We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Ghana bus strapping kills 9
Gunmen killed nine people when they opened fire on a bus in a northern Ghana district struggling with ethnic tensions and concerns over Islamist violence from across the border in Burkina Faso, a local official said Friday. The attack on Thursday morning targeted a bus carrying mostly women on their way to a local market and escorted by police, because of the tensions, in Pusiga district near the volatile Bawku area of Ghana’s Upper East Region. Pusiga district chief Zubeiru Abdulai, a local mayor, told AFP that the nine victims died from gunshot wounds when their bus was ambushed near a remote forest close to the border with both Burkina Faso and Togo. “The vehicle was occupied by mostly women and was being escorted by the police due to the volatile situation in Bawku,” he said. “The police are investigating the incident now and it will be difficult for me to establish the main reason behind the attack.” Police did not immediately respond to calls seeking more details on the attack. Upper East Region has struggled with a decades-long conflict between ethnic Kusasi and Mamprusi communities over the right to choose a new chieftain and over land rights in the mostly Muslim Bawku region, where there is a heavy police and army presence. Those tensions often flare into violence. Jihadist violence in Burkina Faso has also forced people to flee across the frontier into Ghana. Earlier this year, Ghana sent 1,000 more troops and police to Bawku to reinforce security after gunmen killed an immigration officer and wounded two more. Officials did not blame any group for that attack. Ghana’s northern frontier is also an area with well-established smuggling routes, porous borders and illegal gold mining — a combination local officials and experts worry could benefit jihadists. With Islamist militants controlling large parts of Burkina Faso over the border, Western partners are looking to help Ghana and coastal West African neighbors Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast strengthen their defenses to prevent jihadist attacks. With AFP The post Ghana bus strapping kills 9 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93
Pat Robertson, the soft-spoken televangelist who helped make America's Christians a powerful political force while demonizing liberals, feminists, and gays as sinners, died Thursday at the age of 93, his organization announced. The longtime host of "The 700 Club" on his huge Christian Broadcasting Network and one-time presidential candidate died at his home in Virginia Beach, according to a network statement. Robertson promoted "a worldview that believes in the inerrancy of the Bible," CBN said. "Today, his influence and legacy crisscross interests and industries that have broken barriers for countless Christian leaders and laypeople." Broadcasting "The 700 Club" daily since 1966, the avuncular Robertson promoted a literal belief in "end of times" prophecies of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel that forecast the destruction of the world to become a Christian paradise. In practice, he advocated for an extremely conservative Christianity focused on "traditional" families and a country founded on the Bible, rejecting the longstanding US principle of separation of church and state. He defined the world as riven by an epochal fight between Islam and Christianity, and meanwhile spearheaded US Christian support for Israel as the land of the "chosen" Jewish people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once called Robertson "a tremendous friend of Israel and a tremendous friend of mine." But he also drew loathing from progressives with his condemnations of feminism and LQBTQ culture as destroying America. His powerful support in 2016 for Donald Trump -- arguably helping seal Trump's presidential victory -- further widened the cultural chasm dividing the country. Marine, lawyer, minister Robertson was born on 22 March 1930 in Lexington, Virginia, the son of a conservative Democratic member of the US House of Representatives and then the Senate for 34 years. After graduating from Virginia's Washington and Lee University, in 1948 he joined the US Marines, serving in Korea. He then graduated from Yale Law School, was ordained a Baptist minister, and in short order launched in 1961 what became the massive CBN empire from a small television station in Tidewater Virginia. After CBN's early financial struggles, he named "The 700 Club" for an early core of 70 supporters who pledged $10 each month. The program mixed news, spiritual and lifestyle stories along with interviews of public figures, and became a hit, especially in rural communities across the country. That made it a mainstream stop for political candidates courting Christian voters: guests included Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat Jimmy Carter. Robertson expanded into other media businesses, launching what became the popular, conservative "Family Channel" on cable television, and the influential Christian-based Regent University in Virginia Beach. Push into politics In 1987, he launched the Christian Coalition, seeking to bring together different Christian denominations as a force for the conservative values he espoused. Ever since, the organization has been at the forefront of the US culture wars, pressuring Congress and the White House on moral and religious issues such as abortion and the separation of church and state. In 1990, he launched the American Center for Law and Justice, a legal lobby to advance Christian religious rights against secularism in the courts. Robertson himself sought political office, running unsuccessfully in the Republican presidential primary in 1988. But what he built had a lasting impact: a conservative Christian voter bloc instrumental in bringing