Executions in Saudi Arabia

According to a report, 2025 has been the worst year for executions in Saudi Arabia as part of a zero tolerance policy on protests, freedom of expression and drug related crimes. Reportedly, this year, 2 pakistani nationals who were convicted of drug related crimes were executed, as was a journalist, two men who were children at the time of their alleged protest related crimes and five women. According to the report, most were guilty of non lethal drug related offences, 96 of which were linked to hashish.

Reportedly, more than half of those executed were foreign nationals but two Saudi arabians were put to death for protesting against the government’s treatment of the shia muslum minority. According to the report, the uk based campaign group Reprieve who have clients on death row said torture and forced confessions were a regular occurrence. Reportedly, the Saudi authorities do not reveal the method of execution.

Activist shot in Bangladesh

According to a report, protestors roused by the death of an activist and vocal critic of India set the offices of a Bangladesh newspaper alight that was known to be pro-indian. Reportedly, Sharif Osman Hadi who was involved in pro democracy anti government protests in July 2024 which ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was shot in Dhaka on Friday September 12 and died of his injuries on Thursday, his death has led to anti-government protests and anti-indian sentiment. According to the report, Ms Hasini resigned in August 2024 and has since lived in India in self imposed exile.

Reportedly, India and Bangladesh share a common history in the british indian empire. In 1950 India became a democratic secular republic with all citizens being treated equally regardless of religion according to the constitution. The 1947 partition created Pakistan with east Pakistan gaining independence in 1971 and becoming Bangladesh, a predominantly sunni muslim republic. According to the report, while muslim by birth, Ms Hasina was an advocate for democracy and secularism.

Reportedly, Bangladesh is scheduled to hold elections in February, the first since Sheikh Hasina’s ousting and Sharif Hadi had planned to be a candidate. According to the report, several people have been detained over the shooting. Reportedly, the interim government declared a day of mourning on Saturday, and tens of thousands of people attended the area surrounding Parliament house where the burial took place.

Venezuela accuses u.s. of stealing their resources

According to a report, in 2019 the u.s. imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil and as of November crude exports have fallen from 1.1 million barrels to around 920 barrels per day. Reportedly, as called ghost ships are used by Venezuela and other sanctioned countries such as Russia and Iran in order to continue to sell oil but sanctions are in place to discourage other countries from buying oil from sanctioned countries.

According to the report, the u.s. president has ordered a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, and
on Tuesday the u.s. president said that Venezuela was completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of south America, and warned that it would only get bigger and be like nothing they’d ever seen before. Reportedly, the move has been denounced by Venezuela who have accused the u.s. of stealing their resources.

John the evangelist and the vision at Knock, County Mayo

On 21 August 1879 15 villagers saw a ghostly image on the gable wall of a church in Knock, Co Mayo, Ireland. The apparition which lasted 2 hours comprised of three figures. Mary, the mother of Jesus who was crowned, her husband Joseph, and John the evangelist who was holding a book. To their left was a lamb on an alter with a cross surrounded by angels. The presence of the lamb and the cross is unique among the other nine known visions of Mary and supposedly signifies Jesus figuratively as a lamb to the slaughter.

A villager must have identified the third figure as John the evangalist because this was passed around among the people who saw the vision. Tradition identifies John the evangelist as the apostle John and credits him with writing the gospel of John and the book of revelation though this has been disputed by some scholars. The presence of the book however may represent authorship.

The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar in content being historical and biographical in character, while the gospel of John contains 90% unique material and is considered to be more theological and spiritual. John was the only apostle to escape martyrdom but he is believed to have been exiled for his faith to the Greek island of Patmos around the year 95 ordinary time where he wrote the book of revelation (though some scholars say the author could have been John the presbyter, an early minister).

According to the gospel of John, following Jesus’s death he entered the tomb to find the body had disappeared. According to christian tradition Jesus rose from the dead but it is possible that his body was taken from the borrowed tomb by his friends and buried elsewhere.

The book of revelation contains letters to early christian churches in the asian part of modern day Turkey, urging them to maintain faith and resist compromise. Scholars have viewed revelation as a message warning early christians not to assimilate into roman culture, and the presence of John holding a book could be similarly interpreted with regard to a british united Ireland.

The village at Knock contains a shrine and pilgrimage centre that offers a peaceful and contemplative place. There are 5 churches in the shrine and beautiful art work depicts the vision.

