President Bola Tinubu has instructed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to transition to vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) as part of his administration's energy reform agenda.

Addressing members of the federal executive council (FEC) at the State House, Tinubu emphasized the importance of energy security, utility enhancement, and reduction of fuel costs.

Tinubu asserted that his administration is resolute in driving the adoption of CNG nationwide, stressing the need for proactive leadership from public officials to set a precedent for the populace. He emphasized that all procurement requests for traditional petrol-dependent vehicles should be declined in favor of value-driven acquisitions of CNG-compliant vehicles.

Ajuri Ngelale, the special adviser to the president on media publicity, reiterated Tinubu's dedication to maximizing the nation's gas potential and alleviating transportation costs for citizens, thereby improving their standard of living.

The presidential CNG initiative (PCNGI), slated for launch ahead of Tinubu's administration's first anniversary on May 29, aims to establish 100 conversion workshops and 60 refueling sites across 18 states in collaboration with the private sector by year-end.

Furthermore, Tinubu's administration earmarked N100 billion for investment between July 31, 2023, and March 2024 to procure 3,000 units of 20-seater CNG-powered buses. In a bid to incentivize CNG adoption, the federal government announced the waiver of value-added tax (VAT) on CNG bus purchases, with plans to extend duty waivers on parts.

Nigeria's manufacturing export revenue has taken a significant hit, plummeting by 166% to ₦778.4 billion, according to the latest findings from the World Bank's 'Africa Pulse' report. This stark decline marks a sharp contrast from the ₦2 trillion peak recorded in 2019.

The report highlights a downward trajectory since 2019, attributing a substantial decline to the impact of Covid-19. In 2020, revenue dipped to ₦960.7 billion, followed by a modest recovery to ₦1.15 trillion in 2021. However, 2022 witnessed a substantial drop to ₦781.1 billion, further exacerbating to ₦778.4 billion in 2023.

The World Bank identifies poor infrastructure and inefficient logistics as primary culprits behind Nigeria's dwindling foreign trade. The cost of trade in Nigeria, as well as in Ethiopia, is reported to be four to five times higher than that in the United States due to various factors such as insecurity, high transportation costs, topography, and inadequate road infrastructure.

In response to these challenges, African producers tend to prioritize local sales over exports, exacerbating the decline in manufacturing export revenue. Local manufacturers and exporters have voiced concerns over the unfavorable business environment, which renders Nigerian products less competitive on the global stage.

The report's release coincides with efforts by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to bolster export activities. NEPC has urged Nigerian exporters to comply with the requirements set by the General Administration of Chinese Customs (GACC) for exporting products to China, emphasizing the importance of understanding and adhering to regulatory guidelines.

President Bola Tinubu recently addressed challenges in Nigeria's import-export landscape, citing bureaucratic bottlenecks that result in annual losses of $4 billion due to infractions. Tinubu unveiled the National Single Window (NSW) project aimed at streamlining trade processes by ensuring 24-hour clearance of goods at ports and implementing a digital platform for import and export-related transactions.

Tinubu asserts that the NSW project will revolutionize trade facilitation, offering a seamless and efficient system that eliminates the need for multiple agencies and locations to obtain necessary permits and clearances.

Israeli forces press Gaza offensive from north and south

Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge on Monday to recapture an area from Hamas fighters, while in the south tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah, leaving Palestinian civilians scrambling to find safety.

Some of the most intense fighting for weeks is raging in both the north and south. Israeli operations in Rafah, which borders Egypt, have closed a main crossing point for aid. Humanitarian groups say this has worsened an already dire situation.

Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing again. Around half of Gaza's population took sanctuary there after Israel ordered evacuations from northern Gaza in October.

Gaza's health authority appealed for international pressure to reopen access via the southern border to allow in aid, medical supplies and fuel to power generators and ambulances.

"The wounded and sick suffer a slow death because there is no treatment and supplies and they cannot travel," it said.

A foreign U.N. security staff member was killed on Monday when a U.N.-marked vehicle travelling to a hospital in Rafah was struck - the first international U.N. fatality in the Gaza war, a U.N. spokesperson said, bringing the total death toll of U.N. personnel to around 190.

In northern Gaza's Jabalia, a sprawling refugee camp built for displaced Palestinians 75 years ago, Israeli forces pushed into an area where they claimed to have dismantled Hamas months ago.

