Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S., Embassy in Nigeria, David Greene, has revealed that they have interviewed over 150,000 Nigerians while further noting that the embassy has interviewed about 30,000 students this year.

Greene made this statement during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He said, “What folks do not know is that this year we have interviewed more than 150,000 people.

“This is in addition to 30,000 students. Hundreds of thousands of students have had the opportunity to seek visas from the U.S. We are doing the best we can to get proper ways for all the categories after having an enormous backlog as a result of Covid-19, and all that.”

“We have made great progress though. In March we instituted a five-year term for visas to the U.S.,” he added.

However, he assured visa applicants of the mission’s commitment to tackling all visa-related hitches. According to him, issues related to visas would fully become a thing of the past, saying the mission is doing everything within its power to tackle such challenges.

He urged persons desiring to travel to the U.S. to apply early and ensure that the visa requests are tied to events.

“Folks that are seeking visas should apply early, make sure that the plan is for an event as they can. This is because we do acknowledge that there is a backlog and we will do what we can to make sure people that need a warrant visa to the U.S., can get them,” he said.

Daily Trust

Babangida Aliyu, a former governor of Niger state, says Nigeria’s corrupt electoral system has made it impossible for honest people to contest elections. 

Aliyu spoke on Saturday at the annual lecture and general meeting of the Kaduna state chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The former governor said delegates for primary elections see the nomination process as an avenue to make money.

“One of the issues that may erode the confidence in our system is in our election and electoral system, to the extent that some prominent Nigerians are questioning whether democracy is workable in Nigeria,” he said. 

“The process is so corrupted that it has become impossible for honest and not well-to-do-person to contest election in Nigeria.

“The delegates see the nomination process as their opportunity to make money and shamelessly collect from all the aspirants, knowing that they can only cast their votes for one person. 

“At the end of it all, the highest bidder gets nominated.”

Aliyu said the level of corruption in the electoral system has also made most election victors be elected by the court. 

“Our institutions that should engender confidence and loyalty to the nation have become porous, corrupt and display a total lack of integrity.

“Sale and purchase of appointment both at the civil service and political levels.

“Most of these offices are supposed to be neutral, non-partisan and loyal to the country and the government of the day. 

“How can that happen when an officer who purchased his offices now knows the beauty of corruption? 

“In addition, these are the offices that talk, treat and handle issues of ethical sustainable development. 

“We may be doomed if we don’t arrest and correct the situation.

“How many of us know the councillor representing your ward, the members of the state assembly, your members of the house of representatives, your senator, not to mention your governor or minister?

“We have a runaway democracy because we the critical stakeholders don’t seem to care so long we are in our comfort zone.

“We must pay attention so that those we elect must be reminded of their responsibilities.”

The Cable

Israel expands Gaza ground offensive, vows to hit the south with 'no less strength' than the north

Israel’s ground offensive expanded to every part of the Gaza Strip, its military said Sunday, as it ordered more evacuations and vowed to hit south Gaza with “no less strength” than the fight that has reduced large parts of north Gaza to a moonscape.

Heavy bombardment followed the evacuation orders, and Palestinians in the sealed-off territory bordering Israel and Egypt said they were running out of places to go.

Many of Gaza’s 2.3 million people fled to the south after Israel ordered civilians to leave the north in the early days of the war, which was sparked by the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in Israel that killed about 1,200, mostly civilians.

After dark, gunfire and shelling were heard in the central town of Deir al-Balah as flares lit the sky. Israeli drones buzzed overhead in Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Younis. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk urged an end to the war, saying civilian suffering was “too much to bear.”

Residents said the military dropped leaflets calling Khan Younis “a dangerous combat zone” and ordering them to move to the border city of Rafah or a coastal area in the southwest.

Halima Abdel-Rahman, a widow and mother of four, said she’s stopped heeding such orders. She fled her home in October to an area outside Khan Younis, where she stays with relatives.

“The occupation tells you to go to this area, then they bomb it,” she said by phone. “The reality is that no place is safe in Gaza. They kill people in the north. They kill people in the south.”

The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the death toll in the territory since Oct. 7 has surpassed 15,500, with more than 41,000 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but said 70% of the dead were women and children.

A Health Ministry spokesman asserted that hundreds had been killed or wounded since a weeklong cease-fire ended Friday. “The majority of victims are still under the rubble,” Ashraf al-Qidra said.

