Peter Obi, the 2023 Labor Party presidential candidate, stated Thursday that President Bola Tinubu has spent approximately 180 days abroad since taking office in May 2023, representing over 30% of his time as president. Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Obi said these travels comprised more than 30 overseas trips to at least 16 different countries.

According to records, Tinubu's international visits included multiple trips to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and various African nations. Notable travels included an August 2023 visit to China for bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping, followed by a week-long stay in the UK. Government data shows N2.3 billion was spent on foreign trips and related expenses in the first half of 2024.

Obi urged Tinubu to redirect his travel focus domestically in 2025, suggesting he spend at least 72 days visiting Nigeria's 36 states. He recommended the President inspect national hospitals, road infrastructure, military formations, and IDP camps to better understand the country's challenges. The former Anambra governor also called for quarterly presidential updates to the nation and increased attention to anti-corruption efforts.

"As President, such visits would give you the opportunity to better understand the dire economic and security situations across the country," Obi stated, emphasizing the importance of first-hand observation of Nigeria's infrastructure and public facilities.

Tinubu, who took office on May 29, 2023, is currently on holiday in Lagos State and has not traveled internationally in 2025.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Israeli airstrikes kill Gaza head of police, 67 others, Gaza authorities say

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 68 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including at a tent camp where the head of the enclave's Hamas-controlled police force, his deputy and nine displaced people died, Gaza authorities said.

Israel said the deputy was the head of Palestinian militant group Hamas' security forces in southern Gaza.

The attack occurred in the Al-Mawasi district, which was designated as a humanitarian zone for civilians earlier in the 14-month-old warbetween Israel and Hamas, which rules Gaza.

The director general of Gaza's police department, Mahmoud Salah, and his aide, Hussam Shahwan, who were checking on residents of the camp, were killed in the strike, according to the Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry.

"By committing the crime of assassinating the director general of police in the Gaza Strip, the occupation is insisting on spreading chaos in the (enclave) and deepening the human suffering of citizens," it added in a statement.

The Israeli military said it had conducted an intelligence-based strike in Al-Mawasi, just west of the city of Khan Younis, and eliminated Shahwan, saying he led Hamas forces in south Gaza. It made no mention of Salah's death.

"As the year begins, we got ... another reminder that there is no humanitarian zone let alone a safe zone" in Gaza, Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, said in a post on X.

"Everyday without a ceasefire will bring more tragedy."

Thursday’s death toll was among the highest of recent weeks.

Other Israeli airstrikes killed at least 57 Palestinians, including six in the interior ministry headquarters in Khan Younis and others in north Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp, the Shati (Beach) camp, central Gaza's Maghazi camp and Gaza City.

Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas militants who intelligence indicated were operating in a command and control centre "embedded inside the Khan Younis municipality building in the Humanitarian Area".

Asked about Thursday's reported death toll, a spokesperson for the Israeli military said it followed international law in waging the war in Gaza and that it took "feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm".

The Israeli military has accused Gaza militants of using built-up residential areas for cover. Hamas denies this.

Hamas' smaller ally Islamic Jihad said it fired rockets into the southern Israeli kibbutz of Holit near Gaza on Thursday. The Israeli military said it intercepted one projectile in the area that had crossed from southern Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 45,500 Palestinians in the war, according to Gaza's health ministry. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced and much of the tiny, heavily built-up coastal territory is in ruins.

The war was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack on southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and another 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's Zelenskiy: Trump can be decisive in helping stop Russia's Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could be decisive in the outcome of the 34-month-old war with Russia and help stop Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskiy, facing advances by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, said in an interview with Ukrainian television that Trump had told him he would be one of the first to visit Washington after the presidential inauguration this month.

Zelenskiy also said a priority was to stabilise the front line early in the new year. Putin, he said, feared negotiations as they would be tantamount to a defeat for Russia.

"Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing," Zelenskiy said in a televised interview.

"His qualities are indeed there," Zelenskiy said of Trump. "He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin. He is able to do this."

Zelenskiy has said that achieving a just peace for Ukraine meant receiving solid security guarantees from its allies, joining the European Union and receiving an invitation to join the NATO alliance, a notion rejected by Moscow.

