I have never seen this kind of irresponsible military operation before, Israel is just bombing everywhere in Gaza killing innocent people, they don't even have post- invasion plan, so what happens after Rafah assault?
You don't kill civilians to appear strong, it's an act of cowardice
As for Biden, his hands are already soiled with the blood of innocent women and children, he says one thing to look good and does the opposite
Israel shelled Rafah on Thursday as US President Joe Biden offered his starkest warning yet over the conduct of its war against Hamas, vowing to cut off arms transfers if an offensive into the southern Gaza city goes ahead
Israel has defied international objections by sending in tanks and conducting “targeted raids” in the border city, which it says is home to Hamas’s last remaining battalions but is also crowded with displaced Palestinian civilians.
AFP journalists reported heavy shelling in Rafah early Thursday, and the Israeli military later said it was also striking “Hamas positions” further north in the centre of the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Biden warned he would stop US weapons supplies to Israel if it pushed ahead with its long-threatened Rafah ground offensive.
“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used… to deal with the cities,” Biden said. “We’re not gonna supply the weapons and the artillery shells that have been used.”
On Tuesday, Israel forces seized Rafah’s border crossing into Egypt, which has served the main entry point for aid into besieged Gaza.
The White House condemned the interruption to humanitarian deliveries at the time, and the secretary of defence later confirmed Washington had paused, for the time being, a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel after it failed to address concerns over its Rafah ground incursion.
“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs,” Biden said in his interview. “It’s just wrong.”
He insisted, however, that the United States was “not walking away from Israel’s security”.
The United States, along with Egypt and Cairo, has been heavily involved in talks currently under way in Cairo aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the seven-month war.
Extreme fear’ –
The Israeli military said Wednesday it was reopening another major aid crossing into Gaza, Kerem Shalom, as well as the Erez crossing.
But the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said the Kerem Shalom crossing — which Israel shut after a rocket attack killed four soldiers on Sunday — remained closed.
Late Wednesday, the army said a soldier was lightly wounded when Kerem Shalom was again targeted by rockets.
The heavy shelling in Rafah overnight into Thursday followed a day of what the Israeli military said were “targeted raids on the Gazan side of Rafah crossing”, in the city’s east.
An army statement later on Wednesday said that Hamas naval commander Mohammed Ahmed Ali was killed in an air strike “in the past day”. Hamas did not immediately comment.
Civilian life in Rafah, meanwhile, “has completely ceased”, said displaced Gazan Marwan al-Masri, 35, noting “the streets are empty” in the western part of the city.
“We are living in Rafah in extreme fear and endless anxiety,” said Muhanad Ahmad Qishta, 29.
“Places the Israeli army claims to be safe are also being bombed,” he told AFP.
Catastrophic’ health situation –
An emergency doctor working in Rafah and nearby Khan Yunis said that with humanitarian access compromised, the health situation was “catastrophic”.
“The smell of sewage is rife everywhere,” said the doctor, James Smith. “It’s been getting worse over the course of the last couple of days.”
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that hospitals in southern Gaza had only “three days of fuel left” because of the border closures.
“Without fuel all humanitarian operations will stop.”
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel in response vowed to crush Hamas and launched a military offensive that has killed at least 34,844 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Militants also took about 250 hostages. Israel estimates 128 of them remain in Gaza, including 36 who officials say are dead.
Truce talks
Talks involving Qatari, US and Hamas delegations aimed at cementing a long-stalled ceasefire deal were ongoing Wednesday in Cairo, said Al-Qahera News, which is linked to Egyptian intelligence.
It noted that there were “points of contention” during the discussions, but also reported some “convergence” without elaborating.
A senior Hamas official said the latest round of negotiations would be “decisive”.
Hamas “insists on the rightful demands of its people”, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the negotiations.
In Jerusalem, CIA director Bill Burns met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the “possibility of Israel pausing the operation in Rafah in exchange for hostage releases”, an Israeli official said, also on condition of anonymity.
The Hamas official had previously warned the Cairo talks would be Israel’s “last chance” to free the hostages still in militants’ hands.
Mediator Qatar also appealed “for urgent international action to prevent Rafah from being invaded and a crime of genocide being committed”.
Palestinian analyst Mkhaimar Abusada said Israel’s seizure of the Rafah crossing could be an attempt to create new facts on the ground, or a bid to “sabotage the truce talks”.