Hopes for another temporary truce in Gaza faded as Israel called its negotiators home, and senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said talks on releasing further more hostages must be tied to a permanent cease-fire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war will continue until “all its goals” are achieved. One is to remove Hamas from power in Gaza.

The earlier cease-fire facilitated the release of 105 of the roughly 240 Israeli and foreign hostages taken to Gaza during the Oct. 7 attack, in exchange for 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Most of those released by both sides were women and children.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NBC’s “Meet the Press” the U.S. was working “really hard” for a resumption of negotiations.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has urged Israel to avoid significant new mass displacement and to do more to protect civilians. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told Egypt’s president that “under no circumstances” would the U.S. permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, an ongoing siege of Gaza or the redrawing of its borders.

As Harris flew from Dubai and an appearance at the U.N. climate conference back to Washington, she spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. They discussed the situation in the West Bank, with Harris reiterating U.S. concerns with steps being taken that could escalate tensions — including extremist settler violence, according to a summary provided by Harris’ office.

Harris also spoke by phone during the flight to Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, and again stated U.S. support for the Palestinian people’s right to security, dignity and self-determination, according to the summary.

On the ground in Gaza, there was fear and mourning. Outside a Gaza City hospital, a dust-covered boy named Saaed Khalid Shehta dropped to his knees beside the bloodied body of his little brother Mohammad, one of several bodies laid out after people said their street was hit by airstrikes. He kissed him.

“You bury me with him!” the boy cried. A health worker at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital said more than 15 children were killed.

Israel’s military said its fighter jets and helicopters struck targets in Gaza including “tunnel shafts, command centers and weapons storage facilities.” It acknowledged “extensive aerial attacks in the Khan Younis area.”

The bodies of 31 people killed in the bombardment of central Gaza were taken to the Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, said Omar al-Darawi, a hospital administrative employee. One woman wept, cradling a child’s body. Another carried the body of a baby. Later, hospital workers reported 11 more dead after another airstrike. Bloodied survivors included a child carried in on a mattress.

Outside a hospital morgue in Khan Younis, resident Samy al-Najeila carried the body of a child. He said his sons had been preparing to evacuate their home, “but the occupation didn’t give us any time. The three-floor building was destroyed completely, the whole block was totally destroyed.” He said six of the bodies were his relatives.

“Five people are still under the rubble,” he said. “God help us.”

In a video from the same crowded al-Nasser hospital, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said: “I feel like I’m almost failing in my ability to convey the endless killing of children here.”

Israel says it does not target civilians and has taken measures to protect them, including its evacuation orders. In addition to leaflets, the military has used phone calls and radio and TV broadcasts to urge people to move from specific areas.

Israel says it targets Hamas operatives and blames civilian casualties on the militants, accusing them of operating in residential neighborhoods. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence. Israel says at least 78 of its soldiers have been killed.

The widening offensive likely will further complicate humanitarian aid to Gaza. Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, said 100 aid trucks entered Sunday, but U.N. agencies have said 500 trucks per day on average entered before the war.

The United Nations estimates that 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced. Nearly 958,000 of them are packed into crowded U.N. facilities in the south, said Juliette Toma, director of communications at the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

Elsewhere in the region, Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said it struck Israeli positions near the tense Lebanon-Israel border. Eight soldiers and three civilians were wounded by Hezbollah fire in the area of Beit Hillel, army radio reported. The military said its artillery struck sources of fire from Lebanon and its fighter jets struck other Hezbollah targets.

Iraqi militants with the Iran-backed umbrella group the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said they struck the Kharab al-Jir U.S. military base in Syria with rockets. A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said rockets hit Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria but there were no reports of casualties or damage.

Later Sunday, officials with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq said five militia members were killed in an airstrike blamed on the U.S. near Kirkuk. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation not yet made public said the U.S. had carried out a “self-defense strike” near Kirkuk targeting a drone staging site.

AP

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia attacks Ukraine with 12 drones, cruise missile, Ukraine air force says

Russia launched 12 drones and a cruise missile at Ukraine overnight, with Ukraine's air defence systems destroying 10 drones before they reached their targets, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday.

The cruise missile was not destroyed but did not reach its target, the air force said, without giving further details. It did not say what happened to the two drones that were not destroyed.

"10 out of 12 is a perfect score. These are good results that we see every day," Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told national television.

