Five stories that have dominated the global headlines this past week.

1. Massacre of Palestinians During Aid Delivery in Gaza

On Thursday more than 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces while waiting for a humanitarian aid delivery. The IDF spokesperson claimed that they were merely trying to “disperse the mob,” and ease the movement of an aid convoy carrying vital food and water for the hungry people of Gaza. However, many world leaders already reject this excuse, condemning this attack for targeting civilians and obstructing the humanitarian corridor. The IDF’s bombardment of Gaza is causing catastrophic malnutrition; successful humanitarian efforts must be a priority. 

2. Deadly Fire in Bangladesh

In the capital Dhaka, a huge fire broke out in a seven story building around 22:00 on Thursday. As of Friday afternoon, at least 46 people are confirmed to have died. According to a fire service official, the building was not up to fire code, lacking an emergency exit and storing cooking gas cylinders unsafely and with abundance. Commercial and residential building fires are common in Bangladesh, typically due to poor safety protocol. 

3. Alexei Navalny Laid to Rest

This Friday, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was finally laid to rest in Moscow, after a tense negotiation with authorities to secure the release of his body. His death is still-unexplained, labeled an ‘accident’ in the Arctic penal colony he was moved to in December. Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, had to appeal to President Putin for her son’s body and still struggled to find a funeral director willing to work with her. A crowd gathered at the funeral Friday afternoon to show support for Navalny.

4. Pre-Wedding Gala for the Son of India’s Richest Man

Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani will be marrying Radhika Merchant in July. This week, his father threw him a 3 day pre-wedding party with 1,200 guests including Bollywood stars, billionaires, CEOs, and former world leaders. Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates, and Rihanna are all in attendance. Mukesh Ambani’s net worth is $115bn according to Forbes, making him the 10th richest man in the world.

5. 2024 Iranian Legislative Election

This Friday, the first elections in Iran since the 2022 nationwide anti-government protests are taking place. The Iranian authorities continue to crackdown on dissent and claims against the legitimacy of election results. Voter turnout has been decreasing in recent elections, hitting an all-time-low in 2020 at 42% as citizens lose confidence in the system. It is unlikely that any systemic change will occur as long as the Supreme Leader remains the arbitrator of social freedoms and foreign policy.