Five hundred and forty-two senior Non-Commissioned Officers, today, bowed out of the Nigerian Armed Forces after 35 years of service.
The disengagement ceremony comprised 362 soldiers from the Nigerian Army, 134 from the Nigerian Navy, and 46 from the Nigerian Air Force. , held at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre NAFRC in Oshodi, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Oluyede, commended the retirees for their commitment to national service.
The COAS, who is represented by the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, Major General Aligbe Obhiozele, said, “Today we celebrate your courage, discipline and selfless service to our great nation, “Your 35-year journey embodies the finest military traditions of resilience and patriotism. As you transition to civilian life, we urge you to uphold these values and become pillars in your communities.”
The COAS reminded the retirees that society would expect nothing less than exemplary conduct from them as products of a disciplined system, while warning against post-service pitfalls like financial mismanagement and health neglect.
NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Bashir Mamman, revealed that the centre had trained over 53,000 personnel since its inception, including members of paramilitary and allied forces.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for approving critical upgrades, including Increased starter packs for retirees, digitalisation of NAFRC records, website and e-learning infrastructure upgrades and modern workshop equipment installation
“These interventions have significantly enhanced our capacity to prepare servicemen for civilian life,” Mamman noted.
The retirees who were trained at the centre on different skills received their discharge certificates amid cheers from family members.
Some of them had mixed feelings about leaving military life but expressed optimism about new beginnings.
UN agency map reveals Cambodia as global scammer hub
Contrary to widespread assumptions that Myanmar is the regional epicentre, Cambodia now appears as the leading hotspot for cyber fraud operations.
BANGKOK - Several observers agree that Prime Minister Hun Manet’s government is facing mounting domestic pressure amid a worsening economic climate, widening inequality, and a surge in illicit activity, particularly cybercrime and online scams.
International intelligence and reports suggest that the profits from these illegal enterprises are, in part or in large measure, connected to individuals close to the Cambodian political elite.
This is not mere speculation. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has released detailed findings on transnational organised crime, cybercrime, and online scam operations.
Their research includes a map of global scam centres, offering a sobering picture of the scale and geography of such activity.
The map, compiled by UNODC, clearly identifies multiple scam hubs along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Interestingly, contrary to widespread assumptions that Myanmar is the regional epicentre, Cambodia now appears as the leading hotspot for cyber fraud operations.
Among the most prominent locations marked on the map is Sihanoukville, cited by the UNODC as one of the largest scam centres in Cambodia.
Yes, I would also like to receive SPH Media Group's SPH Media Limited, its related corporations and affiliates as well as their agents and authorised service providers. marketing and promotions. The report highlights significant foreign investment in the area, which has evolved into both a hideout and operational base for scam syndicates targeting victims worldwide, including in Thailand.
Poipet, a border town directly opposite Aranyaprathet in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo Province, has also become a strategic base for criminal networks seeking to infiltrate the Thai market.
Further south and inland, the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Bavet, and Preah Sihanouk province are similarly highlighted, indicating that the scam industry is no longer confined to border zones.
Instead, it has expanded into major cities, including the national capital, underscoring the scale and institutional entrenchment of cybercriminal activity within Cambodia.
These findings from the UNODC cast a spotlight not only on the country’s growing reputation as a cybercrime hub but also on the complex nexus of political power, economic desperation, and transnational crime now shaping Cambodia’s internal and external challenges.
One of the key concerns for the international community, major powers, and UNODC is the growing body of evidence pointing to clear financial links between Cambodia’s political elite and the country’s burgeoning scam industry, particularly the so-called “scam centres” operating under the guise of legitimate businesses.
A notable example is the LYP Group, which holds concessions in Cambodia’s Koh Kong Special Economic Zone. Its subsidiaries include Koh Kong International Resort Club, and Export-Import.
The group has been sanctioned and blacklisted by the United States for its alleged involvement in corruption, human trafficking, forced labour, and online fraud.
In a more politically sensitive case, a nephew of former Prime Minister Hun Sen has been implicated in large-scale online scam operations, including the embezzlement of over US$49 billion (S$63 billion) in digital assets since 2021.
He has also been linked to Huione Group, a major conglomerate accused of conducting illicit financial transactions, including money laundering and cyber theft, across the region.
