WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine launches drone attack on Moscow, other regions, Russian officials say

Ukraine launched a widespread drone attack on Russia on Wednesday, with air defence units destroying three drones some 38 kms (24 miles) south of the Kremlin, and 15 over the border Bryansk region, Russian officials said.

The three attack drones heading towards Moscow were downed over the city of Podolsk in the Moscow region, Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app.

"According to preliminary data, there is no damage or casualties at the site where the debris fell," Sobyanin said.

There were also no casualties or damage reported in the aftermath of the drone attack on the border Bryansk region in Russia's southwest, Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the region wrote on Telegram.

Russia's RIA state news agency reported also that two drones were destroyed over the Tula region, which borders the Moscow region to its north.

Separately, Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region in Russia's southwest, said that air defence forces destroyed an Ukraine-launched missile over the region, with no injuries reported.

It was not clear how many drones and missiles in total Ukraine launched.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

In recent months, Kyiv has stepped up its air attacks on Russian territory, saying its aim is to destroy infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts. It also says that its attacks are in response to Russia's continued strikes on Ukrainian territory.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian MOD confirms capture of New York in Donbass

Russian troops have fully captured the town of Novgorodskoye, also known as New York – one of the largest settlements in the Toretsk agglomeration in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic – Moscow reported on Tuesday.

In an update on the Russian Defense Ministry’s official Telegram channel, it is reported that units of Russia’s Center group had eliminated “a large band of enemy troops” and liberated the strategically important logistics hub.

Kiev’s forces, according to Moscow, lost more than 585 servicemen, three tanks, two vehicles, a 155-mm US-made M777 howitzer, two 152-mm D-20 guns, and three 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

Before the ministry’s confirmation on Tuesday, the capture of the town was reported by RIA Novosti on Monday.

The capture of New York, which is part of Russia’s ongoing offensive in Donbass, opens a path towards the city of Toretsk, another major Ukrainian stronghold in the region and the center of the Toretsk agglomeration – a cluster of mostly industrial towns.

New York and Toretsk are both located less than two dozen kilometers from the Donbass city of Gorlovka, where Donetsk People’s Republic militias initially took up positions back in 2014.

Ukraine later turned the towns into part of a key defensive line, while Gorlovka was subjected to regular shelling in the years prior to the start of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in 2022. By mid-2017, the city had reported 235 civilian deaths linked to Ukrainian attacks.

Reuters/RT

The proof that madness is running wild in the National Assembly is that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen could dare to propose the contentious Counter Subversion Bill 2024. The proposed law sought, among other things, to impose a 10-year prison sentence or a fine of N5 million — or both— on Nigerians who refuse to recite the National Anthem. The bill was introduced following the May decision by President Bola Tinubu to revert to Nigeria’s old National Anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda. This decision itself had already stirred controversy, with many Nigerians questioning the rationale behind the change and expressing concerns about the anthem’s colonial origins and language, which spoke about tribes. Meanwhile, the old anthem was rediscovered and imposed on Nigerians without consultation or debate. What government is now telling Nigerians is that when it imposes something, Nigerians must obey it or be dealt with.

The bill, sponsored by Tajudeen himself, with the title, “Counter Subversion Bill and Other Related Ones,” introduced on 23 July, proposed severe penalties for anyone who refuses to recite the National Anthem, destroys national symbols, or undermines the Federal Government. In addition, it included punishments for defacing places of worship, setting up illegal roadblocks, and receiving foreign financial or political support that could compromise Nigeria’s security and development.

The essence of the bill was in its provisions for fines and prison sentences for those who disobey or disrespect authority, organise unauthorised processions, or supported paramilitary or militia groups. It sought to criminalise activities that undermine national security and peaceful coexistence, with penalties ranging from fines of N3 million to N15 million, and prison terms of up to 20 years. The idea was to criminalise all protests and opposition to government. The bill was clearly designed to end democracy in Nigeria, following the success of the ten-day #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. How did the House of Representatives even think it could pass such a draconian bill in Nigeria? The Speaker had to withdraw it in a hurry to stop the next set of national protests starting earlier than planned.

