As the first phase of the Ardova Handball Premier League 2025 came to an end at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, Safety Shooters and Safety Babes, both owned by the Federal Road Safety Corp, have emerged as leaders in the men’s and women’s categories leagues.
Safety Shooters won only one game and won one game, putting them in the lead in the men’s standings, with a consoling 26-20 victory over Niger United on the final day.
Their campaign was supported by a league-high 322 goals and a staggering +91 goal difference, putting them ahead of COAS Shooters, who also won 28 points in first place based on superior goal difference.
COAS Shooters won their opening game 38–31 over De Defenders, but they had to settle for second place because of their +50 goal difference.
With seven victories, one draw, and two losses in ten matches, the Sokoto Rima Strikers finished with 25 points.
The top five were rounded out by title holders Correction Boys, who had scored 22 points, and Tojemarine Academy, who had 24 points.
Niger United, the previous champion, finished in sixth place with 19 points, while Osun United, who defeated Benue Buffaloes 20-19, also came in with 19 points but had a slightly lower goal difference.
The 8th to 11th spots were filled by De Defenders, Adamawa Warriors, Benue Buffaloes, and Lagos Seasiders.
In the seven-game period, defending champion Safety Babes, who won all of their games with 21 points, proved untouchable.
As they attempt to win an unprecedented quintuple of titles, they have scored 242 goals and conceded just 173.
Soof Omo Ogiefo defeated Sokoto Rima Queens 34–31 to clinch second place, extending that position.
With six wins and one draw, Sokoto Rima Queens finished the first phase with 22 points, one behind Safety Babes.
Imo Grasshoppers and Soof Omo Ogiefo tallied fourth and fifth places, followed by Plateau Peacocks, who had 15 points.
Read more about [WAFCON 2024] Madugu’s “Good Performance” as the Super Falcons defeat Zambia in a victory.
Defender Babes and Rivers Queens are both in the top six, while Ekiti Queens, who lost just one game, placed eighth in the women’s standings.
After the first phase of the competition is over, the focus now turns to the crucial second phase, which will feature the eventual champions and the survival battle taking center stage in Lagos later in the year.
If you know where to look, Frankie Bridge just updated the butter yellow with her “soon” lime green waistcoat and trouser set, which is still available to purchase.
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Frankie’s co-ord was a big hit with fans(Image: Frankie Bridge/Instagram)
Few people can master the combination of being timeless and on trend like Frankie Bridge does. The presenter is renowned for creating an endlessly chic outfit that strikes the perfect balance between staying current with fashion and remaining wearable for years to come, and her most recent co-ord is no exception.
Frankie shared a snap of herself wearing Mango’s Striped Straight Suit Trousers (£45.99) and the matching Buttons Striped Top (£35.99) on Instagram, and fans immediately went wild for it. “So many sensational outfits, my style icon” wrote one, whilst another said: “Absolutely love this outfit!”
This cozy and cool linen combo is essential during the heatwave, so read on for more.
One of Millie Mackintosh’s “summer staples,” the “very comfortable” Nobody’s Child midi dress.
The stripe top is currently out of stock on the Mango website, but the pants are still available in all sizes, starting at six to fourteen. However, don’t be alarmed because it’s still available in sizes small, medium, and large thanks to our fashion sleuthing abilities at Very.
The pinstripe co-ord is ideal for summer, and it’s wearable anywhere, from a summer wedding to brunch. Its fitted, tailored silhouette gives it an instantly sophisticated, smart look when it’s changed for an easy accessory swap.
You won’t have to worry about creasing or crumpling because it is made of linen, which also keeps it breathable and comfortable in the summer heat. We’re also a big fan of the lime green shade, which is more flattering on all skin tones and has a punchier, bolder impact than the butter yellow trend.
The tailored co-ord is perfect for any summer occasion(Image: Frankie Bridge/Instagram)
The waistcoat-style Buttons Striped Top has an adjustable tie at the back, which makes the fit flattering, and the Striped Straight Suit Trousers have a relaxed, wide leg fit with customary darts around the waist. The top also reaches out over the hips, giving you an hourglass-like silhouette and enhancing your figure.
We discovered some excellent high-street brands like Roman’s Lime Dusk Waist Coat (£32) and Elasticated Waist Wide Leg Trouser (£35), both of which have a similar silhouette with a slightly more casual, relaxed fit. The ASOS Premium Ponte Halter Neck Top (£26) and the matching Premium Ponte Barrel Leg Trouser (£30) both have a slightly more sophisticated design, making it ideal for evenings out.
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However, you can purchase the Striped Straight Suit Trousers from Mango and the Buttons Striped Top at Very right now if you want to copy Frankie’s “sommal” co-ord.
