Hundreds of thousands have fled to Khan Yunis, a major city in the southern Gaza Strip, following evacuations ordered by the Israeli army. The city is overwhelmed, lacking the capacity to accommodate the influx of families, with basic necessities such as water, electricity, and medicine in short supply due to an Israeli blockade. The Rafah crossing to Egypt has been bombed and closed, preventing both escape and the entry of humanitarian aid. The United Nations reported that local hospital fuel supplies were nearly depleted, and a Palestinian man recounted the dire conditions at a refugee center in Khan Yunis.

The article outlines the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, beginning with the rise of Zionism in the 19th century and the subsequent Jewish immigration to Palestine. It covers key events such as the Balfour Declaration in 1917, the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, and subsequent wars including the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Six-Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The article also discusses the Oslo Accords in 1993, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, and the more recent conflicts including the Intifadas, the Gaza withdrawal in 2005, and the ongoing tensions leading to the latest escalation in October 2023 with a massacre of Israeli civilians by Hamas and a potential Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military spokesperson Jonathan Conricus stated that the bombings conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces on the Gaza Strip target the underground tunnels used by Hamas for military operations. These tunnels, often built under civilian-populated areas, have been used for years by Hamas militants to organize attacks against Israel and to smuggle weapons and essential goods into the Strip. The network of tunnels expanded significantly after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, leading to a strict embargo by Israel and Egypt. Despite the construction of an underground wall by Israel, equipped with sensors and cameras, Hamas continues to use these tunnels, which are crucial for many Gaza residents to obtain necessities like food and medicine.

Gaza Strip has been completely isolated by an Israeli government-imposed 'total siege,' cutting off water, electricity, food, and fuel supplies. Thousands are displaced, with over 200,000 seeking refuge in UN buildings. The only power plant has stopped, leaving millions without electricity, affecting communication and hospital operations. Gaza's dense population of over two million, including 1.7 million Palestinian refugees, faces severe poverty, unemployment, and inadequate healthcare. The Israeli and Egyptian governments have imposed a strict embargo since 2007, severely affecting civilian life. Frequent blackouts, water scarcity, and food insecurity are chronic issues, exacerbated by recent bombings that have destroyed infrastructure and buildings, including the once-prosperous Rimal neighborhood.

The League released three videos between Thursday and Sunday showing Judge Iolanda Apostolico participating in a pro-migrant demonstration in Catania in 2018. Apostolico has been in the spotlight due to a recent ruling that deemed parts of the 'Cutro' decree illegitimate, canceling detention requests for four Tunisian migrants. The government criticized the ruling and plans to challenge it. The videos raised concerns about a judge's participation in a demonstration against the government, with opinions divided on whether it compromises judicial impartiality. Matteo Salvini called for Apostolico's resignation, while Justice Minister Carlo Nordio commented that judges should avoid demonstrations to maintain the presumption of impartiality.

Detailed information has emerged about hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian radical groups in Gaza, such as Islamic Jihad, during a ground attack that began Saturday in southern Israel. All hostages have been identified, but numbers will be disclosed after families are informed. Many hostages are civilians, and their locations are unknown. Hamas has threatened to kill a hostage for each unannounced Israeli bombing on Gaza. The number of hostages is likely in the hundreds, with at least 150 people, including women, children, and the elderly, taken to Gaza. Other nationalities may also be among the hostages, with several countries reporting missing nationals. The US President reported at least 11 American citizens killed, and an unspecified number missing. Hamas has offered to release Israeli hostages in exchange for all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Confusion over the hostages is a significant issue for Israel, which has set up a joint center to register missing persons and collect DNA samples. Unconfirmed reports suggest negotiations for some hostages' release, but nothing concrete has emerged.

Bolivian President Luis Arce has been expelled from his own party, the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), by supporters of his main political rival, former President Evo Morales. Arce and 28 other MAS members close to him, including party vice president David Choquehuanca, were expelled in a move that must be validated by national electoral authorities. The MAS has been internally divided between supporters of Arce and Morales, with accusations of corruption, narcotrafficking, and betrayal. Morales announced his candidacy for the 2025 presidential elections, and a party statute change may prevent Arce from running as it requires a 10-year membership which Arce does not meet.

