In the course of my journalism odyssey and service to my Fatherland, I have been honoured countless times with awards headlining my modest contribution to country and humanity. But none came close to the one I received on 7 February 2024 at the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion at Ika in Delta State. 

This particular one was an epoch that set me on an emotional introspection followed by profuse praise for God’s matchless grace upon my life. There I stood facing the leadership of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion: the Primate of all Nigeria, Henry Ndukuba, House of Bishops, House of Priests and House of Laity, at the Anglican Cathedral Church of Ascension, Boji-Boji Owa of the Diocese of Ika, Delta State, listening to my citation for the prestigious Award For Excellence In Faithfulness In The Kingdom Service.  

As the citation was being read, the Holy Spirit took over, taking me on a journey  back to my formative years which were spent in vicarage. In vivid colour, the Spirit showed me how my late father, Daniel Akinseye Olamiti -a Cathechist- spent 40 years serving God, faithfully and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to many parts of the Old Ondo Province. My beloved Father was the vessel, the early evangelist that God used to bring Christianity to Idanreland. 

Ironically, despite his many years of dedicated and meritorious service, Papa retired without a building to house his wife and six children. But by the time he was asked to pack out of the Mission House, help came from above. It came in the form of a two-bedroom building without toilet and kitchen, but good enough to provide shelter for him, his wife and six children. 

For his service for 40 years he was paid one-off retirement benefit of 40 pounds and he used half of that amount to offset the balance of my school fees at Olofin Grammar School, Idanre. I also remember how, as a young boy in the primary School, I used to follow my Dad to the yearly Synod in Ondo town. My Dad, though poor financially, living on one-pound monthly salary, always went with cap in hand to well-to-do Church members for help.

However, throughout that difficult period, I never saw my father in a moody state. He was always happy and enthusiastic in going from house to house twice daily to win converts into God’s Kingdom from paganism.  He was cheerfully and eagerly going about planting churches at the different stations he found himself from frequent transfers.

Therefore, as joy continued to well in my soul and spirit as I received the award, my spirit kept telling me: this award is not for me but for my father and the people of Idanreland, where my beloved old man was one of the pioneers that brought Christianity to the land.

Shortly after he  passed on to glory, 28 years ago, I saw him  in my dream. The two of us were in white apparels, walking in a lush green field. As we walked and as I savoured the scenic scene, Papa told me to look sideways. I did. And I saw men in white dresses entering a big church. My father then instructed me to go and join them. He let go my hand and continued walking away. As I was walking towards the big church to join the men in white as Papa instructed, I woke up.

In his days, my father struggled hard to get a collar as a reverend but could not because of his minimal education attainment. He only had a standard six certificate.  

But here was I, standing on the stage, facing the awesome gathering of God’s people, including the most eminent fathers and mothers in the Anglican Church, receiving this prestigious honour. How can I ever forget this day of glory? It’s not possible. I will forever cherish it. This definitely is not by my powers or might but by the Grace of the Almighty God and also to the leadership of our Church, Ndukuba. I am one of the few Anglicans that belong to three dioceses - Abuja, Ibadan and Akure. I make sure I balance my responsibilities to the  best of my ability to serve the Lord and humanity in these dioceses. 

Just last year, in January to be precise, the Ibadan Diocese, while celebrating its 70th anniversary, honoured me with an award for Invaluable Services to the Diocese. Yet, this was just one of the many awards that I received from the diocese. They included: Communicator of the Year, 2006; Son of The Year 2009; and 2012 Award for Invaluable Contribution to the Growth and Development of Ibadan Diocese. From Akure Diocese, I was honoured during its 10th Inauguration Anniversary in 2023 with the Eminent Ambassador Award. This is not forgetting the Abuja  Diocese where I was privileged to be a member of the Committee for the Establishment of the Anglican  International Academy, and from there also came an award in recognition of invaluable service to work of God. From Oyo Diocese in 2019, The Women organizations honoured me with an award in recognition of my contributions to the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, the media and society at large. As the immediate past chairman of the Board of Management of Advent Cable Network Nigeria Television, ACNNTV, for two terms. I got a Nehemiah award during the station’s 10th Year Anniversary in recognition of my pioneering role in setting up the station. In 2017, I was also inducted into Anglican Knighthood of Saint Christopher in Bayelsa State.

