Israel says two Americans held hostage by Hamas, a mother and daughter, have been released

Hamas on Friday freed an American woman and her teenage daughter who had been held hostage in Gaza, Israel said, the first such release from among the roughly 200 people the militant group abducted from Israel during its Oct. 7 rampage.

Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were out of the Gaza Strip and in the hands of the Israeli military, an army spokesman said. Hamas said it released them for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.

The release comes amid growing expectations of a ground offensive that Israel says is aimed at rooting out Hamas militants who rule Gaza. Israel said Friday it does not plan to take long-term control over the tiny territory, home to some 2.3 million people.

As the Israeli military punished Gaza with airstrikes, authorities inched closer to bringing aid from Egypt to desperate families and hospitals. Fighting between Israel and militants in neighboring Lebanon also raged, prompting evacuations of Lebanese and Israeli border towns as fears of a widening conflict grew.

Judith and Natalie Ranaan had been on a trip from their home in suburban Chicago to Israel to celebrate Jewish holidays, the family said. They were in the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, near Gaza, on Oct. 7 when Hamas and other militants stormed into southern Israeli towns, killing hundreds and abducting 203 others.

The family had heard nothing from them since the attack and were later told by U.S. and Israeli officials that they were being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben said.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the two freed hostages and their relatives. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which transported the freed Americans from Gaza to Israel, said their release was “a sliver of hope.”

Relatives of other captives welcomed the release and appealed for more people to be freed.

Hamas said in a statement that it was working with mediators “to close the case” of hostages if security circumstances permit. The group added that it is committed to mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar and other countries.

Qatar said it would continue its dialogue with Israel and Hamas in hopes of winning the release of all hostages “with the ultimate aim of de-escalating the current crisis and restoring peace.”

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel continued to work to return hostages and find the missing, and its goals had not changed. “We are continuing the war against Hamas and ready for the next stage of the war,” he said.

A potential Israeli ground assault is likely to lead to a dramatic escalation in casualties on both sides in urban fighting. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed in the war — mostly civilians slain during the Hamas incursion.

More than 4,100 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry run by Hamas. That includes a disputed number of people who died in a hospital explosion earlier this week.

Speaking to lawmakers about Israel’s long-term plans for Gaza, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant laid out a three-stage plan that seemed to suggest Israel did not intend to reoccupy the territory it left in 2005.

First, Israeli airstrikes and “maneuvering” — a presumed reference to a ground attack — would aim to root out Hamas. Next will come a lower intensity fight to defeat remaining pockets of resistance. And, finally, a new “security regime” will be created in Gaza along with “the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip,” Gallant said.

Gallant did not say who Israel expected to run Gaza if Hamas is toppled or what the new security regime would entail.

Israel occupied Gaza from 1967 until 2005, when it pulled up settlements and withdrew soldiers. Two years later, Hamas took over. Some Israelis blame the withdrawal from Gaza for the sporadic violence that has persisted since then.

The humanitarian crisis has worsened for Gaza’s civilians every day since Israel halted entry of supplies two weeks ago, depleting fuel, food, water and medicine. Two days after Israel announced a deal to allow Egypt to send in aid, the border remained closed Friday as Egypt repaired the Rafah crossing, damaged by Israeli strikes.

Over a million people have been displaced in Gaza. Many heeded Israel’s orders to evacuate the northern part of the sealed-off enclave on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. But Israel has continued to bomb areas in southern Gaza where Palestinians had been told to seek safety. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called areas in the south “safe zones” earlier this week, Israeli military spokesman Nir Dinar said Friday: “There are no safe zones.”

Some Palestinians who fled from the north appeared to be going back because of bombings and difficult living conditions in the south, said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office.

Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals were rationing their dwindling resources.

Generators in Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest, were operating at the lowest setting to conserve fuel while providing power to vital departments such as intensive care, hospital director Mohammed Abu Selmia said. Others worked in darkness.

“I don’t know how long (the fuel) will last. Every day we evaluate the situation,” he said.

The lack of medical supplies and water make it difficult to treat the mass of victims from the Israeli strikes, he said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it had received a threat from the Israeli military to bomb Al-Quds Hospital. It said Israel has demanded the immediate evacuation of the Gaza City hospital, which has more than 400 patients and thousands of displaced civilians who sought refuge on its grounds, it said.

Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in Khan Younis, a town in the territory’s south that is home to a squalid tent camp for displaced people. Ambulances carrying men, women and children streamed into the local Nasser Hospital.

Late Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City housing displaced Palestinians. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 16 Palestinian Christians were killed. Former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, a Libertarian from Michigan, said several of his relatives were among the dead. The military said it had targeted a Hamas command center nearby, causing damage to a church wall.

Work continued Friday to repair the road at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, Gaza’s only entry point not controlled by Israel. Trucks unloaded gravel, and bulldozers and other equipment were used to fill in large craters.

But there also appeared to still be differences over the manner of delivering aid. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was working with Egypt, Israel, the U.S. and others to overcome the “impasse” preventing the trucks from entering, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Friday.

Guterres wants to ensure “meaningful” numbers of trucks cross daily, that inspection of truck cargo is “expedited” and that U.N. authorities have fuel to distribute the supplies within Gaza.

More than 200 trucks and some 3,000 tons of aid were positioned near the crossing. Israel said the supplies could only go to civilians and that it would “thwart” any diversions by Hamas. It was unclear if fuel for the hospital generators would be allowed to enter.

An Egyptian official said two aid-packed trucks entered the Egyptian side of the border crossing early Saturday but did not pass through into Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media.

Israel has evacuated its own communities near Gaza and Lebanon, putting residents up in hotels elsewhere in the country.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, which has a massive arsenal of long-range rockets, has traded fire with Israel along the border on a near-daily basis and hinted it might join the war if Israel seeks to annihilate Hamas. Iran supports both armed groups.

Palestinian militants have launched unrelenting rocket attacks into Israel — more than 6,900 since Oct. 7, according to Israel — and tensions have flared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel has targeted militants in raids across the occupied territory. On Friday, two Palestinian teenagers were killed in clashes in the West Bank, where more than 80 Palestinians have been killed over the past two weeks.

AP

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces destroy 500 combat aircraft in Ukraine operation, top brass reports

Russian forces have destroyed 500 Ukrainian combat aircraft and more than 250 helicopters since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 500 aircraft, 252 helicopters, 8,104 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 surface-to-air missile systems, 12,778 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,165 multiple rocket launchers, 6,837 field artillery guns and mortars and 14,463 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces destroy 12 Ukrainian combat aircraft over past week

Russian forces destroyed 12 Ukrainian combat aircraft over the week of October 14-20, including seven enemy warplanes in the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Fighter aircraft and air defense forces destroyed 12 airplanes over the past week by their effective operations, among them 10 MiG-29s [fighter jets] and two Su-25 attack aircraft, and also two Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopters," the ministry said.

In the last 24 hours alone, Russian air defense capabilities shot down seven Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters, the ministry reported.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine repels new Russian onslaught on eastern front, Zelenskiy says

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday Ukrainian forces had repelled a new Russian onslaught on the eastern town of Avdiivka and were holding their ground in heavy fighting.

Zelenskiy and top military commanders visited the southern region of Kherson, where they discussed the situation there and around Avdiivka and Kupiansk, a town north of Avdiivka where Russian forces have also intensified attacks.

"Thanks to all our boys, who powerfully hold the defence and destroy the occupier day after day," Zelenskiy said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.

"These days, the Russian losses are really staggering, and it is precisely losses by the occupier that Ukraine needs."

Zelenskiy's office said Russia's assault on Avdiivka had resulted in "record losses" of personnel and equipment, but gave no further details of the extent of the losses.

Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield situation.

Moscow has presented the situation around Avdiivka as more favourable for its forces, and each side has exaggerated the other's losses since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

The Ukrainian military said fighting was raging along the front line, with about 90 combat clashes in the past 24 hours. That compares with an average of about 60 daily clashes a week ago.

General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, heading Ukraine's operations in the south, reported heavy attacks from both sides, with his forces conducting 1,500 firing missions in 24 hours. He provided no data for Ukraine's losses but said Russia lost 1,051 people, 143 pieces of military equipment and one ammunition depot.