The United States House of Representatives has passed a motion of no confidence to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a long-standing member of the Republican Party. This marks the first time in U.S. history that the House has voted to remove a speaker. The successor to McCarthy is unclear, with internal Republican divisions between extremists and moderates complicating the selection. Interim Speaker Patrick McHenry, a moderate Republican, has limited powers and is overseeing the election of a new speaker. Potential candidates include Tom Cole, Tom Emmer, and Steve Scalise, with Scalise receiving support from Matt Gaetz. The Democrats support their leader Hakeem Jeffries, who previously challenged McCarthy for the role. With the Republicans holding a majority in the House, the next speaker is likely to be from their party. The timing for the election of a new speaker is uncertain, but it is crucial to have a fully functioning speaker by November 17 to avoid another government shutdown.

King Felipe VI of Spain has assigned Pedro Sánchez, the outgoing Prime Minister and leader of the Socialist Party (PSOE), the task of forming a new government after Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the Popular Party (PP) failed to secure parliamentary confidence. Sánchez plans to begin negotiations with various parties, including Sumar and smaller Basque and Catalan parties, aiming to secure a majority. The PSOE's negotiations have been particularly focused on the center-right Catalan independence party Junts per Catalunya, led by Carles Puigdemont. The PP had won the most votes in the July 23 elections, but Feijóo's attempts to form a government were unsuccessful. Sánchez needs at least 176 votes to be elected in the first round and is expected to secure 178 if he can reach an agreement with the centrists and independents. A new government must be formed by November 27 to avoid another election.

On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other government officials criticized a ruling by the Catania court that ordered the release of four Tunisian migrants from a new Repatriation Holding Center in Pozzallo. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi indicated the government might challenge the ruling. The court's decision, which deemed parts of the Cutro decree illegitimate, has sparked debate over the judiciary's independence and the government's immigration policies. The ruling has been defended by the National Association of Magistrates, while right-leaning newspapers and politicians have questioned the judge's impartiality based on her social media activity.

In September, Rai introduced a new schedule with changes including new entertainment shows and replacements for presenters who left the group. Discussions about Rai's changes under Giorgia Meloni's government have been ongoing, with significant shifts in management and television, such as Roberto Sergio's appointment as CEO. The new schedule's performance has been underwhelming, with lower viewership for shows like 'Che sarà...' compared to 'Che tempo che fa,' which was discontinued and moved to Discovery with host Fabio Fazio. Other programs like 'Il mercante in fiera' also saw disappointing ratings. Some established shows like 'Reazione a catena' and 'Porta a Porta' continue to perform well. Concerns among Rai's management about the new programs' poor performance and its impact on advertising commitments have been reported. Mediaset has also seen changes, with Pier Silvio Berlusconi aiming for a more sober and institutional approach to attract a younger audience.

The public and political debate in Italy during the summer of 2023 has been dominated by the topic of migration, with a significant increase in migrant arrivals to Italian shores, reaching levels not seen since 2016. The reception system has proven inadequate, with overcrowded facilities and a lack of proper response to asylum requests. The article clarifies terms like asylum seekers, refugees, and irregular migrants, and discusses the reasons behind the migration increase, including wars, poverty, and climate change. It also addresses the misconceptions about the volume of migrants arriving in Italy compared to other European countries and critiques the emergency and security-focused approach of successive Italian governments. The government led by Giorgia Meloni has been criticized for complicating rescue operations at sea and not effectively managing the repatriation system. The article also touches on the European Union's role and the need for reform of the Dublin Regulation, which places a disproportionate burden on countries like Italy, Greece, and Spain.

Trieste, a city in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, is struggling to manage the increasing number of migrants arriving via the Balkan route, with the national reception system's capacity exhausted and local associations unable to provide shelter for everyone, including minors. From January to July 2023, 7,890 people arrived, a significant increase from the previous year. Migrants, mostly young males from countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Syria, face a long and physically demanding journey. The city's reception system, once effective due to relocations, is now overwhelmed, with many migrants sleeping in the streets or in an abandoned warehouse called Silos, lacking basic amenities. Activists and associations in Trieste are collaborating to provide first aid, legal assistance, and basic needs, but the system requires more support from local and national public entities. The regional government suggests that the responsibility for reception should not fall solely on Italy, as migrants often pass through other EU countries first. The article highlights the need for more structured support and the challenges posed by the increasing number of arrivals.

The enhancement of the Rome-Pescara railway line, discussed for over twenty years and included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) in 2021, was later removed due to delays. Abruzzo's regional president, Marco Marsilio, asserts it will be realized with yet-to-be-defined funds. The Abruzzo region recently signed an agreement for the underground section of the line in San Giovanni Teatino. The project aims to reduce travel time between Rome and Pescara from 3 hours 20 minutes to about 2 hours, with further reductions and increased train frequency upon full completion. Funding was initially set at 620.2 million euros but was reallocated due to concerns over meeting the 2026 European deadline. The Italian government assures that the project will proceed with alternative funding, potentially from the European Cohesion and Development Fund, despite the removal from the PNRR.

