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Israeli strike hits municipal building in south Lebanon, mayor among 6 killed

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By Laila Bassam and Humeyra Pamuk

BEIRUT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israel launched an airstrike on Wednesday on the municipal headquarters in Nabatieh, a major town in south Lebanon, killing the mayor and at least five others.

The attack raised fears that Israel’s expanding air campaign, designed to crush Iran-backed Hezbollah, could increasingly include public officials and buildings, which so far have been spared.

Debris lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
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Lebanon’s Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack on the provincial capital, saying it “intentionally targeted a meeting of the municipal council to discuss the city’s service and relief situation.”

It was the most significant Israeli hit yet on a Lebanese state building since it launched its offensive two weeks ago and came despite U.S. concerns about rising death tolls and fears of all-out war in the region.

Rubble lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
© Thomson Reuters

 

The health ministry said six people had been killed, with the interior minister confirming the death of the mayor.

After Israel first issued an evacuation notice for Nabatieh, a city of tens of thousands of people, on Oct. 3, a Reuters reporter called Mayor Ahmed Kahil to ask if he would leave. He said he would not.

Israel’s military said on Wednesday it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Nabatieh area and dismantled underground infrastructure, while its navy also hit dozens of targets in southern Lebanon, in cooperation with troops on the ground.

Israel is now battling Tehran’s allies Hezbollah in south Lebanon and in the capital Beirut and the Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza. It is also preparing to retaliate for an Iranian missile attack on Oct. 1, following a similar large-scale operation in April.

Rubble lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
© Thomson Reuters

 

Options include an attack on the Islamic Republic’s oil facilities, a move that would hammer Iran’s economy and raise global oil prices, or its nuclear facilities.

Smoke billows over Beirut’s southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
© Thomson Reuters

 

LOW PROBABILITY OF ATTACK ON NUCLEAR SITES

The probability of an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites remains low but any potential damage would be “quickly compensated,” state atomic energy agency spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Wednesday, according to semi-official Nournews.

“We have always taken these threats seriously. We have planned in a way that if they commit any stupidity, the damages would be minimal,” Kamalvandi said.

Earlier on Wednesday, at least one Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, Reuters witnesses said.

Reuters witnesses heard two blasts and saw plumes of smoke emerging from two separate neighbourhoods. It came after Israel issued an evacuation order early on Wednesday, which mentioned only one building.

On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. had expressed its concerns to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration on the recent attacks on Beirut.

The last time Beirut was hit was on Oct. 10, when two strikes near the city centre killed 22 people and brought down entire buildings in a densely populated neighbourhood.

The Israeli military has in recent weeks carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, the stronghold of Hezbollah, without advance warnings, or with a warning for one area while striking more broadly.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had targeted an underground Hezbollah weapons stockpile in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh.

“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including advancing warnings to the population in the area,” the Israeli military said.

Hezbollah has not yet commented.

NO SIGNS OF CEASEFIRE

Some Western countries have been pushing for a ceasefire between the two neighbours, as well as in Gaza, though the United States says it continues to support Israel and was sending an anti-missile system and troops.

Natanyahu and his far-right government has rejected ceasefire calls and has vowed to crush Hamas and Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Mikati on Wednesday also appeared to cast doubt on diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire.

“What can deter the enemy (Israel) from its crimes, which have reached the point of targeting peacekeeping forces in the south? And what solution is hoped for in light of this reality?,” he said in a written statement.

Since Israel began its ground incursion, UNIFIL positions have come under fire and two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of one of its bases, the U.N. says. Five peacekeepers have been injured.

European Union countries that contribute have no intention of pulling back despite Israeli calls to do so, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.

Sixteen EU countries, including Austria, contribute to UNIFIL and the recent incidents have sparked widespread alarm among European governments.

Israel says it intends to push back Hezbollah and allow the safe return of tens of thousands of Israelis to their homes in northern Israel.

Israeli operations in Lebanon have killed at least 2,350 people over the last year and left nearly 11,000 wounded, according to the health ministry, and more than 1.2 million people have been displaced. The U.N. says a quarter of the country is under evacuation orders.

The toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but includes hundreds of women and children.

Around 50 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in the same period, according to Israel.

(Reporting by Laila Bassam and Timour Azhar in Beirut, Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Andrew Gray in Brussels; Writing by Lincoln Feast and Michael Georgy; Editing by Stephen Coates, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Sharon Singleton)

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Man Beaten To Death In Lagos For Sleeping With Employer’s Wife

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A young man from Plateau State, identified as Nengak, has been reportedly beaten to death by a mob in Lagos State after he was allegedly caught in a compromising situation with the wife of his employer.

According to a friend of the deceased, Bitrus Idi, who spoke to Daily Post, Nengak, a security guard, worked for a family in the upscale Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Lagos.

Nengak, who was in his early 20s, reportedly performed various household duties, including cooking, washing cars, and taking the couple’s children to school.

Idi revealed that the household’s husband was often away on international trips, leaving Nengak and his employer’s wife alone in the house.

“Being a handsome, strong, and hardworking young guy, his master’s wife had a crush on him and began inviting him for other duties outside what he was employed to do,” Idi said.