The Huione Group has since been sanctioned by the United States and other Western countries. It has been cut off from the US financial system, with all American firms banned from opening accounts or conducting any business with the group.
Commander Trirong Phiewphan of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), revealed on June 16 that Thai cyber police have uncovered financial links between domestic online gambling and call-centre scam networks and an overseas company believed to be involved in money laundering activities.
The investigation found that funds scammed from Thai victims were systematically transferred through a chain of mule accounts, converted into digital assets, and ultimately laundered into cash and physical assets through a company.
Police have identified two possible scenarios involving Huione Group, a company based in Cambodia.
First, the company operates in areas known to host scam syndicates along the border and within criminal strongholds, which raises the possibility that it is being used to convert digital currencies into cash.
Authorities acknowledge that in the majority of past cases involving online gambling and call-centre scams, the financial trail has led back to this company.
Mr Trirong stated that requests for information have been sent to various companies, most of which are based in Thailand and have shown differing levels of cooperation. In contrast, Huione Group has only provided partial responses in certain cases.
As for whether the company has engaged in any wrongdoing or played a role in criminal activities, this cannot yet be determined.
When asked whether Mr Hun To, the nephew of Mr Hun Sen, is involved with the company, Mr Trirong said the matter remains under investigation and no conclusions can be drawn at this stage.
Huione Group is a major Cambodian financial conglomerate with documented links to the Hun family, Cambodia’s ruling political dynasty.
A key executive within the group is Mr Hun To, a cousin of Prime Minister Hun Manet and nephew of former prime minister and current Senate President Hun Sen.
Mr Hun To serves as a board member of Huione Pay, one of the group’s core subsidiaries.
Huione Group operates a network of companies providing a range of services, including:
Huione Pay PLC – a payment service provider Huione Crypto – a digital currency exchange platform Haowang Guarantee – an online marketplace reportedly associated with illegal goods and services
The group has drawn intense scrutiny from international anti-money laundering agencies following widespread allegations of its involvement in global money laundering operations.
These alleged activities are said to have been facilitated through its platforms, including Haowang Guarantee and Huione Crypto.
In March, Cambodia’s central bank revoked Huione Pay’s operating license over regulatory violations.
Meanwhile, the United States added Huione Group to its financial blacklist, labelling it a key laundering hub for transnational call-centre scam syndicates.
According to information published on the official website of the United States Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (Fincen), on May 1, the agency officially blacklisted Huione Group, a major Cambodian financial conglomerate.
The move followed an investigation that identified the group as a central hub in a global money laundering network linked to call-centre scams and transnational criminal syndicates. The total value of funds laundered was estimated at over US$4 billion.
Fincen’s investigation revealed that Huione Group served as a critical financial conduit for illicit proceeds from North Korean cyber heists and large-scale “pig butchering” scams — a form of call-centre fraud in which victims are deceived into investing before their money is siphoned away.
Between August 2021 and January, the group was found to have laundered massive sums, including:
US$37 million from North Korean cyberattacks US$36 million from digital asset investment scams US$300 million from other forms of cyber fraud In response, the US government imposed a series of sweeping sanctions to disrupt the network.
All US financial institutions were prohibited from conducting any transactions with Huione Group.
Telegram removed thousands of channels linked to Huione Guarantee, a subsidiary platform accused of facilitating criminal activity.
The National Bank of Cambodia revoked Huione Pay’s banking licence in March 2025 for regulatory violations.
Additional analysis from Elliptic, a blockchain forensics company, described Huione Guarantee as “the largest criminal marketplace in history”, with more than US$27 billion in recorded transactions.
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “Huione Group has positioned itself as a marketplace of choice for dangerous cyber actors, including North Korea and organised crime syndicates, who have stolen billions of dollars from ordinary Americans”.
This is an example that has led many concerned parties to call on the Thai government not to allow Cambodia to take the territorial dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice alone.
Instead, they argue that the problems Cambodia has swept under the rug — now infamous across the globe — should also be brought before the United Nations.
These include, in particular, the grey businesses, call-centre scams, scammer networks, and Cambodia’s role as a global hub for online fraud, which have caused suffering worldwide, while powerful figures in Cambodia continue to reap vast profits. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
In just six days, Israel has changed the Middle East forever.
We’re witnessing what I believe is the most stunning and masterful military and intelligence campaign in history. And while most people surely realize that Israel’s successes are impressive, I’m not sure the moment is properly understood or appreciated. So, let me try and put things in perspective.
