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Category: Foreign

  • Elon Musk’s X says it has removed ‘hundreds’ of Hamas-affiliated accounts

    Elon Musk’s X says it has removed ‘hundreds’ of Hamas-affiliated accounts

    X says it has removed “hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts” and taken down thousands of posts since the attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group.

    The platform, formerly known as Twitter, was given 24 hours by the European Union earlier this week to address illegal content and disinformation regarding the conflict or face penalties under the bloc’s recently enacted Digital Services Act.

    CEO Linda Yaccarino responded to EU official Thierry Breton in a letter dated Wednesday that she posted to X. She said the company had “redistributed resources and refocused internal teams who are working around the clock to address this rapidly evolving situation.”

    “There is no place on X for terrorist organizations or violent extremist groups and we continue to remove such accounts in real time,” Yaccarino wrote.

    “X is… addressing identified fake and manipulated content during this constantly evolving and shifting crisis,” she added. The platform had “assembled a leadership group to assess the situation” shortly after news broke about the attack, Yaccarino said.

    Read Also: Biden calls Hamas attack on Israel ‘deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust’

    A slew of mischaracterized videos and other posts went viral on X over the weekend, alarming experts who track the spread of misinformation and offering the latest example of social media platforms’ struggle to deal with a flood of falsehoods during a major geopolitical event.

    Since the attack on Israel, Yaccarino said X had acted to “remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content” that break its rules on violent speech, manipulated media and graphic media. It had also responded to more than 80 “take down requests” from EU authorities to remove content.

    “Community Notes” — which allow X users to fact check false posts — are visible on “thousands of posts, generating millions of impressions,” she wrote.

    According to Yaccarino, notes related to the conflict take about five hours on average to show up after a post is created, a revelation that could fuel concerns that fake or manipulated content is being seen by thousands — or in some cases millions — of people before being moderated.

    Acknowledging receipt of Yaccarino’s letter Thursday, Breton said on X that the the Digital Services Act enforcement team “will analyse the reply and decide on next steps.”

    The law is one of the most ambitious efforts by policymakers anywhere to regulate tech giants and companies face billions in fines for violating the act.

    Newsnow

  • Biden calls Hamas attack on Israel ‘deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust’

    Biden calls Hamas attack on Israel ‘deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust’

    US President Joe Biden called the bloody Hamas attack on Israel “the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust”.

    Biden in an address to Jewish leaders during a round table in Washington, as The Guardian quoted him.

    Biden said Saturday’s attack was “sheer evil” and a “campaign of pure cruelty against the Jewish people”.

    Read Also: Israel forms unity govt to oversee war with Hamas attack

    “Silence is complicity,” Biden said. “I refuse to be silent”. 

    He said that he had again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that the US was “surging” additional military aid to the Israel Defence Forces.

    Newsnow

  • Israel forms unity govt to oversee war with Hamas attack

    Israel forms unity govt to oversee war with Hamas attack

    • Arab world expresses support for Gaza
    • Gaza power plant runs out of fuel

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a leading opposition figure have created a war-time unity Cabinet overseeing the fight against Hamas terrorists.

     In the sealed-off Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighbourhoods and the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel.

     The new war-time Cabinet established a degree of unity after years of bitterly divisive politics, and as the Israeli military appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza.

     The cabinet, which will focus only on issues of war, will consist of Netanyahu, Benny Gantz — a senior opposition figure and former defence minister — and current Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a statement released by Gantz said.

    The government is under intense public pressure to topple Hamas terrorists, who stormed through a border fence on Saturday and massacred hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival. 

    Read Also: NIS to acquire aircraft, drones for border surveillance

    Hamas are holding an estimated 150 people hostage from Israel — soldiers, men, women, children and older adults.

    Palestinians are receiving support from various parts of the Arab world as the conflict between Hamas and Israel enters its fifth day.

     Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri told journalists at a press conference with visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that officials from the two sides “discussed the need to stop the escalation of the conflict in Gaza” and the “seriousness of destruction and attacks on civilians.”

