Compiled by Kelsey Kaufmann
GREAT BRITAIN
The head of the M15 British intelligence agency voiced concerns in a conference this week regarding Russian cyber aggression. He acknowledged internal concern over increasingly aggressive Russian foreign policy and hacking attacks, despite denial of such actions from the Kremlin. He stated that Britain intends to increase cybersecurity expenditures to combat what they perceive as an anti-Western threat.
FRANCE
Controversy stirred after Parisian police forces bulldozed a migrant camp in the north of the city. Many migrants were threatened with detainment and expulsion from the country. Multiple humanitarian aid groups have condemned this action as dehumanizing and a waste of taxpayer money.
ITALY
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit central Italy on Oct. 30. No deaths have been reported thanks to early evacuation efforts, but thousands are without power. Many buildings in the area are said to have sustained significant damage, including the historical St. Benedict’s Basilica in Nordica.
IRAQ
Iraqi and Kurdish forces successfully entered the city of Mosul after an extended battle near the city. Islamic State forces have resorted to using methods such as human shields to prevent further movement. The operation to liberate Mosul from ISIS is said to have continued successfully despite the use of such tactics.
CHINA
The Chinese military put on a show of stealth fighter jets at the Zhuhai Air Show in an attempt to display China’s increasingly modern military technology. The J-20 radar-evasive jet is scheduled to be operational in 2018. The show has been perceived as a display to rivals that China is continuing to develop new military armaments and as an assertion of China’s position within the region.
