At a recent function in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima expressed his disappointment that some Nigerians would rather be amused by the free fall of Naira value than pour ashes on their heads. According to him, “It is not only disheartening and disenchanting but also heartbreaking that yesterday when the Naira culminated to N1,500 to the dollar, instead of us to coagulate into a single force and salvage our nation economy, sadly, some clowns are celebrating on Twitter of an impending implosion of the Nigerian economy.” Look, if any clown here badly needs help recognising what he truly is, it is Shettima himself.

When insecurity was rife in Nigeria under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Shettima did not think it was necessary to “coagulate into a single force” to save the country. He, and a set of fellow governors, took off for Washington D.C., to “report” their president to foreign agents. Now that he faces a similar bad situation as vice president, he expects to reap the understanding he never sowed. Who exactly does he expect to bunch up and help him solve the problem of Naira depreciation? This time last year, the same Shettima was all over the place campaigning for votes and—with an admixture of outlandish promises and insults to opponents—swore they would turn our earth to heaven. Now you finally have the chance to live up to your promises, you are sourcing the wisdom you need to lead from those you defeated? Yeye man!

Shettima is not the only joker looking for those who will help them do their job. Another one of that tribe is their party spokesman, Felix Morka, who asked opposition parties to go beyond condemning the APC administrative impotence and share solutions to Nigeria’s problems with them. In a Tuesday interview on Channels, Morka said, “One of the concerns we have is that opposition is not about condemning. So, it is not enough to just condemn. These leaders should be able to – assuming they have that silver bullet that they say the government is not deploying – point it out.”

If a plaque is to be handed out for halfwit clowns with poor memory, Morka should be the uncontested winner. He seems to have forgotten—and so quickly too—that the whole of his party’s opposition before they made it to Aso Rock has never consisted of anything but condemnation. Nothing—I repeat, nothing—the PDP and the LP are doing today comes close to the acerbic and vituperative activities of the APC when they were the opposition party. In fact, the PDP and LP cojoined are relatively tame—and lame—compared to the toxicity of just Morka’s predecessor Lai Mohammed alone.

So now Morka expects the opposition parties who want to take their place to give the APC the very ideas the APC needs to stay in power forever? Clown! In case he has never pondered on their party’s antecedents, he should be reminded that the APC itself has never offered Nigeria a model of political opposition that is composed of either solution-finding or even respectful conveyance of an ideological position to authority. Every intellectual agenda and moral vision the APC ideologues and “Lagos boys” ever offered were all cash-and-carry projects funded by their leader who needed to sell himself as Obafemi Awolowo reincarnate. That is why, on the occasions they have won national elections, the first thing they abandoned were those very ideas on which they built the APC’s so-called “progressive” character.

Eight years under Muhammadu Buhari stripped some of the biggest names in their party of all mystique, revealing them to be mere blowhards. While some were able to dodge some criticism by claiming they were sidelined under the Buhari administration, nothing has changed now that they are the chief occupiers of Aso Rock. In virtually every sphere, people are groaning under the weight of oppression. The government has not officially admitted it, but they too seem perplexed by the Nigerian situation.

Things are getting out of hand, and there is palpable fear everywhere that when people get pushed to a point where they have exhausted their options, they will resort to the language of the unheard: violence. On Monday, hundreds of residents of Minna, Niger State, and Kano, Kano State, publicly demonstrated the unbearable cost of living occasioned by the Naira devaluation. The surprise is not even that some people protested, but that everyone is not yet on the streets doing the same.

Nigerians have endured a series of hardships for far too long. Look at the past year alone. From the unfortunate Naira redesign policy that brought untold—and entirely needless—hardship on the populace, we have stumbled into fueled crises engendered by the removal of subsidies on petrol and forex. There was no space for recovery before people were plunged into another round of economic crisis.

With Nigerians exposed to the harsh vicissitudes of global economics, the cost of living has spiralled out of control with barely any mitigating measures. The minimum wage remains N30,000 (about $20) and people can barely afford basics such as food, healthcare, energy, medicine, transport costs, energy, etc., let alone the little things that make life pleasant. Families everywhere are watching their purchasing power tanking and the quality of their lives depreciating. These are tough times, and they have been indefinitely extended.

