Foreign News
UN Chief, others Honour Colleagues Killed in Gaza Conflict
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday led a minute of silence at UN Headquarters in New York in honour of 101 staff killed so far during in Gaza conflict.
According to UN, the number is the largest killed during a conflict in the 78-year history of the organisation.
The fallen colleagues worked for the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, (UNRWA), providing life-saving aid to Gaza’s 2.
2 million people, amid constant bombardment over the past month and a complete siege of the enclave.They were school principals, teachers, health workers, including a gynaecologist, engineers, support staff and a psychologist.
The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Guterres led the minute silence at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at the UN headquarters in memory of the departed.
He stood before UN Resident Coordinators from around the world, who are meeting this week, flanked by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis.
“Today, the family observed a moment of silence to mourn and honour our colleagues killed in Gaza. Since the start of this conflict, more than 100 staff have lost their lives – the highest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict in such a short time.
“They will never be forgotten,” he said.
The commemoration at the Secretariat began around 7:30 AM, with the UN flag being raised to half-mast – the sole one flying that day.
Normally all the flags of the UN’s 193 Member States and two observer States – Palestine and Vatican City – are raised each weekday morning, and in alphabetical order, then lowered in the afternoon.
The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, Riyad Mansour who attended the simple ceremony in front of the Secretariat, said the gesture honoured the deceased UNRWA staff members and all “Palestinian martyrs”, including thousands of children killed in the “barbaric war”.
He stressed the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, along with “hundreds of truckloads” of aid, medicine and water.
“And we want to stop the crime against humanity of forced mass transfer…to allow the Palestinian people to stay in the Gaza Strip. It is our homeland.
“We don’t want to live a second Nakba. We want to stay in our homeland and to rebuild the Gaza Strip.”
Mansour also expressed hope for “a political horizon” to end the occupation “so that Palestinian people can live in freedom and dignity in our independent State, with Holy Jerusalem as the capital of our State.”
“UNRWA staff in Gaza appreciate the UN lowering the flag around the world. In Gaza however, we have to keep the UN flag flying high as a sign that we are still standing and serving the people of Gaza,” Tom White, the agency’s Director in the Gaza Strip, said speaking from Rafah.
UN officials and staff at duty stations worldwide observed a minute of silence in memory of their deceased colleagues, while the UN flag was flown at half-mast.
Meanwhile, the UN Staff Union held a ceremony in the Secretariat lobby where the names of the deceased colleagues were read aloud.
“May they rest in eternal power and peace,” First Vice-President Francisco Brito said, surrounded by staff members, some of whom held signs that said ‘responsibility to protect,’ ‘stop the killing,’ ‘protect civilians’ and other appeals.
Speaking in Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the UN Office in the Swiss city said their deaths represented the highest number of aid workers killed in UN history in such a short time.
“Thousands of our colleagues continue to work under the UN flag in [the] most risky parts of the world. And let’s pay tribute to their activities, to their work, to their devotion,” she said.
The UNRWA staff members “embodied the spirit of the United Nations, standing on the frontlines of conflict zones to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance and support,” said the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), speaking at its headquarters in Geneva.
“Their unwavering dedication to peace, justice, and the well-being of others serves as a guiding light and a reminder of the importance of our shared mission,” Tedros Ghebreysus told WHO personnel. (NAN)
Foreign News
At Least 5 Dead in Fresh Russian Attacks on Ukraine
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Russia has attacked Ukraine for the second consecutive night with heavy airstrikes involving various weapon types, initial reports from Ukrainian authorities said on Monday morning.At least five people were killed, two due to a rocket strike on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih and three others due to drone attacks on Zaporizhzhya, they said.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian army once again used long-range bombers, launching cruise missiles. Hypersonic missiles of the Kinzhal (Dagger) type were also fired.The attacks were primarily aimed at Ukraine’s energy system, analysts observed.On Monday, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine involving 127 missiles and cruise missiles, along with over 100 combat drones.This was the highest number reported by the Ukrainian military in two and a half years of conflict. (dpa/NAN)Foreign News
Electricity Consumers Laud Jos Disco for Exceptional Service in Benue
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From Attah Ede, Makurdi
A broad spectrum of electricity customers in Benue State yesterday, commended Jos Electricity Distribution Plc for delivering consistent, stable and reliable services in the region.They gave the commendation during a radio interactive program on Brothers FM and monitored by our correspondent, heralding the launch of a customer consultative forum in Gboko, the traditional capital of the Tiv nation.
His Royal Highness, Ikpa Ahua, representing the paramount ruler of Gboko, led the commendations. He praised the company’s significant improvement in electricity supply over the past few months, noting its positive impact on local businesses.Ahua also appreciated the company’s metering policy, which has increased access to prepaid meters for customers.He however lamented the frequent cases of vandalism of electricity installations and pledged to intensify efforts to safeguard these facilities.Other dignitaries, including Prince Makir Zakpe, Kindred head of Gboko South, Zaki Amachi Terkimbi and Zaki Linus, also commended the company’s efficient service.In his opening remarks, Pastor Emma Ameh who represented the Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed, urged customers to settle their energy bills promptly, given the improvements in service delivery.He emphasized the need for customers to fulfill their obligations to enable the company to continue meeting its energy delivery mandate.Presentations by Lucky Akpobi, Head of Customer Complaints and Relationship Management, and Comrade Ojochide Matthew Agbata, Regional Manager of Makurdi, highlighted the benefits of prepaid meters in resolving billing disputes.Head, Corporate Communications, Dr. Friday Adakole Elijah, emphasized the importance of vigilance in combating energy theft and vandalism, urging customers to report suspicious activities to the company or law enforcement agencies.Foreign News
2 Pilots Killed in France as Military Jets Crash Mid-flight
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Two French pilots died when their military jets collided mid-flight in eastern France, the nation’s Air Force said in a post on X.
The two Rafale fighter jets were returning from a mission in Germany when they collided near Colombey-les-Belles, close to the city of Nancy, Wednesday’s post said.
A third pilot ejected safely and was quickly found, unharmed, the post said.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, expressed the country’s condolences to the families of the two pilots.
The aircraft were stationed in Saint-Dizier, in eastern France.
No details were initially provided regarding the cause of the accident. (dpa/NAN)