Nadiya, a child of the murderers and rapists, was able to escape in Kyiv, Ukraine, only to find herself hidden in a haystack amid the bloodshed, shouting, and shooting that occurred 82 years ago.
The 94-year-old woman told Al Jazeera, and asked to keep her last name and personal information, and said, “He covered me with hay and told me not to get out no matter what.”
On July 11, 1943, members of the nationalist paramilitary group UiA stormed Nadiya’s village near the Polish-Ukrainian border, killing ethnic Polish men and raping women.
Anyone who attempted to defend the Poles was also killed, according to Nadiya.
Although the nonagenarian is frail and rarely goes out, her face sparkles when she recalls her grand- and great-grandchildren’s names and birthdays.
Even though her parents never discussed the now-dubbed Volyn massacre, she also recalls the names of her neighbors who were murdered or forced to flee to Poland.
Nadiya criticized the UIA, which continued to fight the Soviets until the early 1950s, by saying, “The Soviets forbade it.”
Nadiya claimed that her account may rile Ukrainian nationalists who criticize UIA fighters for supporting Russian independence in World War II.
The UIA leaders made their decision after communist purges, violent atheism, forced collectivism, and a famine that claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. They backed Nazi Germany, which occupied the USSR in 1941.
However, the Nazis ultimately refused to annex Ukraine and toppled Stepan Bandera, one of the UIA’s leaders, into a concentration camp.
Roman Shukhevych, a top UIA leader, was charged with involvement in the Holocaust and the massive ethnic Pole massacres in 1943’s western Ukrainian region of Volyn and adjacent areas.
On the 82nd anniversary of the Volyn massacre, which took place in Krakow, Poland, on July 11, 2025.
Genocide?
According to survivors, Polish historians, and officials who consider the Volyn massacre to be a “genocide,” up to 100 000 civilian Poles, including women and children, were stabbed, axed, beaten, or burned to death.
The Polish Institute of National Memory’s Robert Derevenda stated to Polskie Radio on July 11 that “what’s horrifying isn’t the numbers but the way the murders were carried out.”
In honor of the 1943 murders, the Polish parliament designated July 11 as “The Volyn Massacre Day.”
The bill stated that “a martyr’s death for being Polish deserves to be commemorated.”
Poland is fully entitled to commemorate this tragedy, according to Kyiv-based analyst Igar Tyshkevych, according to Al Jazeera. “From Poland’s point of view, yes, this is a tragedy of the Polish people,” Tyshkevych said.
However, he said, right-wing Polish politicians may use the day to promote anti-Ukrainian narratives, and Kyiv’s harsh response could increase tensions.
He continued, “Ideally, historians and not politicians should be the subject of discussion during all of these processes.”
The Volyn massacre is referred to as a “tragedy” by Ukrainian politicians and historians. They accuse the Polish army of killing tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians in response to a lower death toll.
Bandera and Shukhevych, UIA leaders, have frequently been hailed as national heroes in post-Soviet Ukraine, and hundreds of streets, squares, and other landmarks have been given their names.
On November 11, 2024, in Warsaw, Poland, a banner containing text referring to the Polish victims of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army was displayed.
changing political and viewpoints
Vyacheslav Likhachyov, a Kyiv-based human rights advocate, called “banderite” any proponent of Ukraine’s independence or even any ordinary person who fought for the legitimacy of the public’s representation of Ukrainian culture.
When many supporters of Ukraine’s independence started to understand Bandera and the UIA, he claimed, “turning a blind eye to their radicalism, xenophobia, and political violence.”
Despite objections from many Ukrainians, particularly in the eastern and southern regions, anti-Russian Ukrainian leaders began to celebrate the UIA in the 2000s.
According to Likhachyov, the UIA is seen today through a somewhat myopic lens of Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
According to Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at Bremen University in Germany, the political elite of Ukraine views the Volyn massacre and armed fighting between Ukrainians and Poles as only “a war related to the Ukrainians’ fight for their land.”
A village, where the majority of the population is on the enemy’s side, is regarded as a “legitimate target” according to the sayings of war, which any village can experience.
On January 1, 2025, in Lviv, Ukraine, people gather to pay tribute to Stepan Bandera at his 116th birthday.
Many Ukrainian young people with right-leaning backgrounds “fully accepted” Bandera’s radicalism and the militant nationalism, he claimed.
Before Russia’s massive invasion in 2022, thousands of far-right nationalists gathered in every Ukrainian town to honor Bandera’s birth anniversary on January 1.
They chanted, “Bandera is our father, Ukraine is our mother,” in response.
The Polish and Israeli embassies issued protest declarations in response, reminding them of the UIA’s involvement in the Volyn massacre and the Holocaust.