Speaking of tough times, Tinubu’s New Year speech already enjoined Nigerians to maintain a steel resolve in the face of adversity. He said, Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter. The socio-economic challenges of today should energise and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria….

In the history of presidential speeches given during a national crisis, this one must rank very high among the most tone-deaf. Trite and out of touch with reality, it came out insensitive. It is not that hard for a man ensconced in the lush surroundings of Aso Rock and who will never know the pain of hunger, deprivation, and frustration to say “we” (and please note the use of corporate pronoun by someone who lives—and has always lived—on public resources) are made for tough times, never to flinch and never to falter. He—or the speechwriter who composed the uninspiring prose—must assume that our Nigerian skins are overlaid with leather hides and can therefore indeterminately endure the lash of hardship.

Imagine a president who still takes a “private visit” to France amidst the grinding poverty in his country telling us that desperate situations should enhance patriotism. When it comes to suffering, they will expect Nigerians to demonstrate patriotism and unity. When it is time for pleasure, they experience that alone. The dissonance between his speech and executive action reminds you of every charlatan cleric living off the sweat and blood of his congregation while telling them that their “suffer suffer for world” will lead to “enjoyment for heaven.”

Even his own ardent supporters, some of whom resorted to name-calling the Yoruba people who did not support Tinubu’s presidential ambition, are now regretting their support for him. Things are that bad, yes. It is easy—cheap, actually—for a man who does not have to look at the faces of his children and tell them why he cannot live up to his responsibilities because he does not have money to tell other men that their descent into poverty should enhance their patriotism. If not because we are supposed to respect our leaders, the mindset that people should swallow the pill of tough times with patriotism alone qualifies Tinubu to be called another APC “clown.”

Punch

You might assume winning arguments — over politics, a work project, or even where to eat — requires hours of researching data and rehearsing well-informed points.

Not necessarily, says Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Most people think changing minds requires “some version of pushing” with “more facts, more figures [and] more emotional appeals,” but that method usually fails, he says.

“We spend a lot of time thinking, ‘If the client didn’t bite, my colleague didn’t listen, or my spouse didn’t hear me, let me tell them one more time,’” he tells CNBC Make It.

Repeating or adding more evidence to the same argument can actually end up hurting it. That’s because people often dilute their stronger claims by adding weaker, less relevant ones, Niro Sivanathan, an organizational behavior professor at London Business School, told CNBC Make It in November.

So, instead of hearing your strongest points, the person you’re hoping to convince may walk away with a shallower understanding of your argument.

“Less is more,” Sivanathan said. “If you have just one key argument, be confident and put that on the table, rather than feeling the need to list many others.”

How to change people’s minds in 2 steps

Luckily, there’s a simple, two-step fix.

First, instead of adding points to your argument, “identify the roadblocks and barriers” that prevent your perspective from connecting with others, Berger says. People often resist hearing a new argument because they’re uncertain, want to counter argue, or it doesn’t fit the norms of their social group.

Understanding your audience helps, but if you’re trying to drive someone or a group into action quickly, assume they don’t want to be told what to do, Berger says.

“Pushing, telling or just encouraging people to do something often makes them less likely to do it,” Berger wrote in his 2020 book, “The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind.” That’s because “people like to feel they have control over their choices and actions.”

Hence step two: Craft your argument in a way that gives the receiver a sense of agency, like they are reaching a new conclusion on their own, Berger says.

There are a few ways to do that, as Berger laid out in his book:

• Outline the different choices, like multiple kinds of restaurants or different policies.
• Ask questions, so you can better understand their perspective, or gently introduce your viewpoint. If you want to negotiate a raise, you could start by asking your boss, “How do you think my performance has been this year?” Then, follow up with, “Do you think people should be compensated for high performance?” Berger says.
• Acknowledge both of your perspectives by finding common ground, or noting your shared goals, values or experiences.

By and large, Berger says, it’s less about what you say, and more about how you say it.

“We think more about the ideas we want to communicate than the words we use,” Berger says. “That’s a mistake. Subtle shifts in our language can have a really big impact.”

CNBC

Central Bank of Nigeria hiked the interest rates on short term debt obligations on Wednesday in a bid to mop up naira liquidity and attract foreign investor inflows.

CBN sold one trillion naira ($696 million) in treasury bills to both local and foreign investors at rates that were nearly twice the level of previous offers. Yields for the one-year bill rose to 19%, the highest in 12 years, from 11.5% at the previous auction on Jan. 24.

