International
Palestinian doctor dies in Israeli prison
Palestinian doctor dies in Israeli prison
A Palestinian doctor has died in an Israeli prison after more than four months in detention, Palestinian prisoner associations have said.
Dr Adnan Al-Bursh, 50, was the head of orthopaedics at al-Shifa Hospital.
The Israeli prison service confirmed that a statement published on 19 April about a prisoner who was detained for national security reasons and had died in Ofer prison was Dr Al-Bursh.
No details were given on the cause of death, and the prison service said the incident was being investigated.
But the Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups said in a joint statement on Thursday that Dr Al-Bursh’s death was an “assassination” and his body still remained in Israeli custody.
Dr Al-Bursh was the head of orthopaedics at Gaza’s largest medical facility, al-Shifa hospital, which has been raided several times by Israeli armed forces.
He was temporarily working at Al-Awada hospital in north Gaza when he was detained by Israeli forces.
Colleagues have paid tribute to the late surgeon, describing him as “compassionate” and “heroic”.
Al-Shifa’s director, Dr Marwan Abu Saada, said the news of his death was difficult for the human soul to bear.
Another colleague, Dr Suhail Matar, called Dr Al-Bursh “the safety valve” for every orthopaedic department in all of Gaza’s hospitals.
READ ALSO:
- Ganduje shares cash to 400 PWDs
- Police arrest four ex-convicts for robbery in Niger
- US congressman, wife charged with $600,000 bribe tied to Azerbaijan, Mexican bank
“It is rare that you meet a person like him in your life, because this doctor worked all his life with dedication and used to make tremendous efforts at the expense of himself,” Dr Matar told BBC Arabic’s Gaza Lifeline programme.
He described his late colleague as someone who was never tired of working, and who was “loved by everyone and his smile never went away”.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the West Bank and Gaza, said she was “extremely alarmed” by news of Dr Al-Bursh’s death and called on the diplomatic community to take concrete measures to protect Palestinians.
Meanwhile White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has discussed with Israel the importance of protecting humanitarian workers in Gaza.
“The president has said very clearly that when it comes to people who are… in Gaza providing that all-important care, humanitarian aid, humanitarian care, they need to be protected. They should be protected. And so certainly those conversations are going to continue,” she said.
“We believe that certainly… the Israeli government has taken efforts to do just that and has taken into account our concerns and so we’re going to continue to have those conversations but it is heartbreaking to hear.”
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said in a statement that Dr Al-Bursh’s death meant that the total number of medical workers who had been killed by Israel since the 7 October attack now stands at 496.
It added that 1,500 others had been wounded while 309 had been arrested.
Medical facilities are protected under international law, but Israel says Hamas uses them as cover for military operations – something Hamas denies.
The BBC has approached the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
Palestinian doctor dies in Israeli prison
BBC
International
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullahi Shawesh, on Thursday, May 16, lambasted the Western World for clamping down on student protesters who were expressing solidarity and sympathy with his country.
He stressed that the arrest and clampdown on protesters negates the Western world’s stand as promoters of freedom of speech.
He said: “When college students express their solidarity and sympathy with the Palestinians, it is labelled as hate speech and anti-Semitism. These students are beaten and harshly treated. Threatened with expulsion from universities, severe sanctions in the future, imprisonment, and facing trial.
“This is the exact meaning of hypocrisy and double standards.”
Shawesh who gave a review of the 223-day battle between the Israeli forces and Hamas, said no fewer than 45,091 Palestinians have been killed, including 15,103 children and 9,961 women.
READ ALSO:
- Police arrest suspected killers of Major-General, others in Imo
- Bandits kill three, abduct 120 in fresh Zamfara community attack
- Police grill Osun monarch, Ataoja of Osogbo, over petition
He also said the battle has consumed 142 journalists and 492 medical staff.
The envoy said no fewer than 10,000 persons have been declared missing.
He added: “78,404 wounded and injured, with 72% of the victims being children and women. 17,000 children live without one or both of their parents.”
