By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Israel
Body Not Of Known
Hostage
Israeli media are reporting that the body of a deceased person handed over to Israel by Hamas through the Red Cross on Monday night, is not that of any of the 13 hostages still in the custody of the Palestinian group.
It said that the remains are those of a hostage military officer its forces had recovered during the now halted war.
It was the second time a body returned would not match that of any of the remaining hostagages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who briefly stood trial for corruption today, , warned that his country would respond to what he called the violations of the ceasefire terms by Hamas, which had accused it ( Israel) of more than 100 violations of the deal since it took effect on October 10.
The mismatch development comes as Hamas, backed by Egyptian experts and the Red Cross, continued to dig through the huge piles of rubble in Gaza and Rafah to try and retrieve the hostages’ bodies, some of which are believed to be trapped in underground tunnels in Gaza and Rafah.
Israel is warning that it could return to war if the bodies are not expeditiously returned.
However, experts, including from America and Israel, acknowledge that the retrieval of all the remaining bodies would take far longer than initially thought because of the huge piles of rubble caused by the massive destruction of the strip by Israeli troops.
Experts say that Israel dropped more than 200,000 tonnes of bombs on Gaza during the two -year war that also led to more than 170,000 casualties, including almost 69,000 fatalities mostly children and women.
Japan
Trump, In Japan, Savours Warm American/ Japanese Relations
The President of America, Donald Trump, has publicly hailed the tiny Asian Island nation of Japan for sustaining more than 80 years of friendly relations with his country.
Flanked by his host and first female Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, Trump, at an American military base in Japan, recalled that both countries had enjoyed more than 80 years of warm relations built from the cold sad ashes of the Second World War.
He applauded Japanese leaders, including his host, for keeping the mutually beneficial relations waxing strong
Both leaders had signed multi- billion dollars in military assets and rare earth minerals deals.
While Japan is to buy the military assets from America, Washington is to import rare Earth Minerals from Japan, in an apparent effort to undermine China, which holds 70 per cent of the total global deposits of the minerals, and up to 90 percent of their processed product
The rare minerals are core inputs in high-end technology industries.
Trump is on a three- nation Asian Tour to Japan, South Korea and China, to which he heads from Tokyo.
Japan is host to the largest American military formations outside of the country.
Jamaica
Three Dead As Hurricane Melissa Makes Landfall Today
Three persons have been confirmed dead in Jamaica as the dreaded Category Five Storm, Melissa, makes landfall today in the Caribbean
island country .
Emergency evacuation orrders have been issued by the government, and Prime Minister, Andrew Hulness warned residents, especially in the capital, Kingston, against venturing out of the erected shelters.
Packing speeds of up to 170 miles ,(around 280 kilometres per hour), Melissa, the strongest storm in the world this year, is expected to make landfall in the outlying areas of the country before hitting Kingston, believed to be in its eye.
It is predicted to come with up to 1 metre( three feet) of rain in just an hour, and the prediction is that the rain may last for hours.
Melissa has already caused havoc as it made landfall in The Dominican Republic and Haiti.
In Jamaica, it is expected to trigger massive floods and landslides.
Sudan.
Sudanese Military Confirm Withdrawal From Al- Fasher
The Sudaneses Army has confirmed the withdrawal of its troops from the Western Darfur city of Al- Fasher.
The rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had, on Monday, claimed to have taken the city from government forces .
The claim could not be independently confirmed until.last night when the Army Chief owned up to withdrawing from the city which had hosted its main base in all of Darfur.
The Army, though it’s Chief, General Abdel Fattah- Al Burhan, confirmed the tactical withdrawal, which he predicated on the necessity to avoid unnecessary loss of civilian.lives were his forces to mount enough resistance in the city which fell after 17 months of siege.
The United Nations (UN) estimates that more than 250,000 civilians, about half of whom are children, are trapped in the embattled city.
It sought free passage for those willing to leave..
Kenya
11 Die In Kenyan Tourism Plane Crash
Eleven bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of a Kenyan Tourism Plane which crashed enroute to the tourism site.
Details were scanty at press time ,but it was understood the plane crashed before it could reach Maasai Mari, its destination.
Most of those onboard were foreign tourists from Hungary and Germany who had come to savour the wildlife of the East African nation.
Like the tourists, the Kenyan crew died in the crash which happened about 40 kilometres from.its take off point.
Recovery efforts are continuing at the site , just as investigations are ongoing.
India
Evacuations On As Hurricane Montha Arrives
More than 40,000 residents of the East Coast line of India have been evacuated as the strong wind named Montha is due to arrive later today.
The storm is expected to make landfall tonight.
Authorities of the state of Andhra Pradesh say they have taken enough proactive steps to mitigate the effects of the storm, one of the many similar winds it contends with annually..
Venezuela
Venezuela Suspends Energy Deal With Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela has suspended its energy deal with neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago.
The decision followed the birthing of an armada of American warships in the waters off the common coast of both countries by Trinidad and Tobago.
The President of America, Donald Trump, has a persisting feud with the leadership of Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia, accusing them of being behind the huge illicit hard drug trade that America says is destroying its youths.
American warships in the area had bombed several civilian boats it alleged were carrying hard drugs to America’.
Diplomats say America could use the decoy of its anti- drug campaign to infiltrate the countries and cause undemocratic regime change.
