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Anambra Poll: Vote-Buying Allegations Convenient Excuse To Mourn Losses – Analyst

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Public affairs analyst Jide Ojo has dismissed allegations of vote buying in the recently concluded Anambra Gubernatorial elections, describing them as “A convenient excuse for people to mourn their losses.”

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast show The Morning Brief, Ojo said that some candidates, particularly from smaller parties like the Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), are using the issue of vote buying to justify their poor performance.

READ ALSO: Anambra Poll Was A ‘Bazaar,’ Nigerians Should Be Worried About 2027, Says ADC

“This issue of vote buying, I think, is just a convenient excuse for people to mourn their losses,” he said. “Imagine someone like the Labour Party candidate or the ADC candidate saying they could not have won because of vote buying, it is not true.”

Ojo argued that winning elections goes far beyond monetary inducement, stressing that factors such as party structure, visibility, and proper campaign strategy are far more decisive.

“The issue of winning and losing elections goes beyond the monetary purchase of votes. It has to do with a lot of other things. Did they have a structure? Did they campaign?” he questioned.

A policeman stands at a polling unit in the 2021 Anambra governorship election

He noted that the only strong campaigns in the election were those of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Governor Charles Soludo, who was “light years ahead” of his competitors.

“In this election, we saw that the only robust campaigns that took place were between the APC candidate and the APGA candidate. In fact, Soludo was light years ahead of his competitors; he was on air, on national networks, paid for live transmissions, and people knew he was campaigning,” Ojo stated.

He criticised some of the other 15 candidates for what he described as “political evangelism,” saying, “You’re not going to win elections by just visiting shops and small gatherings.”

Ojo also pointed out internal crises within major opposition parties as a key reason for their electoral setbacks.

“Look at the Labour Party, PDP, and ADC  all in crisis. Even the leader of the Labour Party couldn’t deliver his polling unit,” he added.

He concluded that the narrative of vote trading is misplaced, insisting that election outcomes are shaped more by preparedness and strategy than by alleged vote buying.

The election will be held in 5,718 polling units across 21 local government areas.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Governor Soludo as the winner of the November 8 Anambra governorship election.

According to the results announced by the State Returning Officer, Omoregie Edoba, Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes.

Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) got 8,208 votes. Labour Party’s George Moghalu scored 10,576 votes, and Jude Ezenwafor of the PDP had 1,401 votes.

Ad hoc electoral officials at a polling unit on Saturday, November 6

The PDP polled 1,401 votes in Saturday’s election, placing one of Nigeria’s biggest parties in sixth position, a distance way below the winning party – the APGA’s 422,644 votes.

INEC stated that 598,229 voters were accredited out of 2,788,864 registered voters, with 584,054 valid votes and 11,244 rejected ballots.

A combination of photos capturing the election at different polling units. Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun.

How many times has Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire? Here are the numbers

One month into the declaration of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel has violated the agreement with near-daily attacks, killing hundreds of people.

Israel violated the ceasefire agreement at least 282 times from October 10 to November 10, through the continuation of attacks by air, artillery and direct shootings, the Government Media Office in Gaza reports.

The office said Israel shot at civilians 88 times, raided residential areas beyond the “yellow line” 12 times, bombed Gaza 124 times, and demolished people’s properties on 52 occasions. It added that Israel also detained 23 Palestinians from Gaza over the past month.

Israel has also continued to block vital humanitarian aid and destroy homes and infrastructure across the Strip.

Al Jazeera tracks the ceasefire violations to date.

What are the terms of the ceasefire?

On September 29, the United States unveiled a 20-point proposal, without any Palestinian input, to end Israel’s war on Gaza, release the remaining captives held in the enclave, allow the full entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory and outline a three-phase withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Some of the main conditions of the first phase, which is ongoing, include:

  • An end to hostilities in Gaza by Israel and Hamas
  • Lifting the blockade of all aid into Gaza by Israel and stopping its interference in aid distribution
  • Release of all captives held in Gaza – alive or dead – by Hamas
  • Release of some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and disappeared people from Israeli jails
  • Withdrawal of Israeli forces to the “yellow line”

Following mediation by partners including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, representatives from some 30 countries gathered on October 13 for a ceremony to sign the Gaza ceasefire agreement, led by US President Donald Trump.

However, Israel and Hamas were notably absent, raising doubts about the summit’s ability to achieve tangible progress towards ending the war and resolving the core issues of Israeli occupation and the 18-year-long siege of Gaza.