"The new wave (of attacks) is as powerful as the one before on October 10 and 11," said Vitaliy Barabash, head of the Avdiivka military administration.

"It is very difficult. But the boys are holding out and repelled everything," he told Ukrainian television.

Avdiivka, home to a big coking plant, has long been under attack, has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance and is seen as a gateway to the nearby Russian-held city of Donetsk.

Ukrainian forces have been making slow progress through vast Russian minefields in a counteroffensive that it began in the east and south in early June, but Russia has hit back hard around Avdiivka and Kupiansk.

Kyiv says the aim of the Russian attacks is to draw in Ukrainian troops from other fronts and to try to gain ground before winter sets in.

The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. research group, said Ukrainian forces appeared to have broken through on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson.

Kyiv has not commented on the report and Zelenskiy, who also visited the southern region of Mylokaiv, gave no details of the situation in Kherson.

Ukraine recaptured parts of the Kherson region late last year after months of Russian occupation. But Russian forces who left Kherson, the region's biggest city, retreated only as far as the other side of the Dnipro and shell the city from there.

Kupiansk, in the northeast, was also recaptured by Ukrainian troops late last year.

Tass/Reuters

Ruki, a tributary of the Congo River, has recently been dubbed the darkest river in the world, with water so dark that you can’t even see your face in front of you.

In what is considered the first-ever scientific study of the African river, scientists concluded that the dark-colored water is caused by the high levels of dissolved organic matter from the surrounding rainforest.

Scientists found that the color is caused by carbon-rich compounds leached out of rotting plant matter and washed into the Ruki River by rainwater and floods.

Travis Drake, lead author of the recently published study, said that the Ruki is “essentially jungle tea” in which carbon-rich plant matter is brewed. The resulting coloration of the water makes the Ruki darker than the Rio Negro.

“The organic compounds leached from this vegetation absorb light, so the higher the concentration, the darker the water will appear,” Drake said. “It would be like brewing an extra concentrated tea using many tea bags.”

Using a measurement system, the team of scientists ETH Zurich, in Switzerland, found that Ruki was 1.5 times darker than the Amazon’s Rio Negro, the world’s blackwater river. And although the Ruki only makes up a twentieth of the Congo Basin, it provides a fifth of all dissolved carbon in the Congo.

“The Ruki is one of the most DOC-rich river systems in the world,” Matti Barthel, the study’s co-author, said. Its water contains four times as many organic carbon compounds as the Congo’s and 1.5 times as much as the Rio Negro’s in the Amazon.

“We were struck by the color of the river,” said ETH Zurich researcher Travis Drake, adding that it is so dark that you literally can’t see your hand in front of your face.

Oddity Central

When telling the truth feels inconvenient, many people resort to less honest communication. They steer conversations away from certain topics, withhold key details, or sometimes they just flat-out lie.

As psychologists and professors of psychology, we wanted to look into the habits of proficient liars.

While writing our book "Big Liars: What Psychological Science Tells Us About Lying and How You Can Avoid Being Duped," we singled out some of the most common hidden traits and characteristics of especially successful liars.

Biggest signs that someone is lying

1. They are natural manipulators.

Good liars aren't nervous about manipulating others; rather, they are confident, dominant and relaxed as they exploit others.

2. They're great actors.

Lying, like other forms of impression management, is a game of projecting a specific version of oneself into the world. Good liars take the stage and play the role of an honest person.

3. They are adept at feigning emotions.

Whether expressing happiness, surprise, sadness or contempt, good liars can wrinkle their brows, raise their eyebrows, or bare their teeth in convincing ways that belie their true emotions.

Researchers have found that expressive people are viewed as likable, sympathetic, and honest.

4. They are prepared for the lie.

They rehearse and they plan. A well-prepared and organized narrative makes a lie seem natural and free from contradictions.

5. They say as little as is necessary.

The more a person speaks, the more they offer details that might undermine the lie. Effective liars say enough to be believed, but no more.

6. They are creative.

When being interrogated, you never know what question is going to come next, so the ability to create a realistic yet fake version of reality is imperative.

Those gifted with the facility to invent new ideas are the most successful.

