Israel steps up strikes across Gaza, orders new evacuations in north

Israeli strikes intensified across Gaza on Tuesday in some of the heaviest shelling in weeks, residents said, and the army ordered fresh evacuations in the north of the enclave, warning civilians they were in a "dangerous combat zone".

Strikes by air and shelling from tanks on the ground were also reported in central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip in what residents said late on Tuesday were almost 24 hours of non-stop bombardments.

In a post on social media platform X, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged residents of four zones in Beit Lahiya on Gaza's northern edge to move to two designated areas.

He said the military "will work with extreme force against terrorist infrastructure and subversive elements" in the region.

In a statement issued later on Tuesday, the military said it "follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm."

The renewed shelling and bombing of northern Gaza comes almost four months after the Israeli army announced it was drawing down troops there, saying Hamas no longer controlled those areas.

This month, Israel also drew down most of its forces in southern Gaza. But efforts to reach a ceasefire have failed, and Israeli bombardment and raids on territory where its troops have withdrawn are making it difficult for displaced Gazans to return to abandoned homes.

Tuesday's bombardment came after incoming rocket alerts sounded in two southern Israeli border towns, although no casualties were reported.

The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, a group allied to Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Sderot and Nir Am, indicating fighters were still able to launch rockets almost 200 days into the war, which has flattened large swathes of the enclave and displaced almost all of its 2.3 million people.

Hamas said Israel had achieved only "humiliation and defeat" with its offensive.

Speaking in a video aired by Al Jazeera television, Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, called for an escalation in conflict across all fronts and praised Iran for its first direct attack against Israel earlier this month.

He also said Hamas was sticking to its demands in ceasefire talks for Israel to permanently end its war, pull all its troops from Gaza and allow the displaced to return to the north.

Israel has resisted a permanent ceasefire, saying that would only allow Hamas to regroup.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

'Now go win the fight': US Congress passes Ukraine aid after months of delay

A sweeping foreign aid package easily passed the U.S. Congress late on Tuesday after months of delay, clearing the way for billions of dollars in fresh Ukraine funding amid advances from Russia's invasion force and Kyiv's shortages of military supplies.

The Senate approved by 79 to 18 four bills passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday, after House Republican leaders abruptly switched course last week and allowed a vote on the $95 billion in mostly military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and U.S. partners in the Indo-Pacific.

The four bills were combined into one package in the Senate, which President Joe Biden said he would sign into law on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was grateful to U.S. lawmakers for approving "vital" aid for Ukraine.

"This vote reinforces America's role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world," Zelenskiy said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

The largest provides $61 billion in critically needed funding for Ukraine; a second provides $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones around the world, and a third mandates $8.12 billion to "counter communist China" in the Indo-Pacific.

A fourth, which the House added to the package last week, includes a potential ban on the Chinese-controlled social media app TikTok, measures for the transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine and new sanctions on Iran.

Biden's administration is already preparing a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine, the first sourced from the bill, two U.S. officials told Reuters. It includes vehicles, Stinger air defense munitions, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, 155 millimeter artillery ammunition, TOW and Javelin anti-tank munitions and other weapons that can immediately be put to use on the battlefield.

The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders predicted that Congress had turned the corner in putting Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign adversaries on notice that Washington will continue supporting Ukraine and other foreign partners.

"This national security bill is one of the most important measures Congress has passed in a very long time to protect American security and the security of Western democracy,"

Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told a news conference after the vote.

The aid package could be the last approved for Ukraine until after elections in November when the White House, House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are up for grabs.

Much of the opposition to the security assistance in both the House and Senate has come from Republicans with close ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump, a Ukraine aid skeptic who has stressed "America First" policies as he seeks a second term.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a strong advocate for assisting Ukraine, expressed regret about the delay, largely due to hardline Republicans' objections to adding more to the $113 billion Washington had authorized for Kyiv since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

"I think we’ve turned the corner on the isolationist movement," McConnell told a news conference.

Some of the Ukraine money - $10 billion in economic support - comes in the form of a loan, which Trump had suggested. But the bill lets the president forgive the loan starting in 2026.

