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  • Post Paints Misleading Picture of Biden’s Financial Support for Israel and Palestinians

    Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate.

    Quick Take

    An Instagram post misleadingly claims President Joe Biden is “funding every angle of this conflict” between Hamas and Israel. The U.S. does supply military aid to Israel, but it has supplied only humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, not military aid to Hamas.

    Full Story

    The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on civilian and military targets in Israel on Oct. 7, killing at least 1,200 people, including 22 Americans. Since then, some have sought to blame the Biden administration for providing monetary assistance to residents of the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, which the U.S. has designated a foreign terrorist organization.

    An Oct. 11 Instagram post shared by a Florida rapper who goes by Hi-Rez says that Biden “is funding every angle of this conflict,” and shows the image of competing missiles, both labeled “US Taxpayer Dollars.” But the claims used to back that up are missing context.

    Let’s take these one at a time.

    U.S. Humanitarian Aid for Gaza

    The claim that “Biden unfroze $360 million in 2021 and began sending it to Palestine” is essentially true, but the money is not funding the Hamas attacks on Israel.

    The State Department announced in May 2021 that it was adding $38 million to support humanitarian assistance in the West Bank and Gaza. That brought the total in U.S. aid to Palestinians to $360 million that year, a sharp turnaround in U.S. policy after then-President Donald Trump axed Palestinian aid in 2018.

    The State Department said the money would be used to support “humanitarian organizations to provide emergency shelter, food, relief items, and health care, as well as mental health and psychosocial support for those who experienced trauma.” About $10 million of the funds were earmarked to “support programs that support reconciliation work to reduce tension and violence over the long term.”

    At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the aid would be used for “urgent, humanitarian reconstruction assistance for Gaza” after an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas militants in May 2021. Blinken also assured that “we will work with partners to ensure that Hamas does not benefit from these reconstruction efforts.”

    U.S. Military Aid for Israel

    The social media post’s claim that “America sends billions every year to Israel for military aid” is accurate. According to a Congressional Research Service report issued in March, the U.S. has provided $124 billion in military aid to Israel since 1946.

    “Almost all current U.S. aid to Israel is military assistance,” the report states. “U.S. military aid has helped transform Israel’s armed forces into one of the most technologically sophisticated militaries in the world.”

    $6 Billion in Iranian Assets

    Finally, the Instagram post claims that “Biden unfroze $6 billion cash for Iran on 9/11.”

    Iran has historically been a supporter of Hamas, and the post is referring to Iranian money unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran in August. Citing that deal, some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have falsely claimed that U.S. tax dollars helped to fund the recent Hamas attack.

    But as we wrote on Oct. 10, the $6 billion freed up was Iranian money that was being held in South Korean banks. It was released to banks in Qatar, and State Department officials say there will be oversight to ensure it can only be spent on humanitarian needs in Iran, such as food or medicine.

    As the State Department noted, the Trump administration had previously attempted to facilitate the release of the Iranian funds held in South Korea for humanitarian purposes, but it never came to pass.

    Experts told us it is fair to argue, as some have, that money is fungible, and therefore even if the $6 billion is spent on humanitarian needs, Iran could use money it might otherwise have spent on those necessities to fund other things, which could include Hamas.

    But Iran hasn’t seen any of that money yet.

    The U.S. Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, posted a statement on social media on Oct. 7 saying, “All of the money held in restricted accounts in Doha as part of the arrangement to secure the release of 5 Americans in September remains in Doha. Not a penny has been spent.”

    Taken together, the claims in the social media post draw a false equivalence between military aid provided to Israel and humanitarian aid provided to Palestinians in Gaza. And the claim that “Biden unfroze $6 billion cash for Iran” is missing the context that it is Iran’s money, that it is earmarked for humanitarian uses, and that the Trump administration also had attempted to facilitate the release of the Iranian funds for humanitarian purposes.

    Sources

    Martinez, Andres and Bubola, Emma. “What We Know About the Hamas Attack and Israel’s Response.” New York Times. 9 Oct 2023.

    Department of State. “Foreign Terrorist Organizations.” Undated. Accessed 11 Oct 2023.

    Reals, Tucker. “Israel forms unity government as airstrikes hammer Hamas-ruled Gaza.” CBS News. 11 Oct 2023.

    Farley, Robert and Robertson, Lori. “Republican Claims on Hamas Attack and Iran Funds Distort the Facts.” FactCheck.org. 10 Oct 2023.

