Thousands flee north Gaza after Israel evacuation warning.

Some residents fear a start of another permanent displacement. Gaza authorities said at least 70 people were killed when Israeli airstrikes hit some vehicles heading south.

Panic and chaos gripped the northern Gaza Strip Friday as thousands of people fled south in vehicles piled high with blankets and mattresses along two main roads after the Israeli military ordered a mass evacuation of half of the besieged coastal strip. 

But rather than finding safety from a feared ground invasion, at least 70 people were killed along the way when Israeli airstrikes hit some of the vehicles fleeing south, according to the Gazan authorities.

Some Gaza residents said they feared this could be the start of another permanent mass displacement like the one in 1948, when more than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled their homes in present-day Israel during the war surrounding the nation’s establishment. 

But it was too soon to tell.“As I’m packing my things, I’m wondering: Is this really another nakba?” said Dr. Arwa el-Rayes, a 56-year-old doctor, speaking in the last moments before she left her childhood home in Gaza City in the north. 

The nakba, which means catastrophe, is how Palestinians refer to the 1948 displacement.“I’m taking my house key and thinking, will I ever return to my home?” she added.

The majority of Gaza’s population — some 1.7 million of the 2.1 million residents — are among those who were forced to leave their homes in 1948, or are their descendants. In 1948, Palestinians were told they would be allowed to return after a few days or weeks, and they took just a few belongings and the keys to their front doors. But they were never allowed back.

The Israeli military warned the more than one million residents of northern Gaza to move to the south of the densely populated enclave for their own safety, even as the Gazan authorities said airstrikes on the south continued. Those who evacuated would be allowed to return home “only when another announcement permitting it is made,” the Israeli military said. But Israel has not suggested they will never be allowed to go back.Gaza has been under intense airstrikes for nearly a week, an onslaught unleashed after Hamas, the group that controls the territory, launched a surprise attack on southern Israel over the weekend that killed more than 1,300 people, including civilians and soldiers.

Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,900 people in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry, a toll that has been rapidly rising each day. 

The Israeli assault persisted even as people were trying to evacuate to safer ground.The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said that airstrikes had killed at least 70 Palestinians and injured 200 who were trying to flee the north by car on a main highway — one of the few routes to an area farther south. 

The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.

Video of the aftermath of one of the strikes, which hit an open-bed truck, showed bloodied and wounded people among suitcases.

Some of those killed as they were trying to flee were left in the road, as no one dared to stop and pick them up, the Gazan authorities said.

Some residents who wanted to leave with their families didn’t have vehicles, and were setting out either on foot, carrying with them what they could, or piling onto others’ trucks. Two men made their way south on a donkey-drawn cart and flashed peace signs as they went.

Hamas-Israel conflict: 1800 killed.

The Middle East is a hotbed of the Hamas-Israel conflict.  The Gaza border is virtually in ruins. 

The death toll is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Until the last news, about one thousand and 830 Palestinians have been martyred in Israel.  In all, more than 1800 people have been killed so far.  Apart from this, more than four thousand people were injured.

 According to Geo News, there is a growing fear of Israel's ground attack against the Gaza Strip (Valley) controlled by Hamas.  Because Israel has stepped up the 'total blockade'.  In other words, electricity, food and fuel supplies have stopped in Gaza.

 Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh said on Tuesday that Israel has rejected requests to deliver food and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip.

 "We call on international humanitarian organizations and the international community to intervene urgently to stop the aggression, allow the entry of relief supplies and restore electricity and water," he said.  Because the Gaza Strip is facing a major humanitarian disaster.

 In addition, nearly 200,000 Palestinians have been displaced due to airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.  The situation continues to deteriorate as both sides engage in hostilities, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

 Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that Hamas' Qassam Brigades said it would begin executing Israeli civilian hostages if Israel dropped another bomb on a civilian residential area without warning.

BREAKING NEWS: 900 killed in Israel, 690 in Gaza.

 The death toll in Hamas-Israel counter-attacks is rising.  The death toll in Israel has increased to 900 people until the last news.  And the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has reached 700.

 On Monday night, the BBC reported, an Israeli embassy spokesman told the US news network CBS that the death toll in the attack in Israel now stands at 900.

 About 690 Palestinians, including 140 children and 105 women, were killed in the Israeli attack on Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health spokesperson.

 The armed group Hamas suddenly attacked Israel last Saturday morning.  In response, Israeli troops began attacking Gaza.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke from southern Israel and warned that the country would use "tremendous force" against Hamas.

 Earlier on Monday, Israel's defense minister announced the imposition of a total blockade on the Gaza Strip.  He also ordered to stop the supply of food, fuel, electricity and water there.

 Hamas' armed group Al-Qashem Brigades has threatened to kill Israeli hostages without warning unless they stop bombing Gaza and killing innocent civilians.

 Nine US citizens have been confirmed killed in a Hamas attack in Israel, while more than 10 British nationals are feared dead.

 Dozens of people are being held hostage by Hamas.  Family and relatives are looking for them.

