The death toll from attacks by a rebel group in Colombia's Catatumbo region has risen to 60, the country's human rights office has said.
Rival factions have been vying for control of the cocaine trade in the region - which sits near the border with Venezuela - for years.
The Ombudsman's Office said the latest violence involved the National Liberation Army (ELN) - the largest armed group still active in Colombia - and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), which signed a peace treaty with the state in 2016.
The attacks broke an uneasy truce between the guerrilla groups, which had been in peace negotiations with the government.
Who are the Farc?
The Ombudsman's Office, a government agency that oversees the protection of citizens' human and civil rights, previously reported that 40 had died in the violence.
It said that many people, including community leaders and their families, were facing a "special risk" of being kidnapped or killed at the hands of the ELN. It noted that 20 people had recently been kidnapped, half of whom were women.
The office said that among those killed were seven peace treaty signatories and Carmelo Guerrero, the leader of the Association for Peasant Unity in Catatumbo (Asuncat), a local advocacy group.
Asuncat wrote on social media on Friday that Roger Quintero and Freiman Velasquez, members of its board of directors, had not been seen since the previous day, and that it suspected armed groups had taken them.
"In some communities in the region, food shortages are beginning to be reported, affecting local communities," the Ombudsman's Office wrote in a statement on Saturday, adding that thousands of people are believed to have been displaced by the violence.
"Elderly people, children, adolescents, pregnant women and people with disabilities are suffering the consequences of these events."
"Catatumbo is once again stained with blood," the Association of Mothers of Catatumbo for Peace wrote on Friday.
"The bullets exchanged not only hurt those who hold the weapons, but also tear apart the dreams of our communities, break up families and sow terror in the hears of our children."
The Ombudsman's Office appeared to lay the blame for the latest violence on the ELN, which had been in peace talks with the Colombian government until they were suspended on Friday due to the violence in Catatumbo.
President Gustavo Petro - who since his election in 2022 has sought to end violence between armed groups in the country - accused the ELN of "war crimes" and said the group "shows no willingness to make peace".
The ELN accused Farc of having initiated the conflict by killing civilians in a statement on Saturday, according to Reuters news agency. Farc has not publicly responded to the allegation.
On Saturday, the Colombian army announced it was sending additional troops to the region in an effort to restore peace.
This is why some of these girls end up in wrong hands, they mess the good guys up and go astray.
See, girls of nowadays are something else, you can never satisfy them, they want quick money without much stress just like yahoo boys and such mentality isn't good, social media is littered with them, they want to be like Korra Obidi, I see impending disaster in few years time if there's no mental shift among our youngsters.
If you intend to marry her, then she must listen to your advice or you leave her before it's too late.
I totally support Ngozi Ezeonu on this. These kids are destroying our society with nudity. They grow up to think that a woman will get things done only when she traffic herself sexually to men. Too bad what the society is turning into.
More worrisome are the people defending such bad behavior
Veteran Nollywood actress Ngozi Ezeonu has warned that any lady who shows up to her audition without a bra will be disqualified.
Ezeonu became a trending topic on X after a video went viral, showing her reprimanding two ladies for not wearing bras during an audition.
In the video, Ezeonu, who was one of the judges, expressed her displeasure at the women’s outfits.
She stated that anyone dressed in such a manner would immediately be disqualified from auditions she oversees.
The actress questioned the women about their outfits, stating that it was wrong, whether they were “Marlians” or not.
She said, “If I see anyone dressed like this at my audition, I will disqualify them.
“How can you come to an audition without a bra and wearing a cropped top? It’s wrong! Marlians! Marlians!! Who are you trying to impress?”
Ezeonu added, “This is why people think we’re not serious. I’m a serious-minded actor. You would never see me dressed like this, even when I was your age. It’s wrong!”
A 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Patricia Masithela, tragically lost her life after being mauled by a pack of starving dogs in Latina, Italy.
The incident occurred late Monday night while Patricia was visiting a male acquaintance at his abandoned villa in the Lazio region, according to Mirror UK.
Her screams filled the night, alerting neighbours to the savage attack.
Patricia, who had recently moved to Lazio from Nigeria, reportedly visited the house unaware that her friend was not at home.
She was discovered critically injured, lying in a pool of blood with deep wounds across her body after the attack.
Police, however, intervened, “shooting two of the dogs to allow emergency responders to access the scene, while the rest of the pack fled after the gunfire.”
Emergency medics provided immediate treatment and rushed Patricia to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, but despite their efforts, she succumbed to her severe injuries and blood loss.