'NOW GO WIN THE FIGHT'

The influx of weapons should improve Kyiv's chances of averting a major breakthrough in the east by Russian invaders, although it would have been more helpful if the aid had come closer to when Biden requested it last year, analysts said.

Schumer said he left a message for Zelenskiy on Tuesday night, telling him, "OK, we got it done. Now go win the fight."

It was not immediately clear how the money for Israel would affect the conflict in Gaza. Israel already receives billions of dollars in annual U.S. security assistance, but it more recently has faced its first direct aerial attack by Iran.

Aid supporters hope the humanitarian assistance will help Palestinians in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel's campaign against Hamas to retaliate for Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 people.

Gaza health authorities say the campaign has led to the deaths of more than 34,000 civilians in the Palestinian enclave.

It was the second time this year that the Democratic-led Senate passed security aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific. The last bill, more than two months ago, garnered 70% support in the 100-member chamber from Republicans and Democrats. But leaders of the Republican-controlled House would not allow a vote on the foreign aid until last week.

The legislation's progress has been closely watched by industry, with U.S. defense firms up for major contracts to supply equipment for Ukraine and other U.S. partners.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine has lost almost half a million troops – Moscow

Ukrainian military losses since February 2022 have reached almost 500,000, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed on Tuesday. 

Russian forces have the initiative on the front line and are pushing back their opponents, Shoigu told a ministerial meeting. The pressure prevents Kiev’s troops from holding on to their defensive positions, he added.

The defense minister also addressed America’s expected allocation of over $60 billion in military assistance for Kiev. He noted that the move is intended to “prevent the collapse” of Ukrainian forces, but predicted that the money will not significantly impact the situation on the battlefield, since “most of the funding will go to US military production.”

“The American authorities cynically state that Ukrainians will be dying in the fight with Russia for their interests,” Shoigu stated. Officials in both Washington and Kiev have argued that paying Ukraine to fight Russia is preferable to the US having to fight Russia directly.

Shoigu hailed Russia’s defense production capacity and flexibility in adapting its military tactics to the combat situation. He said the Defense Ministry will continue long-range attacks on logistics hubs and depots used for supplying Western weapons to Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed into law a radical reform of the mobilization system, meant to boost conscription numbers, which introduces harsh punishments for draft avoidance.

Zelensky said he considers a proposed mobilization target of 500,000, tabled by Ukraine’s former top general, Valery Zaluzhny, who he dismissed in February, as excessive.

The multi-billion-dollar US aid package was requested by the White House months ago but was only passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday, after Speaker Mike Johnson agreed to it.

Reuters/RT

(For Earth Day 2024)

The sky above our head is

A ragged umbrella in need of a needle

The rain which leaks through the rupture
Is a cocktail of contending toxins   

The cloud up there is a wet blanket
Dripping like a dirge upon a feverish earth

The birds fled several season ago
Without leaving a forwarding address

Prodigal saws have felled the joy
Of flourishing forests

There is a twilight stanza
In the song of the wind

Several seasons ago we sowed the Wind
The Whirlwind is ripe for our heedless reaping

The Earth we used to know
Is once-upon-a-time

** Niyi Osundare, one of Africa’s foremost poets and academics, is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of English, University of New Orleans. 

Thanks to investors' insatiable appetite for artificial intelligence, Nvidia (NVDA) — a key player in powering AI advancements — has become a market darling. The stock has skyrocketed, showing a 70% increase year to date and a staggering 1,749% return over the past five years.

The surge in Nvidia’s share price has significantly increased the wealth of its founder and CEO, Jensen Huang. According to Forbes, Huang now ranks as the 20th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $72.2 billion.

However, he didn’t begin his career in the billionaire club — far from it.

During a recent “View From The Top” interview at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Huang was asked why he created a flat organizational structure for his company. In his response, he reflected on his humble beginnings.

“To me, no task is beneath me because remember, I used to be a dishwasher, and I mean that, and I used to clean toilets. I mean, I cleaned a lot of toilets, I've cleaned more toilets than all of you combined, and some of them, you just can't unsee,” he said.

Huang’s light-hearted remark elicited laughter from the audience.

He continued, “I don't know what to tell you, that's life, and so you can't show me a task that's beneath me.”