Israel has pledged not to allow a Palestinian state, and the US has continued its large-scale arms transfers and diplomatic backing to Israel throughout its genocidal war on Gaza, while offering only vague statements about Gaza’s future.

Israel attacks Gaza nearly every day

According to an analysis by Al Jazeera, Israel has attacked Gaza on 25 out of the past 31 days of the ceasefire, meaning there were only six days during which no violent attacks, deaths or injuries were reported.

Despite continuing attacks, the US insists that the “ceasefire” is still holding.

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Israel still killing Palestinians

Since the ceasefire took effect at noon on October 10, Israel has killed at least 242 Palestinians and injured 622, according to the latest figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

On October 19 and 29 – two of the deadliest days since the latest ceasefire – Israel killed a total of 154 people.

INTERACTIVE Israel has killed at least 242 Palestinians despite ceasefire-1762837095

On October 19, accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire after two Israeli soldiers were killed in Rafah, Israeli forces killed 45 people in a massive wave of air raids across the Gaza Strip.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, pointed out that Israel controls the Rafah area and it had no contact with any Palestinian fighters there.

On October 29, Israel killed 109 people, including 52 children, after an exchange of gunfire in Rafah that killed one Israeli soldier.

Israel also said a body transferred from Gaza by Hamas via the Red Cross did not belong to one of the captives due to be released under the ceasefire.

“The Israelis hit back, and they should hit back,” Trump told reporters, calling Israel’s attacks “retribution” for the soldier’s death.

Here are the latest figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, tracking the casualties from October 7, 2023, through November 10, 2025:

  • Confirmed killed: at least 69,179 people, including 20,179 children
  • Injured: at least 170,693 people

INTERACTIVE Gaza death toll tracker November 10 2025 Israel genocide-1762841354

Israel still choking aid

The ceasefire stipulated that “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip”. However, the reality on the ground remains very different.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), only half the required food aid is currently reaching Gaza, while a coalition of Palestinian relief agencies says total aid deliveries amount to just one-quarter of what was agreed under the ceasefire.

From October 10 to November 9, only 3,451 trucks have reached their intended destinations inside Gaza, according to the UN2720 Monitoring and Tracking Dashboard, which monitors humanitarian aid in Gaza.

According to truck drivers, aid deliveries are facing significant delays, with Israeli inspections taking much longer than expected.

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According to the Government Media Office, as of November 6, only 4,453 trucks had entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, out of an expected 15,600.

This averages about 171 trucks daily, far short of the 600 trucks per day that were supposed to enter.

Yet the White House says nearly 15,000 trucks carrying commercial goods and humanitarian aid have entered Gaza since October 10, a figure sharply disputed by Palestinians and aid groups.

In addition, Israel has blocked more than 350 essential and nutritious food items, including meat, dairy, and vegetables crucial for a balanced diet. Instead, non-nutritious foodstuffs are being allowed, such as snacks, chocolate, crisps, and soft drinks.

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Did Hamas release the captives it’s supposed to release?

On October 13, as per the ceasefire deal, Hamas released all 20 remaining living Israeli captives in exchange for 250 Palestinians serving long prison sentences and 1,700 Palestinians disappeared by Israel since October 7, 2023.

As part of the deal, Hamas is also expected to return the bodies of 28 Israeli captives in exchange for 360 Palestinian bodies held by Israel.

As of November 10, Hamas had returned 24 Israeli captives’ bodies, with four remaining in Gaza. The group has said it requires heavy excavation equipment to recover the remaining bodies buried under the rubble from Israeli bombardment.

Israel has so far returned 300 Palestinian bodies, many of which were mutilated and showed signs of torture. Many remain unidentified.

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What does international law say about ceasefires?

According to Lieber Institute, a ceasefire is designed to halt active combat, or ” freeze a conflict in place”, but it can be ambiguous in international law.

The suspension of hostilities is best understood as a cessation of active hostile military operations.

NFL Giants Fire Daboll As Head Coach After 2-8 Start

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Brian Daboll was fired as head coach of the New York Giants on Monday after his team won only twice in its first 10 games for the third consecutive NFL season.

Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was named interim head coach to replace Daboll, who won five Super Bowl titles as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots.

Daboll, who served as offensive coordinator in Buffalo for four seasons before taking charge of the Giants in 2022, went 20-40 with one drawn in 3.5 seasons with the Giants.