Israel, a country roughly 22,000 square kilometres in size, with a population of approximately 10 million, has completely dismantled Iran – a country that is 1.6 million square kilometres in size and that has a population of 90 million. If we’re talking land – that’s 72 times the size of Israel – and nearly 10 times the population. This is mind-boggling. If we look at land mass, it would be like Cuba taking out the United States.
If we focus on population, think about Maine overwhelming Pennsylvania. Then take into account that there’s about 1500 kilometres between the two countries, with Israel carrying out strikes at least 2300 kilometres away, depending on how far into Iran they’ve travelled. Again – unbelievable.
But this isn’t all about successes. What we’re seeing is also the result of the greatest political and strategic miscalculation in history – October 7th.
In 600 days, Hamas has been decimated, Hezbollah is in tatters, the Assad regime has fallen, and the IDF controls the skies of Iran – regime officials are running for their lives. Yahya Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Ibrahim Aqil, Fuad Shukr, Mohammad Deif, Marwan Issa, Hossein Salami, and countless others have been eliminated. Because of unchecked hubris throughout much of the Arab world, chronic and blinding fanaticism, deep delusion, and a complete denial of Jewish and Israeli resolve, our enemies have suffered a catastrophic collapse.
I raise these points to underscore the gravity of what’s happening right now. Take it in, be in awe, and understand that the world will never be the same – and that’s a good thing.
Barack Obama delved into domestic politics Tuesday night in a way he rarely does – and the content was pretty remarkable.
Speaking to the Connecticut Forum in Hartford, the former president called for institutions, law firms, universities, members of both parties and even Justice Department figures to make “uncomfortable” sacrifices to defend a democracy he argued is increasingly under fire in President Donald Trump’s second term. He suggested, without ever using Trump’s name, that the US was “dangerously close” to a more autocratic government.
“What’s happening is that we now have a situation in which all of us are going to be tested in some way, and we are going to have to then decide what our commitments are,” Obama said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office.
“It will be uncomfortable for a time, but that’s how you know it’s a commitment – because you do it when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy, not just when it’s trendy, not just when it’s cool.”
Obama specifically cited how law firms that don’t cow to Trump will have to accept reduced billings — “which means you cannot remodel that kitchen in your house in the Hamptons this summer” — and businesses that resist the administration’s bullying may have to deal with retribution like politically oriented investigations or mergers being held up.
He even twice pointed to people who work in Trump’s Justice Department, painting them as a bulwark in upholding the Constitution in the face of the president’s threats.
It was a significant call for a broad-scale resistance from the most popular and significant Democratic figure of the 21st century. And it comes at an important time, as the grassroots have risen up in protest like they haven’t since the start of Trump’s first term, but as the party still faces a remarkable leadership vacuum.
His appearance, however, was also somewhat discordant.
If you haven’t heard much about Obama’s comments, there’s a reason for that. He chose to deliver them at an event at which audio and video recordings were prohibited. If the idea was to disseminate this clarion call to the broader public, it was a weird choice of venues.
Obama never uttered the word “Trump” once. Throughout his remarks, it was clear what he was talking about. But he opted for broad generalities rather than specifics about who and what are threatening democracy.
He did include winks and nods to what everyone likely knew he was talking about.
“I mean, if you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to … our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work,” Obama said.
He also warned about government being “captured by those who, let’s say, have a weak attachment to democracy.”
After some cheers and applause, Obama said, “Well, I don’t even think that’s a controversial statement at this point … It was a controversial statement; now it is self-acknowledged.”
But is it self-acknowledged? Perhaps in a room full of people who would turn out to see Barack Obama.
In the rest of the country, not so much. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS last month showed about half of Americans (49%) said American democracy is “under attack.” That sounds like a lot, but it’s actually lower than most polls this decade.
Democrats have warmed to this argument, as Trump’s 2024 election has persuaded Republicans that democracy is in OK shape. But it’s still only about 7 in 10 Democrats who view this as an immediate threat. And the trend line for independents is pretty flat.
Obama’s appearance was very much in line with how former presidents are supposed to conduct themselves after leaving office. The norm is that they resist criticizing their successors and stay above the day-to-day fray. Obama has generally adhered to this, save for when he’s campaigned against Trump.