"Naturally, any security guarantees without the United States are weak security guarantees for Ukraine," he said.

Zelenskiy said he wanted to ensure that any U.S. plan on a settlement took account of Ukraine's views.

"It cannot be otherwise. We are Ukraine and it's our independence, our land and our future."

He also hoped that Trump's administration could establish quick contact with Russia. Putin has said Moscow is open to talks but they must take account of Russia's gains in the war and its annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

With Russian forces capturing village after village on the eastern front in their fastest advance since the February 2022 invasion, Zelenskiy said stabilising the front was critical.

"They are putting pressure on our boys, who are exhausted and that is a fact. We will do everything to at least stabilise the front in January," he said.

Zelenskiy, elected in 2019, repeated that new elections could not be held as long as a wartime state of emergency remained in place, but said he would consider running again once conditions permitted.

"I don't know how this war will end," he said. "If I can do more than I am able, then I will probably view such a decision (seeking a new term) more positively. For now this is not an objective for me."

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian Armed Forces made more than 1,500 strikes by precision weapons in 2024

Russian troops made more than 1,500 group strikes by high-precision weapons and attack drones against military targets in Ukraine in 2024, according to TASS estimates.

According to data released in weekly reports of the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 1,500 group strikes by high-precision weapons and attack drones were made from the start of 2024. The targets were stationing areas of the Ukrainian army and mercenaries, defense industry facilities and power installations supplying them with power, trains with materiel, and so on.

At least five mass strikes were also delivered from the beginning of the last year.

Reuters/Tass

Perhaps three will be the lucky number. After at least two previous failed attempts, a peace deal between Israel and Hamas might be reached by January 20 or in the early days of Donald Trump’s second term. Or…

It's a matter of perhaps, with a big P. Optimism is a rare commodity in a region with the longest-running conflict and the largest river of bad blood. Yet, after over 450 days of war with its predations, traumas and devastations, a bit of optimism is not a bad thing.

In that spirit, I accepted the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs invitation for a five-day official visit between December 15 and 19.

To visit or not?

One week before my trip, Bashar al-Assad fell and fled to Russia. The inheritor of a legacy of hostility toward Israel, his father, Hafez, once demanded the cession of the Golan Heights as a precondition for peace between Israel and Syria. Bashar’s fall ended over 50 years of the Assad dynasty, leaving in its place an uncertain and dangerous void.

With a ceasefire holding by a thread, this was an inauspicious time to visit anywhere in the area, let alone the country at the heart of the renewed conflict.

Yet, after passing up the invitation in January 2023, I decided to go on my first trip to Israel. As our plane, Flight ET 404, descended from Addis Ababa, flying low over the Mediterranean, which bounds Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, at past seven in the morning, I couldn’t help imagining the worst.

With Hamas launching over 19,000 rockets – mainly unguarded missiles – against Israel since October 7, not a few of them targeting Tel Aviv, Israeli airspace has become something of an aviator’s nightmare. As Flight ET 404, carrying seven African journalists from Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, among other passengers, approached Ben Gurion one hour behind schedule, I thought, what if a stray rocket hit us?

Never say never

It may sound like the product of an overwrought mind contaminated by familiarity with bad news. But after Hamas killed more than 1,139 people, including women and children, on October 7 and took 364 hostages, many of the victims at a peace party in Nova, southern Israel, overthinking the worst appears to be the standard way of life.

The pictures of the victims at the Nova party with their stories written on small boards and hoisted on wooden poles above beds of candles and flowers at the memorial site are also engraved in the hearts of families up and down the country, still struggling to come to terms with what happened on that day.

At the Bring Them Back Home Now office, an NGO in Tel Aviv, 82-year-old Itzik Horn, a survivor of two terrorist attacks in his original home in Argentina, shared the story of how his two sons, Yair, 46 and Eitan, 38, were kidnapped from the Nir Oz Kibbutz not far from Nova, the epicentre of Hamas crime scene on October 7. Eitan had gone to visit his brother Yair for the weekend when Hamas struck.

