Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 558 people on the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave says.More than 65 extra people have been counted as dead, upping the total, while more than 2,800 have been injured.Israel launched the counterattack after a major assault by the Palestinian organisation Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.About 700 people have been killed in Israel and around 2,400 others injured in the worst civilian bloodshed in Israeli history.More than 100 Israelis have also been taken hostage into the Gaza Strip and Hamas says four hostages were killed by the Israeli air raids. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organisation by the EU, the U.S. and Israel.

  Israel, reeling from the deadliest attack in half a century, formally declared war on Hamas Sunday as the conflict’s death toll surged above 1,000 after the Palestinian militant group launched a massive surprise assault from Gaza. Oil prices rallied while the dollar and yen advanced Monday after Hamas launched a shock attack on Israel at the weekend, sparking fresh concerns about tensions in the Middle East. The crisis fanned concerns about supplies of crude from the region at a time when supply worries are already high owing to Saudi Arabia and Russia’s output cuts. It has also renewed fears about the impact on inflation, with energy costs a key driver of spiking prices, giving a fresh headache to central banks as they try to ease up on interest rate hikes to avoid recessions. The surprise attack and Israel’s declaration of war in response to it have left more than 1,000 dead and raised concerns that a potential broadening of the conflict could draw in the United States and Iran. “Key for markets is whether the conflict remains contained or spreads to involve other regions, particularly Saudi Arabia,” said ANZ Group’s Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes. “Initially at least, it seems markets will assume the situation will remain limited in scope, duration, and oil-price consequences. But higher volatility can be expected.” Both main contracts surged more than five percent in early Asian business before easing back as the day wore on. However, SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes warned: “Historical analysis suggests that oil prices tend to experience sustained gains after the Middle East crises. “Meanwhile, stocks tend to eventually recover and trend higher after an initial period of volatility. Safe-haven assets like gold and Treasurys, which initially see gains during such crises, tend to fade from their initial price spikes as the situation stabilises. “But with Middle East analysts considering this to be a pivotal moment for Israel, the view looks incendiary in any current scenario.” A decidedly risk-off mood also saw investors push into the safety of the dollar, which was up against the pound and euro, as well as the Australian and New Zealand dollars. Related News ‘We’ll turn their places to rubble’ – Israeli PM vows to avenge Hamas attacks Oil prices jump as Saudi Arabia, Russia extend production cut till December Oil prices plunge below $100 as Nigeria fails to meet OPEC quota The yen, considered one of the safest currencies, strengthened against the greenback, though it still remains locked around 11-month lows. Gold, another key haven, gained around one percent. Equity markets were mixed, with Shanghai dropping on its first day back after a week-long holiday as investors continue to fret over the stuttering Chinese economy. There were also losses in Mumbai, Singapore, Manila, Bangkok and Wellington, though Hong Kong rose in shortened trade, having been closed in the morning owing to a typhoon. Sydney and Jakarta eked out gains. Tokyo was closed for a holiday. London edged up while Paris and Frankfurt were lower. The tepid performance came despite a rally on Wall Street, where traders welcomed data showing a forecast-busting jump in new jobs but wage growth slowing. The “Goldilocks” figures — neither too strong nor too weak — lifted optimism the world’s top economy can avoid a recession even as the Federal Reserve keeps rates elevated. Still, there are worries the bank will hike one more time before the end of the year, with officials determined to bring inflation to heel and keep it at their two percent target. AFP