Reuters could not independently verify the air force's report. There was no immediate comment from Russia.

The Iranian-made Shahed drones were headed towards Ukraine's northwest, the air force said. Most were downed in the Mykolaiv region in Ukraine's south.

Regional officials confirmed the attack but said they had no information on casualties or damage.

** Russia says it hit air defence HQ in Ukraine's Dnipro

Russian forces hit a fortified commander post of Ukraine's "East" air defence and alerting centre in the central city of Dnipro, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.

It said that it inflicted combined strikes by operational-tactical and army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery.

Reuters was not immediately able to corroborate the battlefield reports from either side.

Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 12 drones and a cruise missile at Ukraine overnight, with air defence systems destroying 10 drones before they reached their targets.

Russia's defence ministry also said it its daily dispatch that it hit fuel depots in the areas of Myrhorod, Poltava region and the city of Khmelnytskyi, an ammunition arsenal in the Mykolaiv region as well as manpower and equipment in 107 various districts.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces wipe out depot of Ukrainian territorial defense in Kupyansk area

Russia’s Battlegroup West units have eliminated a munitions depot of a Ukrainian territorial defense brigade in the Kharkov Region, Battlegroup Spokesman Sergey Zybinsky told TASS.

"A munitions depot of Ukraine’s 113th territorial defense brigade was wiped out in the vicinity of the village of Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. The adversary’s losses amounted to 95 troops, an armored fighting vehicle, two cars and a 122mm D-30 howitzer," he said.

** Russian forces deliver strikes on Ukrainian personnel, hardware in Kupyansk area

During active actions, supported by army aviation and the artillery fire, a strike was delivered on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized and 25th air assault brigades near the villages of Sinkovka and Berestovoye, Battlegroup Spokesman Sergey Zybinsky told

Russia’s Battlegroup West units, supported by aviation and artillery, have delivered a strike on manpower and hardware from two Ukrainian brigades, Battlegroup Spokesman Sergey Zybinsky told TASS.

"During active actions, supported by army aviation and the artillery fire, a strike was delivered on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized and 25th air assault brigades near the villages of Sinkovka and Berestovoye," he said.

Reuters/Tass

Researchers from Google AI have unveiled Translatotron 3, an innovative AI model that revolutionizes speech-to-speech translation, promising to turn users into real-time polyglots. This breakthrough technology eliminates the need for vast amounts of parallel speech data, making it accessible for languages with limited resources.

Overcoming language barriers

Language barriers have long been a hindrance to effective communication, both in everyday life and across global borders. While speech-to-speech translation (S2ST) models have emerged to address this challenge, they traditionally rely on extensive parallel speech data, limiting their utility for many languages where such data is scarce or entirely unavailable.

Enter Translatotron 3, a game-changing AI model developed by Google AI researchers. This revolutionary technology harnesses the power of unsupervised learning, allowing it to translate spoken language from one language to another without the need for copious parallel speech data. This breakthrough opens up the world of real-time translation and promises to make us all real-time polyglots.

The unsung hero: Unsupervised learning

Translatotron 3’s ability to operate without parallel speech data is made possible through its innovative use of unsupervised learning. Unlike traditional models, which rely heavily on paired speech data in multiple languages, Translatotron 3 leverages monolingual data alone. This approach allows the AI model to provide high-quality translations even for languages with limited parallel speech data available.

Beyond language translation: Applications abound

The implications of Translatotron 3 reach far beyond mere language translation. This groundbreaking technology opens the door to a multitude of applications that can reshape how we communicate and interact with the world.

One of the most immediate and impactful use cases of Translatotron 3 is enabling real-time communication between individuals who speak different languages. Whether in business meetings, social gatherings, or international travel, this technology has the potential to bridge linguistic divides and foster seamless global interactions.

Empowering speech-impaired individuals

Translatotron 3 also holds promise in assisting individuals with speech impairments. By facilitating clear and accurate communication, it can enhance the quality of life for those facing speech-related challenges. This innovation paves the way for accessible and inclusive communication solutions.

Language learning tools can benefit greatly from Translatotron 3’s capabilities. Personalized language learning experiences that adapt to individual needs and provide real-time feedback can make the process more engaging and effective. This technology has the potential to transform the way we acquire new languages.

