By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
Greece
Sumund Flotilla Begins Last Lap On Gaza Humanitarian Trip
After a series of mysterious attacks and survival, the Global Sumund Flotilla has set sail on the last lap of its humanitarian trip to Gaza.
It sailed from the port of Crete in Greece, and after its flagship suffered a major engine failure which organisers linked to a drone strike by an unnamed foe.
The flotilla, comprising multiple boats and activists from more than 44 countries, is being guarded by warships from Italy and Spain,both of which had promised it protection in the event of an attack.
Italy and Spain scrambled their warships to protect the flotilla after it was attacked multiple times with drones by interests that the organizers suspect is Israel.
The flotilla is bearing food, medicines, water and fuel.
Israel has vowed to intercept the flotilla and arrest and deport the activists on board, as it did to earlier flotillas.
The Sumud is trying to break Israel’ s blockade of the Gaza strip which it has been decimating with military fire power in an effort to seize and occupy its main city, Gaza.
The United Nations, UN, says that more than 440 persons had died of hunger and starvation in Gaza , following the crippling blockade imposed by Israel.
Ukraine
Russia Pounds Ukraine In Overnight Strikes
With more than 600 drones and l40 missiles, Russia pounded Ukraine overnight, with the capital, Kiev, the butt of the onslaught.
The assault killed four persons in the capital city, but there are fears that the death toll could rise with several persons still unaccounted for, believed trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
It was the first major attack by Russia in recent days and such was the scale that neighbouring Poland had to scramble its fighter jets for interceptions if it came to that.
But the proactive action of Poland eventually proved unnecessary and the jets had to return to base after Warsaw said there had been no violations of its airspace by Russian drones and attack aircraft
Aside from Kiev, Russia has been attacking Ukraine at multiple points and cities across the country.
The massive assault, which the Mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, described as vile, came just hours after Russia, at the ongoing session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, warned against any aggression against it by both the European Union, EU, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.
Russia ‘ s position was contained in its address delivered by its Foreign Secretary , Sergey Lavrov, at the UNGA session.
Russia has been engaged in an internecine civil conflict with its smaller neighbour, Ukraine, after it invaded it in 2022.
United Kingdom
Labour Party Begins Confab
The ruling Labour Party of Britain has begun its conference amid uncertainty.
The party, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, swept to victory in the last general elections, thus effectively ending more than three decades of Conservative Party rule in the country.
However, it has lost much public support, going by recent gallop polls amongst Britons.
The polls consistently showed that the Reform UK party as the most likely winner in any general elections in the country, on current national mood.
This is because voters say they are bothered by sluggish economic prospects and the lack of a clear policy on immigration by the Labour government.
Against the backdrop of the receding public support for the party, Starmer is expected to rally conservative and progressive elements within the party to the core values of Labour.
Aside from bashing by both the Reform UK Party and the Conservative Party led by Kemi Badenoch, Starmer is also facing challenge from within the Labour Party, with some suggestions that he could be challenged to the position of the leadership of the party .
China
China Commissions World ‘s Highest Bridge
China has commissioned the highest vehicular bridge in the world.
The bridge is built across a canyon and the structure ,a masterpiece by every account, stands at 625 meters ( more than 2,000 feet ) above the ground.
It took three years of intense labour to build, and it symbolizes the country’ s growing technical capacity.
Located in the Huajing area, the bridge significantly cuts back the travel time between the immediate impacted communities from.mioe than two hours to a handful of minutes.
It is approximately three kilometres long.
The unveiling of the bridge comes just two weeks after China held an earth- shaking military parade at which ultra- modern kits and other potent military equipment and technology were unveiled.
World Leaders from more than 20 countries attended the parade in Beijing.
America
Trump Hosts Israeli PM, Netanyahu, Moro
American President, Donald Trump, is to host the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, tomorrow, days after the United Nations General Assembly UNGA session at which the latter was clearly isolated.
Tomorrow ‘s meeting between both leaders is of great moment outside the immediate geographic shores of their countries as it would outline their response to mounting global support for the state of Palestine, a core subject on which they both appear at odds with much of the rest of the world.
Trump has so far failed to rein in Netanyahu on his opposition to an independent state of Palestine and his ongoing war on Gaza and military occupation ofthe West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Netanyahu, in a defiant mood, vowed at the UNGA that there would be no Palestine State West of the Jorddn River.
This is in spite of the fact that many Western countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Portugal, Australia, Belgium and New Zealand have recognized Palestine as a state.
America is the main supplier of arms ammunition, intelligence and political and diplomatic support for Israel.