New York went 9-7-1 in Daboll’s first season and reached the NFL playoffs, losing to Philadelphia in the second round.

READ ALSO: Messi Makes Emotional Return To Camp Nou, Hints At Possible Comeback

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants looks on during the second quarter in the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 09, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Patrick McDermott/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Patrick McDermott / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

The Giants squandered a double-digit lead in the final minutes for the second time this season on Sunday in losing at Chicago, dropping their fourth consecutive game.

“We spoke this morning about the direction of our franchise on the field, and we have decided that, at this time, it is in our best interest to make a change at the head coaching position,” Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement.

“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise. We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.”

The Giants also said general manager Joe Schoen will stay in his post and lead the search for a new head coach.

Meghan Markle dealt ‘brutal snub’ after turning up at Kris Jenner’s birthday party

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Meghan Markle may have thought she’d be the guest of honour when she arrived at reality royalty Kris Jenner’s star-studded 70th birthday bash but as fans were keen to point out, it was far from the case

Meghan Markle’s latest public outing has seen her apparently ‘snubbed’ by the matriarch of the Kardashian Family. Prince Harry’s wife, 44 – who is rumoured to be returning to acting after a 9-year hiatus – was snapped as she arrived at Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday bash, which had a 007 theme, on Saturday at Jeff Bezos’s Beverly Hills estate.

Arriving hand in hand with her husband, both dressed in black, Meghan – looking chic in a sleek black long-sleeved top paired with a floor-length matching skirt, flashed a megawatt grin as she walked into the private event alongside Harry, who kept it classic in a black tuxedo, complete with poppy – though her other half seemed less animated to be there. But it was what happened – or didn’t happen – post-event that got royal watchers talking.

READ MORE: Tasha Ghouri launches new party collection with Next – and it’s absolutely stunning

Following the party, which apparently guests were told would be a private event, with no TV cameras present, momager Kris shared a series of pictures from the event on Instagram, along with the caption, “Magical night celebrating my 70th birthday with beautiful family and friends”, Kris posted 20 pictures of the night.

And a host of famous faces, including the likes of crooner Maria Carey, could be seen in a reel of glamorous snaps celebrating Kris”s milestone birthday, which was just days before on November 5 – but Meghan and Harry were nowhere to be seen in any of them.

Fans online were quick to notice the omission. One slammed, “Wonder if she was invited. Another article said that she attended a second event hosted by Serena on the same evening. Did Megs crash the …” and another added: “Oh the shade! I am here for it!! [cry-laughing emoji].”

Another online commentator penned, “How did the toxic two get invited, as they are not even D listers, did they need …” while a third wrote, “maybe jenner is worried she will get another basket of lemons and whatever else wifey …” Yet another commented: “This speaks volumes, they were not their focus at all.”

The Beverly Hills bash drew pretty much every A-lister you could imagine. Aside from the areas’ famous royal couple, in attendance included Oprah Winfrey, Adele, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg – with Bruno Mars performing live.

And the star-studded attendees clearly enjoyed themselves a little too much, as police were called to Jeff Bezos’s estate after complaints about loud music and disturbances.

It’s not the first time Meghan, who lives in Montecito with Harry and their son Archie and daughter Lilibet, has been linked to the world-famous Kardashians, however. Back in Auguast, the Duchess sent the family a specially-selected package of products from her lifestyle brand, As Ever – including a crate of rosé for Kris.

Kris subsequently posted the gift on her Instagram Stories with the caption, “Thank you @megan @aseverofficial,” with a string of brown heart emojis.

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Does the rise of Dutch centrism spell doom for Europe’s far right?

At 38, Rob Jetten, with his confident smile and “We can do it” slogan, is on course to become the Netherlands’s youngest prime minister.

His liberal-progressive D66 party almost tripled its number of seats in parliament in the October 29 general election.

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Dutch far-right firebrand Geert Wilders suffered significant losses in the vote, as his anti-immigration, anti-Islam Party for Freedom (PVV) shed 11 seats, returning to the opposition after a hobbling first stint in a coalition government.

While this result was cast as a victory for the centre over the far right, and a good omen for Europe’s liberal front, experts sound a note of caution.

“There was a return to the centre in the sense that a number of centre parties gained in these elections,” Leiden University professor Bernard Steunenberg told Al Jazeera.

Jetten’s D66 bagged 26 seats, a gain of 17 seats since the last election. The Christian Democrats (CDA), another party near the centre, won 18 seats, nine more than in 2023.