    May, Tiffany. “A Quick Look at Hamas.” New York Times. 8 Oct 2023.

    U.S. Department of State. Press release: “U.S. Assistance for the Palestinian People.” 26 May 2021.

    Brunnstrom, David. “Trump cuts more than $200 million in U.S. aid to Palestinians.” Reuters. 24 Aug 2018.

    Jakes, Lara and Kershner, Isabel. “Seeking to Restore Palestinian Links, Blinken Risks New Frictions With Israel.” 25 May 2021.

    Bubola, Emma. “Here is a timeline of the clashes between Palestinian militants and Israel.” New York Times. 7 Oct 2023.

    U.S. Department of State. “Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Statements to the Press.” 25 May 2021.

    Sharp, Jeremy. “U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel.” Congressional Research Service. Updated 1 Mar 2023.



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  • Force Headquarters takes over case of 2-year-old boy allegedly killed by NDLEA operatives in Delta

    Force Headquarters takes over case of 2-year-old boy allegedly killed by NDLEA operatives in Delta
    Delta State Police Command said Police Force Headquarters in Abuja has taken over investigations into the alleged killing of a two-year-old boy, Ivan Omorhiakogbe, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 

     

    Ivan died on July 13, 2023, after he was hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired by NDLEA operatives during a raid on drug peddlers’ hideouts in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

     

    The bullet also scratched his younger brother, Erhumossele, in one of his eyes. 

     

    Omorhiakogbe was rushed to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, where he was confirmed dead, but his brother survived.

     

    The boys were at his mother’s shop at a plaza in the locality when the incident happened. 

     

    The Delta State Police Commissioner, Wale Abass, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Asaba on Tuesday, October 10, said the force headquarters had taken over the investigation from the state for a thorough investigation. 

     

    “About the NDLEA and the issue that happened in Okpanam, we have concluded investigations, the suspect has been taken to Abuja, for more in depth investigation probably to go beyond what our wherewithal here can achieve,” the CP said. 

     

    “They have taken the suspect to Abuja, we have given them the case file and I believe in no distant time, the suspect will be charged.” 

    Source

  • ‘8.9m Nigerians not dazed when they voted for Tinubu, he needs no reintroduction,’ APC tells Peter Obi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday took a swipe at the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his remark on President Bola Tinubu.

    The former Anambra State governor had in a press conference earlier on Wednesday in Abuja, asked the president to come clean on his academic certificate and other unresolved issues on his identity.

    He urged Tinubu to save himself and the country at large from the embarrassment caused by the controversy surrounding his academic records.

    The LP candidate was reacting to the controversy surrounding the president’s academic records released by the Chicago State University (CSU) last week.

    However, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC reminded Obi that the former Lagos State governor did not need reintroduction because he was lawfully elected by Nigerians in the February 25 election.

    The party stressed that Nigerians who voted for the president knew him and were not “groggy” during the election.

    The statement read: “Unwilling to miss out in the orchestrated campaign of calumny against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his certificate from the Chicago State University, Obi jumped on the tailboard of Atiku’s bandwagon to satisfy his uncanny and insatiable thirst for cheap media attention, long after his Labour Party had dissociated itself from a bogus call to action by the former Vice-President.

    “In his drivel, Peter Obi demanded that the President reintroduce himself to Nigerians, as though the 8.9 million Nigerians who voted him last February were all groggy when they made their free democratic choice.

    “Mr. Obi must know that President Tinubu does not need a re-introduction. He does not have any identity problem, except the one contrived by the Atikus and Peters of our political firmament.

    “The 8.9 million Nigerians who voted him into office were, and remain, aware of his outstanding record and accomplishments as a defender of democracy, freedom, social and economic justice for over three decades.

    “Nigerians know President Tinubu as a thoroughbred professional and former auditor and treasurer of Mobil Nigeria, now ExxonMobil.”

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  • Elon Musk makes all Tesla Superchargers free in Israel

    Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk announced on Wednesday that all Tesla Superchargers are free in Israel as the nation reels from Hamas terrorist attacks that left 1,200 people – mostly civilians – dead and thousands more wounded.

    “All Tesla Superchargers in Israel are free,” Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter.

    After Hamas executed its surprise attacks on Saturday, Musk asked his followers on X, “What will it take to beat hate?”

    “Be stronger than those who hate you, so that they cannot destroy you, and then forgive them,” he added.

