During a U.S. speaking tour, renowned primatologist and environmental advocate Jane Goodall passed away of natural causes in California on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91.

Goodall is globally recognized as a leading authority on chimpanzees. Beginning in the 1960s at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, she was the first to document chimpanzees using tools, displaying complex social behavior and emotional interactions, challenging traditional boundaries between humans and animals.

She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 and launched the Roots & Shoots youth environmental program, now operating in multiple countries worldwide to encourage young people to participate in conservation and environmental issues.

Her legacy spans scientific contributions, advocacy for biodiversity, animal rights, and the future of the planet. Tributes have poured in internationally, with many noting her passing as a major loss for the environmental and scientific communities.

On October 1, 2025, the “Global Sumud” aid flotilla attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza was intercepted by the Israeli navy approximately 70–80 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.

The flotilla consisted of 49 vessels carrying activists and humanitarian aid from 44 countries. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was on the first vessel boarded. Israel’s Foreign Ministry released footage showing Thunberg detained by Israeli forces, stating that “Greta and her companions are safe and healthy.”

Flotilla members reported that the Israeli navy carried out “aggressive actions,” including water cannon spraying and deliberate ramming of ships, though no passengers were injured. Israel maintained that multiple vessels from the “Hamas-Sumud fleet” were safely intercepted and that passengers were transferred to Israeli ports. They emphasized that the flotilla was warned it was entering an active conflict zone in violation of the legal blockade and offered to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza via secure channels.

The flotilla members insist that Israel’s naval blockade is illegal and said they will continue toward Gaza. They stressed that the mission aims to break the blockade and demonstrate international support for the people of Gaza. The flotilla is currently awaiting further processing in Israeli ports, and international attention on the incident continues.

Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term in January 2025, at least 29 U.S. citizens have applied for asylum in Australia, a significant increase compared to fewer than five applications per month in the latter half of 2024. This indicates that some Americans feel uneasy about the domestic political and social environment.

Most applicants have submitted an onshore protection visa (Subclass 866), which allows individuals who arrive in Australia on a valid visa to apply for asylum. According to the Department of Home Affairs, no applications have been approved yet. Asylum applications typically take months or even years to process, including identity verification, personal statements, and security checks.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) noted a recent surge in requests from U.S. citizens seeking asylum advice. While official data does not disclose the reasons, experts suggest that political polarization, social division, and threats to certain groups’ rights—particularly LGBTQ+ individuals—may be driving the increase.

At the same time, countries such as Canada and Ireland have observed similar trends. Experts remind that asylum is granted based on “current risk of persecution,” so even if some applicants filed before Trump’s second term, their cases are assessed according to present circumstances.