Gaza ceasefire effort shows signs of revival as Israel pounds enclave

Signs of renewed activity emerged on Wednesday in the quest for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the nine-month-old war in the Gaza Strip while Israel launched more strikes on the devastated enclave.

After weeks with little public diplomacy, mediators Egypt and Qatar delivered a response from Hamas to a proposal that would include a release of hostages held in Gaza and a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave.

Israel is studying the document, said a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on behalf of the Mossad spy agency.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying for months to secure a truce and the release of 120 remaining hostages in Gaza, but their efforts have repeatedly failed.

Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in the fighting until Hamas is eradicated.

"Israel is examining the response and will respond to the mediators," the Mossad statement said without further details.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, said in a statement that its leader Ismail Haniyeh had calls with Qatari and Egyptian mediators around ideas to reach a deal to end the war in Gaza as well as communication with Turkish officials.

The New York Times reported that Israel's top generals want a Gaza ceasefire even if it keeps Hamas in power for the time being, widening a rift between the military and Netanyahu, who has opposed a truce that would let Hamas survive.

The commanders believe a ceasefire would be the best way to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, and they think over-stretched Israeli forces, running low on munitions, need to regroup in case a wider war breaks out with Lebanon's Hezbollah, the report said, citing six current and former Israeli security officials.

An Israeli strike killed top Hezbollah commander Mohammed Nasser in south Lebanon on Wednesday, prompting retaliatory rocket fire by the Iran-backed group into Israel as their dangerously poised conflict rumbled on.

Sparked by the Gaza war, the hostilities with Lebanon have raised concerns about a wider and ruinous conflict between the heavily armed adversaries, prompting U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at deescalation.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas gunmen burst into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages back into Gaza, Israel says. The offensive launched by Israel in retaliation has killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins.

At a mall in Karmiel, northern Israel, an Israeli soldier was killed on Wednesday and a second person was wounded in a stabbing, police said. Israel's Ynet news said the assailant, who was also killed, came from Nahaf, a town where members of Israel's Arab minority live.

FAMILIES SLEEP ON THE ROAD, RESIDENTS SAY

On the ground in Gaza, at least 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes in central and northern Gaza, health officials said. Israeli forces also carried out new strikes in the south amid fierce fighting with Palestinian militants overnight, residents said. Israel's military said a 21-year-old captain was killed in combat in northern Gaza.

Fighting persisted overnight in two locations in central Rafah, where tanks have seized several districts and advanced further west and north of the city in recent days.

The Israeli military said its forces pursued targeted operations in Rafah, dismantled several military sites and killed Palestinian militants.

An Israeli airstrike also destroyed a U.N. school in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where displaced Palestinians sheltered. There was no word on casualties from the Gaza authorities.

Smoke rose from the rubble as frantic people rushed in to search for their children and others fled, distraught and wailing. "What is happening to us is unjust. We cannot bear it, we can't," one woman said.

Many Palestinians were seeking shelter after Israel ordered them to evacuate areas of Khan Younis and Rafah on Tuesday, which the United Nations said was the largest such edict since 1.1 million people were told to leave the north of the enclave in October.

Khan Younis residents said many families slept on the road because they could not find tents.

The Gaza health ministry said an Israeli airstrike on a house in Khan Younis killed Hassan Hamdan, head of the burns and plastic surgery department at Nasser Medical Complex, along with all his family members.

Israel's army did not comment on the ministry's statement and Reuters was unable immediately to verify it.

The last functioning hospital in the area, the Gaza European Hospital, which had housed displaced families as well as patients, was also evacuated. An Israeli defence official said on Tuesday that hospital staff and patients were told they could stay.

The ceasefire plan on the table, which was made public at the end of May by U.S. President Joe Biden, entails the gradual release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and pullback of Israeli forces over two phases.

It also envisages the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, with the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the remains of deceased hostages in a third phase.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

At field hospital in Ukraine's battered east, the wounded keep coming

When the first casualty is wheeled into a brightly lit makeshift field hospital on a stretcher, Ukrainian medic Osmach quickly checks to see if he is conscious.

The wounded soldier confirms that he is, and is transferred to a bed at this medical stabilisation point located close to the eastern Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, scene of fierce clashes with advancing Russian forces.

