LAGOS, Nigeria (BN24) – In a significant move to combat cybercrime and financial fraud, Nigeria has commenced the deportation of 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber terrorism and Ponzi scheme offences. The first group of deportees left Nigeria on Sunday, August 17, at 2:00 p.m. local time. These individuals were part of a larger group of 192 foreign nationals implicated in a wide-scale cyber fraud operation, initially exposed during a major police raid in December 2023.
The deportations are part of a broader crackdown on illegal online activities, with additional batches scheduled for Monday, August 18, and Tuesday, August 19. All of the convicted individuals have been transferred to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), which is handling their removal from the country.
The cybercrime syndicate, which had been operating on a large scale, was apprehended during a coordinated operation on Oyin Jolayemi Street in Victoria Island, Lagos. A total of 759 suspects were detained during the raid. The convicted foreigners, primarily Chinese and Philippine nationals, had been involved in elaborate Ponzi schemes and cyber fraud, using fake online identities to deceive and defraud victims. These fraudulent operations also included training employees of Genting International Co. Limited in deceptive and illegal practices.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which led the prosecution, confirmed that the charges included violations under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede called the convictions a major milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against cybercrime and financial fraud, noting the significant impact these crimes had on Nigeria’s financial security.
The EFCC stressed that these crimes were not only a direct attack on individuals but also posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s national security and financial integrity. The deportations signal Nigeria’s commitment to tackling the growing issue of cybercrime, which has increasingly become a global concern.
LUANDA, Angola (BN24) – Nigeria’s men’s national basketball team, the D’Tigers, secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the 2025 AfroBasket tournament after a thrilling 99-90 victory over Cameroon on Sunday, August 17. The win, which took place at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, capped off an undefeated run in Group D, as Nigeria finished the group stage with a perfect 3-0 record.
The D’Tigers opened their campaign with a commanding 77-59 win over Madagascar, followed by a dominant 87-66 victory against defending champions Tunisia. Sunday’s clash with Cameroon was another showcase of Nigeria’s skill and composure, as they outpaced their West African rivals in a high-intensity match.
With the group stage now behind them, the D’Tigers will enjoy a brief respite, as they are guaranteed two rest days before the knockout rounds begin. Cameroon and other teams will now compete in the play-offs for the remaining spots in the quarterfinals. Nigeria’s next challenge will come on Wednesday, when the battle for the last eight kicks off.
Donetsk (BN24) – Russia unleashed a deadly wave of missile and drone strikes across dozens of Ukrainian cities and towns late Sunday and into Monday, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens just hours before President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders gathered at the White House for high-level talks with President Donald Trump.
According to Ukrainian officials, Moscow’s attacks hit Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa, targeting apartment complexes, energy infrastructure and civilian areas in a show of force as diplomatic efforts over the war intensify.
In Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported five deaths, including two children, and at least 17 injuries after missiles tore through a residential district, sparking massive fires. Ukraine’s emergency services released footage showing an apartment building engulfed in flames as rescue teams pulled survivors from the rubble.
In the Donetsk region, three more people were killed in overnight strikes, authorities said. Though Russia occupies much of the territory, Ukrainian forces continue to defend key positions along the front line. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine surrender control of Donetsk as part of any settlement.
Meanwhile, in Zaporizhzhia, local officials confirmed the death of a child and multiple injuries after a separate Russian strike. In Odesa, an overnight bombardment ignited an energy facility, highlighting Moscow’s continued strategy of targeting Ukraine’s power grid and civilian infrastructure.
The escalation came just two days after Putin held a rare face-to-face meeting with Trump in Alaska, marking the Russian leader’s first summit with a U.S. president since the 2022 invasion began. At the talks, Putin described the ongoing war as a “tragedy” and insisted Russia still viewed Ukrainians as “brothers and sisters,” despite the full-scale assault that has killed tens of thousands.
Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on Monday accompanied by top European allies, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The summit is expected to focus on military support for Kyiv, the potential terms of a cease-fire and Ukraine’s long-term path to security.
In a post late Sunday on Truth Social, Trump urged Zelenskyy to agree to a negotiated peace deal with Russia, suggesting concessions such as ceding Crimea and halting NATO ambitions. “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote.