Now, let me quickly say this: I have gone all out to mention all these honours among the many honours and services the Church has bestowed on me not  for self-adulation but to appreciate God for His kindness and faithfulness in my 72 years so far on this side of eternity.

Yet, this is not to talk about secular awards which God has bestowed on me and they came in droves. Needless to mention that I am a titled Chief in Idanre, my hometown - where the Owa of Idanreland Oba Frederick Aroloye Arubiefin IV installed me the Ajagunla of Idanreland. I am also a trustee of The Yoruba Leadership Peace Initiatives TYLPI. I served for ten years as the Resident Consultant and spokesperson of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission ( ICPC) and received an award for Outstanding Leadership and Service in The Fight Against Corruption.

From my professional body as a journalist, I was honoured with an indelible and committed  Senior Management Staff award of The African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Publisher of Trbune titles where I served for 32 years. Other awards included Fellow Nigerian Guild of Editors (FNGE), Fellow of Diamond Merit Award (DAME), the Milestone Award from Nigerian Union of Journalists, and Member of International Press Institute IPI in Vienna and a member IPI Board of Trustees, Nigeria chapter. No doubt, all these secular honours are good for the recognition of one’s services to humanity. And I remain forever grateful for these recognitions. 

But the ones from the Church give me enormous spiritual fulfillment; and for this reason I’m celebrating the latest that came from the Apex Body of the Church - The Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion.  Colossians 3:17,  says: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it well in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” 

For me, praising God and my Saviour Jesus Christ is a contract that has no expiry date. For my remaining years on earth, I will totally commit myself to serving Him with all my heart and soul. To Him belong all the glory. Thank you, Jesus!

According to a new power distribution plan approved by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), certain segments of the Nigerian population will henceforth have regular electricity and pay more, while the rest of society will see far less electricity supply and pay lower tariffs.

If this Orwellian electricity plan is followed through, the Nigerian middle class, as well as the urban and rural poor, who constitute the majority of the country, will most likely retreat into medieval darkness.

From a policy standpoint, below are three downsides of the new electricity plan:

1. It Promotes Social Inequity

Electricity is much more than cables, light bulbs, and switches. In developmental terms, electricity is a crucial thermometer by which we measure the quality of modern life. In fact, no definition of modernity can be complete without a people’s access to electricity.

This is why governments all over the world see the provision of electricity to their citizens as an important responsibility.

Therefore, any policy that segregates access to such a basic and essential service strictly on the basis of economic and social stratification of citizens, is a short-sighted policy and needs to be reviewed.

The new electricity supply regime will deepen social inequity in the country and reduce the quality of life of the majority of Nigerians, who are set to see far less access to electricity simply because of where they live.

This is social apartheid à la carte.

Rather than reduce supply to most citizens, the government and its private sector partners should increase, prioritise, and guarantee regular electricity supply to all citizens.

When Brazil faced an unprecedented economic and social regression in the late 1990s, the government of President Lula Da Silva (2003-2011) rolled out the most audacious and inclusive economic recovery plan that pulled millions of people out of poverty. The resulting economic recovery propelled Brazil ahead of Britain as the fifth largest economy in the world for the first time.

Nigeria needs an inclusive and robust economic and job creation plan that can increase people’s capacity to pay for social services and live meaningful lives.

2. It Will Deepen Economic Woes

All over the world, reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply is seen as the ultimate tonic that spurs economic growth.

Nigeria has the largest informal sector in Africa, with micro, small, and medium-sized businesses accounting for over 40 per cent of the country’s GDP and 70 per cent of employment. These businesses range from subsistent fish farms in rural communities to vibrant, youth-led innovation hubs in informal urban settlements across the country.

A segregationist electricity supply policy that excludes this productive swathe of Nigeria’s population will spell disaster for an already beleaguered Nigerian economy.

In an age when Finland has made Internet access a constitutional right, with a stipulated bandwidth guaranteed to every citizen, Nigeria cannot afford to pursue an energy policy that is guaranteed to sentence the majority of its citizens to live in darkness.