The round-the-clock facility is one of dozens on the 1,000-km (around 600 miles) frontline in the east and south of the country where injured fighters are first brought to stabilise their condition before being sent on to hospitals further from the fighting.

"Those are guys that come here and fuel you with their heroism and positive emotions ... you don't have the right to allow yourself to give up, to hang your head," said Osmach, a 37-year-old anaesthetist who goes only by his military call sign.

As he spoke, he put on blue surgical gloves in preparation for a shift during which he and a small team of medics dealt with a steady stream of casualties suffering from various injuries to limbs, shoulder and head.

The blood-stained boots of a badly injured soldier were placed neatly on the floor as medics rushed to cut away his military fatigues before treating his wounds.

Ukrainian forces have begun to receive billions of dollars worth of Western military aid that has eased acute shortages of ammunition and armour, but Russia's bigger army continues to grind out territorial gains at a high cost on both sides.

"Our capabilities for transporting (the wounded) have changed with the armoured vehicles," Osmach said of recent fresh supplies. "We don't have as many as we'd want, but we have at least some. We now work at day and at night."

Kyiv is in the midst of a fresh mass mobilisation drive to replenish its depleted army, as casualties mount and exhaustion grows.

Sanych, a 48-year-old surgeon who also gave only his call sign, said he was treating soldiers for a wide range of injuries, and he fretted over his ability to operate under intense pressure.

"You worry the most about the fact that your own hands have to continue working," he told Reuters during a recent visit to the field hospital. "And about keeping a clear mind even in critical situations, that's what I'm worried about."

In an ambulance taking a soldier from the stabilisation point to a safer location, 24-year-old Halyna said she had never considered becoming a combat medic when she volunteered to join the armed forces.

"The most difficult part is not being at home and not seeing your family," she said, as the vehicle sped along bumpy roads under cover of night. "But here we are like a family and help out each other."

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia destroys another US-made Abrams tank – MOD

Russian forces have destroyed another US-supplied Ukrainian-operated Abrams main battle tank in Donbass, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Wednesday.

The Pentagon has supplied 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks to bolster the Ukrainian army. The latest one to be wiped out was hit by a Russian Krasnopol guided artillery system, according to a statement.

The target was spotted by drone operators near the Russian city of Avdeevka in Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry said. A 152-mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzer was then deployed to strike it.

One Russian crew member, identified by his callsign ‘Yorzyk’ (Hedgehog), said the first Krasnopol fired at the tank had hit its target. He added that he and his team was not aware that they were firing at an American-made vehicle, which has a reputation for being strongly protected. The artillerists were delighted to confirm that they can “destroy anything in a snap, to put in bluntly,” ‘Yorzyk’ stated.

A video released by the ministry includes the purported moment of the hit, filmed from the air from several directions. The Krasnopol weapon system uses laser guidance for its homing capability, with targeting provided by either an operator on the ground or a drone. The munitions first entered service in the late 1980s and come in several calibers for different guns.

Reuters/RT

African lawmakers and observers should not be surprised that Kenya, one of the region’s most stable democracies, has erupted in deadly “cost of living” protests. They should be asking why it has taken so long for them to happen, and where on the continent the next explosion could take place.

At the core of these demonstrations is the fact that too many Africans have reached a stage where they are barely able to survive on their meager earnings and are ready to strike out at leaders seen as corrupt, uncaring and out of touch with the reality of ordinary people’s struggles.

At least 23 people were killed in widespread protests after President William Ruto’s government tried to proceed with a controversial finance bill that would introduce a tax on internet data, fuel, bank transfers, eggs, sanitary napkins and disposable diapers, and numerous other services. Ruto has now withdrawn the bill.

Only arrogance could have made Ruto and his colleagues fail to see the unrest coming. In July 2023, six people died in anti-government protests following the passing of tax reforms in the “Kenya Finance Bill 2023.” Over the past year, social media chatter has indicated opposition to any austerity measures. How a different outcome was expected just a year later boggles the mind.

Ruto’s finance bill was aimed at cutting the country’s budget deficit and borrowing. Many other African countries face similar challenges of high debt and poor revenue while pressure for infrastructural development and social welfare programs intensifies. For political leaders, it’s worth remembering that in March 2023 South Africa’s radical Economic Freedom Fighters party led cost-of-living marches across the country while its associates and other opposition leaders led similar marches in Kenya, Nigeria and Tunisia. South Africa’s army was deployed to keep a lid on those demonstrations. In Liberia, the cost-of-living crisis — accompanied by protests over more than a year — led to the electoral defeat of George Weah, the previous president, last October.