But the 44th president is also talking about a historic moment in which the very foundations of our democracy are under attack. He’s talking about how everyone needs to sacrifice in a historic moment, but he’s clearly reluctant to go too far in using his own platform – at least for now. He’s still clinging – to borrow a word – to the norms.
It harks back to the generals who served under Trump. Some of them spent years inching toward publicly warning that Trump was dangerous and even a fascist threat, treating the situation gently because generals aren’t supposed to get involved in politics.
Their comments faded quickly from the campaign in part because they seemed to want to them to. Many of these criticisms surfaced indirectly, in books. The generals weren’t out there giving TV interviews or press conferences. But that they didn’t really press their case undermined the idea that they really thought Trump was this threat.
Obama’s decision to more subtly register these comments also comes at a time when Democrats are practically begging for a voice of authority to consistently drive these kinds of messages. The party faces a leadership vacuum like we’ve rarely seen, which makes competing with Trump’s firehose of provocations much more difficult.
There is one figure who could seemingly fill that void instantly. A Gallup poll earlier this year showed Obama is by far the most popular living president, with 6 in 10 Americans and even 1 in 5 Republicans having a favorable opinion.
There are reasons for him to not want to get too involved, including so the next generation of Democratic leaders can assert themselves.
But for now, he seems reluctant to step too far outside his own comfort zone.
The Islamic Regime of Iran has got to be the most useless ally.
"We will protect Gaza." ❌️ FAIL "We will defend Hezbollah!" ❌️ FAIL "We will teach Israel an unforgettable lesson!" ❌️ FAIL "Israel is coming to an end!" ❌️ FAIL "We will protect Syria." ❌️ FAIL
The Islamic Regime of Iran has got to be the most useless ally.
"We will protect Gaza." ❌️ FAIL "We will defend Hezbollah!" ❌️ FAIL "We will teach Israel an unforgettable lesson!" ❌️ FAIL "Israel is coming to an end!" ❌️ FAIL "We will protect Syria." ❌️ FAIL
Imam Hassen Chalghoumi of Drancy, near Paris, is astonished by what Israel is currently doing in Iran. He writes:
I, a son of Ishmael, an imam, a Muslim, a man of peace, hereby present my sincere testimony about this extraordinary people:
I must admit, I believe in religions and miracles. But there is something about this people — the people of Israel — that feels like a living miracle.
A people the Pharaohs tried to erase 3,000 years ago… and failed. A people the Babylonians tried to annihilate 2,500 years ago… and failed. A people the Romans tried to wipe out 2,000 years ago… and failed. A people the Nazis tried to exterminate 80 years ago… and failed to erase. A people the Arabs fought in five wars to wipe off the map… and failed.
This is a small nation in number, but with a unique strength — a divine blessing. Wherever it lays its hand, it succeeds: in finance, commerce, science, philosophy, literature… A desert land turned into a paradise, without oil or gas, but with liberty, democracy, intelligence, and determination.
This is a people who gave the world Einstein, Newton, Kafka, Karl Marx, Nietzsche, Spinoza, Freud… and many others who left a mark on humanity.
There are realities that neither reason nor logic can explain. There is only one word for it: miracle.
For two and a half years now, this people has been fighting on five fronts. They said it was tired, that it was about to collapse… and yet, it surprises the world by opening a new front against the Iranian enemy — one that frightens even Arab regimes.
This people, though small in number, possesses the courage of nobles, the wisdom of prophets, the patience of the righteous, and the determination of survivors. How could it be otherwise, when it is known they are the descendants of Abraham, Solomon, David, Moses, Jacob, Joseph… and 1,523 prophets and emissaries from their lineage?
This is a people who brought monotheism and faith in one God to the world. A people driven by a thirst for life, for work, for innovation, and for continuity — a drive that has lasted more than 4,000 years.
Truly, I find no other word to describe them but: a nation of miracles.
If the Arabs had clear vision, they would choose to unite with this people, to learn from them, to cooperate with them… perhaps they would absorb some of their knowledge, wisdom, and dignity.
Lol....Ayatollah is at the mercy of Israel at the moment. Few hours ago Trump tweeted for him to surrender unconditionally....They know where he is hiding and can easily take him out.
Whose actions most changed the course of human history.
