Oct 7, 2026, 09:30 PM UTC

Israel marks third anniversary of 7 October attacks amid calls for inquiry

Israelis gathered across the country to mark the third anniversary of the 7 October Hamas-led attacks, as families of victims called for an official inquiry into security failures.

Israel marked the third anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks with memorial ceremonies across the country, including at the Nova music festival site and Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The initial assault resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 people into Gaza.

Commemorations were accompanied by renewed political tension. Families of victims staged demonstrations demanding an independent state investigation into government and intelligence failures prior to the attack, a proposal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to resist. Marking the occasion, Netanyahu stated that "the nation unites on this day in the longing for our dear ones."

The commemorations took place as military strikes continued in Gaza, reflecting the ongoing conflict three years after the initial assault.

Sources: The Guardian, France24, BBC News, Sweden Herald, The Journal.

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Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked national housing protests dies

Spanish pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, whose eviction triggered widespread protests and early elections in Spain, has died at 87.

Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked mass demonstrations and a political crisis across Spain, has died in a Madrid hospital, according to the local tenants' union.

Abascal was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her home in Madrid's Retiro neighborhood in late September after being unable to pay sharp rent increases imposed by the property's new owners. She had lived in the apartment for over seven decades.

Her removal, broadcast live on television, triggered nationwide protests over housing affordability and an escalating political dispute that ultimately led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap election. The Madrid tenants' union, which assisted Abascal during her multi-year legal fight against eviction, announced her death on Wednesday.

Sources: ANSA, BBC News, France24, NRK, SVT

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Democratic Party sues Trump administration over government-funded television advertisements

The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the alleged use of public funds for promotional TV ads.

The Democratic National Committee has launched legal action against the Trump administration, alleging the unlawful expenditure of public funds on nationwide broadcast and cable television commercials. According to the lawsuit, federal money was improperly deployed to finance promotional video advertisements highlighting the achievements of the president across American media networks in recent weeks.

The legal challenge contends that using taxpayer resources for promotional political messaging violates federal spending laws governing executive branch communications. Representatives for the administration have not yet issued a formal public response to the court filing.

Sources: Bloomberg