3. Where Are the Meters?

Nigeria generates an average of 5,000 megawatts of electricity for a population of over 200 million people. This is grossly inadequate when compared to South Africa, which generates over 50,000 megawatts for its 60 million citizens.

Yet, Nigeria has perhaps the most unpredictable energy consumption audit systems in the world.

According to a recent report by NERC, only 44 per cent of electricity consumers in Nigeria have metered connections. This means that 56 per cent – a vast majority of energy consumers – are subjected to an opaque and extortionate “estimated billing” system that leaves consumers feeling duped.

The new electricity tariff regime does not address the important problem of inadequate metering and the systemic corruption that it breeds.

Finally, to address the crisis, the government and its private sector partners should keep the focus on generating sufficient and uninterrupted power supply to all citizens.

This can be done through a power consumption audit system that is universally metered, fair, accountable, and transparent.

Austin Tam-George is a former senior executive fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

 

PT

 

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No one likes being tethered to a socket at home or dealing with a dying phone when on the go. A long-lasting battery life on a phone is essential. When an iPhone ages, its battery suffers, leading to a shorter life. If you feel your iPhone has not lasted as long as it used to, follow the tips below. They won’t undo the battery damage but’ll ensure you get the most out of each charge.

Turn off Background Refresh

iPhone apps tend to auto-refresh to be ready for you when you launch them. While that’s helpful, it constantly drains your battery in the background. Imagine how much battery that would take up if your phone’s loaded with apps.

This newsletter comes from the future.

Turning the background app refresh off is okay since they can always refresh upon launch. Go to General > Background App Refresh > Background App Refresh (again) and choose Off.

Limit Location Services

Location services are another thing that runs in the background that takes up your battery without you knowing. You’re wasting considerable battery by always sharing your location with certain apps. You should change that to only when you’re using that app.

Head over to Settings > Privacy and go through the list of apps to see if any say ‘Always’ in front of their names. When you see one, click on it andpick While Using the App from the list. If you feel that the app doesn’t need your location, feel free to pick Never.

Organizing this list from time to time helps save you a lot of battery and is also safer regarding privacy.

Watch Your Phone’s Temperature

According to Apple’s iPhone user guide, iPhones are designed to work in ambient temperatures between 32° and 95° F (0° and 35° C) and stored in temperatures between -4° and 113° F (-20° and 45° C). The guide also adds that an iPhone’s battery life can be shortened if stored or operated outside these temperature ranges.   

This means that to optimize your iPhone’s performance, you need to watch its temperature. If you’re out in the cold, keep it as warm as you can tucked inside your jacket’s pocket. If you’re charging it and feel it starting to heat up, take it out of its case so it can breathe a little.

Turn Low Power Mode On

This is an obvious one. Low Power Mode reduces background activity like auto-downloads and mail fetch and reduces your display’s refresh rate. This makes your phone less power-hungry. You still get all your notifications, and your phone works normally.

  Low Power Mode automatically activates when your battery falls below 20%. However, if you wish to activate it manually, go to Settings > Batteryand turn on the toggle switch for Low Power Mode.

It’s easier to  add the feature to your Control Center, so all you have to do is swipe down on your display and click the battery icon when you want to activate the mode. To add it to your Control Center, navigate to Settings > Control Center and hit the green plus icon next to Low Power Mode.

Turn Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular Data, and Airdrop off

Again, it’s a pretty obvious and easy one. Features like Wi-Fi and Airdrop drain your battery by constantly looking for connections nearby. For instance, turning all of these off is a good habit when hitting the bed.

To turn Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Data off, swipe down on your display from the top-right and tap on their respective icons. It’ll all be greyed out if you’re successful. You can also turn them off in Settings. Go to each menu (Wi-Fi, Settings, Bluetooth) and turn their respective toggle switches off.

For Airdrop, go to Settings > General > Airdrop and click on Receiving Off.

Turn Brightness Down

There’s a reason why Low Power Mode makes your display less bright. The higher the brightness, the less your battery will last. Unless you’re outdoors and absolutely need all those nits, turn your brightness down in the Control Center.

Swipe down on your display from the top-right of your screen and then swipe down on the brightness slider as much as you want. Heading over to Settings > Display & Brightness and tweaking the Brightness slider on that page is another way to do this.