The timing of Russia’s strikes, coupled with renewed international diplomacy, underscores the high stakes of the war as Ukraine braces for the next stage of negotiations that could determine its territorial future and sovereignty.
LONDON (BN24) — A man has been convicted at the Old Bailey over his role in a gangland shooting in east London that left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her brain, in what police described as a “miracle” survival.
Javon Riley, 33
Javon Riley, 33, was found guilty on Monday of assisting a gunman who opened fire outside the Evin Restaurant in Dalston on May 29, 2023. Prosecutors said the attack was a targeted assassination ordered by the Tottenham Turks gang against rivals, the Hackney Turks, who were sitting outside the restaurant.
The gunman, riding a Ducati Monster motorbike, fired six rounds in just two seconds. One of the bullets missed the intended targets and struck the child inside the restaurant as she ate ice cream with her family. Police later said they were only “millimeters” away from launching a murder investigation.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, underwent extensive surgery, including the rebuilding of her skull with titanium. Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from her brain, and she is expected to live with lasting physical and cognitive difficulties. Her mother said the family’s life had been shattered, describing how their daughter — once full of energy and adventure — now struggles with weakness on one side of her body, emotional trauma, and the reality of living with a titanium plate in her skull.
“This was not just an accident,” her mother said in a victim statement. “Even if our daughter was not the intended target, those responsible were still attempting to take lives. It is brutal and inhumane. Nothing will ever be the same for our family.”
Three men were injured during the attack: Nasser Ali, 43, who was hit in the backbone, Kenan Aydogdu, 45, shot in the leg, and Mustafa Kiziltan, 35, struck in the thigh. All survived after scrambling for cover.
Prosecutors told the court Riley played a “key role” before, during, and after the shooting, even though he was not a gang member. He carried out surveillance in the weeks before the attack, including sitting in a bar across from the restaurant drinking cocktails while observing potential targets.
The girl was inside the restaurant eating ice cream. Pic: PA
After the gunman unleashed the attack, Riley helped him escape, disposed of the weapon, and arranged for cars used in the plot to be set on fire. He claimed he had been offered £40,000 to take part in what he thought was a robbery involving 60 kilos of drugs, and denied knowing the true purpose of the operation. He refused to identify who recruited him, saying he feared for his family’s safety.
Riley was convicted of three counts of attempted murder, relating to the rival gang members, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the girl.
The gunman, who remains at large, is believed to have connections in south London. Detectives have offered a £15,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
“This isn’t a regular case,” said Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway of the Metropolitan Police. “This was a completely innocent child who was shot. The gunman fired six rounds into a busy restaurant where people were just dining. As long as gangs want to send a message or harm their rivals, they’ll stop at nothing.”
Judge Mark Lucraft KC said Riley will be sentenced on September 12, warning he faces a “lengthy” prison term.
ABUJA, Nigeria (BN24) — Rescue teams in northern Nigeria are searching for more than 40 missing passengers after a crowded boat capsized on the River Goronyo in Sokoto state on Sunday, authorities said.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that the vessel, which was transporting more than 50 people to the Goronyo market, overturned during its journey. Ten passengers were rescued, while the rest remain unaccounted for. Officials confirmed that local divers, police, and emergency workers are intensifying search and rescue efforts.
Zubaidar Umar, the head of NEMA, announced on the social media platform X that the operation was ongoing and that the agency was working closely with Sokoto state officials to locate the missing. Local authorities earlier confirmed that at least four survivors were found shortly after the accident.
Boat accidents are frequent in Nigeria, often caused by overcrowding, lack of enforcement of safety rules, and poorly maintained vessels. Despite regulations requiring life jackets for all passengers, compliance is rare, particularly in rural communities where boats are used daily for trade and travel.
Sunday’s disaster highlights a recurring safety crisis on Nigeria’s waterways. In December 2024, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger after a vessel believed to be carrying more than 200 people capsized. A month earlier, nearly 200 people drowned when a canoe packed with close to 300 passengers overturned in Niger state.
Another major tragedy occurred two years ago when more than 100 people died after a boat carrying around 300 passengers from Kwara state to Niger state capsized following a wedding celebration.
Just three weeks ago, at least 13 people died in Niger state when another overcrowded boat carrying about 100 passengers overturned. That accident left dozens more missing.
