11 killed in Austria, UK sanctions Israeli ministers | Hook News Brief

Hook News Brief | 11.06.25

Austria school shooting sees 11 dead

Ten people have been killed in a school shooting in the Austrian city of Graz, in what is the deadliest gun attack in the country's recent history. Police said the 21-year-old gunman, a former student, took his own life in a school bathroom shortly after.

The incident at a secondary school in the north-west of the city also saw 12 people injured, some seriously.

Teaching assistant dies after being stabbed by student outside school in France

Staying with Europe, in a separate incident of violence - a teaching assistant has died after being stabbed by a student outside a school in Nogent, north-east France.

The 31-year-old teaching assistant was stabbed as pupils' bags were being checked by police. French media reported a suspect had been taken into custody.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the teaching assistant was a "victim of a senseless wave of violence" and declared that "the nation is in mourning".

UK sanctions two far-right Israeli ministers

Moving on, the UK has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers over "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by the foreign secretary. Israel called the sanctions "outrageous” which is part of a joint move with Australia, Norway, Canada and New Zealand.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the move on X saying "these sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war".

US Ambassador suggests "Muslim countries" should make space for Palestine

In other news, Mike Huckabee, the US Ambassador to Israel, has suggested "Muslim countries" should give up some of their land to create a future Palestinian state.

In an interview with the BBC, Huckabee also called a ‘two-state solution’ - a proposed formula for peace between Israel and the Palestinians backed internationally, including by multiple US administrations - "an aspirational goal".

US State Department shutters USAID, assumes responsibilities

Shifting focus, the Trump administration will “abolish all USAID overseas positions” worldwide by September 30 in a dramatic restructuring of remaining US foreign aid operations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “the Department of State will assume responsibility for foreign assistance programming previously undertaken by USAID” from 15 June.

Download the app or log on to Hook.online for more news updates.