Residents fled along rubble-strewn streets carrying bags of belongings. Tank shells landed in the centre of the camp and health officials said they had recovered 20 bodies from overnight airstrikes.

"We don't know where to go. We have been displaced from one place to the next... We are running in the streets. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the tank and the bulldozer. It is on that street," said one woman, who did not give her name.

An Israeli air strike on a house in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip killed at least eight people, said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson of the Gaza Civil Emergency Service. He said several other people were wounded and missing.

The Palestinian death toll in the war has now surpassed 35,000, with 57 killed in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health officials, whose figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.

Israeli troops are seeking to wipe out Hamas. A senior U.S. State Department official on Monday said Washington did not think that goal of total victory was "likely or possible."The militant group, which has said it is committed to Israel's destruction, burst into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

Hamas' armed wing said because of Israeli bombardments it had lost contact with militants guarding four Israeli hostages, including U.S.-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who appeared in a video released by Hamas in late April.

Attending a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday to mark Israel's fallen soldiers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Hamas was a struggle to secure Israel's "existence, liberty, security and prosperity".

"Our war of independence is not over yet," he said.

In Rafah, Israel stepped up aerial and ground bombardments on eastern areas, killing people in an airstrike on a house in the Brazil neighbourhood.

Residents said Israeli air and ground bombardments were intensifying and tanks had cut off the main north-south Salahuddin road.

"The tanks cut the Salahuddin road east of the city, the forces are now in the southeast side, building up near the built-up area. The situation is dreadful and the sounds of explosions never stopped," said Bassam, 57, from the Shaboura neighbourhood in Rafah.

"People continue to leave Rafah ... no place looks safe now and people do not want to escape at the last minute," he told Reuters via a chat app.

RAFAH ASSAULT SPLITS U.S. AND ISRAEL

UNRWA, the main U.N. aid agency in Gaza, estimated that about 360,000 people had fled the southern city since the Israeli military gave its first evacuation order a week ago.

They are moving to empty tracts of land, including Al-Mawasi, a small strip along the coast, designated as an expanded humanitarian area by Israel.

But Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council aid agency said it was not set up to receive uprooted families.

There was "no space to install latrines or water points. There are huge piles of solid waste. My colleague spoke about seeing donkey carcasses on top of trash, so there are all sorts of health concerns," Low said.

The assault on Rafah has caused one of the biggest splits in decades between Israel and its main ally the U.S., which paused some deliveries of weapons.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who is running for reelection this year, has faced heavy criticism from his own supporters domestically for his support of Israel. Some of those critics have accused Israel of committing genocide, a claim dismissed by the White House and Israel.

"We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide," U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Washington says Israel must not assault Rafah without a plan to protect civilians, which it has yet to see.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's office said on Monday he had briefed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the "precise operation" in the Rafah area.

The State Department said Blinken spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday and reaffirmed that Washington does not support a major military ground operation by Israel in Rafah.

Hamas' armed wing said its fighters were engaged in gun battles with Israeli forces in one of the streets east of Rafah, and in the east of Jabalia.

In Israel, the military sounded sirens several times in areas near Gaza, warning of potential Palestinian cross-border rocket and or mortar launches.

Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks headed for Gaza, strewing food packages on the road at Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the Israeli occupied West Bank.

Sullivan expressed concern about reports of Israeli settlers attacking a humanitarian aid convoy on its way to Erez Crossing in northern Gaza, the second such incident in less than a week.

"It is a total outrage that there are people who are attacking and looting these conveys," Sullivan said. "It is completely and utterly unacceptable behavior."

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia says troops enter border town near Kharkiv

Russia has said its forces have entered the north-eastern border town of Vovchansk, near Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv.

Ukraine's military said it had "pushed the enemy back" from the northern outskirts of the town, adding it had "tactical successes" in several areas.

Russia has intensified its attacks on the region following Friday's surprise incursions across the border, seizing at least nine villages and settlements in one of the most significant ground attacks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Thousands of civilians have fled towards Kharkiv.

There are concerns among Ukrainian commanders about what could happen if Russian troops get within artillery-range of the city.

Ukraine's army has said that Russia has deployed "significant forces" - up to five battalions - in its latest offensive and has acknowledged Moscow's troops have had some "tactical success".

