Israeli forces kill West Bank Hamas commander

Israeli forces killed a Hamas commander in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as they pushed ahead with a weeks-long operation against militant groups in the area that has sent tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing their homes.

The military said it had mounted a raid to arrest Aysar al-Saadi, the head of the Hamas network in the area and killed him in a gunfight in which another Hamas operative was also killed. Three other Hamas members were arrested, it said.

The Gaza-based militant group, which has also built up a powerful presence in the occupied West Bank, confirmed the death of al-Saadi but said it would not affect its commitment to fight Israel.

The West Bank operation, which began in January as fighting was halted in Gaza following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and Egypt, has been one of the biggest mounted in the area in years and followed a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.

Thousands of Israeli troops have swept through refugee camps in Jenin and other cities in the northern part of the West Bank, including Tulkarm and Tubas, demolishing houses and infrastructure and forcing tens of thousands to leave taking only what they could carry with them.

On Tuesday, the military pushed out of the now-deserted Jenin refugee camp and into eastern areas of the city of Jenin itself, cutting off power supplies and digging up roads.

The military says it does not forcibly evacuate Palestinians but has allowed residents who want to leave combat areas to go out through designated crossings.

Palestinians say the Israeli operations, which have cut water and electricity supplies and demolished dozens of houses, leave them no choice but to leave.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US, Ukraine now plan to sign minerals deal, sources say

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and Ukraine plan to sign a minerals deal that fell through after a disastrous Oval Office meeting Friday in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was dismissed from the building, four people familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

Trump had told his advisers that he wanted to announce the agreement in his address to Congress on Tuesday evening, three of the sources said, cautioning that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

However, when asked on Tuesday about the minerals deal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "There is no signing planned," according to a post on X by a Fox reporter.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine’s presidential administration in Kyiv and the Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

The deal was put on hold on Friday after a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy that resulted in the Ukrainian leader's swift departure from the White House. Zelenskiy had traveled to Washington to sign the deal.

In that meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskiy, telling him he should thank the U.S. for its support rather than asking for additional aid in front of the U.S. media.

"You're gambling with World War Three," Trump said.

U.S. officials have in recent days spoken to officials in Kyiv about signing the minerals deal despite Friday's blow-up, and urged Zelenskiy's advisers to convince the Ukrainian president to apologize openly to Trump, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

On Tuesday, Zelenskiy posted on X that Ukraine was ready to sign the deal and called the Oval Office meeting "regrettable."

“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be,” Zelenskiy said in his post. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer."

It was unclear if the deal has changed. The deal that was to be signed last week included no explicit security guarantees for Ukraine but gave the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine's natural resources. It also envisaged the Ukrainian government contributing 50% of future monetization of any state-owned natural resources to a U.S.-Ukraine managed reconstruction investment fund.

On Monday, Trump signaled that his administration remained open to signing the deal, telling reporters in a gaggle that Ukraine "should be more appreciative."

"This country has stuck with them through thick and thin," Trump said. "We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us."

France, Britain and possibly other European countries have offered to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire but would want support from the U.S. or a "backstop." Moscow has rejected proposals for peacekeeping troops.

Daniel Fried, a former senior White House official and ambassador to Poland, said the path to getting the minerals deal done has been messy, but it would deliver two solid wins for Trump - Zelenskiy's statement of regret and the agreement of Britain and France to provide security and boots on the ground.

"Trump can and should take the win. He'd be able to say that he ... got the Europeans to stand up in front of an issue of European security, which they've never done before," said Fried, now a fellow at the Atlantic Council.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kremlin responds to reports of Trump move on Ukraine aid

Halting US military aid to Ukraine would be a significant step toward resolving the conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday.

Several US media outlets have reported that Washington has suspended the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine. Several reports have also suggested that US President Donald Trump has also ordered a halt to shipments of military aid.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Peskov stated that while the details of these reports have yet to be confirmed, such a move could prove to be a significant step towards de-escalation.

