July 6, 2022

Daily News Brief

*) Evacuation calls as Russians advance in Ukraine's Donbass Ukraine has called on civilians to urgently evacuate the Sloviansk city in the Donetsk region as Russian troops press towards it in their campaign to secure the Donbass region. The governor of the Donetsk region said at least two people have been killed and seven others wounded in an attack on a marketplace in Sloviansk. He told Ukrainian media that his "main advice is evacuate!" Sloviansk has been subjected to "massive" Russian bombardment following Russia’s seizure of the Luhansk region. *) Senior UK cabinet ministers resign, plunging govt into chaos Two of the United Kingdoms’ most senior ministers have resigned in a move that could spell the end of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s leadership after months of scandals. Rishi Sunak resigned as finance minister and Sajid Javid as health secretary. Both said they could no longer tolerate the culture of scandal that has stalked Johnson for months. The resignations followed the allegations that the UK PM failed to come clean about a lawmaker who was appointed to a senior position despite claims of sexual misconduct. *) Palestinian killed during Israeli raid in West Bank A Palestinian man has been killed by Israeli forces during a raid in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 20-year-old Rafiq Riyad Ghannem was shot dead near the northern West Bank city of Jenin. Israel says it conducts military raids due to security risks, but rights groups argue that they have been deployed as a tool to suppress Palestinian resistance. At least 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli army fire since the beginning of this year. *) South Korea warns of stern retaliation in case of provocation from North South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol has ordered the military to "promptly and sternly" retaliate in case of any North Korean provocation. Yoon called for strong capabilities to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes after presiding over his first meeting with top military commanders. North Korea has this year been conducting missile tests at an unprecedented pace and is believed to be preparing for its seventh nuclear test. *) Muslim pilgrims begin largest Hajj since Covid pandemic The largest Hajj pilgrimage since the pandemic took over the world has kicked off, with hundreds of thousands of worshippers expected to circle Islam's holiest site in Saudi Arabia's Mecca. This year's Hajj will commence, with 1 million fully vaccinated Muslims expected to participate. It is a major break from two years of drastically curtailed numbers due to the pandemic. The pilgrimage consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.