Israel’s seizure of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing came after Hamas said it had accepted a truce proposal — one Israel said was “far” from what its own negotiators had previously agreed to.
Netanyahu has described the Rafah operation as “a very important step” in denying Hamas “a passage that was essential for establishing its reign of terror”.
Twelve Malawians have been deported from Israel after leaving the farms where they were working to get higher salaries elsewhere.
The 12 Malawians were among more than 40 foreign workers who were arrested while working at a bakery in Tel Aviv last week.
The workers, who were part of a labour agreement between Israel and Malawi, were unhappy with working conditions in the agricultural sector and found work in a bakery instead.
Israel ambassador to Malawi Michael Lotem told the BBC: "Anybody who violates his visa terms will be deported – as easy as this, as in any country.
I hope it will be a sign for others that it is better to stick to the job. Nobody forced them to come, they came to do a job, they should do the job that is all.
Last week, Benzani, a Malawian working in Israel, told the BBC that some of his compatriots working on other farms were being paid less than half the minimum wage in Israel.
"The minimum wage in Israel is 32 shekels ($8.60; £6.85) an hour, but some of us are being paid 18 to 20 shekels an hour."
Benzani said many of them had signed contracts which said they would receive $1,500 a month.
Benzani is not one of those who were deported.
Mr Lotem said that rather than leaving the farms and breaking the conditions of their visas, they should have lodged a complaint.
“If someone thinks that he is not getting what he deserves, there is a hotline and a phone number they can call
"Violating the law is not the answer.
"The Israeli police shows zero tolerance to illegal activity especially these days when we have so many other troubles,” Mr Lotem said.
Those deported were part of a labour drive by the Israeli government last year to fill a shortage of agricultural workers following the attacks on Israel in October 2023 by Hamas.
This led Israel to stop giving permits to Palestinians to work on its farms, while 10,000 migrant farm workers - mostly Thailand nationals - left Israel after war broke out.
More than 200 Malawians went to Israel, while Kenya agreed to send 1,500 workers.
The announcement of the deal sparked mixed reactions in Kenya, with some concerned about their safety.
The two governments said it would help reduce unemployment in their countries.
Mr Lotem also said that a new agreement had been signed for another 3,000 Malawians to go and work in Israel.
If you believe that some courses are irrelevant in Nigeria, I will not disagree. Some even argue that even before the internet existed, these courses were what they are now. They aren’t just feasible. The spread of digitisation and technical innovation has made some fields more demanding. Yes, everyday discoveries tend to relinquish the importance of so many fields in schools. Notwithstanding, some courses are still performing exceptionally well in the labour market—both profitable and useful.
1. Graphic Design With the advancement of technology, graphic design is now a powerful medium for media, advertising, and corporate communication. It’s a method of producing visually appealing designs for a certain need. Currently, graphic designers are among the most sought-after people in advertising agencies, media organisations and design companies. You don’t have to contemplate; the future is bright, and technology has come to stay — it will only continue to improve. Studying graphic design gives you an edge, and you don’t have to wait until you finish the entire course before making a living. There are many tools available online to practice it. The yearly average salary of an outstanding graphic designer is N1.7 to N3.4 million.
2. Medicine
We cannot deny that as humans, we must take medication if the necessity arises at any time in our life. Medicine is highly regarded across the world. Even in Nigeria, you cannot be idle; you’ll find a place to work because it is very demanding. Becoming a medical professional and being excellent at it requires rigorous work. But never doubt the reward of this profession; you can decide to be a specialist rather than just a doctor working with organisations, hospitals, and clinic centres. Don’t limit your thinking to what you see around you; this is a high-paying course in Nigeria and it is relevant anywhere in the world. As a specialist, you can earn an average of N1 million to N3.5 million annually.
3. Law
Law is a course you’ll never regret studying. It is prestigious and exposes one to different high-earning opportunities. You can’t deny that lawyers are very well respected in Nigeria; one of the reasons is their crucial role in society. On average, good lawyers earn between N1.6 to N15 million yearly. If you want to study law, you must be very determined and be ready to put in the work. The aim of studying it should not be “I want to be a lawyer” rather a question of “what kind of lawyer do you want to be?” You must consider the niche you’ll want to carve using the profession. What would distinguish you from every other lawyer?