“It is obvious that the US has been the main supplier” of military aid to Kiev, Peskov noted, adding that if the US were to relinquish this role or suspend supplies altogether it would “probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”

The spokesman said that if the US had indeed stopped all military aid to Ukraine, it would mean that Kiev would effectively lose the vast majority of its ammunition, equipment and intelligence.

“If this really is so… then perhaps, without indulging in excessive optimism, we can modestly hope that this could encourage the Kiev regime to lean towards attempts to resolve the situation through peaceful means,” Peskov told Rossiya 1 TV journalist Pavel Zarubin.

According to Bloomberg, Trump has ordered a freeze on all military aid to Ukraine, which includes equipment already designated for delivery, as well as weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland. The New York Times reported that the president’s order, which has already taken effect, affects more than $1 billion in “arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order.”

Meanwhile, the Washington Post claimed that in addition to stopping weapons shipments to Kiev, Washington is also considering the termination of intelligence sharing and training for Ukrainian troops and pilots.

Trump’s reported order comes after a public spat with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in the White House on Friday. During the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III” by refusing to work towards a halt to hostilities.

After the heated exchange, Zelensky stated on Sunday that peace between Ukraine and Russia was still “very, very far away,” prompting even more ire from Trump, who said it was “the worst statement that could have been made” by the Ukrainian leader.

Trump warned that “America will not put up with it for much longer,” and suggested that Zelensky “doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing.”

Reuters/RT

Rajeev Peshawaria

Were environmental social governance, diversity equity inclusion, and sustainability fads that have since died? It certainly feels like it in some circles, doesn’t it? I don’t believe they are dead at all. But the question is, why the current disenchantment with something we desperately need for saving ourselves and our only home?

My simple assertion, one we’ve been making for a long time now, is that we were trying to solve existential environmental and social challenges unnaturally.

1. We were asking consumers to consume less. Consumption is a basic human aspiration.Except for a few evolved souls, it is naive to expect ordinary humans to consume less. Interestingly, economies built on excessive consumption — that caused the problems in the first place — were lecturing the developing world to consume less.

2. We were asking businesses to sacrifice some profit for purpose.Humans aren’t indiscriminately altruistic, yet we condemned self-interest and demonized profit.

3. We were forcing behavior change through regulation. We tried to beat businesses into behaving responsibly even while we’ve always known that genuine behavior change comes from within. At best, regulation reduces bad behavior, it does not encourage good behavior. Doing no wrong is not the same thing as doing good.

4. We were using incentives and cheaper capital to channel inclusive prosperity. The Principle of Least Effort tells us that humans always choose the easiest option to get what they want, in this case, profit. What the world needs is innovation to maximize greater good. So, rather than drive the innovation required to produce goods and services that solve environmental and social challenges, we largely ended up creating financial instruments that many took advantage of and profited from.

5. We thought mandating measurement and reporting would do the trick. Management researchers and behavioral economists have regularly warned against the overuse of measurement and reporting, yet we have done exactly that. It is no surprise that the result was attempts to game the system through massive greenwashing, box-checking, and window dressing rather than meaningful action. Metrics and reports seem to have become the end in themselves rather than means to an end.

These unnatural tools and measures were going against basic human instinct, hence the backlash. What is a better alternative? To answer this question, one simply needs to look at the leaders and organizations that have been thriving by doing good long before the above ideas became vogue. Patagonia, Tata, Faber-Castell, Mars and many other companies have been doing well by doing good for decades, if not hundreds of years.

Were they less profit- and growth-oriented than the average company? No. Were they led by self-sacrificing servant leaders? No. Were they led by socialist leaders? No.

They wanted profits and growth as much as anyone else, but they deeply understood a concept that most people find it difficult to grasp: The more you give, the more you receive. Leaders of such companies saw themselves as stewards of planet Earth and humanity, and proactively decided that they wanted to be successful by solving human problems and making society better off. They strongly believed that if they created business models that profitably solve the most pressing social problems, their companies would be more successful over the long term.