A father can’t forget

After the attack, Horn did not hear from his children again for weeks until a Hamas video surfaced showing they had been taken hostage.

“I’ve not heard any news about them again since November (2023),” Horn said, hunched over a chair on the verge of a forlorn hope from retelling this story a million times. “A father can’t just forget his children or give up on them, can he? I want to know what is happening to them. Are they gagged, dead or alive? I want to know. I want them back home, now.”

I still have, as a keepsake, the felt pen of one of Ela Ben-Zvi’s three children, scattered among the shards of glass and other household items, strewn on the floor of her vandalised, bullet-ridden home in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the oldest kibbutz in Israel impacted by the attack.

Seven hours in the bunker

Ela, her husband, Eyal, three children, and a dog had lived in Be’eri, separated by a wire mesh, only five kilometresfrom Gaza. On the morning of October 7, when the bomb alarm went off at 6:20 a.m., she had nine seconds to get to the shelter with her children, aged 8, 5, and 3, and her dog. It was not an unfamiliar drill.

Except this one was longer and more harrowing for the retired soldier and her husband, let alone for the children and the dog, who were consigned for seven hours to a relentless siege in a bunker hardly suitable for more than two.

The IDF later rescued Ela and her family, but her dog died afterwards. Her neighbour, a 78-year-old woman living alone, was not so lucky. The Hamas attackers murdered her in her bed, one of the reported 102 people killed in Be’eri on that day.

Some sheikhs were here

Upcountry, in the Ramim Ridge of the Naftali Mountains in Upper Galilee, the story of Orna Weinberg from four generations in the Manara Kibbutz, a community described as Israel’s northern shield, exemplified the paradox of the strife between Israel and Lebanon, its northern neighbour.

“When this Kibbutz was founded 81 years ago (before the State of Israel), we didn’t have water,” Weinberg said as we stood overlooking a UN truck on the other side of the border. “We used to fetch water from Lebanon, bringing them up here on mules and barrows. When the first water pipes were installed, the sheikhs of these Lebanese villages came to celebrate with us!”

As we inspected the ruins from the multiple rocket and mortar attacks launched by Hezbollah, the silence only broken by Weinberg’s narration and the sounds of our shoes crunching the remnant of mangled metals, twisted glasses, and other household utensils littering the floor inside one of the bombed buildings in Kibbutz Manara, Weinberg’s story sounded like a tale from another world.

“Nowhere to go!”

What is left today of that once thriving community of 260 people where Rachel Rabin Yaakov, sister of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, also lived, is a shadow of itself. With at least five older adults dead after the forced evacuations that followed the Hezbollah attacks that affected 70 percent of the community, Manara is a ghost town sustained by the stubborn spirit of a few like Weinberg, who have stayed back to rebuild.

“We have nowhere to go. I have nowhere to go,” Weinberg said. “This is the only place I know. It’s the shield of the North, without which Israel will not exist. If Hezbollah prevails, if Iran prevails, not only Israel, but the whole world is in trouble!”

About land?

While pro-Palestinian sentiments frame the question as essentially one of decades of oppression and injustice arising from a land grab, several Israeli officials I met on this trip dismissed such sentiments, citing two instances. One, in 1979, Israel ceded the Sinai Peninsula, twice the size of Israel, to Egypt as a peace offering.

Two, in 1993, even after Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords with Arafat under a deal supervised by US President Bill Clinton to prevent the creation of new settlements and pave the way for a two-state solution, top PLO officials, including Arafat, later described the Accord as a strategic manoeuvre before “the great Jihad.”

Israel, they insist, is a victim of duplicitous diplomacy, mainly by Arab countries, that condemn its acts of self-defence in the daytime and, at night, urge it not to spare Shiite extremism, promoted by Iran, the most significant source of regional instability.

Against the odds

It's a measure of Israel’s resilience that, despite the war and disagreements even within Israel about how best to handle the war and the return of the remaining 100 hostages, despite a Hamas information machinery that brooks neither dissent nor filters, Israel is still standing.

Yet, its long-term security is intrinsically linked to its neighbours, with whom they have been joined by history and geography and must find and negotiate a common ground, one that might reenact Weinberg’s legend of the sheikhs from Lebanon.