Trump to power and still exercising enormous influence over the Republican Party. "He shattered the stained glass window," TD Jakes, a Dallas pastor said in CBN's statement. "People of faith were taken seriously beyond the church house and into the White House." Controversies But there were controversies along the way. He courted Democratic Republic of the Congo dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, hoping to convert their countries to Christian states where gay people were banned -- while investing in diamond mining in a deal with Mobutu. In 2001, as America reeled from the September 11 attacks, Robertson endorsed the view that tolerance for lesbians, gays, and doctors carrying out abortions had drawn God's wrath on the country. In 2005, he called for the United States to assassinate then-Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war," he quipped on "The 700 Club." And last year, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "compelled by God" to attack Ukraine because it was predicted in the Book of Ezekiel as a step toward the end of times. Washington's political establishment was remarkably quiet Thursday in response to Robertson's death. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, said Robertson "touched so many lives and changed so many hearts." "He stood for America -- and more importantly, for truth and faith," she said. But on the left, there was little sympathy. "Robertson's death doesn't mean we must overlook his long record of extremist rhetoric," wrote Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Robertson spent most of his time spreading hate, conspiracy theories, and lies," he said. The post Pat Robertson, who made Christian right a political force, dead at 93 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
60 killed in Burkina Faso ‘by men in army uniform’
About 60 civilians were killed in a village in northern Burkina Faso by men wearing military uniforms, the local prosecutor said late Sunday, announcing an investigation into the latest bloodshed in the insurgency-hit country. Landlocked and in the heart of West Africa's Sahel, the country is one of the world's most volatile and impoverished. Attacks blamed on suspected jihadists are on the rise in Burkina Faso, which is battling an insurgency that spilled over from neighboring Mali. "About 60 people were killed by people wearing the uniforms of our national armed forces" on Thursday in the village of Karma, in northern Yatenga province, Ouahigouya High Court prosecutor Lamine Kabore told AFP in a statement, citing the gendarmerie. "The wounded have been evacuated and are currently being taken care of within our health facilities," he said, adding that the perpetrators had "taken various goods". The village of Karma is near the Malian border and attracts many illegal gold miners. According to residents contacted by AFP, survivors said more than 100 people on motorbikes and pick-up trucks raided the village. Dozens of men and young people were killed by the men, dressed in military uniforms, they said. Survivors gave a toll of "around 80 dead". The latest bloodshed occurred a week after 34 defense volunteers and six soldiers were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists near the village of Aorema, about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from provincial capital Ouahigouya and 40 kilometers from Karma. Following that attack, Burkina Faso's military junta declared a "general mobilization" to give the state "all necessary means" to combat a string of bloody attacks blamed on jihadists affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. The decree states that anyone over 18 years old and physically fit who is not in the armed forces will be "called to enlist according to the needs expressed by the competent authorities". The government had already announced a plan to recruit 5,000 more soldiers to battle the insurgency that has gripped the country since 2015. Captain Ibrahim Traore, Burkina's transitional president, has declared a goal of recapturing the 40 percent of the country's territory which is controlled by jihadists. The violence has left more than 10,000 people dead, according to non-governmental aid groups, and displaced two million people from their homes. Anger within the military at the mounting toll sparked two coups in 2022, the most recent of which was in September, when Traore seized power. He is standing by a pledge made by the preceding junta to stage elections for a civilian government by 2024. The post 60 killed in Burkina Faso ‘by men in army uniform’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate committee seeks Quiboloy s arrest
The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality has requested the arrest of pastor Apollo Quiboloy after his repeated failure to attend a probe on the sexual abuse complaints against him and his church members......»»
NEWS BRIEFS | 26 February 2024
Gunmen kill Basilan city councilor Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a city councilor of Isabela City, Basilan while he was about to attend an event of the Eagles Club in Zamboanga City Sunday night. Police said two other barangay chairmen who accompanied the victim were wounded in the attack by two gunmen who later fled […].....»»
While hiding from Congress, Quiboloy hurls conspiracies on social media
Senators want Quiboloy to face accusations that he abused members of his church. His response? Post an audio recording on social media claiming there is a Marcos-approved plot to kill him......»»
Off-duty cops stop female shooter at Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch
Two off-duty officers killed the shooter before she could kill anyone inside the church, which was preparing to host a Spanish-language service, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner says.....»»