In 2014, far-right activists enlisted in large numbers in 2022 to fight separatists opposed to Moscow-backed separatists in southeast Ukraine.
There is no room for reflection and self-analysis in Ukraine’s “social threat” to its very existence, according to rights advocate Likhachyov.
Meanwhile, he said Warsaw will continue to call for concessions after the Volyn massacre and threaten to oppose Ukraine’s annexation of the European Union.
According to analyst Tyshkevych, Moscow “traditionally plays” the conflict to bring about division between Kyiv and Warsaw and accuse Ukrainian leaders of “neo-Nazi” tendencies.
During the Ukrainian defenders’ commemoration ceremony on October 1, 2023 in Lviv, Ukraine, veterans of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) display flags near the grave of the unidentified soldier in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) [Les Kasyanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images]
Can there be reconciliation?
The Volyn massacre’s memory is still rife with controversy today. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has helped the UIA’s reputation as a freedom fighters, somewhat putting aside any discussion of its involvement in the atrocities of World War II.
The commemoration of the massacre has become a symbol of national trauma and, occasionally, a tool of influence in political disagreements with Ukraine.
After Kyiv lifted a seven-year moratorium on such exhumations, Polish experts began exhuming the remains of the Volyn massacre victims in the western Ukrainian village of Puzhniky in April. Some think this may be the first step in aversing the Volyn massacre’s repercussions.
According to historians, reconciliation won’t happen quickly.
Ivar Dale, a senior policy adviser with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog, told Al Jazeera, “The way to reconciliation is frequently painful and requires people to accept historical realities they’re uncomfortable with.”
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seized 16 containers filled with illegal drugs worth a staggering $20.5 billion in what officials claim is one of the largest pharmaceutical interceptions in recent years.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, who led journalists through the inspection of the intercepted items during a press briefing at the Customs Area 2 Command Headquarters, announced the seizure Friday at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
In an effort to avoid being discovered, Adeniyi claimed that the containers, 11 of which contained dangerous and unregistered drugs, were hidden beneath layers of legitimate consumer goods like tomato paste, ceiling fans, plumbing materials, and even car parts. Over 1.3 million bottles of Codeine syrup, 12.6 million tablets of Tapentadol/Tramadol, and a number of other unregulated prescription drugs with high abuse potential were included in the illegal contents.
Adeniyi said, “This is a calculated attempt to exploit Nigeria’s trade channels and flood the market with potentially dangerous substances,” citing the potential catastrophic harm to public health.
Intelligence-Led Interception
According to him, the Customs’ intensified intelligence-led enforcement efforts were the result of close cooperation with other national regulatory bodies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Office of the National Security Advisor.
The organization conducted what it called targeted interdictions at high-risk corridors and port entrances, efforts that culminated in the intercept of these 16 containers, which were supported by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Parmi the seized drugs on file were: 1, 301, 000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml), 9.3 million bottles of Really Extra Diclofenac, 12.6 million bottles of Trodol (225mg), 210, 000 bottles of Hyergra (200mg), 717, 360 bottles of Bisoveu, and 2.2 million bottles of Bassuka (50mg), respectively.
Adeniyi compared the drugs to “moles that were hidden beneath things like 118 ceiling fans, 97, 200 tomato paste cans, 2, 610 plumbing fixtures, and even 2, 268 Smart Tech vehicle parts.” This level of concealment demonstrates how sophisticated smuggling syndicates are getting.
Threat to national security and public health
The Customs boss warned that the unregulated distribution of these drugs could lead to an increase in drug addiction, worsen Nigeria’s public health crisis, and bolster criminal networks that thrive on the illegal drug trade.
“Unregulated drugs compromise treatment outcomes and lead to public safety being destroyed. This poses a threat to national security beyond just a health issue.
Read more about the arrest of alleged bandit leader after an 11-year manhunt.
NAFDAC Applauds Customs’ Vigilance
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director-General, praised the Customs for their accomplishments at the event. She referred to the seizure as a “critical line of defense” against the entry of dangerous goods into homes and pharmacies in Nigeria.
They must maintain vigilance on the frontline of import control. If allowed in, these products could have caused astronomical harm to our communities,” she claimed.
Adeyeye promised that NAFDAC would carry out thorough laboratory analyses of the seized pharmaceuticals and adhere to stringent regulatory standards for distribution, inspection, and certification.
A Consensus for Smugglers
The Customs Comptroller-General’s stern warning to smuggling networks operating within and around Nigeria’s borders came to an end.
Let’s make it known that criminal activity cannot enter Nigeria’s borders. We will use the full force of the law to prosecute violators.