NEMA said the Sokoto rescue operation would continue until all passengers were accounted for, stressing that Nigeria must urgently improve maritime safety to prevent repeated tragedies.
QUETTA, Pakistan (BN24) — Security forces in southwestern Pakistan have arrested a university lecturer accused of planning a foiled suicide attack that was intended to target last week’s Independence Day celebrations in violence-hit Balochistan, officials said Monday.
Usman Qazi and his brother disappeared
Authorities identified the suspect as Usman Qazi, who is alleged to have links with the outlawed Majeed Brigade, the suicide unit of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, said the arrest marked the first time security forces had captured a senior member of the group through intelligence operations.
During a press conference in Quetta, Bugti played video footage in which Qazi appeared to admit involvement in planning the thwarted attack as well as aiding militants in recent years. However, it remained unclear whether the confession was made voluntarily or under duress. Bugti said the lecturer also admitted involvement in several past incidents, including a railway station bombing in Quetta last year that killed 32 people.
The chief minister did not disclose the exact timing of Qazi’s arrest but confirmed he remained under questioning. There has been no immediate response from the BLA regarding the detention.
The arrest came just a week after the U.S. State Department designated both the BLA and its Majeed Brigade suicide squad as foreign terrorist organizations, expanding international pressure on the insurgent group already banned inside Pakistan.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been plagued by violence tied to separatist groups seeking independence from Islamabad. Insurgents have repeatedly targeted Pakistani security forces, railway lines, and infrastructure linked to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as well as Chinese nationals working on those projects.
Despite government claims that the insurgency has been largely quelled, attacks in Balochistan continue, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing the province.
TREMONTON, Utah (BN24) — Three law enforcement officers were injured in a shooting late Sunday night in Tremonton, Utah, and a suspect has been taken into custody, police said.
The Brigham City Police Department reported that Tremonton-Garland police officers had responded to calls of a disturbance when a man opened fire, striking three officers. Authorities confirmed the officers were wounded but did not immediately release details about their conditions, saying updates would be provided within 24 hours.
Confusion arose earlier in the night when Tremonton Mayor Lyle Homgren briefly posted on the city’s official social media page that two officers had been killed and a deputy wounded. The post was later deleted, but not before Homgren expressed condolences to families and colleagues of what he had called “fallen officers.” Police have not confirmed those details.
“The officers responded to the scene when the suspect began shooting,” Brigham City police said in a statement. “After calling for backup, the officers stopped answering their radios.”
Backup units from Box Elder, Weber and Cache Counties were dispatched, eventually locating and apprehending the suspect. Officials later emphasized that there was “no current threat to the public” but asked residents to avoid the area while the investigation continued.
The incident prompted a temporary shelter-in-place order. Tremonton resident Caleb Hyre said he heard multiple gunshots and saw first responders rushing from across the region.
“It’s like the biggest thing I’ve ever seen happen in Tremonton,” Hyre said. “It’s scary to see this stuff happening in this little, somewhat quiet town.”
Authorities are now investigating what led to the shooting as the community awaits word on the officers’ conditions.
LONDON (BN24) — What the skibidi is happening to the English language?
The increasing use of TikTok trends and social media terms in everyday conversation has led Cambridge Dictionary to include “skibidi,” “delulu” and “tradwife” in the 6,000 new words it has added to its online edition over the past year.
Words popularized by Gen Z and Gen Alpha including “skibidi,” “delulu,” and “tradwife” are among 6,000 new entries to the online edition of the Cambridge Dictionary over the last year, its publisher said Monday.
“Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary,” said Colin McIntosh, lexical program manager at Cambridge Dictionary, the world’s largest online dictionary.
The term “skibidi” represents perhaps the most enigmatic addition to the prestigious dictionary. The dictionary also took on the challenge of defining skibidi as a term which had “different meanings such as cool or bad, or can be used with no real meaning.” The gibberish word was coined by the creator of an animated YouTube series and can mean “cool” or “bad” or be used with no real meaning as a joke.
Other planned additions reflect contemporary cultural phenomena and social trends. “Tradwife” enters the dictionary as a contraction of “traditional wife” referring to a married mother who cooks, cleans and posts on social media about her lifestyle choices. Meanwhile, “delulu” represents a shortening of the word delusional that means “believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to.”
The pandemic’s lasting impact on workplace culture appears in the new dictionary entry “mouse jiggler,” defined as a device or software used to make it seem like someone is working when they are not. The term reflects the increase in remote working arrangements that have persisted since the global health crisis.
Environmental concerns have also influenced the dictionary’s latest additions. “Forever chemical” enters the lexicon as a harmful chemical that remains in the environment for extended periods, reflecting growing awareness about persistent environmental pollutants and climate change impacts.
Cambridge Dictionary employs rigorous standards for word inclusion, using the Cambridge English Corpus, a database containing more than 2 billion words of written and spoken English. This comprehensive resource allows lexicographers to monitor how new words are used by different people, tracking their frequency and contextual applications across various situations.
“It’s not every day you get to see words like ‘skibidi’ and ‘delulu’ make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary. We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power,” McIntosh explained.
The massive addition of 6,000 new terms represents the dictionary’s response to the accelerating pace of language evolution driven by digital communication platforms. Social media, particularly TikTok, has emerged as a powerful force in creating and spreading new vocabulary across global audiences at unprecedented speed.
The selection process for new dictionary entries involves careful analysis of usage patterns, ensuring that newly coined terms demonstrate sufficient adoption and longevity to warrant formal recognition. This approach helps distinguish between temporary internet fads and genuine linguistic innovations that will endure in the English language.
The latest additions illustrate how internet culture continues reshaping traditional language boundaries, with terms originating from video content, social media trends, and digital workplace realities finding their way into formal linguistic recognition. These developments reflect broader societal changes, from evolving work arrangements to shifting cultural values and environmental consciousness.
The Cambridge Dictionary’s embrace of contemporary slang terms alongside more traditional additions demonstrates the institution’s commitment to documenting the living, breathing nature of the English language as it adapts to modern communication methods and cultural shifts. The inclusion of seemingly nonsensical terms like “skibidi” alongside more conventional additions underscores the democratic nature of language evolution in the digital age.
WASHINGTON (BN24) — Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brings with him an extraordinary cadre of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia.
The European political heavyweights were excluded from Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday in Alaska, and they are now looking to safeguard Ukraine and the European continent from any widening aggression from Moscow. By arriving as a unified group, they hope to avoid diplomatic setbacks like Zelensky’s February meeting in the Oval Office, where Trump publicly berated the Ukrainian leader for not showing sufficient gratitude for American military aid.
Monday’s unprecedented gathering represents both the progress and potential distress emerging from the Alaska meeting, as many of Europe’s most influential leaders descend on Washington with the explicit goal of protecting Ukraine’s interests in what constitutes a rare and sweeping show of diplomatic force.
“It’s important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for all of Europe,” Zelensky posted on social media platform X.
The night before the critical meeting, however, Trump appeared to place responsibility on Zelensky to agree to territorial concessions and suggested that Ukraine could not regain Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, setting off an armed conflict that eventually led to Moscow’s broader 2022 invasion.
“President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote Sunday night on social media. “Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
Zelensky appeared to respond with his own post late Sunday, declaring, “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably.” He emphasized that “peace must be lasting,” unlike the situation after Russia seized Crimea and part of the Donbas in eastern Ukraine eight years ago, when “Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack.”
The Alaska summit between Trump and Putin yielded possible framework terms for ending the Ukraine war, though it remained unclear whether the discussed conditions would ultimately prove acceptable to either Zelensky or Putin. Upon arrival in Washington, Zelensky reiterated in another social media post his commitment to ending the conflict while ensuring durability.
“We all equally want to end this war quickly and reliably. And the peace must be lasting,” he stated, expressing hope that together with the United States and European nations, Ukraine could compel Russia toward “true peace.”
Planning to join Zelensky in the American capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Central to their discussions are possible NATO-like security guarantees that Ukraine would require for any peace agreement with Russia to prove durable. While Putin opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership outright, Trump’s team claims the Russian leader remains open to allowing allies to defend Ukraine if it comes under future attack.
Trump briefed Zelensky and European allies shortly after the Putin meeting, though details from those discussions emerged in fragmented ways that appeared to irritate the U.S. president, who had chosen not to outline specific terms when appearing publicly with Putin afterward.
“BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” Trump posted Sunday on social media. The president also criticized media coverage of his Putin summit, stating on Truth Social: “I had a great meeting in Alaska.”
Following the Alaska encounter, Trump declared that a ceasefire was not necessary for peace negotiations to proceed, representing a sudden shift toward a position favored by Putin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that while a ceasefire remained possible, “the best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal.”
European officials confirmed that Trump informed them Putin continues seeking control of the entire Donbas region, despite Ukraine controlling a significant portion of that territory. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated the United States and its allies could offer Ukraine a NATO-like commitment to defend the country if attacked as a potential security guarantee.
“How that’s constructed, what we call it, how it’s built, what guarantees are built into it that are enforceable, that’s what we’ll be talking about over the next few days with our partners who are coming in from overseas,” Rubio told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Rubio described such a commitment as something that “would be a very big move” by Trump, expecting the delegations to “spend six, seven hours talking about these things, maybe more, and try to get to a point where we have something more concrete.”
Monday’s meeting will likely prove extremely challenging for Zelensky, according to an official close to the ongoing negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Ukrainian president needs to prevent a scenario where he receives blame for blocking peace talks by rejecting Putin’s maximalist demands regarding the Donbas, demands Zelensky has repeatedly stated he cannot accept because they violate Ukraine’s constitution and could create launching points for future Russian attacks.
If confronted with pressure to accept Putin’s territorial demands, Zelensky would likely need to employ the diplomatic skill he has demonstrated repeatedly throughout the conflict. Ukrainian leadership seeks a trilateral meeting including Zelensky, Trump and Putin to discuss sensitive matters, including territorial issues.
The gathering also serves as a test of America’s relationship with its closest allies after the European Union and United Kingdom accepted Trump’s tariff increases partly to secure his support on Ukraine. After enduring public criticism from Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February, Zelensky worked systematically to repair relations with the United States.
Constant diplomatic communication and a 15-minute meeting at the Vatican in April during Pope Francis’ funeral helped restore the relationship. Trump appeared at that time to be influenced by Zelensky’s conditions for peace, though Trump maintains his primary concern remains ending the war, an ambition that led him to dismiss the need for a ceasefire following his Putin meeting.
European allies have also collaborated with Trump, reaching an agreement in July for NATO members to purchase weapons from the United States for Ukraine. Ahead of Monday’s meeting, France’s Macron emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s military capabilities and demonstrating to Putin that Europe interprets his actions as threats to other nations.
“If we are weak with Russia today, we’ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow and they will impact the Ukrainians and — make no mistake — they can impact us, too,” Macron warned.
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters try to put out a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on Ukraine with missiles and drones. A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killed six civilians late Sunday, including a toddler and a 16-year-old, according to local officials. The attack also injured 20 people, including six children.
Russian aerial attacks also targeted the northeastern Sumy region and the southern Odesa region. In Zaporizhzhia, a southeastern city, 17 people were injured in Monday’s attack, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched a total of four Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 140 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine overnight, with 88 drones either intercepted or jammed by Ukrainian defenses.
KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — A Ukrainian sniper has set a new world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history, targeting Russian forces from a staggering distance of more than 13,000 feet during combat operations near the embattled town of Pokrovsk.
Military officials reported that the unprecedented shot was carried out on August 14 by an elite Ukrainian sniper unit using a domestically manufactured 14.5 mm “Alligator” rifle. The precision strike, which reportedly relied on artificial intelligence and drone-assisted targeting, resulted in the deaths of two Russian soldiers. The operation unfolded as Russian troops intensified their offensive around Pokrovsk, a city that once housed more than 60,000 residents but has suffered heavily under repeated attacks.
The sniper’s feat surpasses the previous world record of approximately 12,400 feet, also held by a Ukrainian marksman who used a high-powered rifle known as “Horizon’s Lord” during earlier phases of the conflict.
The record-breaking engagement came just one day ahead of a highly anticipated summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting likely to underscore tensions surrounding Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Monday for talks with President Trump. Their upcoming discussions are expected to focus on defense coordination and potential strategies to bring an end to the war.
As Ukraine continues to resist Russian advances, the sniper’s milestone has become a symbol of both the country’s evolving military capabilities and the high-stakes nature of the conflict that has entered its third year.