Israeli president tells Musk he has ‘huge role’ in anti-Semitism
Israel's president told Elon Musk on Monday that the tech mogul has "a huge role to play" to combat anti-Semitism, which his social media platform is accused of spreading. The meeting came after the world's richest person visited a kibbutz community devastated in attacks by Hamas militants on October 7, and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence officials. Musk has been criticised over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X, formerly Twitter, since his takeover of the social media site in October 2022. He has been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen as accusing Jews of trying to weaken white majorities. Israel's figurehead President Isaac Herzog told him: "Unfortunately, we are inundated by anti-Semitism, which is Jew hatred. "You have a huge role to play," he said. "And I think we need to fight it together because on the platforms which you lead, unfortunately, there's a harbouring of a lot of... anti-Semitism." Musk did not mention anti-Semitism in his video remarks released by Herzog's office, but said Hamas militants "have been fed propaganda since they were children". "It's remarkable what humans are capable of if they're fed falsehoods, from when they are children; they will think that the murder of innocent people is a good thing." On October 7 Hamas militants broke through Gaza's militarised border into southern Israel to kill around 1,200 people and seize about 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials, in the worst-ever attack since the nation's founding. Vowing to destroy Hamas in response, Israel has carried out a relentless bombardment of targets in Gaza, alongside a ground invasion, that the Hamas government says has killed almost 15,000. A temporary truce has been in effect since Friday. Talk of satellites Earlier Monday, Netanyahu and Musk discussed "security aspects of artificial intelligence" with senior defence officials, the Prime Minister's Office said. Musk and Netanyahu held a conversation on X following their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the communities attacked by Hamas. "We have to demilitarise Gaza after the destruction of Hamas," Netanyahu said, calling for a campaign to "deradicalise" the Palestinian territory. "Then we also have to rebuild Gaza, and I hope to have our Arab friends help in that context." Netanyahu told Musk he hoped to resume United States-mediated normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia after Hamas's defeat and "expand the circle of peace beyond anything imaginable". The war stalled progress towards a Saudi-Israel normalisation deal, and in early November Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler denounced the conduct of Israeli forces fighting Hamas in Gaza. Israel's Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said his country had reached an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk's company SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip "with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications". Starlink is a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or areas that have had normal communications infrastructure disabled. In September, Netanyahu urged Musk "to stop not only anti-Semitism, or rolling it back as best you can, but any collective hatred" on X. Musk said at the time that while his platform could not stop all hate speech before it was posted, he was "generally against attacking any group, no matter who it is". X Corp is currently suing nonprofit Media Matters on the grounds that it has driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic content. Musk has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44-billion takeover......»»
Haiti leader’s killer gets life sentence
A United States court on Friday sentenced to life in prison a retired Colombian military officer suspected as the leader of a mercernary group that assassinated Haiti’s president in 2021. The US says it has jurisdiction in the case because it alleges the plot to kill president Jovenel Moise was hatched in part in the country. German Rivera, considered one of the leaders of the mercenary squad that shot and killed Moise in his residence outside Port au Prince, appeared before Judge Jose Martinez to hear the sentence. Rivera, a retired captain, pleaded guilty last month to taking part in the plan. On Friday, dressed in brown prison garb, with his feet and wrists bound, Rivera passed on an opportunity to address the Miami court before the sentence was read out. He was the second person convicted in the US over the assassination, which plunged Haiti -- already plagued by poverty, gang violence, natural disasters, epidemics and a weak government — further into crisis. In June, another member of the conspiracy, Haitian-Chilean Rodolphe Jaar, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for his role in supplying weapons to carry out the assassination. The 53-year-old Jovenel was gunned down on 7 July 2021 at his private residence by a hired group of about 20 military-trained Colombians. His security detail did not intervene to protect him. In February, US Attorney Markenzy Lapointe told a new conference that underlying the attack on Jovenel was a lust for money and power. Lapointe said two managers of a Miami security firm, CTU, devised a plan to kidnap Moise and replace him with Christian Sanon, a Haitian-American citizen who wanted to become president of the Caribbean country. In exchange for toppling Moise, they were promised lucrative contracts to build infrastructure and provide security forces and military equipment in a future government led by Sanon, also indicted in the US, prosecutors said. The plot at first was aimed at kidnapping Moise, but then evolved to assassination, according to court filings. In Haiti a probe into the assassination has not led to anyone being put on trial. WITH AFP The post Haiti leader’s killer gets life sentence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Colombian gets life sentence in US over killing of Haiti’s president