At the Stewardship Asia Centre, we have been studying such leaders for over a decade now. It turns out that rather than incentives, regulation, or a philanthropic or socialist leaning, they are driven by a proactive choice to do well by doing good. We call it steward leadership, which is the genuine desire and persistence to create a collective better future for stakeholders, society, future generations, and the environment.

Rather than fighting human nature, steward leadership takes today’s challenges head on without compromising personal ambition, profit, or growth. In fact, steward leadership uses personal ambition and profit as tools to solve the challenges in a win-win-win way. Steward leaders make proactive choices (of creating profitable solutions to social and environmental challenges) that stem from underlying values.

CNBC

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US signals Ukraine minerals deal possible as Europe floats peace proposals

U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv, as European leaders floated proposals for a truce in Russia's war with its neighbor.

The Trump administration views such a deal as America's way of earning back some of the tens of billions of dollars it has given to Ukraine in financial and military aid since Russia invaded three years ago.

But an explosive clash in the Oval Office last week between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy put the potential pact in doubt. When asked on Monday if the deal was dead, Trump said at the White House: "No, I don't think so."

Trump described it as a "great deal for us" and said he would give an update on the situation on Tuesday night.

Trump has upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia after taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow that has left Kyiv and European allies wary.

On Monday he again said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of U.S. support after earlier responding angrily to an Associated Press report quoting Zelenskiy as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away."

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leader's name.

European leaders are processing what some describe as Washington's biggest policy reversal since World War Two, after Zelenskiy left the White House abruptly on Friday after a public dressing-down by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Zelenskiy departed Washington without signing the minerals deal.

"What we need to hear from President Zelenskiy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News.

"We'll see what happens in the next 48 hours, but we are certainly looking to move forward in a positive way."

Some Republicans have pushed to revive the deal.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the U.S. House of Representatives' Ukraine caucus, said on X that he had spoken to Zelenskiy's chief of staff and that the minerals deal was to be "signed in short order."

"We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks," the Pennsylvania Republican said.

Senate Republican leader John Thune also said he hoped the two sides could get "back on track."

EUROPE RALLIES AROUND UKRAINE

European countries are rallying around Zelenskiy and trying to hatch a peace plan.

"There are clearly a number of options on the table," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman said.

France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire - something Moscow has already rejected - but say they would want support from the U.S., or a "backstop."

Zelenskiy says a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20% of its land, does not attack again. Trump has refused to give any such guarantees.

Starmer hosted European leaders in London on Sunday and said they agreed to draw up a peace plan to present to Washington.

In an interview on his way to the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a one-month truce, though there was no immediate public endorsement from allies.

"Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

"And that's when real peace negotiations could start."

European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Macron told Le Figaro.

Zelenskiy, asked if he was aware of that proposal, told reporters in London: "I'm aware of everything."

KREMLIN SEES 'FRAGMENTATION' OF THE WEST

Friedrich Merz, the conservative due to become Germany's chancellor, suggested Friday's Oval Office argument, in which Zelenskiy was pressed to commit publicly to a diplomatic solution, had been a "manufactured escalation" by the White House.

"We must now show that we are in a position to act independently in Europe," Merz said.

Privately, and sometimes publicly, European officials are fuming at what they see as a betrayal of Ukraine, which had enjoyed staunch support from Washington since Russia's invasion.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said there had been "two victims" from the Oval Office clash: Ukraine's security and Europe's eight-decade alliance with the United States. In the French parliament, he thanked Zelenskiy for standing firm.

But Europeans are also still working to keep the U.S. onside. Peter Mandelson, Britain's ambassador to the United States, said Ukrainian-U.S. relations needed to be reset, as Trump's initiative to end the war was "the only show in town."

Trump spoke by phone with Putin last month and then announced negotiations to end the war would begin quickly, blindsiding both Zelenskiy and his other Western allies.

Trump has also bristled at what he says is Europe's long-standing failure to take on a greater share of its own security burden by collectively boosting defence spending.