7. They think fast.

People who take too long to respond or suddenly use time fillers, such as "um" and "uh," don't sound believable.

8. They have good memory.

When honest people are asked to recount a story on two separate occasions, they reconstruct a memory of what occurred. However, memory is imperfect and malleable, so their retelling often shifts and changes from one occasion to the next.

To avoid sounding dishonest, good liars avoid this reconstruction-on-the-fly strategy of storytelling. Instead, they focus on repeating the story as precisely as possible each time.

Their goal is to have zero variation between retellings. Zero variation means that listeners have no discrepancies to key in on.

9. They are good listeners.

They take the pulse of their audience, recognizing when their listeners want more information, when they are satisfied, when they start to grow suspicious, and when it is safe to change the topic.

They have learned to use deceit successfully to achieve their goals. If their lies consistently failed, they would likely abandon dishonesty and try something else.

How to avoid being lied to

One of the easiest ways to avoid being tricked is to verify their claims. Blatant lies often conflict with facts. Checking the facts leaves liars with less room to hide. When we lack evidence of a claim, we are less certain of its truthfulness.

In high stakes situations, such as banking transactions and car purchases, people demand proof of claims to avoid being fleeced by big liars.

Try to pay attention to the specific claims that are being made instead of the polished way they are being said.

Lies usually come crumbling down when we start probing and asking more questions about the parts that don't add up. If part of a story sounds just a little off, start scrutinizing the claim.

Lies often fall apart as soon as we start to scratch at the surface.

CNBC

• Nigeria is emerging as a significant economic force on the global stage. 
• With a current GDP of $477 billion, Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and is poised for rapid growth. 
• A report by Goldman Sachs forecasts that by 2075, Nigeria is set to become one of the top economies globally. 

The "Giant of Africa," Nigeria, is quickly establishing itself as a major economic force on the international scene.

Nigeria is positioned to play a key role in the global economy because of its expanding population, wealth of natural resources, booming tech sector, and dedication to economic change.

Currently, Nigeria stands as Africa’s largest economy, with a GDP of $477 billion, and a lot of wiggle room for fiscal expansion. Additionally, the country is estimated to grow at a rather rapid pace, taking its economic dominance past the African landscape and onto the global stage.

A report by Goldman Sachs, a world-leading investment bank, buttresses this point. In one of its research reports titled, The Path to 2075, the investment bank noted that Nigeria is set to become one of the top economies in the world by 2075, standing only behind, China, India, the United States, and Indonesia.

The report identifies four major themes for the global economy, “1. slower global potential growth, led by weaker population growth,

2. EM convergence remains intact, led by Asia’s powerhouses,

3. a decade of US exceptionalism that is unlikely to be repeated, and

4. less global inequality and more local inequality.”

The report also notes that by 2050, Nigeria will be amongst the top 15 economies in the world, coming in at the 14th spot.

Business Insider

The supreme court will on Monday hear the appeal filed by Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the judgment which affirmed the election of President Bola Tinubu.

The court sent out hearing notices to the counsels for the respective parties on Thursday.

Abubakar and the PDP had filed a petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

Among several issues raised, the petitioners alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

They also alleged that Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima were not qualified to contest and did not win the election by the majority of lawful votes cast.

However, the presidential election petition tribunal, in its judgment on September 6, held that Abubakar failed to prove all the averments in his petition.

Aggrieved, the PDP candidate filed an appeal before the apex court on September 18.

In the 35 grounds notice of appeal, the appellants submitted that the tribunal’s findings had “grave errors and gross misrepresentation” which resulted in a miscarriage of justice.

Consequently, the appellants are praying the supreme court to set aside the findings and conclusions of the tribunal.

In a separate application, Atiku asked the court to grant him leave to file fresh evidence against Tinubu.

Abubakar had alleged that Tinubu’s academic records were fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.

His request for an order compelling the Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubu’s academic records has since been granted by a US court and the PDP candidate is seeking to introduce them before the apex court

In his response, Tinubu described the appeal as “abusive in nature” and prayed for its dismissal.

Tinubu is also challenging the application for the introduction of fresh evidence.

Tinubu said the allegation of certificate forgery was not introduced in Abubakar’s petition at the tribunal, and thus, his academic records obtained from CSU cannot be considered by the supreme court.