The path forward

While Translatotron 3 may not yet be readily available on your mobile phone, the research behind it carries immense promise for future applications. As this technology matures and becomes more accessible, we can anticipate its integration into various devices and platforms. This includes mobile phones, earphones, and translation applications, ultimately leading to seamless cross-language communication across diverse scenarios.

Translatotron 3 represents a monumental step forward in breaking down language barriers and enabling real-time speech translation. By harnessing unsupervised learning, it offers solutions for languages with limited resources and opens the door to diverse applications, from cross-cultural communication to supporting individuals with speech impairments and enhancing language learning experiences. As technology continues to evolve, the potential for Translatotron 3 to transform how we connect and communicate with the world is boundless.

Cryptopolitan

With ideas this big, the more competition, the better

Five years ago, in an interview with the CEO of Axel Springer, Amazon's founder and former CEO, Jeff Bezos, talked about his ambitions to send humans to Mars. "The solar system can easily support a trillion humans," Bezos said. "And if we had a trillion humans, we'd have a thousand Einsteins and a thousand Mozarts...and unlimited, for all practical purposes, resources from solar power." 

It's why Bezos has been selling $1 billion a year in Amazon shares to fund Blue Origin, his rocket company. The thing is, so far, the only thing Blue Origin has to show for the effort is a few very expensive joyrides to the lower edge of space. 

Bezos isn't alone. Elon Musk has talked often, and as recently as this week, about his belief that the survival of humanity depends on us becoming a "multi-planetary species." It is, arguably, the reason he started SpaceX, which may just be his most important company right now.

Of course, Musk's SpaceX is a lot further along than Blue Origin. SpaceX won a contract for NASA's lunar lander back in 2019. It's launched hundreds of satellites, both for its own Starlink internet service, as well as for other customers. And, it has successfully carried astronauts to the International Space Station. 

At The New York Times' DealBook Summit, host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Musk what he thought of the competition with Bezos and whether he will ever catch up.

"I hope he does," Musk responded. "I actually agree with a lot of Jeff's motivations."

Presumably, the motivation Musk is referring to is the dream of sending people to Mars. Both men have said that is their goal, though neither is anywhere near close. Musk has certainly advanced a lot further than Bezos, but it's interesting to hear him talk about how he views the competition. 

After all, Musk isn't exactly known for his graciousness towards competitors. For that matter, he's not especially known for graciousness at all.

You can say plenty of things about Musk and how he runs his business, but this column isn't about that. That isn't to say you wouldn't be right, it's just that there's actually a valuable lesson here if you can look past the usual antics associated with pretty much everything Musk says and does. 

In this case, it's a revealing insight because if Musk is serious about humans becoming multi-planetary, it's somewhat encouraging that he realizes that the more people putting resources towards the problem, the better. Musk has accomplished a lot with the companies he runs, and SpaceX is a real success story. Still, the problem of putting people on Mars is much bigger than any individual, or any single company. 

Whether you believe Musk means it or not, I think there's something to be said for the idea that strong competition almost always results in better results for everyone. For example, competition pushes innovators to improve their ideas and build better things. 

I don't know if Musk, or Bezos--for that matter--will ever send people to live on Mars. I would be very surprised if it happened in my lifetime. For that matter, I don't know if the companies they built will ever succeed in their mission. I am, however, certain that the only way it will happen is with a realization that the more people making progress the better.

Inc

Nigeria has the highest number of registered delegates from Africa at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

According to a list published by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Nigeria is also third-highest overall in number of delegates at the conference.

The provisional total for COP28 indicates that 81,027 delegates registered to attend the summit in person. With a further 3,074 attending virtually, this takes the overall total to 84,101, a report released on Friday by Carbon Brief said.

The figure is 30,000 more than those who travelled to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt for COP27 in 2022, the previous largest in an almost 30-year history of summits.

The UAE accounted for the largest-ever registered delegation of any country, with 4,409 badges, followed by Brazil with 3,081.

Nigeria and China are joint third with 1,411 badges each.

Apart from government officials, staff of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and celebrities are among those who registered to attend the annual climate change conference.

President Bola Tinubu, who is in Dubai for the conference, is expected to deliver a national statement at the world leaders’ summit highlighting Nigeria’s stance on various thematic issues, including renewable energy and climate financing.

The Cable

Extremism in the ranks remains a troubling trend for the US military, as evidenced by the fact that 78 service members were suspected of being advocates for the overthrow of their own government, an annual Pentagon report has revealed.