European leaders now agree they must spend more on defence to show Trump the continent can protect itself. The EU will hold an emergency summit on Thursday.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would inform member states on Tuesday about plans to strengthen the European defence industry and the EU's military capabilities.

"We need a massive surge in defence, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," she said.

Russia has not concealed its delight, praising Trump for changing U.S. policy and denouncing Zelenskiy.

"We see that the collective West has partially begun to lose its collectivity, and a fragmentation of the collective West has begun," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian parliament commends Trump’s peace efforts

Ukraine’s 450-seat parliament – the Verkhovna Rada – released a statement on Monday evening saying that US President Donald Trump will play a key role in negotiating a peace deal between Kiev and Moscow. The public endorsement of Trump’s mediation efforts comes after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has refused to apologize for last week’s public spat with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in the White House. 

In a statement on the parliamentary website, the MPs stressed the “decisive” role of American aid and said that the Rada “welcomes President Donald Trump’s initiatives to launch a negotiation process aimed at securing peace.”

“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expresses its profound gratitude to President Donald Trump, the United States Congress, and the American people for their firm and consistent support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement read.

“At present, this support is more crucial than ever for the Ukrainian people and the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine,” the legislators wrote. They added that they believe that Trump’s mediation efforts “will be decisive in the swift cessation of hostilities and the achievement of peace for Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world.”

The Rada also stressed “the necessity of further developing the strategic partnership with the United States, particularly in the exploration of critical minerals.”

The feud between Trump and Zelensky escalated last month after Ukrainian and EU officials criticized Trump for opening direct talks with Russia without their advice and approval. Trump branded Zelensky “a dictator,”while his team blasted the Ukrainian leader for declining to sign a deal on the development of Ukraine’s critical mineral deposits.

The meeting in the White House on Friday descended into a rare public shouting match, with Vice President J.D. Vance accusing Zelensky of being ungrateful for the military and financial aid America has provided since 2022. Trump later claimed that Zelensky was being disrespectful and did not want peace in Ukraine.

In an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Friday, Zelensky refused to apologize to Trump directly. He reiterated that Ukraine was seeking security guarantees from the US and needed to be in a “strong position” in a potential ceasefire deal.

In a post on X, Zelensky thanked Trump, the US Congress, and the American people. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that,” he wrote. 

Trump has so far ruled out providing specific security guarantees, such as admitting Ukraine into NATO or contributing American troops to a future peacekeeping mission. He also argued that Zelensky did “not have the cards” to complain about being sidelined during the US-Russia talks that took place last month in Riyadh.

Reuters/RT

I have always liked the polished demeanour of Senator Marco Rubio. Not for him the belligerence of some others who see themselves as avatars of the Republican crusade against the woke people in the progressive Democratic camp who must be shouted down with all the vigour that could be mustered. And I do not think or believe that this mild and milder disposition detracts in any significant sense from his convictions about the Republican and conservative principles and values which he shares and tries to embody publicly. Rather he comes through as a more thoughtful person, not only desirous of maintaining cordial relationships with others, but ready to listen to them and endeavour to work out things in a bipartisan way without sacrificing his own core beliefs and values. This has made him to be able to have and maintain good relationships with many Democratic Party senators even while remaining a Republican Party star!

The depth and relevance of the polished nature and disposition of Marco Rubio could not but find abundant expression and display when the U.S. Senate historically confirmed Rubio with 99-0 unanimous vote as secretary of state just hours after President Trump took his oath of office January 20, 2025; thus making the Miami native, to be sworn in to a role that stretches back to Thomas Jefferson, the first U.S. secretary of state, and is now the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history; and the first cabinet member who was confirmed in the second Trump Administration.

What was significant here was that quite uncharacteristically, his nomination drew strong support from a number of Senate Democrats, who called their colleague highly qualified for the role. During his confirmation hearing, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Rubio “well-qualified to serve as Secretary of State,” which commendation and support was unprecedented coming from the other side of the aisle.

As he traverses the international landscape since assumption of office, Rubio has remained his debonair self, polished in his deliveries, always ready to listen to the other side and always shows in his responses that he could see and understand the point of view of others without losing sight of or necessarily lessening the US position. In a fair but true acknowledgment of the positivity that Rubio radiates and brings to the processes of US foreign relations because of his polished disposition, Senator Jim Risch, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has this to say: “I am confident that if anyone can end this war, it’s President Trump. And Marco is the right man to help ensure it is done in a way that guarantees security and stability for Ukraine, the U.S., and our allies, and prevents Russia from launching another war; though this is one of the hardest jobs in America, I am confident you are the right person we need to take on these threats.”

There is every reason to believe that America is fortunate to have a person with the positive and polished disposition of Marco Rubio at the head of its foreign relations infrastructure and bureaucracy at this point of unprecedented changes in the workings of the international system. It is a reflection of the abiding importance of shared values and aspirations that there are people like Rubio who are able to relate to others well without sacrificing or jettisoning personal and organizational values and positions. It shows that it is not impossible to want to listen to others and to really be able to show that there is a common humanity holding all together in spite of differences which could serve as basis for greater good and understanding in the world. Rubio is showing that there is more to life than belligerence and that listening to others does not detract from us in the last analysis or take away our conviction or make us less committed to goals and principles and values.

** Olaitan, Professor of Political Science, was Vice-Chancellor, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

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The Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons in transit or in Poland, until Ukrainian leaders show more appreciation for U.S. support and a commitment to peace, Fox News has learned. 

The pause comes days after a contentious meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in the White House over how to end the three-year conflict initiated by Russia. 

"President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace," a White House official told Fox News. "We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."

A senior Trump administration official also told Fox News that military aid will remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders show a commitment to good faith peace negotiations.

"This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," the official emphasized. "The orders are going out right now."

The official said Monday's move was in response to Zelenskyy's conduct over the last week.

Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance last week erupted into a shouting match that was seen worldwide. The Ukrainian president traveled to the United States to meet with Trump after the commander-in-chief said a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia is in its final stages. 

Zelenskyy was apparently presented with a minerals for security agreement by the Trump administration prior to the press event, but the deal included no security guarantees to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion. 

Minutes after reporters in the Oval Office asked their first questions, an aggressive spat unfolded between the heads of state.

"We cannot just sign an … agreement without any substantial guarantees," one Ukrainian defense advisor told Fox News Digital. "It’s not going to work. It’s just going to reward the aggressor."

Zelenskyy’s refusal to sign a deal apparently contributed to the ire of Trump and Vice President JD Vance.  The Ukrainian leader pointed out that Russia never stopped attacking Ukraine between 2014 and 2022, four years of which included Trump’s first term. 

"Nobody stopped him you know," Zelenskyy said, adding that Russian President Putin repeatedly violated bilateral agreements. 

Trump then accused Zelenskyy of "gambling with World War Three" as the Ukrainian president pushed back at suggestions that he should work harder to reach a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin.

Following the heated exchange, Zelenskyy refused to apologize when asked by Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. 

"Mr. President, do you think your relationship with Donald Trump — President Trump — after today can be salvaged?" Baier asked Zelenskyy.

"Yes, of course, because it's relations more than two presidents. It's the historical relations, strong relations between our people, and that's why I always began… to thank your people from our people," Zelenskyy said during an exclusive interview Friday on "Special Report."

"Of course, thankful to the president, and, of course, to Congress, but first of all, to your people. Your people helped save our people… we wanted very much to have all these strong relations, and where it counted, we will have it."

The Biden administration gave billions in military aid to Ukraine to fend off Russian forces amid its three-year war following Moscow's invasion of its neighbor. 

When asked Monday about the status of the rare-earth minerals deal, Trump told reporters that he would disclose where the deal stands when he addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday in a speech akin to the annual State of the Union. He added that he would like to see the Ukrainian leader express more gratitude for U.S. support during the war in order to rekindle peace negotiations. 

"I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin," Trump said. "We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border." 

Fox News

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has implemented significant price reductions for premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at its retail outlets nationwide.

In Abuja, prices have dropped by N85 per litre, from N965 to N880. This was confirmed at the NNPC retail outlet in Federal Housing, Kubwa, where a pump attendant stated the price change took effect Monday afternoon.

Lagos consumers will benefit from even lower prices, with NNPC stations at Irawo, Ransco bus stop on Ikorodu Road and along Idimu Road now selling petrol at N860 per litre. This follows an earlier reduction in Lagos from N960 to N945 per litre on February 13.

The latest price cuts come shortly after Dangote Petroleum Refinery lowered its ex-depot price to N825 per litre—the refinery's second reduction in February. Dangote had previously decreased prices from N950 to N890 earlier in the month, representing a total reduction of N125 per litre since January.

Other filling stations have also adjusted their prices accordingly, with MRS now selling at N860 per litre and Heyden stations at N865 per litre in Lagos.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

In a series of escalating attacks, Boko Haram terrorists have struck again in northern Nigeria, leaving a trail of death and abduction. In Niger State, 11 people were killed in a midnight raid on a gold mining site, while in Borno State, a prominent university professor was abducted along a major highway.

Midnight Massacre in Niger State

On February 27, 2025, terrorists believed to be from the Mallam Sadiku-led faction of Boko Haram launched a brutal attack on a gold mining site in Karaga, a village near the Alawa forest reserve in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State. The assailants killed 11 artisanal miners, most of whom were from the garrison town of Bassa and its surrounding hamlets. The victims were reportedly asleep when the attackers struck, sparing only women and minors aged 10 to 12, according to a local vigilante who spoke anonymously.

The attack is suspected to be retaliation for a failed assault on Bassa in October 2024, where five Boko Haram members, including an IED expert, were killed. Since then, the group has resorted to guerrilla tactics, planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and targeting villages with little to no military presence. In December 2024 alone, at least four IED attacks killed three people and injured four others.

The mining site attack highlights the ongoing vulnerability of artisanal miners in the region. Despite a state government ban on illegal mining, activities continue in terror-ravaged areas like Kurebe. This incident is part of a broader pattern of violence targeting mining sites in Niger State. In June 2022, terrorists killed 30 soldiers and kidnapped four Chinese expatriates in Ajata-Aboki, Shiroro LGA. More recently, on August 21, 2024, 13 miners were killed in Unguwar Magiro, Rafi LGA, an area previously affected by lead poisoning.

Professor Abducted in Borno State

Meanwhile, in Borno State, suspected Boko Haram terrorists abducted Abubakar Eljuma, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB), along with other passengers near Kamuya village on the Damaturu-Biu road. The incident occurred on March 2, 2025, as the professor was returning from Maiduguri, where he had visited his family. He was reportedly on his way to attend a meeting at the university when the abduction took place.

The terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), released all female passengers but held the male captives, including Eljuma, who is among 30 candidates vying for the position of vice chancellor at NAUB. The university community has expressed deep concern over the incident, which has heightened tensions in the region.

This abduction is the latest in a series of violent incidents along the Damaturu-Biu road, which has become a hotspot for terrorist activities. Five months prior, an academic staff member from the Department of Building was killed on the same road while returning from Maiduguri.

A Growing Crisis

These attacks underscore the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram and its factions in northern Nigeria. Despite military efforts to curb their activities, the group continues to exploit vulnerabilities in remote areas, targeting both civilians and high-profile individuals. As the region grapples with these challenges, calls for enhanced security measures and community resilience have grown louder, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, when many are praying for the safe release of those abducted.