Three-months bill was sold at 17.24%, which was three times more than the January offer of 5%, while six-month notes fetched 18%.

Expand

The 19% rate on the 364-day bills takes it above the central bank’s policy rate, which currently stands at 18.75%, for the first time. It is also narrows the gap on the inflation rate, which stood at nearly a three-decade high of 28.9% in December.

The auction suggests CBN is seeking to normalize interest rates in Africa’s most populous nation and lure foreign investors in a bid to stabilize the naira.

Nigeria has eased currency controls and introduced a series of reforms since last week as part of efforts to reform its foreign exchange market to ease a dollar scarcity that has created a backlog of unmet demand estimated at $2.2 billion by the central bank.

Bloomberg

Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System on Wednesday said cashless transactions in Nigeria increased to N611.06trn in 2023.

It said the payments grew to N611.06trn from N395.38trn as of the end of 2022 indicating a 54.55 per cent year-on-year growth.

The NIBSS Instant Payments is an account-number-based, online real-time Inter-Bank payment solution developed in the year 2011 by NIBSS. It is the Nigerian financial industry’s preferred funds transfer platform that guarantees instant value to the beneficiary.

According to NIBSS, over the years, Nigerian banks have exposed NIP through their various channels, that is, internet banking, bank branches, Kiosks, mobile apps, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, POS, ATM, etc. to their customers.

Analysis of the data showed that electronic payment channels were used 11.05 billion times in 2023, a 75.96 per cent increase from the 6.28 billion times they were used in 2022 while the total value of instant payment in 2023 was N600.36trn and Point of Sales transactions was N10.7trn and relied upon for 1.38 billion times.

It said said the figure hitting an all-time high indicates more acceptance by Nigerians to embrace cashless payments.

While the e-payment data shows a steady increase throughout the 12 months of the year, the highest value was recorded in December. Being a festive period with lots of spending activities, Nigerians spent a total of N71.9 trillion over electronic channels in December 2023.

The NIBSS data showed that e-payment volume hit an all-time high of 1.1 billion in March 2023, the time Nigerians experienced cash scarcity and were forced to transact through electronic channels. However, the value for the month was not as high as what was recorded in December of the same year.

Meanwhile, the volume of transactions processed by NIBSS for the year also jumped from 5.1 billion in 2022 to 9.7 billion in 2023. This represents a 90% increase year on year.

A look at the value of electronic transactions month by month shows that Nigerians spent N38.9 trillion on electronic platforms in January 2023, while in February, e-payment value was N36.8 trillion.

Similarly, In March 2023, the value of electronic transactions jumped to N48.3 trillion, driven by the scarcity of cash at that time.

By April, a total of N41.3 trillion was spent on the electronic channels, while in May transaction volume was N45.9 trillion.

NIP transactions value in June 2023 was N45.3 trillion, a slight decline from the value recorded in May. July saw e-payment transactions jump to N47.4 trillion.

In August, the value of NIP transactions climbed further to N50.9 trillion, while it rose to N51 trillion in September.

October and November transactions value were N59 trillion and N63.6 trillion respectively, while the highest transaction value of N71.9 trillion was recorded in December.

Cashless transactions in the country were partly boosted by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s naira redesign policy and withdrawal limits from December 2022.

After announcing a limit on transactions, the apex bank said, “Customers should be encouraged to use alternative channels (Internet banking, mobile banking apps, USSD, cards/POS, eNaira, etc.) to conduct their banking transactions.”

Punch

Niger State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old woman, Aisha Jibrin, who led women and young people in a mass protest on Monday over the high cost of living in Minna.

Aisha was arrested alongside two other women: 57-year-old Fatima Aliyu and 43-year-old Fatima Isyaku; and 22 others.

Spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Abiodun Wasiu, who disclosed the arrest in a statement on Wednesday, said an investigation was ongoing after which the protesters would be taken to court and arraigned.

According to Wasiu, the protesters acted violently and illegally.

On Tuesday, the ruling All  Progressives Congress alleged that the protesters were sponsored by the opposition parties, a claim the Peoples Democratic Party refuted, saying the protests were triggered by the hardship occasioned by the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu.

On Wednesday, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, described the arrest of the protesters as undemocratic.

