Palestinian territory disputed, center of Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Voting has taken place in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election for the seat vacated by Keir Starmer. The race has narrowed to Labour council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali and Green leader Zack Polanski. The contest is being viewed as an early test of Andy Burnham's new Labour leadership and of whether the Greens can convert recent local successes into a Westminster seat.
The Green Party has passed a motion defining Zionism as racism and backing a Palestinian state, prompting internal divisions and international condemnation. Four of five MPs oppose aspects of the resolution; leader Zack Polanski did not vote. Israel bans Polanski from entering the country as a by-election nears, while the European Green Party condemns the move.
Russia has held a three‑day parliamentary election and officials have released returns showing United Russia has secured a record super‑majority in the State Duma, taking roughly 349–355 of 450 seats. Turnout has been reported near 57–60%. Voting included polling in Russian‑occupied Ukrainian regions and occurred against sustained Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory.
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.
Counter Terrorism Policing has arrested a man in Westminster and searched a nearby property as part of the ongoing investigation into suspicious activity near RAF Fairford. The probe has already prompted the temporary redeployment of US B-1 bombers and led British authorities to examine possible foreign-state involvement. Six previously arrested men remain on bail.
Maritime trackers have reported that Middle East crude exports have largely recovered to near pre‑war volumes in late September. Ship‑to‑ship transfers, US naval escorts and pipeline bypasses — led by Saudi Arabia's East‑West line and UAE links to Fujairah — have restored large flows, while refined products and Iranian exports remain constrained. Oil prices have stayed elevated.
Britain maintains its East Jerusalem consulate will remain a UK mission serving Palestinians, after Israel orders its closure in response to UK sanctions on West Bank settlements. London will bolster staffing as tensions rise; both sides say no reciprocal action will be taken while talks continue.
Violence in the West Bank intensifies during the olive harvest. Israeli forces and settlers have attacked Palestinians, resulting in deaths and injuries, while authorities report detentions and restrictions. The incidents come as international scrutiny increases ahead of Israel’s elections.
The sign outside the East Jerusalem consulate is removed while Britain and Israel reach a limited accord. A seven‑diplomat task force will operate at the site; twenty British diplomats will depart. Britain says it will preserve a two‑state solution framework, while no reciprocal expulsions are planned.
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.
The Supreme Court has put on hold a lower‑court order that required migrants facing removal to third countries receive notice and a meaningful chance to raise fear‑of‑persecution claims. The court has granted the administration’s emergency request, will hear arguments in December, and three liberal justices have dissented.
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.
A string of congressional actions signals renewed congressional scrutiny of Israel's conduct in Gaza and the West Bank. Democrats push for human rights reporting and accountability, while Republican support for Israel persists ahead of midterms.
The Guardian-produced NAZA has sparked a fierce backlash in Israel after its Venice premiere and North American rollout. The film features 24 anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers describing AI-assisted targeting and civilian casualties in Gaza. Israel denies the allegations and promises to defend its soldiers, while the filmmakers face calls to revoke their citizenship.
Macklemore has announced a short "Free Palestine" tour, saying three European dates have sold out and that proceeds will go to Palestinian aid groups. The shows will run in Dublin on Oct. 26, Paris on Oct. 29 and London on Oct. 30; additional US dates and guest artists will be announced. He made the move after being removed from Ed Sheeran's US tour earlier in September.
Israeli voters confront a tightly balanced race three years after the Hamas attack. Polls show blocs short of a majority, with Arab parties potentially pivotal. Opposition leaders are coordinating but face internal tensions about coalition partners and prime ministerial leadership as the October 27 vote nears.
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.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are strengthening high-level ties amid regional tensions, inviting Gulf allies to the GCC-EU Summit and coordinating on issues including Yemen and security. Multiple meetings signal a thaw and shared interests as Riyadh hosts the event.
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.