4. Petroleum Engineering
As a Nigerian, you should know petroleum is a very lucrative business. This course will enable you to understand every hydrocarbon-related activity, such as crude oil, gas, and other properties. In this sector, the salary structure is very encouraging; you can work for national and international companies. The growing need for energy has placed petroleum engineering as one of the most important and highest-paying courses in Nigeria. You can work as a drilling engineer, reservoir and production engineer. You can earn between N1.7 to N10 million per annum as a petroleum engineer.
5. Estate Management If you are interested in real estate, this course is for you. It will equip you to understand the legal use of land and how to manage and develop it. The real estate industry thrives very well in Nigeria; individuals, companies, and corporations hire estate experts to manage or sell their properties. You can be an adviser and investor in estate development. The average yearly earnings for a smart estate manager are around N1.3 million.
6. Computer Science Computer science has proven to be one of the highest-paying courses over the years. This field is useful for every sector, even personally the knowledge you get from it can shape how you handle tasks. You can be a software developer, data analyst, or anything concerning computational principles. You can specialise in artificial intelligence, numerical analysis, programming languages and database systems. The benefits of the course are enormous; you can work in technological companies and financial institutions and even create your own startup. In this digital age, computer scientists will continue to be relevant. Computer scientists earn N850,000 to N1.6 million per annum.
7. Electrical Engineering If you’re interested in electrical control systems, power maintenance, and how telecommunications work, you should opt for this course. This is a field that can always be noticed because electrical power is a necessity. Electrical engineering is a course that would prepare you to work for companies in power generation and distribution, construction, transport networks, renewable energy, etc. You can dedicate your life to this field without regret or doubt. Your prowess will get you better opportunities after graduation. Electrical engineers tend to earn between N1.3 to N2.8 million per annum.
8. Information Technology Technology has posed the need to have skilled professionals in companies and organisations. It has made information technology one of the courses that receive the highest pay. It entails knowledge and skills in developing and managing computer systems and networks. These are areas employers are looking for to foster the growth of their firms in meeting and competing well in the world of technological development. This course can equip you to get employment if you aim to be a software developer, database administrator, cyber security and Information Technology manager the course is a good starting point. Per annum, you can earn between N1.5 to N1.7 million.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sworn into office at a lavish Kremlin ceremony for a record-breaking fifth term.
Putin, 71, who has ruled Russia since the turn of the century, got a fresh six-year mandate in March after winning presidential elections.
He had no opposition.
In his remarks at the event, Putin said, “We are a united and great people. Together we will overcome all obstacles, we will bring all our plans to fruition, and together we will win.”
“We will pass through this difficult, decisive period with dignity and become even stronger,” Putin said at his inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin, attended by an AFP journalist.
“We are a united and great nation,” Putin said in an upbeat speech, to applause from an audience of around 2,500 people including officials and military top brass.
“Together we will overcome all obstacles, achieve everything we have planned, and together we will win,” he said.
He said after being sworn into office that he viewed the presidency as a “huge honour, responsibility and sacred duty”.
The Russian leader vowed to ensure “sustained and stable development, unity and independence of the country”.
Putin thanked soldiers taking part in what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, more than two years after it began on February 24, 2022, at a ceremony attended by some of those fighting.
Evoking the country’s “thousand-year history” as he spoke in the Kremlin’s gilded St Andrew’s Hall, the president said that present-day Russians owed a debt to previous generations who achieved “such triumphs that inspire us today”.
He said Russians shared a “firm conviction that we ourselves alone will determine the fate of Russia for the sake of present and future generations”.
Russia is “not refusing dialogue with western states” and is ready to talk about “questions of security and strategic stability”, Putin said, “but only on equal terms, respecting the interests of each other”.
Goodlady: Why did Palestine regret the 1940s two state solution? And now that Palestine state ll be recognized, what ll they say about Isreal? You personally, what do you think the world should do to resolve the issue?
It is simply, Israel should accept the two-state solution backed by UN and stop the senseless killings of women and children
The Spanish and Irish prime ministers discussed recognizing Palestinian statehood on Monday, as the Israeli military warned tens of thousands of people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to evacuate.
Irish leader Simon Harris posted on social media that both leaders are “eager to make progress on this very shortly” and “remain in close contact.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized on social media that a two-state solution is the “only way to achieve a future of peace, security and stability in the region.”
Meanwhile, without referring directly to the evacuation of Palestinians in Rafah, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he will meet his American counterpart Antony Blinken on Friday.
Speaking at a talk hosted by Europapress and McKinsey, Albares said he will discuss the situation in Ukraine and Gaza with Blinken.