But in an evening statement, the army said Russia had lost more than 100 soldiers since the start of the day, adding that Ukrainian forces were restoring old positions.

It said fighting was ongoing in 12 areas and had spread to the settlement of Staritsa, to the west of Vochansk.

Earlier, it had said reserve forces were being moved to the Kharkiv region to reinforce its defences.

Vovchansk, located 74km (45 miles) from Kharkiv, has been heavily bombed in recent days and officials in the surrounding region say Russia is now targeting settlements with glide bombs.

While it is a significant town in the region, Vovchansk is not of specific military importance, though its capture would be a blow to Ukrainian morale.

Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Russia was deliberately trying to stretch the front line by attacking in small groups in new directions.

He told local TV that Ukrainian forces were holding Russian troops back but warned that fighting could spread to new settlements, according to Reuters.

On Telegram he described the situation as "quite complicated" with Russia continuing to advance.

Work is continuing to evacuate residents in the region, with nearly 6,000 people having already been evacuated, he said, adding that 30 settlements had been struck by mortar or artillery shelling.

Some 200-300 people remain in Vovchansk itself, he added.

While it is thought this Russian cross-border incursion is unlikely to result in Kharkiv being captured, their gradual approach on this new, north-eastern front line only increases the anxiety for those living there.

Residents fleeing towns and villages close to the fighting have been arriving in their hundreds at an aid hub in Kharkiv city.

They are being given food, and registering for shelter after leaving their homes.

Veniamin, an 87-year-old resident of Vovchansk told the BBC he had left the besieged town by bicycle on Sunday – cycling 15km to safety.

He said as well as heavy shelling "machine gun fire could be heard from both sides".

"I had to run because it was impossible to be there,” he said, adding the town had been cut off from electricity and water supplies.

Liuda, another resident of Vovchansk, fled the town with her family, who lived in a village nearby.

"We escaped when we heard machine guns, the fire was coming close," she said.

Liuda had remained in Vovchansk when the Russians first invaded in early 2022.

"We survived and got used to it," she said.

Life improved when Ukrainian forces returned later that year, but she said this new Russian offensive "was very scary".

Nadia, her husband and mother had fled the village of Liptsy – near to where Russian forces have also made another incursion across the border.

They packed their belongings, including two dogs, into an old rusting Lada car and made the journey to Kharkiv.

Her husband had wanted to stay “because everything we had would be lost” if they left.

However, she said they were told by the local administration to leave or risk being stranded.

Nadia said: "We lived under occupation in 2022, I don’t want to be under occupation again."

Kostyantyn Tymchenko, who has also left Vovchansk, said he was shocked by how close the fighting was.

"On the one side [of the Vovcha River] are [Russians], on the other - ours," he said.

"Tanks are constantly approaching, shooting back and then leaving. I thought it would be okay. I was shocked. I wish I had known in advance."

Away from Kharkiv, two people were killed by shelling in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, the Moscow-installed mayor has claimed.

And at least three people were killed by a strike on an industrial zone in Krasnodon, known as Sorokyne in Ukrainian, a Russian-held part of eastern Ukraine, the Moscow-backed local governor said.

Separately, a Ukrainian security source said Ukrainian forces had struck an oil terminal and electrical substation in western Russia.

Russia also said it had shot down 31 Ukrainian drones over several regions in annexed Crimea.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kiev reports difficult situation in Kharkov region

Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky described the situation in the Kharkov region as one of the most difficult, while the General Staff also discussed the difficult circumstances and the redeployment of reserves in this direction.

In a video message posted on his Telegram account, Zelensky said that he had received information on the situation from the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. According to him, the Kharkov region is such a direction. "The direction has been strengthened," he said.

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that Mikhail Drapaty was appointed as the new commander of the Kharkov operational-tactical group of troops.

The Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, Major General Anatoly Bargilevich, also described the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces as difficult. "The situation in the combat zones remains difficult," he said in a comment to the UNIAN agency. He noted that active hostilities are taking place in the Volchansk area of the Kharkov region.

BBC/RT

Sounding smart and emotionally intelligent isn't just about the idea you're trying to convey. How you say it matters, too.

People often resort to using complex words and phrases to sound more insightful. This can actually have an adverse effect, leaving the other person to feel self-conscious and judged, according to Stanford lecturer and communication expert Matt Abrahams. Instead, aim to be easily understood.