Activists, such as Omoyele Sowore and Aisha Yesufu, had strongly condemned the bill, with the former threatening a shutdown of the National Assembly if the bill was not withdrawn, while Yesufu declared she would rather face a 20-year prison sentence than sing the newly re-adopted National Anthem. The idea of equating disagreement with government with state subversion is the essence of fascism, and it is concerning that the leadership of our National Assembly can even think of such an initiative.

This is a National Assembly that has, for decades, refused to tell Nigerians the true amount its members receive each month as salaries and allowances. There was a breach in its armour of secrecy this week when Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (NNPP, Kano), on Wednesday, confirmed that he receives about N21+1 million monthly as his perquisite for representing the people of Kano South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly. He however said that he does not know how much goes to the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President, as well as each of the eight other principal officers of the upper chamber of the Nigerian parliament. The revelation by Kawu puts the total monthly package of all the 99 non-principal officers of the Senate at N2.079 billion.

The 10 principal officers of the 10th Senate are: President, Godswill Akpabio; Deputy President, Jibrin Barau; Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; Deputy Majority Leader, Lola Ashiru; Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno; Deputy Chief Whip, Nwebonyi Peter Onyeka; Minority Leader, Abba Moro; Deputy Minority Leader, Akogun Lere Oyewumi; Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu; and Deputy Minority Whip, Rufai Hanga.

In normal parliamentary systems, the earnings of members are public knowledge as they are available on the website of these branches of government. If our National Assembly has made its earnings a secret, it is because it knows some of the payments its members award themselves are illegal, and they need to hide their criminality while they insist we call them honourable and distinguished Nigerians. We need to withdraw these labels from them. As former President Olusegun Obasanjo said recently, the federal lawmakers are acting immorally for fixing their remunerations themselves. At a time when the majority of Nigerians are suffering from multi-dimensional poverty and severe hunger, it is shocking that legislators believe they can continue to consume a considerable slice of the national budget.

The management of the National Assembly not only lacks transparency but is activities are also conducted in a very authoritarian manner. When Abdul Ningi, the senator representing Bauchi Central, alleged that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion, the upper legislative chamber suspended him, rather than investigate the very disturbing allegation. It would be recalled that the upper legislative chamber, during the debate leading up to Ningi’s suspension, descended into chaos when the senator representing Cross River North, Jarigbe Jarigbe, claimed that some senior senators received N500 million in the budget for constituency projects. We have been hearing that the leadership padding range is in the billions.

Increasingly, it has become clear that the leadership of the National Assembly is determined to shut up members and deny them the freedom of speech. When the concerned Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, expressed his views on the current hardship being faced by Nigerians and the President being caged by a cabal that is stopping even ministers from accessing him, Ndume was removed from his position as a principal officer. All senators were warned to stop making critical comments about government or they would be dealt with. It is this rising authoritarian culture within the National Assembly that emboldened the Speaker to seek to pass a law that would shut up Nigerians. Na lie. We no go gree.

** A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.

Scientists have figured out a better option to deal with increasing plastic waste across the world. A team of researchers developed a breakthrough method that easily converts microplastics into a material that’s harder than diamond and has an increasing demand in multiple industries.

Researchers converted microplastics into graphene that could be used for several applications, including the manufacturing of various sensors and water purification, as well as the absorption of PFAS.

“Approximately 30 mg of microplastics produced nearly 5 mg of graphene in 1 minute. This production rate is remarkably higher than achieved previously, and offers a simpler, more environmentally friendly alternative to current techniques,” said James Cook University’s Adeel Zafar.

Microplastics are notorious for their non-degradable and insoluble nature in water

JCU Mohan Jacob maintained that some plastic waste degrades into smaller fragments, often reaching micron sizes, which are notorious for their non-degradable and insoluble nature in water and are an evolving threat to fish and, animals and humans.
Researchers have underlined that microplastics’ characteristics enable them to absorb organic pollutants, and once they are in water, they are ultimately integrated into both marine and human food chains.