Turn Auto-Lock On

The longer your display stays on, the more battery you’ll lose. Turn auto-lock on if you always turn off your display when putting your phone down manually. You’d need to go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. Once you see all the options, change it from Never to an option of your choice. Anything two minutes or under should be fine.

If Auto-Lock is greyed out, that’s because your Low Power Mode is activated. You’re automatically defaulted to 30 seconds, which is even better. But it’s helpful to have this information handy when you want your display to last longer.

Update iOS

Think of this as the ‘turn it off and on again’ hack. It works for everything, from making your iPhone run faster to extending its battery life. New iOS versions bring bug fixes and updates that help improve your phone’s overall performance. Anytime your phone’s acting up, it’s a good idea to check if you’re on the latest software version and update if you aren’t.

Navigating to Settings > General > Software Update will tell you whether or not you need to update.

 

Gizmodo

Central Bank of Nigeria has barred commercial lenders from accepting foreign currency-denominated collateral to grant naira loans, a move that could protect the banking system against a strengthening of the local currency, it said on Monday.

The regulator said in a circular that the practice it had observed of bank customers using foreign currency as collateral for naira loans was "prohibited".

The CBN on Monday said it approved Eurobonds issued by the government or letters of credit issued by an offshore bank as eligible foreign currency collateral.

It told lenders to wind down all loans currently secured with dollar-denominated collateral within 90 days or face sanctions.

The naira has gained sharply against the dollar on both the official and parallel markets after suffering its second devaluation in less than a year in January.

The currency strengthened after the central bank raised interest rates in February and March, and lifted restrictions on foreign participation at its fixed-income auctions.

The bank now allows foreign investors to pre-fund their accounts and get naira at the prevailing exchange rate for bill auctions, analysts said.

In the past, lenders faced constraints in fulfilling foreign investors' bids as they incurred extra costs on settlement day if they borrowed from the central bank's discount window to pay for bills.

 

Reuters

A Binance Holdings Ltd. executive detained for more than 40 days in Nigeria after being invited by the government and then charged with tax evasion and fraud has been sent to prison ahead of trial in May.

A court ordered Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial compliance at Binance, to be remanded at the Kuje correctional center in the capital Abuja on Monday, despite his counsel pleading that he remain in the custody of the anti-graft commission.

Gambaryan was charged alongside Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and in his first appearance in court on April 4, argued that he could not be served the company’s charges as he was not authorized by his employer to receive it.

On Monday, Emeka Nwite ruled that Gambaryan had earlier admitted to visiting Nigeria as a representative of Binance which “clearly shows his involvement” with the company within Nigeria, and so could be served in lieu of his employer.

He was charged with tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering of $34 million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He pleaded not guilty.

“We are deeply disappointed that Tigran Gambaryan, who has no decision-making power in the company, continues to be detained,” a Binance spokesperson said in an emailed statement, calling for his release.

“These charges against him are merit-less. It’s outrageous that he would be remanded in a prison such as Kuje Correctional Facility.”

Nwite fixed April 18 for hearing on Gambaryan’s bail application and May 5 for trial.

Another Binance executive — Nadeem Anjarwalla — who was detained at the same time as Gambaryan, and has UK and Kenyan citizenship, fled the West African country last month.

The two men had traveled to Nigeria late February at the invitation of the authorities to meet officials after the government blocked access to cryptocurrency channels amid a clampdown on currency speculation.

Many residents of Africa’s most-populous nation have flocked to cryptoassets amid a plunge in the value of the naira. That prompted a state crackdown on platforms offering digital tokens.

 

Bloomberg

Sequel to the impeachment of Philip Shaibu as the deputy governor of Edo State, a new deputy governor has been sworn in. He is Godwins Marvelous Omobayo.

Omobayo was sworn in by the State Chief Judge, Daniel Okungbowa at the new Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City.

The swearing in ceremony was performed in the presence of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie; State Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Aziegbemi; Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku traditional rulers mainly from Akoko-Edo local government area, and other top government functionaries. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Obaseki said the nomination of Omobayo as deputy governor of the state was with wide consultation with people of the local government area and other prominent persons in the state.

