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Anambra Attack: US Set To Work With Enforcement Agencies To Bring Culprits To Justice

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The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has assured that the country will work with Nigeria Enforcement agencies to bring culprits of Tuesday’s attack on US Mission employees in Anambra State to book.

In a statement on Wednesday, Blinken noted that unknown assailants attacked a convoy of two US government vehicles in the Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The convoy was said to have been carrying nine Nigerian nationals, including five employees of the US Mission to Nigeria and four members of the Nigeria Police Force.

The American government official noted that the Nigerians were travelling in advance of a planned visit by US Mission personnel to a U.S.-funded flood response project in Anambra.

“We do not yet know the motive for the attack, but we have no indications at this time that it was targeted against our Mission,” Blinken stated.

According to him, the assailants killed at least four members of the convoy.

“The US Mission personnel are working urgently with Nigerian counterparts to ascertain the location and condition of the members of the convoy who are unaccounted for,” he said.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this attack. We will work closely with our Nigerian law enforcement colleagues in seeking to bring those responsible to justice.”

The United States has no greater priority than the safety and security of its personnel, the secretary of state maintained.

Expressing “heartfelt condolences” to the families of those killed in the attack, the US pledged to do everything possible to safely recover those who remained missing.

“We deeply value our relationship with our Locally Employed Staff and our partnership with Nigeria. The United States reaffirms its commitment to the people of Nigeria to assist in the fight against violence and insecurity,” he said.

Buhari Saddened About The Attack

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sympathy over the loss of lives of the two US Mission workers and policemen.

In a condolence message Wednesday, he said he was “very sad” to have heard about the killing of the embassy staff members and the officers accompanying them.

“In this difficult time for the families of those killed, the American Embassy and the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, I extend the nation’s condolences over the very sad incident,” the President stated.

Reward For Intel

On behalf of the state and its people, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State “strongly” condemned the attack which he described as heinous and unprovoked.

According to a statement Wednesday by his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, he promised that the state government would actively work with the security agencies to smoke out the criminals and bring them to justice.

“We call on anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of the criminals to offer same on our secured security phone numbers or to any of the security agencies and such informant will be handsomely rewarded. Investigations are underway,” he said.

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International

Death toll in Spain rail crash reaches 64, injures 80

More than 500 passengers were travelling on the trains involved in today’s collision, the spokesperson for the regional government says.

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At least 64 people have been killed, officials say, after a Spanish high-speed train collided with another train south of the capital Madrid, killed 64 passengers and injured 80.

The updated death toll makes the rail disaster the country’s worst since 2013, when 80 people died after a train derailed in north-western Spain.

More than 500 passengers were travelling on the trains involved in today’s collision, the spokesperson for the regional government says.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says he is “shocked by the serious train accident” and is in constant contact with the transport minister.

Rail operator Adif says the incident occurred between a Renfe train and another of the Iryo company, which covers the Madrid to Seville route”

It was a catastrophe” – a 17-year-old, who was travelling on one of the trains, tells a Spanish broadcaster there was “chaos” at the scene

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International

Luxury cruise passengers stranded in Cambodia due to soaring fuel costs

Global fuel prices have soared since the Iran war started earlier this year. The ship’s operator said the monthly fuel cost per cabin in parts of Asia has risen to as much as $8,000 (£6,000) from $1,800.

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•Villa Vie Voyage ship

A luxury cruise ship on a years-long voyage around the world said it suspended operations due to extraordinarily high fuel costs, leaving over 200 passengers stranded in Cambodia.

The US-based operator of the Villa Vie Odyssey said it was working with passengers on disembarkation plans and “temporary living arrangements”.

According to the BBC, the nearly 200m (656ft) vessel departed Belfast in October 2024 for a “continuous voyage around the world”.

Global fuel prices have soared since the Iran war started earlier this year. The ship’s operator said the monthly fuel cost per cabin in parts of Asia has risen to as much as $8,000 (£6,000) from $1,800.

Villa Vie Residences said it had taken “significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port”. But those measures turned out to be insufficient to “offset the extraordinary increase in fuel costs”

“Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution,” it said.The company would spend the next 60 days on “restructuring and recapitalisation”, though “no outcome is assured”, it said.

There were reportedly around 200 passengers on board when they were ordered to disembark in the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville, a once sleepy beach town that has gained global notoriety in recent years as a hub for Chinese casinos and scam centres.

The Villa Vie Odyssey’s voyage was expected to span 3.5 years and cover nearly 150 countries, according to its website.

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International

Brazil’s Lula Wins Fourth Term In Presidential Runoff

Flávio Bolsonaro rejected the runoff result, describing it as “inexplicable” and calling for the election to be annulled.

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Brazil’s left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office after defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely fought presidential runoff.

The 80-year-old secured just under 52 per cent of the vote, overturning Bolsonaro’s first-round lead in a surprise victory that runs against a wider shift towards right-wing leadership across Latin America.

Addressing cheering supporters in São Paulo, Lula thanked voters for what he described as their defence of Brazilian democracy.

The victory follows a bitter election campaign between the veteran left-wing leader and Bolsonaro, whose father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a prison sentence under house arrest for plotting a coup after losing the previous presidential election.

Flávio Bolsonaro rejected the runoff result, describing it as “inexplicable” and calling for the election to be annulled.

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