November 4, 2024

Daily News Brief

*) Israeli strikes hit Gaza hospitals, many Palestinians killed Heavy bombardment from Israeli forces early Monday hit Gaza hard, killing many Palestinians and leaving countless others injured. The scene was devastating, with widespread destruction across several neighbourhoods. According to Wafa news agency, Israeli artillery strikes took a heavy toll — lives lost, people hurt, and some still trapped under rubble. Rescue teams are scrambling to find survivors, but no official numbers have been released yet. Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia also came under fire — the nursery was damaged, and a child was injured. And at the Indonesian Hospital, a drone strike sent patients and staff into a panic, creating a chaotic and terrifying scene. *) Swiss intelligence exposes PKK's secret operations Switzerland’s intelligence service has dropped a bombshell — the PKK, a group labelled as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US and the EU, has been running secret operations right under their noses. According to a fresh report from Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service, or FIS, the PKK has been using Swiss soil to raise money, spread its propaganda and even run terrorist training camps. The PKK has been in a violent campaign against Türkiye for 40 years, leading to over 40,000 deaths, including civilians. The FIS report makes it clear: the PKK is active within Switzerland, recruiting young Kurdish refugees and preparing them for actions against the Turkish military. *) UN warns of ‘dangerous escalation’ over potential N Korean troops in Russia UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is raising the alarm over reports that North Korean troops may have joined Russia, possibly heading toward the battlefields in Ukraine. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, conveyed his concern on Sunday, saying Guterres is “very concerned” about reports of North Korean forces potentially being deployed to Ukraine’s conflict zone. According to US intelligence, North Korean troops have shown up around Russia’s Kursk border region. Interestingly, neither North Korea nor Russia has denied these reports. *) Maia Sandu declares victory in Moldova’s presidential runoff election Moldova’s pro-EU President Maia Sandu declared a win on Sunday in the country’s tense presidential runoff, with almost all votes counted. She held a strong lead with 54 percent, defeating her pro-Russian rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo. Sandu, a former World Bank economist, declared in her victory speech that “Moldovans have given a lesson in democracy, worthy of history books”. Sandu’s win is being seen as a huge boost for Moldova’s pro-Western government and her vision of closer ties with Europe, steering Moldova one step closer to the EU. *) Chinese crew returns after 6-month mission on Tiangong space station After six months aboard China’s Tiangong space station, the Shenzhou 18 crew has made a safe return. The spacecraft’s return capsule touched down in northern China on Sunday, wrapping up an intense mission in space. The China Manned Space Agency confirmed that its astronauts landed at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia. Since their launch on April 25, they have been working and living aboard the Tiangong.