Compiled from various mainstream news outlets.
Antarctica
European scientists have gotten the go-ahead to begin drilling for an almost three km long ice core, which could give the oldest climate record ever retrieved with a continuous record going back approximately 1.5 million years. The site for the project was announced at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly, and will be approximately 40 km southwest of Dome Concordia, a Franco-Italian research station. The expected timeline for the project includes five years for extraction of the ice and one year for examination. The project will commence this December and will involve researchers from 14 institutions and 10 countries. (BBC)
Libya
The only functioning airport near Tripoli was targeted by Libyan general Khalifa Haftar’s forces, the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA), on Monday in an airstrike that the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) called a war crime. The UN indicated that over 3,000 people have been displaced due to the recent fighting between GNA and LNA forces. The Libyan Ministry of Health stated that so far 21 people have been killed and 27 have been injured in the conflict. The UN reiterated calls for an end to the fighting, particularly citing humanitarian concerns as emergency services have been unable to reach civilians caught up in the conflict. (CNN)
Israel
Election results spurred controversy in Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday as exit polls showed a near tie between the right-wing Likud party of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the centrist Blue and White alliance led by former military officer Benny Gantz. Both men have claimed victory in the election based on the exit polls, which are far from conclusive, as they have been known to be inaccurate in predicting past election results. While neither party would control a true majority in parliament, it is predicted that either could form a coalition, the only type of government Israel has known, as no party has ever won a majority. (BBC)
Sudan
Violence erupted in Sudan on Tuesday as part of ongoing demonstrations in the capital Khartoum. Protests have been ongoing since December when the government increased prices for bread, going from one Sudanese pound to three (or $0.02 to $0.06). Since then, the protests have become political, as protesters have called for an end to the 30-year reign of President Omar Al-Bashir. The violence on Tuesday left over a dozen protesters dead and numerous others injured, including members of security forces. The organizers behind the protests have called on the international community to step in, prompting a statement from the U.S., Britain and Norway calling for the Sudanese government to deliver a plan for transitioning political power in the country. (NPR)