Many African economies have shown little or no growth since the Covid-19 pandemic; meanwhile youth unemployment is at record levels, inflation has exploded, and corruption and conspicuous consumption by political elites is a major area of discontent.

Take Nigeria, where the naira’s value dropped 70% against the US dollar in the past year. The country’s inflation rate climbed to a 28-year high in May, with consumer prices rising an annual 33.95%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. In March, food trucks were attacked and seven people killed in a stampede to get rice.

South Africa, like Kenya, faces crippling national debt (74% debt-to-GDP ratio), a weakening currency, and significant increases in the cost of living. Youth unemployment has averaged 56% in the decade between 2013 and 2024, while wealth inequality is consistently among the highest in the world.

Youth dissatisfaction is particularly important. Kenya’s revolt is not led by Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, as happened last year, but by a disparate grouping of social media-savvy young people organizing on TikTok and other platforms. The 2020 #EndSARS protests in Nigeria against the police were fueled by youth anger and fueled by social media. Tactics driving Kenya’s “7 Days of Rage” this week are similar, but more sophisticated. At least 12 influencers and bloggers have been arrested or have disappeared, raising concerns of a government clampdown on influencers. Internet connectivity was throttled.

Kenya’s president Ruto has called the protests “treasonous” and described them as an “existential threat.” He is wrong. The people on the streets of Nairobi and virtually every town and city in Kenya are patriots driven to the edge of starvation. They see no creative solutions by politicians to their suffering except swingeing austerity measures. This is a cry for help, and it is emanating from communities across the continent. Leaders can opt to brand protesters as traitors, or find ways to resolve the real threat for the continent — rampant price increases.

Leaders need to be believable and relatable. Part of the crisis in Kenya is that Ruto has been accused numerous times of living the high life, including hiring private jets to fly overseas and flashing expensive watches, while life for the poorest in his country has become precarious. Even though the president is correct in wanting to slash debt, poor Kenyans are more likely to buy the story that it will all be funneled to corrupt politicians’ pockets.

Such skepticism is what one hears increasingly in Johannesburg, Lagos and other capitals. The events in Kenya this week should serve as a cautionary tale for leaders elsewhere not to try and ram through political and economic programs that are not balanced with deep reflection about their impact on the young and the poor.

Bloomberg

There’s no doubt that being born with a silver spoon in your mouth gives you a leg up in the world — but it can also have its downsides, financially speaking.

Growing up rich has many perks, but it can also hinder a person from learning essential money lessons.

GOBankingRates spoke with people who come from privilege but recognize their upbringing didn’t equip them with the necessary financial skills to set them up for long-term success. Read below for their insights on money lessons they wish they had learned.

Wealthy people know the best money secrets. Learn how to copy them.

Appreciating the Value of Money

“Having grown up in a wealthy family and now working for my own business, I have unique insights into the financial lessons often missed when money is readily available,” said Ben Hilton, founder and managing director of Switch Jam Digital.

“I never felt the need to worry about money as a child, and therefore, I failed to understand its real value. I now wish that someone had inculcated in me an appreciation of the actual work that goes into making money,” he said. “For instance, why did someone waste hours in the pursuit of a better deal or draw up a stringent budget? If I had known better the value of money, perhaps I would have been more enlightened about money management and spending habits.”

“I didn’t have to budget because it wasn’t expected or required in my home, and I’m still unaware of how to properly maintain a budget,” Hilton said. “When I first left home and lived alone, I struggled to balance my expenses and income.”

He noted that making sure a person knows how to set up and maintain a budget is a rather important skill that prevents overspending and helps to uphold and support personal financial stability.

Nischay Rawal, CPA, founder and managing partner of NR Tax & Consulting, shared a similar experience.

“Growing up with wealthy parents, I never learned the value of a dollar or what it meant to budget,” he said. “Money was always there for whatever I needed or wanted. As a result, I didn’t develop key financial skills that most people gain from an early age.

“When I started my own business, I had no idea how to forecast expenses, set financial goals or manage cash flow,” Rawal explained. “The first few years were a crash course in Finance 101. I made many mistakes that could have been avoided if I had a better grasp of basic money management.”

