The UK has blacklisted 7 organizations of Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The British government has taken this step to protest against the establishment of Jewish settlements in the West Bank in violation of international law.

This information was published in a report by Reuters on Tuesday (October 15).

According to the report, Israeli Jews have been establishing illegal settlements in West Bank or Gaza in violation of international law. As a result, these settlers are a major obstacle to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. In view of this, the United Kingdom has blacklisted 7 Israeli organizations. Of these, 3 are army outposts and the remaining four are civilian establishments. All three organizations that have been blacklisted by the British government support radical Zionism.

A statement issued by the UK Foreign Office on Tuesday said that the blacklisted outposts are run by radical and radical Jewish settlers and are accused of committing serious atrocities and inhumane and degrading acts against Palestinians living in the West Bank over the past few years.

British Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement, "I visited the West Bank a few days ago. This was my first foreign visit as British Foreign Secretary. During the tour I spoke to Palestinians in the West Bank and the horrific violence they gave me was shocking.

He also said the Israeli government must curb settler violence and stop the expansion of settlers into Palestinian lands.

Notably, the intensity of regular Israeli settler and state violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has increased dramatically since the armed group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year. And since then, more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces or settlers.

It is known that Israel occupied the West Bank in the Middle East War of 1967. Settlements are expanding their claiming their birthright to the land according to the Bible. The country's military says it is conducting counter-terrorism operations and targeting suspected militants in the West Bank.

Due to the financial crisis, Maldives is forced to lay off cabinet members and directors appointed for political considerations in various organizations. The country's government has sacked more than 225 political appointees, including ministers, to cut spending.

This information was published in a report of AFP on Tuesday (October 15).

According to the report, the South Asian island nation of Maldives is in financial crisis due to the collapse of tourism, the main economic sector. To deal with this crisis, the country is forced to retrench cabinet members and directors appointed for political considerations in various organizations. Among those sacked are seven state ministers, 43 deputy ministers and 178 political directors.

A statement issued by the office of Maldives President Mohamed Muijzu on Tuesday said that by reducing the number of cabinet members and appointees at the discretion of the government, the financial management of government funds is expected to be more efficient.

The statement did not mention whether more ministers-officials would be released later. However, according to sources, the country's government expects to save about 370,000 dollars per month through this layoff.

147 people, including children, were killed in a fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria. Many others were injured. The incident took place on Wednesday in Majia town of Jigawa state, about 530 kilometers north of the capital Abuja.

This information was published in a BBC report on Thursday (October 16).

According to the report, 147 people, including children, died in the explosion of a fuel tanker in the northern part of Nigeria. Besides, many others were injured.

Lawan Shisu Adam, the country's police spokesman, said on Wednesday that a fuel tanker overturned on the expressway in the town of Mazia in Jigawa province during the night. At that time, many people in the vicinity came to collect fuel from the overturned tanker. Some bring cars. Suddenly the tanker exploded causing casualties.

A video circulating on social media shows the tanker on fire. Bodies are scattered at the scene.

Haruna Mairiga, head of Jigawa province's emergency management agency, said at least 147 people were killed in the tanker explosion. The country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) gave similar figures.

At least 48 people were killed in an explosion after a truck collided with a fuel tanker in Nigeria's north-central Niger state last month.

The European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on Iran for allegedly providing missiles and drones to Russia against Ukraine.

The organization imposed the ban on Monday (October 14), Al Jazeera reported in a report on Tuesday (October 15).

Al Jazeera reported that European Union foreign ministers approved sanctions on seven companies, including Iran Air, and seven individuals, including Deputy Defense Minister Seyed Hamzeh Galandari and a senior official in the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force. Leading European nations Britain, France and Germany last month imposed similar sanctions on Iranian missile supplies to Russia as did the United States.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the EU-wide ban. "The Iranian regime's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is unacceptable and must stop," he wrote in the X-A post.

According to Iran's official news agency IRNA, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai rejected the ban by European countries as "unfair and against international law". He also emphasized on Iran's inalienable right to receive such defense and military cooperation from other countries including Russia.