** Ishiekwene is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book Writing for Media and Monetising It.

Bernard Marr

In 2025, success in business and careers will hinge not on what you know but on how effectively you can leverage skills that drive innovation and value creation. As AI and digital connectivity reshape industries at breakneck speed, those who can adapt and harness these transformative forces will seize the most lucrative opportunities.

Let's explore the fusion of technical expertise and human-centric abilities that will be indispensable for thriving in 2025, whether you're a fresh graduate or a seasoned C-suite executive.

1. AI Fluency: The New Digital Literacy

By 2025, AI proficiency will be as fundamental as computer literacy is today. The adage that "AI won't replace humans, but humans who use AI will replace those who don't" will become a stark reality.

AI fluency encompasses mastering prompt engineering to extract optimal results from AI systems, customizing AI models for specific business applications, and navigating the ethical implications of AI deployment. Crucially, it also means recognizing AI's limitations and leveraging uniquely human traits like relationship-building and creative problem-solving—skills that will remain irreplaceable.

2. Digital Transformation Leadership

Technology stands as the cornerstone of innovation and growth across industries in 2025. Breakthrough advancements in AI, data analytics, cloud computing, 5G networking, and quantum computing illuminate the path for organizations striving to cement their leadership positions. Consequently, individuals capable of steering organizations through the tumultuous seas of digital transformation have become invaluable assets.

However, spearheading digital transformation means so much more than merely adopting the latest technological trends for the sake of keeping pace. It demands the formulation of a crystal-clear, strategic vision that harnesses technology to tackle core organizational challenges head-on. True digital leaders cultivate an ecosystem where innovation thrives, and adaptability is second nature. They possess an innate understanding of the key performance indicators and metrics that gauge the efficacy of digital initiatives. This acumen enables them to discern when a pilot project is primed for full-scale implementation or, equally crucial when to abort a venture that threatens to inflict reputational damage or financial harm. In essence, digital transformation leadership is about orchestrating a delicate balance between bold innovation and prudent risk management in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

3. Perpetual Learning Agility

In 2025, the pace of innovation will be so relentless that even a momentary pause in learning could render one's skills obsolete. The half-life of professional competencies will shrink dramatically as emerging tools, technologies, and platforms rapidly supplant established practices. In this environment, the ability to continuously acquire and integrate new knowledge will be the linchpin of career resilience. The antiquated notion of front-loading education during one's youth will be as obsolete as the concept of lifelong employment with a single organization.

Visionary employers will champion this paradigm shift towards perpetual learning, recognizing it as a strategic imperative to address skill gaps and maintain a competitive edge. Simultaneously, educational institutions will undergo a radical transformation, eschewing traditional teaching models in favor of agile, industry-aligned curricula. This symbiosis between academia and industry will catalyze a boom in the continuing education sector, projected to achieve a staggering 25.4% annual growth rate between 2025 and 2030. This surge underscores the critical importance of lifelong learning in navigating the ever-evolving professional landscape of the near future.

4. Strategic Foresight And Complex Problem-Solving

Despite rapid advancements, even the most sophisticated AI models in 2025 will only scratch the surface of replicating the intricacies and nuances of human cognition. When it comes to pioneering groundbreaking systems and processes, the human mind remains unparalleled in its capacity to envision holistic, paradigm-shifting solutions essential for true innovation.

While artificial general intelligence (AGI) might loom on the horizon, its realization remains beyond the immediate future. Throughout 2025 and beyond, individuals possessing the acumen to craft strategic roadmaps and untangle multifaceted challenges—those involving the orchestration of numerous interdependent variables—will find their cognitive competency in unprecedented demand. This uniquely human ability to synthesize disparate information, anticipate far-reaching consequences, and navigate ambiguity will continue to be the catalyst for breakthroughs that propel industries forward.

5. Emotional Intelligence: The Human Edge

As machines master routine tasks, the value of irreplicable human traits will skyrocket. Emotional intelligence will be the cornerstone of effective leadership and organizational success in 2025.