Investing Wisely

“While I had the money, I never learned how to invest early. I lost the basis for generating wealth through investment,” Hilton said. “A clear illustration of this is the fact that I was unaware of compound interest when I was 20 years old, a knowledge that could have significantly increased my financial worth.”

Learning investment principles and how to build wealth is crucial, according to Hilton. “How to invest wisely is a critical lesson for long-term financial growth,” he said.

Financial Independence

“Financial security during childhood is typically already wealth-dependent,” Hilton said. “I wish somebody had taught me about financial independence very early. For instance, in the early days of my career, it became easy to reach out to family for money and support instead of struggling and fighting to succeed financially independently.”

He added that knowing the importance of financial independence teaches a person the value of hard work and personal development.

Finding Purpose and Meaning Outside of Money

Rawal noted that another key lesson he didn’t learn was to find purpose and meaning outside of money.

“My parents’ wealth afforded me opportunities but didn’t give me a sense of direction or fulfillment. I had to discover my own passions and work toward building something meaningful,” he said. “The satisfaction of accomplishing goals through hard work was completely new to me.”

Rawal added that he wasn’t set up for long-term success. “While being raised in an affluent family provided privileges, it didn’t set me up for long-term success,” he said. “The skills I lacked — like budgeting, financial discipline and finding purpose — were much harder to develop as an adult. But going through that process gave me a much healthier perspective on money and a deeper appreciation for what really matters.”

For Rawal and others in his situation, it’s key to gain perspective about what money can and can’t provide. “For those raised in wealth, the biggest lesson is often learning that money alone does not solve life’s challenges or buy happiness. True success comes from within,” he said.

Financial Literacy Based on Modeling

“I grew up in a fairly wealthy family. My father and mother own their own businesses, real estate and were heavily invested in the stock market,” said Jordan Grumet, hospice doctor and author of The Purpose Code.

“What I generally found is that my parents modeled great behavior. They acted like rich people and thus as I got older, I tried to do the same things,” he said. “They saved and invested, so I saved and invested. They owned real estate, so I purchased real estate. They ran their own businesses, so I ran my own business.”

Grumet did see how his parents successfully managed their money but often lacked an understanding of how they did it. “While I think my parents modeled great behavior, they often didn’t tell me the exact how. I knew that investing in the stock market was important, but had no idea what stocks to pick,” he said.

It wasn’t until later that Grumet realized the lessons he didn’t learn. “Once I started buying property and being a landlord, I realized my parents had never really taught me the details needed to be a property owner,” he said. “The same goes for owning a business. My parents provided me with the path but never really taught me how to traverse it.”

Now that Grumet is a parent, he’s trying to teach his children these essential money lessons.

“As a parent myself, I try to teach my kids about money in three important ways,” he said. “Modeling: They see me earning, investing and creating wealth.”

Grumet said teaching is equally important. “I use didactic methods to sit them down and explain exactly what I am doing and why.”

And finally, he noted that experiential learning is vital to teach kids.

“I give them opportunities to manage money, invest and handle debt but in a safe way in which the consequences are minimal,” he said. “A good example is that when they were young we used to give them a yearly allowance and then let them self-budget.”

GoBankingRates

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has declared a state of emergency on oil production, aiming to boost the country's crude oil output and grow its reserves. This announcement was made by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, during his keynote address at the 23rd Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition Week in Abuja on Tuesday.

"We have decided to stop the debate. We have declared war on the challenges affecting our crude oil production. War means war. We have the right tools. We know what to fight. We know what we have to do at the level of assets. We have engaged our partners. And we will work together to improve the situation," Kyari stated.

Kyari highlighted that a thorough analysis of Nigeria's oil assets indicates the country can produce two million barrels of crude oil per day without deploying new rigs. However, the main obstacle to achieving this target is the industry's slow response to necessary actions.

He emphasized that the "war" will enable NNPCL and its partners to quickly address and eliminate all identified barriers to efficient production. This includes overcoming delays in procurement processes, which have been a significant challenge within the industry.

Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, says the increase of interest rate to almost 30 percent by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will stifle growth. 

Speaking on Tuesday during a three-day summit organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Abuja, Dangote said the country is battling “a very high” interest rate. 

