April 19, 2024

Daily News Brief

*) Iran fires air defence batteries as Israel reportedly strikes Isfahan Iran has activated its air defence system over several cities after its semi-official Fars news agency reported explosions at the central Isfahan airport. Spokesman for Iran's civilian space programme Hossein Dalirian said that several small "quadcopter" drones had been shot down following what a senior US official told ABC News were Israeli missile strikes. *) NY police arrest Columbia University students protesting Israel's Gaza war NYC police said they arrested several students from Columbia University for protesting Israel’s war on Gaza as they rallied in support of Palestine. Students had been protesting on campus since last Wednesday, demanding the school divest from companies they claim "profit from Israeli apartheid" and Israeli military actions in besieged Gaza. Following the arrests, students from Columbia and Barnard College have been suspended from school, including US Representative Ilhan Omar’s daughter. *) Türkiye urges decisive international action against Israel's war on Gaza Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister and UN representative Ahmet Yildiz has called for decisive international action to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. After condemning Israel's actions in Palestine's Gaza, Yildiz said, “the UN Charter, the bedrock of international law, is still routinely breached.” He said that no country is immune from its obligations to international law and questioned the lack of action by the UNSC in response to Israel's "brazen violations.” *) Pakistan police thwart suicide bombing targeting Japanese nationals Pakistan police shot down a suicide bomber and a militant during an attempted attack on a vehicle carrying five Japanese nationals. The police spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, said the Japanese survivors have been moved to a safe place in police custody. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attempted attack from any militant group. *) India begins voting in the world's largest election as Modi seeks third term Over 970 million voters head to the polls in India to elect 543 members for the lower house of Parliament for a five-year term. The six-week election period began today and will run until June 1, with votes being counted on June 4. India’s Hindu-nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi will test the limits of his political dominance as he seeks a third term as the country's leader.