She succumbed to severe bite wounds and excessive blood loss, despite their efforts to save her.
Patricia, a devoted mother to a five-year-old daughter, has left her family and friends in unimaginable grief, Mirror UK reports.
It was gathered that investigations into the incident are ongoing as local authorities work to determine how the reportedly starving dogs came to be in the area.
The incident has, however, sparked discussions about stray animals and public safety, with local residents calling for stricter measures to prevent such devastating incidents.
Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages being held in Gaza following separate meetings with Qatar’s prime minister, a source briefed on the talks told AFP.
A US official confirmed the deal.
Pressure to put an end to the fighting had ratcheted up in recent days, as mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States intensified efforts to cement an agreement.
On Wednesday, a source close to the talks said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani was “meeting Hamas negotiators in his office for (a) final push” to seal the deal.
A source briefed on the talks later told AFP a “Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal (was) reached following (the) Qatari PM’s meeting with Hamas negotiators and separately Israeli negotiators in his office”.
The announcement comes after months of failed bids to end the deadliest war in Gaza’s history, and days ahead of the inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump, who immediately hailed the deal before it was officially announced by the White House.
“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Trump had warned Hamas of “hell to pay” if it did not free the remaining captives before he took office, and envoys from both his incoming administration and President Joe Biden’s outgoing one had been present at the latest negotiations.
Hamas sparked the war in Gaza by staging the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage during the attack, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 46,707 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
Among the sticking points in successive rounds of talks had been disagreements over the permanence of any ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the scale of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territory.
The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, facing an Israeli ban on its activities set to take effect later this month, said it will continue providing much-needed aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed to crush Hamas in retaliation for the October 7 attack, has opposed any post-war role for the militant group in the territory.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday Israel would ultimately “have to accept reuniting Gaza and the West Bank under the leadership of a reformed” Palestinian Authority, and embrace a “path toward forming an independent Palestinian state”.
He added that the “best incentive” to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace remained the prospect of normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Mustafa, speaking in Oslo, said the latest push for a Gaza ceasefire showed international pressure on Israel “does pay off”.
The October 7 attack on communities in southern Israel sparked uproar around the world, as did the scale of the suffering in Gaza from the retaliatory war.
World powers and international organisations have for months pushed for a ceasefire, which up until Wednesday had remained elusive.
Seoul, South Korea — South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained in a massive law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday, defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didn't have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence.
In a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented the "rule of law has completely collapsed in this country."
Yoon, the country's first sitting president to be apprehended, had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to "fight to the end" the efforts to oust him. He has justified his brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an "anti-state" opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said Yoon was brought into custody about five hours after investigators arrived at the presidential compound and about three hours after they successfully entered the residence, in their second attempt to detain him over his imposition of martial law.
A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound with police escorts. Yoon was later seen stepping out of a vehicle after arriving at the agency's office in the nearby city of Gwacheon. Following the questioning, Yoon was expected to be sent to a detention center in Uiwang, near Seoul.
Yoon could be held in custody for weeks.
The anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and the military over whether Yoon's martial law declaration amounted to an attempted rebellion, has 48 hours to request a court order for a formal arrest on a charge of attempting a rebellion, and if it fails to do so, Yoon will be released. If Yoon is formally arrested, investigators can extend his detention to 20 days before transferring the case to public prosecutors for indictment.
The anti-corruption agency told reporters that Yoon, during his first two hours of questioning, exercised his right to remain silent.
The detainment warrant for Yoon, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, said there were substantial reasons to suspect that he committed crimes as a "ringleader of a rebellion."
Yoon's presidential powers were suspended when parliament impeached him on Dec. 14. The impeachment case now rests with the Constitutional Court, which could formally remove Yoon from office or reject the case and reinstate him.
In a separate message posted on his Facebook account after his detainment, Yoon claimed that "martial law is not a crime," saying his declaration was necessary to raise awareness about an opposition that was exercising "legislative dictatorship by blocking laws and budgets" and "paralyzing" state affairs. He denied the rebellion accusations, describing his impeachment as "fraud."
As they began the detention operation in the early morning, the anti-corruption investigators and police officers engaged in an hourslong standoff at the compound's gate with presidential security forces but otherwise encountered no meaningful resistance.
Police officers were seen using wire cutters to remove the barbed wire placed by the presidential security service on the perimeter of the compound to block their entry. Some police officers used ladders to climb over rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the compound's entrance, and then the investigators began moving up the hilly compound. The investigators and police later arrived in front of a metal gate with a gold presidential mark that's near Yoon's residential building. Some officers were seen entering a security door on the side of the metal gate, joined by one of Yoon's lawyers and his chief of staff. The presidential security service later removed a bus and other vehicles that had been parked tightly inside the gate as a barricade.