A US court sentenced a retired Colombian military officer to life in prison for his role in the assassination of Haiti's president in 2021. The United States says it has jurisdiction in the case because it alleges the plot to kill President Jovenel Moise was hatched in part in the US. German Rivera, considered one of the leaders of the mercenary squad that shot and killed Moise in his residence outside Port au Prince, appeared before Judge Jose Martinez to hear the sentence. Rivera, a retired captain, pleaded guilty last month to taking part in the plan. On Friday, dressed in brown prison garb, with his feet and wrists bound, Rivera passed on an opportunity to address the court before the sentence was read out. He was the second person convicted in the United States over the assassination, which plunged Haiti -- already plagued by poverty, gang violence, natural disasters, epidemics, and a weak government -- further into crisis. In June, another member of the conspiracy, Haitian-Chilean Rodolphe Jaar, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for his role in supplying weapons to carry out the assassination. The 53-year-old Jovenel was gunned down on 7 July 2021 at his private residence by a hired group of about 20 military-trained Colombians. His security detail did not intervene to protect him. In February, US Attorney Markenzy Lapointe told a new conference that underlying the attack on Jovenel was a lust for money and power. Lapointe said two managers of a Miami security firm, CTU, devised a plan to kidnap Moise and replace him with Christian Sanon, a Haitian-American citizen who wanted to become president of the Caribbean country. In exchange for toppling Moise, they were promised lucrative contracts to build infrastructure and provide security forces and military equipment in a future government led by Sanon, also indicted in the United States, prosecutors said. The plot at first was aimed at kidnapping Moise, but then evolved to assassination, according to court filings. In Haiti a probe into the assassination has not led to anyone being put on trial. Haiti has spiraled into deeper chaos since Moise's death. No election has been held and he has not been succeeded. Gangs control around 80 percent of the Haitian capital, and violent crimes such as kidnappings for ransom, armed robbery and carjackings continue to escalate in the impoverished Caribbean nation. The post Colombian gets life sentence in US over killing of Haiti’s president appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Myanmar nationals ask Philippines to probe alleged war crimes
Five Myanmar nationals asked the Philippines on Wednesday to investigate alleged war crimes committed by 10 serving or former members of Myanmar's military against the mainly Christian Chin minority. Filipino lawyers representing the Myanmar nationals told reporters they lodged the "landmark" criminal complaint against junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and nine others at the Department of Justice in Manila. They asked prosecutors to open an investigation into alleged war crimes under a Philippine law penalising "crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide, and other crimes against humanity". The five Myanmar nationals are from western Chin state, but now live in Australia, Britain, Canada and India. They were at the justice department in Manila. "This is a landmark suit because this is the very first time that such a case is being brought before the Philippines," Romel Bagares, one of the lawyers, told reporters. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said his department would "evaluate" the complaint, which he described as "very novel". "If this is sufficient in form and substance, that's the time when we will require the respondents to answer these complaints," Remulla told reporters. Among the accused is Chin Chief Minister Vung Suan Thang, who is a former military officer. The others are serving members of the military. The complaint alleged that members of Myanmar's military killed a pastor and two church elders in Thantlang town, Chin, in September 2021. It also accused the 10 of "intentionally" directing attacks on churches and the burning of hundreds of houses in the same town between August 2021 and June 2022. They also allegedly blocked relief supplies from reaching people in Chin state in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha in May. 'Truly historic day' Philippine law allows for the prosecution of war crimes committed elsewhere. One of the stipulations of the law is that the accused must be present in the Philippines. According to Gilbert Andres, another Filipino lawyer representing the Myanmar nationals, if the Philippine justice department were to decide to mount a case against the 10 accused, it could issue subpoenas to Myanmar's Central Authority or go through diplomatic channels. The toppling of Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government in a 2021 coup sparked a huge backlash and the military junta is now battling opponents across swaths of Myanmar. Some of the bloodiest fighting has been happening in Christian-majority areas, including in Chin state. "This is a truly historic day," Salai Ling, one of the five complainants and also of the Chin Human Rights Organization, told reporters in Manila. "We are really hoping that with the solidarity and support from the Filipino people and people in the ASEAN region, that we will be able to get some form of justice for the atrocities that our people suffered." Myanmar and the Philippines belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The regional bloc's efforts to defuse the Myanmar crisis have been fruitless so far. The Philippines is now the subject of an international human rights probe, with the Hague-based International Criminal Court investigating "possible crimes against humanity" during former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drugs crackdown. In July, President Ferdinand Marcos said the Philippines was "done talking with the ICC" but would continue to question the tribunal's jurisdiction. The post Myanmar nationals ask Philippines to probe alleged war crimes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hamas’ direct order: Attack civilians
