By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
France
Former President of France, Nicholas Sarkozy , has been imprisoned for criminal conspiracy.
He was imprisoned in central Paris this morning following his earlier conviction for criminal conspiracy regarding the funding of his 2007 presidential campaign.
The court had convicted him for receiving illegal funding from the administration of now late President of Libya, Muammmar Ghadaffi.
Sarkozy denies the charges and remained defiant even as he was ushered into his solitary single inmate cell in Paris today to begin a five-year term.
Sarkozy, who had been convicted for another crime for which he wore an offender ‘s electronic tag around his ankle, has appealed his conviction and sentencing, and in his social media post this morning, said his trial was politically influenced.
In the post, he also took a swipe at the judiciary for allegedly being politically – influenced and the judge for insisting that he be incarcerated during the pendency of his appeal which he had filed.
Sarkozy is the first French leader to be jailed since the end of the Second World War.
He was the President of France between 2097 and 2012.
America
US, Australia Sign Rare Earth Minerals Deal To Defy China
In an apparent effort at undercutting China ‘s global dominance in rare minerals processing and trade, America and Australia have signed a historic deal on the subject.
The President of America, Donald Trump, signed the deal with his Australian.leader in Washington .
Under the deal, America is to source a significant part of its rare earth minerals from Australia in exchange for its high technology military assets to it ( Australia).
The deal followed China ‘s freeze on its rare earth minerals exports to America.
China hinged its action on the stiff tariff unilaterally imposed on it by Trump.
Beijing has 70 per cent of global rare earth minerals deposits and is responsible for 90 percent of the total global volume of the processed product.
The rare earth minerals are highly valued as critical inputs in high- end computing and military industrial complex.
Japan
MPs Elect Japan ‘ s First Female Prime Minister
The Japanese Senate has elected the country’ s first female Prime Minister.
She is Sanai Takaichi, a former Minister, television host and drummer.
She is to lead the country and head the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which suffered major electrical losses of recent, and is embroiled in crisis.
She inherits a country in turmoil regarding growing public discontent over rising inflation and high living costs.
She is due to meet soon with the President of America, Donald Trump.
Bolivia
New Bolivian President Raises Popular Hope In Unity, New Dawn
The President of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, has assured of a new dawn in the crisis – torn country and renewed faith in national unity.
Shortly after his inauguration, he assured of far- fetched reforms to the economy in favour of the economically weak and socially vulnerable persons.
Paz said he looked forward to reigniting warm relations with America as well as its Latin American neighbours.
Paz comes into office at a time of growing public discontent with the prostrate state of the national economy .
He comes into office as the first conservative leader of the country , thus ending over 20 years of dominance by left – leaning socialists.
France
Nine Jewels Stolen In Louvre Heist
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French authorities have confirmed that at least nine high value jewels were stolen during the recent heist at the Louvre Museum, the busiest in the world.
They have also confirmed that the thieves took only four minutes to carry out the heist before vanishing into thin air.
Details of the stolen items remained sketchy but they are understood to include jewels given to his wife and queen by the iconic French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Louvre, the busiest museum.in the world, was last burgled in 1911 when the Mona Lisa, the master piece art painting by Italian mystic Sir Leonardo Da Vinci, was stolen.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, has vowed to leave no stone unturned in efforts to track down the fleeing burglars
Sudan
Explosion Near Khartoum Airport
A huge explosion was heard this morning near the international airport in Khartoum, capital of Sudan.
The explosion occured shortly after a drone was sighted in the neighbourhood.
It was unclear at press time, if the explosion had any link to the drone.
The development comes a day before the airport was due to reopen tomorrow.
The airport had been shut to travels for years following the outbreak of the civil war between the Sudanese Government forces and those of rebel Rapid Support Force, RSF.
The war has cost more than 130,000 human.lives, and occasioned the displacement of more than 12 million persons.
The conflict is reputed global for triggering the largest humanitarian crisis in the world in contemporary times
Qatar
Qatar Accuses Israel of Breach Of Ceasefire With Hamas
The Qatari Government has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire between it and Hamas.
The foreign ministry said Israel had failed to reopen the Rafah crossing , the only outlet for Palestinians in Gaza, and significantly cutting down on the daily volume of humanitarian supplies getting into Gaza.
Israel is allowing only 300 trucks, half of the volume agreed under the agreement with Hamas, and has also launched a wave of military strikes on Gaza and Rafah after it claimed that two of its soldiers were killed and three others wounded in an attack in Rafah that it blamed on Hamas.
Has has denied involvement, insisting that it was not involved and was not aware of any such incident.
The Israeli attacks killed at least 43 Palestinians, many at a school sheltering huddling displaced persons.
The ceasefire was brokered by a coalition of states led by American President, Donald Trump
Other ceasefire coalition members are Turkiye and Qatar, both of which have now accused Israel of significant breaches of the ceasefire terms.
Both Israel and America have labelled Hamas the violator of the ceasefire .
Trump, on Monday in Washington, threatened to eradicate Hamas if it failed to keep faith with the ceasefire terms.
Hamas had denied the violations, stressing that Israel had armed militant groups in the strip to undermine it anf impair security in the enclave.
The heavily armed groups were roundly blamed for massive looting of aid entering Gaza during the operations of the infamous Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ( GHF).
More than 1,000 persons were reportedly killed by Israeli forces at or near the centres operated by the controversial foundation since it began operations on May 27 this year.
The foundation, operated by a private American security firm, was created by Israel and America to side step the United Nations Works and Relief Agency ,( UNRWA) which had been operating in all of Palestine for more than 50 years.
It had 400 operational centres,while the GHF had just four, three of which it rarely operated.
Israel
American Diplomatic Delegation Due In Israel Today
A delegation of American diplomats and other officials is due in Israel today to encourage it to firm up its commitment to the ceasefire with Hamas.
The delegation includes Vice President J.D. Vance, the Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff and Krushner, the adviser and inlaw to President Trump.
There are no public releases on the theme of their discussions with Israeli government officials .
However, it is understood that the delegation is in Tel Aviv to encourage Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold firm to the ceasefire terms as part of the foundation for an enduring peace in the entire Middle East.
Aside from Palestine, Israel has outstanding security concerns with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan , Egypt and Iran, some of which it regularly bombs in what it says are proactive efforts to enhance its own security.
Netanyahu is under intense pressure from far right members of his coalition government to resume the Gaza war in defiance of global opinion.
America
Trump Orders Demolition of Parts of White House To Build Ballroom
The President of America, Donald Trump, has ordered the demolition of a part of the White House to build a ballroom.
It was unclear when Trump made the decision but action is already ongoing, with heavy earth moving equipment seem on Monday demolishing parts of the Eastern wing of the complex
The ballroom is estimated to cost in excess of $ 250m, and Trump has assured that he and some unspecified donors would foot t the bill.
The wing under demolition house the office if the First Lady and was a common entry point for visiting foreign dignitaries.
