ISRAEL – Israel’s prime minister has said the “intense phase” of fighting Hamas in Gaza is nearly over, allowing forces to move to the northern border with Lebanon to confront its ally Hezbollah.

In his first Israeli media interview since the start of the war in October, Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected the ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to be completed soon. Hezbollah has been launching missiles, rockets and drones into northern Israel in support of Hamas since the day after the 7 October attacks in southern Israel, when gunmen from Gaza killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others as hostages. More than 37,590 people have been killed in Gaza during the military campaign that Israel launched in response, according to the Palestinian territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Netanyahu suggested in his interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV on Sunday that the seven-week Israeli operation in Rafah – which has displaced more than a million Palestinians – would be the last major offensive of the war.

Netanyahu also said he was ready for a “partial deal” that would secure the release of the remaining 116 hostages still in captivity, but that he was committed to completing “the goal of destroying Hama Hamas, which is demanding a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal as part of any deal, said the comment showed the prime minister’s “clear rejection” of the proposal outlined last month by US President Joe Biden and backed by the UN Security Council. (BBC) …[+]

GUYANA – President Irfaan Ali returned a series of questions to a reporter from Kaieteur News after he was asked to simply share his government’s plans to increase the spending power of Guyanese, should his party be re-elected to govern the country in the next Regional and General Elections.
The Head of State was just about ready to conclude his press conference at State House, Georgetown when he fielded a final question from a male reporter attached to this newspaper. The President was specifically asked to explain the government’s plan to increase the spending power of Guyanese should the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) be elected to govern this country in the upcoming Elections, scheduled for 2025.
This question comes at a time when citizens have been complaining about the high cost of living in the country and the daily struggle to make ends meet, despite having an abundance of oil and gas resources.
Ali who seemed unprepared for the question took the familiar path of Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, to not only dodge the issue but humiliate the journalist publicly.
The President said: “The government’s plan is to win the next elections by a greater majority.”
When he was pressed to say how the administration would increase the spending power of citizens if it is re-elected, Ali stated, “We have been continuously increasing the availability of resources, improving the livelihood of people and increasing the disposable income in the pockets of persons. I just gave you an example of the housing programme and how it’s linked to increase your disposable income.”
In his opening remarks, the Head of State alluded to the housing programme of the government and expounded on how property value has increased.
As such, the President went on to ask the reporter his age, where he lives and whether he owned a house. He even asked the young man if he had ever applied for a house lot but when the 28-year old responded in the negative, the Head of State instructed, “Well sit down. You are not participating on the enhancement of your own life…at 28 years you should be making better life decisions.”
Since Ali’s press conference last Thursday, a number of citizens shared the clip of the President’s response to the question, calling him out for failing to address this critical issue.
Such tactics have been employed in the past by other members of the PPP, including Vice President Jagdeo. In fact, the government officials are known to be hostile in their response to non-state reporters who often pose unexpected and direct policy-related questions. (Kaieteur News)…[+]

PARAMARIBO – The fate of two Guyanese fishermen who were caught red-handed while fishing in Surinamese waters’ remains unclear as the Surinamese authorities have refused the official Guyanese representatives in Suriname  access to these fishermen.

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday expressed his concern regarding the latest developments and announced that the issue would be addressed on diplomatic level.

He said the Surinamese government would be formally asked to explain why a number of detained Guyanese fishermen have been prevented from speaking with their lawyers.

“I’ve asked for a full investigation into this and for the ministry to officially write to get the reasons why the lawyers were denied the opportunity to meet with them,” President Ali told reporters at a news conference.

According to the Surinamese police, the two Guyanese fishermen who were arrested in Surinamese waters’ over a week ago did not have a fishing permit and also did not have any papers to proof that their boat is officially registered in Suriname. Guyanese fishermen often complain about the actions of the Surinamese authorities especially  now that the  patrols in Surinamese waters’ have been intensified. Neighbouring Guyana has tried to obtain Surinamese fishing permits for its fishermen but the official request that was filed over 3 years ago still has not been granted and it most likely never will be as the Surinamese Fisheries Act strictly prohibits this. …[+]

PARAMARIBO – The police arrested 29-year-old J.K. over possession of an illegal gun and bullets. The suspect told the police that he had bought the gun in Albina. He was arrested when police officers were inspecting traffic in the Commissaris Weythingweg. The suspect was driving a white delivery van when the police signalled him to pull over. When the police officers inspected the van, they found 1  gun and 14 bullets. The police arrested the suspect and impounded his car. The suspect is currently in jail awaiting trial.…[+]