Angry youths and women had on Monday taken to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, protesting hardship in the land, occasioned by the hike in the cost of living.

The protest started when a group of women blocked Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout to lament what they termed the suffering under the Tinubu government. They were later joined by men and youths stopping vehicles from moving.

The protest occurred in the Morning morning when some of the youths began speaking in Hausa language, lamenting how the country’s economy was getting worse under Tinubu’s leadership.

A deployment of police operatives to the scene could not stop the youths from the protest as some of them could be heard saying that the police were the agents of the government and they could not do anything.

The Niger police spokesman, Wasiu, said Aisha, who led the protest, was arrested alongside 24 others.

Wasiu said after being alerted to the protest, the police “the command immediately drafted police patrol teams led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Shehu Didango, to the scene, and after much persuasion by the police, the protesters deliberately refused to clear the road for public use, while the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, equally availed himself at the scene and addressed the group, yet they turned deaf ears and chose to be violent.”

“However, the police adopted minimum force to disperse the protesters who turned violent by attacking the police with weapons, such as stones, bottles, sticks, cutlasses and damaged police patrol vehicles and parts of the Kpakungu Division roof.

“In the course of this, the police arrested the initiator of the protest one Aisha Jibrin, 30 years, Fatima Aliyu, 57years, Fatima Isyaku, 43years, all of Soje ‘A’ of Kpakungu area of Minna, and 22 other miscreants.”

According to the police spokesman, the police recovered from the protesters “three knives, one scissors, one cutlass, one saw blade, one iron pipe, four other sticks, two wraps of Indian hemp, and charms.”

He said, “During interrogation, the said Aisha claimed that she was not aware that her action was illegal by mobilising over 100 women and miscreants to block the highway for a violent protest. She claimed further that she informed one youth leader, Hassan, in the area, who promised to inform the police of their plan to protest, but did not do so.”

However, the PDP condemned the arrest of the protesters.

The opposition party’s spokesman, Ologunagba, in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, said Nigerians should not be further punished in addition to the economic hardship they were grappling with.

He said, “We condemn this arrest; this is not democracy. They have the constitutional right and duty to protest. This President was the leader of the protest in 2012. President Buhari was the leader of the protests in 2012. So many other prominent Nigerians who have now gone into hibernation were part of that protest. So why arrest protesters?

“If they can protest against the PDP then, because it was their democratic right to do so, why can’t Nigerians now protest against the more excruciating pain that they have inflicted on Nigerians?”

Ologunagba said the protests were just a reflection of the hardship in the country.

He said, “There is frustration in the land and that frustration can be seen on the street already in different parts of the country. There is a need for the President to listen to people, listen to the protesters, don’t listen to people around you in the corridors of power because people are hurting.

“Your policies are draconian. Your policies are inhumane, your policies are insensitive. Your policies are such that they don’t show any level of competence on the part of the people in government. Nigerians are beginning to hurt and they are beginning to be frustrated. And they have begun to vent that frustration. And what did the government do? They arrested the leaders of protesters in Niger State.

“We call on all Nigerians to speak up, demand immediate and unconditional release of those arrested in Minna, Niger State.”

However, reacting on behalf of the ruling party, APC National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, said, “The ruling APC is a democratic party. And as a party in power, its ambition is to promote democracy. This demonstration (Minna) is encouraged by the constitution and democracy. There is no way the ruling party will go against the provision of the Constitution

“It is the wish of the party that whatever grievance anyone has should be expressed in such a way that is encouraged by the Constitution. To do that is to go about the provisions laid down by the Constitution and, by extension, the law.

“If the police announced that they made arrests, I am sure it will be in line with the law. There is no way the party can stop people from expressing their opinions, provided it is in order. Even the President has made an address to the nation where he said that he feels the anger of Nigerians all over the cities, towns and villages.”

Punch

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has received the official report of the 16 January explosion that occurred at Adeyi Avenue in Bodija, Ibadan, in which five persons died.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Fatai Owoseni, made this known on Wednesday while briefing journalists shortly after the presentation of the report to the governor.

Owoseni said that three persons of interest have been identified in connection with the cause of the unfortunate incident.

He added that the identified persons will face prosecution based on the investigation carried out.

Owoseni also revealed that the character of the explosive is known as ‘Water Gel Type Based Explosive’ and that the explosion was triggered by an electric spark.

