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Israel’s Katz says Iran nuclear sites ‘exposed’ to strikes

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Israel’s new defense minister, Israel Katz, has hinted that Israel has an “opportunity” to target Iran’s nuclear program. He has also told military officials there will be no cease-fire with Hezbollah.

 

Israel will continue to hit Hezbollah with “full force,” says Israel’s defense minister The UN’s humanitarian agency says Israel often denied access to northern Gaza last month Gaza medical officials say at least 14 have been killed in Israeli strikes in the Palestinian territory on Tuesday Israel’s military says four of its soldiers have died in fighting in northern Gaza

This is a roundup of the latest developments in the conflicts in the Middle East on November 12, 2024.

Iran’s nuclear sites ‘more exposed than ever,’ says Israel’s Katz

Newly appointed Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told military officials on Monday that Iran was “more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities”.

“We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal — to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel,” Katz added on X, formerly Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1856076850352504875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1856076850352504875%7Ctwgr%5Eeb0144dbf162d244c87aeea163c5f7488536c948%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fisrael-s-katz-says-iran-nuclear-sites-exposed-to-strikes%2Flive-70761116

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is rapidly advancing its nuclear program, and is continuing to increase stockpiles of uranium enriched to weapons grade levels in defiance of international demands.

IAEA head Rafael Grossi has warned that Iran possess enough uranium enriched to near- weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so.

Iran claims it’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The always tense relations between Israel and its regional archenemy have recently worsened further amid tit-for-tat missile strikes.

Iran twice fired missiles directly on Israeli territory this year, drawing responses in kind from Israel.

No cease-fire with Hezbollah: Israeli defense minister

Israel’s new defense minister, Israel Katz, says he told military officials on Monday that there would be no cease-fire in Lebanon until “the goals of the war are achieved.”

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Katz wrote that he had told the General Defense Forum that “offensive activity should be continued in order to … realize the fruits of victory.”

“In Lebanon there will be no cease-fire and there will be no respite,” the post said.

https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1856219485469839367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1856219485469839367%7Ctwgr%5Eeb0144dbf162d244c87aeea163c5f7488536c948%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fisrael-s-katz-says-iran-nuclear-sites-exposed-to-strikes%2Flive-70761116

Israeli leaders on Monday seemed to send mixed signals on the possibility of a cease-fire in Lebanon.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who this week replaced Katz in the Foreign Ministry, said Israel was “working with the Americans on the issue,” reporting “a certain progress.”

Israel has escalated its hostilities against Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militia since late September, beginning a ground offensive on September 30 after a previous campaign of intense airstrikes.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has been carrying out attacks on Israel since Israel began an offensive in Gaza against Hezbollah ally Hamas in response to deadly raids by the Palestinian militants in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israeli army says 4 soldiers killed in northern Gaza

The Israeli army said on Tuesday that four of its soldiers had been killed in figthing in the northern Gaza Strip, where it has been carrying out a major offensive.

All four “fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip” on Monday, a statement said.

The deaths bring to 376 the total number of Israeli soldiers killed in the Palestinian territory since the start of ground operations against Hamas militants in October last year.

Some 43,500 Palestinians have been killed during the campaign, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza. That figure does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 14, officials say

Palestinian medical officials said two Israeli strikes in Gaza late on Monday and early on Tuesday have killed at least 14 people, including two children and a woman.

At least 11 people, including two children, died in a strike on the so-called Muwasi humanitarian zone west of Khan Younis, according to officials at Nasser Hospital.

Al-Awda Hospital officials say three people, including a woman, were killed in another strike that hit a house in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Israel hindering aid to northern Gaza, UN says

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, says most of its bids to coordinate aid convoys and humanitarian visits to northern Gaza last month were denied or impeded by Israel.

OCHA says it made 98 requests for authorization to enter the war-stricken zone but only 15 made it through.

A spokesperson said Ocha was “worried about the fate of Palestinians remaining in North Gaza as the siege there continues, and urgently calls on Israel to open up the area to humanitarian operations at the scale needed, given the massive needs.”

Residents of northern Gaza are at risk of acute hunger as Israel carries out a major offensive therethat it says aims to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping.

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“Why men should marry poor women” – Mr Nigeria (VIDEO)

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Nigeria’s top influencer, Ugochukwu Nwokolo, popularly known as Mr. Nigeria, recently shared his perspective on why men should consider marrying women from less privileged backgrounds.

Speaking on a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, Ugochukwu expressed his belief that poor women possess certain qualities that make them ideal partners, citing their prayerfulness and fertility as key attributes.

In his words, “Poor girls turn me on. The poorer she is, the more attractive I find her. A poor woman will wake up at 7:00 a.m., join NSPPD, and pray fervently for her husband. She’ll say, ‘I’m putting my husband on the fire altar.’ When it comes to fertility, poor women can be incredibly fertile.”

Ugochukwu Nwokolo is the first-ever Mr. Nigeria Supranational, crowned by the Silverbird Group under the Mister World Nigeria platform. He will represent Nigeria in the Mr. Supranational competition held in Poland.