1. Muhammad 2. Isaac Newton 3. Jesus 4. Gautama Buddha 5. Confucius 6. Paul the Apostle 7. Cai Lun 8. Johannes Gutenberg 9. Christopher Columbus 10. Albert Einstein 11. Louis Pasteur 12. Galileo Galilei 13. Aristotle 14. Euclid 15. Moses 16. Charles Darwin 17. Shih Huang Ti 18. Augustus Caesar 19. Nicolaus Copernicus 20. Antoine Laurent Lavoisier 21. Constantine the Great 22. James Watt 23. Michael Faraday 24. James Clerk Maxwell 25. Martin Luther 26. George Washington 27. Karl Marx 28. Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright 29. Genghis Khan 30. Adam Smith 31. Edward de Vere (better known as ""William Shakespeare"" 32. John Dalton 33. Alexander the Great 34. Napoleon Bonaparte 35. Thomas Edison 36. Antony van Leeuwenhoek 37. William T. G. Morton 38. Guglielmo Marconi 39. Adolf Hitler 40. Plato 41. Oliver Cromwell 42. Alexander Graham Bell 43. Alexander Fleming 44. John Locke 45. LudWig van Beethoven 46. Werner Heisenberg 47. Louis Daguerre 48. Simon Bolivar 49. Rene Descartes 50. Michelangelo 51. Pope V rban II 52. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab 53. Asoka 54. St. Augustine 55. William Harvey 56. Ernest Rutherford 57. John Calvin 58. Gregor Mendel 59. Max Planck 60. Joseph Lister 61. Nikolaus August Otto 62. Francisco Pizarro 63. Hernando Cortes 64. Thomas Jefferson 65. Queen Isabella I 66. Joseph Stalin 67. Julius Caesar 68. William the Conqueror 69. Sigmund Freud 70. Edward Jenner 71. William Conrad Rontgen 72. Johann Sebastian Bach 73. Lao Tzu 74. Voltaire 75. Johannes Kepler 76. Enrico Fermi 77. Leonhard Euler 78. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 79. Niccolo Machiavelli 80. Thomas Malthus 81. John F. Kennedy 82. Gregory Pincus 83. Mani 84. Lenin 85. Sui Wen Ti 86. Vasco da Gama 87. Cyrus the Great 88. Peter the Great 89. Mao Zedong 90. Francis Bacon 91. Henry Ford 92. Mencius 93. Zoroaster 94. Queen Elizabeth I 95. Mikhail Gorbachev 96. Menes 97. Charlemagne 98. Homer 99. Justinian I 100. Mahavira
According to The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History (Book), the American author Michael H. Hart
Note: Hart was not attempting to rank on "greatness" as a criterion, but rather whose actions most changed the course of human history.
George Junius Stinney Jr. was the youngest person to be sentenced to death in the 20th century in the United States.
He was only 14 years old when he was executed in an electric chair. During his trial, even on the day of his execution, he always carried a bible in his hands, claiming to be innocent. He was accused of killing two white girls, 11-Year-old Betty, and Mary of 7, the bodies were found near the house where the teenager resided with his parents.
At that time, all members of the jury were white. The trial lasted only 2 hours, and the sentence was dictated 10 minutes later. The Boy's parents were threatened, and prevented from being present in the courtroom, and subsequently expelled from that city. Before the execution, George spent 81 days in prison without being able to see his parents.
He was held in solitary, 80 miles from his city. He was alone without the presence of his parents or a lawyer. He was electrocuted with 5,380 volts in his head, imagine all that voltage in a teenager's head.
70 years later, his innocence was finally proven by a judge in South Carolina. The boy was innocent, someone set it up to blame him for being black.
*George Junius Stinney Jr. was the youngest person to be sentenced to death in the 20th century in the United States.* He was only 14 years old when he was executed in an electric chair.* During his trial, even on the day of his execution, he always… pic.twitter.com/SAaWPwDsoY
UN Condemns Benue Killings, Asks Tinubu-Led Nigerian Government To Apprehend Killers
The United Nations has acknowledged that it is monitoring the ongoing massacre in Benue State.
This was disclosed by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.
“We’re monitoring the situation,” he said.
“The Secretary-General condemns the killing of innocent civilians, including in Nigeria, and we hope that those responsible for this violence will be found and apprehended.”
This development comes amid growing outrage over the continued killings and the seeming inability of the government to halt the massacres.
