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Protests across Australia as Penny Wong despairs ‘continued retribution’ in Middle East
As Palestinian and Jewish groups prepare to mark the first anniversary of the events that triggered the current Israel-Gaza conflict, the Australian government has again condemned the escalating cycle of violence in the Middle East, reiterating demands for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
“We’ve seen so much violence in the Middle East,” the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said Sunday.
“The continued escalation, the continued retribution, that continued cycle of violence, ultimately that will not bring peace and it will not bring security.”
From Gaza, Hamas – proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the Australian government – launched an assault on Israeli territory on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
The attack sparked an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed almost 42,000 Palestinians in the months since, according to local health officials. More than 11,000 children have been killed in Gaza.
The conflict recently expanded into southern Lebanon with the Israeli military launching airstrikes over its northern border in response to rockets fired into Israel by Hezbollah. More than 700 have been killed in Lebanon.
Israel’s military said on Saturday it had killed Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on Friday. But its attacks have been criticised as indiscriminate and unlawful: the use of bunker-buster bombs on densely populated civilian areas in Beirut has killed hundreds of non-combatants, according to the Lebanese government.
On Sunday, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network held a National Day of Action for Gaza, staging rallies across the country.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered on Sunday at the state library in Melbourne and at Sydney town hall, and in smaller cities and towns, to protest against the escalation of the conflict.
Protests were planned too, for Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin, Port Macquarie, Warrnambool, Cairns and the Gold Coast.
In Melbourne, thousands marched through the middle of the city, flying the flags of Palestine and Lebanon. Some waved Hezbollah flags and carried pictures of Nasrallah.
In Sydney, town hall square was filled, protesters chanting “from Lebanon to Palestine, occupation is a crime”.
The president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Nasser Mashni, condemned the “relentless horror” of the conflict in Gaza.
Australia had a moral and legal obligation to act decisively against atrocities committed against civilians, he said.
Jewish communities will hold events to observe the anniversary of the 7 October attack which Zionist Federation of Australia chief executive, Alon Cassuto, said carried an immense weight of grief and despair.
“As a community, we will come together to mourn the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and, as we have done every single day since October 7, call for the remaining 101 hostages to be freed from Hamas captivity,” he said.
“Despite the profound sadness and the sheer scale of hostility, antisemitism and fragmentation of social cohesion in Australia since October 7, the Jewish community has never been stronger, more resilient and united.”
The federation is urging people to light a candle on 7 October for the slain, and to “say their names” – reciting the names and telling the stories of those killed in the Hamas attacks.
Addressing the UN general assembly, Wong condemned the “entrenched violence” leading to worsening broadening conflict.
“Brutal, degrading conflict ingraining hatred and division; pushing peace into the unseeable distance; and pulling neighbours into an endless, reflexive cycle of blame and retaliation.”
In a subsequent television interview, Wong said Australia remained committed to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and urged a negotiated ceasefire.
“The continued retribution … will not bring peace and it will not bring security, which is why Australia and others, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have called for a ceasefire in Lebanon and diplomacy to try and resolve this,” she said.
“Because we have seen so many people, so many people die.”
– with AAP, Reuters
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Actress Doris Ogala reacts to Pastor Chris Okafor’s wedding, makes fresh explosive claims
Actress Doris Ogala has reacted strongly to Pastor Chris Okafor’s wedding, insisting that the public does not know what is really going on behind the scenes.
In a new outburst following reports of the wedding, Doris alleged that the marriage was forced, claiming the bride was r*ped and got pregnant and that the situation was allegedly used to prevent public exposure. According to her, the bride’s mother is his church’s choir coordinator and allegedly insisted on marriage to avoid scandal.
Doris further claimed that Pastor Chris had another woman he was allegedly set to marry on the 24th, adding that she has chats and videos she says support her claims. She described the situation as darker than it appears and said her decision to speak out was deliberate, despite the personal cost.
She maintained that her earlier confessions and allegations were part of what she described as a spiritual and personal reckoning, stating that she felt compelled to expose what she believes has been hidden.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSXz6ZLDMRY/?igsh=YjJyaHJ4bWNxdHg1
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Kwara Govt Confirms Arrested Armed Men Are Miyetti Allah Members, Not Bandits
