Israel vows to keep troops in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria

In tonight's program, across parts of Africa millions lifted their eyes skywards for a rare celestial event, a partial solar eclipse. Also, in Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema hopes for a second term his main rival, says that it's been a tough campaign in part because of deliberate obstruction from the government. And finally, Nigerian driver are increasingly turning to electric vehicles, as the country grapples with a decade long fuel crisis but challenges remain.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of a US-backed peace plan for Gaza last week offered a diplomatic victory to Hamas, according to some analysts. The Palestinian Islamist movement had agreed to gradually give up weapons in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but agreeing on the definition of "disarmament" may prove a sticking point.

The Israeli military Wednesday failed to remove settlers from blockaded Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank. The siege began over the weekend, when a group of settlers blocked essential supplies from entering the Palestinian village of Qusra. The incident marked a ⁠rare confrontation between settlers and the Israeli military.