Author name: yasir

At least 15 killed in attack in Nigeria’s Benue state

Africa /

 At least 15 people have been killed in an attack by armed bandits in Nigeria’s Benue state, local media reported Thursday. Several people were also wounded when the assailants invaded the town of Anyiin in the Logo Local Government Area. Nigeria has long been facing attacks from armed gangs as well as the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist groups in various regions of the country. Despite the death penalty being enforced for kidnapping, incidents of abduction for ransom are still common. Armed perpetrators typically target villages, schools and travelers in the northern part of the country to demand ransoms.

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Rapporteur urges Israel’s UN membership suspension

World /

A UN rapporteur urged the suspension of Israel’s UN membership on Wednesday, citing repeated violations of international law and the occupation of Palestinian territories. “I do believe that the impunity that has been granted to Israel has allowed it to become a serial violator of international law,” Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, said at a news conference. Albanese said she recommends that the General Assembly consider the suspension of Israel’s credential as a member of the UN until it ends violating international laws and withdraws the occupation, which she said is “clearly unlawful.” She said the creation of the Israeli state “came at a huge price for the Palestinians” and it has never been addressed, and that since 1967, Palestinians have been increasingly segregated and repressed. “Israel, in the pursuit of realizing Greater Israel, is attempting to reduce physically or spiritually … the presence of the Palestinian identity in the occupied Palestinian territory,” he said, adding that 75% of Gaza’s population are refugees. “They’re not from Gaza. They’re from modern-day Israel and therefore the presence is a continuous reminder for Israel of what I call its original sin, in fact, that its creation doesn’t matter the justification behind it,” she said. Albanese said Israel has no right to be in the occupied Palestinian territory. “The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to withdraw, unconditionally, totally, rapidly as possible its military presence, dismantling the colonies, stopping the seizing the exploitation of natural resources on the occupied Palestinian territory and making also reparations,” Albanese added. Albanese issued a report earlier this week that accused Israel of a systematic campaign of forced displacement, destruction and acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. In the report submitted to the UN General Assembly, Albanese described the “long-term, intentional, state-organized forced displacement and replacement” of Palestinians, particularly following the escalation of violence after Oct. 7, 2023. The report focused on “genocidal intent, contextualizing the situation within a decades-long process of territorial expansion and ethnic cleansing aimed at liquidating the Palestinian presence in Palestine.” Regarding attacks against Albanese because of the report, she said special rapporteurs get attacked when they scrutinize the human rights records of member states. “What it seems in the case of Israel is (that) there is a cohort who echoes and reverberates what Israel says and does, and there is an army of minions at work to produce, literally — fabrications have one and only one objective, to distract the attention from where it should stay,” she said.

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Climate change fuels health crisis, warns new report

Africa, Discover /

A new report from global health experts warns that climate change is pushing temperatures to dangerous levels, leading to increased deaths and the spread of infectious diseases. The Lancet Countdown report, released ahead of the COP29 climate summit, highlights that every country faces unprecedented health threats due to climate change. The experts urge governments to redirect the trillions spent on fossil fuels towards protecting health and livelihoods. “Resources should not perpetuate fossil fuel use but rather promote access to clean, renewable energy,” said Dr. Marina Romanello, the report’s executive director. The study, conducted by 122 experts, reveals record levels of heat-related deaths, food insecurity, and infectious diseases driven by climate change. In 2023, people faced an average of 50 additional days of extreme temperatures. Nearly half of the global land area is experiencing extreme droughts, exacerbating food insecurity for 151 million people in 124 countries. Romanello emphasized that climate change is a critical health issue affecting all demographics, particularly vulnerable populations. “The health implications are enormous,” she stated, referencing the acute hunger crisis in regions like Somalia due to drought.

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Rwandan ex-doctor sentenced to 27 years for genocide complicity

Africa /

A French court has sentenced Rwandan former doctor Eugene Rwamucyo to 27 years in prison for his involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group. The Cour d’Assises de Paris found him guilty of “complicity in genocide,” “complicity in crimes against humanity,” and “conspiracy” to commit these crimes, while acquitting him of genocide and crimes against humanity charges. Rwamucyo, who denied the allegations during his trial, was accused of promoting anti-Tutsi propaganda and overseeing the burial of victims in mass graves in southern Rwanda’s Butare Prefecture. French prosecutors had sought a 30-year sentence. Genocide survivor Jean Pierre Gakwerere described the ruling as a positive step toward justice for victims. Rwamucyo, 65, was arrested in May 2010 and had previously been sentenced to life in absentia by a Rwandan court. This verdict follows a recent lawsuit by Rwandan genocide survivors against France, seeking $540 million in reparations, with a ruling expected on November 14. French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged France’s responsibility in the genocide, stating that France and its allies “could have stopped” it but “lacked the will to do so.” Approximately 1 million people, primarily Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed in the genocide within 100 days.

