By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
Guinea
Guineans Vote in Constitution Referendum
Guineans are polling today in a plebiscite on a new Constitution for the tiny West African country.
About 6.7million persons are expected to vote in the referendum for a new Constitution upon which public administration in the country would be pegged at the end of the ongoing military rule.
The military administration,under the watch of Mammady Doumbouya, had barred opposition parties and officials from participation in the polity ,including the referendum .
Critics say the referendum had been choreographed to yield a positive result for the goal of the junta whose leader, Mammady, is reportedly eyeing the country ‘s presidency in the upcoming polls.
Turnout is impressive , and a ‘yes’ vote will clear the way for Mammady to vie, against the grain of its earlier promise when he seized power in a military putsch 2021
United Kingdom
UK To Recognize Palestine Today.
The United Kingdom UK is set to formally recognize the state of Palestine today.
It is due to make the announcement shortly.
A government statement in London said that the Prime Minister is set to make the formal announcement later today in fulfilment of his promise in that direction.
The opposition Conservative Party said the move would be a reward for the Palestinian group, Hamas, which Israel tags a terrorist group, and which, on October 7, 2023, upstaged the security of Israel and,in an unprecedented attack, killed more than 1,200 people, mainly security staff, and abducted about 250 others as hostages.
Only about 50 of the hostages remain in Hamas custody, with only about 20 still thought to be alive.
Ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas on ending the war and the release of the hostages have stalled following the gulf in the positions of both groups on the peace proposals.
Palestinian stakeholders sah that Israel’s war was intent on mangling the geography and demography of Palestine.
Portugal
Portugal To Formally Recognize Palestine,Too
Portugal says it is ready to recognize the state of Palestine at this week’s session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The announcement in Lisbon, the capital, followed similar moves by allies of both Israel and American- France, Britain, Canada, Australia, as well as Belgium.
Ireland, Norway and Spain, formally recognized Palestine earlier this year, a development that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pooh-poohed as ineffectual
About 147 countries have so far recognized the State of Palestine.
Palestine,(West Bank,)
PA Member, Atiel, Hails British Palestinian State Recognition Move
A prominent member of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Adel Atieh, has hailed the United Kingdom,UK, for its move to formally recognize the State of Palestine
Atieh said the move, taken together with similar moves by other countries, would help keep alive the two- state solution which most liberal stakeholders say is the only potent solution to the internecine crisis between Israel and Palestinians.
According to him, Israel had for long deceived the world by its false narrative of being the victim in the crisis, whereas its long t,-term interest, had been the destruction of the geography and demography of Palestine as well as the crippling of its finances.
He urged other world leaders to follow the example of Britain and commit, by way of effective all- round support, for the State of Palestine.
America
Republicans Write UK PM On Palestine Recognition Move
A group of Republican lawmakers has written an open letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, UK, advising against his move to formally recognize the State of Palestine later today.
In the letter, they said that recognizing the State of Palestine not arrived at between Israel and the Palestinians would not augur well for the Middle East Peace Process, (MEPP).
According to them, the recognition would also be a reward for Hamas which engineered the October 7,2023 assault on Israel in which more than 1,500 persons were either killed or taken hostage.
In a veiled threat, they warned that Britain could be sanctioned for not aligning with the President of America Donald Trump, who has warned against the move and refused to grant visas to Palestinian leaders who ought to attend the UNGA session due this week.
Palestine
Israel Ramps Up Attacks On Gaza City
Israel is ramping up its military assault on Gaza City, weeks after it launched a high heel military campaign to seize and occupy the besieged city.
At least 46 persons, including 25 members of a family, have so far been killed in Israeli attacks across the city today
The attacks focused mainly on the Al- Sabra neighborhood of the city where the impacted family lived.
Locals and first responders say that scores of persons remained trapped under the rubble of the destroyed residential buildings targeted,and that efforts to rescue them were being hampered by the attacks on emergency responders by Israeli drones.
On Saturday, more than 85 persons died in Israeli attacks, while the overall death toll in the waf has now exceeded 65,00/, according to hospital sources.
Aside from the fatalities, more than 120,000 others have also been wounded in the course of the war.
Israel says it has lost around 900 troops during the war, while some 3,000 others have been wounded.
Israel.
Israel today confirmed that two rockets were fired at it from inside Gaza.
It said that it intercepted them , but gave no further details.
Sources said that the rockets, the first to be launched from Gaza in months, targeted the Israeli port city of Ashdod.
It came as thousands of people, at the weekend, continued their weekly protests at the war.
They called for an end to the war and for the release of all the hostages still in Hamas custody.
The main protests were held at the Hostage Square in Tel- Aviv, though similar protests were held in other parts of the country, especially at the premises of the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and officials of his coalition government.
A group of 40 Israeli civil society groups have held a similar protest in Nazareth, calling for an end to the Israeli / Palestinian crisis.