Despite a court warrant for Yoon's detention, the presidential security service had insisted it's obligated to protect the impeached president and fortified the compound with barbed wire and rows of buses blocking paths.
South Korea's acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, issued a statement early Wednesday urging law enforcement and the presidential security service to ensure there are no "physical clashes."
Following Yoon's detainment, Choi met with diplomats from the Group of Seven nations, including the United States, Japan, Britain and Germany, as well as the representative of the European Union, to reassure them that the government was functioning stably.
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which drove the legislative campaign that led to Yoon's impeachment on Dec. 14, said Yoon's detention is the "first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy, and realizing the rule of law."
As investigators moved up the hillside compound, lawmakers from Yoon's People Power Party held a rally in nearby streets, decrying the efforts to detain him as unlawful.
The National Police Agency met with field commanders in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province in recent days to plan their detainment efforts, and the size of those forces fueled speculation that more than a thousand officers could be deployed. The agency and police had openly warned that presidential bodyguards obstructing the execution of the warrant could be arrested.
Yoon's lawyers have claimed that the detainment warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. They cited a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge — which would be Yoon. They also claimed that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations.
"I am truly appalled to see illegalities upon illegalities upon illegalities being carried out and procedures being forcefully conducted under an invalid warrant," Yoon said in the video released before his detention. "I do not acknowledge the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials.
As the president, who is responsible for upholding the constitution and legal system of the Republic of Korea, my decision to comply with such illegal and invalid procedures is not an acknowledgment of them, but rather a willingness to prevent unfortunate and bloody incidents."
Yoon's supporters and critics have held competing protests near the residence — one side vowing to protect him, the other calling for his imprisonment — while thousands of police officers in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation.
Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly on Dec. 3. It lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and vote to lift the measure. The opposition-led assembly voted to impeach him on rebellion charges Dec. 14.
The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing in the impeachment case on Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes because Yoon refused to attend. The next hearing is set for Thursday, and the court will then proceed with the trial whether or not Yoon is there.
The White House National Security Council issued a statement saying that the United States stands by its support for the Korean people and "our shared commitment to the rule of law." It said Washington remains committed to working with the government led by Seoul's acting leader, Choi, and reaffirms the strength of the countries' alliance.
The Kebbi State Police Command has announced that its officer rejected a ₦1,060,000 bribe offered by suspects in the state.
This was stated in a release signed by the Command’s spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, and made available to the media in the state on Tuesday.
According to the statement, “On January 13, 2025, at about 1800hrs, one Umaru Garba ‘m’ aged 53yrs of Dangandu village, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji Mamman ‘m’ aged 51yrs of Maimaichi village, all of Arewa LGA, and Usman Muhammadu ‘m’ aged 50yrs of Bakaramba village in Argungu LGA, conspired and offered the sum of One Million and Sixty Thousand Naira (# 1, 060, 000) bribe to the Command’s lead Investigator, at the premises of the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Headquarters, Gwadangaji, Birnin Kebbi.
“The bribe is with a view to compromise the Investigation and prosecution of a case of banditry allegedly perpetrated by suspected Lakurawa terrorists operating in the northern part of the State.
“The suspects were instantly arrested, and the investigation is still ongoing, after which they will be charged to court for prosecution.
“Sequel to this development, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M Sani, had commended the commitment and professionalism displayed by the Detectives and urged other Police Officers to emulate them”
The statement also mentioned that the commissioner reiterated the Command’s determination in the ongoing fight against banditry and other serious crimes to allow socio-economic activities to thrive in Kebbi State.
Self preservation and keeping oneself sane is important, After the disrespect the Felon in Chief showed her husband. Respect is earned, and the Felon has not earned it.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama has decided to skip the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, making it the second high-profile event she has missed in two weeks. Her absence follows her non-attendance at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter, where many noticed her absence.
While former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, along with former First Ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton, will be present at the inauguration, Michelle Obama will not attend. The Obama office confirmed the arrangement but did not provide a specific reason for her decision.
Faithful007: Everyone admires Obama bro. Politics just won’t let them admit it. There’s no way you will listen to Obama and you won’t be inspired.
His greatest speeches to me, were in no order
2004 Democratic National Convention 2008 Democratic National Convention
In fact all convention speeches. 2015 Troop address in Afghanistan. 2014 UN general assembly address during the ISIS crisis period.