“DON'T WASTE INVESTORS' TIME, SUPPORT THEM” - PRESIDENT MUSEVENI APPEALS TO POLITICIANS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS.

 

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appealed to Ugandans especially the politicians and public servants not to frustrate investors since they are very crucial in Uganda's progressive Industrialisation agenda.

“My appeal to Ugandans especially politicians and the public servants is to understand the role of industrialization but also understand the role of

investors; don't waste their time,” President Museveni asserted.The President who was in the company of the First Lady and Minister of

Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, made the remarks today as he commissioned the new Tororo Cement vertical rolling mill plant in

Tororo District.

He explained that once the investors are welcomed and supported, they will contribute a lot to the development of Uganda.“Don't waste their time. Wasting their time is nonreligious, support them

so that they move quickly because we have nothing to lose but everything to gain. This factory here is not in India but in Uganda, it is employing our people here, using our electricity, water, and even if he takes the profits away, it will be only 10 percent of the value of the earnings,” Gen. Museveni noted.

The President further commended the Chairman of Tororo Cement Ltd, Mr. Hasmukh Kanji Patel and his team for their enormous contribution

towards the economy of Uganda.

“That is why we had to go against people like Idi Amin who were ignorant and had chased away these Indians. Why chase the Indians yet

they were doing better work than many indigenous Ugandans. You have heard what this industry is doing in contributing to our economy,” he

expounded.

The President also noted that although Tororo Cement Ltd is owned by an Indian, it's now part of Uganda's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Ugandans should stop saying Indian factory, no this is not an Indian factory, these factories here are Ugandan factories regardless of who has built them. This is what GDP means. GDP is different from Gross National Product (GNP) which traces the wealth owned by citizens but all these powerful countries in the world are powerful because of bigger GDP for example the GDP of United States is 25 Trillion US dollars and much of that GDP is owned by Japanese, Arabs and so on but it gives

the power to USA not to the countries of origin of the investors because this tax money is not going to India but coming to us,” he emphasized.

“I am very glad that Mr. Patel came here, and we privatised the other government factory and now he has expanded it. 

They are going to build another factory in Moroto to do clinker there. Clinker is the primary raw

material for cement.” President Museveni also pledged that the government was going to

distribute electricity to Katikekire in Moroto and give Tororo Cement Ltd mining rights for limestone to enable them swiftly do business in the

area.

On the other hand, President Museveni disclosed that the problem of Uganda and Africa as a whole is that years ago they missed the “bus of

history” and this has made the continent to lag behind economically compared to other continents like Europe. “When the bus of history was moving, Africa stayed on the stage, and it left them. This is because the world has been moving for the last 600

years,” he stressed.

The President however stated that if Ugandans want to catch up with the bus of history, they have to do in a short time what Europe did in about

500 years. “As NRM, we told you and put it in writing in all documents that there are

four sectors where you can do this. Sector number one is agriculture. With agriculture, stop working for the stomach only. Work for the stomach but also for the pocket and do so with “ekibaro” (calculation).

The second sector are the factories/ industries like this one here. Processing what is produced by agriculture, processing minerals, forest

products, processing what is in freshwater bodies like the fish. The third sector is services and the fourth one, ICT,” the President said.

To the people of Bukedi, the President reiterated his call to them to embrace the four-acre model to fight poverty. “I told you that since many families have fragmented land, don't just do

agriculture aimlessly without “ekibaro”. If you have got four acres, I advise you on the four-acre plan; on one acre plant coffee, second plant

fruits like mangoes, oranges and pineapples, third acre put pasture for zero grazing cows and the fourth acre you put food like cassava. And if

you are near a swamp do fish farming, meanwhile in the backyard you put poultry for eggs and also for those who are not Muslims or traditional

Banyankore you put pigs,” he said.

“That is what we advised you but Ugandans don't listen. Many of them are determined to remain in poverty. The Bakedi have cultivated but they have done so without “ekibaro” because I see half an acre of maize yet to get money from that crop you need like 100 acres. I'm going to come back and really we shall have to discuss this issue.” Additionally, the President also promised the people of Bukedi that the government will get part of its land in the subregion to set up an

Industrial Park. On her part, the First Lady Maama Janet Museveni thanked the owners

of Tororo Cement Ltd for adding a brick to Uganda's development by investing heavily in the East African country.

“This is a significant contribution to the economic development of our people and the nation and I thank you for laying a brick on our homeland,” Maama Janet commented.

She also thanked Chairman Patel and his team for giving back to the community through building and renovating schools and Churches across Uganda.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank Tororo Cement in a special way for remembering to give back to our community and I pray that God

blesses you.”

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Matia Kasaija also lauded the owners of Tororo Cement Ltd for joining

the government's crusade of industrialising Uganda.

“This enterprise has created 1,500 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs in the country,” he said.

Court Orders TikTok To Cough Over €340Million For Exposing Children’s ‘Private Things’

 

TikTok, the video-sharing social-media app that’s faced a global backlash over its links to China, was fined €345 million ($368 million) in the European Union for alleged lapses in the way it cares for children’s personal data.