Recycling of microplastics faces significant challenges

“Disturbingly, microplastics disrupt marine life and coral reproduction,” said Zafar.
He stressed that the recycling of microplastics faces significant challenges due to labor-intensive separation processes and high costs, resulting in very low resource recovery globally.
“Upcycling, which involves transforming plastic waste into higher-value materials rather than simply breaking it down, has a high demand,” said Zafar.

Microplastics turned into graphene

The team ground-up plastic bottles into microplastics and then used the new Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Plasma synthesis technique to convert the debris to graphene –  a one atom thick carbon material that is harder than diamond, 200 times stronger than steel and five times lighter than aluminium – the use of which is burgeoning in several industries, according to James Cook University.

“The research not only pioneers a novel approach to graphene synthesis but also contributes to the broader goal of mitigating the adverse effects of microplastic pollution on our ecosystems,” said professor Jacob.

This study demonstrates that polyethylene microplastics from waste dropper bottles can be efficiently transformed into graphene using APMP synthesis.

Raman spectroscopy of synthesized material reveals a spectrum characteristic of graphene‐based materials, with indications of defects and the presence of oxygen content.

Interesting Engineering

This comparison reveals a stark contrast between the situations of minimum wage workers in London and Abuja, particularly in terms of transportation costs and their impact on workers' lives and the broader economy. Let's break it down:

1. Economic Context:

- London, UK:

  - Monthly Minimum Wage: £1,830.40.

  - Living Conditions: London is one of the most expensive cities globally, with high costs for housing, transportation, and other essentials. The minimum wage in London is higher compared to other regions in the UK due to the elevated cost of living, but this wage is still considered low relative to the city's overall cost structure.

- Abuja, Nigeria:

  - Monthly Minimum Wage: N70,000.

  - Living Conditions: Abuja, while being one of Nigeria's more expensive cities, especially within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), presents a different economic landscape. Despite being a planned city with modern infrastructure, many lower-paid workers live in satellite towns or even in neighboring states due to the high cost of housing in Abuja proper.

2. Transport Costs:

- London:

  - Zones 1-2 Travelcard: £147.50 per month (about 8% of the monthly wage).

  - Bus & Tram Pass: £93.60 per month (about 5.1% of the monthly wage).

  - Workers often try to optimize their commute by either limiting their travel to the most affordable zones or using bus passes exclusively. Despite the high cost of living, the public transportation network in London is extensive and reliable, which allows workers to choose from multiple commuting options based on their financial situation.

- Abuja:

  - Average Transport Cost: N3,000 per day; N66,000 per month of 22 working days (about 94% of the monthly wage).

  - The transport cost in Abuja is disproportionately high relative to the minimum wage. Most low-income workers live far from the city center in satellite towns or neighboring states where housing is more affordable but commuting costs are significant due to distance and the absence of a subsidized or well-developed public transport system. Many workers can only afford to commute a few days a week, which greatly affects their productivity and attendance.

3. Impact on Workers’ Lives:

- London:

  - Financial Strain: While transportation costs take up a significant portion of the minimum wage, workers still retain a large portion of their income for other expenses. However, the high costs of housing and other living expenses in London mean that minimum wage workers often struggle to make ends meet, despite access to efficient public transport.

  - Work-Life Balance: The availability of various public transport options enables more flexible commuting, although the financial strain may limit workers' ability to afford leisure or personal time.

- Abuja:

  - Severe Financial Strain:

The extreme cost of commuting consumes nearly all of a minimum wage worker’s income, leaving virtually nothing for other essential needs such as food, housing, or healthcare. This puts immense pressure on workers, leading to financial insecurity and a reliance on informal or corrupt means to supplement income.