U.S. deploy military presence in the Carribean and seize oil tanker

According to a report, the u.s. have recently deployed air and naval forces, including a nuclear powered submarine, spy planes and 15,000 troops to the Carribean and have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Reportedly, many experts and the venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro accuse them of seeking regime change.

The u.s. presence in the area may be connected to the fact that Venezuela own the world’s largest oil reserves, though reportedly, u.s. sanctions beginning in 2015 have led to oil resources being syphoned off, loans from China and economic collapse.

Russia does not agree to peace plan

According to a report, following talks between the u.s. and Russia on Tuesday the president of Russia has rejected some of the proposals contained in a u.s. brokered peace plan. Reportedly, he did not elaborate further but said he was willing to meet with u.s. envoys as often as needed in order to forge a pathway to peace. According to reports, he has accused Europe of unacceptable demands contained in their proposals which contained a nato security guarantee.

New ukrainian delegation to discuss peace plan

According to a report, the u.s. and Russia have negotiated an agreement to end the war and the u.s. president is now pressuring Ukraine to sign. Reportedly, Andrii Yermak, the secretary of the ukrainian national security and defence council who was the leader of the ukrainian delegation in peace talks resigned on Friday and has been replaced by Rustem Umerov who is travelling to the u.s. on Saturday to discuss the extensive u.s. brokered peace plan which has been described as pro Russian.

According to a report, Mr Yermak who is known to have been close to President Zelensky since before he came into office was said to be the second most powerful person in the country. Reportedly, the new plan requires Ukraine to hold elections within 100 days (but for the imposition of martial law following the russian invasion President Zelensky’s term would have ended in May 2024). According to the report, a special u.s. envoy for peace is expected to travel to Russia following the u.s. ukrainian talks.

U.S. AND UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS TO MODIFY 28 POINT PEACE PLAN

According to a report, the u.s have given Ukraine until Thursday to agree to a 28 point plan for peace with Russia. Reportedly, the president of Ukraine may travel to the u.s. shortly in order to discuss any sensitive issues. According to the report, u.s. and Ukrainian officials agreed to modify the u.s. plan which would require Ukraine to give up more territory, accept restrictions on their military and prohibit them from ever joining nato.

Reportedly, another proposal from Ukraine’s european allies has been rejected by Russia. According to the report, the plan would have stopped fighting at the front lines leaving discussions of territory for later, and included a nato/u.s. security guarantee for Ukraine.

The 28 point Russia Ukraine peace plan

According to reports, the ukrainian president said Ukraine is facing one of the most difficult moments in history and faces losing the u.s. as a key partner over the u.s.’s attempt to implement a 28 point peace plan which has been criticised as being pro-Russian.

Reportedly, a ceasefire would come into affect if both parties agreed to the plan which states that frozen Russian assets will be used to help rebuild Ukraine; Crimea, Luhansk and Donestk will be recognised as defacto Russian territories, and Kherson and Zaporizhia will be frozen along the line of contact which will mean defacto recognition along the point of contact; and that Russia will relinquish other territories.

According to the report, the plan contains a non aggression agreement between Russia, Ukraine and Europe, and states that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries and nato will not expand further or station it’s troops in Ukraine, that Ukraine will enshrine in its constitution they will not join nato, and the u.s. will cooperate with Ukraine to jointly rebuild, modernise and operate Ukraine’s gas infrastructure, rehabilitate war affected areas and extract minerals and natural resources. Reportedly, the World Bank will develop a special financing package.

According to the report, if the plan is agreed upon there will be a lifting of sanctions in stages and on a case by case basis, and long term cooperation between the u.s. and Russia in various areas including rare earth metal extractions in the arctic.

Paschal Donahoe resigns as finance minister

According to reports, Paschal Donahoe has announced his resignation as finance minister and will take up a role as managing director and chief knowledge officer at the World Bank, an observer at the united nations group who make loans to developing countries.

Mr Donahoe joined fine gael in 2007 and was appointed minister of state for European Affairs in 2013. He may have been criticised for excessive borrowing following Brexit and during the covid crisis, especially as repayment terms following the first year were not laid out. Fine gael are in favour of a united Ireland but if Ireland can’t afford to pay back the loans this could be a British Ireland.