The new deputy governor was the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in the 2023 general election.

He is an Engineer with a proven track record of progressive professional experience in the oil and gas sector.

Born July 19, 1986, Omobayo hails from Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the State.

With a B.Eng Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Msc in Public Administration from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), he is well suited for the role as a professional and an expert in public administration.

He is a registered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). 

A thorough-bred young professional, he serves as a Senior Maintenance Engineer in Dresser Wayne West Africa Limited, cutting his professional teeth in the operations in the South South area, providing top-notch services and growing the business in the region.

He has also been active in politics in his local government.

 

Thisday

The presidency has chided Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, over his recent comments on the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

In a statement issued at the weekend by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, Abubakar alleged that the 700-kilometre highway project was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited (Hitech) owned by Gilbert Chagoury.

The former vice-president said President Bola Tinubu prioritised personal business interest over Nigerians in the handling of the project.

He alleged that Chagoury is a business partner of Tinubu.

Abubakar said the federal government has not revealed the expenses associated with the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

He added that the road construction is shrouded in secrecy and could cost N15.7 trillion.

He also condemned the federal government for not disclosing the cost of the project as done by Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari’s administrations.

‘ATIKU’S AIDES MISLEADING HIM‘

In a statement issued on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Abubakar did not get his facts right.

“In his desperation to always want to hug the headlines as a self-appointed opposition leader, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has allowed himself to be led into a blind alley again by his poorly informed aides,” the statement reads.

Onanuga said Abubakar made “false allusions” about the project in his “futile attempt to denigrate and find faults in the audacious and transformational” road construction initiative.

“To Atiku’s chagrin and utter disappointment, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway has been rightly praised for the huge economic impact it will create and how it will be a game-changer in improving the quality of life of Nigerians, especially the economy of the nine coastal states it will pass through. Importantly, the road will boost the agricultural and tourism economy on a grand scale,” the presidential spokesperson said.

“Seeking to be a killjoy, Abubakar engaged in red-herring by raising ill-thought-out allegations that only exposed his inadequacies and those of his team in getting the basic facts on an issue he badly seeks to nail the government.

“We owe it a sacred duty to ensure Atiku and his handlers do not continue to spread disinformation as they wallow in their politics of hatred.”

‘PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION NEVER AWARDED THE PROJECT’

Onanuga said the administrations of Jonathan and Buhari never awarded the project to any company at any varied and revised amount as claimed by Abubakar.

He said Abubakar is mixing up the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project with the Lagos-Calabar coastal rail.

“So the question of costs comparison does not arise,” the presidential spokesperson said.

“The contract that was awarded was that of Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail. The rail was designed as part of the standard gauge national rail network.

“The contract was awarded on August 4, 2021, by the Federal Executive Council presided over by former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the cost of $ 11.17 billion. The contract was to be completed in six years. The project didn’t take off.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail project has always been on the card. It was another testament to the failure of the previous PDP-led government that it could not get it off the ground in the 16 years it held sway.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway and Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail are two distinct projects. It is unfortunate that the former Vice President is confused about  the two projects.”

Onanuga said Tinubu “should be praised for having the courage to embark on this transformative project and not vilified as Abubakar unsuccessfully sought to do”.

“We know there is nothing so sacred for Abubakar in the pursuit of his undying ambition to be President of Nigeria even in his advanced age,” he said.

“We, however, don’t expect a former Vice President of Nigeria to continue to fan ill-will and engage in divisive politics in his twilight.”

“Tinubu as a leader and nationalist will continue to drive and propel national progress through infrastructural development across the country.”

The presidency asked Abubakar to “act his status as a presumed statesman and desist from engaging in fruitless exercise that does not add any value to nation-building”.

 

The Cable

Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared Wednesday as the first of Shawwal and Eid day, commemorating the completion of the 2024 Ramadan fast.

Deputy Secretary-General, NSCIA, Salisu Shehu, said this in a statement on Monday night.

According to him, this is due to the fact that the new crescent was not sighted in the Kingdom on Monday.

This means that this year’s Ramadan fasting would complete 30 on Tuesday.