"The origin of the word communication comes from 'to make common.' And if you're trying to make things common, you really have to put them in a way that people can understand," Abrahams told CNBC Make It in January. "There are a lot of things that people can do to put on false pretenses to try to make themselves look better, sound better, etc. that get in the way."

Next time you talk with someone, try using these three simple expert-endorsed phrases:

'Could you tell me more about that?'

When someone confides in you, especially about something sensitive or important, your first thought shouldn't be to provide your own personal anecdote. People with a high emotional quotient, or EQ, ask questions that make their talking partner feel heard and acknowledged, say authors Kathy and Ross Petras.

"People who lack self-awareness only care about their own thoughts and opinions. But emotionally intelligent people are interested in how others feel and what they have to say," the Petrases wrote for Make It last year.

A phrase like "Could you tell me more about that?" encourages the other person to discuss their feelings and experiences. Then, after you've listened and acknowledged their feelings, you can "make an effort to put yourself in their shoes in a meaningful way," the authors noted.

'I think...'

When you're correcting someone or offering an opinion, saying "here's the thing" come off as offensive and rude, says speech trainer and journalist John Bowe. People with awareness and high intelligence steer clear of these kinds of "throat-clearing statements," he wrote for Make It last year.

"This phrase insists that whatever follows will be the final, authoritative take on the subject at hand," Bowe added. "Even when used inadvertently, it can sound a bit self-important."

Instead, start your statement with "I think," he recommended: "These two words remove any suggestion that you're pompously issuing a declaration."

'Hey, can you give me any advice?'

Counterintuitive as it may seem, asking for advice can make you look smarter.

If you ask an intelligent person for advice, they'll think you're smart for knowing who to come to, bestselling author Joanne Lipman wrote for Make It last year. After all, it takes some emotional intelligence and self-awareness to know when you don't have the answers.

Lipman's advice: Ask a lot of questions and don't be scared when approaching others for pointers.

"One of the biggest obstacles to making an approach is anxiety. It stops us from taking the first step that might lead to a key business contact, a new opportunity, or a romantic partner," Lipman wrote.

After initiating the conversation, "ask follow-up questions that relate to what the other person says, which shows that you are truly listening and interested," she added.

CNBC

Organized labour declared its intention to close Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) offices across the nation until the Federal Government reverses the recent electricity tariff hike. The tariff, soaring from N65/kWh to N225/kWh for Band A users, drew vehement opposition from labour unions.

Despite a slight reduction approved by the Federal Government, labour demands a complete rollback.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had issued warnings to NERC, demanding swift action by May 12th.

Labour also condemned what it perceives as unfair categorization of electricity consumers. In an official statement, NLC's head of information, Benson Upah, urged journalists to cover the planned picketing of NERC headquarters in Abuja.

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, criticized Nigeria's federalism structure, citing its adverse effects on state development. He urged a review of revenue distribution to align with fiscal federalism principles, particularly highlighting the disparity in resource-endowed states' allocations.

Diri emphasized the injustice of Bayelsa being labeled as financially insolvent while its resources fuel the nation's coffers.

Speaking at an event in Houston, Texas, where he received the "Icon of Unity and Social Justice" award, Diri underscored the importance of preserving Ijaw heritage and unity.

Diri says: “You cannot take away the resources in my state and the internally generated revenue that would have accrued to us and expropriate it in the name of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Every month end, the 36 states in the country gather in Abuja to share resources accruing from my state and they still come back to insult us that our state is insolvent.”

He lamented the potential growth lost due to unequal resource sharing and called for a fairer distribution mechanism, inclusive of all mineral resources. Diri urged continued support for Ijaw causes and pledged his administration's commitment to their advancement.

First, the truly alarming news next to no one seems to care about: Day by day, the war in Ukraine is tipping ever closer to triggering a nuclear strike.

Earlier this week, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once again waved the warning flag on this pending cataclysm, posting: “The situation in Ukraine is on the brink of calamitous escalation. Do the military imperialists in Washington and their lackeys in Europe have any idea the danger they are courting? They are conducting foreign policy as if it were a game of ‘chicken.’”

Kennedy is nightmarishly correct. It is a point I have stressed several times on this site. Be it the actions of the Biden administration, the United Kingdom, France or others, some in the West seem intent in daring Vladimir Putin and the Russians to do the unthinkable. Why?