  - Reduced Productivity:

Due to the inability to afford daily commuting costs, many workers attend work only sporadically. This has a direct impact on productivity, especially in the public sector, where attendance and efficient service delivery are crucial. The reliance on alternative, often corrupt, means of income also compromises ethical standards and public trust.

4. Implications for the Economy:

- London:

  - The high cost of living and transport presents challenges but does not severely impair the overall productivity of workers. London's well-developed infrastructure and social services provide a safety net that, while strained, helps mitigate some of the financial pressures on minimum wage workers.

  - The city's economy remains robust, but disparities in living standards and affordability highlight the ongoing challenge of ensuring that minimum wage policies keep pace with the cost of living.

- Abuja:

  - The disproportionate transport costs relative to income severely undermine the effectiveness of the minimum wage policy in improving workers' quality of life. The high cost of commuting significantly reduces disposable income, contributing to widespread financial hardship and reduced economic productivity.

  - The situation exacerbates systemic issues such as corruption, as workers feel compelled to engage in unethical practices to survive. The broader implications include weakened public institutions, reduced service delivery efficiency, and long-term economic stagnation if these issues are not addressed.

Conclusion:

The comparison between minimum wage workers in London and Abuja highlights a stark contrast in the effectiveness of wage policies and public infrastructure. While London’s high cost of living poses challenges, workers still retain a portion of their income after transport costs. In contrast, Abuja's minimum wage workers face an untenable situation where transportation alone consumes nearly all their earnings, leading to reduced productivity and ethical challenges.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has invited Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), for questioning over “a case of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime”.

An invitation letter signed by Adamu Muazu, assistant commissioner of police, indicated that Ajaero is expected to be at the intelligence response team (IRT) complex in Abuja on Tuesday.

Muazu said an arrest warrant will be issued against Ajaero if he does not honour the invitation.

TheCable understands that the case is connected to the recent raid of the NLC secretariat in Abuja by the police.

On August 7, police raided the NLC building in the Central Business District of Abuja.

The NLC said the operatives who raided the building “claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests”.

Subsequently, Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), said one of the masterminds of the Sudan conflict was traced to the NLC headquarters.

The IGP said police detectives traced the foreigner to a shop within the Labour House, adding that operatives did not raid the secretariat.

The Cable

There was no approval by the National Assembly before the procurement of the new presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Daily Trust’s findings have revealed.

Late in June, an online news platform reported that the federal government had acquired an Airbus A330 aircraft from a German bank.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the German bank had seized the aircraft from an unnamed Arabian prince and businessman, who reportedly failed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars he owed the bank.

Officials of the Presidency, according to the online news platform, had “kept their lips shut” about the planned purchase of a new aircraft for the Presidential Air Fleet.

And since then, there has not been any official statement from the Presidency on the matter.

The actual cost of the aircraft is yet to be ascertained. A report earlier by Premium Times had said it was learnt that government was negotiating to acquire it for $100 million, but said it could not establish the actual price it was procured.

Speaking on the matter during a plenary session of the upper legislative chamber, however, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the request for purchase of the aircraft had not been tabled before the parliament, but that once done, members would consider and approve it.

“We care about the president and we care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people”, Akpabio had said then, in respect of the bid to acquire the presidential aircraft.

Akpabio, who alleged that the National Assembly was being “blackmailed” over the matter, said: “But I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the vice president of Malawi as a result of a defective plane, and then the death of the president of Iran as a result of defective aircraft; we shouldn’t ever sit and allow such to be at the ocean. It wouldn’t be.

“The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.

“Irrespective of anticipatory blackmail, because those people know very well that something like that might come in the future; and if it’s a necessity, the Senate will look into it.

“But there is nothing like that before us now”, he said pointedly.

Nothing was heard about the matter until the recent controversy broke about the seizure of three Nigerian aircraft by a Chinese firm, acting on an order of a French court.

The French court had ordered the seizure of the three jets amid a long-standing dispute between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and the Ogun State government, over a massive industrial park that was to be developed to attract investors.

