International
U.S. policy on Gaza will change if Israel fails to protect civilians, Biden warns Netanyahu
U.S. policy on Gaza will change if Israel fails to protect civilians, Biden warns Netanyahu
President Joe Biden yesterday warned Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States policy will change towards Gaza unless Israel immediately takes concrete steps to address the humanitarian crisis.
The comments, which followed an Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza, mark the first meaningful shift in rhetoric from the Biden administration since Israel launched its war in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Biden also demanded an immediate ceasefire.
During a phone call between Biden and Netanyahu, the U.S. President: “emphasised that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable,” the White House said in a readout.
“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers.
“He made clear that US policy concerning Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps,” it added.
Observers remarked on the change of tone for Biden, who is under crushing domestic pressure to stop the bloodshed in Gaza.
Daniel Kurtzer, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005 said: “These are different words, different phrases that the President is using, and they’re designed to get Netanyahu’s attention and to institute changes,”
READ ALSO:
- We gave it away, says devastated Bruno Fernandes after Man Utd shocking 3-4 late loss to Chelsea
- BREAKING: Plateau Speaker swears in nine out of 16 APC lawmakers
- Wasiu Ayinde, Bobrisky and the Nigerian Army (1)
Kurtzer said the strike on World Central Kitchen, an organisation headed by renowned chef, Jose Andres that helps feed millions around the world, represents a “turning point” in the conflict.
“The organisation itself, which has such credibility, the chef is very well known and the fact that the organisation was feeding both Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis I think was quite important, number one.
“Number two, these vehicles were targeted and it may have been that the mistake was in the targeting. But it wasn’t an accident or incidental fire. That’s what has impacted me.
“We’ve walked up to the question of immediacy, but this is the first time that it is now part of US policy,” Kurtzer explained.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meanwhile, said that humanitarian conditions in Gaza “are woefully insufficient and unacceptable”
He described Monday’s strike on World Central Kitchen aid workers as “horrific”.
It “was not the first such incident” he added, but “it must be the last. If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront.”
Blinken rebuffed accusations that he had not expressed enough outrage in the immediate aftermath of the strike and made clear that he condemned the killing of the aid workers.
At the White House, National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby said Biden and Netanyahu had a “very direct, very businesslike, very professional” call that lasted about 30 minutes.
“What we want to see are some real changes on the Israeli side. If we don’t see changes from their side, there’ll have to be changed from our side, but I won’t predict what that to look like,” Kirby said, noting that the US expects to see changes within “hours and days.”
U.S. policy on Gaza will change if Israel fails to protect civilians, Biden warns Netanyahu
International
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullahi Shawesh, on Thursday, May 16, lambasted the Western World for clamping down on student protesters who were expressing solidarity and sympathy with his country.
He stressed that the arrest and clampdown on protesters negates the Western world’s stand as promoters of freedom of speech.
He said: “When college students express their solidarity and sympathy with the Palestinians, it is labelled as hate speech and anti-Semitism. These students are beaten and harshly treated. Threatened with expulsion from universities, severe sanctions in the future, imprisonment, and facing trial.
“This is the exact meaning of hypocrisy and double standards.”
Shawesh who gave a review of the 223-day battle between the Israeli forces and Hamas, said no fewer than 45,091 Palestinians have been killed, including 15,103 children and 9,961 women.
READ ALSO:
- Police arrest suspected killers of Major-General, others in Imo
- Bandits kill three, abduct 120 in fresh Zamfara community attack
- Police grill Osun monarch, Ataoja of Osogbo, over petition
He also said the battle has consumed 142 journalists and 492 medical staff.
The envoy said no fewer than 10,000 persons have been declared missing.
He added: “78,404 wounded and injured, with 72% of the victims being children and women. 17,000 children live without one or both of their parents.”