Egypt's alternative to Trump's 'Gaza Riviera' aims to sideline Hamas

A plan for Gaza drawn up by Egypt as a counter to U.S. President Donald Trump's ambition for a Middle East Riviera would sideline Hamas and replace it with interim bodies controlled by Arab, Muslim and Western states, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

The Egyptian vision for Gaza, which is due to be presented at an Arab League summit on Tuesday, does not specify whether the proposal would be implemented before or after any permanent peace deal to end the war triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

Trump's plan, which envisioned clearing Gaza of its Palestinian inhabitants, appeared to back away from long-standing U.S. Middle East policy focused on a two-state solution and sparked anger among Palestinians and Arab nations.

Who will run Gaza after the conflict remains the great unanswered question in negotiations over the future of the enclave. Hamas has so far rejected the idea of any proposal being imposed on Palestinians by other states.

Cairo's plan does not tackle critical issues such as who will foot the bill for Gaza's reconstruction or outline any specific details around how Gaza would be governed, nor how an armed group as powerful as Hamas would be pushed aside.

Under the Egyptian plan, a Governance Assistance Mission would replace the Hamas-run government in Gaza for an unspecified interim period and would be responsible for humanitarian aid and for kick-starting reconstruction of the enclave, which has been devastated by the war.

"There will be no major international funding for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza if Hamas remains the dominant and armed political element on the ground controlling local governance," a preamble outlining the draft Egyptian plan's objectives said.

Details of Egypt's proposed framework for Gaza's future have not been previously reported.

Egypt, Jordan and Gulf Arab states have for almost a month been scrambling to formulate a diplomatic offensive to counter Trump's plan. A number of ideas have been proposed, with Egypt's considered the frontrunner.

Reuters was unable to determine whether Arab leaders would support the plan presented by Egypt.

The plan does not specify who would run the governance mission. It said it would, "draw on the expertise of Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere to help Gaza recover as quickly as possible".

The draft proposal was shared with Reuters by an official involved in Gaza negotiations who wished to remain anonymous because the draft has not yet been made public.

The plan firmly rejects the U.S. proposal for mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, which Arab states such as Egypt and Jordan see as a security threat.

"President Trump has been clear that Hamas cannot continue to govern Gaza," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said when asked about Egypt's Gaza plan and whether the U.S. would support it.

"While the President stands by his bold vision for a post-war Gaza, he welcomes input from our Arab partners in the region. It's clear his proposals have driven the region to come to the table rather than allow this issue to devolve into further crisis," Hughes said.

STABILISATION FORCE

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the group knows of no such proposal by Egypt.

"The day after in Gaza must only be decided by the Palestinians," he said. "Hamas rejects any attempt to impose projects or any form of non-Palestinian administration, or the presence of any foreign forces on the land of the Gaza Strip."

The Egyptian draft does not mention future elections.

Egypt's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the office of Israel's prime minister, whose support for any plan is seen as vital to secure a commitment that any future reconstruction will not be destroyed again.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has ruled the coastal enclave since 2007. It launched the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and started the Gaza war.

A January 19 ceasefire brought a temporary end to the fighting but the first phase of the deal expired on Saturday with no sign of an agreement to move to the second phase.

The Egyptian draft does not tackle the issue of what actions could be taken if Hamas refuses to disarm or step aside from politics.

The proposal envisions an International Stabilisation Force drawn primarily from Arab states that would take over the role of providing security from the militant group, with the eventual establishment of a new local police force.

Both security and governance bodies would be "arranged, guided and supervised" by a steering board. The draft said the board would comprise key Arab countries, members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the United States, Britain, the European Union and its member states, and others.

The plan does not detail a central governing role for the Palestinian Authority (PA), which opinion polls show has little support among Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

A Palestinian official told Reuters that, like the West Bank, Gaza falls under the PA's jurisdiction - and it must be run by Palestinians.

"We agreed with the Egyptians on a committee made of Palestinian experts that will help the Palestinian Authority in running the Gaza Strip for six months. The committee is made of Palestinian experts and coordinates with the PA, and doesn't answer to non-Palestinian bodies," said the official, who asked not to be named for sensitivity.