Hamas terrorists who raided southern Israel were given explicit orders to pillage, kill, and take hostages, including seizing the elderly, women, and children, an interrogation of captured gunmen revealed. A joint announcement by the Israel Securities Authority and the Israel Police said Hamas terrorists from the Nukhba Unit who took an active part in the massacre on 7 October were questioned. The terrorists made statements indicating the intent of the terror leaders and the marauders: • “Whoever kidnaps a hostage and brings them to Gaza gets a stipend of $10,000 and an apartment;” • “The instructions were to kidnap elderly women and children;” • “Cleanse the houses, and kidnap as many prisoners as possible;” • “Her dog came out, I shot him;” • “We took a 15-year-old girl, took a selfie with her;” • “Her body was lying on the floor, I shot her. The commander yelled at me, said I was wasting bullets on a corpse,” and • “We finished, then we burned 2 houses.” In the recordings of the interrogation, the main points that came up repeatedly were that the senior commanders of the military wing of Hamas, of company commander rank and above, stayed behind, protecting themselves in safe houses, while they sent their people to fight, die or be arrested in Israel. In the ISA investigations, terrorists provided detailed information on the morning of the raid and the massacre, including information used to attack targets in the Gaza Strip. In the joint statement, the security forces of Israel ensured the settling of all accounts with terrorists who participated in “the massacre on 7/10.” 120 OFWs going home Meanwhile, 120 Filipinos working in Israel have requested the government’s help to return to the Philippines. Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency is processing the repatriation requests. “When I say process, we are calling them twice or thrice to make sure that they really want to go home. Second, we are ensuring that they’ve finished their contracts and that they’re really scheduled to go home,” Cacdac said. “As for the others, we make sure that their separation from their employers was okay and that there was no job abandonment,” he added. Jing Villamente The post Hamas’ direct order: Attack civilians appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Terrible nightmare’: OFWs recount Hamas attack on Israel
Two Overseas Filipino Workers shared on Monday their traumatizing experience during the attack of Hamas militants on Israel. Teresita Malapo, 35, a resident of Baao, Camarines Sur and a caregiver for eight years, said they were about to go to church in Jerusalem when they heard a siren. “On Saturday morning, we were about to go to church in Jerusalem because most of the time, we go to church every day off. Suddenly, we heard a siren. After a while, there was news that rockets were being launched from Palestine. We were all shocked." She added that a simple bang of the door made her feel nervous because of the bombings. “That feeling that you always hear something, and your feeling of nervousness is increasing. When a door closes, you think something has exploded. In Israel, there is an explosion anytime of the day. It explodes even without a siren. When there’s a bombing, our house or bomb shelters vibrates,” she lamented. Meanwhile, Gerald Caniban, 35, a resident of Iloilo City and a caregiver for five years, said he was asleep when he was awakened by a phone alert and heard a siren. “It was an overwhelming experience because of what happened on 7 October. I was staying in Tel Aviv that morning, I was with my girlfriend when we heard the alert on my phone. It was Saturday, our day off. Then after a few minutes, we heard a siren all over Tel Aviv,” Caniban said. “It was a terrible nightmare. Israel didn’t expect Hamas to attack. In my personal experience, I don’t have peace of mind. Even if you’re asleep, it’s like you’re awake because you might hear a siren anytime. Then I got sick for a week thinking that there was something that would come again. So even when I’m lying down, I still watch the news. That’s what makes me nervous that something worst might be coming,” he said. A total of 25 OFWs, including a four-month-old infant, arrived on Monday afternoon at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, as the third batch of repatriates via Etihad Airways EY424. The repatriates were received by Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac, DMW Undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, TESDA Director Cariza Dacuma, Congressman Ron Salo, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Mary Melanie Quino, Department of Social Welfare and Development Director Mirmamel Laxa and Department of Health Director Bernadette Velasco. According to Allones, two of the repatriates are in need of psychosocial assistance. Cacdac said a total of 16 caregivers and nine hotel workers were in the third batch of repatriated OFWs, which he said were predominantly women. The post ‘Terrible nightmare’: OFWs recount Hamas attack on Israel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
59 OFWs seek Lebanon exit