    Backed by Iran, Hamas is classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

    Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, praised the attacks, writing, “God willing, the cancer of the usurper Zionist regime will be eradicated at the hands of the Palestinian people and the Resistance forces throughout the region. #AlAqsaStorm”

    Musk responded to the Iranian leader’s anti-Semitic post, saying, “Khamenei’s official position is clear that the eradication of Israel is the actual goal, not just supporting Palestinians. That will not happen. All that actually happens, decade after decade, is a never-ending cycle of violence and vengeance. Stoking the fires of hatred isn’t working. Perhaps it is time to consider something else.”

    Echoing Khamenei’s message, a leader and founding member of Hamas, Khalid Mashal, reportedly called for a global Jihad, asking Muslims around the world to target the people of Israel on Friday, Oct. 13.

    According to a translation and analysis of the video by author Brother Rachid, Mashal referred to his proposed day of anger as “the Friday of Al-Aqsa flood,” which will “send a message of rage to Zionists and to America.”

    “The most important thing: He asked all Muslims around the world to carry Jihad by their souls; to fight and be martyrs for Al-Aqsa. He wants Muslims to fight against the Jews, starting with Muslims who live in the countries surrounding Israel: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt (but also other countries), to go to the borders and try to enter, each by his own means,” Rachid explained. “He said: This is the time for Jihad to be applied on the ground rather than just in theory. He asked the Mujahedeen to go in long caravans to spell their blood on the land of Palestine.”



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  • ‘Identity Theft’: Group Reacts To Peter Obi’s Poser To Tinubu

    OPI-President-Amb-Ginika-To

    A group loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Omalegwuoku Progressive Initiative/Igbo Kwenu For Asiwaju, has reacted to the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s call for Tinubu to clear the air on controversies surrounding his academic records and identity.

    Amb Ginika Tor, leader of the group, said at a press conference on Wednesday that President Tinubu does not owe the LP candidate an explanation about his academic records.

    She noted that the president’s focus should be on taking the country to new heights after gaining the massive support and mandate of Nigerians during the presidential elections

    “Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Labour party, came up to say that our president, a man that is the number one man in this country should come out and explain his state. So by now a man who served 8 years as a governor, you don’t know his certificate? Should tell us his background educationally, is that right?

    “It is an insult to Nigeria as a nation. For you to call out our president who was massively supported, elected, confirmed and validated as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to come and stand before who? To say he’s from this state, from this country, from this region, from this locality. Does he owe us that? What the President owe us now is to take us to our destination of choice.

    “I am disappointed in a man that I respected so much, my brother, who stood in front to run for Igbos. It may not be his turn now, but it could come in future. But whatever he does now is going to play out in the future. So let us be cautious and let all Igbos not be misled by this press interview that our own brother granted.

    “We are telling our brother, Obi, calm down, if God wanted you to be there, He would have made you the President. He did not. There is a lot of distraction on this President, are you not bothered with the issues of the world?” she queried.

    “I once again call on my brothers and sisters from the Eastern region to please embrace peace at this time that we need to forge ahead progressively, support this administration charged to drive to our destination of choice. Owing to the fact that it is obviously too early to agitate, there is no gain without pain, lets persevere and pray for the government to fulfill our desired dream nation.”

    Recall that Obi had asked President Tinubu to reintroduce himself to Nigerians to clear the “lingering doubts and valid speculations about his true identity” once and for all.

    Obi challenged Tinubu to tell Nigerians his real name, nationality, place of birth, parentage, the primary and secondary school he attended with dates, as well as the actual universities he attended and certificates obtained.

    He also called on Tinubu to indicate where and when he did his National Youth Service (NYSC), and whether he had ever had a change of name.

    Source

  • Chris Rock asked me out during my marriage troubles with Will Smith

    Chris Rock asked me out during my marriage troubles with Will Smith - Jada Pinkett Smith

     

    It seems like Will Smith, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith’s drama goes way beyond the infamous Oscars slap in 2022.

    Actress, and TV host and producer, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed in her new memoir, “Worthy,” that Rock, 58, asked her out on a date amid rumors she was divorcing Will, 55, a few years prior to the Oscars slap.

    Jada, 52, speaking to People magazine ahead of the book’s debut said:

    “I think every summer all the reports would come out that me and Will were getting a divorce.”

     

    “And this particular summer, Chris, he thought that we were getting a divorce,” she continued. “So he called me and basically he was like, ‘I’d love to take you out.’

    “And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He was like, ‘Well, aren’t you and Will getting a divorce?’ I was like, ‘No. Chris, those are just rumors.’ He was appalled,” Jada recalled.