He explained that a Closed Circuit Television in one of the affected houses gave footage of how the incident happened.

Owoseni, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, assured that the state government would bring the perpetrators to book.

He added that the government would also check the immigration status of all the people of interest since a majority of the suspects quizzed were from Mali.

“We have been able to report that the swiftness with which security was deployed to the epicentre had so far successfully made the state to fully secure the environment.

“And with the security that was provided, the state has also been able to prevent untoward happenings, especially opportunistic crimes that hoodlums always take advantage of such situations to carry out.

“We would recall that an emergency situation centre was put in place by the governor and was located at the premises of Oyo State Housing Corporation, Ibadan.

“The EOC has so far collated information, data of things that happened there and some of the data collated include census of the respective houses and the fatalities that were affected including the extent of losses suffered.

“As of 6 p.m., February 3, which was the 18th day of the incident, a total of 335 affected persons registered at the emergency situation centre.

“These include 16 companies or business operators, churches, mosques, three schools and the UCH also approached the centre to report on their losses.

“The losses reported also include fatality, injuries of various degrees, damages ranging from total collapse and submerging of houses, houses that suffered collateral damage and the ones that suffered minimal damages,” Owoseni stated.

Chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Structural Engineers, Mbim Okutinyang, who is also the lead coordinator of the team that carried out structural integrity on the affected houses, also told journalists that 282 houses were affected.

He, however, said that only four of the houses would have to be demolished due to the degrees of the damage.

Okutinyang added that the seismic report was still being awaited.

On his part, the Head of the Emergency Operation Centre, Temitope Alonge, said 80 victims in total were managed across various hospitals following the incident, but only five patients were on admission as of the time of the press briefing.

Alonge explained that four of the patients are being treated at the University College Hospital (UCH) and were at various levels of recovery, while one patient is at the Redeemers Hospital being managed for a spinal cord injury.

He said that most of the cases at UCH will likely be discharged within the next week.

The head of the EOC added that some of the affected victims who experienced medical disorders such as respiratory illness had been treated.

He also explained that those with symptoms suggestive of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder were being attended to by clinical psychologists from UCH.

Giving an update on the tests for radioactivity, Alonge said the site of the incident had been cleared in terms of radioactivity, as the EOC invited the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA) to conduct another screening.

NAN

Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.

Nigeria defeated Bafana Bafana of South Africa on penalties in the semi-final at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Wednesday. 

Both teams played out a one-all draw through the regular period and extra time before the Eagles triumphed 4-2 in the penalty shootout.

The match was a record 15th semi-final AFCON semi-final appearance for the Super Eagles, and it was a nervy encounter that pushed them to the breaking point.

Victor Osimhen was only announced fit on the eve of the match after suffering abdominal discomfort. However, another injury forced Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, to make a change to his regular starting line-up. Bright Osayi-Samuel came in for injured Zaidu Sanusi at the back.

Nigeria started with a 3-4-3 formation, which was mirrored by Hugo Broos, the Bafana Bafana head coach, and the Eagles struggled in the early stage of the game.

The backline of William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey initially struggled to curtail the speed and positional awareness of Percy Tau and Evidence Makgopa.

Stanley Nwabali was forced to make a sterling save after Makgopa spun on the edge of the box and aimed a curler into the top corner.

But Nigeria scored the first goal of the game. Mothobi Mvala brought down Osimhen in the South African goal area in the 65th minute. Troost-Ekong made no mistake from the resultant penalty.

A brief moment of madness swung the game Bafana Bafana’s way deep in the second half. Osimhen was wheeling away in celebration of a goal he thought he had scored when a VAR review zoomed on a foul by Alhassan Yusuf on Percy Tau in the Nigerian box during the leadup to the goal. Nigerians were brought to despair from the brink of delight as a penalty was awarded to South Africa.

Teboho Mokoena sent Nwabali the wrong way from the spot-kick. The game crawled into extra time and a penalty shootout eventually.

Mokoena missed his kick, while Nwabali saved Makgopa’s before Kelechi Iheanacho sent Nigeria to the AFCON final.

PLAYER RATINGS

Stanley Nwabali, GK (5/5): He was as calm as ever with impeccable positioning. He made routine saves effortlessly and clawed a certain goal away. He could not save the penalty in regular time but saved twice in the shootout to send Nigeria into the final.