Leaving aside the ever-malleable arguments that: “We have to stand as one against Putin,” “We have to save the people of Ukraine” or “We have to protect NATO,” there are also other forces at work here. First among them: money.

Before we get there, for those trying to “save the people and infrastructure of Ukraine,” I am truly sad to report that you have failed. While most in the media seem averse to reporting certain facts in the country, this much is true: Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have been killed or wounded; much of the infrastructure of the country has been reduced to rubble; and over 6 million Ukrainians have fled their nation. Those encouraging Ukraine to fight to its last citizen from the comfort and safety of their offices thousands of miles from the battlefield need to come up with a more convincing rationale.

Now, back to the money. Toward the end of April, President Biden signed yet another aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, this one to the tune of $95 billion. But, as they used to say in the late-night commercials, “Wait, there’s more.” As reported last month: “Ukraine and US working on long-term security agreement.”

How long is “long term”? According to venture capitalist and podcast host David Sacks — as well as others — “long term” would equal approximately 10 years and cost upwards of $1 trillion.

Clearly, for a number of defense contractors in our nation and in Europe, Ukraine has become the gift that keeps on giving. But when does a never-ending supply of taxpayer money begin to resemble “fraud, waste and abuse”? Some would certainly say now, as hundreds of millions of dollars have already disappeared down various rat holes in Ukraine with no accountability.

Next, at what point do the billions and billions of aid pouring into Ukraine begin to resemble the world’s largest Ponzi scheme? One definition of that age-old scam is a form of fraud that pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. Except in this case, the “earlier” and “more recent” investors are not doing so of their own volition. Their various governments are deciding for them, as they take their hard-earned money and turn it over by the billions to Ukraine or, quite possibly, criminal enterprises.

The grift in this case can sound very much like this: “We have to prop up Ukraine now by sending hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars, so we won’t have to send in U.S. troops later.” Gee, and just who would be ordering those troops into combat in Ukraine?

Going back to Kennedy’s warning, we now seem to be — without anyone asking for our approval — engaging in a game of nuclear “chicken” with Putin and Russia over Ukraine. Insane hubris at the least.

As RFK Jr. posted: “British Foreign Secretary David Cameron recently stated that Ukraine has the right to use British weapons to strike Russia. In return, Moscow warned the British ambassador that that would provoke Russian retaliation against London.” The New York Times reported last week that the U.S. secretly shipped ATACM missiles to Ukraine that can strike deep into Russian territory; not by coincidence, Russia announced training maneuvers using tactical nuclear weapons.

Does any of that make your blood run cold? It should.

None of the experts I have spoken with over the course of the last two years believe Ukraine can win this war. It’s long past the time to blow the whistle on the Ponzi scheme, end the game of nuclear “chicken” and enter into a negotiated settlement.

At some point, Putin is sure to tire of the game and drive straight into the oncoming vehicle. What then will be the literal fallout from that explosion?

** Douglas MacKinnon, a political and communications consultant, was a writer in the White House for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and former special assistant for policy and communications at the Pentagon during the last three years of the Bush administration.

The Hill

Israel moves deeper into Rafah, fights Hamas militants regrouping in northern Gaza

The exodus of Palestinians from Gaza’s last refuge accelerated Sunday as Israeli forces pushed deeper into the southern city of Rafah. Israel also pounded the territory’s devastated north, where some Hamas militants have regrouped in areas the military said it had cleared months ago.

Rafah is considered Hamas’ last stronghold. Some 300,000 of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there have fled the city following evacuation orders from Israel, which says it must invade to dismantle Hamas and return scores of hostages taken from Israel in the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war.

Neighboring Egypt issued its strongest objection yet to the Rafah offensive, saying it intends to formally join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice alleging Israel is committing genocide in Gaza — an accusation Israel rejects. The foreign ministry statement cited “the worsening severity and scope of the Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians.”

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement that he cannot see how a full-scale invasion of Rafah can be reconciled with international humanitarian law.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated opposition to a major military assault on Rafah, and told CBS that Israel would “be left holding the bag on an enduring insurgency” without an exit from Gaza and postwar governance plan.