    “And he profusely apologized and that was that.”

    Chris Rock asked me out during my marriage troubles with Will Smith - Jada Pinkett Smith

    In 2022, Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s clean-shaven head at the Oscars awards ceremony last year.

    At the event, Rock laughed while presenting an award, saying that he couldn’t wait to see the actress in “G.I. Jane 2.”

     

    Will Smith, who was sitting beside his wife, then walked up to the “Everybody Hates Chris” creator on stage and punched him in front of millions of viewers.

     

    As a result of the fracas, Smith was banned from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years.

    Pinkett Smith speaking to People, says she’s not spoken to Chris Rock since the scandal.

    “[Do I have] any desire to talk to Chris? Here’s my desire: I just hope that all the misunderstanding around this can be cleared up and that there can be peace,” she sighed.

    Jada who suffers from the hair loss condition alopecia, claimed she wasn’t that offended by the comedian’s comments at the time.

    “I mean, that’s what comedians do,” she stated. “I would just have to say that I am not really here to make any judgment on how people decide to express themselves and express their art.”

    “I’ll say that several times I’ve had my feelings hurt, for sure. I’ve had my feelings hurt a lot by Chris. But at the end of the day, too, being in the spotlight, it comes with the territory.”

     

    Source

  • Abductors Of Four Nigerian University Students In Nasarawa Demand N20Million Ransom

    SaharaReporters had reported how some gunmen suspected to be terrorists kidnapped some students of the university.

     

    The abductors of the four students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), have demanded the sum of N20 million as ransom for the release of the students.

     

    SaharaReporters had reported how some gunmen suspected to be terrorists kidnapped some students of the university.

     

    The gunmen invaded the students’ residence at Sabon-Gida identified as Nazeer Sabon-Gida and took away some female students of the school, whose number could not be ascertained, though the Students Union Government of the school said the abducted victims were not fewer than 30.

     

    A few hours later, the Nigerian Army announced that it had rescued six of the students after a gun battle with the terrorists.

     

    On Wednesday, Daily Post reported that the abductors made contact with the school authorities on Tuesday and demanded N20 million for the release of the abducted students.

     

    It was reported that a student union leader in the school confirmed that the kidnappers had reached out to the school authorities and demanded the sum of N20 million.

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  • Tinubu, Ganduje, Okorocha present as APC launches governorship campaign in Imo

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday launched its campaign for the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.

    The campaign rally held in Owerri, the state capital, was attended by President Bola Tinubu, the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

    Others at the rally were governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Francis Nwifiru (Ebonyi), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Mai Mala-Buni (Yobe) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa) as well as some members of the National Assembly.

    The duo of former Imo State governors, Rochas Okorocha and Ikedi Ohakim also attended the event.

    Tinubu was represented at the campaign rally by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

    In his address at the forum, Tinubu said the people of South-East cannot afford to play independently in Nigeria’s politics.

    He commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for adding value to Imo through his giant strides in infrastructural development and the increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

    The president said: “From a paltry N16 billion annually, he has increased the IGR to more than N30 billion per annum.

    “For the purpose of consolidation and continuity, it is important for the people of Imo to rally round Uzodimma and get him re-elected.

    “You may not appreciate him but in the fullness of time, you will come to realise how important he is in the politics of Ndigbo.”

    In his remark, Ganduje praised Uzodimma for providing good governance in the state.

    He urged the people of Imo to re-elect the governor on November 11.

    “It is important because it has been the culture that when a new government comes in, it abandons the projects of the previous government.

    “In your own case, we need continuity. Continuity will lead to consolidation, consolidation will lead to sustainability, sustainability will lead to progress and progress will lead to prosperity,” the former Kano State governor added.

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  • Vietnam tried hacking US politicians, journalists: Report

    Vietnamese government operatives reportedly tried to infiltrate the phones of U.S. Congress members, American policy professionals, and journalists using advanced spyware, exposing the increasing sophistication and audacity of cyber espionage.

    The information came to light recently after thorough examinations of Twitter links and investigative documents, which were analyzed by multiple news outlets, including The Washington Post.

    Notably, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a key figure in the Foreign Relations Committee, were among those targeted, according to The Washington Post. CNN’s chief national security analyst, Jim Sciutto, and two of his colleagues focused on Asia were also targeted, according to The Washington Post.