  A German woman, Petra Goschenhofer, testified before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja against an alleged love scammer who she says defrauded her of £130,000. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in statement said the accused, Wilson Daphey, also known as Jeffrey Guiseppe, faces charges of obtaining money under false pretense and money laundering, along with his accomplices Evans Nnamdi Aguh, Christopher Chinedu Ajufo, Ifeanyi Enuma, and Ojinanaka Kingsley Chukwuma, who remain at large. Goschenhofer, during the Friday, October 6 proceedings, told the court that she met Daphey on Instagram in 2008 and that he claimed to be a Bitcoin trader and building engineer based in the United States with roots in Italy. He also told her that he was a single father with two kids. She said that they began talking about their careers and families and that she eventually fell in love with him and as the relationship deepened, Daphey allegedly began requesting money, citing various reasons, such as needing funds to clear building equipment in Dubai. “After a while, he told me he was in love with me and I told him I was married with kids and that a relationship was not possible between us but after a while, I noticed he was very nice to me and at that time, I was in a bad situation; my marriage was in crisis and I was depressed, and my son was in a bad condition. I gradually fell in love with him, and before long, he started asking me for money,” Goschenhofer stated. “He claimed his building equipment was held in Dubai and he needed money to clear it. He actually promised to pay me back in a matter of time and sent me pictures, fake passports and work permits which bore a photograph of an American named Jeffery Guiseppe, and with date of birth of 10/11/197. We later entered into a written agreement that he sent,” Goschenhofer added that she made payments to Daphey through Western Union and that he promised to pay her back in a matter of time. After some time, she stated that she asked for her money but Daphey said he had not been able to clear the equipment because his bank account was frozen and pleaded with her to help him pay the next fee. She paid, with all payments totaling £13,000. “In another instance, he told me that he was ill and in a coma in the hospital. I was at this time speaking with one Mr. Bah who called me on WhatsApp. He told me Guiseppe may die and that he needed to undergo a surgery and I financed it.” After a while, Goschenhofer said that she decided to investigate Daphey’s identity and eventually told her husband,d who handed the matter to the police for investigation, and the police found out that the phone number he gave her was on a server in Singapore and the address and passport were all fake. “The police further said it would be very difficult to investigate the case as the German law restricts investigations outside Europe.” she noted Goschenhofer further narrated that to seek help, she joined some women on Instagram who had similar stories and they decided to find ways to help one another. During the Covid-19 era, Goschenhofer said she had an opportunity to video call Guiseppe and realized he was not an American and “at this point, he apologized and claimed he is from Kenya”. She stated that further called and sent videos of their conversations and other documents to an officer in the German embassy in Kenya to find out who Daphey was and was told that his dialect showed that he was a Nigerian. Goschenhofer added that she conducted further checks and found out his real identity on Facebook and Instagram. She also found out in one of their video chats that Daphey was driving a car with a Nigerian number plate. “So, I decided to print and send all the evidence of pictures and documents to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution”, she said. All evidence of pictures, passports, work permits and receipts were tendered and admitted in evidence to the EFCC in Nigeria, she said. Justice Olajuwon has adjourned the matter to Tuesday, October 10 for cross-examination.

  Amid renewed conflicts between Israel and Palestine, Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused Iran of being the mastermind behind Hamas’ attack on Israel. In a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Freeman claimed that Iran was funding the conflict in order to destabilise the region surrounding Israel. “It’s a major concern for us. We know that Iran is behind these attacks by Hamas. Iran are the ones who gave permission. Iran are the ones who fund Hamas. They are doing everything in order to destabilise the region. “They are also backing Hezbollah and Lebanon; they are backing other terror groups in the West Bank. They are backing terror groups in Syria. Iran is doing everything because they don’t want to see progress. They don’t want to see peace, they want to see death and destruction,” he said. Palestinian militants from the Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, penetrated Israel at dawn on Saturday under the cover of a massive rocket barrage. About 1,100 people have been killed in the conflict so far, with Israel reporting more than 600 lives lost and Gaza’s health ministry putting its toll at 370 dead. Discussing the situation between the two Middle Eastern nations, Ambassador Freeman said Israel does not desire war in any circumstances, but it is committed to protecting its citizens in all possible ways. “We will do what we need. We hope that Hezbollah and other groups understand we do not want any engagements, we do not want any war in any other areas, but we will defend our population, our citizens. Some of the horrific photos [shared on social media] of old women, grandmas gunned down in the street, young babies shot, children murdered in front of their parents – all of these are going around – women and children, young people at a music festival gunned down and blown up. “This is what we’ve done with them; we will do what we need to do now to protect our population, and this war, which started by Hamas, will end this war,” Freeman said. Additionally, he claimed that there was no real reason for the conflict, instead blaming it on Hamas, whose ideology says their existence is to kill Israelis. ADVERTISEMENT “They say that their aim, their life, and their motivation is to destroy Israel. So they saw an opportunity that they felt they could take in order to come across the border to slaughter and murder women and children because that’s what they believe, but the reality is that the reason they were formed is to wipe Israel out and kill Israelis,” he said A day after Hamas attacked Israel, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Sunday that Iran supports the Palestinians’ right to self-defense and warned that Israel must be held responsible for endangering the region. He praised the “resistance” efforts made by Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as those in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq while urging Muslim governments to “support the Palestinian nation.” Raisi had spoken earlier with leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, official media said. On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in major cities of Iran, including in Tehran’s Palestine Square, carrying the Palestinian flag. Iran does not recognise Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a centrepiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The bitter rivals have engaged in a shadow war for years, with Iran accusing Israel of a series of sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear programme. The United States and Israel have previously accused Iran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israel-linked ships in the Gulf. However, Iran on Monday rejected unfounded allegations against it having a role in the massive assault on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. “The accusations linked to an Iranian role… are based on political reasons,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters, adding that Palestinians had “the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights” without any help from Tehran.

