Author: damazah@gmail.com

…the absence of serving security chiefs from the second day of the summit was disappointing. The gathering offered a rare opportunity for frank conversations, confidence-building, and institutional learning. Meanwhile, the communiqué issued at the end of the two-day summit, signed by NUJ President Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, captured many of the concerns raised during the discussions. Most importantly, participants reaffirmed that national security and sustainable development depend on strong, transparent, and accountable partnerships among the media, security agencies, government institutions, and citizens. Crisis communication teaches one hard truth: silence doesn’t calm a crisis — it fuels it. When leaders fail…

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Sam BordenJun 22, 2026, 03:12 AM ETCloseSam Borden is a senior writer for ESPN.com.Multiple AuthorsIRVINE, Calif. — At each match during this summer’s FIFA World Cup, there is a person tasked with an incredibly important (and uniquely modern) job: Make sure the soccer balls don’t die.This is the reality of playing soccer in a post-technological era. The Adidas Trionda, which is the official match ball of this tournament, is a fully “smart” ball — Adidas uses the term “connected” — which means the ball can transmit a record amount of near instantaneous data, assist in making offside decisions in a…

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Nigerian actress Toyin “Lola Idije” Afolayan has revealed what she believes lies at the root of the nation’s current problems. The actress disclosed this on Friday at the Osun Dagbonu cinema experience with Sotayo Gaga, amid growing insecurity, a worsening economy, and other challenges confronting the country. Speaking on Day Two of the four-day cinema tour with fans, Lola Idije attributed the country’s problems to the abandonment of indigenous spiritual practices. She said: “We won’t suffer, and we won’t be implicated in matters we know nothing about. God will help us find solutions to these problems in Nigeria. It’s when…

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It took Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood more than a decade to follow acclaimed 2015 album “Junun.” A musician died. A pandemic intervened. And then there were the visas. “Ranjha,” released last month via World Circuit/BMG, reunites Greenwood with Israeli musician Shye Ben Tzur — who divides his time between Israel and India — and their ensemble The Rajasthan Express for a follow-up to their debut. In the intervening years Greenwood has composed film scores, recorded “Jarak Qaribak” with Israeli rock musician Dudu Tassa, and played in The Smile with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke – but this is the project he kept…

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As heatwaves become an increasingly common feature of European summers, more of us are looking to cooler, northern coastlines for our seaside holidays. From the traditional seaside towns of Germany, northern France and the Netherlands, to the long sandy beaches of the Baltic coast and the islands of Scandinavia, we’d love to hear about your favourite cooler coastal breaks in Europe.The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel…

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Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was handed a four-year suspension on Monday for refusing an anti-doping test. Vondrousova did not submit a sample when notified by a doping control officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home in December 2025. The 26-year-old Czech, who won Wimbledon in 2023, said stress and poor mental health had affected her decision-making, in addition to concerns for her safety. An independent tribunal considered Vondrousova’s claims, as well as testimony from the Doping Control Officer who attempted to conduct the test. The tribunal concluded that the evidence offered “no compelling justification” for the world…

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Will Cathcart, who led WhatsApp for the past seven years, is stepping down from his role as Meta appoints a new leader. On Monday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Facebook that Kunal Shah, the founder of an Indian fintech startup called Cred, is taking over as the head of WhatsApp.Cred is an app that allows people to manage their bills and receive rewards for making payments through the platform. As part of Shah’s appointment, Meta is investing $900 million into Cred, giving it a 20 percent stake in the startup, Bloomberg reports.Meanwhile, Shah will step down from his role…

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One of the starkest divides in the Democratic Party is playing out in a state not often known for liberal politics: Utah.A reliably Republican bastion that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for president since Lyndon B. Johnson, Utah is poised to send a Democrat to the House this fall for the first time since 2018, after court-ordered redistricting created a left-leaning congressional seat in Salt Lake City.Tuesday’s primary battle for this rare blue island in a sea of red has turned into a referendum over the brand of politics Democrats should embrace — progressive activism or moderate pragmatism.On one side…

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DRUZHKIVKA, UKRAINE – JUNE 13: Ukrainian soldiers walk a road along a barbed wire defensive barrier in front of an apartment building partially destroyed by shelling on June 13, 2026 in Druzhkivka, Ukraine. (Photo by Alex Nikitenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)Global Images Ukraine via Getty ImagesWhile drones and other advanced technologies have shaped the Russia-Ukraine battlefield, warfare remains fundamentally a human endeavor. Territory is ultimately seized and held by soldiers on the ground. Russia’s current offensive therefore requires its troops to advance through the increasingly lethal Ukrainian defenses. However, over the course of the war, Russia’s ability to conduct…

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The 2026 College World Series finals come to an end on Monday with Game 3 between North Carolina and Oklahoma. The Tar Heels have been one of the title favorites all season, while Oklahoma has been on a surprising run through the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma won Game 1 of the CWS, while UNC responded with a Game 2 win on Sunday afternoon to bring the teams to the winner-take-all conclusion. UNC is -158 (risk $158 to win $100) on the money line to win Game 3 in the 2026 College World Series odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, with Oklahoma at +124. The…

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