JORDAN
Jordanian authorities have declared three days of national mourning following yesterday’s attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Hammoud, Karak Governorate. Three gunmenstormeda funeral service, leavingsevenpeople dead and at least 34wounded, two in critical condition. On X, King Abdullah II promisedthe“harshest punishment”for those responsible and expressed his “deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs.” Prime Minister Jafar Hassanblamedthe actona “terrorist ideology and blind extremism.” Condemnations havealsocome from several countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Oman.BothMuslim and Christianreligiousleadershave sent messages of condolence. The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed at-Tayyeb,slammed the“vile terrorist attack” against “innocent and defenceless people.” The Muslim leader called it a “heinous crime,” one that stands in “direct opposition to the revealed religions.” In a statement, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalemstressedthat “the national cohesion of the Jordanian people serves as a vital safeguard against terrorism, extremism, and any attempts to sow division or discord.Jordanians, both Muslims and Christians, form a single national family, united by a shared history and a common destiny, bound together by ties of affection, belonging, and loyalty to their land and their leadership.” The patriarchs and heads of the Churches in Jerusalem alsoofferedtheir condolences and prayersafterthe attack on “the entire Christian community of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”They go on to “call upon all our churches in the region to ring their bells tomorrow (Saturday, October 24) at noon Jordan timeinsolidarity and prayerwiththe faithfuldeparted and those injured.”Iraqi bishops urge both Christians and Muslims to support the “bereavedfamilies” andhelpin “caring for the wounded,confidentthat the peopleofJordan, through unity and wisdom,are capable of preservingtheirsharedlife.”
CHINA – NORTH KOREA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Dandong, China, for a visit to his neighbour, crossing a recently opened bridge, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing a source within the South Korean government, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. This month, China and North Korea officially inaugurated their most important land border crossing, in Dandong, with the aim of reviving trade following years of strained relations and disruptions caused by COVID-19. Kim’s last known visit to Beijing was in September 2025, for the 80th anniversary celebrations marking victory in World War Two, during which he held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In June this year, Xi paid a state visit to North Korea.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
In the third quarter of 2026,the number ofincidents of anti-Christian hatred in Israel increased,this according tothe latest report from the Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC), which documents “106 acts of harassment in 96 incidents,” between July and September. More than 90 per cent occurred in Jerusalem, withmore thanhalf on a single street: Armenian Patriarchate Street. Thisis a risefrom the 83 acts (in 76 incidents) in the second quarter and the 44 acts (in 31 incidents) in the first quarter of the year.As a result,members of the clergy havereportedlystopped wearing religiousclothingwhen leaving their premises, even going so far as to hide the crosses they wear around their necks. Recorded incidents include verbal abuse (8 per cent), physical assaults (5 per cent), throwing objects (4 per cent), as well as damage to signage and acts of vandalism (both at 3 per cent).
SOUTH KOREA
In Seoul, police will deploy 4,594 officers to ensure safety in areas of the capital expected to see large crowds during Halloween, including the Itaewon district, where a crowd crush on 29 October 2022 claimed the lives of more than 150 people. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s special management plan will be in effect from 23 October to 1 November, with agents enforcing safety measures in five city districts: Itaewon, Hongdae, Seongsu-dong, Myeong-dong, and Ikseon-dong. Emergency response teams, patrols, special operational units, investigators, and traffic control staff have been mobilised. This comes amid growing concerns regarding unprovoked attacks, following several recent incidents, including a stabbing on 13 October in Incheon, where a 59-year-old man attacked people inside a shopping mall, wounding eight.
INDONESIA
Authorities have seized 1.1 tonnes of ketamine from a foreign vessel in the waters off Sumatra, the second major drug bust in the Southeast Asian country in the last two months. While ketamine is used as a fast-acting anaesthetic, it is also widely abused as an illegal recreational drug. In Indonesia, its distribution is subject to strict control and monitoring. The ship was flying the Mongolian flag but is owned by a company based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Indonesia maintains some of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws, which include the death penalty for traffickers, though the country has observed a moratorium on executions for several years.
AFGHANISTAN
The UN has raised the alarm, noting that hunger and malnutrition are getting worse rapidly in the South Asian country, with more than 19.2 million people facing severe food insecurity. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, citing projections from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), said that five million people will face emergency levels of hunger. Furthermore, four million children and 1.3 million mothers are suffering from malnutrition. In addition, one-third of healthcare facilities, including 815 centres for the treatment of malnutrition, are closed or non-operational, further restricting access to essential health and nutritional services for women and children. Millions of people are also at risk of severe undernutrition, and access to vital nutritional services is becoming increasingly limited.
RUSSIA – MALI
The “Africa Corps”, controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defence, and the Malian Armed Forces have committed fresh crimes against civilians in central Mali, this according to a report by international watchdog Human Rights Watch. Hundreds of people have been arrested during counter-insurgency operations, with many now detained in military bases. Four men, apprehended in territory controlled by the Islamist group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which is fighting against the Malian authorities, have described the conditions of their captivity as inhumane.
TAJIKISTAN
Every year, about 5,600 underage girls marry, and forced to give up on their education, yet only a small fraction of these unions are officially registered, this according to a new UNICEF study, which examined the causes of early marriage, its impact on the health of both mothers and children, and the influence of family traditions, poverty, and gender stereotypes. The experts recommend setting the legal age for marriage at 18, with no exceptions, and create greater opportunities for girls to continue their education and independently choose their own future.
