By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Qatar
Trump’ Says Gaza ISF Deploys Soon
The President of America, Donald Trump, says the International Stabilization Force (IDF) for Gaza is to deploy soon.
Trump gave no timelines, but his comments,offered at the Al- Udeid American Airbase in Qatar, is the first public comment by him in recent days, and comes amid growing global concerns about the deployment of the force required to stabilize Gaza after two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
The American President did not also name the countries interested in sending troops.
But Marco Rubio, the American Secretary of State, had said in Israel at the weekend that ” lots of countries’ had indicated interest in contributing troops to the ISF.
Trump said Qatar, one of the frontline mediators in the ceasefire that halted the two- year old war, was free to contribute troops if it wanted.
Aside from Qatsr, Indonesia and Pakistan had signalled interest in contributing.
The ISF is part of the 20- point Gaza Peace Plan unfolded by Trump, with the active support of the coalition of Arab and mainly Muslim.nations.
Trump, at the Al- Udeid Base meeting with Qatari government officials, commended Qatar for its efforts to reach the prevailing ceasefire.
France
Two Suspects Nabbed Over Louvre Heist
French media are reporting the arrest of two suspects in last Sunday ‘s daring daylight robbery at the world ‘s busiest museum,
The Louvre , in Paris.
In deference to French law, details of the suspects are being secret until after the lapse of the embargo time.
However, it was learnt that one of the suspects was arrested at Charles Dr Gaulle Airport in Paris, while the second was apprehended in the outskirts of the capital city.
It was unclear if the suspects were the only ones involved in the heist in which jewelleries conservatively estimated at $102 million were stolen.
Before the last Sunday incident, the Louvre was also burgke. In 1911, during which the Mona Lisa, the high- end art material piece by Sir Leonardo Da Vinci, an Italian mystic, was stolen, though it was later recovered.
The items stolen in Sunday ‘ s heist included a tiara and other conventional jewels.
There were speculations that the first suspect may have been travelling to either Mali or Algeria, behind he was nabbed at the airport.
The nine stolen items are believed to include the special crown jewel which Napoleon Bonaparte , the iconic French Emperor gave his wife.
Palestine
WHO Says 700Gazsns Die Waiting For Medical Evacuation
The World Health Organization, WHO, a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), says up to 700 Gazans had died while waiting for medical evacuation for treatment outside Gaza.
The dead were wounded in the course of the two- year war.
It accused Israel, as the occupying power, of deliberately inhibiting the evacuations.
The agency added that 15,000 Gazans were still waiting for evacuation, and that many of them could still die for the same reason of Israeli inhibition.
Meanwhile, a nine- year old girl died today after their house, which had been largely damaged by Israeli attacks, collapsed on her.
In the interim, Israel today attacked the Gaza strip , despite the ongoing ceasefire.
The attack on a refugee camp wounded four persons and forms part of a growing list of breaches of the ceasefire.
Ivory Coast
Ballot Counting Begins After Presidential Poll
Counting of ballot has started in Ivory Coast after yesterday’s presidential poll.
The current President, Alassane Ouattarra, is vying for a fourth term of five years, and after casting ballot in an election marked by controversy on Saturday, expressed the hope of being re- elected.
Major opposition figures ,including former President Gbagbo, were excluded.
Ouattarra is vying against four opposition figures, including Simone Gbagbo, wife of former President , who is being touted as the only one with the prospect of toppling him.
Polling took place in 45,000 polling units across the country, and the outcome is expected later tonight.
Ouattarra, 83, has been in office for 15 years.
Analysts fear a repeat of the violence that dogged the presidential poll in 2010 and 2011.
Sudan
RSF Claims Takeovef of Al- Fasher Army Headquarters
The rebel Rapid Support Forces, RSF, has claimed victory in the battle for the regional headquarters of the country’ s army in Al- Fasher .
There was no independent confirmation of the claim, but if confirmed, the development could mark a significant change in the course of the war.
The base had been the main military asset in the hands of the Sudanese Army in all of Western Darfur in which the city of Al- Fasher is located.
The RSF had laid siege to the city for 17 months.
Russia
Russia Fires New Nuke Missile, Hits Kiev
The President of Russia , Vladimir Viktor Putin, has confirmed that the country had successfully test- fired a new generation of nuclear -powered cruise missiles.
He said during a visit to a secret military location, that the new missile was also propelled by a nuclear powered engine.
He gave no details of when the test firing took place but indicated it could travel tens of thousands of kilometres.
Russia has more nuclear weapons than the rest of the world combined
Meanwhile, its forces struck the capital of Ukraine in overnight attacks that Ukrainian President , Wolodymr Zelensky, said was intended to trigger a humanitarian crisis in his country.
Both countries have been trading military fire power since three years when Russia invaded Ukraine in an effort to wean it of its alleged pro- Western inclination
Russia is under excruciating sanctions at the hands of America and the European Union, EU, which are the main backers of. Ukraine.
Israel
Israelis Protest Over Outstanding Dead Hostages’ Remains
Thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in parts of the country, seeking the release of the remains of 13 hostages yet to be handed over by Hamas.
The protesters asked for accelerated action to ensure the release of the remains.
Under the deal, Hamas was obliged to hand over all living and dead hostages in exchange for the release of nearly 1,800 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
However, Hamas said it was having a great difficulty retrieving the dead hostages trapped under piles of rubble that Israel’ s bombing of Gaza strip created.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had threatened to resume the Gaza war, now halted after the October 10 ceasefire deal, unless all hostages were promptly returned.
But experts, including those of Israeli and American extraction, had consistently held that the retrievals would take much longer time given the pile of rubble and the fact that many of them are trapped in deep tunnels.
Egypt and Turkey , both of which joined Qatar and America to broker the ceasefire, have volunteered to send experts to help in the retrievals.
Egypt
Egypt Sends Heavy Equipment To Gaza.
Egypt has despatched heavy equipment into the embattled Gaza strip.
The equipment, including earth movers and cranes, are to be used to clear rubble and help in the retrieval of trapped bodies.
Aside from the hostages, it is estimated that up to 11, 000 Palestinians remain buried under the rubble of their destroyed houses and other buildings.
The arrival of the equipment from Egypt is expected to give filip to the efforts to retrieve the bodies.
Ireland
Left wing politician, Catherine Conolly, has been elected Prime Minister of Ireland.
Exit polls showed that she could secure up to 60 per cent of the ballots cast in the weekend’s poll at the end of counting
