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A UN humanitarian flight en route to Tigray was forced to abort as the Ethiopian government continues their fourth day of air strikes in the region.
Summary:

• Fighting between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has intensified in recent days as the government and allied armed Amhara groups attempt to recover territory seized by the TPLF.
• Increased violence and airstrikes in the region have caused residents to flee from Amhara and Tigray as they attempt to save themselves from the destruction in the area.
• The government has been launching airstrikes on the capital of northern Tigray for the past 4 days with Friday’s strike forcing a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service flight to abort its landing in the region.
• Steve Taravella, spokesman for the World Food Program, the U.N. anti-hunger agency that manages the humanitarian air service stated that all such flights to the Tigray region are now suspended. Critics of the Ethiopian government have accused it of denying aid access to Tigray, however the government denies all such claims.
• Tigrai TV, a TPLF controlled channel, has stated that at least 11 civilians have been wounded in the airstrikes.
• The Liberation Front and humanitarian groups have also reported that the Friday airstrike hit a university in the regional capital Mekelle, however government spokesperson Legese Tulu denies this claim.
• The years-old battle between the TPLF and Ethiopian government has caused worsening famine and humanitarian crisis in Tigray.
• Sources:

CNN

NYT

• Tweets:

NBA and China Face Off in Tug of War Over Free Speech

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• Enes Kanter, center for the Boston Celtics, has spoken up on social media against China’s treatment of Tibetan people and Uyghur Muslims.
• Kanter referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “brutal dictator” and wore shoes with the message “Free Tibet” depicted on them for the Celtic’s season opening game.
• In response to Kanter’s actions the video-streaming site Tencent pulled the Celtic’s game and indicated that it would not livestream the team’s upcoming games as well.
• Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, stated that Kanter was “trying to get attention” and his remarks “were not worth refuting.”
• The National Basketball Association has not yet taken any action in the situation, however a US State Department spokesperson stated in an email that “The United States is deeply concerned by the PRC’s actions against the National Basketball Association for statements one player made regarding Tibet.”
• Sources:

Reuters

CNN

• Tweets:

Blast At Russian Gunpowder Factory Kills All 17 Workers

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• An explosion at a gunpowder factory in the western Russian province of Ryazan, killed all 17 workers on shift Friday morning. 
• Video evidence of the incident shows a large bright fireball explosion and later shows the factory completely destroyed. 
• The cause of the explosion is under investigation however, an anonymous source says the explosion occurred because the factory failed to “observe proper technical procedures.” 
• Regional Governor, Nikolay Lubimov has announced that October 25th will be declared a day of mourning to honor the lives lost in the blast.
• Sources:

Reuters 

CNN 

• Tweets: 

Sandra Mason Elected Barbados’ First Ever President, Replacing Queen Elizabeth As Head Of State

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• The Caribbean Island nation of Barbados elected its first-ever President, Dame Sandra Mason, in a historic two-thirds vote during a joint session of the country’s House of Assembly and Senate. 
• In an effort to completely move away from its colonial past, Barbados announced in 2020 that it will take the required steps to become an official republic; a move that requires that Queen Elizabeth be removed as the country’s head of state.
• Barbados first gained its independence from Britain in November 1966 and the election of a new president is considered “a seminal moment” for Barbadians. 
• Mason will be sworn in on November 30th, which marks the island’s 55th anniversary of their independence from Britain. 
• Sources: 

NPR

Reuters 

• Twitter: 

Baldwin’s Gun Fires

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• Halyna Hutchins was shot dead by a prop gun on a movie set given to actor Alec Baldwin. He was told by the assistant director that the gun was unloaded; however, that was not the case.
• The police have taken the gun and other items from the movie set as evidence and have questioned the actor as well as other people on set. 
• Workers were said to have walked off the set in a protest for unfair conditions right before the incident took place. Among them were people in charge of making sure that the gun was unarmed. No one has been arrested. 

Tweets: 

Eswatini Nurses Boycott Police Patients

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• Police have said to have opened arms at the protests going on in Eswatini for a democracy. Eswatini is the last monarchy in Africa. 
• Nurses have refused to treat police patients for opening arms at the protestors, killing many healthcare workers as well.
• Officials have denied such accusations and have banned any sorts of demonstrations against the monarchy.