RECONSTRUCTION BILL

Since Hamas drove the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza after a brief civil war in 2007, it has crushed all opposition there. Supported by Iran, it built an extensive security apparatus and military organization based around a vast network of tunnels - much of which Israel says it has now destroyed.

The plan does not say who would pay to rebuild Gaza, a bill estimated by the U.N. at more than $53 billion. Two sources have told Reuters that Gulf and Arab states would need to commit at least $20 billion in the initial phase of reconstruction.

Egypt's proposal envisions that states on the steering board could establish a fund to support the interim governing body and arrange donor conferences to seek contributions for a longer-term reconstruction and development plan for Gaza.

The plan does not contain any specific financial pledges.

Oil- and gas-producing Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates could be vital sources of funding from the region.

The United Arab Emirates, for instance, sees Hamas and other militant groups as an existential threat and is unlikely to offer any funding until Hamas has been sidelined.

The foreign ministries in Qatar and the UAE and Saudi Arabia's international media office did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Egypt's plan, or to questions about their willingness to commit funds to rebuild Gaza.

The draft plan also calls on the steering board to coordinate with a Civil Society Advisory Board, consisting of academics, NGO leaders and other notable figures.

Reuters

I have always liked the polished demeanour of Senator Marco Rubio. Not for him the belligerence of some others who see themselves as avatars of the Republican crusade against the woke people in the progressive Democratic camp who must be shouted down with all the vigour that could be mustered. And I do not think or believe that this mild and milder disposition detracts in any significant sense from his convictions about the Republican and conservative principles and values which he shares and tries to embody publicly. Rather he comes through as a more thoughtful person, not only desirous of maintaining cordial relationships with others, but ready to listen to them and endeavour to work out things in a bipartisan way without sacrificing his own core beliefs and values. This has made him to be able to have and maintain good relationships with many Democratic Party senators even while remaining a Republican Party star!

The depth and relevance of the polished nature and disposition of Marco Rubio could not but find abundant expression and display when the U.S. Senate historically confirmed Rubio with 99-0 unanimous vote as secretary of state just hours after President Trump took his oath of office January 20, 2025; thus making the Miami native, to be sworn in to a role that stretches back to Thomas Jefferson, the first U.S. secretary of state, and is now the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history; and the first cabinet member who was confirmed in the second Trump Administration.

What was significant here was that quite uncharacteristically, his nomination drew strong support from a number of Senate Democrats, who called their colleague highly qualified for the role. During his confirmation hearing, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Rubio “well-qualified to serve as Secretary of State,” which commendation and support was unprecedented coming from the other side of the aisle.

As he traverses the international landscape since assumption of office, Rubio has remained his debonair self, polished in his deliveries, always ready to listen to the other side and always shows in his responses that he could see and understand the point of view of others without losing sight of or necessarily lessening the US position. In a fair but true acknowledgment of the positivity that Rubio radiates and brings to the processes of US foreign relations because of his polished disposition, Senator Jim Risch, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has this to say: “I am confident that if anyone can end this war, it’s President Trump. And Marco is the right man to help ensure it is done in a way that guarantees security and stability for Ukraine, the U.S., and our allies, and prevents Russia from launching another war; though this is one of the hardest jobs in America, I am confident you are the right person we need to take on these threats.”

There is every reason to believe that America is fortunate to have a person with the positive and polished disposition of Marco Rubio at the head of its foreign relations infrastructure and bureaucracy at this point of unprecedented changes in the workings of the international system. It is a reflection of the abiding importance of shared values and aspirations that there are people like Rubio who are able to relate to others well without sacrificing or jettisoning personal and organizational values and positions. It shows that it is not impossible to want to listen to others and to really be able to show that there is a common humanity holding all together in spite of differences which could serve as basis for greater good and understanding in the world. Rubio is showing that there is more to life than belligerence and that listening to others does not detract from us in the last analysis or take away our conviction or make us less committed to goals and principles and values.

** Olaitan, Professor of Political Science, was Vice-Chancellor, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

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