In a related development, Amnesty International, in a strongly-worded statement, said: “The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working.”
The human rights watchdog decried the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region, warning that “the Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue State and bring the actual perpetrators to justice.”Travel guides for Nigeria
SaharaReporters also reported that three security operatives lost their lives in the Yelewata assault, while 16 others were wounded.
The incident is part of a grim pattern: just days earlier, on June 10, three youths were ambushed and killed in Edikwu-G’Icho, Apa LGA, and another man, Sunday Dutse, was murdered along the Odugbeho-Ogbaulu road in Agatu LGA.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, speaking in a previous interview with Channels Television, said: “We are under siege,” adding that the wave of violence is “directed, planned, and executed,” not merely spontaneous communal clashes.
“We are receiving intel, and 60 to 65 percent of it has proven accurate,” Alia said, warning that the state is facing organized acts of terrorism.
According to SBM Intelligence, over 2,000 Nigerians were killed in the first quarter of 2025, with Benue State accounting for 101 of those deaths. The report also revealed that 136 security personnel were killed within the same period, painting a troubling picture of the scale of violence across the country.Travel guides for Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu, following a series of public outcries, is expected to visit Benue on Wednesday after stating that "he would adjust his schedule to visit the state."
This was contained in a press statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
"President Bola Tinubu has rescheduled his official visit to Kaduna State. Instead, he will travel to Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state," the statement read in part.
"The President's visit aims to assess firsthand the recurring crisis that has claimed numerous lives and caused significant destruction."
It was further stated that "during his stay, President Tinubu will meet with all stakeholders—including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders, and youth groups—to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities."
"In preparation for the visit, President Tinubu has already dispatched the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, heads of intelligence agencies, the National Security Adviser, and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Defence Committees to Benue State."
The statement also noted that the President is expected to hold a town hall meeting with all stakeholders during the visit.
"According to his itinerary released over the weekend, President Tinubu was scheduled to visit Kaduna State on Wednesday to commission various state government projects. However, the official visit will now occur on Thursday, June 19, 2025."
illicit: Not enough original content Please take a moment to write a quality post with at least 40 characters. This will make the forum more interesting for everyone
😂😂 I still need 40 laughing emoji 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Female IAF navigator back from mission in Iran says it was ‘for the peace of tomorrow’
An Israeli Air Force female combat navigator who took part in this weekend’s unprecedented airstrikes on Iran says it was a historic and emotional mission aimed at neutralizing a major threat to Israel.
“I felt the responsibility in the cockpit to remove a real and existential threat to the State of Israel,” says Maj. Shin, identified only by the first Hebrew initial of her name, in rare public remarks for a female member of an IAF air crew.
“We’re doing this for the peace of tomorrow. For our home. That is our mission,” she adds.
Maj. Shin flew over 1,500 kilometers (about 1,000 miles) from Israel in what she describes as a “complex and powerful aerial operation designed to ensure that our children will have a better and safer future.”
During a series of 1940 military exercises conducted by the German Luftwaffe, something extraordinary happened—an unidentified flying object was reportedly captured on camera as it passed through a thick smoke screen used for battlefield simulation. Once classified, these rare images have recently resurfaced, reigniting debate among UFO researchers and historians alike.
According to sources familiar with the original archive, the images were part of a secret German military file. They show a clearly defined, "disc-shaped craft" gliding above the training zone, visible even through dense, swirling smoke.
What makes this incident especially compelling is the era in which it occurred. In the early 1940s, aviation technology was still in its infancy—jet engines were experimental, and drones as we know them didn't exist. Yet, the object displayed remarkable agility, seemingly unaffected by the violent turbulence caused by explosions and heavy artillery. Luftwaffe officers at the time were reportedly baffled, with no known explanation for the craft's behavior or design.
Some researchers now point to this event as early evidence of advanced aerial surveillance, possibly extraterrestrial in origin, monitoring human military activity even before World War II escalated. Notably, experts have confirmed the authenticity of the photograph—ruling out modern digital manipulation or AI-generated imagery.
Whether it was a top-secret human project far ahead of its time—or something not of this world—the 1940 Luftwaffe UFO remains an unsolved mystery that continues to challenge our understanding of history... and what may have been watching us all along.
LASG suspends planning approvals along Lagos-Calabar coastal road
The Lagos State Government has announced the immediate suspension of planning approvals along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.