Central to emotional intelligence is the art of interpersonal communication. In an era of digital saturation, the ability to connect genuinely with others will become a prized skill. Leaders who can articulate vision, inspire teams, and navigate complex human dynamics will stand out in a world increasingly mediated by technology.

Critical competencies will include cultivating empathy and trust in diverse teams, navigating complex interpersonal dynamics, and mentoring and coaching for peak performance. The capacity to build lasting client relationships through nuanced communication and to resolve conflicts with finesse will be invaluable.

Moreover, as remote and hybrid work models become the norm, those who can foster a sense of connection and collaboration across digital divides will be in high demand. The ability to read subtle nonverbal cues, even through virtual interfaces, and to create psychological safety in teams will be crucial for driving innovation and productivity.

Success in 2025 will belong to those who can seamlessly integrate technological acumen with distinctly human capabilities. By cultivating these five critical skills, individuals and organizations can position themselves at the vanguard of innovation and value creation in an AI-driven world. The future belongs to those who can harness the power of technology while amplifying the irreplaceable value of human connection and insight.

Forbes

The Nigerian stock market achieved a robust 37.65% return in 2024, marking another year of significant growth for the Nigerian Exchange (NGX). This performance capped a remarkable period of expansion, with the market capitalization climbing from N40.9 trillion to an all-time high of N62.8 trillion. However, when viewed through the lens of the depreciating Naira, the picture becomes more nuanced, revealing a sobering story of economic hardship for Nigerian investors.

The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rose to 102,926 points at year-end, up from 40,000 points at the start of 2023, a notable achievement in Naira terms. Several key factors contributed to this growth: high-profile listings like Transcorp Power, Geregu Power, and Aradel Holdings injected vitality into the market, while strong performances in the Oil & Gas and Insurance sectors underscored investor optimism. Local participation remained dominant, accounting for 84% of trading activity, while foreign investors, accounting for 16%, showed renewed interest after years of contraction.

However, this impressive Naira-denominated return masks a much bleaker picture when viewed in U.S. dollars. At the start of 2023, the exchange rate stood at around 454 Naira to the dollar. By the close of 2024, the Naira had depreciated significantly, with the exchange rate reaching approximately 1,650 Naira to the dollar, reflecting a staggering 263% devaluation. This sharp currency decline meant that, in dollar terms, the NGX’s performance was deeply negative, with the market losing substantial value for foreign investors and those holding assets in USD.

For instance, the market's nominal growth of 37.65% in Naira terms effectively translated to a significant loss in dollar value when adjusting for the Naira’s devaluation. Investors who may have initially seen promising returns in Naira found their gains eroded or turned to losses when converted into foreign currency. This was particularly painful for foreign portfolio investors, who accounted for a larger share of the market in 2024 compared to the previous year but were still hindered by the Naira’s steep depreciation.

The stock market's resilience in the face of persistent macroeconomic challenges highlights a paradox in Nigeria’s economic landscape. On one hand, equities have been seen as a hedge against the country’s rampant inflation, which peaked at 34.6% in November 2024, nearly matching the highest levels in three decades. The high inflation environment, coupled with negative real returns in the fixed-income market, has driven many local investors toward equities, seeking higher yields. The performance of sectors like Oil & Gas, Insurance, and Consumer Goods provided strong returns in Naira, yet these gains were overshadowed by the broader economic difficulties faced by Nigerians.

The broader economic context in 2024 remained challenging. High inflation, rising unemployment, and the erosion of purchasing power weighed heavily on Nigerian households. While the stock market appeared to be a bright spot, its strong returns did little to alleviate the widespread economic hardship. The devaluation of the Naira has made imports more expensive, further driving inflation and reducing real income for most Nigerians.

This performance also underscores the paradox of Nigeria’s stock market: while the market has flourished in terms of equity value and has offered returns that outpace inflation, the country’s broader economic performance has struggled. For local investors, the stock market has provided a way to hedge against inflation, but it has not been a true reflection of the economic health of the nation.

Foreign investors, too, have faced challenges. While foreign participation in the Nigerian stock market rose to 16% in 2024, from 11% in 2023, the steep devaluation of the Naira has acted as a significant disincentive. The performance of the stock market, while strong in local currency terms, has thus not been enough to offset the devaluation for investors holding dollars.