The planes were said to be undergoing  “routine maintenance” at the time of the seizure.

Meanwhile, the Chinese firm said on Friday that it had released, “as a gesture of goodwill”, the Airbus A330 for Tinubu to travel for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

A presidential spokesperson confirmed to Daily Trust that the new aircraft was purchased for the president.

“That is settled. Something that is now released (referring to the seized aircraft Airbus A330). If it was not purchased, how could it be withheld by the Chinese company? There’s no controversy around it. Almost everything has been concluded and it was out in the media”, the aide who declined to be named said.

On whether an approval was obtained from the National Assembly before the procurement of the presidential jet, the spokesperson said, “There was a story that the National Assembly directed that the aircraft should be procured for the President. There are a number of windows to the National Assembly.”

The government official also hinted that the aircraft could have been purchased under the Service Wide Vote, which he said, may not require the parliament’s assent.

Our National Assembly correspondents found that though the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence led by Satomi Ahmed had, earlier in June, recommended a new aircraft be procured for the president, the lawmakers did not approve it before they proceeded on their annual recess on July 23.

No approval request from the president for the procurement of a new presidential was considered on the floors of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives had, on July 23, passed the supplementary bill which sought to raise the 2024 Appropriation Act from N28.7 trillion to N35.06 trillion.

The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, who presented the harmonised joint Senate and House report on the budget, had said, “As you can see, we have passed the N6.2 trillion budget of Mr President, the budget of Renewed Hope.

“N3.2 trillion is for capital expenditure; while about N3 trillion will go to the current. And as I said last time, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a critical road infrastructure that Mr President wants to actualise.”

We’re not aware of approval for new presidential jet – Lawmakers 

Some lawmakers, who spoke to our reporters on condition of anonymity yesterday, said the National Assembly neither considered nor approved any request for the procurement of a presidential jet before proceeding on recess.

A credible source in the Senate said: “At no time was deal discussed at the plenary meeting. It was not tabled. But then, there is the probability that the president had sent the letter.”

Another source also said he was not aware of any approval by the Senate for the purchase of a new presidential jet.

“The last time we heard something about the new aircraft was when the Senate president, Akpabio, said no communication about it yet from the Villa, but that the National Assembly would not hesitate to approve it.

“I read it in the media that the aircraft had been purchased, and as I speak with you, no one has denied that the deal was sealed,” he said.

A member of the House of Representatives also told Daily Trust yesterday that no correspondence from the president was presented to them about the purchase of a new aircraft for the president.

He said: “We’ve not seen anything in the main budget or the supplementary budget about the purchase of a new presidential aircraft. Another thing is that, there is no detail of the supplementary budget passed. So, we don’t know whether it is in the 2024 supplementary budget because we have not been availed with the detailed breakdown. It was presented as a lump sum.

“We don’t know about the purchase of the aircraft because it was not presented to us and we have not seen any details about it. So, we cannot say anything. So, I won’t have any comments until I see the details”.

It can’t be true – NSA’s spokesman

When contacted on telephone last night, the spokesman of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, told one of our reporters that it could not be true that the new presidential plane was purchased without an approval of the National Assembly.

“It cannot be true. This is the time I am hearing this whether in government or outside government,” he said.

Later in a telephone call to Daily Trust, Mijinyawa said he was informed by someone “within the system” that the purchase was captured in the Service Wide Vote.

Presidency, Defence ministry, Senate, Reps mum

The Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Bashir Lado, did not respond to WhatsApp and text messages seeking his comment. His phone line was busy several times one of our reporters called yesterday.

The chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu and Akin Rotimi respectively were contacted yesterday by Daily Trust via phone calls and text messages to confirm whether or not the purchase of the new presidential jet was authorized by the legislature, but they did not oblige.

In the same vein, the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and Abubakar Bichi respectively, neither answered phone calls nor replied to messages sent to their mobile lines telephone mobile line for enquiries.

Several calls and a text message to Mati Ali, the media aide to the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, were also not answered.

