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Depending on where you buy and drink wine, catarratto will be very familiar or very obscure. There was a time in the 2010s when I’d have put good money on it being the house white in half of Hackney’s restaurants, and if you’ve ever picked up a sub-£15 natural white wine at an independent bottle shop, catarratto will probably have featured. If, however, you buy wine from bigger retailers and have a taste for fruity, sun-soaked whites, chances are you’ve been drinking catarratto without even knowing it.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something…

By James Ogunnaike The Ogun State Police Command on Thursday said it has commenced efforts to rescue students of the Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, abducted by gunmen during an attack on a private off-campus hostel in Ipara, assuring residents that tactical operations are ongoing to secure their release. The Command also cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information capable of undermining ongoing rescue operations and investigations. It was gathered that the students were abducted on Wednesday night when suspected kidnappers stormed a privately owned hostel located along Paraga Road in Ipara, an area outside the institution’s main campus.…

The federal government says it will provide 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027 as part of efforts to reduce avoidable blindness and improve access to quality eye care. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, announced this on Thursday at the 49th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) and the African Council of Optometry (AFCO) meeting in Abuja. Mr Salako said the surgeries would be carried out under the Renewed Hope Health Connect initiative, which aims to bring healthcare services closer to underserved communities across the country. He said…

For many people, August is just another month on the calendar. But across Eastern Nigeria, it signals something much more meaningful. It is the season when daughters return home. From bustling cities across Nigeria and the diaspora, women make the journey back to their hometowns for the annual August Meeting, a yearly tradition that has continued for generations. While many recognise it as a gathering of women, those who have experienced it firsthand understand that it is much more than an annual reunion. It is where communities reconnect, families reunite, and important decisions about the future of the hometown are…

Flock Safety cameras have been pilloried for facilitating the AI-powered surveillance of private citizens and for targeting immigrants for years. But now safety advocates are also claiming that their physical location can pose potential roadside hazards.At the bottom of a tree-lined hill on a narrow, two lane rural road in Greene county, Ohio, stands a black metal rod with a camera and solar panel attached at the top.The camera, an automated license plate reader (ALPR), is owned by Flock Safety and is painted black, making it difficult to see.Its dark color isn’t the only thing that makes it a potential…

Available for 35 daysScientists have long referred to the Goldilocks zone – the region around a star where conditions are not too hot and not too cold but “just right” for life. Joined by a live audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK, Tom Whipple asks what are the true limitations of alien life? How do we spot it? And have we been looking too narrowly? Planetary scientist at MIT Sara Seagar discusses her team’s mission to Venus where, on the surface, temperatures can reach 500 degrees Celsius and it rains sulphuric acid. Above the rain, up in…

The Big Ten saved two of its biggest storylines for last as reigning national champion Curt Cignetti and first-year Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham took center stage Thursday during the league’s annual media event.Cignetti’s presence carried a different weight this time around. Indiana is no longer college football’s feel-good disruptor after winning it all. The Hoosiers are now the hunted, armed with championship confidence and a standard their outspoken coach believes can survive significant offseason turnover.Whittingham’s arrival with the Wolverines generates similar intrigue. One of the sport’s most respected program-builders inherits a Michigan roster capable of immediate contention, but expectations are never…

By Adegboyega Adeleye Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star Ayra Starr has disclosed that she recently underwent major surgery, apologising to fans for her reduced presence on social media while assuring them she is on the road to recovery. The 24-year-old singer shared the update via her Instagram Story on Thursday, explaining that although she initially expected a quick recovery, the procedure turned out to be more complicated than anticipated. “Hey Mobstarrs, I’m sorry you’re not seeing as much of me as I would like. I had major surgery a few days ago. I was hoping it would be a quick recovery but…

Hundreds of people have been evacuated and a major incident declared after a wildfire spread over more than 80 hectares (200 acres) on the coast of Suffolk, just a few miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station.The fire – described by one witness as “apocalyptic” – was still not completely under control as of late Thursday afternoon, according to Jon Lacey, the chief fire officer at Suffolk fire and rescue.He said: “The wind change has helped a little bit, unexpectedly, and also a helicopter [dropping water] is helping to dampen the fire down. Whether it’s actually under control, I…

Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, speaks during an unveiling event in New York on Feb. 26, 2025.Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAmazon reported second-quarter earnings on Thursday after the bell. Here’s how the company did, compared with estimates from analysts polled by LSEG:Earnings per share: $5.75 a share. That may not compare with the $1.82 per share expected by LSEGRevenue: $200.61 billion vs. $196.47 billion estimatedWall Street was also looking at other key revenue numbers:Amazon Web Services: $42.2 billion vs. $40.54 billion expected, according to StreetAccountAdvertising: $19.81 billion vs. $19.43 billion expected, according to StreetAccountThis is breaking news. Please…