At least 59 Filipinos in Lebanon have expressed a desire to be repatriated amid the escalating tension between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon said Monday. Hezbollah is another Islamist militant group that controls the southern part of Lebanon. It has launched rockets into the northern part of Israel, which has fired back. “On Sunday morning, when we held our meeting with Filipino community leaders, we received 59 applications,” Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Raymond Balatbat said in a television interview. This developed as the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3, or voluntary repatriation. According to the DFA, there are an estimated 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon, 67 of them residing on its southern border. Balatbat said only three of the 67 Filipinos on the southern border have asked to be repatriated. Since the surprise attack by the Palestinian Sunni-Islamic extremist group Hamas on Israel on 7 October, which left 1,400 Israelis dead, scores of foreigners have also been killed, including four Filipinos. Meanwhile, a total of 24 overseas Filipino workers, comprising the third batch of repatriates from Israel, arrived Monday afternoon at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. The repatriates — 21 women and three men — came from Israel via Abu Dhabi on board Etihad Airways flight EY424. Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac assured all the repatriates of support from the government to ease their displacement and facilitate their reintegration. Two Filipinos shared on Monday their traumatizing experience during the attack of Hamas in Israel. Tersita Malapo, 35, of Baao, Camarines Sur, a caregiver for eight years, said she and other Filipinos were about to go to church when they heard a siren. “On Saturday morning, we were about to go to church in Jerusalem because we go to church every day off. Suddenly, we heard a siren. After a while, there was news that rockets were being launched from Palestine. We were so shocked,” Malapo said. She said that because of the bombings a loud noise like the banging of a door made her nervous. “That feeling that you always hear something, your feeling of nervousness is increasing. When a door slams, you think something has exploded. In Israel, there is an explosion anytime of the day. It explodes even without a siren. When there’s a bombing, our house and bomb shelter vibrates,” she said. Gerald Caniban, 35, of Iloilo City, a caregiver for five years, said he was asleep when he heard the sirens. “It was an overwhelming experience. I was in Tel Aviv that morning. I was sleeping with my girlfriend when we heard the alert on my phone. It was Saturday, our day-off. After a few minutes, we heard sirens all over Tel Aviv,” Caniban said. He said he did not have peace of mind and described the situation as a terrible nightmare. The post 59 OFWs seek Lebanon exit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jerusalem’s holy sites deserted on second Friday of war
Fatima lives a few kilometers from Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque but had to cross four checkpoints to get there for Friday prayers with the esplanade largely deserted since war erupted between Israel and Hamas. Normally packed for Friday prayers, there were only a few thousand worshippers present at the compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is the third holiest site in Islam but is also the most sacred place for Jews. The compound has been largely deserted since October 7 when Hamas militants from Gaza stormed across the border beginning an attack that has killed at least 1,400 people in Israel, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day, Israeli officials say. Israel has struck back at Gaza with a relentless bombing campaign which has killed more than 4,100 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the enclave's Hamas-run health ministry. "Since it started, I haven't been back to the Old City nor to Al-Aqsa," says Fatima, a 37-year-old Palestinian who, like many others, did not want to give her family name for fear of reprisals as war rages between Israel and Hamas. Large numbers of Israeli security forces could be seen checking ID papers and turning away men under 50 from the Old City esplanade which is located in east Jerusalem, a majority Palestinian area seized by Israel during the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community. Unable to reach the compound, hundreds could be seen praying on the pavements, while elsewhere, Israeli police fired skunk water and tear gas to disperse others who were trying to enter the Old City, AFP correspondents said. Elsewhere in the Old City, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was deserted, with a lone Greek Orthodox priest praying alone at the normally crowded site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. And at the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, the vast esplanade which is normally packed in the hours before the Jewish sabbath begins at sundown, is also empty. It was early on a sabbath morning two weeks ago that Palestinian militants began their bloody attack, the most deadly ever to hit the Jewish state since it was founded in 1948. In the Muslim Quarter, most shops were shuttered, with Hassan Omar, 72, one of the only shopkeepers to open up, laying out prayer rugs and embroidered children's dresses alongside colorful scarves. "Since the war started, things have been very difficult. I come every day and pray, I go to Al-Aqsa then see if there any customers and if there aren't, I leave," he told AFP, expressing sorrow for the deaths of all civilians on both sides. "It's like during Covid, there's no-one." For Old City traders who depend on tourism, the war has spelt financial ruin, says fellow shopkeeper Mohammed Natsheh. "The whole economy has collapsed." The post Jerusalem’s holy sites deserted on second Friday of war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion
