Politics

Borrell warns Middle East headed for ‘full-blown war’ as Israel strikes southern Beirut

Published

1 year ago

September 29, 2024

The EU’s Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell has warned the Middle East is heading towards “full-blown war” on the same evening as Israel launched air strikes on Hezbollah’s headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Speaking to reporters in New York following a UN Security Council session on Gaza, Borrell said he regretted that no power seemed able to “stop” Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that Israel’s prime minister appeared to be determined to crush militants in Lebanon and Gaza at all costs.

“If the interpretation of being destroyed is the same as with Hamas, then we are going to go for a long war,” he was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

Those comments come after the Israeli military announced on Friday night that it hit Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs with “very accurate” strikes.

At least two people were killed and dozens were injured in the strike, which sent clouds of orange and black smoke into the sky.

“This targeting confirms one thing. Today all Lebanese people are targeted. The Israeli enemy is not differentiating between military personnel and a civilian,” said local resident, Jad Fayyad.

US media claim that Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strike, but this has not been confirmed by Israeli officials.

Nasrallah has been in hiding for years, very rarely appearing in public with his speeches usually made by video from unknown locations. It is not known if he was in the building at the time of the attack.

Iran’s embassy in Beirut condemned the strikes, saying they “represent a serious escalation that changes the rules of the game”.

It also said that Israel would be “punished appropriately”.

But in New York during a visit to the United Nations earlier this week, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to suggest Tehran was not interested in escalation, saying a wider war in the Middle East “will not benefit anyone”.

In a sign of the significance of the strike, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly cut short a visit to the United States — deciding to return to Israel immediately instead of waiting until the end of Sabbath on Saturday evening as was originally planned.

Israeli politicians do not normally travel on the Sabbath except for matters of great importance.

Hours earlier, Netanyahu vowed that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah would continue, dashing hopes for an internationally backed cease-fire.

To a degree unseen in past conflicts, Israel this past week has aimed to eliminate Hezbollah’s senior leadership with Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari openly saying the strikes pummelling Lebanon’s capital were targeted towards the main Hezbollah headquarters, located beneath residential buildings.

Israel dramatically intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon this week claiming that it was ending the 11 months of Hezbollah fire into its territory.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded almost daily cross-border fire since the war in Gaza started in October last year. Hezbollah says its attacks on Israel will stop when a ceasefire with Hamas is reached.

Although the precise scope of Israel’s operation remains unclear, officials have said a ground invasion to push the militant group away from the border is a possibility.

Adding to this, Israel has moved thousands of troops toward the border this week in preparation.

Israel’s strikes this week have killed more than 720 people in Lebanon, including dozens of women and children, according to statistics collected by the Health Ministry.

Politics

How Buhari shocked me 6 months into his administration – Oyegun

Published

2 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Chairman, Policy Manifesto Committee of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, John Odigie-Oyegun, says former president Muhammadu Buhari gave him the shock of his life, six months into his administration as Nigeria’s leader.

Oyegun made this disclosure on Friday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He revealed that as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, he went to tell Buhari that he was not delivering his election promises to Nigerians but that the late president told him he would not rule with strictness, but rather wanted to show Nigerians that he is a true civilian president.

The former APC National Chairman lamented that it became business as usual, from there.

“I was national chairman of the APC. Six months or less into our assuming office, fairly alarmed, I went to the late President Buhari for a one-on-one talk. I said Mr President, this is not what the people were expecting. They wanted a bit of the old president Buhari.

“And he explained to me, Mr Chairman, I have learned my lesson. I was shocked. And don’t forget at that time, a lot of prominent Nigerians took their holidays abroad, just to be sure and see what this new sheriff in town will be.

“Buhari told me he wants to now show the people that he’s a true civilian president in Agbada. And by the time we finished the conversation, I said Oh God, we are finished. Because, if he’s not ready to be strict, what’s the point?

“Weeks later, months later, years later, I was proven correct. And of course, it became business as usual, only that they are a new set of tenants in Aso Rock. That was a shocker,” he said.

Politics

Electoral Reform: Dino alleges senate’s plot to rig 2027 election

Published

24 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.

The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.

In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.

He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.

Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.

Politics

Electoral Act: Nigerians have every reason to be mad at Senate – Ezekwesili

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.

Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.

Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.

“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.

“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”