On saturday, Russia launched air strikes on Kharkiv, resulting in at least six deaths and injuring 97 others. The European Union has expressed shock and condemned the attack on the residential area of Kharkiv. Josep Borrell, the EU’s senior diplomat, labeled the incident as “shocking,” highlighting the grave toll inflicted by the Russian bombardment. Borrell’s reaction comes amid ongoing discussions within the EU regarding the provision of Western weaponry to Ukraine. During recent informal meetings with EU ministers, Ukrainian officials renewed their call to lift restrictions on the use of such weapons for self-defense. Borrell emphasized the urgency of these…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
Israel has announced the discovery of unidentified bodies during ongoing combat operations. The Israeli military is currently engaged in the process of extracting and identifying these bodies, a task expected to take several hours. The Israeli authorities have urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information regarding the identities of the deceased. U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that his staff is in communication with Israeli officials about the discovered bodies but could not provide specific details or confirm the number of casualties at this time. Biden emphasized the importance of refraining from speculation and noted that the identification process is…
The Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, in collaboration with other security agencies, has dismantled 115 illegal refining sites and arrested 22 suspects in Rivers and Bayelsa States as part of a crackdown on oil theft and related crimes in the Niger Delta region. Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, announced the success in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday. According to Danjuma, the operations, conducted within one week, led to the seizure of over 170,000 liters of stolen crude oil and the destruction of 66 boats used in illegal activities. In addition to the…
China and the Philippines accused each other on Saturday of deliberately ramming their coast guard ships near a flashpoint shoal in the South China Sea, the latest in a spate of similar incidents in recent weeks. China claims almost all of the economically vital waterway despite competing claims from other countries and an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. A Chinese coast guard spokesperson said Saturday’s incident took place off the disputed Sabina Shoal, which has emerged as a new hotspot in the long-running maritime confrontations between Manila and Beijing. Sabina Shoal is located 140 kilometres…
In anticipation of the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, the Taraba State government has taken proactive steps by establishing a flood control team across all 168 wards of the state. Governor Agbu Kefas made this announcement during a media briefing held on Saturday at the Government House in Jalingo. Governor Kefas highlighted the severe challenges posed by flooding in the state, which have adversely affected the lives and livelihoods of many residents. He emphasized that the newly formed flood control team would not only focus on emergency management but also on implementing long-term measures to prevent future disasters.…
Israel pressed on with a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank for a fourth day on Saturday, as fierce fighting raged in the nearly 11-month Gaza war. As clashes and explosions persisted in the northern city of Jenin, the Israeli military said two Palestinians were killed while preparing to carry out bombings overnight in the south of the West Bank. Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war, hailed a “heroic operation” at what it called a “sensitive time” during the Israeli operations in the north. Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, which has…
Iran’s police force has dismissed the commander of a city in the northern province of Gilan after the death in custody of a detainee, state media said on Saturday. Mohammad Mir Mousavi, 36, was arrested on July 22 after being involved in a fight in Lahijan, police said in a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA. “The police commander… was dismissed due to insufficient oversight of the conduct and behaviour of staff,” the police said. “Due to the complexity of the matter, the conclusion on the cause of Mohammad Mir Mousavi’s death depends on the medical examiner’s final…
US rapper Fatman Scoop has died, his family and manager announced Saturday, after the 53-year-old artist suffered a medical emergency while performing on stage, prompting a wave of tributes from the world of hip-hop. Scoop, best known for the hit tracks “Be Faithful” and “It Takes Scoop,” collapsed on stage at Hamden Town Center Park, Connecticut and was taken to hospital where doctors were unable to revive him, US media reported. Medical staff apparently attempted to administer CPR while he was still on the stage, according to a video of the incident obtained by celebrity news site TMZ. He was…
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has urged the government to expand the objectives of the ongoing war in Gaza to include the safe return of residents to northern Israel. The call comes amid continued attacks from Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon, which has escalated tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. In a strategic briefing with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of the general staff and senior military officials, Gallant emphasized that Israel’s mission on the northern front is to secure the return of the evacuated communities. “In order to achieve this, we must widen the goals of…
The Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation on wednesday held a virtual meeting, bringing together senior representatives from 36 member countries to focus on the application of ocean-related or “blue” technology tools. The meeting, hosted by Ambassador Jessye Lapenn, Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation, emphasized the collective efforts to address shared challenges and advance key priorities across the Atlantic region. During the meeting, several members of the Atlantic Partnership presented case studies showcasing the successful integration of blue technology to meet local needs. Notable examples included Brazil’s collaboration with SeaSketch on mapping ocean areas with stakeholder engagement, Costa Rica’s partnership with Global Fishing…
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), visited Libya on August 27-29, 2024, to enhance cooperation between the United States and Libya. Accompanied by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Jeremy Berndt, USAID Senior Development Advisor Maura Barry-Boyle, and U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Major Michael Woods, Langley met with key Libyan leaders across the nation. In Tripoli, Gen. Langley and Berndt engaged with Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba, President of the Presidential Council Mohamed Menfi, and Gen. Mohamed al-Haddad, Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces. They discussed strategies to unify Libya’s military forces and secure…
The Biden administration has resumed its immigration program, allowing migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the United States. The program, initially paused due to fraud concerns, now includes stricter vetting procedures for U.S.-based financial sponsors. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had suspended the program earlier this month for an internal review, which ultimately found no widespread fraud among sponsors. However, DHS is implementing additional scrutiny, including requiring sponsors to submit fingerprints and undergo financial and criminal background checks. The enhanced measures aim to safeguard the program’s integrity and protect beneficiaries from exploitation. Launched in January 2023,…