2016 Address to the Canadian Parliament 2013 speech at Nelson Mandela funeral 2019 Nelson Mandela Memorial lecture.
And several more
I agree with you wholeheartedly, I've listened to so many of his speeches, you can listen to him for hours without knowing it, his humility, decency and good character is seriously lacking today
LordBiden: Its only here on nairaland I have seen people harbour hatred for Obama cos they are angry for him backing LGBT while is the democratic party idealogy.
Go to his page you hardly find an American commenting trash about him.
I don't take them seriously because Barack Obama is highly revered and loved in America
Former President Barack Obama and incoming commander-in-chief Donald Trump were seen chatting as American leaders gathered to pay their respects to Carter.
The one-term president died on Christmas Eve in Plains, Georgia after spending more than a year in a hospice. His death was confirmed by his son - who called him a hero.
Jimmy Carter was the 39th U.S. President, a Democrat, and served in the White House between 1977 and 1981 - but lost a re-election bid to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Joe Biden all gathered on Thursday to attend his state funeral in Washington D.C.
In surprising scenes, long-time rivals Obama and Trump were pictured laughing and chatting ahead of the ceremony.
Melania Trump also made a rare public appearance alongside her husband, as did former White House hopeful and secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Mr Biden, a long-time Carter ally, will deliver a eulogy at the service.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, was also pictured in attendance alongside her husband.
It marks the first time Ms Harris has been pictured alongside Mr Trump since his storming election victory in November.
After the funeral, the Boeing 747 that is Air Force One when a sitting president is aboard will carry Mr Carter and his family back to Georgia.
An invitation-only funeral will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church in tiny Plains, Georgia, where he taught Sunday School for decades after leaving office.
Mr Carter will be buried next to his wife in a plot near the home they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962 and where they lived out their lives with the exception of four years in the Georgia Governor's Mansion and four years in the White House.
Northernblood7: Trump is coming, Everything is falling in place to avoid woto woto overload. This is a sign of the white flag to the Israelites, Next thing is to cleanse the land from Terrorists and Headslaming
see this one, what does this have to do with trump now?
Lebanon’s parliament has elected the US-backed army chief to be the country’s new president, ending a years-long political stalemate and presidential vacuum.
Army chief Joseph Aoun was voted president after two rounds of voting. This came after a robust efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States to rally support for Aoun, who is close to Washington and Riyadh.
After he was declared president, Aoun effectively stepped from his military role. He arrived in parliament to be sworn in as president dressed in civilian clothing.
Lebanon has been without a president since the end of the tenure of former President Michel Aoun – who is not related to Joseph Aoun – in October 2022. The former president was backed by Iran-supported Hezbollah. Negotiations over his successor were unsuccessful, reinvigorating tensions between the country’s pro-Western and pro-Iranian camps.
Prior to Thursday’s parliamentary sessions, there were 12 failed attempts to elect a president over the last two years.
A US-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended a war between Hezbollah and Israel last November appears to have also expedited the long-awaited presidential election. Hezbollah was dealt heavy blows by Israel’s assault, which was shortly followed by the downfall of Iran-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who had opened his territory to the passage of Hezbollah’s weapons from Iran via neighboring Iraq.
Hezbollah and its main Shia ally Amal are widely believed to have cast their ballots for Aoun in the second round after withholding their votes in the first round. Aoun won by 99 parliamentary votes out of 128 in the second round of votes.
The Lebanese army did not participate in the all-out war with Israel but is a key player in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. This stipulates that the army must deploy to areas dominated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, which borders Israel. It also requires Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
As part of the tiny eastern Mediterranean country’s confessional power-sharing system, Lebanon’s president is typically a Maronite Christian.
ryloy: The Trump guy is unlikely to accomplish anything significant in the next four years. He appears to be attempting to distract his base from issues like tax cuts for the wealthy and H1B visa policies by making grand promises he has no intention of fulfilling. For instance, he famously declared, "I will build the wall," but did he ever deliver on that promise?
What about Heathcare Plan? It is only " Concept of a plan" since 2016
What about Infrastructure week? Nothing
What about draining the swamp ? He is now surrounded by swamps
SeverusSnape: Trump is coming to deal with all terrorists... You are a renowned supporter of terrorism here on this forum, So I understand your apprehension of Trump, beware of Trump.
calling me a terrorist supporter won't stop me from criticizing him
Phones › Re: Tiktokers Break Down In Tears After Temporary US Shutdown(photos/video) by God1000(m): 3:14am On Jan 20, 2025