The report, released this week, also showed that 44 service members were suspected of supporting or engaging in terrorism in the past year. Overall, the 183 allegations of extremism across all branches of America’s military marked a 25% increase from the previous year’s level.

In addition to cases in which service personnel allegedly advocated revolution or supported terrorism, the study documented cases of criminal gang activity, the promotion of widespread discrimination, and advocating or engaging in violence to achieve political objectives. The Pentagon has been releasing its extremism data to US lawmakers since 2021, the year in which President Joe Biden took office and began touting the threats posed by white-supremacist terrorism.

Under Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s push to root out extremism in the military, the Pentagon issued new rules in December 2021 advising troops on banned activities, ranging from advocating terrorism to “liking”extremist views on social media. He also ordered stronger screening during the recruiting process and the creation of an investigative unit to identify potential extremists in the ranks.

The crackdown came at least partly in response to concerns raised by the January 2021 US Capitol riot, in which dozens of military veterans and a few active-duty troops took part in trying to disrupt congressional certification of Biden’s presidential election victory.

The Pentagon’s latest annual extremism review found that the US Army had the most alleged cases among all military branches, with allegations made against 130 soldiers. The Air Force had 29 cases, while the Navy and Marine Corps had ten each. More than 30% of the overall allegations were investigated and found to be unfounded or unsubstantiated.

Austin said in a February 2021 video message to troops that extremism had long been a concern in the US military. “What is new is the speed and the pervasiveness with which extremist ideology can spread today, thanks to social media and the aggressive, organized and emboldened attitude that many of these hate groups and their sympathizers are now applying to their recruitment and to their operations.”  

RT

Israel faces growing US calls for restraint amid renewed Gaza fighting

Israel faced growing U.S. calls to avoid further harm to Palestinian civilians in its fight against Hamas militants in Gaza, as the warring sides on Sunday showed no sign of moving toward reviving their collapsed truce.

As Israeli forces pounded the enclave following the breakdown of a temporary ceasefire, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said too many innocent Palestinians had been killed in Gaza, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin deemed it a "moral responsibility" for Israel to protect civilians.

The senior U.S. officials' remarks on Saturday reinforced pressure from Washington for Israel to use more caution as it shifts the focus of its military offensive further south in the besieged Gaza Strip.

With renewed fighting stretching into a third day, residents feared the air and artillery bombardment was just the prelude to an Israeli ground operation in the southern strip that would pen them into a shrinking area and possibly try to push them across into Egypt.

The Gaza health ministry said at least 193 Palestinians had been killed since the weeklong truce ended on Friday, adding to the more than 15,000 Palestinian dead since the start of the war. Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas following its Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel in which it says 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage.

Speaking in Dubai, Harris said Israel had a right to defend itself, but international and humanitarian law must be respected and "too many innocent Palestinians have been killed."

"Frankly, the scale of civilian suffering, and the images and videos coming from Gaza, are devastating," Harris told reporters.

Austin weighed in with perhaps his strongest comments to date on Israel's need to protect civilians in Gaza, calling it "moral responsibility and strategic imperative."

"If you drive them into the arms of the enemy, you replace a tactical victory with a strategic defeat," Austin told a defense forum in Simi Valley, California.

Austin, who pledged that the U.S. would stand by Israel as its "closest friend in the world," also said he pressed Israeli officials to dramatically expand Gaza's access to humanitarian aid.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Saturday, said Israel was continuing to work in coordination with the U.S. and international organizations to define "safe areas" for Gaza civilians.

"This is important because we have no desire to harm the population," Netanyahu said. "We have a very strong desire to hurt Hamas."

The United States has been increasingly vocal that Israel must narrow the combat zone during any offensive in southern Gaza and ensure safe zones for non-combatants.

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas once and for all. The Iranian-backed Islamist group is sworn to Israel’s destruction. One of its officials has said Hamas would repeat the Oct. 7 attacks if possible.

The Israeli military said it had killed Wessam Farhat, commander of a Hamas battalion who sent fighters to hit two kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. It also described him as one of the planners of the raid.

'NEW LAYER OF DESTRUCTION'

Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, said Israel did not want to see Gaza's civilians caught in the crossfire and was making a "maximum effort" to safeguard them.

He said that when the war was over, Israel would seek a "security envelope" to prevent Hamas from positioning itself on the Gaza border.

