Super Typhoon Bavi has battered the United States Pacific territories of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, leaving reports of major damage on the island of Rota as powerful winds and heavy rain swept across the region.   According to AFP, as published by Channels Television, the National Weather Service (NWS) said the eye of the storm passed directly over Rota early on Monday, packing sustained winds of up to 180 mph (290 km/h), equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. Authorities on Rota, home to about 1,500 residents, reported significant destruction, although communication outages made it difficult to determine the full extent of the damage. “We are hanging in there. We are experiencing heavy winds and flooding here. Some people are already reporting major damages,” Rota Municipal Operations Center public information officer Lou Rosario said, adding that some mobile phone services had failed after a communications tower collapsed. Before the storm made landfall, the NWS warned residents to seek immediate shelter, saying the extreme winds should be treated like an approaching tornado. The agency also cautioned that a direct hit could leave much of Rota uninhabitable for weeks, with widespread tree damage and prolonged power outages. Neighbouring islands including Tinian, northern Guam and southern Saipan experienced hurricane-force winds, while forecasters said conditions would gradually improve as the storm moved westward. Authorities in Guam warned that between eight and 12 inches (20 to 30 centimetres) of rainfall could trigger flash flooding. Residents were advised to remain indoors as winds of 50 to 80 mph, with stronger gusts, continued through the afternoon. Many residents had already endured severe weather earlier this year. Tinian resident Edwin Santa Theresa said electricity to his home had only been restored four days earlier after April’s Typhoon Sinlaku before being cut again by Bavi. In Guam, hotels sheltered hundreds of residents seeking safety from the storm. Businesses also boarded up their premises ahead of landfall to minimise damage. Meteorologists said warmer ocean temperatures and the return of El Niño could contribute to a more active tropical cyclone season across the Pacific. The World Meteorological Organization recently confirmed that El Niño has developed in the tropical Pacific, raising concerns over increased storm activity in the coming months.

Ten people have died and six others were injured in a fatal road crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.   According to Punch, the accident occurred at about 8:05pm on Sunday at Saapade Bridge and involved a white Sinotruk truck and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number EKY 290 YM. The spokesperson for the Ogun Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Afolabi Odunsi, said 18 people were involved in the crash, comprising 15 adult males, two adult females and one male child. He said 10 victims, including nine adult males and one male child, died in the collision, while six people, made up of four adult males and two adult females, sustained varying degrees of injuries. Two adult males escaped unhurt. Odunsi said preliminary investigations showed the crash was caused by speeding, wrongful overtaking and dangerous driving. According to him, the truck driver reportedly reversed on the highway after missing his route, while the approaching bus, travelling at high speed, attempted to squeeze through the limited space and rammed into the truck. FRSC rescue teams evacuated the injured victims to Victory Hospital in Ogere for treatment, while the bodies of those who died were deposited at FOS Mortuary in Ipara. The damaged vehicles have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Ishara Division, and the accident scene has been cleared. The Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He also urged motorists, especially commercial drivers and truck operators, to avoid reversing on highways, speeding and other dangerous traffic violations. Ogunjobi advised road users to obey traffic regulations, maintain safe speeds and use designated turning points whenever they miss their routes.

The Federal Government has warned that it may take tougher action against South Africa if attacks on Nigerian citizens continue, following the killing of two Nigerians in separate incidents.   According to Punch Newspaper, the government condemned the deaths of Emeka Charles Iroegbu and Musa Yunana Joe, popularly known as Big Joe, both killed on June 28, 2026. Iroegbu was allegedly tortured to death by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria, while Joe was reportedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Nigeria demanded immediate, transparent and thorough investigations into the killings. The ministry warned that all options remained open if what it described as “intolerance and apartheid-style behaviour” against foreigners, particularly Nigerians, was not addressed. The government also linked the latest incidents to what it called a disturbing pattern of violence against Nigerians in South Africa. It noted that officers allegedly involved in the April 20, 2026 killing of another Nigerian, Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong, had yet to be arrested despite being known to the South African Police Service. Nigeria expressed concern over rising xenophobic tensions, saying the repeated attacks appeared aimed at wrongly portraying law-abiding Nigerians as criminals. The government also criticised remarks reportedly made by a South African government spokesperson suggesting Nigerians leaving the country over xenophobic protests should reveal where illegal drugs were hidden. It described the comments as inflammatory, unprofessional and capable of inciting hatred against Nigerians. While extending condolences to the families of the victims, the Federal Government urged South African authorities to ensure those responsible for the killings and other unresolved attacks on Nigerians were brought to justice. The ministry advised Nigerians living in South Africa to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, relocate from areas prone to violence where necessary, and avoid retaliatory actions. It added that evacuation arrangements for registered Nigerians wishing to leave South Africa were continuing. The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg and the Nigerian Union South Africa also called for swift investigations and prosecution of those responsible, while urging members of the Nigerian community to remain cautious and report suspicious activities to the police.

At least nine farmers have been killed and several others abducted after armed bandits attacked farmland near Kakangi village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.   According to an AFP report published by Punch on Sunday, the attackers stormed the farmlands on Saturday and opened fire on farmers while they were working during the ongoing rainy season. A security report prepared for the United Nations and seen by AFP said nine bodies had been recovered, with six victims already identified by local authorities. However, community leader Kabiru Ishaq, who visited Kakangi village to condole with residents, said the death toll stood at 10. The report said the attack was believed to be a retaliatory assault after farmers reportedly killed a bandit during a failed robbery attempt earlier on Saturday. According to the security report, the slain bandit’s accomplice later returned with reinforcements and launched the deadly attack on the farming community. Several residents were also kidnapped during the raid, although authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of those abducted. Birnin Gwari remains one of the areas hardest hit by armed gangs commonly referred to as bandits, who frequently attack villages, abduct residents for ransom, steal livestock and destroy property. The latest attack comes despite a peace agreement brokered by local authorities in November 2024 between farming communities and bandit groups in the area. Last month, at least six farmers were killed and 20 others kidnapped during another attack on Danauta village in Birnin Gwari, according to local sources. AFP, as reported by Punch, said attacks on farming communities in northern and central Nigeria have intensified during the rainy season as armed groups target villages that refuse to pay illegal levies.