Huang emphasizes his willingness to help others by sharing his approach to problem-solving. He states that his assistance is not about whether a task is beneath him but about being of service: by demonstrating his reasoning process on various challenges — whether they're ambiguous, incalculable, or seemingly daunting — he empowers others.

Resilience matters

Huang doesn’t hesitate to make bold statements. During another Stanford event, he made some intriguing remarks about expectations, pain and suffering.

Speaking at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research last month, Huang was asked what advice he’d give to students to enhance their chances of success.

Rather than prescribing specific actions, he shared this insight: "One of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations."

Huang went on to note that low expectations aren’t typical among Stanford graduates — even though he himself is an alumnus.

“Most Stanford graduates have very high expectations, and you deserve to have high expectations because you came from a great school. You were very successful. You were top of your class. Obviously, you were able to pay for tuition. And then you’re graduating from one of the finest institutions on the planet. You’re surrounded by other kids that are just incredible,” he elaborated.

However, Huang highlighted a significant drawback to this mindset, stating, “People with very high expectations have very low resilience. And unfortunately, resilience matters in success.”

‘I hope suffering happens to you’

Huang believes that the ability to endure setbacks and suffering is crucial for success. However, he’s unsure how to effectively teach this resilience to students — it may be something they need to experience firsthand.

“I don’t know how to teach it to you except that I hope suffering happens to you,” he said.

He shared that, although he grew up in an environment that fostered success, he also faced many challenges. Within his company, he uses the term "pain and suffering" with glee, seeing such challenges as opportunities to strengthen and refine the character of the organization.

For Huang, true greatness in individuals comes from character, not intelligence, and character is shaped by experiences of adversity.

“And so if I could wish upon you — I don’t know how to do it — but for all of you Stanford students, I’d wish upon you ample doses of pain and suffering,” he said.

Put simply: no pain, no gain.

MoneyWise

Former President Goodluck Jonathan emphasized the importance of establishing state police to tackle insecurity during a national security dialogue in Abuja. He stressed the need for a framework preventing abuse of state police powers and highlighted their success in stabilizing security in Bayelsa during the late 90s.

Jonathan underscored concerns about ensuring state police autonomy while preventing misuse by governors. He urged careful consideration of the relationship between state and national security structures. Furthermore, he called for equipping state police adequately to combat criminals effectively.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima pledged federal government support for dialogue outcomes, while former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar emphasized the importance of government transparency. However, the Inspector General of Police, represented by Ben Okolo, opposed state police, suggesting instead the integration of FRSC and NSCDC into federal policing. This stance was met with disapproval from the audience.

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has announced that candidates under the age of 18 will no longer be admitted to tertiary institutions.

This directive, given during a monitoring exercise of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory, aims to align with the 6-3-3-4 education system.

Mamman expressed concern over parents pressuring underage students into university admission, emphasizing the need for children to mature before entering higher education.

He highlighted the challenges faced by young students adjusting to university life and urged parents to refrain from undue pressure. The minister stressed the importance of allowing children to transition from a controlled to an independent environment at an appropriate age to ensure their success in university education.

Babcock University, located in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, is mourning the loss of Yinka Olomojobi, a professor, who was tragically shot by suspected gunmen over the weekend. Olomojobi, a lecturer at the university's School of Law and Security Studies, was attacked at Ajadeh Event Centre in Iperu, Ogun State.

Joshua Suleiman, the university's Director of Communication and Marketing, confirmed the incident, expressing the institution's shock and sorrow.

While details of the incident are still emerging, witnesses reported that the gunmen, dressed in black attire, also abducted two individuals and injured others while fleeing the scene.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested one suspect, a security guard named Awada Ishaya from Plateau State, in connection with the incident.

Suspected terrorists have launched devastating attacks on multiple communities in Kankara Local Council of Katsina State, resulting in at least 15 deaths and the abduction of several married women.

The assaults, which occurred at Unguwan Maikawo, Gatakawa, and Unguwan Topa communities, left a trail of destruction and trauma.

In Katsina alone, the terrorists killed five individuals, including children playing football, and abducted married women, some of whom were nursing mothers. The attacks in Tsafe town, Zamfara State, further heightened the sense of insecurity, with two locals killed and five injured. Residents expressed fear and called for increased security presence to curb the escalating violence. Government officials acknowledged the attacks and vowed to intensify efforts to combat terrorism.