    The cyber espionage efforts coincided with Vietnam and America’s negotiations on a pivotal cooperation agreement. This pact, aimed at countering China’s expanding influence in Asia, was subsequently signed by President Joe Biden during his September visit to Vietnam.

    During the critical negotiations, it is believed that Vietnamese officials would have been interested in better understanding Washington’s stance on China and other Asian affairs.

    The intricate hacking operation employed the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, enticing politicians and others to visit malware-riddled websites. The malware in question, “Predator,” mirrors the capabilities of the infamous “Pegasus,” allowing covert access to mobile devices, activating microphones and cameras, accessing files, and even reading encrypted messages.

    According to The Washington Post, the potent spyware is circulated by entities including the European firms Intellexa and Cytrox, both recently added to the U.S. Commerce Department’s “Entity List,” which regulates business engagements.

    Amnesty International’s Security Lab’s head, Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, told The Washington Post, “Through all the evidence and documents we have seen we believe that Predator was sold from Intellexa through several intermediaries to the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.”

    READ MORE: Vietnam vet to receive Medal of Honor for heroic rescue mission

    Vietnam’s use of cyber-espionage is not a new development. Prior instances of cyber-espionage efforts by Vietnam include their alleged attempts to hack human rights activists overseas. Their use of commercial spyware was also highlighted by the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab in 2020.

    The attempt to breach U.S. officials’ privacy has raised serious concerns, especially given the recent shift in relations between the United States and Vietnam. Once adversaries, the two nations have been gravitating towards a strategic partnership, a move evident in the recent agreement signed by Biden.

    According to The Washington Post, the deepening alliance between the two nations underscores the intent of the United States to diversify its supply chain from China and marks an indication of Vietnam’s openness to strengthen its global ties.

    This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.



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  • Oil Assets Divestments Will Boost Production, Employment For Nigeria- Wabote

    The Nigerian oil and gas industry is poised for a boost in crude oil production, employment creation, and capital injection with the planned divestment of some assets by select international oil and gas companies and concomitant acquisition by Nigerian operating companies, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote said on Wednesday.
     

    The Executive Secretary painted this picture while delivering the keynote address on Divestments in oil and gas: the challenges, the opportunities, and the implications to the industry in Nigeria at the 2023 Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) Energy and Labour Summit in Abuja.
     

    Quoting the AfricaReport magazine, he stated that about 26 oil mining licenses have been divested or acquired by oil and gas companies in the Niger Delta Basin area of Nigeria in the past decade.

    Some of the divestments currently on the cards include the plan by Shell and ExxonMobil to sell oil and gas assets worth billions of dollars, in addition to Eni’s announcement in September of an agreement with Oando PLC for the sale of NAOC interests in six onshore blocks and Okpai gas power plant in, Delta State.

     
    He emphasized that divestments of oil assets are not necessarily negative, rather they present an avenue for the local capacities and capabilities that have been developed through local content implementation to be brought to bear in the upstream sector.
     

    Wabote outlined several opportunities that would accrue from divestments, such as the injection of new capital, the rejuvenation of divested assets, and an increase in crude oil production through the investment in technologies by the acquiring firms.

    Other direct benefits are the creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities by the indigenous companies and their service providers.

    He reiterated that the divestments confirm that Nigerians and indigenous companies have come of age and have acquired the technical, managerial, and financial capabilities to play in the “big league.”

    He added that “the involvement of our financial institutions on the transactions represents means of efficient capital deployment and capacity building on loans syndication on an international scale. This is also applicable to legal services, insurance, government relations, employee relations, community liaison, and others.”
     

    Aside from the opportunities, the NCDMB boss equally highlighted challenges encountered in the divestment exercises.

    These revolved around the time required to get necessary regulatory approvals as well as the substantial interests from various groups covering political, legal, communities, and labour.

    Among other challenges are the potential for the disruption of oil and gas production, job losses, as well as “access to latest technology especially if the new investors lack the technical expertise or have no support from original equipment manufacturers.”

    There are also issues around how “to manage legacy issues or liabilities related to the environment, communities, and other social commitments and pressure on new investors to recoup investments on time to offset loans and address other financial requirements.”

    The NCDMB boss assured that the Board would continue to partner with industry stakeholders to institute regulations that would ensure that the increasing footprints and stakes of indigenous oil and gas production companies would not lead to a reduction in Nigerian content compliance.

    He promised that the Board would continue to partner with PENGASSAN to shape a future where Nigeria’s energy industry not only survives but thrives in the face of change.

    Source