Briefly

ISRAEL

UN office razed in East Jerusalem

Israeli crews on Tuesday started bulldozing the Jerusalem headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, pushing forward with their crackdown against an organization that delivers humanitarian services to millions of people across the region. Israel has long accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency of collaborating with Hamas — a charge UNRWA denies. Tuesday's demolition marked Israel's latest step against UNRWA. UNRWA said on X that Israeli forces had confiscated staff devices and forced them out of their headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

AUSTRALIA

New gun laws passed after Bondi shooting

Australia's lower house of parliament has passed new laws for a national gun buyback, tighter background checks for gun licences and a crackdown on hate crimes, in response to the country's worst mass shooting in decades last month. Two bills for stricter gun control and anti-hate measures passed on Tuesday by the House of Representatives in aspecial parliament session will now go to the upper house Senate for debate.

COLOMBIA

26 killed as armed factions clash

At least 26 people were killed during intense clashes between armed factions in Colombia's Guaviare department, the Colombian army said on Monday. Ricardo Roque, commander of the National Army's Fourth Division, told local media that troops recovered 26 bodies in the municipality of El Retorno, following fighting between rival armed factions. Authorities warned that residents in rural areas remain at risk due to ongoing violence and urged civilians to follow official safety instructions.

Agencies - Xinhua