The Irish Data Protection Commission found TikTok failed to protect minors against unnecessary data processing and didn’t act in a transparent manner, according to a decision made public on Friday.

The agency, which oversees the company because it’s EU base is in Dublin, gave TikTok a three-month ultimatum to bring its data processing in line with the bloc’s strict General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR.In addition to the scrutiny in the EU, US lawmakers have proposed multiple bills that could block the app. In the EU and the US, the company has established plans to wall off data on local servers and enlist domestic partners to oversee its data-access controls.

The Irish watchdog is the regulator for dozens of big technology companies. It opened two probes into TikTok in 2021, saying it was concerned that young users’ data wasn’t sufficiently protected and that it wanted to probe the risks of some TikTok user data being accessed by “maintenance and AI engineers in China.”Last year, it fined Meta Platforms Inc.’s Instagram €405 million, for improperly handling children’s personal data.

Gabon military officers declare coup after Ali Bongo wins disputed election.

Televised announcement comes after electoral authorities said presidential incumbent had won third term in office

A group of senior Gabonese military officers have appeared on national television declaring they have seized power, claiming the recent general election lacks credibility and saying they represent all Gabon’s security and defence forces.

They said the election results were cancelled, all borders closed until further notice and state institutions dissolved. Loud sounds of gunfire could be heard in the capital, Libreville, a Reuters reporter said, after the television appearance.

It was not immediately possible to reach the government for comment.

“In the name of the Gabonese people ... we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said on television.

Gabon’s incumbent president, Ali Bongo, won a third term in the presidential election with 64.27% of the vote, the Gabonese election centre said on Wednesday, after a delay-plagued general election that the opposition denounced as fraudulent.

Announcing the result in the early hours, the elections head, Michel Stephane Bonda, said Bongo’s main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, came second with 30.77%. Bongo’s team rejected Ondo Ossa’s allegations of electoral irregularities.

Tensions were running high amid fears of unrest after Saturday’s presidential, parliamentary and legislative vote, which saw Bongo seeking to extend his family’s 56-year grip on power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil and cocoa-rich but poverty-stricken nation.

A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities’ decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew nationwide after the poll had raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.

As one officer read the joint statement on television, around a dozen others stood silently behind him in military fatigues and berets.

The group have declared themselves members of the “committee of transition and the restoration of institutions”. The state institutions they declared dissolved included the government, the senate, the national assembly, the constitutional court and the election body.

If successful, the coup would represent the eighth in west and central Africa since 2020. Coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger have all undermined democratic progress.

In July, the military snatched power in Niger, sending shockwaves across the Sahel and sucking in global powers with strategic interests at stake.

Bongo, 64, who succeeded his father Omar as president in 2009, had 18 challengers, six of whom backed Ondo Ossa in an effort to narrow the race.

In 2016, the parliament building was torched when violent street protests erupted against Bongo’s contested re-election for his second term. The government shut down internet access for several days at the time.

With Reuters

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Ukraine war: 'Drone attack' on airport damages Russian transport planes.

Two Il-76 transport planes (file image) were damaged in the attack

A drone attack on an airport in the north-western Russian city of Pskov has damaged two military transport planes, Russian news agencies are reporting.

The Ilyushin 76 transport planes caught fire in the attack, the reports say.

The local governor said earlier the military was repelling an attack. He uploaded video showing a large fire while an explosion could also be heard.

Pskov is more than 600km (372 miles) away from Ukraine, close to the border with Estonia.

Ukraine has not said it was involved in the latest attack but it rarely comments on attacks inside Russia.

In recent weeks the country is believed to have increased its use of explosive drones to attack targets inside Russia.

Russia's military said its forces had destroyed four rapid Ukrainian boats carrying a total of about 50 soldiers in an operation on the Black Sea around midnight Moscow time (21:00 GMT). Ukraine did not comment immediately

The Russian military said it had downed three Ukrainian drones over the southern region of Bryansk and one over the central region of Oryol

Russia's Tass news agency reported that airspace above Moscow's Vnukovo airport had been closed.

"The defence ministry is repelling a drone attack on Pskov's airport," Pskov regional governor Mikhail Vedernikov said on Telegram.

Mr Vedernikov, who said he was at the scene of the attack, added: "According to preliminary information, there are no victims."

The local governor posted what he said was footage of the attack

An initial report from Russia's Tass news agency, quoting emergency services, said that four Ilyushin 76 (Il-76) aircraft had been damaged with two bursting "into flames". Ria news agency said later that two Il-76 planes had caught fire.

Pskov region was previously targeted by drones in late May.

A drone attack on Russia's Belgorod region killed three people last week, hours after a drone hit central Moscow, Russian officials said.

It came just days after a flagship Russian long-range bomber was destroyed in a Ukrainian drone strike near the city of St Petersburg.

Although Ukraine has not said it carried out specific drone strikes, President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said that attacks on Russian territory are an "inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process" as the war with Russia continues.

By George Wright

BBC News