In May, the monetary policy committee (MPC) of CBN raised interest rates from 24.75 percent to 26.25 percent

The business tycoon said he understands that the CBN aims to tame inflation by increasing interest rate.

“Right now, at 30 percent, there is no way anybody can create jobs. If the interest rate is 30 percent, there would not be any job creation because we are actually stifling growth,” he said.

“So, interest rates can remain at 30 percent but then no growth will happen unless that interest rate goes down.” 

‘DANGOTE CEMEMT AND TAXES’

The billionaire said Dangote Cement alone paid “more taxes” into the coffers of the government “than the entire banking industry” in 2023. 

Dangote also said protecting industries would not lead to monopoly, adding that it is common knowledge that foreign investors only enter the market when they see that local investors are also doing well.

“I am convinced that when government policy becomes more supportive and protective, investors will be more willing to collaborate and partner with the government in resolving other challenges such as infrastructure deficits, market instabilities and macro-economic issues such as inflation and foreign exchange volatilities,” he said.

The businessman reiterated that Nigeria has all it takes to develop and sustain a globally competitive manufacturing sector.

Dangote called for re-thinking of the country’s industrialisation policy, through learning from leading western and eastern countries that are actively protecting their domestic industries.

The Cable

The recent news of a 210% increase in capital importation to Nigeria in the first quarter of 2024 might, at first glance, seem like a cause for celebration. President Bola Tinubu's administration has been banking on foreign currency inflows to revitalize the struggling Nigerian economy and bolster the beleaguered Naira. However, a closer examination of the data reveals a less optimistic picture that demands a more nuanced approach to economic development.

The National Bureau of Statistics reports that total capital importation reached $3.38 billion, up from $1.09 billion in the previous quarter. While this surge appears impressive, the composition of these inflows raises serious concerns about their long-term impact on Nigeria's economic health.

Foreign portfolio investments (FPI) dominated the influx, accounting for a staggering 61.48% of the total. These short-term investments, while providing a temporary boost to the stock market and financial derivatives, are inherently volatile. They can exit the country as quickly as they entered, potentially leaving economic instability in their wake. The substantial portion of "other investments" (34.99%) likely falls into a similar category of transient capital.

Most troubling is the meager 3.53% share attributed to foreign direct investment (FDI). This paltry figure—amounting to just $119.18 million—represents the only portion of capital importation with the potential for lasting positive impact on the Nigerian economy. FDI is crucial for job creation, technology transfer, and expanding the country's productive capacity. Its absence speaks volumes about the persistent challenges in Nigeria's business environment.

The concentration of inflows in the banking and trading sectors, while neglecting critical areas like manufacturing, further underscores the speculative nature of this capital surge. Moreover, the geographic disparity in investment destinations—with Lagos and Abuja absorbing nearly all inflows—highlights the ongoing struggle to achieve balanced economic development across the nation.

President Tinubu's administration must recognize that chasing high capital importation figures without regard for their composition is a dangerous game. The government needs to pivot its focus towards creating an environment conducive to sustainable, long-term investments. This means addressing fundamental issues such as infrastructure deficits, regulatory inconsistencies, and security challenges that have long deterred serious foreign investors.

Policymakers should prioritize incentives and reforms that specifically target FDI in key productive sectors. Streamlining business registration processes, improving transparency in governance, and investing in human capital development are crucial steps. Additionally, efforts to diversify the economy beyond its traditional reliance on oil exports must be redoubled to create a more attractive and stable investment landscape.

While the headline figures of capital importation may provide a temporary boost to economic indicators, they mask the underlying weaknesses in Nigeria's economic structure. True progress will only come when the nation can consistently attract and retain investments that contribute to real economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards for its citizens.

The government must resist the temptation to celebrate this surge in capital importation as a sign of economic recovery. Instead, it should view these figures as a wake-up call—a clear indication that much work remains to be done in building a robust, diversified, and sustainable Nigerian economy that can compete on the global stage.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Riot police fired tear gas grenades and charged at stone-throwing protesters in downtown Nairobi and across Kenya on Tuesday in the most widespread unrest since at least two dozen protesters died in clashes a week ago.

The nationwide demonstrations signalled that President William Ruto had failed to appease a spontaneous youth protest movement, despite having abandoned plans for tax rises that triggered the unrest last week.