By law, the supreme court has 60 days from the date of the tribunal’s verdict to deliver its own judgment.

The 60 days timeline would elapse on November 5.

The Cable

The Supreme Court has constituted a seven-member panel of justices to hear the appeal in the petitions filed by three presidential candidates challenging the outcome of the February 25 election.

The notices for the hearing were served on the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Chichi Ojei.

The notices signed by Zainab M. Garba in the office of the registrar, said by the Order 2 Rule 1(2) of the Supreme Court’s Rules 1985 as amended, the notice is deemed as sufficiently served on the parties.

The list of members of the panel to sit on the appeals include justices Adamu Jauro, Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Lawal Garba, Helen M. Ogunwumiju, I.N. Saulawa, Tijjani Abubakar and Emmanuel Agim.

Atiku had in his appeal maintained that the Presidential Election Petitions Court erred when it dismissed his petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of irregularities in the presidential election, 25 percent requirement in the FCT, $460,000 forfeiture and failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit the results from the polling units to the IREV using BVAS as provided in its laws and guidelines.

In the application by his counsel, Chris Uche, Atiku also requested leave to file academic records of Tinubu, which he alleged were forged.

On his part, Obi is contending that the tribunal’s refusal of his 18,088 polling units’ blurred results, was a miscarriage of justice.

Ojei of the APM, in her petition, is contending that Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima were disqualified on the grounds of invalid nomination for the offices.

But in his replies, Tinubu, through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun, requested the court to hold that Atiku’s petition was an abuse of court process and lacked merit.

Tinubu described Obi’s petition as a jamboree and lacking in merit.

Daily Trust

President Bola Tinubu has directed the withdrawal of the nomination of Imam Kashim Imam to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

In a statement on Thursday, Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced that the president had revoked the appointment.

“The President’s withdrawal of the above-mentioned nomination is directed with immediate effect. All other appointments to the Board and Executive Management team of FERMA are not affected by this directive,” the statement read.

The appointment of the 24-year-old fresh graduate had sparked outrage across the country.

According to those who disagreed with the appointment, Imam lacked the experience and expertise to head a strategic organization.

The few that supported the appointment noted that the young man would learn on the job.

Below are some of such comments on X:

@Haslawal87 said: “Appointing a fresh graduate with no work experience to such a high position is absolutely ill-advised.”

@fine_stefany1 wrote: “He will learn on the job.”

@kennyNuga: “This appointment is not worth it. A fresh graduate to oversee the entire FERMA board. Absolutely unworthy.”

@Dipo_Bello: “This doesn’t seem right. We want young for young-appropriate roles. This role seems the type that requires a lot of experience. A board member could be more suited to him.”

@aminsaad: “Political expediency should not be a factor in making appointments where experience and even expertise could be called upon.

“Ferma is all about construction. An experienced civil engineer could make a better choice. True, the mech engr could as well marshall channel knowledge into ensuring the heavy equipment of the agency are in top shape

“Those in authority should try to make the country work by prioritizing expertise and experience. These two are essential commodities to any struggling economy like ours.”

@peng_writer opined that, “This is not as good as people make it feel. Not in any way undermining the young man but he’s not ripe for this job. Apart from the fact that he doesn’t have any experience in public work, neither has he displayed any expertise in field work as it relates to Nigeria terrain.”

@JALLO71424757: “This is an absolutely Silly appointment!.”

@adamsaleemm: “Good to see young and vibrant people occupy places of authority. Despite his inexperience, which raises ethical concerns, he could be the catalyst for the transformation we have longed for. May Allah grant him wisdom and strength to fulfill his duties.”

@AtahiruAbdulka1: “NYSC completed in 2022. Congratulations to you o. But if it’s me and another common Nigerian, they will ask us for 5 to 10 years working experience. I know that God will surely judge us all.”

On another platform, someone wrote, “His father is currently the chairman of the board of the TETFund. That’s not even the issue. Yes, it is good to appoint youths into positions of responsibility. Nonetheless, appointing a fresh graduate, with no cognate experience, into such a sensitive position is ill-advised. The truth is that Tinubu doesn’t seem to be getting it right with appointments made so far.”