Sicilian President Renato Schifani met with Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin to discuss the construction of two waste-to-energy plants in Sicily. No final decision has been made, but the government is expected to approve specific regulations to expedite the process. The initial project, proposed by former President Nello Musumeci, involved two plants in Gela and Catania, with a combined cost of approximately 1.05 billion euros, to be financed through project financing. However, Schifani is considering using public funds instead. The regional government has commissioned studies on waste flows, with results expected in the coming months. The goal is to publish tenders by the end of the year and operationalize the plants before the end of the legislature in 2027. Sicily faces significant waste management challenges, with the highest per capita waste production in Italy and less than 50% of waste being separated for recycling.

After months of negotiations, Italian eyewear multinational Safilo has announced the relocation of 456 workers from its soon-to-be-closed Longarone plant to two companies in the sector: Italy's Innovatek, owned by entrepreneur Carlo Fulchir, and France's Thélios, controlled by luxury group LVMH. The transfer should be completed by 2025, with workers maintaining similar salaries. The agreement, which was favored by a majority in a worker referendum, was facilitated by the involvement of the Veneto Region, trade unions, and employee representatives. Despite the growth in the eyewear sector, production delocalization is leading to the closure of many Italian plants, including Safilo's previous closures and layoffs.

European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Thierry Breton, announced that the European Commission has designated six digital companies as 'gatekeepers' under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), subjecting them to stringent competition rules. The companies are Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and ByteDance. The DMA aims to limit the monopoly of major digital platforms by preventing them from favoring their own services and requiring them to allow users to uninstall pre-installed apps.

In June, Italy's Ministry of Culture initiated the appointment process for directors of major Italian museums, including Pinacoteca di Brera and Gallerie degli Uffizi. The possibility of non-Italian EU citizens applying, a practice in place for years, has been criticized by some members of Giorgia Meloni's government, advocating for Italian directors. Despite the debate and the right-wing government's apparent difficulty in politically endorsing foreign appointments, the rules of the latest public notice published in July remain unchanged. Foreign directors were first appointed in 2015, following a cultural sector reform by then-Minister Dario Franceschini of the Democratic Party. However, administrative disputes arose, with the Lazio Regional Administrative Tribunal annulling five appointments in 2017, a decision later overturned by the Council of State in 2018. The current government, undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi, has expressed intentions to change the rules, aiming to update the selection committee's composition, which now consists entirely of Italians. Cultural expert associations criticized the new committee for its lack of art historians and potential government influence. Additionally, new conditions in the ministry's notice could favor Italian professionals, such as requiring foreign candidates to demonstrate intermediate Italian language proficiency.

The Italian government under Giorgia Meloni has administratively detained three NGO ships used for migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, imposing a 20-day port stay and fines for alleged illicit conduct during rescue operations. This marks a reversal from recent weeks when the government had sought NGO assistance due to increased migrant arrivals. In 2023, migrant departures in the Mediterranean have doubled compared to the same period in 2022. The ships Aurora, Open Arms, and Sea-Eye 4 face port detentions and fines, with the government strictly enforcing laws to discourage NGO activities.

A North Korean taekwondo delegation recently traveled to China, marking the first significant sign of reopening since North Korea closed its borders in 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. South Korean intelligence sources suggest North Korea is preparing to gradually reopen its borders due to dire economic and social conditions exacerbated by halted trade with China, its main ally. Trade resumed in September 2022, but food scarcity remains severe, with reports of starvation. A Chinese travel agency hinted at an impending border reopening announcement, initially for North Korean citizens only, with no official confirmation yet.

On Wednesday, the Marion County prosecutor in Kansas stated that the searches conducted last Friday by law enforcement at the Marion County Record newsroom and the home of its editor and publisher, Eric Meyer, were not justified by sufficient evidence and were therefore illegitimate. As a result, all confiscated items, including computers and cell phones used by journalists, must be returned to their owners. The search was related to a complaint by local restaurateur Kari Newell, who accused the newspaper of illegally obtaining information about her 2008 DUI conviction. Meyer, who declared his innocence, had been accused of identity theft. The incident has been covered by many U.S. media outlets and viewed as an intrusion into journalistic work and a violation of federal laws.