By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
Madagascar
President Andry Goes Into Hiding
The President of the Indian Ocean African Island nation of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, says he has gone into hiding , following weeks of turmoil in the country, occasioned by youth- led protests.
He said via a video message on Monday night, that he had gone into hiding for fear of his life.
He did not disclose his secret hiding place , but the message typifies his effort to hold onto power at a time that both the protesters and an elite unit of the country’ s military insist he must step down from power.
Confusion prevailed in the polity up to this morning as the Senate moved to stabilize the situation following claims by the elite military unit that it had taken power.
Still in hushes, the prospect of a military takeover has been roundly condemned by both the protesters and the African Union ( AU) which has warned against any putsch.
The protests, led in the main by the younger generation, had been holding for days as citizens complained of huge shortfalls in public power and water supplies.
The United Nations (UN) says that 22 persons had been killed in the protests, though local sources say the real figure could be much higher.
Pakistan
Afghan / Pakistani border Remains Closed After Violence
Hundreds of people remain stranded at the vital border between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkam.
This followed the closure of the border after violent clashes between Afghan returnees and Pakistani troops.
Afghans had, on Saturday, attacked Pakistani troops that had allegedly crossed into Afghanistan to conduct a military operation.
Afghanistan, under the rule of The Taliban, has frequently accused Pakistan of breaching its sovereignty and territorial integrity by its cross,- border security operations.
On its part, Pakistan says the operations are predicated on the necessity to rout out terrorists who regularly attacked it from within Afghanistan.
Pakistan,.like Iran, has a policy of the regular expulsion of Afghans from its territory.
Israel
Israel Confirms Receiving All 20 Living Hostages From Hamas
Israel, today, confirmed that it had received all 20 living hostages held by Hamas.
The Israeli government said that all of them had arrived in Israel, but gave no further details.
The development came as the Israeli Defence Force, IDF, confirmed that it had received the coffins containing the remains of four deceased hostages.
It gave no details.
There are thought to be between 23 and 30 deceased hostages in Hamas custody.
The confirmation by the IDF came as Israel released around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
Despite the release, there are still around ,9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons and detention centres, the vast majority held without arraignment under the so- called Administrative Detention Act under which Israel can detain Palestinians without trial for an indefinite period of time.
America
Trump Raises Hope Of Gaza Reconstruction
…Says Talks On Second Phase Of Peace Deal Ongoing
The President of America, Donald Trump, has raised the prospect of the full reconstruction of the embattled Gaza strip.
He reiterated his earlier opinion that a new dawn had broken for the entire Middle East Region.
Trump, after he addressed the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, also said that discussions on the second phase of the Israeli/ Hamas ceasefire peace deal had started.
He gave no details, but his comments came just a day after he led more than 20 world leaders to sign up to the peace deal.
Quite notably, Israel and Iran, which had fought a deadly 12- day war earlier this year, were absent at the sign up event held in the alluring Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Hamas has released all 20 living hostages in its custody to Israel, under the deal, while Tel-Aviv has freed almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Palestine
27 Die In Violent Clashes In Gaza.
Just days after it reached a peace deal with Israel, Hamas has resumed military action against armed gangs in the embattled enclave.
Local sources say that more than 27 persons had died in the clashes between Hamas and the gangs, since the peace deal became operational two days ago.
The gangs were allegedly created by Israel to antagonize Hamas during the war .
They had been accused of torture and the sabotage of aid distribution in the enclave.
The clashes followed the attempts by Hamas to regain control of the strip , much of which it lost during the two- year war with Israel.
Security experts say that Hamas had recalled up to 7,000 of its armed fighters to Gaza since the ceasefire deal.
By the terms of the agreement, Hamas is to disarm and recluse itself from governance in the strip.
But it has consistently said that it would comply but only if the Israeli occupation ended.
Meanwhile, sources say Hamas has executed some persons since the ceasefire began days ago.
Details remained sketchy at press time ,but locals say that those executed had been accused of collaborating with Israel to sabotage the Palestinian interest during the war