Robert Mardini, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told Reuters the renewed fighting was "a new layer of destruction coming on top of massive, unparalleled destruction."

Gaza health officials said that in addition to the death toll, 650 people had been wounded since the truce collapsed.

With conditions inside Gaza reaching the "breaking point," in Mardini's words, the first aid trucks since the end of the truce entered from Egypt through the Rafah crossing on Saturday, Egyptian security and Red Crescent sources said. Some 100 trucks passed through, the sources said.

A senior official said Israel would facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza's civilians.

The warring sides blamed each other for the collapse of the truce, during which Hamas had released hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Israel said it had recalled a team from Qatar, host of indirect negotiations with Hamas, accusing the Palestinian faction of reneging on a deal to free all the women and children it was holding.

French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said he was heading to Qatar to work on a new truce.

The deputy head of Hamas, however, said no prisoners would be exchanged with Israel unless there is a ceasefire and all Palestinian detainees in Israel are released.

Saleh Al-Arouri told Al Jazeera TV that Israeli hostages held by Hamas are soldiers and civilian men who previously served in the army.

But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas breached its commitment to free 17 women and children still held in Gaza.

SOUTH TARGETED

The southern part of Gaza, including Khan Younis and Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people displaced from the north of the enclave had sought refuge, was pounded on Saturday.

The Palestinian News Agency quoted local sources as saying warplanes bombed two homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 13 people. Gaza health officials said three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a house in Rafah.

Reuters could not independently verify the accounts.

Hamas said it targeted Tel Aviv with a rocket barrage. There were no reports of damage, but paramedics said one man was treated for a shrapnel injury in central Israel.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia’s army to add some 170,000 people to its ranks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order to increase the number of military personnel in the Russian Armed Forces by nearly 170,000.

According to the decree, which was posted on the Kremlin website on Friday and comes into effect on the day of signing, the total number of people serving in the Russian Armed Forces has been set at 2,209,130, including 1,320,000 servicemen.

Under the previous decree, which has been in force since January 1, 2023, this figure was 2,039,758 people, including 1,150,628 servicemen.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russians ease attacks in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv still may hold Maryinka

Russian forces eased attacks on the beleaguered eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Saturday and unofficial reports from the region suggested they had failed to capture the devastated town of Maryinka to the southwest.

Russia's military has focused on eastern Ukraine since abandoning an advance on Kyiv in the first days after the February 2022 invasion. Since mid-October, the military has set its sights on seizing Avdiivka and its vast coking plant.

Russian reports on Friday suggested Moscow's troops had taken control of Maryinka, 40 km (25 miles) to the southwest, engulfed in fighting for well over a year. But unofficial Ukrainian reports on Saturday said its forces were holding some districts.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun told national television that Russian attacks on Avdiivka had halved over the past 24 hours, largely as a result of heavy losses.

"The coking plant is controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces," Shtupun said. "Enemy forces are trying to make their way inside, but are suffering losses in infantry and equipment."

Fighting was still intense, he said, in an adjacent area outside the town centre known as the "industrial zone." Russia's popular war blog Rybar said the zone had fallen under Russian control.

Reuters could not verify accounts from either side.

Vitaliy Barabash, head of the town's military administration, told Channel 24 television that Avdiivka was "starting to look like Maryinka, a settlement that basically no longer exists. It has been razed to its foundations."

There were no official Ukrainian reports on Maryinka, but military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said reports of its capture by Russian troops were untrue.

"We acknowledge that there was an advance there of the Russian military," Zhdanov said in an online presentation. "But the southwestern and northwestern parts of the town are under the control of Ukrainian forces."

Deepstate, an unofficial Ukrainian war blog, quoted Ukrainian servicemen as denying any notion that Russian forces had secured full control over what was once a town of 10,000.

Russia's Defence Ministry made no mention of Maryinka.

Russian war blog Rybar referred to photos on social media of Russian flags in the town, but added: "Nevertheless, several buildings remain under the control of the Ukrainian military."

Another Ukrainian spokesperson, Volodymyr Fitio, told national television that Kyiv's forces had repelled 21 Russian attacks in areas surrounding Bakhmut. The town, also shattered by months of fighting, was captured by Russian forces in May, but Ukrainian troops have since taken back nearby villages.

Ukrainian forces have focused on recapturing occupied villages in the east and south in a counteroffensive launched in June, though President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has acknowledged that advances have been slower than Kyiv wanted.