Tommy Robinson's government-funded propaganda tour to Israel has backfired spectacularly, with widespread online mockery following his public humiliation by Israeli figures and condemnation from British Jewish leaders.

The trip, which began on October 15, quickly turned into a PR disaster as Robinson was confronted by Rabbi Yishai Fleisher, a former advisor to Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who told him the British have a "special place in hell for turning on the Jewish people," a remark Robinson was forced to accept without protest. This moment, captured on video and widely shared, became a focal point of ridicule, with commentators highlighting the irony of a self-proclaimed British nationalist being rebuked by a Jewish representative.

Robinson’s attempts to defend himself were met with further criticism, including a physical assault on a heckler who called him a racist at a Tel Aviv event, and a growing backlash from both the British Jewish community and right-wing critics who view his alliance with Israeli figures as a betrayal.

During a Knesset event, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana reportedly shushed Robinson when he interrupted a scripted moment, further highlighting the awkwardness of the encounter.

Robinson’s visit was condemned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, who called him a "thug who represents the very worst of Britain" and stated his presence undermines efforts to combat extremism.

The Israeli government’s decision to invite Robinson, particularly by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, drew fierce criticism, with the Knesset committee for Diaspora Affairs demanding a formal apology for bypassing British Jewish leaders.

A protest against Robinson’s visit led to the arrest of two individuals, including a rabbi, outside Chikli’s home, underscoring the deep division his presence caused.

Journalists and activists, including Heidi Bachram and Raoul Wootliff, condemned the invitation, arguing it was an insult to British Jews and a dangerous embrace of far-right extremism.

Robinson’s own rhetoric, including past antisemitic claims such as accusing "powerful Jewish people" of controlling media and government, has been widely cited as evidence of his problematic history, despite his current self-presentation as a pro-Israel advocate.

The trip has also sparked internal conflict within the British right, with figures like Jayda Fransen and Gareth Icke criticizing Robinson for aligning with Israeli far-right leaders while alienating his own base.

Large-scale protest erupted Tuesday, outside the Citywest Hotel in Saggart, Dublin, Ireland, after a 26-year-old African national and illegal alien with a deportation order, was charged with the sexual assault of a 10-year-old Irish girl who was in state care.

The alleged assault occurred on the grounds of the Citywest Hotel, a former hotel converted into a facility housing asylum seekers, on the night of October 20, 2025. The girl, a ward of the child protection agency Tusla, had reportedly walked away from a supervised outing.

The suspect, who arrived in Ireland six years prior and had his international protection application rejected in 2024, was charged on October 21 and appeared before Blanchardstown District Court, where he deferred his bail application. His name is protected under Irish legal reporting restrictions.

The incident has sparked national outrage, with critics questioning the government's immigration policies and the state's ability to protect vulnerable children.

The protests continued into the following nights, with 23 people arrested on October 23 and police deploying riot units, pepper spray, a helicopter, and a water cannon for the first time in the country.

The demonstration, which began peacefully, quickly turned violent as far-left counter-protesters threw fireworks, flares, rocks, bottles, and wooden boards at Gardaí (Irish police), set a police vehicle on fire, and attempted to breach the police cordon using horse-drawn sulkies. Two officers were injured, one by a bottle to the head and another with a shoulder injury.

The Irish government and police condemned the violence, with Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly describing the actions as "thuggery" and "mob violence" intended to damage the building and intimidate those inside. Interior Minister Michal Martin and Prime Minister Micheál Martin also denounced the attacks on police.

The incident has reignited long-standing tensions over left-wing immigration policies, particularly concerning the rapid expansion of asylum seeker accommodations without local consultation. It follows other recent high-profile crimes involving asylum seekers, including the murder of a 17-year-old Ukrainian and a 17-year-old Somali youth charged with the murder.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Spainsat Next Generation 2 (NG-2) satellite lifted off into at 0130 UTC on Oct. 24, from Space Launch Complex (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida marking the company's 139th mission of the year and setting a new record for the most launches in a single calendar year.

This Falcon 9 booster B1076, which had previously flown 21 times, was used in an expendable configuration to meet the additional performance requirements needed to deliver the heavy satellite to its intended orbit. This decision allowed for weight savings by omitting landing legs and grid fins, thereby increasing the rocket's lift capacity. The payload fairing halves were recovered via parachutes after descending into the Atlantic Ocean.

"This launch marks the 22nd and final launch for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting today’s mission as additional performance is required to deliver the SpainSat NG II satellite to geosynchronous orbit," SpaceX wrote on X. "The first stage booster supporting today’s mission previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, SES O3b mPOWER-C, Ovzon-3, Eutelsat 26D, Turksat 6A, Maxar 2, SXM-9, and 12 Starlink missions."

The Falcon 9's upper stage deployed the Spainsat NG-2 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit about 34 minutes after liftoff.

The Spainsat NG-2 satellite, manufactured by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space on behalf of Spain-based Hisdesat, is designed to provide military-grade secure communications for the Spanish Armed Forces and their international partners. It is part of a larger constellation that will cover extensive global regions, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the United States, enabling effective command and control over approximately two-thirds of the Earth's surface.

The satellite, with a fully fueled mass of 6.1 tonnes, will operate at the 29 degrees East orbital position and is expected to remain in service until 2037.

The Spainsat NG-2 mission is a key component of Spain’s effort to modernize its military communications infrastructure and is aligned with NATO and EU GOVSATCOM programme requirements.

The satellites represent a significant technological advancement, offering 16 times greater X and Ka-band capacity compared to their predecessors and enhanced resilience against jamming, spoofing, and high-altitude nuclear phenomena.

The project, led by a consortium including Airbus D&S and Thales Alenia Space, has seen over 45% of its components manufactured in Spain, contributing to more than 500 skilled jobs during development and maintaining over 100 engineers annually during its operational lifespan.