DALENA REPORTERS

  BEIRUT: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has closed an international tribunal that was created to investigate the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the UN chief’s spokesperson said Sunday. Over the years, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon held in absentia proceedings and found three members of the militant Hezbollah group guilty in connection with Hariri’s death in a massive Feb. 14, 2005 truck bombing. The tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, sentenced the three — Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi — to five concurrent sentences of life imprisonment. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly denied that members of the group were involved in the suicide attack and refused to deal with the tribunal. The bombing killed Hariri and 21 others, and wounded 226. The trial judges had said there was no evidence Hezbollah’s leadership or Syria were involved in the attack but noted the assassination happened as H

  Israeli jets intensified attacks on central Gaza on Sunday, residents and medics said, as battles raged through the rubble of towns and refugee camps in a war Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would take “many more months” to end. Netanyahu’s comments signal no let-up in a campaign that has killed many thousands and levelled much of Gaza, while his vow to restore Israeli control over the enclave’s border with Egypt raises new questions over an eventual two-state solution. The Israeli military will release some reservists who were called up to fight Hamas in Gaza, a move it said on Sunday would help the economy as the country prepares for a prolonged war. Air strikes pounded Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij in the center of Gaza, killing 10 people in one house and driving more to flee to Rafah on the border with Egypt from front lines where Israeli tanks are battling Hamas fighters. Rockets fired from Gaza raced toward central Israel overnight, triggering sirens t

  The Yoruba Council Worldwide has decried the mass killings in communities in Plateau State and called for a declaration of state of emergency in the state.   Dalena Reporters reported earlier on Sunday that gunmen believed to be herdsmen invaded Shere village in the Jos East Council where two residents and one of the assailants were killed.   DalenaReporters reported that Sunday's attack came barely one week after jihadists attacked and sacked 15 communities, killing about 200 people and burning 221 houses in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi council areas of the state.   Reacting to the recent attack, the Yoruba Council in a statement issued on Sunday by its President, Aare Oladotun Hassan Esq, lamented the violence and killings.    Hassan said members of the council were shocked and disturbed by the heinous and barbaric killings.  He offered their condolences to the people of Plateau State, particularly the families of the victims.   "It is heartbreaking and barbaric to see

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered the opening address of the annual royal inaugural speech of the fourth year of the eighth session of the Shoura Council, on behalf of King Salman, on Wednesday.    The crown prince was received at the headquarters of the Shoura Council by the Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar; Deputy Riyadh Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz; and the Speaker of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh.   The annual meeting began with the reciting of the Qur’an and then Al-Asheikh took to the podium to deliver the opening remarks before the crown prince’s speech. Saudi Crown Prince delivered the annual royal speech before the Shoura Council on Wednesday on behalf of King Salman. Al-Asheikh said that in the third year of the eight sessions of the council, the Shoura Council had held 48 sessions and issued 379 resolutions.   In his opening remarks the crown prince underlined that the Kingdom had ma

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State died in a hospital near Hanover in Lower Saxony, a state in northwest Germany bordering the North Sea, DalenaReporters has learnt.   DalenaReporters further learnt that before that, Akeredolu received treatment at a hospital in Berlin. But when doctors at the Berlin hospital told the Akeredolu family that there was nothing else that they could do to save him, he was moved to the Hanover hospital, where he breathed his last.   “He died in a hospital near Hanover in Lower Saxony state but prior to that, he was receiving treatment in Berlin,” a source told DalenaReporters on Wednesday.   DalenaReporters earlier reported that more details had revealed that Akeredolu died in a German hospital.   DalenaReporters earlier broke the news about Akeredolu’s death but the report said that he died in Lagos. However, the newspaper later got fresh details revealing that Akeredolu died in a German hospital (in Hanover) after he was rejected by another h

  Osas Nusakare, one of the 14 stowaways arrested onboard a foreign vessel at the Lagos Roadstead, has said he will continue to try to leave Nigeria for Europe.  The 45-year-old said that he wanted to celebrate the New Year in a European country.  He confessed that this was his second attempt and he would keep trying until he succeeds.  The 14 stowaways were arrested last Friday, Dec. 15, onboard a motor tanker, UOG CONSTANTINE, by naval officers from NNS BEECROFT.  Nusakare said he had boarded the vessel with the intention of travelling to Europe, but they were discovered before the ship sailed out of Lagos water.  It was learnt that the ship had gone to discharge petroleum product in one of the tank firms in Lagos.  "We joined the vessel with the aim of travelling to any country in Europe. We were encouraged by the fact that we were going to celebrate the New Year in Europe. This is my second attempt. I am not discouraged. I will continue to try untill I succeed,"