NSCIA under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, wishes to inform the Nigerian Muslim Ummah that there was no positive report of the sighting of the crescent of Shawwal 1445 AH on the 29th of Ramadan 1445 AH.

“Consequently, Ramadan fast will continue tomorrow Tuesday, 9th April 2024 as the 30th day of Ramadan. Therefore, Wednesday, 10th April 2024 is hereby declared as the 1st day of Shawwal 1445 AH and the day of Eid-il-fitr,” Shehu said.

The Council prayed that Allah accepts the fasting and other virtuous acts in Ramadan and grant all peaceful and blissful Eid celebrations.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had earlier declared Wednesday as the first of Shawwal and Eid day.

 

Daily Trust

ISRAELI REPORTS

Netanyahu sets date for Rafah operation, pushes back at US

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set a date for an IDF operation in Rafah to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions, as the United States reiterated its opposition to such a step, which it fears will create a humanitarian disaster.

“This victory requires entering Rafah and eliminating the terrorist battalions there. This will happen; there is a date,” Netanyahu said in a brief video message he issued to the public on Monday night.

He spoke after the IDF removed Brigade 98 from Gaza, a move believed to be necessary so the troops could rest and regroup in advance of any further military activity in the enclave.

It sparked speculation, however, that Israel had decided not to send the IDF into Rafah. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the government if the IDF did not enter Rafah or if it prematurely ended the war.

** IDF: Overnight (Monday), IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated Ali Ahmed Hassin, the commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization’s Radwan Forces in the Hajir region. The strike was carried out in the area of Sultaniyeh in southern Lebanon.

Ali Ahmed Hassin was a senior operative in the terrorist organization and held a rank equivalent to that of brigade commander. In his role, he was responsible for planning and carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians in northern Israel.

Since the beginning of the war, Hassin carried out numerous launches toward Israeli territory. During the strike overnight, two additional Hezbollah terrorists who were under his command were eliminated.

Attached is a video of the strike: https://bit.ly/43MvYFz

** IDF: The Spokesperson of the Islamic Jihad Political Bureau discloses to Unit 504 of the Intelligence Directorate: "Terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip are operating from all of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip; "The organization lied and fabricated a story about an Israeli rocket hitting a hospital at the start of the war."

During the precise, intelligence-based operation carried out by the IDF and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) in the Shifa Hospital, more than 500 terrorist operatives associated with terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip were apprehended. The terrorists, who were transferred to Unit 504 of the Intelligence Directorate and the ISA, included senior officials and operatives who are significant sources of information for the terror organizations. Among the terrorists detained was the spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization's Political Bureau in the Gaza Strip, Tariq Salami Otha Abu Shlouf, whose interrogation provides insight into the propaganda and incitement operations carried out by the terrorist organizations.

During the interrogation, Tariq revealed details of the operational method used by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to manipulate the Arabic and international media, with a focus on creating false narratives and lies about what is happening in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Tariq admitted that the explosion in the Al-Ahli Al-Ma'mdani Hospital at the beginning of the war was caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket, and that the organization chose to knowingly lie and blame Israel for the event.

Tariq acted to incite terror and propaganda operations from within the Shifa Hospital and admitted to the use of the hospital compound and medical equipment for terrorist purposes, such as using ambulances to transport senior operatives of the terrorist organizations into and out of the hospital.

Attached is the interrogation of the spokesperson of the Islamic Jihad's Political Bureau, Tariq Salami Otha Abu Shlouf, by Unit 504: https://bit.ly/3UaoMQ8

** IDF: A short while ago, several launches were identified crossing from Lebanon toward the areas of the western Galilee and Har Dov in northern Israel. A number of the launches fell in Lebanese territory and the rest fell in accordance with protocol. No injuries were reported.

In addition, earlier today, a suspicious aerial target that crossed from Lebanon toward the area of Metula in northern Israel was successfully intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array. No injuries were reported.

Throughout the day, IDF fighter jets struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure, military compounds, and a launch post in the area of the Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon.

Furthermore, a short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military compound where terrorists were identified, as well as terrorist infrastructure and an additional military compound in the area of Odaisseh in Lebanon.