Daily Trust

Investors on the Nigerian stock market suffered a significant loss of N750 billion on Monday as bearish sentiment continued to dominate trading. The market downturn was primarily driven by heavy selloffs in the shares of Dangote Cement and Tier-1 banks, including Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and FBN Holdings.

The market capitalization, which stood at N55.132 trillion at the opening of the week, declined by 1.36 percent, closing at N54.382 trillion. Similarly, the All-Share Index dropped by 1.36 percent, ending the day at 95,781.68 points, down from 97,100.31 points recorded on Friday. This decline also led to a reduction in the Year-To-Date (YTD) return, which fell to 28.10 percent.

Despite the overall market decline, market breadth was positive, with 31 stocks gaining and 19 losing. Among the gainers, Cutix Plc, RT Briscoe, and Sky Aviation Handling Company each saw a 10 percent increase, closing at N2.64, N1.87, and N26.40 per share, respectively. Oando also gained 9.90 percent to close at N39.40, while FTN Cocoa Processors rose by 9.57 percent to N2.06 per share.

On the losing side, Dangote Cement led the decliners, dropping by 10 percent to close at N532 per share. Secure Electronic Technology followed, losing 9.76 percent to close at 37 kobo per share. African Prudential fell by 9.68 percent to N8.40, Beta Glass decreased by 9.43 percent to N48, and Caverton declined by 6.38 percent to N1.32 per share.

Market activity analysis showed an increase in trade turnover compared to the previous session, with the value of transactions rising by 2.47 percent. A total of 3.55 billion shares valued at N7.65 billion were traded in 9,291 deals, compared to 348.95 million shares worth N7.46 billion exchanged in 7,677 deals in the prior session.

GTCO led both the volume and value charts, with 59.25 million shares traded, valued at N2.73 billion.

MTN Group reported a half-year loss on Monday as Africa's biggest telecom operator grappled with the devaluation of the Nigerian naira and operational challenges in Sudan.

It said it was working on cutting costs and reiterated it was on track to reach a target to sell off non-core assets by next year.

The company reported a loss before tax of 9 billion rand ($507 million) in the six-month period ended June 30, compared with a restated profit of 8.3 billion rand a year earlier.

"The further devaluation in the naira against the U.S. dollar ... and the ongoing conflict in Sudan had the most significant impact on reported results," CEO Ralph Mupita said.

Nigeria has suffered chronic dollar shortages that have forced authorities to devalue the naira twice in less than a year, as part of the new government's measures to stabilise the currency and attract investment.

MTN Nigeria, which was the group's largest business, is now its second biggest by revenue.

The unit has a number of initiatives aimed at restoring profit and addressing its negative equity position, including concluding renegotiations earlier this month on tower lease terms with tower operator IHS.

The improved commercial terms are expected to result in annualised cost savings of between 100 billion to 110 billion naira ($71 million), with annualised EBITDA margin benefit of 4 to 6 percentage points, Mupita told investors.

This is "not a silver bullet in addressing negative equity," Mupita said, but added discussions continued on proposed tariff increases with Nigerian authorities that could help.

MTN Group, which has 288 million customers across 18 markets in Africa, said its group service revenue decreased 20.8% to 85.3 billion rand. In constant currency, group service revenue rose 12.1%.

The company has raised 21.7 billion rand so far as part of its 25 billion rand non-core asset sales programme and should reach its target by next year, Mupita said on a post-earnings media call.

The telecom operator reduced its stakes in MTN Ghana and MTN Uganda during the reporting period for a combined 1.7 billion rand.

There will be further stake sales in Ghana of about 2.1%, and in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, according to Mupita.

($1 = 1,540.0000 naira)

($1 = 17.7571 rand)

Reuters

Hamas, Islamic Jihad claim responsibility for bomb blast in Tel Aviv

The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility on Monday for a bomb blast near a synagogue in Tel Aviv that Israeli police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency described as a terrorist attack.