 Biafra Agitators Wins As Biafra Liberation Army Take Over South East Nigeria     BREAKING What is going on here the Nigeria terrorist @HQNigerianArmy ? pic.twitter.com/5QuXJw9C85 — Simon Ekpa (@simon_ekpa) December 20, 2023 BREAKING These are some of the explosives recovered by the Biafra Resistance fighters. The zoo has fallen pic.twitter.com/izLY0vGqcO — Simon Ekpa (@simon_ekpa) December 20, 2023 BREAKING These are some of the weapons recovered by the Biafra Resistance Fighters after neutralising the terrorists. Biafra land must be protected at all cost pic.twitter.com/30dkzFN00s — Simon Ekpa (@simon_ekpa) December 20, 2023 BREAKING When is Musa going to stop crying? The reason you must not go home for this Christmas as a Biafran. We are in the state of war and the Islamic terrorists @HQNigerianArmy are all out to kill Biafrans coming home as you can hear Musa crying what they will do to Biafrans… pic.twitter.com/6ROCSDodov — Simon Ekpa (@simon_ekpa) December 20, 2

  GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories: Hopes rose Wednesday that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and hostage-release deal in the Gaza war, following talks in Europe and a visit to Egypt by the head of the Palestinian militant group. While some talked of a truce, fighting raged and Gaza’s Hamas government said the death toll in the Palestinian territory reached 20,000. Right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there can be no Gaza cease-fire until Hamas militants are destroyed, but the White House expressed hope that the truce talks can bring results. “These are very serious discussions and negotiations and we hope that they lead somewhere,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. His comments came shortly after Netanyahu, under pressure from Washington and other allies over civilian casualties, reiterated his goal of destroying Hamas and said there will be no cease-fire until that is accomplished. “We won’t sto

  AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Tuesday promised to strike at US-led Red Sea maritime troops if they sought to prevent the militia from implementing its embargo on all Israel-bound ships.   Mohammed Abdul Sallam, the senior Houthi negotiator, said that the group would continue to block the Red Sea to ships heading to Israel, and would attack any forces that attempted to impede the militia.   He added on X: “Whoever attempts to escalate the confrontation must pay the consequences of his actions, and America’s coalition is to defend Israel and militarize the sea for no reason, and (this) will not prevent Yemen from continuing its lawful activities in support of Gaza.”   The Houthis have fired ballistic missiles and drones at commercial and navy ships believed to be sailing to Israel in the Red Sea. The militia claims that its attacks are intended to force Israel to stop shelling Gaza and help enable food and water supplies to enter the Gaza Strip. US Defen

  Israeli missiles and air strikes on the Rafah area in southern Gaza struck three houses killing at least 20 Palestinians, Gaza health officials said on Tuesday. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have crammed into Rafah on Gaza’s border with Egypt to escape Israeli bombardments further north, despite fears that they will also not be safe there. Early on Tuesday residents in Khan Younis, a city also in southern Gaza, reported fierce gunbattles between militant Hamas fighters and Israeli forces. Israeli tanks and planes bombed areas near the city center, residents said. A World Health Organization official said on Monday that the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza that Israeli troops raided last week is no longer functioning and patients including babies have been evacuated, “We cannot afford to lose any hospitals,” said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative for Gaza. Peeperkorn also said about 4,000 displaced people taking refuge in the grounds of the Nasse

Luna DuBois couldn't impress the Canada's Drag Race Season 4   judges with her impression of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby during Snatch Game, which led to the Toronto queen's exit from the show in Thursday's episode.   What some may not know is that DuBois was actually booted from the show on her birthday.   "You can ask Melinda [Verga]   about that," DuBois told Yahoo Canada . "She knew. Everybody knew."   But looking back on leaving the show in Episode 5, DuBois stressed that she's "feeling good."   "It's what the game is," DuBois said. "I usually do handle things like disappointment pretty well, to be honest, in general."   "So I've made peace of it and I had shown most of all the drag that I had taken there. I only had two things left that I had not worn yet, other than my finale gown, which I did get to wear. I showed a lot of Luna, and on top of seeing the fan reaction and

  The Israeli military said Sunday it has discovered a large tunnel shaft in Gaza close to what was once a busy crossing into Israel, raising new questions about how Israeli surveillance missed such conspicuous preparations by Hamas for the militants' deadly Oct. 7 assault.   The entryway to the tunnel is just a few hundred meters from the heavily fortified Erez crossing and a nearby Israeli military base.   The military said that it stretches for more than four kilometers (2½ miles), links up with a sprawling tunnel network across Gaza and is wide enough for cars to pass through. The army said Sunday that the tunnel facilitated the transit of vehicles, militants and supplies in preparation for the Oct. 7 attack.   That day, militants used a rocket-propelled grenade to break past the portion of wall close to the Erez crossing and stormed the base, killing at least three soldiers and kidnapping some back to Gaza, the army said. It was one of several places along the bo