Thousands of tonnes of "life and death" aid for Gaza should be delivered soon, the United Nations said Friday, to relieve a "beyond catastrophic" situation after unrelenting Israeli bombing in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack. Some 175 lorries stuffed with vital medicines, food, and water stretched into the distance at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which has removed concrete roadblocks and is scrambling to repair the route into besieged Gaza -- the only one not controlled by Israel. Overseeing operations personally, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters: "These trucks are not just trucks, they are a lifeline, they are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza." Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group launched a shock raid from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians shot, mutilated or burned to death, according to Israeli officials. Hamas gunmen also kidnapped some 200 hostages including foreigners from around two dozen countries. The Islamist group said Friday that its armed wing had released two Americans among the captives, a mother and her daughter, the first fruit of mediation efforts by the Gulf state of Qatar. The Islamist group did not detail how or when the hostages were released. The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive. It said more than 20 were minors. In response to the Hamas attack, Israeli bombers have levelled entire city blocks in Gaza in preparation for a ground invasion they say is coming soon. The Hamas-run health ministry said 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the onslaught. Israeli jets pounded more than 100 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, the army said, with AFP reporters hearing loud explosions and witnessing plumes of smoke billowing from the northern Gaza Strip. Embracing front-line soldiers and clad in body armour, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to "fight like lions" and "win with full force". Fists clenched and voice raised, Netanyahu told cheering troops: "We will deal harsh blows to our enemies in order to achieve victory." Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told some of the tens of thousands of personnel preparing the ground invasion that "the order will come soon". 'Beyond catastrophic' US President Joe Biden said Friday he expected the first aid for Gaza to pass through the Rafah crossing from Egypt within the next two days, under a deal he clinched to allow in 20 trucks of supplies for civilians. Medicine, water purifiers and blankets were being unloaded at El Arish airport near Gaza, an AFP reporter saw, with Ahmed Ali, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent, saying he was getting "two to three planes of aid a day". But World Health Organization emergencies director Michael Ryan said Biden's 20-truck deal was "a drop in the ocean of need" and that 2,000 trucks were required. The UN says more than one million of Gaza's 2.4 million people are displaced, with the humanitarian situation "beyond catastrophic" and deteriorating daily. Refugees from northern Gaza told harrowing tales of bombs, profiteering and extreme temperatures as whole families trekked on foot to flee the violence. Mother of seven Fadwa Al-Najjar walked for 10 hours with her family from northern Gaza to reach a UN camp in the southern city of Khan Yunis, saying she saw cars hit by a strike just in front of them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she said. 'It's unimaginable' On the other side of the conflict, the full horror of what Israel suffered on October 7 and following days was still emerging, as traumatised residents recounted their stories. Shachar Butler, a security chief at the Nir Oz kibbutz, where Hamas militants killed or kidnapped a quarter of the 400 residents, recalls more than a dozen gunmen spraying bullets indiscriminately and lobbing grenades at homes. "It's unimaginable," the 40-year-old told AFP as part of a trip organised by the Israeli military. "Anytime someone tried to touch my window, I shot him," he said. "The people who came out got kidnapped, killed, executed, slaughtered." Butler estimated as many as 200 militants attacked the kibbutz, entering from three sides before going house-to-house. Homes there were still charred with burnt personal belongings strewn everywhere. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control. 'No safe place' Biden requested a massive $105 billion security package Friday, including $14 billion for Israel, but paralysis in the still speakerless Congress means it will hit an immediate wall. Fresh from a whirlwind trip to Israel this week, Biden is hoping to staunch the possibility of a wider Middle East war. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, from getting involved. After days of clashes with Hezbollah fighters along the Lebanese border, Israeli authorities announced the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona, a nearby town which is home to some 25,000 residents, many of whom have already left. The conflict has inflamed passions across the region, with protests held in several countries. Thousands flooded into Egypt's iconic Tahrir Square in support of Gaza, an AFP correspondent said. Protests were also held outside the French and US embassies in Tunis. Following a strike at a church compound late Thursday, the Hamas-controlled interior ministry said several people sheltering at the church were killed and wounded, blaming an Israeli strike. The Israeli army acknowledged a church wall had been damaged in one of its air strikes targeting a "command and control centre belonging to a Hamas terrorist". "This place is dedicated for praying, a place of love and peace," said witness Abu Khalil Jahshan. "There is no safe place here in Gaza." The post Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN’s Syria envoy deplores ‘horrific’ bloodshed