“Because the government of Spain defends exactly the same principles in Ukraine as in the Middle East — we want a return to peace, but a peace that is just and that fits within the charter of the United Nations.”
Since autumn, Spain has been advocating for an international peace conference that would result in a viable Palestinian state recognized by the Western world.
While Spain’s diplomatic efforts to get the entire EU to recognize Palestine have so far failed, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Slovenia have also committed to recognizing the statehood bilaterally.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli military issued urgent evacuation orders to Palestinian residents and displaced individuals in several areas of eastern Rafah, urging them to immediately relocate to the town of al-Mawasi.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Israeli onslaught has killed nearly 34,700 Palestinians, caused a humanitarian catastrophe and pushed 85% of the population into internal displacement.
The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said there was a “full-blown famine” in the north of Gaza and called for an urgent cease-fire in the blockaded enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Al Jazeera is to be shut down in Israel.
Mr Netanyahu accused the Qatari-owned network of "incitement" and said the cabinet decision had been unanimous.
Al Jazeera condemned the move as "criminal".
Foreign journalists are banned from entering Gaza and Al Jazeera staff there have been some of the only reporters on the ground.
For years, Israeli officials have accused the network of anti-Israeli bias.
But their criticisms of the broadcaster have intensified since the Hamas attacks on 7 October, in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage. 128 of those hostages are still unaccounted for - and among them, at least 34 are presumed dead.
At least 34,683 Palestinians have been killed and 78,018 injured in Gaza since 7 October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Authorities say Al Jazeera has close links with Hamas, which the network vehemently denies.
Last month, the Israeli parliament passed a law giving the government the power to temporarily close foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security during the war against Hamas.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said the ban "will go into effect immediately".
It needs to be recertified every 45 days.
According to the temporary order, it could also result in the closure of offices, removal of its website and seizure of equipment.
Qatar, where Al Jazeera is headquartered, is mediating talks between Israel and Hamas over the now almost seven-month long conflict. Previous negotiations mediated by Qatar led to a temporary ceasefire and the release of 105 Israeli hostages.
The channel has accused Israel of deliberately targeting its staff.
Journalists including Hamza Al-Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh, have been killed by Israeli strikes. Israel denies targeting journalists.
"Israel's suppression of free press to cover up its crimes by killing and arresting journalists has not deterred us from performing our duty," the network said in its response after Sunday's ban
Mr Biden should know that US is becoming more and more xenophobic as well with the likes of Donald trump who once threatened to deport immigrants back to their countries if elected president in 2016, the rise of white supremacists in US is worrisome.
Japan and India on Saturday decried remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden describing them as "xenophobic" countries that do not welcome immigrants, which the president said during a campaign fundraising event earlier in the week. Japan said Biden's judgment was not based on an accurate understanding of its policy, while India rebutted the comment, defending itself as the world's most open society.
Biden grouped Japan and India as "xenophobic" countries, along with Russia and China as he tried to explain their struggling economies, contrasting the four with the strength of the U.S. as a nation of immigrants. Japan is a key U.S. ally, and both Japan and India are part of the Quad, a U.S.-led informal partnership that also includes Australia in countering increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific.
EreluRoz: Not that, problems should be traced to the root cause if we want a permanent solution. Tinubu only inherited these problems. I'll always give the biggest blame to Jonathan Jonathan because he was handed over a very good government but destroyed it before leaving due to his loss. I always shake my head whenever I see people hailing Jonathan because they don't understand that he's the architect of the problems Nigeria is currently facing, it started from him and unfortunately his successors have not been able to rectify the problem he caused. I'm just praying for Tinubu to be able to do something.
But we blamed Jonathan and Buhari for everything in this country during their time in office, this is hypocrisy
Tinubu said he was ready to serve, that we should not pity him, so far he has added more to our miseries and woes
EreluRoz: The present problem Nigeria is facing started from when Jonathan lost his reelection, they did a lot of damages you can ever imagined before leaving office as part of their revenge, Buhari came and couldn't fix it but added to it and here we are today.
Don't just argue this with me
You are stylishly making excuses for Tinubu's ineptitude.
TINTINABULATION: Pure aggrandization. Nothing special or spectacular in him. The honour is only in death. If he had completed his term like others, we will be hurling insults on him today too. May his soul continue to rest in peace.
you were probably too young when he was president?
He achieved a lot within the short period he served as president than all his successors combined
Today is exactly 14 years since the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Born on August 16, 1951, he died on May 5, 2010 at the age of 59. He would have been 73 now if he were alive.