Bright Osayi-Samuel, DW (3/5): An average display in a match he deputised for the injured Sanusi.

Olaoluwa Aina, DW (4/5): He had a solid display again, and his defensive qualities shone through in this match. He was, however, unlucky in the shootout.

Calvin Bassey, DC (3/5): A nervy showing against a more determined opposition but still good in defence.

William Troost Ekong (C), DC (4/5): He mopped up at the back with his usual confidence despite the ageing legs and a determined South Africa attack. He scored the breakthrough penalty goal.

Semi Ajayi, DC (3/5): A well-measured last-ditch challenge saved Nigeria. He continued his impressive performance in both defence and attack.

Frank Onyeka, DM (3/5): He ran himself ragged and made timely tackles to stall the momentum of South Africa’s attacks.

Alex Iwobi, MC (3/5): It was a poor display from Iwobi in this match. He chose perfection over routine passes and failed more often than not.

Moses Simon, WF (3/5): The dribbling winger failed to get the better of two defenders always on him—a below-average day.

Ademola Lookman, WF (3/5): A silent evening for Lookman, but he kept trying and provided an assist for the goal chalked off by VAR. He was subbed off late on.

Victor Osimhen, ST (4/5): Battling as ever despite looking unfit following his injury scare. He had two chances from headers off target but single-handedly won the penalty that led to Ekong’s goal.

Substitutes

Alhassan Yusuf, MC (1/5): His action of note was to give the foul that led to South Africa’s equaliser.

Simon Chukwueze, WF (1/5): Selfish on the ball, poor decision-making and lacks end product.

Joe Aribo, MC (2/5): Stabilised the midfield with simple passes to recycle possession.

Kelechi Iheanacho, MC (4/5): A free kick on target, and he scored the winning kick during the shootout in his first AFCON match.

Terrem Moffi, ST (4/5): Pace set him up, but a last-ditch challenge denied him glory. He scored in the shootout.

The Cable

Blinken says a Hamas-Israel deal is still possible even though the sides remain far apart

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that a cease-fire and hostage-release agreement between Israel and Hamas was still possible, despite the two sides being far apart on the central terms for a deal.

Blinken was in the region trying to broker an arrangement that could bring some respite in Israel’s war against Hamas, which is entering its fifth month after killing more than 27,000 Palestinians, displacing much of the territory’s population and sparking a humanitarian catastrophe.

Those diplomatic efforts were rattled earlier in the day when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a detailed, three-phase plan by Hamas that would unfold over 4 1/2 months. The plan stipulated that all hostages would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, including senior militants, and an end to the war.

Netanyahu, who called Hamas’ plan “delusional,” dismissed any proposal that leaves the militant group in full or partial control of Gaza. Netanyahu said military pressure was the best way to free the roughly 100 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, where they were taken after Hamas’ cross-border rampage into southern Israel on Oct. 7, which sparked the war.

Israel has made destroying Hamas’ governing and military abilities one of its wartime objectives, and Hamas’ proposal would effectively leave it in power in Gaza and allow it to rebuild its military capabilities.

But Blinken downplayed the posturing, saying it was part of the arduous negotiating process. “It’s not flipping a light switch. It’s not yes or no,” he said.

“While there are some clear non-starters in Hamas’ response, we do think it creates space for agreement to be reached, and we will work at that relentlessly until we get there,” he said.

Blinken is trying to advance the cease-fire talks while pushing for a larger postwar settlement in which Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel in return for a “clear, credible, time-bound path to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

But the increasingly unpopular Netanyahu is opposed to Palestinian statehood, and his hawkish governing coalition could collapse if he is seen as making too many concessions.

HAMAS SPELLS OUT DEMANDS FOR HOSTAGE DEAL

Hamas’ statements came in response to a proposal drawn up by the United States, Israel, Qatar and Egypt. The militants’ reply was published in Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to the powerful Hezbollah militant group.

A Hamas official and two Egyptian officials confirmed its authenticity. A fourth official familiar with the talks later clarified the sequencing of the releases. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the negotiations.

In the first 45-day phase, Hamas would release all remaining women and children, as well as older and sick men, in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel would also withdraw from populated areas, cease aerial operations, allow far more aid to enter and permit Palestinians to return to their homes, including in devastated northern Gaza.