After enduring pressure from President Trump’s escalating tariffs, the virtual beauty brand that can be found in Oprah and Hailey Bieber’s makeup bags has ended.
Fans are spending up to £150 to buy products while stocks last(Image: Getty Images)
Ami Colé is set to close after four years in business due to climbing tariffs and marketing costs. Founder Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye shook the beauty community when she announced the closure of her business in an article for The Cut.
Ami Colé will end this September after nearly four beautiful years of soul-stretching. The business bears both my mother’s and, as I built it, my daughter’s names, which made this decision so difficult for me. However, it became clear that staying in this current market wasn’t sustainable after considering every option,” she wrote.
Diarrha explained that her intention was to have the company become a beloved component of their daily lives when she founded it. One of the 30 Black women to raise more than $1 million (£745k) for her start-up was her commitment to creating beauty products for all women, especially those with Black and brown skin.
Their lip balm quickly became a popular online sensation.
READ MORE: Charlotte Tilbury says beauty dupes ‘steal from your skincare’ – but are they really that bad?
Ami Colé quickly won more than 80 awards for her viral lip products, including a spot on “Oprah’s Favourite Things” list. “Diarrha wrote” featured us in the makeup bags of Nia Long, Kelly Rowland, Mindy Kaling, Hailey Bieber, and Martha Stewart (full circle, my inspiration).
The Ami Colé Lash-Amplifying Mascara also features in Hailey’s Vogue Beauty Edit.
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We’ve got this president, rising tariffs, and marketing costs that are brutal for small brands like mine, Diarrha wrote as she closed her piece. Even though my story isn’t unique, it still hurts to watch a sector promote inclusivity while remaining so unforgiving.
Even as I deal with the grief of letting go, I’m proud of what we built for the women for whom we built it all. Thank you to those who saw our mission as real. I appreciate you allowing me to participate in your daily routines.
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The news was a “sad day in the beauty community,” according to one creator on TikTok, while another expressed hope for their international expansion. We are a victim of the high volume of black clothing in the UK. Thirdly, “I’m devastated too. Since its launch, I’ve purchased their products over the years. The multi stick is incredible, lasts all day, and doesn’t run out. Amazing products in a “Crazy”
Fans of the brand shared their heartache on X, with one saying, “Ami Colé is shutting down? ” One person wrote, “Dang they have such good products and prices, while that lip oil is the best in the business.” one of my favorite lip oils.
One creator on Instagram spent over $100 (£74) buying the final stock from the brand, while another bundled 10 of Ami Cole’s Hydrating Lip Treatment – totalling $200 (£149) – into their online basket.
Others offered advice for those looking to purchase something while stocks last. Ami Cole is closing, according to one user, who was sad. Their foundation is the only one that truly matches me, despite the fact that I’ve worn it for a year. I just bought two because I absolutely need this foundation! My second skin, literally.
S Club 7 is a legendary band that has experienced a number of tragedies in recent years, and one of its members has now revealed a terrifying drug addiction that almost caused him to pass away.
S Club 7’s Jon Lee reveals secret crystal meth addiction which almost almost killed him(Image: WireImage)
Jon Lee, the star of S Club 7, revealed for the first time that he had a secret drug habit that saw him be taken and nearly killed.
Jon, the singer of Don’t Stop Movin, established himself in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a member of the renowned pop band S Club 7. Jon’s uplifting, wholesome pop beats made him a household name along with the rest of his bandmates.
However, Jon’s life had a darker side as he now revealed his infamous drug battles after gaining notoriety. Jon acknowledged that the deadly habit, which led to psychotic episodes, caused him to “didn’t recognise himself.”
He stated, “I didn’t even recognize myself at the time. Sometimes, while I was hammering up my flat in one of the psychotic episodes, I would suddenly see myself in the mirror and ask: “What the f***? ” ”.
Jon was part of hit ’90s pop band S Club 7(Image: Getty Images for Bauer Media)
Jon continued, “I would have a moment of lucidity, thinking: “I was a successful young man, I had a brilliant career, and I lived an incredible life. How do I get here? ‘. “
The singer recalls describing the singer as having “holes in the walls around me, cuts all over my knuckles, eye swollen from where I’d been punching myself in the head” and harrowingly claiming he ‘didn’t look anything like Jon-from-S-Club.”
Jon, who was in his 30s when S Club and Jon separated, revealed that Jon started taking crystal meth when he was 30. His concerned neighbors called the emergency services about six years ago when he was “smashing the place up” around 3am because of his addiction, which cost him £250 per week.
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He was taken to ‘some sort of clinic’ where he was sectioned and held overnight after being taken into an ambulance in “a frenzied state” by paramedics, who took him into an ambulance.
