settlement-linked trade. Volker Türk reiterates that firms must conduct due diligence to respect human rights.
Meskel is being celebrated across Ethiopia with bonfires and prayers, while fears of a wider war in Tigray persist as flights are disrupted and families are separated by conflict.
The Israeli election has left both Netanyahu’s supporters and his opponents short of a 61-seat majority in the Knesset. Polls show the blocs remain tightly divided with Arab parties potentially pivotal, and opposition leaders pledge to cooperate while avoiding intra-bloc clashes ahead of the October 27 vote.
The attorney general has ordered a one-month postponement of bids for housing in the E1 area near Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, citing concerns the process could influence the Oct. 27 election. Rights groups and international actors have warned the plan would fracture West Bank contiguity and undermine a two‑state solution.
Israel has imposed countermeasures after the Netherlands banned settlement goods, ordering seven-day deadlines for Dutch diplomats to deliver Israeli papers and expiring immunity. France, Britain and Canada have taken similar steps. The moves reflect growing Western pressure over settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights.
Mediapart has published private messages it says were written by Jordan Bardella in 2013 that include antisemitic remarks; Bardella has denied the messages and called the disclosures a "total war" to destabilise Marine Le Pen's campaign, and Le Pen has expressed "total confidence" in him as he threatens legal action.
Israel’s prime minister has warned of potential attacks ahead of the elections, while opposition leaders say the warnings are political. Netanyahu’s office says a security briefing has been provided to opposition leader Lapid as polls show a tight race.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after an altercation on the flight deck. The airline has said all passengers are safe and accounted for. Israeli officials have said a pilot stabbed the co-pilot and tried to sabotage the aircraft; Israeli warplanes monitored the diversion and passengers restrained the assailant.
Palestinian election officials are barred from Gaza and East Jerusalem ahead of the November 28 vote, prompting concerns over whether elections can proceed. The European Union has offered observers, and Palestinian leaders are calling for international support to ensure credible, inclusive polls amid past postponements.
Arab parties face disqualification challenges as Israel's election rules are tested. The Supreme Court and Central Elections Committee are at the center of rulings that could shape representation for Palestinian citizens ahead of the October 27 vote.
Passengers and crew have subdued an attacker on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, preventing a potential crash as the aircraft plummeted and then leveled out. An Israeli passenger and off-duty pilots helped regain control; Trump has praised an ‘Israeli plumber’ whose actions are cited by multiple outlets.
The Green Party at its Brighton convention has passed a motion calling Zionism a form of racism and backing a single democratic Palestinian state in historic Palestine with equal rights for all. The vote was 1,022 to 813, prompting condemnation from Jewish groups and Israel’s government.
Prime Minister Lauli Leuatea Schmidt has apologised for a seven-second clip showing a Nazi salute at a private family gathering in 2007. He says the words and gesture were inappropriate and not reflective of his beliefs or Samoa's values. The video has drawn international attention as Schmidt has led Samoa since 2025 and has publicly supported Israel.
An Israeli mathematics lecturer at Bar-Ilan University has been indicted for preparing to carry out mass terrorist attacks against Palestinian communities in Israel, East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The plan envisaged 72 attackers in 12 cells, with potential support from inside the Israeli military, and aimed to drive Palestinians to flee to neighboring states.
Israel has stated it will continue targeting anyone involved in the Hamas attack and hostages, as violence and casualties in Gaza mount after the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023. Leaders mark anniversaries and pledge resolve amid ongoing conflict and post-war planning.
The International Olympic Committee has confirmed a handful of countries are engaging in continuous dialogue to bid for future Olympic Games. A deadline of October 31 is set for formal interest, with shortlisting and feasibility assessments to follow between 2027 and 2029. Ahmedabad, Munich and Cape Town are among the cities named in emerging bids for 2036 and beyond.
Three years after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks killed about 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251, the country confronts ongoing scrutiny of security failures, the absence of an independent inquiry, and the lasting trauma in border communities as survivors and families navigate memory, loss and national reckoning.
Three years after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Israel faces a pivotal election that could determine the future of Benjamin Netanyahu’s premiership. Voters weigh accountability for security failures against a demand for stability as regional dynamics remain volatile and Gaza’s humanitarian toll persists.