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North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile, says Japan

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North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile early Thursday, said the Japanese government, marking the 12th such launch by Pyongyang this year. Japan’s Defense Ministry said the missile, launched eastward from North Korea’s interior at 7.11 a.m. local time (2211GMT Wednesday), flew for one hour and 26 minutes before landing outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), west of Okushiri Island, NHK News reported. The missile was reportedly launched on a lofted trajectory, meaning it was fired at a steep, near-vertical angle, a tactic often used by North Korea to test missiles without overflying neighboring countries. The missile reached an estimated altitude of over 7,000 kilometers (4,349 miles) and traveled a distance of about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), identifying it as an “ICBM class,” the government said, according to Kyodo News. There was no damage to planes and ships reported from the missile, it added. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced plans to convene an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. Japan’s Coast Guard confirmed that no immediate reports of damage had been received related to the launch. The latest launch marks North Korea’s first missile test since it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sept. 18. South Korean military authorities also detected the launch and said the missile was likely launched from an area near the capital Pyongyang. On Wednesday, they had suggested North Korea might conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test amid heightened tensions. The missile launch follows recent reports of North Korean troops being deployed to Russia, a move condemned by South Korea, the US and NATO, further intensifying regional security concerns. -US strongly condemns ICBM test The US strongly condemned the ICBM test, saying “this launch is a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” The launch did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory or to its allies, but “needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement.  “We urge all countries to condemn these violations and call on the DPRK to cease its destabilizing actions and engage in serious dialogue,” said Savett, using the initials of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name.

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Former Zambian 1st lady arrested on money laundering charges

Africa /

 Zambia’s former first lady Esther Lungu was arrested and charged with possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime and money laundering offences Wednesday by the country’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC). DEC spokesman Allan Tamba said this is in relation to ongoing investigations into her ownership of several properties. “Mrs. Esther Lungu has since been released on police bond pending court proceedings,” Tamba said in a statement issued in the capital, Lusaka. Her lawyer, Charles Changano, also confirmed the arrest to Anadolu. On the property-related charge, Changano said this was in relation to a property his client possesses in a Lusaka suburb. He said the second charge was that of money laundering for hiring a third party and that she had denied both charges. ”So she has been granted extended bond and we have been told that we may be called again, as this matter is under ongoing investigation,” Changano said after his client underwent questioning in Lusaka.

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Botswana awaits election results

Africa /

Botswana awaits election results that could extend the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) 58-year rule. Duma Boko, leader of the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), expressed concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, suggesting the Independent Electoral Commission is undermining fair elections. Ballot counting began shortly after polls closed at 17:00 GMT, though some stations remained open late to accommodate voters in line. This election will shape the parliament of the diamond-rich nation, with lawmakers later selecting the president. In the previous 2019 election, the ruling party secured 38 of 57 contested seats. President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a former high school teacher, is vying for a second and final term, with a party needing at least 31 seats to claim victory.

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Tuberculosis leading infectious killer, WHO warns

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The World Health Organization (WHO) released alarming new data Tuesday showing tuberculosis (TB) once again ranking as the world’s deadliest infectious disease. According to the latest WHO report, approximately 8.2 million people were diagnosed with TB in 2023. “This represents a notable increase from 7.5 million reported in 2022, placing TB again as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, surpassing COVID-19,” a statement by the organization noted. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed “outrage “over the continued toll of the disease. “The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it, and treat it,” he said. He urged nations to fulfill their commitments to effectively combat TB. The report highlights the alarming disparities, with 30 high-burden countries — primarily India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Pakistan –accounting for 56% of the global TB burden. It also emphasized funding a crisis for TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear 98% of the global TB burden. Noting that only 26% of the $22 billion target for annual global TB funding was reached in 2023, Tereza Kasaeva, director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Program, said: “We are confronted with formidable challenges: funding shortfalls, catastrophic costs to affected households, and drug-resistant tuberculosis.” While the report warned that treatment success rates for multidrug-resistant TB remain low, WHO urged the international community to fulfill their commitments from the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB, with a renewed push for funding research into new TB vaccines.

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Zambia good partner in many areas, says Turkey

Africa /

Turkey’s Ambassador to Zambia said Tuesday that the southern African nation was a good partner in many areas. “We are working together in every field, from trade to business, from Turkey scholarships to other exchanges, as we strive to build a better future together,” Istem Circiroglu told guests during an event marking the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in the capital, Lusaka. Circiroglu said she was pleased to note that Turkish development assistance in Zambia had exceeded $2 million, with the figure surpassing $5 million with the addition of scholarships so far provided to Zambian students. “The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), Diyanet Foundation and others are also engaged in Zambia. This year is also my farewell to beautiful Zambia and my friends here. I promise I will always remember and keep a place for all of you in my heart,” she added. Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata was elated that the occasion was held only days after the commemoration of Zambia’s 60th independence anniversary, adding the country would continue consolidating bilateral ties with Türkiye. A Zambian independence celebration was also held in the Turkish capital Ankara, punctuated with a performance by Zambian and Turkish musicians.

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Russia launches major nuclear exercise amid west tensions

World /

Amid rising tensions with the West over the Ukraine war, Russia on Tuesday conducted a major exercise involving its nuclear forces, simulating a response to an enemy’s first strike. President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need for modern strategic forces, stating, “We will maintain nuclear forces at the necessary level of sufficiency” without entering a new arms race. The drills included test-firing a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from Plesetsk, and ICBMs launched from the Novomoskovsk and Knyaz Oleg submarines in the Barents Sea and Sea of Okhotsk. Nuclear-capable Tu-95 bombers also conducted practice launches of long-range cruise missiles, all reaching their intended targets. This exercise follows warnings from Moscow about potential responses to Western support for Ukraine’s missile capabilities. Putin announced a new nuclear doctrine indicating that a conventional attack by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear power would be viewed as a joint attack, serving as a warning to the U.S. and its allies. The revised doctrine also includes provisions for the possible use of nuclear weapons in response to a significant air attack.

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