ISRAEL’S REPORTS

IDF: The Head of the Intelligence Directorate, MG Aharon Haliva, in coordination with the Chief of the General Staff, has requested to end his position, following his leadership responsibility as the Head of the Intelligence Directorate for the events of October 7th.

In a decision with the Chief of the General Staff and with the approval of the Minister of Defense, it was decided that MG Aharon Haliva will end his position and retire from the IDF, once his successor is appointed in an orderly and professional process.

In his request, MG Aharon Haliva noted his high appreciation for the work of the Intelligence Directorate personnel during the war.

The Chief of the General Staff thanked Major General Aharon Haliva for his 38 years of service in the IDF, during which he made significant contributions to the security of the State of Israel as both a combat soldier and commander.

Attached is the letter from the Head of the Intelligence Directorate, MG Haliva: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC220420247248723978

** IDF: As the Passover holiday begins the IDF is at full readiness in all areas

During the Passover holiday, the IDF continues its operational activity and remains fully alert in all areas.

In the Southern Command, the 162nd Division, led by the Nahal Brigade, initiated an operation to thwart terrorism in the central Gaza Strip. The soldiers continue to eliminate terrorists, locate, and dismantle terrorist infrastructure. In the last day, the forces identified a cell of terrorists posing an immediate threat to the soldiers which was targeted by Israel Air Force jets.

In the Northern Command, numerous IDF soldiers on land, air, and sea, are deployed along the northern border from Mount Hermon to Rosh HaNikra, in strong defense and ready for any attack. The forces are conducting ambushes, locating, and eliminating terrorists who pose a threat to IDF soldiers and are targeting command centers, weapon storage facilities, and terrorist infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

In the Central Command, IDF soldiers are deployed and continue their defense efforts, ready to maintain security on roads and to prevent terrorism.

IDF soldiers and security forces apprehended 13 wanted individuals in the various regional brigades last night.

During the last week, the soldiers in the Benjamin region operated to locate the terrorist who murdered Binyamin Achimair, on April 12.

IDF soldiers are currently operating in Hebron, in the residences of the terrorists who carried out the attack earlier today in Jerusalem, and are investigating individuals suspected of assisting them.

Attached is footage of IDF activities in the Southern Command: https://bit.ly/4d1iTMR

Attached are related photos: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC87695

Attached is footage of IDF activities in the Northern Command: https://bit.ly/4b2ed7w

Attached are related photos: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC97843

Attached is footage of IDF activities in the Central Command: https://bit.ly/3W438yB

Attached are related photos: https://IDFANC.activetrail.biz/ANC6783

** IDF: Following the sirens that sounded in northern Israel, approximately 35 launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into the area of Ein Zeitim in northern Israel. No injuries were reported. IDF troops struck the sources of the launches.

A short while ago, IAF fighter jets struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Earlier today, two military structures where Hezbollah terrorists operated were struck in the areas of Arzoun and Odaisseh in southern Lebanon.

Attached is a video of the strikes: https://bit.ly/4aJiPzv

HAMAS’ REPORTS

Hamas leader Abdel Hakim Hanini

The ramming operation in the occupied city of Jerusalem this morning is a new confirmation of the resistance’s resolve and its commitment to its commitment.

The timing and location of the operation have their own connotations, coinciding with the violations and settlement plans that the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is being subjected to.

The recent developments in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the specific operations that took place are an indication of the extent of the anger and latent revolution among our people.

We call on the masses of the West Bank and Jerusalem to show greater solidarity and rise up against the occupation.

** Resistants target the occupation forces with explosive devices “elbows” during the ongoing storming of the town of Jalboun, east of Jenin

** Mujahideen Brigades - Occupied West Bank:

By God’s grace, our mujahideen were able to clash with the Zionist enemy forces penetrating the Balata camp.

#Al-Aqsa Flood

** Al-Qassam Mujahideen managed to snipe a Zionist soldier in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip

Al-Qassam Brigades target a Zionist D9 military bulldozer with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip.

