Israeli forces kill 67 Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza
At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Israeli fire as they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza Sunday, the Gaza health ministry said, as Israel issued new evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people. The UN World Food Programme said that shortly after entering Gaza, a convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered “massive crowds of hungry civilians” who then came under gunfire. Dozens were killed in a similar fashion a day earlier.
Calm in Syria’s Sweida, Damascus says truce holding
Residents of Syria’s Sweida province reported calm Sunday after the HTS-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the Druze majority city. A US envoy signalled that a deal to end fighting was being implemented. Anas Khattab, the interior minister, said that internal security forces managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire.
Japan’s govt loses upper house control
Japan’s ruling coalition lost control of the upper house in an election Sunday, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s grip on power even as he vowed to remain party leader, citing a looming tariff deadline with the US. Ishiba also lost control of the more powerful lower house last October. The fringe far-right Sanseito party emerged as one of the biggest winners in Sunday’s election, gaining support with warnings of a “silent invasion” of foreigners, and pledges for tax cuts and welfare spending.
Cyprus marks 51 years of Turkish invasion
Cypriots, both Greek and Turkish, Sunday marked the 51st anniversary of Cyprus’ 1974 invasion by Turkey. The invasion led to splitting of the island and remains a source of tension between Greece and Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was due to attend celebrations in North Cyprus (recognised only by Turkey). Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides attended a memorial service in the south to commemorate more than 3,000 people who died in the Turkish invasion.
Astronomer CEO resigns after Coldplay concert video
Andy Byron, who headed Cincinnati-based tech company Astronomer, resigned from the post of CEO after he was caught on camera embracing an employee at a Coldplay concert. “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in a post on LinkedIn.
Putin holds surprise meeting with Ayatollah’s top adviser
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a surprise meeting with Ali Larijani, top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on nuclear issues, at the Kremlin Sunday. Larijani “conveyed assessments of the escalating situation in the Middle East and around the Iranian nuclear programme”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the unannounced meeting.
China starts work on largest hydropower dam in Tibet
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has announced the start of construction on what will be the world’s largest hydropower dam located in eastern Tibet, at an estimated cost of around $170 billion, according to official news agency Xinhua. The dam will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river, potentially impacting millions downstream in India and Bangladesh. The project is part of China’s push for renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.
Russia launches drones and missiles at Ukraine
Russia launched a fresh barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine in an overnight attack Monday. At least one person was killed and multiple fires reported in capital Kyiv. Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, said rescuers and medics were working on sites across four districts. City officials said a subway station in central Kyiv, commercial property, shops, houses and a kindergarten were damaged.
South Korea plans to improve ties with North Korea
A spokesperson for South Korea’s unification ministry said Monday that South Korea is studying various plans to improve relations with North Korea. While refusing to comment on a “particular issue”, ministry spokesperson Koo Byung-Sam said that Seoul was considering allowing individual tours to North Korea and that individual tourism was not in violation of international sanctions. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to improve strained relations with Pyongyang that have reached their worst level in years.
Microsoft alerts businesses, govts to server attack
Hackers have taken advantage of a critical security vulnerability in widely used Microsoft server software to carry out a global cyberattack. On Sunday, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was aware of the attack and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners. In an alert Saturday, Microsoft said that a vulnerability “allows an authorised attacker to perform spoofing over a network”. The vulnerabilities apply only to SharePoint servers used within organisations, it said, issuing recommendations to stop the attackers from exploiting it.
Saksham Thakur is an intern with ThePrint.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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