<p>Samuel Paty, a French teacher was beheaded last Friday near Paris after sharing caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad with his class. The suspect, 18-year-old Chechen man, was shot dead by police.</p> <p>The images were part of a lesson on freedom of speech held in October. The controversial cartoons were originally published by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2012. And were cited as the motivation behind the killing of 12 people by Islamist extremists at the magazine's offices.</p>

<p>Chinese officials have warned the US that they will detain Americans if the Justice Department prosecutes Chinese scholars who are affiliated with the Chinese military, The New York Times <u><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/us/politics/china-us-threats-detain…">reported</a></u>. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Thailand authorities have ordered internet providers to block Telegram, a messaging app, which has been used by pro-democracy protesters.&nbsp;</p> <p>An official with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission confirmed reports on Monday that they had been ordered to block access to the messaging app which has been used&nbsp; Deputy police spokesman Kissana Phataracharoen confirmed an order signed by the chief of police that could allow officials to block access to news sites citing “distorted information”. Another ministry requested court orders to censor content on four media outlets and take down a protest’s groups Facebook page.</p>

Bolivia’s elections on Sunday saw the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), claim a victory after securing 52.4 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls.

<p>The Standing Committee of China’s congress passed amendments to a law which will criminalise&nbsp; insulting the national flag and emblem.&nbsp;</p> <p>The amendment which will come into effect on January 1, 2021, will criminalise those who intentionally burn, paint, deface, discard or display the flag upside down and will be prone to investigation for criminal responsibility.&nbsp;</p> <p>Amendments to the law were proposed after pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong last year desecrated the Chinese flag resulting in controversy in China.&nbsp;</p>

China and Russia's appointment as members of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has caused outrage amongst human rights campaigners. It "is like making a gang of arsonists into the fire brigade”, commented UN Watch, a Geneva-based monitoring group.

Allegations of systematic violence against a local community in Kenya by guards working for an avocado farm, Kakuzi, that supplies UK supermarkets have resulted in a lawsuit against the farm’s British parent company, Camellia. 79 claims of “extreme violence”, dating from 2009 to January 2020 were found. Claimants include former employees of Kakuzi. 

Following days of violent protest against the alleged killing of a man by the Nigerian police’s notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Nigeria’s government has announced that all SARS with be abolished and officers will be redeployed to other roles.

On Taiwan’s National Day president Tsai Ing-wen promised to strengthen Taiwan’s defence and alliances with regions partners as China tensions heighten.

During her speech, she called for ‘meaningful dialogue’ with China however she added that “this is not something Taiwan can shoulder alone; it is the joint responsibility of both sides.”

Nine people have been arrested by Hong Kong police under suspicion of assisting 12 activists that attempted to escape Hong Kong in August.