But “we still have a rather substantial right-wing volume of voters”, Steunenberg added.

Wilders’s PVV and Jetten’s D66 both won 26 seats in the Dutch parliament, becoming the biggest parties by seat numbers. The former won over the latter by a slim margin of 28,400 votes, out of more than 10 million cast.

PVV won about 17 percent of the vote, down from about a quarter in 2023, its second-highest election score.

Experts say that far-right ideas and policies have not been sidelined in the Netherlands. Yet, the centrists’ huge gains may hold a lesson for other European parties.

Far-right vote splinters

Rather than shrinking, support for the far right splintered.

Some former PVV voters backed other hard-right parties, such as the Forum for Democracy (FvD). Having won just three seats in the November 2023 election, FvD secured seven this time around.

FvD was born as an Eurosceptic think tank in 2015 and entered politics two years later. Compared with PVV, it focuses on traditional values as well as the rejection of state intervention, including on issues such as climate change and COVID-19.

Similarly, the more moderate-sounding Juiste Antwoord 2021 (JA21) party increased its seats from one to nine. Armida van Rij, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform, described the JA21 as “a PVV-light party, with equally extreme ideas but presenting themselves as more palatable to the electorate and other parties”.

Of a total of 150 seats in the Dutch lower house, the far-right bloc in parliament has remained roughly the same size; it won 42 seats, compared with 41 in 2023.

The grouping has witnessed a steady ascent. After the 2021 election, Dutch far-right parties had a combined share of 28 seats.

“This doesn’t mean that the right-wing parties are coherent and form a solid bloc – they are quite fragmented, and it’s very difficult to form a right-wing coalition in which the PVV is participating,” Steunenberg said.

Wilders was responsible for the downfall of the previous government, a teetering alliance between the far-right PVV, the conservative liberals (VVD), the centre-right New Social Contract (NSC) and the agrarian Farmers-Citizens Movement (BBB).

Less than a year after it was established, the 62-year-old triggered a cabinet crisis over tougher measures to curb migration, leading to the snap vote.

Rather than skirt away from the far-right ideology, voters appear to have penalised the party for Wilders’s decision to pull out of government after only 11 months, as well as for its perceived failure to deliver on issues such as affordable housing and better healthcare.

Signpost for Europe

At a time when populist parties are vying for power across Europe, the Dutch general election could be a signpost.

But analysts warn against drawing narrow comparisons.

“We should be modest in thinking what this means for other countries in the European Union, because it depends on how the political situation is in different member states,” Steunenberg said.

“For example, in France, the centre – which is [President] Emmanuel Macron – has been very disappointing to many, and it has triggered a new movement towards [the fringes] on the left and right.”

Despite the differences, the Dutch vote holds a few takeaways for centrist parties.

Elizabeth Kuiper, associate director at the Brussels-based European Policy Centre (EPC) think tank, described Jetten’s campaign as “Obama-esque” – a nod to former United States President Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” campaign.

D66 led a campaign that was “very positive” and focused on heartfelt issues, she said.

“In these past years, we have seen [Dutch] voters feeling alienated from their governments, especially when it comes to affordable housing, green energy and healthcare,” Kuiper told a conference organised by EPC.

“D66 approached these topics from a very positive perspective, whereas the others tried to win the competition with Wilders when it comes to migration – being much more toxic and making it a problem.”

According to Kuiper, while other centrist parties adopted some far-right ideas and policies on the issue of migration, D66 fought Wilders with a more “positive” agenda.

Steunenberg said that centrist parties should rely on more “positive” campaigns that focus on what voters would like to see changed, “instead of framing it in very simplistic terms in which blame is being shifted towards different groups in society”.

D66 now faces difficult choices about whom to enter into government with, and bears the responsibility of delivering on its electoral promises.

Six killed in blast outside Islamabad court in Pakistan

BREAKING,

An explosion has killed at least 12 people and injured several others outside a court building in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, police say.

“We are probing what kind of blast it was. It is not clear yet. We will be able to provide more details after we get a report from our forensic team,” a police spokesperson said on Tuesday.

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The blast occurred near the entrance of Islamabad district court, which is typically crowded with a large number of litigants.

Local media showed gory pictures of the site, with bloodied individuals lying near a police van.

“As I parked my car and entered the complex… I heard a loud bang on the gate,” lawyer Rustam Malik said after the blast, which sent people fleeing and damaged vehicles in the area.

“It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire,” said Malik, one of the witnesses who spoke to AFP news agency.