The US Supreme Court has lifted a lower court ruling and allowed the deportations of immigrants to third countries to resume, while agreeing to hear the merits of the case in December. The decision follows ongoing debates over due process and safety for deportees, with critics urging Congress to tighten protections.
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-born Salah Sarsour remains in the United States as a Chicago judge has ruled he is deportable on foreign policy grounds, while rejecting the claim that he lied on his green card application. Attorneys say appeals are likely; Sarsour warns deportation would end his life in the West Bank, and his case has drawn support from his mosque and rights groups.
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.
Algeria has moved to broaden the allowed uses of the death penalty to include arson that fuels wildfires and child kidnapping linked to torture or mutilation. The bill, already passed by parliament, would keep the moratorium on executions in place until worldlier review, with the senate to ratify before Tebboune signs off. Amnesty International condemns the move as retrograde while rights groups warn of deterred prevention efforts.
Israeli air strikes on Gaza City target a residential building, killing multiple civilians including women and a Christian mother and daughter. Hospitals report casualties as officials say the strikes hit a seven-storey block in Remal and another apartment in the Rimal area; authorities warn the violence continues despite recent ceasefire talks.
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.
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.
Authorities have dismantled a cross-border Hamas financing network that moved over $2 million through charity fronts and cryptocurrency channels. Indictments and arrests have been issued in the United States and Europe, linking individuals to the group’s financial operations. The actions follow a 2023 attack and a continuing Gaza conflict.
Bashir has been transferred to a military hospital in Omdurman for evaluation after health complications. His condition requires tests and cardiac imaging unavailable in Sudan, with treatment abroad being considered urgent by his family. He has ruled Sudan for three decades before being ousted in 2019 and remains wanted by the ICC. The war has devastated Sudan’s healthcare system.
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.
Birzeit University in the West Bank has been raided by Israeli forces, who demolished a memorial bearing the names of students killed in Israeli attacks. The raid followed earlier measurements of the monument and comes amid ongoing Israeli incursions into campuses in the occupied territories. The university notes this is part of a broader pattern and may escalate tensions around higher education.
Britain is shaping a new air and missile defence system to protect critical infrastructure and overseas territories. The government has set out plans to invest £10 billion over ten years, arguing the system will be tailored to Britain’s threats rather than copying Israel’s Iron Dome.
AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh has been assaulted by armed settlers near Aqraba in the West Bank while covering olive harvest violence. A fellow photographer was threatened; cameras were seized. Israeli soldiers were nearby but did not intervene. The incident follows a rise in settler violence and poses risks to press freedom.
Three years after Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught, Israelis mark the day while grappling with the war’s aftermath; survivors and families push for accountability, and the media memorialize victims amid ongoing security concerns.
Three years after the Hamas-led invasion of Israel, New York communities hold ceremonies and install art to honor victims and hostages; vigils, official memorials and street demonstrations reflect ongoing trauma and resilience.
As states push new taxes on billionaires and high earners, voters face a wave of ballot measures and lawsuits. Washington contemplates a millionaire tax despite opposition from some business leaders; California weighs a billionaire wealth tax; Massachusetts has already seen revenue gains from similar levies, while other states move to cut or adjust taxes on high earners.
The Pentagon has directed CENTCOM to prepare for the possible resumption of major combat operations against Iran. Trump has not made a final decision, but sources say strikes could come before the U.S. midterm elections and possibly before the Israeli vote. Reports indicate targets would include nuclear, energy and infrastructure sites, with Israel preparing for potential involvement.
Palestinian prisoner rights groups say abuses inside Israeli facilities have intensified over three years of war, with hundreds of prisoners dead and thousands more detained under harsh conditions. Families face limited information and increasing use of video hearings, while activists urge international accountability.
Palestinian factions have reached understandings to postpone parliamentary elections in Gaza and the West Bank due to logistical hurdles in East Jerusalem and Gaza, with discussions centering on national dialogue and consensus. Abbas has set November 28 as the election date, but timing remains unsettled as factions weigh the path forward.