News
UN rights council to consider call for Israel arms embargo
By Francesca Hangeior
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council will consider a draft resolution on Friday calling for an arms embargo on Israel, citing the “plausible risk of genocide in Gaza”.
If the draft resolution is adopted, it would mark the first time that the United Nations’ top rights body has taken a position on the war raging in Gaza.
The text condemns “the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects by Israel” in populated areas of Gaza and demands Israel “uphold its legal responsibility to prevent genocide”.
The draft resolution was brought forward by Pakistan on behalf of 55 of the 56 UN member states in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) — the exception being Albania.
The text is co-sponsored by Bolivia, Cuba and the Palestinian mission in Geneva.
The eight-page draft demands Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territory and immediately lift its “illegal blockade” on the Gaza Strip.
It calls upon countries to stop the sale or transfer of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, citing “a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza”.
The draft also “condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare”, calls for an immediate ceasefire and “condemns Israeli actions that may amount to ethnic cleansing”.
Last week, the UN Security Council in New York passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire — thanks to an abstention from Washington, Israel’s closest ally.
The draft being brought in Geneva calls on states to ensure that UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, receives sufficient funding and demands Israel stop expanding settlements in Palestinian territories.
It “reaffirms that criticism of violations of international law by Israel should not be conflated with anti-Semitism”.
The resolution condemns the firing of rockets against Israeli civilian areas and demands “the immediate release of all remaining hostages and detainees”.
The council will discuss Friday whether to adopt the resolution, alongside three other resolutions concerning Israeli settlements, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan.
Israel has long accused the Human Rights Council of being biased against it.
The bloodiest-ever Gaza war erupted with Hamas’s October 7 attack, which resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Palestinian militants also seized around 250 hostages. Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are presumed dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 32,975 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
News
Insecurity! Bandits k!ll 7 farmers, burn 50 bags of maize in Niger state
Bandits have k!lled seven farmers, including a vigilante, and burnt 50 bags of maize inside a truck in Bangi, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
Sources on Saturday, November 23, told Daily Trust that the victims had gone to bring the harvested maize home from their farm when the bandits ambushed them, k!lled all the occupants in the truck and set the truck.
Bandits have killed seven of our farmers who had gone to farm to bring the maize they had harvested home. The attackers hid and waited until after the victims had loaded the 50 bags of maize into the truck and were about to take off to return home when they opened fire on them. After k!lling the victims, they also set the truck and the 50 bags of maize already loaded ablaze,” a source said.
He said it was difficult for farmers in Mariga to harvest their crops this year due to k!llings and kidnappings by bandits.
News
SAD! Roman Catholic Oldest Priest Monsignor Thomas Oleghe dies at 103
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia announces the passing unto eternal glory of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas Oleghe, at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Auchi, during the solemnity of Christ the King
Rev. Monsignor is the oldest Catholic Priest in Nigeria.
Monsignor Oleghe death is very remarkable as the centenarian died during the feast of Christ the King.
The demise of the priest of the order of Melchizedek should be best described as (TRANSITION TO GLORY)
News
NECO accredits more foreign schools for SSCE, BECE
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has given accreditation to more foreign schools to write the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Mr. Azeez Sani, disclosed this in a statement.
The newly accredited schools are in Niger Republic and Equatorial Guinea.
“NECO Accreditation Team visited the Schools to assess their readiness to write the SSCE and BECE.
“The Accreditation Team inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer laboratories, workshops, examination halls and sport facilities to determine their adequacy and suitability for NECO Examinations.
“After a thorough evaluation and comprehensive assessment, the schools were granted full SSCE and full BECE accreditation status,” the statement said.
The statement added that the accreditation of additional foreign schools is a testament to NECO’s commitment to providing quality education and assessment beyond the shores of Nigeria.
“With its expanding global presence, NECO is poised to become a leading examination body in Africa, offering opportunities for students worldwide to benefits from its expertise, thus contributing to the advancement of education in Africa and beyond.”
In another development, the statement disclosed that candidates are participating in the on-going NECO SSCE External in Diffa, Niger Republic.
“The UNHCR School, Diffa, Niger Republic is the first NECO SSCE External Centre outside Nigeria.”
NECO examinations are now written by candidates in Benin Republic, Togo, Cote’ d’Ivoire, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia.
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