The second phase, to be negotiated during the first, would include the release of all remaining hostages, mostly soldiers, in exchange for all Palestinian detainees over the age of 50, including senior militants.

Israel would release an additional 1,500 prisoners, 500 of whom would be specified by Hamas, and complete its withdrawal from Gaza.

In the third phase, the sides would exchange the remains of hostages and prisoners.

VICTORY IN ‘A MATTER OF MONTHS’

At the news conference earlier, Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ demands, saying they would lead to a disaster for Israel.

“Surrendering to Hamas’ delusional demands that we heard now not only won’t lead to freeing the captives, it will just invite another massacre,” Netanyahu said in a nationally televised evening news conference.

Netanyahu said the Israeli military had achieved many of the goals it set out and that victory was “a matter of months” away.

He said forces had dismantled 18 of Hamas’ 24 battalions, destroyed tunnels and killed militants, and that military pressure on Hamas was the best way to bring about the release of the hostages. He said preparations were underway for the military to move into the southern Gaza border town of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have crammed to flee the fighting.

“We are on the way to an absolute victory,” Netanyahu said. “There is no other solution.”

That stands in contrast to some Israeli officials, who say Israel’s two goals of destroying Hamas’s capabilities and freeing the hostages are incompatible and that only a deal can lead to their release.

Meanwhile, Hamas has continued to put up stiff resistance across the territory, and its police force has returned to the streets in places where Israeli troops have pulled back.

Netanyahu ruled out any arrangement that leaves Hamas in control of any part of Gaza. He also said that Israel is the “only power” capable of guaranteeing security in the long term.

At a news conference held immediately after his appearance, hostages freed in a late November deal said they were worried Netanyahu was taking too hard a line and that the remaining hostages and their families would pay the price.

“If you continue in this approach of seeking the collapse of Hamas, there won’t be any hostages to free,” said a tearful Adina Moshe, who was freed nearly 50 days into her captivity. Hamas is still holding over 130 hostages, but around 30 of them are believed to be dead, with the vast majority killed on Oct. 7.

MISERY DEEPENS IN DEVASTATED GAZA

There is little talk of grand diplomatic bargains in Gaza, where Palestinians yearn for an end to fighting that has upended every aspect of their lives.

“We pray to God that it stops,” said Ghazi Abu Issa, who fled his home and sought shelter in the central town of Deir al-Balah. “There is no water, electricity, food or bathrooms.”

Those living in tents have been drenched by winter rains and flooding. “We have been humiliated,” he said.

New mothers struggle to get baby formula and diapers, which can only be bought at vastly inflated prices if they can be found at all. Some have resorted to feeding solid food to babies younger than 6 months old despite the health risks it poses.

While Blinken said Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack was “fully justified,” and he ruled out any role for Hamas in postwar Gaza, he also criticized some of Israel’s responses.

Blinken said the daily toll of Israel’s military operations on innocent civilians “remains too high.”

“Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on October 7. And the hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others,” he added.

The Palestinian death toll from four months of war has reached 27,707, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory. That includes 123 bodies brought to hospitals in just the last 24 hours, it said Wednesday. At least 11,000 wounded people need to be urgently evacuated from Gaza, it said.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures but says most of the dead have been women and children.

The violence in Gaza has drawn the attention of the United Nations’ top court, which last month ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. But the panel stopped short of ordering an end to the offensive.

AP

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces foil two rotations of Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk area

Units of Russia’s Battlegroup East broke up two rotations of Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area during the past day, the battlegroup’s spokesman Alexander Gordeyev told TASS.

"Units of the Battlegroup East continue to fulfil combat tasks of the special military operation in the southern Donetsk area. Artillery systems and heavy flamethrowers hit strongholds and areas of the deployment of manpower of the 23rd brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard, the 72nd mechanized brigade and the 128th territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Urozhaynoye, Ugledar, Dobrovolye, Voduyanoye, and Staromayorskoye. During the day two attempted rotations of enemy troops on the frontline positions were foiled," he said.

Artyomovsk area

Russian forces have neutralized more than ten Ukrainian troops in the Artyomovsk area and hit a Javelin anti-tank system with the use of a drone, the Russian defense ministry said.