In conclusion, while the Nigerian stock market's performance in 2024 may have been impressive on paper, it masks the harsh reality of economic decline and the devaluation of the Naira. For many Nigerians, the soaring stock market returns were insufficient to overcome the broader economic challenges, and for foreign investors, the gains made in equities were wiped out by the currency’s dramatic fall. As Nigeria’s economic difficulties persist, the stock market’s future will remain tied to both domestic policy actions and global market trends, with investors continuing to navigate the complex interplay between Naira gains and dollar losses.

Nigeria’s labour unions have intensified their criticism of the Federal Government’s policies, highlighting their adverse impact on citizens and calling for urgent economic reforms to address inflation, high exchange rates, and declining living standards.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Festus Osifo, during an interview on Channels TV, accused President Bola Tinubu of doubling down on policies that have worsened economic challenges. He noted that while the president’s recent media chat aimed to inspire hope, the government has failed to implement actionable strategies to mitigate inflation and stimulate economic growth.

“Our inflation analysts have repeatedly linked current economic hardships to some of these policies. The exchange rate stands at ₦1,650 per dollar on the parallel market, and inflation continues to rise. While the president promises a better tomorrow, we need concrete measures to match his optimism,” Osifo stated.

Similarly, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero, in his New Year message titled “In 2025, Hope is in Our Collective Resolve,” called for the withdrawal of controversial tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly. He emphasized the need for inclusive dialogue to design a tax system that promotes national development and enjoys broad acceptance among stakeholders.

Ajaero also demanded a wage review to address the economic strain on workers, urging the government to comply with the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act. He criticized the increasing use of force in resolving industrial disputes, describing it as a threat to industrial peace.

“The government must prioritize governance that delivers tangible benefits to the people, such as access to food, healthcare, housing, education, and security,” Ajaero said. “Policies must be transparent, inclusive, and free of nepotism or strong-arm tactics.”

Both union leaders highlighted the need for social dialogue and stakeholder participation in shaping policies to foster stability and development. The NLC has scheduled a national dialogue in Ibadan later this month to discuss tax reforms and strategies for promoting economic growth.

Amid calls for improved governance, the unions pledged their commitment to advocating for workers’ rights and collaborating with the government to drive Nigeria’s development. However, they stressed that the government must take immediate steps to address the economic realities affecting citizens and ensure policies reflect fairness and inclusivity.

Israel strikes Gaza City suburb, Palestinian medics say

The Israeli military kept up the pressure on northern Gaza on Wednesday, striking in a suburb of Gaza City, medics said, and told residents in a central part of the enclave to evacuate from an area where militants were firing rockets.

Air strikes in Shejaia, a suburb of Gaza City, killed at least eight Palestinians, according to local emergency services. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, and it was not immediately clear who was killed in the attack.

In al-Buriej, in central Gaza, the Israeli military said it struck a militant operating in an area where rockets had been fired into Israel the previous day. Its Arabic spokesman had ordered people to leave the area before the strike.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA said two people were killed in that strike and 15 more in an airstrike in Jabalia. There was no immediate confirmation from Gaza health officials. Israel's military said it killed Hamas fighters in the attack.

Much of the area around the northern towns of Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Beit Lahiya has been cleared of people and razed, fuelling speculation, which Israel denies, that it intends to keep the area as a buffer zone after the fighting in Gaza ends.

Israel says its almost three-month-old campaign in northern Gaza is aimed at preventing Hamas militants from regrouping. Its instructions to civilians to evacuate are meant to keep them out of harm's way, the military says.

Palestinian and United Nations officials say no place is safe in Gaza and that evacuations worsen the humanitarian conditions of the population.

According to the Palestinian civil defence, more than 1,500 tents sheltering displaced people across Gaza were flooded by heavy rains over the past two days, leaving people exposed to the cold, their belongings damaged.

Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,500 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run enclave. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced and much of the tiny coastal strip is in ruins.

