Moscow Terrorist Attack; Israel Seizes West Bank Land | Top Stories | March 23, 2024

Catch up on the Top Stories of the day.

0:00 Russia detains 11 suspects after deadly Moscow attack
- Russian authorities have detained 11 people in connection with an attack in a packed concert hall near Moscow as the death toll climbed to 133, with more than 100 people injured. Gunmen wearing combat fatigues opened fire with automatic weapons at the venue on as concertgoers were preparing to watch a performance. ISIS-K have claimed responsibility for the assault. Analysts say the group likely targeted Moscow in part because of Russia’s intervention in Syria, where Moscow supported President Bashar al-Assad against ISIL. In his public address President Putin made no mention of Islamic State’s claim to have carried out the attack. He did mention how the assailants tried to hide and move towards Ukraine, where a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border, fuelling speculation of Ukrainian involvement. Putin Made it clear that those responsible will be punished.

1:01 Israel announces seizure of 800 hectares in West Bank
- Israel has declared around 2000 acres in the occupied West Bank as state land, in a move that will facilitate the use of the ground for settlement building. Israel’s finance minister made the announcement starting that “While there are those in Israel and in the world who seek to undermine our right to Judea and Samaria and the country in general, we promote settlement through hard work and in a strategic manner all over the country.”

1:12 US senate agree $1.2tn spending bill to avert government shutdown
- The US Senate has agreed a $1.2tn spending package that will fund the US government through September. Legislators narrowly averted a partial shutdown of the government with minutes to go before a midnight deadline.