Author: damazah@gmail.com

A scientist who decoded the dictionary that a bird uses to communicate has won a $100,000 prize for making progress towards a world in which humans can talk to the animals – without being met with a blank response.Dr Julie Elie at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded the 2026 Coller-Dolittle prize for two-way interspecies communication after working out the 11 core calls in the zebra finch vocabulary and their meanings.Her work revealed how the birds announce who they are and what they are doing, and recognise one another regardless of what they are saying by using individual signatures.…

By Adegboyega Adeleye Burnley will host West Ham United while Wolverhampton Wanderers take on Blackburn Rovers in the opening week of the 2026/27 Championship season. The Championship fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign were released on Thursday, with the clash between relegated Premier League sides Burnley and West Ham among the highlights of the opening round of matches. Wolves will get the new season underway against Blackburn at Molineux on Friday, August 14, before Burnley welcome West Ham to Turf Moor on Sunday, August 16. Southampton, who will begin the season on a four-point deduction following the Spygate scandal, travel to…

In a far far cry from the severe strikes of three years ago, the studios and streamers tonight heaped nothing but praise and good will on the Hollywood guilds as the DGA became the final of the Big Three to approve a new four-year contract “The AMPTP congratulates the DGA on ratifying its new contract,” an Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers spokesperson told Deadline late Thursday as members of the Christopher Nolan-led Directors Guild of America “overwhelmingly” voted to ratify a longer than traditional deal. “This agreement delivers historic contributions to the guild’s health plan, meaningful wage and residuals improvements, and strong job protections,” the…

Asparagus, smoked emulsion, watercress, sourdough (starter, above) at Apricity, London W1You pay: £21Restaurant profit: £1.65“It’s easy to assume vegetable dishes should be cheaper than meat,” says chef-patron Chantelle Nicholson. “Vegetables usually are, but vegetable dishes are more labour-intensive. It’s simple to slap a steak on the grill, but you can’t just plate up a carrot.“This dish is interesting, because asparagus can actually be more expensive than some proteins. It costs between £15 and £20 a kilo (it was £9/kg not so long ago), mainly because it’s harvested by hand and the cost of labour has risen. It’s expensive even before…

Lai Olurode, a retired Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has described President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to create state police as a timely and revolutionary step towards addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges. Mr Olurode, in a statement on Thursday, said the president deserved commendation for proposing constitutional amendments that would allow the establishment of state police across the 36 states of the federation. The proposal is contained in the Constitution Alteration Bill currently undergoing legislative consideration as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s governance and security architecture. According to Mr Olurode, successive administrations since the return…

• Adedeji seeks stronger partnership with CITN to deepen tax education, broaden compliance • Ohagwa: tax reform success depends on citizens’ understanding, voluntary participation • CITN launches coordinated nationwide sensitisation drive to demystify taxation James Emejo in Abuja Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, yesterday lamented the country’s inability to generate adequate revenue from taxation despite ongoing reforms, stressing that a significant number of eligible taxpayers are yet to fulfil their civic obligations. He said the challenge facing the country was not necessarily about raising tax rates but ensuring that individuals and businesses that…

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), speaks during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on June 26, 2026.Yuichi Yamazaki | Afp | Getty ImagesThe U.S. and Iran’s interim peace agreement gives inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog access to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites, according to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).His comments come shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspections, despite Iran insisting that there were no new plans for U.N. inspectors to visit sites damaged in U.S.…

Just a few hours after Apple announced price increases across its hardware lineup, Microsoft revealed that Xbox game consoles are also getting more expensive. In addition, the company announced that it’s discontinuing its 2TB model. Starting August 1, Xbox console prices will increase worldwide. The 512GB models will cost $100 more, while the 1TB versions are set to rise by $150.  Price changes are as follows:  Xbox Series S 512GB is increasing from $399 to $499. Xbox Series S 1TB is increasing from $449 to $599. Xbox Series X 1TB Digital is increasing from $599 to $750. Xbox Series X…

The increasing participation of younger Nigerians in politics continues to reshape conversations around leadership and governance across the country. In Ebonyi State, Osborn Nweze Umahi has emerged as one of the young voices gaining attention through grassroots mobilization and political engagement. Recent activities involving supporters of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru highlighted the growing role of youth-led political structures in local governance discussions. Analysts argue that younger politicians are increasingly using direct community engagement to build relationships with voters and promote development-focused agendas. For many supporters, Osborn’s political activities represent a broader effort to encourage youth participation while…

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck a rural part of northern California on Wednesday. Hours later, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Japan and two powerful earthquakes rocked Venezuela in a devastating mass casualty event.The tremors happened in the span of eight hours, prompting online speculation over whether they were related.Experts say they were not.The episodes do share a similarity in that they all occurred along well-known plate boundaries with high seismic hazard, according to William Barnhart, assistant coordinator for the US Geological Survey’s earthquake hazards program. But their timing on Wednesday was simply a coincidence.A man stands outside a…