Portal:Current events/2017 October 30

October 30, 2017 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Gaza–Israel conflict
- The IDF destroys a partly-completed tunnel from the Gaza Strip border near the town of Khan Yunis that crossed into Israeli territory, killing seven Hamas militants. Several more died in the rescue efforts. (Reuters)

International relations

Syrian Civil War
- A U.N. and Syrian Arab Red Crescent interagency convoy brings food and medical aid to 40,000 people on the verge of starvation in the towns of Kafr Batna and Saqba in the Eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus for the first time since June 2016. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2017 Special Counsel investigation
- Paul Manafort and Rick Gates surrender to the FBI after both are indicted on multiple charges stemming from the investigation into the Donald Trump presidential campaign's possible associations with the Russian government. The two men—who respectively served as manager and deputy manager of the campaign from March to August 2016—are being charged on twelve counts, which include conspiracy against the U.S., money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents. (USA Today)
- George Papadopoulos, who worked as a foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, is also revealed to have plead guilty on October 5 to making false statements to FBI agents about contacts that he had with the Russian government during the campaign. (Los Angeles Times)
- Tony Podesta, brother of John Podesta, resigns from the Podesta Group lobbying firm. A spokesperson for the group says they are cooperating with the Special Counsel's team. (Reuters)

2017 Spanish constitutional crisis, Catalan Republic (2017)
- The Spanish attorney general, José Manuel Maza, requests a lawsuit against (former) Catalan government members, seeking charges of sedition, rebellion and embezzlement. The Catalan parliament is formally dissolved. (San Francisco Chronicle)
- A Spanish government source says that Carles Puigdemont and part of his cabinet has fled to Belgium to escape prosecution. International media agree the situation in Catalonia—under direct Spanish rule—is quiet. (Reuters) (El Diario)
- A Belgian federal government source says Puigdemont and about five ministers would attend a "private reception" in Brussels by the N-VA party. Prime Minister Charles Michel (MR) has no comment. Interior Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) says he "knows nothing". N-VA replies that it "did not invite [them]". (Het Laatste Nieuws) (7sur7)

Politics and elections

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
- Starting in 2018, women will be allowed to attend sports events in stadiums in Saudi Arabia for the first time in the country's history, officials say. (BBC)
Transgender personnel in the United States military
- The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia blocks President Donald Trump's proposed ban on new transgender recruits in the U.S. military. (The Hill)

Science and technology