Al-Qassam Brigades destroy a gathering of occupation forces penetrating Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip with mortar shells.

Israel Defense Forces/Hamas Brigade al-Qassam

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

New US aid package will just kill more Ukrainians – Kremlin

Washington’s $61 billion pledge to Kiev will make little difference on the battlefield, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

The US House of Representatives approved a $95 billion foreign aid package, almost two thirds of which would be spent on Ukraine-related programs. The Kremlin, however, doesn’t appear the slightest bit alarmed.

“Fundamentally, this will not change the situation on the battlefield,” Peskov told reporters on Monday. 

Pointing to the steady Russian advances along the front, Peskov said the dynamics of the conflict are now “absolutely clear to everyone,” and that the money and weapons the US will allocate to Ukraine “will not lead to a change in this dynamic.”

“They will lead to new casualties among Ukrainians, more Ukrainians will die, Ukraine will suffer major losses,” the presidential spokesman said.

Moreover, he noted, the bulk of the aid money is supposed to stay in the US, one way or another. The White House itself argued this to Congress as one of the selling points, saying that the package was a stimulus for the US military-industrial complex and manufacturing base.

“In principle, nothing has changed,” Peskov said, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin fully expected the US lawmakers to vote the way they did.

Reacting to the vote on Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US was using Ukrainians as “cannon fodder”and hoping to keep Kiev on life support until after the November presidential election. In the end, she said, the US will end up facing a “loud and humiliating fiasco on a par with Vietnam or Afghanistan.”

The newest batch of US aid might help slow down the Russians but won’t stop them, several Ukrainian officers have told Financial Times. No amount of weapons and ammunition from the West can solve Kiev’s biggest problem: the lack of manpower, the outlet noted.

Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, also predicted “a rather difficult situation” on the battlefield for the Kiev government in the coming months. 

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian air strike took out TV tower in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Zelenskiy says

A Russian missile strike that broke in half a 240-metre (787-foot) television tower in Kharkiv on Monday is part of a deliberate effort by Moscow to make Ukraine's second largest city uninhabitable, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Dramatic footage obtained by Reuters showed the main mast of the television tower breaking off and falling to the ground in the city that has been pounded by missile and drone strikes for weeks.

The Ukrainian leader said he told U.S. President Joe Biden about the airstrike that was carried out several minutes before they spoke by telephone.

"It is Russia's clear intention to make the city uninhabitable," he said in a readout of the call published on the Telegram messaging app.

Later, in his nightly video address, the president said the attack was "an obvious attempt at intimidation so that the terror was visible to the whole city and an attempt to limit Kharkiv's access to communication and information".

CLOSE TO THE BORDER

The northeastern city of Kharkiv with a population of 1.3 million lies just 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border, making it an easy target for ballistic missiles and other weapons as Ukraine's air defences have dwindled.

Its power facilities have been damaged particularly badly since Russia last month began targeting the energy system with massive strikes.

"At the moment there are interruptions to the digital television signal," regional governor Oleh Synehubov said.

There had been no casualties because its workers had taken shelter, he added.

Synehubov later reported a missile attack had triggered a fire at a poultry farm outside Kharkiv, but without casualties. And prosecutors said one person was killed in the shelling of a village southeast of the city.

Reuters footage filmed at the scene of the aftermath showed the collapsed section of the tower lying in a forested strip nearby. Buildings next to the tower had been badly damaged by falling debris.

The Service for State Special Communications said the structure of the tower had been "partially damaged" in what prosecutors said appeared to have been a strike with a Kh-59 cruise missile.

It said there was "temporarily" no television signal and that they were working to restore it, urging residents of the city and region without digital television signal to use cable or online television or the radio.

The footage obtained by Reuters did not capture the impact of a missile, but showed a cloud of smoke rise into the sky as the mast fell.

The video was verified by corroborating video from another angle showing the same moment the top of the tower collapsed.

Russia first attacked Kharkiv's television tower several times in early March 2022 soon after it launched its full-scale invasion. The signal was disrupted at the time.

Moscow has recently stepped up its attacks, while Ukraine is suffering a shortage of air defence capabilities. Kharkiv and the surrounding region have experienced the most intense strikes.

RT/Reuters