Five Things To Know To Start Your Monday

FG is in last-minute talks with embassies over ground rent

The Nigerian government says it will solve problems with foreign embassies that haven’t paid their ground rent through normal diplomatic discussions.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, told The Punch that the ministry would work with the Federal Capital Territory Administration to handle the situation properly.

“The ministry will take up the matter with FCTA and it will be addressed via diplomatic channels,” Ebienfa said.

This promise came after news reports said the FCTA might take strong action against 34 embassies. The action could include sealing up the embassy buildings because they haven’t paid ground rent since 2014.

According to an official notice from the FCTA, these embassies together owe more than N3.6 billion in unpaid ground rent.

Trump said Iran and Israel may need to ‘fight it out’ first before agreeing

President Donald Trump said he believed it’s possible Israel and Iran could reach an agreement to end their conflict, though the two sides may need to continue fighting before they’re ready to broker a peace deal.

“Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Sunday as he departed for the Group of Seven leaders’ summit in Canada.

“I think there’s a good chance there’ll be a deal,” the president added.

Gold prices are surging from the Israel-Iran conflict

Gold prices climbed for the fourth day running on Monday, reaching their highest point in nearly two months. The increase came as weekend fighting between Israel and Iran made investors nervous about a wider war breaking out in the Middle East.

When global tensions rise, many people put their money into gold because it’s seen as a safer investment than stocks or currencies that might lose value during uncertain times.

The price of gold increased by 0.3% to $3,442.09 per ounce by early Monday morning WAT. Earlier in the day, it had reached its highest level since 22nd April.

Gold contracts for future delivery in the United States also rose 0.3% to $3,461.90.

Ado Aleru, a wanted bandit leader, attended a peace meeting in Katsina

A notorious bandit leader who has been wanted by police for four years made a surprise appearance at a peace meeting in Katsina state over the weekend.

Ado Aleru, who has been on the police wanted list since 2020 with a ₦5 million bounty on his head, was filmed speaking to community members, government officials, security personnel, and traditional leaders during the meeting in Bichi community, Danmusa Local Government Area on Saturday.

According to reports from Zagazola Makama, a publication that covers security issues, Aleru used the gathering to call for peaceful relations between Fulani cattle herders and farming communities.

Iran says it’s found a ‘new method’ for launching missiles as it strikes Tel Aviv and Haifa

Iranian missiles struck Israel’s major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa in an early morning attack on Monday, destroying homes and increasing concerns among world leaders at this week’s G7 meeting that the fighting between these two longtime enemies could spread into a wider regional war.

Israel’s national emergency service reported that three people were killed in the country’s centre, whilst dozens more were wounded in the overnight strikes. The attack was part of Iran’s retaliation for Israel’s earlier strikes on Friday, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and ballistic missile programmes.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the latest attack used a new method that caused Israel’s multi-layered defence systems to mistakenly target each other. “The initiatives and capabilities used in this operation, despite the comprehensive support of the United States and Western powers and the possession of the most up-to-date and newest defence technology, led to the successful and maximum hitting of the missiles on the targets in the occupied territories,” the Guards said.