A man who was carrying the bomb was killed and a passerby was injured in the incident late on Sunday, according to police at the scene in Israel's commercial capital.

Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said the man was carrying a backpack loaded with explosives that detonated "before he managed to reach a more heavily populated area".

In a joint statement, the two Palestinian militant groups said their "martyrdom operations" inside Israel would return to the forefront as long as the "occupation's massacres and assassination policy continue". This was an allusion to Israel's offensive in Gaza and the July 31 killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for Haniyeh's death in the Iranian capital.

The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 last year when Hamas gunmen stormed across the border into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign has since levelled wide swathes of the Gaza Strip and killed at least 40,000 people, according to the enclave's health authorities.

Sunday's explosion in Tel Aviv came about an hour after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv to push for a ceasefire in Gaza to end the 10-month-old warbetween Israel and Hamas.

There has been increased urgency to reach a ceasefire deal amid fears of an escalation across the wider region. Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Haniyeh.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Kyiv: our Kursk attack shows Kremlin red lines are bluff

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday his country's assault on Russia's Kursk region showed that Kremlin threats of retaliation were a bluff, and he urged Kyiv's allies to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons.

Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces now controlled more than 1,250 square kilometres (483 square miles) and 92 settlements in Kursk region, while Russia said Ukraine had struck a third bridge in the region, complicating Russian efforts to repel the Ukrainian attack.

Ukraine launched its surprise strike on the Russian region on Aug. 6, the biggest invasion of Russia since World War Two, in an operation that Kyiv says is aimed at carving out a buffer zone and wearing down Russia's war machine.

Speaking to a gathering of Ukrainian diplomats, Zelenskiy singled out allies who have supplied long-range weapons but told Kyiv they cannot use them deep inside Russia for fear of crossing "red lines" set out by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We are witnessing a significant ideological shift – the naive, illusory concept of so-called red lines regarding Russia, which dominated the assessment of the war by some partners, has crumbled apart these days," Zelenskiy said.

He said Ukraine, because of the restrictions imposed by allies, could not use the weapons at its disposal to hit some Russian military targets. He urged allies to be bolder in their decisions about how to help Kyiv in the war.

"The world sees that everything in this war depends only on courage - our courage, the courage of our partners. On brave decisions for Ukraine, on courage in supporting Ukraine," Zelenskiy said.

Despite its thrust into Russia, Ukraine's forces are on the defensive elsewhere. They face a battle to protect the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk, where Russia has steadily advanced in recent weeks in heavy fighting more than two years since Russia's full-scale invasion.

Ukraine's military said late on Monday its forces had fought 63 skirmishes over the course of the day against Russian forces on the Pokrovsk front, and it expected that area to remain the focus of Russian attacks.

Russia said a third bridge had been struck and damaged on the Seym River that winds through the Kursk region bordering northeastern Ukraine.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the strike, but Kyiv's air force chief has said his forces have destroyed two bridges to weaken enemy logistics.

Military analysts said the bridges were part of critical supply lines for Russian troops defending the area. Reuters could not independently confirm the damage to the bridges or the battlefield situation in Kursk.

Zelenskiy said on Sunday his troops were unleashing what he described as "maximum counteroffensive actions" aimed at creating a buffer zone and hurting Moscow's military potential.

More than 121,000 people have been evacuated from nine border districts in the Kursk region, Russia's emergencies ministry said.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow was not ready to hold peace talks with Ukraine for now, given Kyiv's Kursk attack. Ukraine has demanded a full withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory before it sits down for any talks.

PUSH TOWARDS POKROVSK

Ukrainian forces face a tough battle near Pokrovsk, a transport hub for Ukrainian forces. Russian troops are now around 10 km (6 miles) from the outskirts of the city, said Serhiy Dobriak, head of the local military administration.

He said up to 600 people were leaving on a daily basis, and that municipal services could be cut off within a week as Russian forces close in.

Regional governor Vadym Filashkin said a curfew in settlements close to Pokrovsk had been tightened and the situation was "very difficult".