The Kwara State Government has provided clarification on the viral video showing armed men, initially believed to be bandits, being interrogated by soldiers, a development that had sparked widespread public anger and calls for a state of emergency.
The state official confirmed that the men apprehended were part of a security operation coordinated by the Federal Government, raising fresh controversy over the use of armed non-state actors in counter-insurgency efforts.
Speaking on Informant247, Ibrahim Abdulateef, Senior Special Assistant on Communication to the Governor, confirmed the arrested individuals were members of Miyetti Allah who were incorporated into a Joint Task Force following the deadly September 29 attacks in Ifelodun LGA.
“Under their security setup, they use both recognized officers and a JTF which includes members of Miyetti Allah and local vigilante networks,” Abdulateef said.
The controversy deepened as the state confirmed that a patrol vehicle was provided through the local government chairman “in a bid to empower security forces.”
The government denied the men were arrested as bandits in Kwara. Instead, Abdulateef alleged that after the men completed their assignment, they “absconded with the patrol van” and were subsequently arrested by soldiers “in Auchi, Edo State, not anywhere in Kwara.”
According to Sahara Reporters, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, further clarified the identity of an official named in the suspects’ confession: “Victor is a police sergeant attached to the NSA Office,” and not a DSS or Air Force officer as speculated.
Ajakaye disclosed that Victor and the vigilante operatives had since left Kwara State in line with the position of affected local communities, a decision the government said it respected.
He cautioned against sensational reporting of sensitive security matters, describing the situation as a “secrecy dilemma” that requires balance to ensure accountability without undermining national security efforts.
“We are going through a difficult phase in national security emergency. The pain of losing our brothers and sisters and of losing our peace of mind cannot be quantified. Losing a soul is a tragedy — much less many souls,” he said in a WhatsApp post.
He called for calm, urging political elites and community leaders to act with tact and responsibility amid rising tensions.
“But statesmen and patriots aren’t known in time of peace and ease. The elite (who shoulder the burden of guiding the masses) need to handle these whole things with a lot of tact and patriotism,” he said.
“May God guide us, restore peace in our land, expose the evil doers and their collaborators, and make our country stronger, more peaceful, and more prosperous,” the CPS added. “This is a time for careful leadership, not reckless accusations.”
The state’s confirmation of the use of Miyetti Allah members in armed operations comes after previous reports highlighted strong opposition from Kwara residents and local Fulani leaders to an alleged plan by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to deploy and arm Fulani herders (Bororos) with AK-47 rifles to fight banditry.
Local Fulani stakeholders had warned that arming non-state actors could worsen insecurity, citing the failure of similar previous attempts and the volatility of migrant herders.
Both the Kwara State Government and Miyetti Allah initially denied any arrangement involving the arming of herders or collaboration with bandits.
Trending
4 Rushed To Hospital as Aircraft Crash-Lands at Imo Airport
By Dan Opara
A light aircraft, Cessna 172, operated by Skypower Express, crash landed on Tuesday night, December 16, 2025, at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, resulting in the hospitalization of four persons.

Eyewitnesses said the aircraft encountered difficulties during landing, lost stability on the runway, and subsequently somersaulted before coming to a halt within the airport premises.
The incident triggered panic among airport personnel and onlookers, although no lives were lost.
Emergency response teams were swiftly deployed to the scene, where the injured occupants were rescued and immediately transported to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment.
Airport officials confirmed that the four victims are currently receiving medical care, and their condition was described as stable as of the time of filing this report.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has commenced a formal investigation into the incident to ascertain both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash landing.
The investigation is expected to focus on the aircraft’s technical condition, prevailing weather conditions, pilot actions, and other operational factors surrounding the occurrence.

Following the accident, airport operations were temporarily disrupted, but normal activities were later restored after safety officials secured the affected area.
Authorities at the airport assured the public that all necessary safety measures are being strengthened to prevent a recurrence.
Meanwhile, stakeholders within the aviation sector have expressed concern over the incident and called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation to further enhance aviation safety standards in the country.
Ekwutosblog gathered the report through monitored information circulating on social media, as prayers and goodwill messages continue to pour in for the quick recovery of those hospitalized, while the public awaits the outcome of the NSIB investigation.

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