According to Idi, the affair had reportedly been going on for months, but it came to light when the husband installed a CCTV camera after hearing rumors about his wife’s infidelity.

“The man had pretended to be travelling outside Lagos. Unbeknownst to Nengak, the man had installed CCTV and had gotten enough evidence,” Idi explained.

On the day of the incident, the employer reportedly told his wife he was travelling but had secretly arranged for a group of local thugs to wait around the house. When the wife called Nengak to the master bedroom as usual, the husband and his gang burst in and caught the pair in the act.

“They beat Nengak to death, and till now, the case is still to be filed as we have nobody to fight for him,” Idi said. He also revealed that the police had demanded payment for the autopsy and other related expenses before they would proceed with the case.

As of now, Nengak’s body remains in the mortuary while his family and friends await further action.

 

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Imo: Mortuary owner on the run as police declare him wanted over alleged organ harvesting

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One Mr. Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, a mortuary owner in Umuhu Autonomous Community in Ngor-okpala LGA, Imo State, is now on the run after the police declared him wanted over allegations of organ harvesting in the facility.

Oparaugo also runs a hotel in the community.

The Imo State Police Command carried out an operation at the mortuary which led to the discovery of disjointed and unkempt corpses in the facility.

The manner in which the dead bodies were tampered with, according to the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, suggested that organ harvesting is going on in the mortuary.

In a statement made available to journalists, Okoye disclosed that the operation was personally led by the police commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, acting on credible intelligence concerning the activities of the morgue.

He added that the operation was assisted by a vigilante group from the LGA, in line with ongoing efforts to curb kidnapping and other violent crimes within the state, especially along the Owerri–Aba Expressway.

The statement disclosed that decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions in the morgue.

“Following these discoveries, both the hotel and mortuary were sealed on the directive of the state government. The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits were recovered,” the statement explained.

Okoye further hinted that a forensic report which was documented by the pathological department of the State Specialist Hospital will be used in the ongoing investigation.

He added that the Commissioner of Police assured the public that all accomplices would be identified and brought to justice.

“Stanley Morocco Oparaugo has been declared wanted. Anyone with useful information should contact the nearest police station or call 0803 477 3600.
Maximum security has also been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The Command assures travelers during the holidays of its commitment to their safety,” the statement added.

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Royal Family Reacts After Popular Musician, KWAM 1 Shows Interest In Becoming Next Awujale Of Ijebuland

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The Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu-Ode, next in line to produce the new Awujale of Ijebuland, Ogun State, has instructed Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, to confirm his family’s royal lineage to validate his membership in the ruling house.

KWAM 1, in a letter dated December 3, 2025, addressed to the chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Agunsebi Quarters, Ijebu-Ode, announced his interest in the stool, describing himself as a “bonafide son” of the ruling house.

KWAM 1 also stated that his candidacy aligns with Ijebu customary law and the Ogun State Chieftaincy Laws.

In an interview with Punch, the Chairman of the ruling house and former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Abdulateef Owoyemi, said only bonafide members of the family would be allowed to participate in the selection process.

Owoyemi explained that KWAM 1, Olori Omooba of Ijebu land and others interested in the stool have been directed to complete the Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form.

According to him, the form, which requires contenders to trace their genealogy back seven generations, ensures that only genuine princes from the family can participate, thereby blocking “strangers” from claiming the throne.

He said, “The first step for anyone interested in contesting for the Awujale throne is to declare their lineage by filling the standard Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form. Once confirmed as a legitimate member of the ruling house, they can then apply for the expression of interest form.

“We have told him, just like everyone else interested in the Awujale throne, that the first step is to declare his lineage. He will do this by completing the royal lineage data form, showing his full name, which parent and grandparent he descends from, and continuing up to seven generations.

“The completed form will be signed and submitted to the head of the ruling house unit of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, who will affirm that he is a genuine member. Only then will the process move forward.”

Owoyemi emphasised that although the application window for the throne officially closed on December 5, KWAM 1 had been given a five-day extension, which would lapse on December 10.

He noted, “We won’t shut anybody out of picking the next Awujale, but we must ensure that you are a legitimate member of Fusengbuwa. Every right comes with responsibilities. For a royal family, everyone must prove their legitimacy by completing the royal lineage data form.

“When we receive the form, we will review it meticulously. If clarification is needed, we will contact the applicant. We welcome men of influence who will use their influence to enhance the throne, not to claim it, ensuring that what truly belongs to our family is preserved.”

Owoyemi explained that the local government has given them 14 days to select candidates, and the ruling house hopes to have a new Awujale by the second or third week of January 2026.

He added, “The local government has given us 14 days to select candidates, which expires on December 18. After that, the kingmakers have seven days to deliberate and choose one candidate, whose name will be forwarded to the governor.

“Legally, the government then has 21 days to conduct background checks and security clearance, allowing for objections or protests. After this period, the State Executive Council will ratify the nominee, and the governor will announce the next Awujale, after which coronation rites will commence.

“So, combining the candidate selection, kingmakers’ deliberation, and legal objection period, we are looking at around 42 days. Therefore, we expect the next Awujale to emerge between the second and third week of January.”

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