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The war was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and another 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Two killed in Russian drone strike on Kyiv, Ukraine says

Russia launched a New Year's Day drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Wednesday, killing two people, wounding at least six others and damaging buildings in two districts, authorities said.

Explosions boomed across the morning sky as Ukraine's air force warned of incoming drones and Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defences were repelling an enemy attack.

Two floors of a residential building in central Kyiv were partially destroyed in the strike, according to the State Emergency Service. Two people were killed, it said.

Photos posted by the agency showed firefighters dousing a gutted corner of a building and rescuers helping elderly victims.

The National Bank of Ukraine said in a statement that one of its buildings nearby had been damaged by debris from a downed drone. Debris also damaged a non-residential building in a different neighbourhood, authorities said.

"Even on New Year's Eve, Russia was only concerned about how to hurt Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on social media in response to the strike.

Kyiv's military said it had shot down 63 out of 111 drones launched by Russia overnight across various regions of Ukraine. Another 46 had been downed by electronic jamming, it added.

Russia has carried out regular air strikes on Ukrainian towns and cities far behind the front line of its nearly three-year-old invasion, in which its troops are claiming village after village in a grinding march across eastern Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Moscow's forces fired 21 missiles at Kyiv and the northern Sumy region during an overnight strike, damaging buildings and infrastructure in the city of Shostka.

Separately on Wednesday, a 23-year-old volunteer worker was killed by Russian shelling in the southern front-line city of Kherson, city officials said.

The governor of Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, later said that a resident of a town northeast of the city died in hospital of injuries suffered during a drone attack.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine loses up to 1,050 troops in all areas of special military operation in past day

The Ukrainian army lost up to 1,050 troops in all areas of Russia’s special military operation in the past day, according to the Russian Defense Ministry’s bulletin.

In particular, Kiev lost up to 45 troops in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup North in the Kharkov area, up to 330 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup West, over 250 service members in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup South, up to 235 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup Center, more than 150 servicemen in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup East and up to 40 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup Dnepr.

Russian air defenses downed seven HIMARS and Uragan rockets and 66 Ukrainian drones in the past day, the ministry said in a statement.

"Air defenses shot down seven Uragan and US-made HIMARS rockets, as well as 66 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the statement reads.

According to the ministry, a total of 650 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 39,047 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 missile systems, 20,127 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,504 multiple rocket launchers, and 20,120 field artillery mounts and mortars, as well as 29,684 special military motor vehicles, have been destroyed since the start of Russia’s special military operation.

Reuters/RT

It has now become something of a yearly tradition that someone would share a video of hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of beggars lined up on one of the priciest real estates in Nigeria—Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Already always striking in Nigeria, the paradox of poverty and prosperity jars your eyes. These people queue up for hours, their bodies exposed to weather action accruing the circumstances that will take eventual tow. Usually taken at night, the video displays these panhandlers seeking charity in the unofficial presidential residence.

To be clear, Bourdillon Road is not unique in this respect. I grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State, and the sight of economically challenged people assembling in front of the house of well-to-do Muslims to beg for alms is not exactly rare. If you mingle with them, you will marvel at the complexity of the poverty that will make someone travel—as they claim—a considerable distance to beg. You will be surprised at the distance some of those who resume at Bourdillon have travelled just to fritter away time while expecting the man—or any of his affluent visitors—to extend them some handouts.

People like that come expecting to be given alms because their shared religion with the benefactor stipulates that moneyed people must transfer some income to the poor to maintain the munificence of providence. That explains why wherever you have Islam and poverty, you are guaranteed a nuisance of beggars. That is also why I think FCT Minister Nyesom Wike was wasting time when he started haranguing beggars in the nation’s capital. When religion validates panhandling, you cannot do away with the social tradition it engenders by making a noise. Rich and well-organised Islamic countries do not have this problem for self-evident reasons.

Going by Bola Tinubu’s admission during his recent presidential media chat, it turns out that he has been hosting these professional charity seekers for as long as 25 years! Some of those beggars must be familiar with the street layout and its changing appearance and perhaps have been a fixture there long enough to share a vicarious interest in Bourdillon Road real estate value. They probably do not consider the ungainly sight of themselves hanging around the varnished surface of one of the choicest real estate a blemish but, in fact, as part of the value it carries.

