*) Prepping for Rafah invasion, Israel orders 40,000 tents from China

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the purchase of 40,000 tents from China to be set up in besieged Gaza, Israeli media reported, in preparation for a ground invasion of Rafah.

It comes as Netanyahu downplayed global fears of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel launches a planned ground invasion into Gaza’s southernmost city, where more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge.

Speaking to a US Congressional delegation visiting Israel, Netanyahu said people sheltering in Rafah will be able to move away from the fighting.

*) Biden team official flags plausible genocide in Gaza, resigns in protest

A US State Department official has resigned in protest of the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.

Annelle Sheline, who worked as a foreign affairs officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, accused Washington of “directly enabling” a plausible genocide in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Sheline wrote in an article for CNN that she was “unable to serve an administration that enables such atrocities,” and resigned.

*) F-16s won’t change anything in Ukraine battlefield: Putin

Russian news agencies quoted President Vladimir Putin as telling military pilots that if Western countries supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters, the aircraft will not alter the situation on the battlefield.

Putin said the fighters can carry nuclear weapons and Moscow would have to take account of that in its military planning.

Putin’s remarks followed comments by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the F-16 aircraft should arrive in Ukraine in the coming months.

*) Colombia kicks out Argentine diplomats after Milei calls Petro ‘terrorist’

Colombia has ordered the expulsion of Argentine diplomats from their embassy in the Andean nation, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said.

It cited “denigrating” comments by Argentine President Javier Milei about Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

In a recent interview with news channel CNN, which has not yet been aired in full, Milei called Petro a “terrorist”, “murderer” and “communist”.

*) Vinicius Junior breaks down as he laments racism in Spanish football

Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior broke down in tears at a news conference as he spoke about the racism he suffered in Spain.

The 23-year-old forward said, “Playing football is important, but the fight against racism is very important.”

Vinicius said that racism is a global problem and noted that football’s governing bodies could all “do more things.”