Compiled by Kelsey Kaufmann
France
On Friday night, a man armed with machetes attacked soldiers at an underground mall connected to The Louvre in Paris before being shot in the stomach by a soldier. The attack was carried out by 29-year-old Egyptian Abdullah Hamamy. Both Hamamy and the injured soldier are currently in stable condition. The French government strongly believes that this was a terrorist attack but has not found ties to any organized group.
United Kingdom
This week, Britain celebrated the sixty-fifth anniversary of 90-year-old Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. She is the first British monarch to reach this marker, dubbed the “Sapphire Jubilee,” and the country is expected to issue a new five pound coin in her honor.
Syria
According to human rights group Amnesty International, as many as 13,000 people have been executed in the Saydnaya prison over the past five years. These actions are said to be a show of power against dissenters, many of whom were civilians in a time of turbulence within the country. International media outlets have expressed hope that this action will lead to more attention on human rights violations in Syria.
Israel
On Monday, Israeli leaders voted to legalize settlements in the West Bank, sparking controversy among human rights organizations regarding ancestral rights to land ownership. Experts say that this action will likely strain Israel’s relationship with foreign powers, as well as relations with Palestinians living in the area.
Iran
Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei made a public speech to address President Donald Trump and new U.S. sanctions on Iran. He stated that Trump shows the “real face of America” in regard to “political, economic, moral and social corruption.” Khamenei said that Iran will not respect or take U.S. policy actions seriously under the current administration and accused Trump of dishonesty and ineptitude.
