Israel-Palestine, Ethiopia, Paraguay.

Today's three stories you should know.

Oct 11, 2023

Israel-Palestine

As mentioned in the last Proximities, the Israel-Palestine story is moving so fast that I worry an update would be out of date by the time you open the newsletter. I hope you found my advice on coverage useful on Monday. Today, I thought I’d highlight some individual journalists you can trust. I have never seen disinformation spread with such lightning speed around a big story as it is right now. And, sadly, a lot of journalists are doing a poor job covering this also. There are some ports in the storm though.

In Gaza: Youmna ElSayed.
In Gaza: Yousef D. Hammash.
In the West Bank: Imran Khan.
In Jerusalem: Maayan Lubell.
In Jerusalem: Bethan McKernan.
On the Lebanon/Israel border: Zeina Khodr.
An experienced and level-headed analyst I trust: Gregg Carlstrom.

And, as I said on Monday, if you have any questions you’d like to ask me about this complex story please feel free to drop me a line directly. I’ll do my best to answer.

Ethiopia

I’ve seen hardly any coverage of this one. The United Nations has warned there is a heightened risk of genocide and crimes against humanity in Ethiopia. Despite the fact that a peace deal was signed almost a year ago to bring a brutal two-year war to an end in the country’s northern Tigray region, the UN says atrocities are continuing. “Perpetrators have expressed the intention to target a group on the basis of ethnicity,” UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, said.

Paraguay

At least 10 guards are being held hostage by a gang in Paraguay’s largest prison, according to police. The country’s director of prisons said a gang called Rotela Clan started a riot at Tacumbú jail in the capital Asunción before taking the guards hostage. Rotela Clan holds sway in the prison and it has been reported that it may have taken the hostages because it became aware of a plan by security forces to take back control of the facility. Paraguay is one of several countries in Latin America - including Ecuador and Venezuela - struggling to control prison gangs.