     They also called for the application of “international law regarding treatment of civilians in times of war.”

     Jordan, meanwhile, sent aid supplies to Egypt for the Palestinian residents of Gaza, according to Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV. It was not immediately clear how Egypt plans to distribute those supplies. The border between Egypt and Gaza is closed and there were scattered reports over the past several days of shelling near the border.

     In Syria, government TV broadcast what it called a “student demonstration” in the capital Damascus, with several hundred students chanting slogans in support of the Palestinians and waving Palestinian flags. The students told the TV that they had come from universities across the country to support the Palestinian people.

  • Niger military rulers order UN official out within 72 hours

    Niger military rulers order UN official out within 72 hours

    Niger’s post-coup military rulers have demanded that the United Nations Coordinator in the West African country leave their country within 72 hours.

     The foreign ministry said in the statement dated Tuesday that the government had ordered Louise Aubin, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator, “to take all necessary measures to leave Niamey within 72 hours”.

     It pointed to “obstacles”, which it said were presented by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “with a view to thwarting the full and complete participation of Niger” at last month’s UN General Assembly.

    The military regime has already criticised “the perfidious actions” of the UN chief, saying that they were “likely to undermine any effort to end the crisis in our country”.

     Bakary Yaou Sangare, who before the coup was Niger’s ambassador to the UN and is now its foreign minister, was the new leaders’ chosen representative for the gathering.

    Read Also: Lagos govt to increase Blue Line trips to 54 from Monday

     But, according to a diplomatic source, there was also an application by the overthrown government to represent Niamey.

     Because of the competing credentials, the matter was deferred and no representative from Niger was added to the speakers’ list.

    The decision to expel the UN official comes as France is withdrawing its 1,400-strong contingent in Niger after being ordered out by the coup leaders.

     France’s ambassador to Niger was also given his marching orders after the coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum, an ally of Paris.

  • Weah in early lead as Liberians await polls results

    Weah in early lead as Liberians await polls results

    Votes were still being counted in Liberia yesterday after Tuesday’s election with President George Weah in early lead.

      His challenger, former Vice-President Joseph Boakai, was claimed to be in contention yesterday.

     Local and regional election observers said polling was peaceful, despite clashes between rival political camps in the final days of the campaign.

     Voter turnout was reported to be high in a campaign dominated by the economic crisis and corruption allegations.

    The election commission said the first results would be announced later yesterday.

    Read Also; Tinubu’s CSU certificate not forged, BBC clarifies

     Weah is the favourite to win, with his main challenger seen as former Vice-President Joseph Boakai.

     But a run-off will be held if no candidate secures more than 50% of the votes cast.

     Parliamentary elections were held alongside the presidential election, with about 2.4 million people registered to cast their ballots.

     The delivery of election materials to some remote areas in south-east Liberia was delayed by floods and muddy roads.

     Some canoes that were transporting electoral staff and materials capsized, leading to the loss of the election materials, but the National Elections Commission (NEC) said that voting was extended in those areas.

    This is the first time that a generation of young voters, born in peace-time Liberia, voted in national elections.

     A brutal civil war, which killed an estimated 250,000 people, ended two decades ago.

     “I vote for the good of my country. I expect peace and development,” Agostina Momo, 18, who was voting for the first time, told the AFP news agency in the capital Monrovia.

      The electoral commission is due to begin releasing initial results, but the final announcement will be done within 15 days.

     Weah, who was 1995 Fifa World Player of the Year, entered politics following his retirement from football.  He won his first term in 2017 after securing 61% of the vote in a run-off, defeating Boakai.

     Analysts said this might be the 78-year-old’s last attempt at the presidency.

  • Israel promises to end attacks on Israelis

    Israel promises to end attacks on Israelis

    Israel has promised to end all forms of attacks on Israeli citizens.

    Michael Freeman, Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, made this known while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Freeman, also Permanent Representative of Israel to ECOWAS, expressed concerns over alleged killings of more than 1,000 unsuspecting civilian Israeli citizens by Hamas group, describing such as terrorism.