In a society where you can earn social credit through ostentatious performances of charity, the sight of many humans begging an individual for their survival attests to the benefactor’s valour and value. They index his popular support, allowing the man to establish a populist ethos that ultimately shores his political capital. The more the man’s political value rises, the higher the price of items associated with him (including the street he lives). However unseemly the sight of those panhandlers might be, they are part of Tinubu’s wealth and that is probably why he has not thought of doing anything about them. In his media chat, Tinubu sounded as if their besiege of his homestead was an inevitable social reality. It does not look like a tradition that is about to cease.

One would think that after all these years, he should have thought of reorganising the beggars that converge on Bourdillon Road. If people have been crowding your streets for so long, and in that spate of time, you have held leadership positions ranging from governor to the shady title of “governor emeritus”, at what point does it strike you that the sight of suffering humans in front of your house should be considered an eyesore and, therefore, restructured into something more dignifying of humans? Here is a man who has occupied leadership positions for a quarter of a century but refuses to come up with an original idea regarding how to do charity while simultaneously maintaining people’s dignity and public decency.

Rather than having them line up on the streets just so they can be handed a pittance after they have been deemed to have suffered enough, why not establish proper feeding centres in several zones in Lagos, where people can show up at scheduled times to pick whatever welfare items you want to give them? Philanthropy should not require that people be debased before they are fed. We get it, maintaining a crowd feeds your inner Narcissus, but what of the associated risks of that many people standing by the roadside? Then there is the issue of the public resources that would need to be regularly deployed to maintain security around that place. As he is president, security agents must have had to heighten surveillance activities around his house to ensure that mischief-makers do not hide among those beggars. Why the need for that much waste when there are far more efficient ways of doing things? He can redirect the people to the feeding centres where trained personnel will take care of the business smoothly and humanely. If he does not want to run a charity programme all year round, the centres can do it quarterly. What matters is that the “human” is not taken out of humanitarianism.

Looking at that sight, I have also wondered if Tinubu ever spares a thought for his neighbours who invested in real estate only to be forced to endure the nuisance of beggars invading the area, especially around festive periods. Prime real estate as a place like Bourdillon Road claims to be should ideally be typified by an aesthetically pleasing environment. Three factors typically differentiate quality real estate—access (to cultural centres and the added benefit of the nearness of transportation infrastructure such as the airport), appearance (serenity, clean and well-maintained environment, good air quality, etc.) and amenities (from excellent public schools to well-maintained public parks). If you live in a place like Bourdillon Road, the last thing you should ever wake up to see is the endless queue of beggars. Otherwise, what is the point of purchasing luxury?

Beyond his neighbours, there is something about the sight of people hanging around a president’s residence that does not speak well of his leadership capabilities. Maybe no one has nudged him to see it, but the impression that spectacle on Bourdillon Road generates is that Tinubu enjoys the sight of suffering humans and thrives in—and through— their poverty. If all these years, impoverished people hang around you and you remain comfortable enough to keep them just so they can be handed tokens of your large heart, then it means you have a pro-poverty mindset. Such a frame of mind is oriented toward cultivating poverty rather than stimulating abundance. That is why he could unproblematically relate the story of his “friend” who went from using five Rolls Royce to a far-less valued car and not consider the import of the nonsense he was saying. That spurious account was an indication that this is a man for whom poverty—of others, not himself—is an ideal.

If how he thinks this is the way fathers of actual prosperous nations like the United Arab Emirates imagined wealth generation, the country would not be the haven that drives Nigerian leaders to rob people to just to buy their luxury estates. The difference in their respective mindset largely explains why his approach to economic reforms is to first beggarise the nation. His reforms could have been activated with a view toward generating prosperity not a sadistic mentality that relishes seeing someone with five Rolls Royce reduced to nothing, but no. Thanks to his vision, Nigeria now has more beggars, on the streets, social media, public bureaucracies, and corporate offices, likely more than at any time in its history. You can hardly greet people online these days without getting a request from someone begging for money.

Punch