Beside the human casualties, Shawesh also listed a number of destructions recorded, which include “243 mosques destroyed and 321 partially damaged. 3 Churches targeted and destroyed, 86,000 housing units completely destroyed and 294,000 partially damaged. 103 schools and universities destroyed. 206 archaeological and heritage sites destroyed, 75,000 tons of explosives materials dropped on Gaza.
“33 hospitals along with 54 health centres were taken out of service. A total of 160 health institutions and 126 ambulances were targeted by the Israeli occupation.”
He said the state of infrastructure devastation has forced 11,000 wounded people to travel for treatment to undergo operations.
He also said that no fewer than “10,000 cancer patients face death due to the lack of medical treatment. 1,095,000 are infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement. 20,000 cases of viral hepatitis infection due to displacement. Tens of thousands of pregnant women are at risk due to a lack of access to healthcare. There have been 310 cases of health personnel being arrested.”
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
International
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
The United Kingdom is making strides in military technology, developing a cutting-edge weapon using radio waves to counter drones.
Known as the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), this innovative system utilizes radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components of enemy vehicles and drones, halting their operations or causing them to fall out of the sky.
Operable across land, air, and sea, the RFDEW boasts a range of up to 1 kilometre, with potential for future extensions. Its development follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
With an estimated cost of 0.10 Pounds (0.12 dollars) per radio waveshot, the RFDEW offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional missiles and holds promise for effectively countering drone swarms.
READ ALSO:
- Portable out with new song after leaving police custody
- Troops kill ISWAP’s bomb squad commander
- Many students injured as OAU lecture hall ceiling collapses
Utilizing a mobile power source, the technology generates pulses of radio frequency energy in a directed beam, capable of delivering sequenced shots to single or multiple targets. It can be mounted on various military vehicles, enhancing flexibility and adaptability on the battlefield.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge highlighted the significance of such advancements in enhancing the effectiveness and safety of UK armed forces. He emphasized the importance of defending against unmanned systems, especially in light of recent global conflicts.
The RFDEW system will undergo rigorous testing with British soldiers during summer. Developed under Project Hersa by a collaborative team from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), in partnership with UK industry, this technology represents a significant leap in military capability.
DSTL chief executive Paul Hollinshead underscored the transformative impact of such systems, emphasizing their potential to provide decisive operational advantages and enhance national security. He credited decades of research, expertise, and investment in science and technology for enabling the development of world-class capabilities like the RFDEW.
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
International
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has been taken to hospital in a “life-threatening condition” after he was shot multiple times on Wednesday.
According to his official social media account, the 59-year-old leader was hit in the abdomen outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova.
Police have detained a suspect. There was no immediate information on the motive.
Reuters reported Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia, as condemning the “brutal and ruthless” attack on Fico.
She said in a televised statement, “A physical attack on the prime minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy.”
The Russian ambassador to Slovakia Igor Bratchikov also condemned the shooting of Fico.
“I strongly condemn this act of violence and express my conviction of the necessity of punishment for the perpetrators,” Bratchikov said in a letter to Fico that the Russian embassy shared on its Facebook page.
Fico, a third-time premier with the left-wing Smer (Direction) party, won Slovakia’s September 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
11 pipeline vandals arrested in Benue
Emefiele: Contractor speaks on how he paid $600,000 bribe to CBN director
I have been doing a lot work without noise or media hype
-
Business2 days agoDollar crashes against Naira at official market
-
News23 hours agoUsing pre-registered SIM card may land you in jail, NCC warns
-
News2 days agoWike, Fubara are ego-driven, crude – Reno Omokri
-
metro2 days agoThree police officers sentenced to life imprisonment in Anambra
-
News2 days agoUpdated: Reps condemn assault on Nasarawa female doctor by patient family
-
Aviation2 days agoUpdated: We’ll resume Lagos-Dubai flights on October 1, says Emirates
-
metro14 hours agoFire guts new NNPCL tank farm in Lagos
-
International2 days agoUK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones