Politics
US says it will not limit arms transfers to Israel after some aid improvements to Gaza
Published
2 months agoon
By
Ekwutos BlogThe Biden administration said on Tuesday that Israel made good but limited progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and that it therefore would not limit arms transfers to Israel as it threatened to do a month ago.
However, relief groups say conditions are worse than at any point in the 13-month-old war.
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on Tuesday the progress to date must be supplemented and sustained but that “we at this time have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of US law.”
This law requires recipients of military assistance to adhere to international humanitarian law and not impede the provision of such aid.
“We are not giving Israel a pass,” Patel said, adding that “we want to see the totality of the humanitarian situation improve, and we think some of these steps will allow the conditions for that to continue progress.”
The decision from the U.S. — Israel’s key ally and largest provider of arms and other military aid — comes despite international aid organizations declaring that Israel has failed to meet U.S. demands to allow greater humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. Hunger experts have warned that the north may already be experiencing famine.
The Biden administration last month set a deadline expiring Tuesday for Israel to “surge” more food and other emergency aid into the Palestinian territory or risk the possibility of scaled-back military support as Israel wages offensives against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The obstacles facing aid distribution were on this display this week. Even after the Israeli military gave permission for a delivery to the northernmost part of Gaza — virtually cut off from food for more than a month by an Israeli siege — the United Nations said it couldn’t deliver most of it because of turmoil and restrictions from Israeli troops on the ground.
In the south, hundreds of truckloads of aid are sitting on the Gaza side of the border because the U.N. says it cannot reach them to distribute the aid — again because of the threat of lawlessness, theft and Israeli military restrictions.
Israel has announced a series of steps — though their effect was unclear. On Tuesday, it opened a new crossing in central Gaza, outside the city of Deir al-Balah, for aid to enter.
It also announced a small expansion of its coastal “humanitarian zone,” where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in tent camps. It connected electricity for a desalination plant in Deir al-Balah.
Eight international aid organizations, meanwhile, said in a report Tuesday that “Israel not only failed to meet the U.S. criteria” but also took actions “that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground, particularly in Northern Gaza. … That situation is in an even more dire state today than a month ago.”
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Councillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen
Published
45 mins agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogCouncillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen
Two chairmen in Uhunmwonde and Orhionmwon local government areas of Edo State have been impeached by their councillors.
The events were marked by accusations of violence, illegal actions, and political interference.
A similar situation also unfolded in Owan East, where the chairman and his deputy faced what they described as an unconstitutional impeachment process.
In Uhunmwonde, the impeachment process turned violent as armed men attacked bystanders, leaving several people injured.
The council chairman, Kenneth Adodo, accused the attackers of being policemen sent from the government house.
In Orhionmwon, the councillors impeached the Leader of the House, Daniel Osariemen, on Wednesday.
They claimed Osariemen was working to remove the council chairman, Newman Ugiagbe, and his vice, Midwest Ogbebor.
Following his impeachment, Osariemen allegedly led unknown persons to take over the council secretariat in Abudu.
He reportedly resumed work there as the acting chairman, but Ugiagbe dismissed his actions as illegal.
In Owan East, the chairman, Prince Aminu Okodo-Kadiri, and his vice, Clement Ojebuovbo, were also impeached.
Okodo rejected the impeachment, calling it unlawful and saying it did not follow proper procedures.
He argued that the law requires a seven-member investigative panel to handle such cases, but no panel was formed. He also claimed he was not given a chance to defend himself.
Okodo further pointed out that the mace used during the impeachment was not the official one for the Owan East Council, which he said made the process invalid.
He accused two suspended councillors of being part of the impeachment, even though they had not been reinstated officially.
The chairman also responded to allegations from the state governor that council chairmen misused ₦50 million meant for salaries.
Okodo said these claims were false, explaining that monthly salary expenses in most councils are higher than ₦50 million.
He added that all salaries had been paid up to November and that bank records showed no mismanagement of funds.
Okodo described the impeachment as politically motivated and vowed to take legal action.
He expressed confidence that the court would overturn the decision and restore his position.
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Breaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa
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3 hours agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogBreaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa
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JUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.
Published
3 hours agoon
January 2, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogJUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.
His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has signed into law the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill, totaling 1.1 trillion naira.
Below are the statements of His Excellency as he signed into law the Appropriation Bill, tagged “Budget of Inclusive Growth & Development.”
“Let me first thank the Rivers State House of Assembly for doing a very diligent job and also realizing that what we have ahead of us is to continue to work for Rivers people. So, I want to thank you for working very, very hard and ensuring that we hit the ground running in this new year.”
“I want to say this, maybe for some persons somewhere who are still mixing up issues: we have only one Assembly, and that Assembly is headed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo. A group of friends about nine or ten months ago embarked on what they call a “Sinbad Journey.” Halfway through the journey, while they were coasting, they realized they were entering into the den of devils and sharks. They now retrieved, but it is too late. The truth is, we are not going back. We have given enough room for peace. As it stands now, our majority target is the interest of Rivers State and to continue to defend the integrity of governance. As far as I’m concerned, we have moved on.”
“Let me thank everyone who made this possible. We made a promise to you that we would continue to keep the interests of Rivers State first. So now that this bill has been signed, I can assure you that every projection in it will be kickstarted so that the record of performance accorded to this administration in the year 2024 will be surpassed in this year.”
“Let me thank my management team, that is, my exco, for all the support, most especially my deputy and everyone—the Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and the acting Internal Revenue Chairman—for the wonderful job they did last year. We expect you to do more because we have a bigger task ahead of us.”
“We have made some promises to our people in education, health, and agriculture. We must ensure we make a good impact, just like we have done in the areas of road infrastructure and other aspects of the economy.”
“Let me, on this note, thank everyone and wish you a happy and prosperous New Year ahead as we continue the journey of making Rivers State great again.”
“Thank you.”
– John Martins®️
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