    According to him, Israel will do what it ought to do, to end wars against Hamas attacks.

    Freeman said, “So, Israel is going to react, we have declared war on Hamas.

    “It is important to state at this point that this is not a war that is between Israel and Palestine; this is not about Israel and Palestine.

    “This is about Israel and Hamas, this is about good and evil, this is about civilization and barbarism.

    `Either you stand with people who are defending themselves or you stand with those who cut the heads of babies.

    “That is what this is about, it is not about anything else.”

    He assured of Israel’s plan to do everything within its ambit to avoid civilian casualties in the course of the war against Hamas.

    He mentioned that the Israeli move would not be about religion or Islam, Judaism or Christianity, but evil and good.

    The ambassador further said that Israel did not desire war in any circumstances, but would remain committed to protecting its citizens in all possible ways.

    “If Hamas will surrender this will be over tomorrow morning, if terrorism will be over that is not realistic.

    “I am not asking the Palestinians anything, I am saying to the Palestinians I want a better day. I am saying this with focus on Hamas.

    “I am focused on dealing with Hamas and I am focused on stopping it,” the envoy added.

    Earlier, the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Shawey, underscored the need for application of international laws to resolve the lingering crisis between Palestine and Israel.

    Shawey, who made the call while commenting on the on-going war between the two countries, urged the international community to stop treating Israel as a nation above the law.

    In his response on the Palestinian Government position about Hamas, the envoy said the group was not a terrorist organisation.

    Read Also: Israeli at war only with Hamas, says envoy

    According to him, there should be fair treatment of all parties, saying the lives of all individuals mattered and thereby, condemned the incessant killings on-going in both countries.

    Shawey said, “ The group is not a terrorist organisation, but it is fighting the course of the people, to liberate their land from Israeli occupation.

    “The ceasefire agreement between the warring parties depends on Israel, which owns a comprehensive military formation with support from allies like the United States.

    “Many women and children were killed, medical doctors displaced and ambulances destroyed in the renewed onslaught, the oldest churches in the world were destroyed by the Israeli forces.”

    Hamas is a Palestinian political and militant organisation that governs the Gaza Strip, one of the two Palestinian territories with presence in the West Bank.

    (NAN)

  • Israeli airstrikes displace 264,000 Palestinians in Gaza – UN

    Israeli airstrikes displace 264,000 Palestinians in Gaza – UN

    Israeli airstrikes against Hamas militants have displaced 264,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the UN’s humanitarian relief agency said.

    They are sheltering in school buildings, with relatives or neighbours, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

    Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, launched a large-scale attack against Israel on Saturday, killing at least 1,200 people and kidnapping around 100 others.

    Read Also: Israeli at war only with Hamas, says envoy

    Israel responded with ongoing airstrikes on the densely packed coastal enclave.

    At least 900 people have died in Gaza, health officials there say.

    OCHA reported Israeli airstrikes on several residential buildings in Gaza.

    OCHA, citing the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza, said more than 1,500 housing units were destroyed or severely damaged.

    In addition, five facilities that provided water and sanitation for half a million people were damaged.

    More than two million people live in the Palestinian territory.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • IMWU condemns Israel attack on Palestinian homes

    IMWU condemns Israel attack on Palestinian homes

    The International Muslim Women Union (IMWU) has condemned the recent acts of aggression perpetrated by the Israeli forces against the people of Palestine.

    The union expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in the region, particularly affecting innocent civilians, including women and children.

    IMWU Council of Trustees Chairperson, Dr. Samia Raheel Qazi, said the union stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people during this challenging time.

    She said: “We vehemently oppose any form of violence, discrimination, or oppression that undermines the rights and dignity of the Palestinian population.

    “We strongly condemn these and call on the United Nations (UN) to stop Israel from future evictions, occupation of Palestinian homes and lands, and provocations which may lead to escalation of violence and the accompanying killings. This has gone on for too long.