The announcement was contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide in Alausa on Monday.
Olumide said that the suspension of planning approvals along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road was necessary to address the impacts of the project on the State’s Physical Development Plans in the area.
According to him, the project had significantly impacted the just concluded Ode-Omi Action Area Plan as well as the ongoing Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan and Lekki Comprehensive Master Plan that are at various stages of preparation.
“As a result of the effects of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road on our Development Plans, it is germane to review the situation on ground and align it with the Development Plans to forestall any further distortion now or in the nearest future.
“In this connection, it is equally important to temporarily suspend Planning Approvals in the axis until further notice, “ the commissioner said.
Olumide emphasised that the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority has been mandated to carry out this suspension order until it is directed otherwise.
He noted that the Lagos State Government remained steadfast in its commitment to an organised, livable, inclusive, and sustainable built environment, while assuring that the state was well-positioned to reap the many benefits of the inter-state Coastal Highway.
Ranked: Countries With the Largest Declines in Freedom (2014-2024)
Over the past decade, freedom has sharply declined in many countries.
Authoritarian leaders have expanded their power by rewriting constitutions, silencing the media, and suppressing opposition. As democratic institutions erode, waves of protest have erupted—often met with brutal crackdowns across several global regions.
This graphic shows the nations with the sharpest drop in democratic freedoms since 2014, based on analysis from Freedom House.
Democratic Freedoms in Retreat Here are the top 20 countries in the world where freedom has fallen the most based on 25 indicators across civil liberties and political rights:
Notably, Nicaragua has seen democratic freedoms backslide as autocratic leader Daniel Ortega has overhauled the constitution. In particular, Ortega enabled his wife, Rosaria Murillo, to become co-president under law.
Meanwhile, Ortega can now prosecute media that oppose his views. Even more strikingly, any resident who is considered a traitor can have their citizenship revoked.
Following Nicaragua are Tunisia and El Salvador, each which have seen considerable declines in civil liberties. With 1,700 prisoners per 100,000 population, El Salvador has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Serbia and Türkiye stand as the top two in Europe, with Serbia seeing protests, rigged elections, and the arrest of activists in a deteriorating political climate.
Did you know aging doesn’t happen gradually — it comes in waves?
A major study published in Nature Medicine found that our bodies go through three major aging shifts at around age 34, 60, and 78. Scientists analyzed the blood of over 4,000 people and discovered that hundreds of proteins — linked to metabolism, immunity, and organ function — suddenly change at those ages.
This means your body may enter new “biological stages” at those key points in life — not just slowly get older. Aging, it turns out, has milestones.
FBI nabs Nigerian over teen sextortion, gets five years
A Nigerian national, Samuel Abiodun, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the United States after pleading guilty to his role in an online sextortion scheme that led to the death of a teenage boy.
Abiodun, 25, was arrested in Nigeria alongside an accomplice, Afeez Aina, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and extradited to the US in July 2024. He was sentenced on Tuesday by Judge Joel Slomsky of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
According to US Attorney David Metcalf, Abiodun served as a financial middleman in a network that targeted and extorted vulnerable young people online, with devastating consequences.
Speaking on the role Abiodun played in the conspiracy, Metcalf said, “As the financial middleman, Abiodun played a key role in this sextortion scheme, which thoroughly traumatised the victim and then devastated his family.”
“These scammers’ sole aim is to get money from scared and vulnerable young people, with absolutely no regard for their feelings or the potential fallout. In prosecuting this case, we are bringing to justice the men whose actions resulted in truly indelible harm”.
Abiodun pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Prosecutors said his role was pivotal in channelling the extorted funds from victims to the perpetrators in Nigeria.
His co-accused, Aina, pleaded guilty last month to cyberstalking, interstate threats, and receiving proceeds of extortion, among other charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 11 August and faces up to life in prison.
A third suspect, Afeez Adewale, has also been charged but remains in Nigeria, pending extradition.
The US Department of Justice praised the collaboration of Nigerian authorities, including the Attorney General’s office, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for their role in apprehending the suspects.
“This case shows the reach of US law enforcement,” Metcalf said. “If you target Americans online from abroad, we will find you — and you will be brought to justice.”
The victim, whose identity was withheld, died by suicide after being targeted in the online sextortion plot..
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