  The Coalition of Ex-agitators of Niger Delta says it is preparing for a showdown with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for allegedly excluding Niger Deltans from the recent award of pipeline maintenance contracts. The ex-militant leaders said it was insensitive and provocative for the NNPCL to award pipeline maintenance contracts to only northern companies. The coalition stated this in a statement on Sunday signed by its Coordinator, Gershom Gbobo; spokesperson, Chief David Tonye Banigo; National Secretary, Johnson Akpobari, and National Director, Mobilisation, Goodluck Warikere. “We will never allow such cheating, marginalisation, injustice and insensitivity to occur in this new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose mantra remains justice, equity and fairness. The NNPCL should know that its actions and conducts would determine the level of peace in the oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta. We will not allow this provocative action of awarding pipeline maintenance contracts only to companies owned by northern cabals. “What happens to all the Niger Delta indigenous companies? No northern company would be allowed to carry out routine maintenance on pipelines located in our territory,” the coalition said in the statement It said it was important for the NNPCL to engage Niger Delta firms “to create jobs for the youths and keep all stakeholders busy.” “We warn that there will be unrest and crisis if NNPCL fails to review this gross injustice. We are sure that international communities will understand that we are fighting for our rights. “We must be involved in this. This is one contract that can be used to discourage pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta. Why will they give such contracts to people who are not from the region? “Have they awarded any contract in the North to those of us from the Niger Delta? Is it feasible for us to go to the North and agitate for contracts? We call on Mr President, the National Security Adviser, Secretary to the Federation and the Chief of Staff to intervene in this and stop this disrespect to our region. “We are not saying that they should not award contracts to some of those northern companies. What we are saying is that they should award contracts to them in their domains and award contracts to us in our own domains. You cannot be taking everything from our environment through pipelines and still deny us the opportunity to maintain those pipelines,” the ex-agitators said.

  More than 123,000 people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel, the United Nations said on Monday. “Over 123,538 people, have been internally displaced in Gaza, mostly due to fear, protection concerns and the destruction of their homes,” said the UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA. More than 73,000 are sheltering in schools, OCHA said, some of which have been designated emergency shelters. Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on Gaza since Saturday, when Hamas militants launched deadly attacks in Israel and fired thousands of rockets at the country. ADVERTISEMENT Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), said he expected the numbers to rise further. “There’s electricity in these schools, we provide them with a meal, clean water, psychological support and medical treatment,” he told AFP. Gaza is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, who have lived under a crippling Israeli blockade imposed after Hamas took power in 2007. AFP

  high court sitting in Lagos has sentenced Drambi Vandi, the officer involved in the killing of Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer, to death by hanging. The suspended police officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Drambi Vandi, was found guilty of the Christmas day killing of Lagos property lawyer, Omobolanle He has now been sentenced to death by hanging for the crime. Justice Ibironke Harrison, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square annexe division of the Lagos State High Court, said his defence that he didn’t shoot the deceased has no leg to stand on. He was found guilty on the strength of the witnesses of the prosecution, who gave ‘overwhelming evidence that the loud gunshot was from his loaded gun. Mr. Vandi was arraigned on January 16, 2023, on a count of murder, but he pleaded not guilty. The court granted an accelerated hearing on the case. The Lagos State Government alleged that the defendant, an Assistant Superintendent of Police who has now been suspended from the Force, shot Mrs Raheem in the chest on December 25, 2022, at the Ajah Roundabout on the Lekki Motorway in Lagos State. The crime contravenes Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  The decision by the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) to dialogue with the Federal Government over referendum has elicited reactions from some Igbo leaders. The leaders, who insisted on political dialogue to end agitations by some Southeast groups, including IPOB, said no sensible Igbo would want the Southeast to exit Nigeria. The leaders include a one-time Ebonyi State Information Commissioner Chief Abia Onyike; President -General of the Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders (COSEYL), Goodluck Ibem, a political analyst, Williams Iheakolam an Ohanaeze Ndigbo official as well as an elder statesman, who asked not to be named. IPOB Spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said in a statement on Saturday said the group remained ”open for negotiations and dialogue on peaceful exit of Biafra from Nigeria through a United Nations -supervised referendum.” Chief Onyike, who is the acting secretary-general of Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), said it was imperative and urgent for the Federal Government to dialogue with all ethnic nationalities in the country so as to forge a way forward. Expressing pessimism on government’s readiness to negotiate with IPOB, Onyike called for a return to regional autonomy as was in place in the First Republic. He said: “That (referendum) has always been the view of IPOB but does the Nigerian Government believe in such (referendum)? The answer is no. Next Stay   ”The problem now is that the right-wing coalition ruling Nigeria does not believe in negotiating with groups agitating for self-determination. “Nigerian rulers should engage the Igbo and others seeking self-actualisation in dialogue since they have continued to show them that they are second class citizens in the Nigerian federation. ”There should be a reconstitution of the Nigerian state. We should go away from this monolithic federation for regional autonomy as was the case in 1960-1966. The present situation is too oppressive and suffocating.” COSEYL President Ibem said that “it is the way Igbo are maltreated that gave rise to agitation. ”If the resources and political positions in the country are evenly spread, nobody sane person would wish to exit Nigeria. ”It is because of injustice and unfair treatment that is the bane of separatist struggle all over the world. If things are done well everybody will be happy and feel part of the nation. Culled from TheNation