    Read Also: We ‘re not at war with Palestine but Hamas-Israeli Envoy

    “Since 1948, Palestine and Palestinians have known no peace. On a near-daily basis, children who go to school are not sure to return to the same home still standing, or meeting their parents and siblings alive. The United Nations (UN) Security Council allows Israel to have all weapons including lethal ones for use on our brethren in Palestine, but holds the victim back from having anything near such weapons. To make matters worse, Gaza remains under a stiff, debilitating blockade.

    “It is our firm belief that dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence are the only paths toward a just and lasting solution to the conflict.

    “As an organisation committed to promoting peace, tolerance, and equality, IMWU calls upon the international community to intervene and facilitate meaningful discussions between the parties involved. We urge world leaders to work towards a peaceful resolution that respects the rights, aspirations, and sovereignty of Palestinian people.”

  • 11 Americans dead in clashes between Hamas, Israel

    11 Americans dead in clashes between Hamas, Israel

    No fewer than 11 Americans have died in bloody violence in Israel, President Joe Biden said on the third day since Palestinian militants launched a stunning and complex surprise attack in Israel.

    In a statement, Biden described the deaths as the “heart wrenching” results of an “appalling terrorist assault against Israel”.

    He said the U.S. believed that the Hamas militant group is likely holding American citizens as prisoners.

    He added that the U.S. is working with Israel to handle the hostage crisis.

    “This is not some distant tragedy,” the president said in his statement.

    “The ties between Israel and the United States run deep. It is personal for so many American families, who are feeling the pain of this attack,” the president added.

    The State Department said it was in contact with the families of the dead Americans.

    More than 1,300 people have already been reported dead in the conflict, which was escalating Monday as Israel ordered an intense retaliatory assault on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

    Read Also: NCPC suspends pilgrimage to Israel, Jordan

    At least 700 people have died in Israel, according to the Israel Defence Forces. The Palestinian death toll was 687, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Monday.

    Meng, a Democrat who represents much of central and eastern Queens, wrote a letter to the State Department asking it to “use all resources at its disposal” to help Americans in Israel return to the U.S.

    A spokesman for Meng, Jordan Goldes, said a “handful” of Meng’s constituents were in Israel.

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Brooklyn Democrat, said in a statement late Sunday night that he had been briefed on the rising American death tally – then four – and that it would rise.

    “The viciousness and brutality of this unprecedented attack from Hamas targeting innocent civilians – children, families, seniors – is overwhelming and heart wrenching,” added Schumer, who is Jewish and is currently on a trip to China.

    In response to the attacks by Hamas, Israel’s military struck more than 1,200 targets in the Gaza Strip between Saturday and Monday morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF said it hit another 1,200 targets on Monday.

  • Water supply cut to Gaza Strip affects 610,000, says UN

    Water supply cut to Gaza Strip affects 610,000, says UN

    The decision of the Israeli government to shut down water supply to the Gaza Strip has already affected over 610,000 people, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Deputy Spokesperson Jens Laerke said yesterday.

    Laerke added that the decision is expected to lead to a sharp drinking water shortage in the region.

    On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, with supplies of food, gas and energy to the area to be stopped in response to the Hamas attacks.

    “Israeli authorities have decided to cut off the water supply to Gaza. This decision affects over 610,000 people in Gaza and will result in a severe shortage of drinking water,” Laerke told a briefing.

    He added that Israel’s decision to cut the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip leaves the Gaza Power Plant the only source of electricity in the region which could “run out of fuel within days.”

    Read Also: Look after your mental health, WHO, UNIC tell journalists

    The United Nations humanitarian office also yesterday said nearly 200,000 people, a tenth of the population, have fled their homes in Gaza since the start of hostilities.

    This, the organisation said, came amid shortages of water and electricity due to a blockade.

    “Displacement has escalated dramatically across the Gaza strip, reaching more than 187,500 people since Saturday.

    “Most of them are taking shelter in schools,” Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson, told a Geneva briefing, saying further displacement was expected as clashes continued.

    A World Health Organisation spokesperson said it had reported 13 attacks on health facilities in the Gaza strip since the weekend and said that its medical supplies stored there had already been used up.