Ukraine's top general said Kyiv was also "doing everything necessary" to defend the eastern city of Toretsk as Moscow tries to threaten Ukrainian supply lines. Russia said its forces had captured the nearby town of Zalizne.

The war, which has killed tens of thousands and devastated cities across Ukraine, shows no sign of letting up. Kyiv expects Moscow to boost its forces in Ukraine by year's end to 800,000, up from around 600,000 now, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Ivan Havryliuk told Ukrainian media.

Ukraine has been backed by arms from its allies but is worried that support may drop as the war grinds on.

German defence stocks fell on Monday after a newspaper said the finance ministry would not approve additional applications for Ukraine military aid because of budget constraints.

A German finance ministry spokesperson later said Berlin was working intensively with its Group of Seven partners on a plan to make loans available for military support for Ukraine, funded by the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kiev’s plans and Ukrainian losses: latest update on situation in Kursk Region

Ukraine’s daily losses in the Kursk Region amounted to more than 330 troops and 27 armored vehicles, the Russian defense ministry said.

Its overall losses over the period of combat operation stand at up to 3,800 troops.

Ukrainian troops are regrouping in the Kursk Region in an attempt to stage an attack at another location but Russian forces are in control of the situation, Major General Apty Alaudinov, deputy chief of the Russian Armed Forces’ Main Military-Political Department and commander of the Akhmat special forces commando unit, said.

Here are key facts about the current situation.

Situation in the region

- Russian forces repelled Ukrainian attacks on Olgovka, Russkoye Cherkasskye, and Porechnoye in the Kursk Region.

- Russian forces hit Ukrainian troops and vehicles near the settlements of Borki, Bogdanovka, Vishnevka, Viktorovka, Kositsa, Lyubimovka, Melovoy, Snagost, west of Martynovka and southeast of Korenevo.

- Russian aircraft struck areas of deployment of Ukrainian troops and combat vehicles near the settlements of Basocka, Vorozhba, Kruzhok, Miropolye, Novaya Sech, and Sadki in the Sumy Region.

- The operation to wipe out Ukrainian army units continues.

Ukraine’s losses

- During the past day, Ukraine lost more than 330 troops and 27 armored vehicles, including four tanks, a combat infantry carrier, three armored personnel carriers, 19 armored combat vehicles, eight automobiles, two artillery systems, and three mortars.

- Ukraine’s overall losses over the period of combat operation in the Kursk Region stand at up to 3,800 troops, 54 tanks, 26 combat infantry carrier, 46 armored personnel carriers, 281 armored combat vehicles, 123 automobiles, 27 artillery systems, fire air defense systems, seven multiple missile launchers, including three HIMARS and one MLRS launchers, five electronic warfare stations, four engineering vehicles, including two obstacle removal vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing system.

Kiev’s plans

Ukraine is regrouping its troops in the Kursk Region in an attempt to stage an attack at another location but Russian forces are in control of the situation, Major General Apty Alaudinov, deputy chief of the Russian Armed Forces’ Main Military-Political Department and commander of the Akhmat special forces commando unit, said.

- According to Alaudinov, Ukraine’s plan was to enter Kursk and begin "bargaining" a peace agreement.

- Ukraine’s army used "everything it could engage," including tanks and armored vehicles, to stage the attack, Alaudinov said.

Assistance to residents

- More than 121,000 people have been resettled from nine border areas in the Kursk Region since the beginning of the evacuation campaign, with more than 650 of them being evacuated from dangerous zones in the past 24 hours, Artyom Sharov, deputy head of the Russian emergencies ministry’s information policy department, said.

- Russian emergencies ministry’s bomb specialists have drfused around 130 explosive objects in the Kursk Region after shelling attacks by Ukrainian troops.

- Russian emergencies ministry’s convoys delivered more than 250 tons of humanitarian cargoes to the region during the past day, with overall humanitarian deliveries exceeding 2,400 tons.

Reuters/Tass