"During a raid to the line of combat engagement in the Artyomovsk area, reconnaissance operatives of the Battlegroup South spotted in a forest a masked position of a Javelin anti-tank system ready for firing. Several hours later, a group of Ukrainian troops headed toward the Javelin system covered by a camouflage netting. When they were approaching the position, reconnaissance operatives opened fire at the enemy. As a result, more than ten nationalists were neutralized by fire from the Fagot system and snipers," it said, adding that later a drone dropped explosives and destroyed the Javelin system.

Krasny Liman area

Mortar men of Russia’s Central Military District have foiled a rotation of Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area in the course of the special military operation, the Russian defense ministry told TASS.

"The crew of a 2B9M Vasilek tugged automatic mortar neutralized a group of Ukrainian troops spotted by reconnaissance operatives in the Kiev-controlled Serebryansky forestry. The mortar crew hit the manpower of Ukrainian nationalists who were rotating at a stronghold. The success of this operation became possible thanks to close cooperation with reconnaissance operatives and reconnaissance drone operators," it said.

According to the ministry, the artillery of the Battlegroup Center note the high efficiency of the Vesilek mortar, which can both deliver pinpoint strikes and hit large area targets.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Germany not big enough to fill gap if US stops Ukraine weapons supply

Germany is not big enough to make up the difference should the United States fail to deliver weapons to Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday ahead of a trip to Washington.

"That is, I believe, the real danger we currently face," he said.

Tass/Reuters

When Satya Nadella was appointed as Microsoft CEO in 2014, he wasn't one to boast about IQ points or intellectual achievements. He understood that being a leader wasn't just about knowing all the answers; it was about understanding people and building meaningful connections.

To be effective and separate oneself from the pack, Nadella pared it down to two words: emotional intelligence. 

'EQ trumps IQ'

In a highly publicized event nearly a decade ago, Nadella addressed thousands of students on the subject of their future and possibilities. During his talk, he spoke about the importance of developing emotional intelligence (EQ):

In the long run, EQ trumps IQ. Without being a source of energy for others very little can be accomplished.

Studies show companies that prioritize emotional intelligence in their workers experience higher productivity and employee engagement than those that neglect it.

Where technological advancements often take the spotlight, the significance of emotional intelligence can sometimes be overlooked. However, leaders like Satya Nadella have shown that emotional intelligence is not just a nice-to-have trait but a crucial element for achieving lasting success in the corporate landscape.

There are several ways that leaders and high achievers can utilize emotional intelligence as a strength to improve their own performance and the workplace. 

1. Give people a voice

Two decades ago, I reported to an executive with EQ and learned a valuable lesson I've carried with me to this day. I was leading a team through a challenging project. The pressure was on and tensions were high.

We had a quiet team member struggling to find his voice amidst the chaos. Instead of bulldozing ahead with his own ideas, the executive (our boss) took a step back, approached the team member and asked, "What do you think?"

The effect was astounding. The team member's face lit up and he began to share his insights. It turned out he had a brilliant solution that hadn't been considered before. The project went on to be a resounding success and we all learned a crucial lesson: Leadership was about empowering others and valuing their perspectives.

2. Lead with authenticity

Emotional intelligence isn't about being overly sentimental or soft-hearted. It's about understanding the emotions, motivations and aspirations of the people you work with. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

The key is to actively listen, empathize and lead with authenticity. It's recognizing and managing one's own emotions because a higher performer or leader who can't or won't navigate their own feelings often struggles to guide a team effectively.

3. Acknowledge you don't know everything

It's rather uncomfortable admitting you don't know something when people expect you to have answers. Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus of WD-40 Company, had a counterintuitive perspective when he was CEO.

Ridge said "I don't know" are the three most powerful words he's ever learned in his life. When he got comfortable with not knowing, he began to learn and grow.

"As soon as you make out you know everything, you shut down all the opportunity to learn more and get different points of view," said Ridge. "So not only do I get comfortable with 'I don't know,' but even more today, I keep asking myself, 'Why do I believe that?' Because the world's changing so quickly."

As you investigate your own leadership style, keep this in mind: True leadership isn't about having all the answers but about creating a space for collective brilliance to flourish.

As for Satya Nadella, he continues to lead Microsoft through emotional intelligence, proving that it isn't just a buzzword but a powerful force that can shape the future of leadership in the tech world and beyond.

Inc