 

HAMAS’ REPORTS

A little while later.. Al-Quds Brigades show scenes of targeting a vehicle and bombing the enemy’s military concentrations prior to their withdrawal from the front lines of advance in Gaza City.

#Al-Aqsa Flood

** Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri: We deal flexibly with the Cairo negotiations, while the occupation insists on limiting them to the exchange of prisoners and allowing a limited return of the displaced, and this does not lead to a successful agreement.

** In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful

Press Statement

During the last round of negotiations in Cairo, Hamas took over the (Israeli) position after the efforts of mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and America.

While the Hamas movement appreciates the great efforts made by the mediators, and while the movement is keen to reach an agreement that puts an end to the aggression against our people, the (Israeli) position remains stubborn and has not responded to any of the demands of our people and our resistance.

Despite this, the movement’s leadership is studying the submitted proposal with all national responsibility, and will inform the mediators of its response once this is completed.

Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas

Tuesday: 30 Ramadan 1445 AH

Corresponding to: 09 April 2024 AD

Official website - Hamas movement

 

Jerusalem Post/Israel Defense Forces/Hamas Brigade al-Qassam

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Insiders describe Trump’s Ukraine plan to Washington Post

Ukraine will have to relinquish its claims to Russian territory as part of a peace deal envisioned by former US President Donald Trump, The Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing anonymous insiders.

The Republican nominee for the November election has boasted on numerous occasions that he would be able to end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours, should he win the presidency. However, Trump has declined to provide details on his plan.

The terms that Trump wants to push through involve Kiev recognising Crimea and Donbass as parts of Russia, the newspaper said, citing people who have discussed the issue with the former president or his advisers. However, his campaign downplayed those accounts as mere “speculation” by “uninformed sources who have no idea what is going on or what will happen”.

Crimea has been a part of Russia since 2014, when residents rejected a US-backed armed coup in Kiev and voted in a referendum to seek Russian protection from the new government.

The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics also defied the post-coup authorities and took up arms, when Kiev sent in the army to quash them. Ukraine’s refusal to implement a roadmap for reconciliation with Donbass, the so-called Minsk Agreements, and preparation for renewed hostilities, were cited by Moscow as the key triggers of the current conflict.

Western officials have pledged military support for Kiev for “as long as it takes” to resist Russia. However a string of battlefield setbacks for Ukrainian forces and the Western failure to provide sufficient aid have put a dent in the strategy.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last week urged foreign donors to ramp up support, with the aim of giving Kiev a stronger position during hypothetical peace talks.

“The way to convince Russia that they have to sit down and accept a solution where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent democratic nation in Europe is to give military support to Ukraine,”he told the BBC on Sunday. “Of course, at the end of the day it has to be Ukraine that decides what kind of compromises they are willing to [make].”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has declared full the capture of lost territories, including Crimea, as the only outcome of the conflict that his government will accept. Moscow has said it is willing to negotiate, if Kiev acknowledges the “reality on the ground”.

 

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Five killed in attacks in different Ukrainian regions

Russian attacks dispersed through different regions of Ukraine killed five people on Monday, officials said.

A missile strike killed three people and injured at least eight in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.

An industrial building, seven apartment blocks, as well as medical and educational facilities were damaged, authorities said. They did not disclose the nature of the industrial site.

Authorities reported four guided bombs had hit the town of Bilopillia in northern Sumy region, killing a woman and injuring three other people.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said the attack targeted the centre of the town of 15,000 and rescue efforts went on into the evening. Shops and a city council building were damaged, the regional administration said.

The governor of central Poltava region said a Russian attack killed one person, injured 10 and damaged several dwellings. The governor did not say in which locality the attack took place.

In Zaporizhzhia, on the Ukrainian government-held side of the front line in the south, images released by prosecutors showed a passenger car buried under rubble and concrete and iron pillars that had collapsed.

Last Friday, another industrial site in the city was also targeted by a Russian missile strike, which damaged residential buildings and killed four people.

Russian troops control the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, further along the Dnipro River to the southwest of the city, and have accusedUkraine of attacking the plant with drone strikes since last week.

Kyiv said it has nothing to do with incidents at the power station reported by Russia, describing them as "armed provocations".

 

RT/Reuters