Devastating bombings in Ankara

Ankara, Turkey was devastated by an attack of twin explosions on Saturday 10^th October, now established as the deadliest bombing in Turkey’s history. While the official death toll marks nearly 100 deaths, the speculative toll is yet higher still. Tragically, the victims were largely activists seeking to end ongoing violence between Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party at a peace rally. While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, it is believed that the Islamic State were responsible.

Traction for Pro-Europe Campaigns

With the 2017 EU referendum looming, waves of campaigning have emerged from either side. This past week, the Pro-Europe movement have gained considerable traction with former Prime Ministers Major, Blair and Brown uniting in support of the UK’s membership of the European Union. Further support has come from Lord Rose (former Marks & Spencer boss and Conservative peer), who has been announced as chairman of the ‘In’ campaign group.

ISIS destroy Arch of Triumph in 2000-year-old Palmyra 

Militants of the Islamic State have destroyed the monument dating back to the

Roman Empire, situated in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. The destruction of the Arch is the latest in a sequence of similar attacks, with the Temple of Bel and the Temple of Baalshamin also destroyed earlier in the summer, provoking significant concern over the protection of Syrian antiquities. Despite the Arch’s lack of religious significance, it is believed that the attack reflects Isis’s ‘puritanical interpretation of Islam’ that considers the preservation of ancient artefacts to be idolatry.

Theresa May delivers ‘uncompromising speech’ on immigration 

Home Secretary Theresa May addressed the Conservative Party Conference on 6 October in what has been described as an ‘uncompromising speech’ on the issue of immigration. She pledged a more targeted approach via reducing the numbers claiming in Britain, while still taking in the ‘”most vulnerable” refugees from conflict sites. Comments arguing that high migration made a ‘cohesive society’ impossible, amid others, has faced criticism from the Institute of Directors for using “irresponsible rhetoric”.

Putin defends Russian air strikes in Syria

Following significant controversy over Russia’s military operations in Syria, including the use of air strikes, Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended the intervention, stating that the aim is to “stabilise the legitimate authority” of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and “create conditions for a political compromise”. This comes following accusations that Russia have primarily attacked “moderate” anti-Assad groups, rather than jihadists, and criticism of Russian violations of surrounding airspace.

Jeremy Corbyn vs. Buckingham Palace

Jeremy Corbyn has allegedly deliberately avoiding a Privy Council meeting with the Queen, by claiming a prior private engagement (subsequently referred to as an “administrative error”). While it was contended that it was not unusual to miss the first Privy Council meeting (David Cameron waited 3 months before attending as Opposition leader), it has been widely painted a reflection of Corbyn’s lifelong Republicanism, with Buckingham Palace allegedly gearing to strip him of his ‘Right Honourable’ status.

Nobel Prize Winners 2015 announced

Nobel Prize winners have gradually been announced over the past week, including Angus Deaton’s most recent win of the Nobel Prize for Economics. Deaton is a Scottish born Professor at Princeton University, awarded the prize for his ‘analysis of consumption, poverty and welfare’. Meanwhile Belarusian author and journalist Svetlana Alexievich won the Nobel Prize in literature for “her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time”- a product of her ongoing exploration of conflict and its aftermath, interviewing thousands “to get the closest possible approximation to real life”.