  Actor Christian Keyes has disclosed that he was sexually harassed by a powerful figure in Hollywood for years.   The actor, known for his roles in popular BET TV shows and movies, took to social media to share his personal experience with sexual harassment. He detailed the traumatic encounters and expressed his determination to stand up against such behavior.   Though he declined to name the person, he revealed he has evidences, including recordings, and will release them in due time. Keyes said: “This person was sexually harassing me for years.   “He was claiming he had multiple young Black men on payroll and they just had to show up when he requested them to be there. Clearly, that’s why he felt it was okay to say these things.”   He continued, “It happens. It’s just not women that have to deal with it but it’s also men sometimes. And it will be men tempting men.”   In the 62-minute-long video, Keyes goes on to explain that he has voice recordings from these encounters and

  Stefflon Don got a brand new 2023 Rolls Royce Cullinan from her man as a birthday gift.   The British rapper went online to show off her new car on her birthday.       Then she took to her Instagram Stories to write: “That's what good p***y get you.”     Stefflon Don then took to X to thank her man and profess her love for him.     Though she did not name the man, many have speculated that she is back with her ex-boyfriend Burna Boy and they shared a seemingly recent photo of them together.      

  The apex organisation for all people of Igbo descent in the diaspora, World Igbo Congress (WIC), has urged the Nigerian Supreme Court to unconditionally order the immediate release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu on December 15.   The apex court had fixed Friday, December 15, 2023, for judgment after hearing two separate appeals filed by the detained IPOB leader, Kanu, over his continued detention.   However, Dr. (Sir) Festus Okere, the Chairman of World Igbo Congress (WIC) in a statement on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to ignore the rumoured pressure put on it to postpone the date.   WIC explained that most Igbos have always considered the extraordinary rendition and solitary confinement of Kanu as part of the Nigerian government’s overt and covert policy of unjustified discrimination against the Igbos, especially during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.   "World Igbo Congress (WIC), the apex organization for all people of

The statement read, “On behalf of the Ezeife Dynasty of Igbo-Ukwu, I wish to announce the promotion to glory of our most distinguished son, ‘Okwadike’, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, CON, a former Federal Permanent Secretary, a former governor of Anambra State, a former Political Adviser to the President and former Presidential aspirant. The former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is dead. Ezeife died at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, according to a short press release issued on Friday and signed by Chief Rob Ezeife, on behalf of the family.   The deceased, fondly called ‘Okwadike’, was governor of Anambra State between January 1992 and November 1993 during the aborted Third Republic.   “This sad event took place yesterday at 6 pm at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.”   “More details about the deceased and the arrangements for his state burial will be announced later.”   Ezeife was born on November 20, 1938, in the Igbo-Ukwu, Aguata Local Gove

  The Embassy of Czech Republic in Abuja has taken a decisive step to permanently halt its online visa appointment booking system, citing the influx of Nigerian applicants attempting to obtain Schengen visas for illegal migration to European Union countries as the primary reason.   Tomáš Vyprachticky, head of the consular and visa section at the Czech Embassy, expressed concerns regarding the misuse of the visa system. This decision surfaced following a complaint from a Nigerian, Charles Chidiebere, who encountered difficulties while trying to secure a visa appointment for his mother’s visit to the Czech Republic. Chidiebere raised concerns about the accessibility of the provided contact number for visa appointments. In a series of email exchanges between Chidiebere and the embassy, which the Nigerian shared on X, Vyprachticky defended the embassy’s policy, stating, “The need to employ the ‘rather archaic’ booking system…derives from the very specific situation in Nigeri

  Since fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas erupted on Oct. 7, Washington and its European allies have sought to contain the conflict and prevent it from spilling over into the wider region.    As soon as Israel mounted its military assault on the Gaza Strip — from where Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel — Lebanon’s Hezbollah kicked off its own campaign of cross-border strikes. This frustrated the efforts of UN peacekeepers, stationed along the Blue Line separating Israel and Lebanon, to dial down tensions.   As a vastly more powerful force than Hamas, with access to sophisticated drone and missile technology supplied by Iran, any full-scale conflict involving Hezbollah would likely be many times more destructive for Israel. Smoke billows across the horizon along the hills in southern Lebanon from Israeli bombardment  on December 10, 2023. (AFP) The Israeli Defense Forces has responded to Hezbollah’s attacks wit

  A 38-year-old single woman who ended her marriage because of her husband’s demands has cried out while blaming feminism as the reason she’s single with no child.   Melissa Persling wrote an article for Business Insider titled: “I’m 38 and single, and I recently realized I want a child. I’m terrified I’ve missed my opportunity.”  She also granted an interview to Fox News Digital where she broke down crying, describing how she feared she would end up alone and childless. The woman, who has now decided as she approaches her 39th birthday that she wants to settle down, have a family and a husband,  said she felt “betrayed by feminism”.   In her Business Insider article, Persling revealed that she married a traditional man t the age of 22 and moved to a rural community in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where she grew up.   “He wanted a simple life with children and home-cooked meals. At that time I felt very strongly I did not want children, that I wasn’t going to be like the tradition