WORLD NEWS UPDATE.

securityandsafetymatters

Oct 31

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO VIOLENCE FORCES SEVEN MILLION FROM HOMES.
The United Nations says the Democratic Republic of Congo currently has 6.9 million internally displaced people due to the escalating violence.
The United Nation's International Organisation for Migration has collected tracking data from all 26 provinces of the country.
It says the vast majority of those displaced live in the east where conflict is cited as the primary cause.
In North Kivu alone, up to a million people have fled their homes this year due to the ongoing fighting with M23 rebels.
It warns that DR Congo is facing one of the world's biggest displacement and humanitarian crises.
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SOUTH AFRICA WANTS UNITED NATIONS TO PROTECT GAZA.
The United Nations should deploy what it calls "a rapid protection force" to intervene in the Israel-Gaza conflict "to protect the civilian population from further bombardment".
This is according to South Africa in a hard-hitting statement, the international relations ministry highlighted the number of children who have been killed so far in the conflict and also accused Israel of violating international law.
Israel has defended the bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza on the grounds of self-defence, following the killing of 1,400 people by Hamas on 7 October. 230 people were kidnapped as hostages.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 8,000 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began.
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ISRAELI IDENTIFIES TWO TANZANIANS IN HAMAS CAPTIVITY.
The identities of two Tanzanians believed to be held hostage by Hamas group since the 7 October attack across the border from Gaza has been confirmed by the Israeli Government.
Israel's Ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement Joshua Loitu Mollel and Clemence Felix Mtenga were in Israel as part of an agricultural internship programme.
"They were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and are being held hostage in Gaza.
Joshua's father told the BBC that Israel's ambassador to Tanzania contacted the family with the assurance that the government was following up the matter. The father had earlier spoken about the family's desperate search for Joshua. While Clemence's family is yet to speak publicly.
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SENEGAL RENAMES DAKAR AVENUE AFTER PRESIDENT SALL.
A Dakar avenue named after Faidherbe, a French colonial figure in West Africa, has been renamed after Senegalese President Macky Sall in his presence in a ceremony in honour of the Head of State in the heart of the Senegalese capital, in the presence of numerous dignitaries and the Prime Minister and candidate of his camp's coalition for the 2024 presidential election, Amadou Ba.
The decision to rename the street was taken in mid-July to pay tribute to President Sall, "an illustrious statesman, leader and outstanding builder", at the instigation of the mayor of the Dakar-Plateau district, Alioune Ndoye, who is also Minister for the Environment.
Elected in 2012 for seven years and re-elected in 2019 for five years, Sall announced on 3 July that he would not seek another term in the presidential election of February 2024.
This decision eased the heavy political climate in Senegal, but tensions have persisted ever since. Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who has been detained since the end of July, is on "hunger strike" and is currently in intensive care in a Dakar hospital.
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UNITED STATES REJECT RUSSIA CLAIM WEST ORGANISED ANTI-JEWISH AIRPORT MOB.
The United States has dismissed as "absurd" claims by Russia that an anti-Israel riot at a Dagestan airport was organised by Ukraine and the West.
In a televised meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the incident had been part of an attempt to spread "chaos" in Russia.
Hundreds stormed the Makhachkala airport ahead of the arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv, Israel.
Many waved Palestinian flags and chanted antisemitic slogans.
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JAPANESE POLICE SAY TWO PERSON WOUNDED IN TODA SHOOTING.
Police in the central Japanese city of Toda have responded to reports of a shooting at a hospital.
Two people were reportedly wounded, a doctor is in his 40s and a patient in his 60s.
The suspect fled via motorcycle to the neighbouring city of Warabi and has taken hostages inside a post office, the city said on its website.
He is of medium build and possibly in his 40s or 50s, it said.
Facilities nearby have been placed on lockdown.