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‘There’ll be no food, electricity’ — Israel’s defense minister orders total blockade on Gaza

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Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, has ordered a “complete siege” and blockade on Gaza.

Gallant said authorities would cut electricity and block the entry of food and fuel into Gaza.

The Gaza Strip is controlled by the Hamas Palestinian militant group and borders Israel and Egypt. At the time of reporting, a barrage of rockets are being launched from Gaza into Israel.

In the early hours of Saturday, Hamas made incursions into Israel in what was an unprecedented assault.

Mohammed Deif, Hamas military commander, had said the attacks were a reprisal for Israel’s “desecration” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, while alleging that Israel killed and wounded hundreds of Palestinians this year.

According to Times of Israel, the minister said everything in Gaza would be closed, adding that “there will be no electricity, no food, no fuel”.

“We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly,” he said.

Over 700 Israeli civilians and members of the military are reported to have been killed since the attack on Saturday and another 2,150 wounded.

More than 400 have also reportedly been killed in Gaza.

Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua, Hamas spokesman, had said the group’s fighters had captured more Israelis.

He said the group aims to free all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran has rejected allegations that it had a role in the attack by Hamas.

There were reports that Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault.

Nasser Kanani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters that the accusations linked to an Iranian role “are based on political reasons,” adding that the country does not intervene “in the decision-making of other countries, including Palestine”.

“The Palestinians had the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights,” he said.

“Talking about an Iranian role aims at turning public opinion (away from the facts) and at justifying the potential future actions of Israel.”

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Nigeria reopens embassy in North Korea after pandemic closure

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Nigeria has resumed operations at its embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea, after a closure that began in early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The embassy’s reopening makes Nigeria the second African nation, following Egypt, to maintain a diplomatic presence in North Korea.

According to NK News, while the embassy was closed, Nigeria and North Korea continued diplomatic ties through Nigeria’s mission in Abuja.

The Nigerian embassy in Pyongyang had suspended activities due to strict travel restrictions imposed by North Korea during the pandemic, which halted embassy operations and led to the departure of most foreign diplomats.

Reports inform that Patrick Imodu Imologhome has been appointed as Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in Pyongyang. He arrived in December 2024, officially marking the reopening of Nigeria’s diplomatic mission.

The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang confirmed his arrival and noted that he met with Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora on December 11th to discuss matters related to the Korean Peninsula.

Additionally, the Chinese Embassy reported that Ambassador Wang Yajun met Imologhome on December 13th, though the discussion was focused on strengthening China-Nigeria relations.
Imologhome’s appointment was confirmed by Nigeria’s foreign ministry earlier in April 2023, although details regarding the appointment of a full ambassador have not yet been released.

North Korea and Nigeria have maintained diplomatic relations despite the closure of Nigeria’s embassy. According to reports, North Korea’s ambassador to Nigeria, Jon Tong Chol, has remained in Abuja throughout the pandemic.

Ambassador Jon has met with Nigerian officials on several occasions, including discussions about public health cooperation in 2020 and calls for increasing parliamentary exchanges in 2023.

Since his appointment in 2018, Ambassador Jon has been involved in diplomatic exchanges with Nigeria, though the details of their discussions have generally not been disclosed to the public.

According to NK News, concerns have arisen over potential sanctions violations related to North Korea’s activities in Nigeria. Reports from the U.N. Panel of Experts have suggested that North Korea’s Haegumgang Trading Corporation attempted to arrange the sale of military equipment worth $3.5 million to Nigeria in late 2022.

Additionally, there have been reports of North Korea using Nigerian intermediaries in money-laundering schemes, despite international sanctions against Pyongyang.

Though Nigeria claims to have complied with U.N. sanctions requiring the expulsion of North Korean workers by December 2019, some workers reportedly remained in Nigeria.
These developments have raised questions about ongoing illegal activities despite the formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.

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Mexican mayor, three others found dead in vehicle

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A mayor in Mexico’s central San Luis Potosi state, who was a member of the ruling Morena party, was shot dead on Sunday along with three other people, local authorities said.

Jesus Eduardo Franco, mayor of Tancanhuitz municipality, and the three other victims were all found dead inside a vehicle, according to the state prosecutor’s office.”We deeply regret the death of our colleague Eduardo Franco, municipal president of Tancanhuitz,” Morena party president Rita Rodriguez wrote on X.
“We ask authorities to reach the ultimate consequences and find those responsible,” she added.

Dozens of local officials have been targeted in organised crime-related violence that has plagued Mexico in recent years.

Local media reported last month that Alejandro Arcos, a mayor in southern Guerrero state, was decapitated less than a week after taking office and his head placed on top of a pickup truck.

More than 450,000 people have been murdered and thousands have gone missing since the Mexican government deployed the army to combat drug trafficking in 2006, according to official figures.

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Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger to permanently exit ECOWAS in 2025

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Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic will cease to be members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 2025.

Alieu Touray, president of ECOWAS commission, made the announcement on Sunday during the 66th ordinary session of heads of states and governments in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

“After deliberations, their excellencies, the authority members of the authority of ECOWAS, heads of state and government, commend the exemplary diplomatic engagement of His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, and His Excellency Faure Gnassingbé President of the Togolese Republic, and the diplomatic efforts of the chairman of authority, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other individual member states towards these three countries,” he said.

“The authority takes note of the notification by Bukina Faso, Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS. The authority acknowledges that in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, the three countries will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS from 29 January, 2025.

“The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period.

”In this regard, the authority extends the mandate of President faure Gnassingbé of Togo, and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation rule up to the end of the transition period to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS.”

Touray said withdrawal formalities would be launched after the January 29, 2025 deadline.

He said a contingency plan covering various areas would be drawn up.

“The authority directs the council of ministers to convene an extraordinary session during the second quarter of 2025 to consider and adopt both separation modalities and the contingency plan covering political and economic relations between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Mali and Burkina Faso,” he said.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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