Daily Trust

Federal government says it will henceforth adopt the principle of reciprocity in the issuance of visas to citizens of countries with strict visa requirements for travelling Nigerians.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, made this known at the Business Day Conference on Thursday.

Nigeria was excluded from Turkey’s e-visa application and Ethiopia removed Nigerians from the visas-on-arrival option, while Nigerians were banned by Seychelles from visiting the country for holiday purposes.

Tunji-Ojo said each citizen of a country seeking a visa will receive the same treatment meted out to Nigerians seeking to travel to that country.

“Some of our foreigners might not like this but part of our responsibility is the interest of Nigerians. As much as we have to protect your interest; you must also protect our interest,” he said. 

“Yesterday (Wednesday) the director for the Centre for illegal migration in Turkey, came to my office. And I told him in the next couple of weeks expect reciprocity in terms of travel policy. 

“Any country that does not give me the visa on arrival cannot have visa on arrival in Nigeria. I’m sorry but it is the truth.”

Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria wants to be an equal partner with foreign countries, so the relationship of investment must be on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.

He said a committee will submit a report that will enable his ministry to know how to deal with other countries regarding visa issuance.

The minister said if a Nigerian is charged $100 for a visa, Nigeria will also charge $100 for a Nigerian visa.

“If you give me visa on arrival. I give it to you. If you say the condition for me to enter your country today is that I must have American visa, Schengen visa, UK visa etc, you will have the same conditions to enter my country. It is not fight, it is about the issue of mutual respect,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo added that his “job is interior security and not external. So let’s call a spade a spade. We must change perception”.

He said: “Perception is everything in life. Perception is your reputation, if people have a wrong perception about you, they will have a negative interpretation about who you are. So, for us we’ve been doing that. 

“I told them yesterday (Wednesday), if you have stopped issuing to Nigerians Schengen visa, America visa, etc, please tell your people to change it because on issue of policy on visa reciprocity is my own.”

The minister said relationships with other countries are based on the quality of partnership. He described Nigeria as the biggest economy, but he said the kind of assets Ghana, South Africa and Seychelles have, Nigeria don’t have it.

Tunji-Ojo said he is not demanding that any country open their gates to all 220 million Nigerians, but at least, there should be a meeting point based on mutual respect.

The Cable

The so called 'nuclear briefcase' that accompanies Russian President Vladimir Putin was caught on camera on Wednesday (Oct 18) as the president headed to a meeting after his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The briefcase can be used to order a nuclear strike by the Russian president. The nuclear briefcase is rarely filmed.

After his meeting with Xi, as Putin walked to another meeting, he was surrounded by security officers and was followed by two Russian naval officers in uniform. Each of these officers carried a briefcase. One of these was the actual nuclear briefcase.

The briefcase is traditionally carried by Russian naval officers. The briefcase is known as the "Cheget". It is named after Mount Cheget in the Caucasus Mountains.

"There are certain suitcases without which no trip of Putin's is complete," the Kremlin correspondents of state news agency RIA said in a post on Telegram under the footage.

In another clip, Putin walks out of a meeting in Beijing with the naval officers again filmed just a few paces from Putin who grins as he walks down some stairs.

The President of the United States also has such a device. It is called the 'nuclear football'. The satchel contains the codes the US president can use to authorise nuclear missiles in case he is not at the White House.

Tensions between Russia and the US are on the rise in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Even China is seeking to bolster its nuclear arsenal. US-China relations are strained as well.

On Tuesday, the Russian parliament took first steps towards revoking ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Its top lawmaker has even warned US that Russia may even abandon the pact altogether.

What is in the briefcase?

The "Cheget" is essentially a secure communication tool that enables Russian president a link to his military top brass and through them, to the rocket forces. via the highly secret "Kazbek" electronic command-and-control network.

Russia's defence minister has such a briefcase with him. Reuters said that Russian chief of general staff may also have been given a nuclear briefcase.

Footage shown by Russia's Zvezda television channel in 2019 showed what it said was one of the briefcases with an array of buttons.

According to Zvezda, there is a white 'launch' button and a red "cancel" button and the briefcase is activated by a special flashcard.

WION