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Protests across Australia as Penny Wong despairs ‘continued retribution’ in Middle East

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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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Gunmen attack Anambra community, kill one, burn vehicles

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Unidentified gunmen have attacked Amesi community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, destroying its town hall, burning down cars and killing one person.

Ekwutosblog gathered that the incident happened on Friday morning.

It would be the first time criminals are operating in the state after a long while, as a result of measures put in place by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

In Friday’s early morning attack, members of the community described the incident as having caused chaos as the attackers stormed the hall, burning at least three vehicles, 2 motorcycles and firing sporadically.

The identity of the slain victim has not yet been officially released as at the time of filing this story.

A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, a member of the community who inspected the damage called on the state governor to come to their aid.

He said: “Anambra is still bleeding, our towns, our villages, our people—still live under the shadow of fear. We must listen. And we must act.”

A local resident who asked not to be named for fear of attack said: “This cannot continue. We deserve to sleep without fear. We deserve leaders who will fight for our safety, not merely manage our pain.”

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Man arrested for alleged trafficking of girl into prostitution in Bauchi

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The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended a 26-year-old man, Johnson John, from Gwallameji, for allegedly trafficking a 19-year-old woman, Cecelia Cosmos, into prostitution.

The incident unfolded on April 12, 2025, when John lured Cecelia with promises of a job opportunity in Lagos State.

Cecelia’s mother, Rhoda Cosmos, filed a report with the ‘E’ Police Divisional Headquarters on April 19, 2025, after learning of her daughter’s disappearance.

The investigation revealed that Cecelia was handed over to a woman known only as “Mama,” who trafficked her to Burkina Faso for sexual exploitation.

Following the report, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, instructed immediate action. John was arrested and confessed to his role in the crime.

The investigation is ongoing, and the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further proceedings. The suspects are expected to face charges in court after the investigation is complete.

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Mysterious Kano ditch of death “swallows” boys amid fear of supernatural forces

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Panic and fear have gripped residents of Musukwani area in Jakara, Kano Municipal Local Government Area, following the mysterious disappearance of two young boys believed to have gone missing inside a large, deep ditch in the neighborhood.

The alarming incident has raised fresh concerns, with locals linking the location to possible supernatural forces due to repeated strange occurrences in the area.

Eyewitnesses say the latest case happened on Monday, April 21, 2025, when one of the boys reportedly removed his clothes and wallet — which contained money — and handed them over to some people nearby before entering the ditch.

“We were sitting here when the boy came, took off his clothes, including his wallet with money, and asked us to keep them for him. He said he was going into the ditch to check something, as they usually store things like rods inside. He never came back. Even after nightfall, we closed our shops and went home. The next morning, there was still no sign of him. His belongings are still with us,” Abdul Basit Yusha’u Safiyanu told Ekwutosblog.

This is not an isolated incident. Just a few days earlier, another boy named Dan Sani also entered the same ditch with a friend and was never seen again. His disappearance remains unresolved.

Musa Hamza, a community leader and maternal uncle of (Dan Sani) one of the missing boys, expressed deep concern and frustration.

 

“He’s my nephew, about 12 years old. He and his friend came to the ditch. He told his friend to wait while he went in. When the friend noticed he wasn’t coming back, he ran home to tell us. We searched everywhere — even the mortuary — but nothing. All we have now are rumors and fear. Even the fire service officers who entered the ditch struggled to get back out,” he lamented.

Efforts to rescue the boys were made by the Kano State Fire Service. According to the commission’s spokesperson, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, the service received a distress call at exactly 3:55 p.m. on April 21.

“In response to a call from one Hamisu Wakili, our team rushed to the site in Jakara, but unfortunately, we could not find the missing individuals, and had to call off the operation,” he confirmed in a phone interview with Ekwutosblog.

 

Residents, however, believe the ditch may have more than meets the eye. Some, like Sadam Saraki, linked the area to paranormal activity, claiming it has long been known as a hub for spiritual and mysterious happenings.

Now, the people of Jakara are calling on the Kano State Government and emergency agencies to urgently investigate and take action before more lives are lost.

“People are scared. We can’t sleep with both eyes closed anymore,” one resident said.

The fate of the missing boys remains unknown, as the community anxiously awaits answers.

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