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO SEE VIDEO:

https://x.com/OneJoblessBoy/status/1880540913497518518?t=WFcx7Q6extTGZjdFyNkSww&s=19

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Do you know that an Att0rney General in Nigeria can walk into any c0urt while a Cri’minal case is going on and put a st0p to that cri’minal case

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Do you know that an Att0rney General in Nigeria can walk into any c0urt while a Cri’minal case is going on and put a st0p to that cri’minal case

I mean any crim’inal case at all, if you like make e b the case wey dey kpai person or make e be R(@)P£ case or anyone at all

And they have the p0wer to do so without any explanation at all

They can just walk into any c0urt room and say this crim’inal matter will not proceed anymore
I am exercising my p0wer of nolle prosequi as an Att0rney General in Nigeria

Chai, this p0wer sweet
P0wer to st0p any case you want

Ignorance of the law is no excuse

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Baringo man uses KSh 2m cash gift from William Ruto to expand online goat marketplace

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  • Efarmer Goats Initiative, which has transformed goat farming through innovation, was conceived on December 1, 2023
  • The website helps people who are looking for goats to buy them at an affordable price and get them in different corners of the country and the world
  • When Enock Kimosop explained his idea to President William Ruto in December 2024, he got a KSh 2 million cash gift from him, and he told TUKO.co.ke that it helped expand his business

Baringo: Enock Kimosop, a man thriving in the goat business, has shared how a KSh 2 million gift from President William Ruto helped him increase his number of goats and better utilise his form of transportation.

Enock Kimosop when he was gifted by William Ruto (l), the Efarmer founder (r). Photo: Enock Kimosop. Source: UGC

 

How was Efarmer Goats idea conceived?

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Kimosop shared that the concept of the Efarmer Goats Initiative, which transforms goat farming through innovation, was conceived on December 1, 2023, during the annual Kimalel Goat Auction.

“I was inspired by speeches from dignitaries at the event, which emphasised the need to make the process of buying and selling goats digital,” he said.

“The idea of selling goats online took root as a way to modernise the traditional goat farming business and address challenges in market access,” he added.

How did Kimosop get Efarmer website started?

Enock started to put his idea in motion; he reached out to his friends from Strathmore and another lady who helped build the website.

The site went live on April 2, 2024, and the group had a vision of transforming the website into an app within a year if it was successful.

Just as with many other businesses, Enock didn’t have all the cash needed to start, so he got together with some friends, and they contributed KSh 150,000 each; in the end, they had a capital of KSh 600,000, and they started their businesses of selling goats online.

How else did the Kimalel meeting help Efarmer?

“Our first sales took place during the Idd Mubarak celebrations in 2024, where we successfully sold 200 goats to individuals and butcheries; some were taking upto 10,” said Enock.

On December 17, 2024, Enock returned to the Kimalel Goat Auction to showcase his firm’s initiative. The president and other stakeholders helped them gain significant visibility, allowing them to penetrate the market at an accelerated pace.

“The KSh 2 million from the president helped boost the businesses with more goats. Initially, we were also transporting a few goats which was costly but now they can get return on investment,” he said.

“Despite our progress, transportation costs remain a significant challenge. Renting trucks for goat transportation is expensive and inefficient. To address this, we are actively exploring options to acquire our own lorry, which would greatly reduce logistics costs and enhance profitability,” he added.

How does Efarmer source goats?

Over time, Efarmer Goats identified reliable sources of the animals, ensuring consistent supply and competitive pricing.

Once Efarmer Goats has found the best breeds needed by the clients, they transport them on a lorry to Nairobi, where they have since found a holding ground in Rongai. At the holding ground, the goats are fed well and rest.

“It is important that they are fed and rest well so that their kgs do not go down after slaughtering,” insisted Enock.

Enock Kimosop at the Kimamel goat auction (r), some of the goats being sold (l). Photos: Enock Kimosop. Source: UGC

How has the evolution of Efarmer happened over time?

Today, Efarmer Goats has established a foothold in international markets as well, and Enock said that they now have a client from Dubai who orders 1000 goats from them on a monthly basis.

“We are managing 300 goats weekly and we sell to him per kilogram. There is also another Saudi Arabia client who is reliable,” he said.

Efarmer Goats prioritises reliability and efficiency. They aim to build client trust while empowering local farmers through sustainable practices and innovative solutions.

One such solution is a mobile app where farmers will be able to upload their goats for sale directly onto the platform, connecting them to buyers within their region.

“This platform will be cost-effective, with farmers only paying a small website application fee,” said Enock.

“We aim to fully exploit global opportunities, increasing our export capacity to handle goat sales in bulk quantities (measured in tons),” he added.

There are also farmer empowerment programs, where Efarmer Goats buys kids from farmers for KSh 6,000, provides guidance on rearing them, and facilitates sales at significantly higher prices (between Ksh 12,000 and Ksh 15,000) after a year.

This initiative ensures farmers achieve higher returns while enhancing their rearing skills.

Efarmer’s goats being held before they are sold. Photos: Enock Kimosop. Source: UGC

 

What are some of the challenges Kimosop faced?

Efarmer Goats expanded its reach to Nairobi, selling both through the website and offline. However, the initial phase was marked by significant challenges.

Among them was the high cost of transportation; transporting goats using large trucks, despite having only a few goats per trip, inflated operational costs.

“Inconsistent and high purchase prices for goats in some regions negatively impacted profitability. These logistical and supply chain issues led to initial losses, prompting us to refine our operations,” shared Enock.

Apparently, the future of goat farming in Kenya lies in technology, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Efarmer Goats said they embody those values as they continue to grow and transform.

Thika farmer frustrated by gate prices turns to grocery business

Elsewhere, on January 13, 2024, Sebastian Peter became the proud owner of two grocery shops in Thika Ngoingwa Estate, Mangu Road.

According to Peter, a friend lent him money to start leasing land for his vegetables, but later, he was frustrated by people who would buy them at KSh 3 and sell them between KSh 50 and KSh 100.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Peter shared that he started as a hawker for his produce, such as kales, but over time, gate prices frustrated him, and he opted to start food kiosks.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

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