Gaza has been left without a functioning government, leading to a breakdown in public order and allowing Hamas’ armed wing to reconstitute itself even in the hardest-hit areas. On Sunday, Hamas touted attacks against Israeli soldiers in Rafah and near Gaza City.

Israel has yet to offer a detailed plan for postwar governance in Gaza, saying only that it will maintain open-ended security control over the enclave of about 2.3 million Palestinians.

Internationally mediated talks over a cease-fire and hostage release appeared to be at a standstill.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Memorial Day speech vowed to continue fighting until victory in memory of those killed in the war. But in Tel Aviv, hundreds of protesters stood outside military headquarters and raised candles during a minute-long siren marking the day’s start, demanding an immediate cease-fire deal to return the hostages.

Netanyahu has rejected postwar plans proposed by the United States for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to govern Gaza with support from Arab and Muslim countries. Those plans depend on progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, which Israel’s government opposes.

The Oct. 7 attack killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 hostage. Militants still hold about 100 captives and the remains of more than 30.

Israel’s offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. Israel says it has killed over 13,000 militants, without providing evidence.

HEAVY BOMBARDMENT IN THE NORTH

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp and other areas in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli forces for months. U.N. officials say there is a “full-blown famine” there.

Residents said Israeli warplanes and artillery also struck the Zeitoun area east of Gaza City, where troops have battled militants for over a week. They have called on tens of thousands of people to relocate to nearby areas.

“It was a very difficult night,” said Abdel-Kareem Radwan, a 48-year-old from Jabaliya. He said they could hear intense and constant bombing since midday Saturday. “This is madness.”

First responders with the Palestinian Civil Defense said they were unable to respond to multiple calls for help from both areas, as well as from Rafah.

In central Gaza, staff at the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah said an Israeli strike killed four people.

Daniel Hagari, the top Israeli military spokesman, said forces were also operating in the northern towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, which were heavily bombed in the war’s opening days.

Hamas’ military wing said it shelled Israeli special forces east of Jabaliya and fired mortar shells at troops and vehicles entering the Rafah border crossing area.

“Hamas’ regime cannot be toppled without preparing an alternative to that regime,” columnist Ben Caspit wrote in Israel’s Maariv daily, channeling the growing frustration felt by many Israelis more than seven months into the war. “The only people who can govern Gaza after the war are Gazans, with a lot of support and help from the outside.”

CIVILIANS FLEE IN THE SOUTH

Rafah had been sheltering 1.3 million Palestinians, most of whom had fled fighting elsewhere. But Israel has now evacuated the eastern third of the city.

Most people are heading to the heavily damaged nearby city of Khan Younis or Muwasi, a coastal tent camp where some 450,000 people are already living in squalid conditions.

The U.N. has warned that a planned full-scale invasion would further cripple humanitarian operations and cause a surge in civilian deaths. The main aid entry points near Rafah are already affected. Israeli troops have captured the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, forcing it to shut down.

A senior Egyptian official told The Associated Press that Cairo has lodged protests with Israel, the United States and European governments, saying the offensive has put its decades-old peace treaty with Israel — a cornerstone of regional stability — at high risk. The official was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he won’t provide offensive weapons to Israel for Rafah, and his administration says there is “reasonable” evidence that Israel had breached international lawprotecting civilians.

Israel rejects those allegations, saying it tries to avoid harming civilians. It blames Hamas for the high toll because the militants fight in dense, residential areas.

In the West Bank, where deadly violence has increased since the war began, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a man was shot dead by Israeli forces in Balata refugee camp in Nablus. The army said its forces responded with live fire after being shot at by militants in the camp.

AP

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces bear down on Ukraine border town in Kharkiv region

Russian forces attacking Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region were engaged in fighting on the outskirts of the border town of Vovchansk, Kyiv's troops said on Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described heavy fighting there and in the east.

Moscow troops entered into the Kharkiv regionon Friday, opening a northeastern front in the 27-month war that has long been waged in the south and east. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, is 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border.

Soldiers returning from a combat mission in the area said the fighting had reached the edges of Vovchansk, a town around 4 km from the border and 45 km from Kharkiv city, describing helping some troops break out of Russian encirclement.

"The town is ours. They (the Russians) are biting on the outskirts, but we are biting back. And we will bite for every metre," said a Ukrainian soldier.

"Our boys got surrounded. We helped them. They got out and set up a defensive line along the street, inflicting considerable losses to enemy infantry."