Tuesday's demonstrations began in ebullient mood but turned violent as the day wore on. In Nairobi's downtown business district, police wearing helmets and carrying shields and wooden clubs charged at the protesters, and tear gas bombs exploded in the crowds.

A kiosk was set ablaze in the centre of a street. Medics tended to a youth who lay on the pavement with a bloody hand. Police bundled other youths into the bed of a pickup truck.

Outside the capital, hundreds of protesters marched through Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city, on the Indian Ocean coast. They carried palm fronds, blew on plastic horns and beat on drums, chanting "Ruto must go!"

Later, Kenya's NTV television reported two people shot in Mombasa, showing pictures of cars ablaze.

Ruto, facing the worst crisis of his nearly two-year-old presidency, has been caught between the demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund to cut deficits, and a hard-pressed population reeling from the soaring cost of living.

Members of the protest movement, which has no official leaders and largely organises via social media, have rejected Ruto's appeals for dialogue - even after he abandoned his proposed tax rises.

"People are dying in the streets and the only thing he can talk about is money. We are not money. We are people. We are human beings," protester Milan Waudo told Reuters in Mombasa. "He needs to care about his people, because if he can't care about his people then we don't need him in that chair."

Other protests took place in Kisumu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Migori, Mlolongo and Rongo, according to images broadcast on Kenyan television. In the southwestern town of Migori, protesters set tyres on fire.

Activists blamed Tuesday's violence on infiltrators they said had been unleashed by the government to discredit their movement, and said it was now time for protesters to disperse.

"Good people. Let’s go home. As usual the government has let goons take over, loot, and burn property again," one of the most prominent activists, Boniface Mwangi, wrote on X.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) says 39 Kenyans have been killed in demonstrations and clashes with police since June 18. Most of the deaths took place on June 25 when officers opened fire near parliament where some protesters tried to storm the building to prevent lawmakers from voting on the tax hikes.

'BEAUTIFUL DAY'

"We are determined to push for the president's resignation," said Ojango Omondi, an activist in Nairobi. "We hope for a peaceful protest and minimal casualties, if any."

The authorities appealed for calm.

"It's a beautiful day to choose patriotism. A beautiful day to choose peace, order and the sanctity of our nationhood," State House communications director Gerald Bitok wrote on X on Tuesday, adding in Swahili: "Violence is not patriotism."

Opposition leader Raila Odinga, runner-up in the last four presidential elections, backed the protesters though they have called on politicians to keep out of it.

"The youth have given our country its last best chance," Odinga's ODM party said in a statement. "We either seize it and swim with it by implementing all their demands, or we ignore it and sink the country altogether."

The protests, which started as an online outpouring of anger over nearly $2.7 billion of tax increases in a proposed finance bill, have grown into a nationwide movement against corruption and misgovernance.

Ruto has directed the treasury to come up with ways to cut spending to fill a budget gap left by the withdrawal of the tax plans, and also said more borrowing would be required.

Veteran anti-corruption activist John Githongo told Reuters that while Ruto had addressed the nation and media, "there isn't an indication that he wants to take action" on protesters' demands, including firing corrupt officials.

"There hasn't been any indication by the government that they are going to take the calls to deal with corruption seriously," he said.

The protests had been mostly peaceful until June 25, when some demonstrators briefly stormed parliament and set part of it ablaze, prompting police to open fire.

Ruto has defended the actions of the police and blamed the violence on "criminals" who had hijacked the demonstrations.

Reuters

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, has warned that a "hunger riot" may soon erupt in Nigeria if the Federal Government does not take swift action. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at his office in Ikoyi, Lagos, Agbakoba highlighted the extreme poverty that has left many Nigerians unable to afford basic food.

Despite Nigeria's vast oil and gas resources, Agbakoba noted that these have been largely controlled by foreign interests, leaving the local population in dire straits. He cautioned that if the government fails to address this issue, widespread protests could ensue, with people potentially resorting to theft in broad daylight to feed themselves.

"Hunger riots can occur anytime in Nigeria," Agbakoba stated, urging President Tinubu to restructure his cabinet and reduce the cost of governance. He argued that the current size of the cabinet, with over 40 ministers, is excessive and should be trimmed to no more than 20 ministries.

Agbakoba also recommended scrapping some government agencies and expanding the tax net, particularly targeting multinational oil companies accused of tax evasion. "Don’t increase taxes, just expand the tax net and go after defaulting IOCs," he advised.