Beside the human casualties, Shawesh also listed a number of destructions recorded, which include “243 mosques destroyed and 321 partially damaged. 3 Churches targeted and destroyed, 86,000 housing units completely destroyed and 294,000 partially damaged. 103 schools and universities destroyed. 206 archaeological and heritage sites destroyed, 75,000 tons of explosives materials dropped on Gaza.
“33 hospitals along with 54 health centres were taken out of service. A total of 160 health institutions and 126 ambulances were targeted by the Israeli occupation.”
He said the state of infrastructure devastation has forced 11,000 wounded people to travel for treatment to undergo operations.
He also said that no fewer than “10,000 cancer patients face death due to the lack of medical treatment. 1,095,000 are infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement. 20,000 cases of viral hepatitis infection due to displacement. Tens of thousands of pregnant women are at risk due to a lack of access to healthcare. There have been 310 cases of health personnel being arrested.”
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
International
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
The United Kingdom is making strides in military technology, developing a cutting-edge weapon using radio waves to counter drones.
Known as the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), this innovative system utilizes radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components of enemy vehicles and drones, halting their operations or causing them to fall out of the sky.
Operable across land, air, and sea, the RFDEW boasts a range of up to 1 kilometre, with potential for future extensions. Its development follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
With an estimated cost of 0.10 Pounds (0.12 dollars) per radio waveshot, the RFDEW offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional missiles and holds promise for effectively countering drone swarms.
READ ALSO:
- Portable out with new song after leaving police custody
- Troops kill ISWAP’s bomb squad commander
- Many students injured as OAU lecture hall ceiling collapses
Utilizing a mobile power source, the technology generates pulses of radio frequency energy in a directed beam, capable of delivering sequenced shots to single or multiple targets. It can be mounted on various military vehicles, enhancing flexibility and adaptability on the battlefield.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge highlighted the significance of such advancements in enhancing the effectiveness and safety of UK armed forces. He emphasized the importance of defending against unmanned systems, especially in light of recent global conflicts.
The RFDEW system will undergo rigorous testing with British soldiers during summer. Developed under Project Hersa by a collaborative team from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), in partnership with UK industry, this technology represents a significant leap in military capability.
DSTL chief executive Paul Hollinshead underscored the transformative impact of such systems, emphasizing their potential to provide decisive operational advantages and enhance national security. He credited decades of research, expertise, and investment in science and technology for enabling the development of world-class capabilities like the RFDEW.
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
International
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has been taken to hospital in a “life-threatening condition” after he was shot multiple times on Wednesday.
According to his official social media account, the 59-year-old leader was hit in the abdomen outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova.
Police have detained a suspect. There was no immediate information on the motive.
Reuters reported Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia, as condemning the “brutal and ruthless” attack on Fico.
She said in a televised statement, “A physical attack on the prime minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy.”
The Russian ambassador to Slovakia Igor Bratchikov also condemned the shooting of Fico.
“I strongly condemn this act of violence and express my conviction of the necessity of punishment for the perpetrators,” Bratchikov said in a letter to Fico that the Russian embassy shared on its Facebook page.
Fico, a third-time premier with the left-wing Smer (Direction) party, won Slovakia’s September 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Fire guts new NNPCL tank farm in Lagos
Minister withdraws orphan-marriage suit against Niger Assembly Speaker
BREAKING: Cosmetic surgeon convicted over failed plastic surgery
-
Business2 days agoDollar crashes against Naira at official market
-
News15 hours agoUsing pre-registered SIM card may land you in jail, NCC warns
-
metro2 days agoThree police officers sentenced to life imprisonment in Anambra
-
News2 days agoWike, Fubara are ego-driven, crude – Reno Omokri
-
News1 day agoUpdated: Reps condemn assault on Nasarawa female doctor by patient family
-
Aviation1 day agoUpdated: We’ll resume Lagos-Dubai flights on October 1, says Emirates
-
metro3 days agoNigerian who killed wife in UK bags life jail
-
International1 day agoUK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones