Submit your Article

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the killing of journalists in Gaza, calling the attack “unjustifiable” and a threat to press freedom. According to Reuters, the statement followed Israel’s strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday, which killed at least 20 people, including five journalists from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Al Jazeera.

Speaking at a political conference in Rimini, Meloni urged Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid, and stop expanding settlements in the West Bank. She described the hospital strike as disproportionate, stressing the need to protect innocent civilians and preserve the two-state solution, Reuters reported.

Russia launched overnight drone attacks on energy and gas facilities across six Ukrainian regions, leaving over 100,000 people without power. Key infrastructure in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Chernihiv was hit, with hospitals and water services relying on backup power. Poltava’s electricity has since been restored, according to Reuters.

Ukraine’s Air Force shot down 74 of 95 drones, but 21 struck targets. The energy ministry called the strikes a deliberate effort to disrupt civilian infrastructure ahead of winter, while Russia maintains it targets systems supporting Ukraine’s war effort.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron aim to decide on the future of the Franco-German fighter jet program FCAS by year-end. Merz said the issue would not be discussed in upcoming government consultations but stressed Europe’s need for a new fighter jet, Reuters reported.

The €100bn project faces delays over leadership and work-share disputes, with France’s Dassault seeking dominant control while Germany favors a balanced consortium including Airbus and Indra. The disagreement threatens the start of FCAS’s second phase: developing airworthy demonstrators.

Merz will meet Macron Thursday, with ministers joining talks Friday, according to Reuters.

Pope Leo on Wednesday called for an end to the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas conflict, urging a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and safe delivery of humanitarian aid. Speaking at the Vatican, he emphasized the need to protect civilians and fully respect international humanitarian law, including prohibitions on collective punishment and indiscriminate violence, Reuters reported.

The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has killed over 1,200 Israelis and at least 62,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, with 251 Israelis held hostage. Leo, the first US pope elected in May, has taken a more cautious approach than his predecessor, Pope Francis, who previously raised concerns about possible war crimes in Gaza.