Israeli Forces Advance Toward Gaza City, Report Fighting in Tunnels |
Israeli troops are approaching Gaza City (NYT) from the east, north, and south, photos and satellite images show, as Israel intensifies its response to Palestinian militant group Hamas’s October 7 attack. Israeli forces said they had struck part of Hamas’s network of underground tunnels (WSJ). They also rescued an Israeli soldier from Hamas captivity.
At a news conference yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a cease-fire (Times of Israel), saying they are tantamount to asking Israel “to surrender to terrorism.” He drew historical parallels with the United States after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters yesterday that the United States does not back a cease-fire. Humanitarian organizations have warned of the ongoing civilian fallout of the war, with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) director yesterday saying that more than 420 children are being killed or injured each day (TIME) in the Gaza Strip.
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Thailand Temporarily Waives Visas for Visitors From India, Taiwan |
The waiver begins November 10 and carries through May 10, 2024, for up to thirty-day stays. It is designed to attract more tourists (TNN), Thai authorities said. In September, Thailand eased the visa requirements for Chinese tourists.
China: An editorial in the China Daily, the mouthpiece publication of China’s ruling party, said that Beijing hopes ties with the United States will “stabilize and improve” (Bloomberg). It comes as senior officials from both countries have engaged in a flurry of diplomacy in recent months.
At this CFR meeting, ambassadors to the United States discuss the global view of U.S.-China relations.
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Apple Warns Indian Opposition Lawmakers of Potential State-Sponsored Targeting |
Several opposition lawmakers received warnings (Economic Times) that Apple believes their iPhones are being targeted. Apple had previously sent such notifications only once before, in the case of a 2021 attack by the spyware Pegasus.
Bangladesh: The opposition Bangladesh National Party announced today that they launched a three-day blockade (Nikkei) of railways, roads, and waterways, and called for the prime minister’s government to resign. The blockade follows violent demonstrations this past weekend that were shut down by the police.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Prominent Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Reportedly Arrested, Beaten |
Nasrin Sotoudeh was severely beaten (NYT) after being arrested at a Tehran funeral for a girl who died in what could have been a confrontation with Iran’s morality police for not covering her hair, her husband said. Though the details of the girl’s case are not fully known, Iranian observers have drawn parallels to the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.
This In Brief by CFR’s Kali Robinson looks at the morality police in Iran and other countries.
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IOM: Record 6.9 Million People Internally Displaced in the DRC |
The intensified conflict between rebels and government-aligned militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has led to (AFP) one of the largest internal displacement and humanitarian crises in the world, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Since October 1, nearly two hundred thousand people have fled their homes in eastern Congo.
The Center for Preventive Action tracks the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
U.S./Africa: The United States will remove (Reuters) the Central African Republic (CAR), Gabon, Niger, and Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade program over “gross violations” of human rights in CAR and Uganda, as well as Niger and Gabon’s failure to make progress on political pluralism and the rule of law, President Joe Biden said.
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EU Announces $6.4 Billion Support Package for Western Balkans |
The European Union (EU) contribution aims to help countries pursue reforms (Reuters) needed for them to join the bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday during a visit to Skopje, North Macedonia. She urged Kosovo to grant more autonomy to its Serb minority and North Macedonia to reform its business environment and recognize Bulgarians as a minority.
Israel/Russia: Authorities arrested dozens of people (NYT) after a mob in southern Russia stormed an airplane arriving from Israel on Sunday. The Israeli government said it expected Russian authorities to act firmly against rioters and called the episode “wild incitement directed at Jews and Israelis.” The Kremlin has called a meeting to address the event.
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Venezuela’s Top Court Suspends Results of Opposition Presidential Primary |
María Corina Machado won the primary on October 22, shortly after a series of deals in which the United States eased some sanctions on Venezuela in exchange for the Nicolás Maduro government committing to holding a free presidential election next year. The U.S. State Department said that Washington would take action (WSJ) if the Maduro government does not meet their commitments.
Mexico: The death toll from last week’s Hurricane Otis has risen to at least forty-five people (The Guardian), with forty-seven others still missing, the governor of Guerrero state said.
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GM, United Auto Workers Reach Tentative Deal After Six Weeks of Targeted Strikes |
The deal reached yesterday with General Motors (GM) followed agreements in previous days with carmakers Ford and Stellantis, signaling that six weeks of work stoppages could come to an end. Workers would receive their biggest pay raises (NYT) in decades. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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