In a post-midnight report, Ukraine's General Staff said Russian forces had achieved "tactical success" with 14 of 22 attempted advances in the area still proceeding.

Fighting was raging around Vovchansk, it said, with Russian forces "deploying significant forces for its attack on the town". But it said Russian troops were "taking no account of their own losses", with at least 100 reported dead.

The Russian military says it has seized control of at least nine border villages in the Kharkiv region. Kyiv says it is repelling the attacks and battling to control the settlements.

Several Russian media outlets, including Mash and Readovka, reported that Moscow's troops had entered Vovchansk.

The main thrusts of Russia's attack were aimed at Vovchansk and the town of Lyptsi around 7.5 km from the border and some 20 km (12 miles) from the city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian military spokesperson Nazar Voloshyn said.

Tamaz Gambarashvili, head of Vovchansk's military administration, told Reuters the town remained under Ukrainian control after its soldiers turned back small groups of Russians.

Russian drones, he said, were "constantly above Vovchansk".

Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synehubov said Russian forces were "intensifying their shelling of Vovchansk". Nearly 6,000 residents had been evacuated from the area, he said.

VOLUNTEERS READY RESIDENTS FOR EVACUATION

Volunteers in flak jackets and helmets raced through village neighbourhoods, pleading with residents in damaged homes to pack up a handful of possessions and leave for evacuation points.

Evacuee Kostiantyn Tymchenko said fighting was raging 500 metres from his house, with Russian troops on the opposite bank of the Vovcha River.

"Ukrainian tanks roll in, shoot and roll out. On the other side there is shouting all the time," he told Reuters.

Despite the constant explosions nearby, some elderly residents were reluctant to go. Others were sluggish in preparing, despite urging from volunteers.

One man was brought in to an evacuation point with torn-off fingers, an incident medics said occurred after Russian forces shot him as he was leaving his house. As medics attended to his wounds, the man said "What did I do to deserve this?'"

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said "defensive battles" had engulfed a string of Kharkiv region villages.

Fighting, he said, was "no less acute" in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine is on the defensive after months of slowed supplies of U.S. munitions. Russia's forces hold a significant advantage in manpower and munitions.

In 2022, soon after the start of their full-scale invasion, Russian forces reached the suburbs of the city of Kharkiv before being driven back to the border.

Kyiv says months of delays by the U.S. Congress before voting through the aid package last month have cost them on the battlefield. It now hopes significant quantities of the approved assistance will arrive quickly to bolster the defence effort.

On the other side of the border in the Belgorod region a whole section of a Russian apartment block collapsed, killing at least 13 people, after it was struck by a missile launched by Ukraine and shot down by Russia, Russian officials said.

Kyiv did not immediately comment.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Scores killed and injured after Ukraine strikes Russian city – authorities

At least 18 civilians died in a series of Ukrainian strikes targeting the Russian city of Belgorod on Sunday, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has said. The bodies of 15 victims were taken out from under the rubble of a multi-story building that had collapsed earlier in the day as a result of one of the strikes.

Kiev’s forces launched another “massive shelling” targeting the city after the incident, the governor said on Sunday evening. This attack claimed the lives of three more people, including a 17-year-old girl, Gladkov confirmed. Five more suffered various injuries in the strike, according to authorities.

Gladkov added that, in addition to the the total death toll, over two dozen people were injured in the strikes. The second strike also damaged 17 apartments in five residential buildings, the governor said. That figure did not include the damage suffered by the partially collapsed apartment block.

Earlier, the governor said that “an entire section of an apartment building – from the tenth to the first floor – collapsed as a result of a direct hit” during a Ukrainian bombardment.

At some point, the roof of the damaged building collapsed as well, while the rescuers were clearing the rubble underneath. A source in the governor’s office told Mash Telegram channel that no one was hurt in that incident. Another Telegram channel, Shot, claimed that at least three people sustained injuries in the roof collapse. 

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine had attacked residential areas of Belgorod, using a Tochka-U tactical missile system, as well as rockets from Olkha and RM-70 Vampire multiple launch systems. The ministry further asserted that Russian air defenses had intercepted six Soviet-era Tochka-U missiles, four Vampire rockets, and two Olkha projectiles.

The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case into terrorism following the strike that caused the partial building collapse.

Reuters/RT