He was declared the winner of the election held on 21st April, 2007, and served as president for three years.
Yar’adua earlier served as governor of Katsina State between 1999 and 2007, during which he succeeded in executing landmark projects and also turned around the civil service.
Years after his death, many of his family members, friends, political associates, and some Nigerians, are remembering him with nostalgia.
Some of those who spoke to Daily Trust recollected his personal traits and leadership qualities, and called on present leaders to imbibe such values so that Nigeria can develop.
His cousin and childhood friend, with whom they grew up together, Engr. Abu Aminu Yar’Adua, said basic honesty was late President Yar’Adua’s distinctive feature.
“We are first cousins. His father, late Matawalli Musa and my father, late Aminu, are of the same father and mother,” he said.
My father literally brought up late Musa Yar’adua because he is his elder brother. Umar and I were agemates, although I am two years older than him, but as far as the family is concerned, they bunched us together.
“Right from our childhood up to our youthful age, Umaru had that leadership instinct. He had a great sense of humanity and humility. He was a focused person and whatever task Umaru was given, he would carry it out with utmost diligence, dedication and honesty; and that basic honesty is his distinctive feature,” he said.
He said as far as politics is concerned, Umaru was the co-founder of the Katsina Students and Old boys Association, which was the first Katsina province-wide organisation, which short-lived but was later revived by late Umaru, and it served as the springboard for his venture into politics.
He added that the good attitude displayed by late Umaru and many others among the family, was the outcome of the home training they received.
Why present day leaders can’t copy late Yar’Adua – Dr Mustapha Inuwa
Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa served in different capacities under the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua when he was the governor of Katsina State. He served as the General Manager of Katsina State Transport Authority (KSTA), Chairman Caretaker Committee of Danmusa Local Government Area (LGA), Commissioner of Education, and later the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
Responding to a question on the kind of qualities that the late president possessed which present crop of leaders should emulate, Dr Inuwa said the late president was unique.
“That would be very difficult because, for leaders to wear the shoes of late Umaru Yar’Adua, they must be completely non-materialistic, not self-centered, prudent and incorruptible”, Dr Inuwa, who also served as SSG under Governor Aminu Bello Masari said.
He said these are some traits that are hard to be combined by an individual.
“Umaru didn’t bother about amassing wealth, which is quite different from what is happening in the current leadership. So, it is only when you can combine these personal traits that you will be able to wear his shoes. But when you are looking for wealth, to own houses, to travel abroad, to own this and that, there is no way you can be like Umaru,” he said.
He added that Umaru was a frank and straightforward person when it comes to the issue of governance.
He said Yar’adua was “a focused leader who was always thinking of what to be done and how best to do it; always thinking on how to achieve success even if it was through his political opponent. He would keep politics aside so long as he believes in your capacity to do it.
“He was a leader with high sense of respect; he had self-respect and he respected others. He was a leader who really provided leadership. He could listen to you for an hour and he will appreciate your positions on issues even if they don’t tally with his own positions. He will respect and accept superior arguments on issues. This, I can count many instances, either in politics or in governance.
Late President Yar’Adua was an incorruptible person. I cannot remember an instance where he did anything for his personal benefit. When I was in the ministry of education, we awarded a lot of contracts, but not a single did late Umaru, as governor, awarded for his personal interest or just for someone to benefit personally.
“He had never directed me to do anything that tilted toward dishonesty. He believed in following due process, following the rules and regulations and with him, you have no problem with EFCC, ICPC or whatever, because all you are doing was in order. He was an honest person and every day I remember him, I believe that Nigeria has really lost a leader who could have turned this country into a better place,” he said.
Asked where Nigeria would have been assuming Yar’adua lived and served for two terms, he said, “Nigeria would have been a completely different country.”
He added, “Another quality of leadership of late Yar’Adua was his ability to identify those who have the capacity to deliver, and he would give them all the encouragement they needed to discharge their responsibilities.
“He was also a leader who was focused and he had foresight. He could do things that would benefit people even if it will take years to complete. He would take a decision even if at that moment it sounds unpopular. If he believed it will benefit the people, he will go ahead and execute it, and eventually people will come to realise that it was the best decision.
Foreign Affairs › Re: Israel Shells Rafah As Biden Vows Arms Suspension by God1000(op): 11:35am On May 09, 2024*. Modified: 12:04pm On May 09, 2024