The legal practitioner's warning comes amid rising food inflation in Nigeria, which hit 40.66 percent in May 2024. This marks a significant increase from 25.25 percent in June 2023, according to the latest Consumer Price Index and Inflation report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The report also noted that headline inflation climbed to 33.95 percent in May, up from 33.69 percent in April, reaching a 28-year high since March 1996 due to soaring food and transport prices.

Agbakoba emphasized the urgency of taking decisive actions to prevent the looming hunger riot and alleviate the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians.

Thousands flee their homes as Israeli forces bomb southern Gaza

Israeli forces bombarded several areas of the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday and thousands of Palestinians fled their homes in what could be part of a final push of Israel's intensive military operations in nine months of war.

Eight Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded, health officials said. Israel's military said that two soldiers had been killed in battle a day earlier.

Israel's leaders have said they were winding down the phase of intense fighting against Hamas, the Islamist group that has governed Gaza since 2007, and would soon shift to more targeted operations.

Later on Tuesday, 17 Palestinians were killed in Israeli tank shelling of a street in the densely populated Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City in the north of the Strip, medics said. Footage on some Palestinian social media that Reuters was not immediately able to verify showed the scene at a local market, with bread scattered on a floor stained with blood.

The Israeli army ordered residents of several towns and villages in eastern Khan Younis to evacuate their homes on Monday, prior to tanks re-entering the area the military had left several weeks ago.

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Thousands who had not heeded the call were forced to flee their homes in the dark overnight, as Israeli tanks and planes bombed Karara, Abassan and other areas that had been named in the evacuation orders, residents and Hamas media said.

"Where will we go?" said Tamer, a 55-year-old businessman, who has been displaced six times since Oct. 7.

"Every time people go back to their homes and begin to rebuild some of their lives even on the rubble of their houses, the occupation sends the tanks back to destroy what is left," he told Reuters via a chat app.

The Israeli military said its forces had struck areas in Khan Younis from where around 20 rockets had been fired on Monday. Targets included weapon storage facilities and operational centres, it added.

It said measures were taken before the strikes to enable civilians to evacuate the area. The military has accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure and the wider population as human shields. The Islamist group denies that.

Islamic Jihad, an allied group of Hamas, said it was responsible for firing the rockets.

ENDGAME IN RAFAH

Israel, which has been under growing international pressure to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said on Tuesday it connected a power line to a desalination plant in the enclave to provide additional drinking water.

Production will jump fourfold to 20,000 cubic metres of drinking water per day from, the Israeli military said.

Though that is far from enough to supply the population of Gaza, Israeli officials said it was significant.

"It'll be quite a game changer in terms of addressing immediate sanitation issues and access to water resources," said an Israeli defence official, adding that it was part of a wider humanitarian effort pushed by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas burst into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages, including civilians and soldiers, back into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

The offensive launched by Israel in retaliation has killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins.

The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but officials say most of the dead are civilians. Israel says 320 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza and that at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.

Herzi Halevi, Israel's chief of general staff, said 900 Hamas militants, including commanders, have been killed by Israeli forces in the Rafah Brigade and the current effort is focused on destroying "terrorist" underground infrastructure, which takes time.

"This is a long campaign," he said. "With determination and perseverance we are accomplishing our missions and wearing down the other side."

Within the areas subject to evacuation orders was the European Gaza Hospital, which serves both Khan Younis and Rafah, and medical officials had to evacuate patients and familieswho had taken shelter in the facility, witnesses and medics said.

Some residents headed west towards the Mawasi area via the beach, which is designated as a humanitarian area but is overcrowded by displaced families. Some slept in the street as they could not find shelter.

Israel says that its operation in Rafah, in southern Gaza near the border with Egypt, that was meant to stamp out Hamas in its final redoubt will soon be concluded.

After the intense phase of the war is over, its forces will focus on smaller-scale operations meant to stop Hamas from regrouping, officials say.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was nearing its goal of destroying the military capabilities of Hamas.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to stage attacks against Israeli forces operating inside Gaza and fire rockets into Israel. Hamas says Israel has failed to achieve the goals of the war and the group is ready to fight for years.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza have stalled. Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in the fighting until Hamas is eradicated.

Reuters