The UN's Syria envoy said Thursday's "horrific scenes" in Syria showed the status quo in the war-torn country was unsustainable -- and warned the security situation could worsen further still. An attack on a Syrian military academy in the government-held central city of Homs killed more than 100 people, a war monitor said, with state media blaming "terrorist organizations". Separately, Turkish air raids in the Kurdish-held northeast killed at least nine people, according to Kurdish forces, after Ankara had threatened raids in retaliation for a bomb attack. "I am gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Syria today," Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, said in a statement issued in Geneva. "I deeply deplore the loss of life on all sides. I urgently appeal to all sides to exercise the utmost restraint. "Today’s horrific scenes are a reminder of the need to immediately de-escalate violence, towards a nationwide ceasefire and a cooperative approach to countering Security Council-listed terrorist groups. "All sides must respect their obligations under international law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure." The conflict in Syria has killed more than half a million people since it began in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, spiraling into a complex battlefield involving foreign armies, militias, and jihadists. "Today's developments further highlight that the status quo in Syria is unsustainable and that, in the absence of a meaningful political path... I fear we will only see further deterioration, including in the security situation," said Pedersen. The post UN’s Syria envoy deplores ‘horrific’ bloodshed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
29 Niger soldiers killed by suspected jihadists — defense ministry
Twenty-nine Nigerien soldiers were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists, the defense ministry said Monday night. The soldiers were targeted using "improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles by more than a hundred terrorists", the ministry said in a televised statement, declaring a national mourning period of three days. The post 29 Niger soldiers killed by suspected jihadists — defense ministry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
200 UK troops beef up Kosovo peacekeepers
The United Kingdom is reinforcing North Atlantic Treaty Organization peacekeepers in Kosovo with 200 troops who will join 400 UK soldiers already in the Balkan country as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force. UK’s ministry of defense said Sunday the deployment was in response to the request of NATO as tension rises between Kosovo and Serbia which reportedly massed troops and military equipment in the border of its former province. The deployment ups the British Army contingent to KFOR to 600. KFOR’s mandate is to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people of Kosovo. NATO also called for calm on Sunday and demanded that Belgrade and Pristina resume dialogue as soon as possible as “the only way to achieve lasting peace,” Dylan White, NATO spokesperson, said. There is a resurgence of tension in the region following the violent attack by dozens of suspected Serbian gunmen on Kosovo Police that killed one officer on 24 September. Kosovo police engaged the gunmen who took refuge in an Orthodox church, killing three and arresting others. On Friday, the United States said it detected troop buildup along the Serbia’s southern border with Kosovo and asked Belgrade to withdraw the forces. Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic announced Saturday he had ordered troops to be pulled back but the Kosovan government said the withdrawal was partial, The Guardian reported. Serbia refuses to recognize the independence of its former southern province, which has an Albanian majority, a decade after a deadly war between Kosovo independence guerrillas and Serbian forces, which ended after a NATO bombing campaign. WITH AFP The post 200 UK troops beef up Kosovo peacekeepers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kosovo cops kill 3 ambushers, arrest 5 others
A standoff between Kosovo police and some 30 gunmen who ambushed an officer at a village monastery on Sunday has ended with the death of three ambushers and arrest of five other suspects. Xhelal Svecla, Kosovo’s minister of internal affairs, said police engaged the gunmen in a firefight near the village of Banjska where an officer on patrol was shot dead and his companion was wounded early Sunday. One of the gunmen holed up inside a monastery and four civilian suspects found carrying radio equipment and weapons outside the complex were arrested after the firefight lasting for hours. Svecla said police had made several arrests during the clearance operation and seized a lot of weapons and equipment. However, it remained unclear if all the gunmen had been apprehended during the sweep. The Serbian Orthodox Church also confirmed that gunmen had stormed the monastery in Banjska, where pilgrims from the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad were staying. Pictures released by Kosovo authorities showed several heavily armed gunmen wearing uniforms, barricading themselves in at the monastery. “We can see armed people in uniforms... they are firing on us and we are firing back,” Kosovo police official Veton Elshani told Agence France-Presse by phone from Banjska. The ambush and ensuing firefight marks one of the gravest escalations in Kosovo for years, following months of mounting tensions and stalling talks between the government in Pristina and Serbia. Kosovo police closed the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings between Serbia and Kosovo following the incident. Act of terrorism Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the ambush an act of terrorism and pinned the blame on the Serbian government. “Organized crime with political, financial and logistical support from officials in Belgrade is attacking our country,” Kurti wrote on social media. WITH AFP The post Kosovo cops kill 3 ambushers, arrest 5 others appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»