Author: damazah@gmail.com

One of the most crucial parts of pulling off an unprecedented international plane ride for four beluga whales is making sure they don’t even realize that they’re on a trip. “The goal is that they notice as little as possible,” says Karisa Tang, the lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.Tang and Charlie Jacobsma, the Shedd’s director of animal behavior and training, accompanied beluga whales Acadia, Lillooet, Osiris, and Sierra on the journey from their Niagara Falls enclosures to Toronto’s Pearson Airport and to Chicago. Two additional belugas joined the flight on a chartered Boeing…

*Says Sanwo-Olu and I have been friends for years *Promises security, enhanced quality of life for residents *To tackle challenges of flooding, waste management Dr Obafemi Hamzat is the deputy governor of Lagos State  and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the 2027 general elections. In this interview, he speaks on his plans for the state, chances at the poll, among other issues. Excerpts: By Dapo Akinrefon You have been a Commissioner in this state. You have been the Special Adviser at the federal level. And you have been deputy governor for seven years. So we ask you, what is your perception about…

Dr. Olufunmilayo Oduniyi When people hear the word cancer, they immediately think of hospitals, chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and medicines. These are undoubtedly essential components of cancer care, but they tell only part of the story. For thousands of Nigerians diagnosed with cancer every year, the greatest barriers to survival often lie far beyond the hospital walls. How does a patient travel hundreds of kilometres for radiotherapy without money for transportation? Where does a caregiver sleep during weeks of treatment away from home? How does a family provide nutritious meals after exhausting their savings on surgery and chemotherapy? What happens when…

1. Rand Paul’s ‘unhinged obsession’ with FauciThe hearing was centered around an assertion Paul has promoted for years: that the Covid pandemic began in 2020 as a “leak” from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, even as virologists see a natural jump from animals to humans as more likely.This belief underpinned Paul’s argument for bringing Fauci before the committee. If the pandemic was indeed started by a “lab leak”, Fauci “could be responsible for this entire pandemic” because the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided the institute with a sub-grant, he later told reporters.His only witness was Fauci, who served as…

Nigeria’s quest for a record-extending 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title suffered an early setback on Tuesday after the Super Falcons were stunned 3-2 by tournament debutants Malawi in their Group C opener at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco. The result ranks among the biggest upsets in the history of the competition, with Malawi recording their first-ever victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in their maiden appearance. The Super Falcons, who arrived in Morocco as defending champions after winning the 2024 title, dominated the early exchanges and created several scoring opportunities but failed to…

The xenophobia tensions which have made headlines in recent months appear to be far from over. Nigerians on social media have expressed divided opinions over calls to boycott the Grammy award-winning South African singer Tyla’s scheduled concert in Lagos, with many linking the event to renewed outrage over xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. A*POP tour The debate followed the announcement of Grammy-winning singer A*POP’s World Tour, which includes a performance in Lagos on 22 December 2026. The tour, spanning 29 cities, is scheduled to begin in Paris on 12 October, before moving through Europe and North America, with…

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame In a strategic effort to deepen public understanding of ongoing counter-terrorism operations, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted a media familiarisation visit to the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI in the North-East theatre.  The media delegation, led by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, comprised defence correspondents from various media organisations who were provided firsthand insight into the planning and execution of air operations, reaffirming the NAF’s commitment to openness, accountability and effective strategic communication.  The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, emphasised that transparency and credible…

Australia has entered a new phase in dealing with the incursion of deadly H5N1 bird flu, with authorities confirming on Wednesday that local transmission had taken place, and Victoria confirming first case of the highly virulent strain Thursday.“We have had what is suggestive of local transmission for the first time,” Julie Collins, the federal minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, said on Wednesday afternoon, after 11 suspected detections were reported in South Australian birds.“We will expect to see increased evidence and deaths of wildlife … given there has been some local transmission,” she said. “This small shift in the situation…

Key eventsA missile strike has hit a residential area of Qeshm island, Tasnim is now also saying.The US military said its new strikes against Iran began at 8pm Eastern Time (midnight Thursday GMT).ShareUpdated at 03.21 CESTThree explosions have been heard on Iran’s Qeshm island, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is saying.The Gulf island near the strait of Hormuz is a storage location for Iranian attack craft, drones, sea mines and other materials used to disrupt shipping through the vital energy route.A damaged fishing pier in Iran’s port of Qeshm island – backed by the Hormuz strait – in April after reported…

ToplineAudio tapes disclosing private conversations between former President Joe Biden and a biographer were released by conservative activists this week, revealing talks from 2016 and 2017 about classified documents and Biden’s time as vice president.President Joe Biden walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House June 29, 2021, in Washington, D.C.Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFPKey FactsThe recordings were part of special counsel Robert K. Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents and were secured and released by The Oversight Project, an arm of conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, following a Freedom of Information…