World News in Brief Attacks on synagogues, Syria’s continuing rights violations, shocking abuse of women during childbirth

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World News in Brief

Violent attacks on synagogues surge across North America and Europe
In Belgium, a powerful explosion on Monday outside a historic synagogue in Liege caused significant damage. Three synagogues across Canada were attacked in separate shootings last week.
In the United States, an attacker was shot dead after crashing their truck into a synagogue and its preschool in Michigan on Thursday.

He had reportedly lost family members in a recent Israeli strike on his former homeland in Lebanon.
Meanwhile on Friday, authorities in the Netherlands announced they were investigating an overnight arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam.

UN chief 'strongly condemns' attacks
The Secretary-General strongly condemns these antisemitic attacks in no uncertain terms, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, told reporters on Friday. Houses of worship must be safe havens for all, and attacks on them strike at the core of our shared humanity, he added.

The Secretary-General calls on authorities everywhere to ensure the protection of religious sites, bring perpetrators to justice and work diligently to counter antisemitism and all forms of hatred.

Rights violations persist in Syria despite the 'willingness of Syrian government' to change
Independent human rights investigators on Syria alleged on Friday that serious violations - including extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and abductions - have continued across the country, more than one year since the overthrow of the Assad regime.

Last March, Government armed forces and militia fighters killed more than 1,400 people - mostly Alawite civilians - in Latakia, Tartus, Homs and Hama.
Four months later, in mid-July, more than 1,500 people, primarily Druze and Bedouin civilians, were killed in Sweida by government forces, armed groups and tribal fighters.

Syrian survivors and affected communities deserve justice, compensation and guarantees of non-recurrence, said Fionnuala Ni Aolain, a member of the panel of rights experts who report to the Human Rights Council in an independent capacity and are not UN staff.

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