Author: damazah@gmail.com

The Trump administration today exempted SpaceX’s Starlink routers from the Federal Communications Commission ban on foreign-made routers. A public notice issued by the FCC said Starlink routers received approval from the Department of War (also known as the Department of Defense). SpaceX’s exemption is good until February 1, 2028. The FCC kicked off an industry-wide scramble when it updated the Covered List to include all consumer-grade routers made at least partly outside the US, except those that are granted exemptions. The Covered List includes devices deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security. Given that routers are generally built…

Children should be given a clearer pathway into work from the age of 14, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said as he unveils reforms that will allow pupils in England to study subjects like manufacturing and AI alongside core academic learning.The government said the courses, available from Year 10, would be linked to local jobs and industries.Data published earlier this year showed more than one million young people across the UK were not in education, employment or training, or “Neet” – the highest level in more than 12 years.While the government is describing it as a “fundamental change to the…

Fishing was stopped last year when the quality fell short of the market requirement. Last month, the Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir announced a series of measures for the Lough Neagh eel fishery, to ensure long-term recovery of stocks.The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said the new measures, external, are informed by scientific advice and reflect the department’s statutory responsibilities to protect the European eel, which is classified as critically endangered.Muir said work is being progressed “as a priority” to develop a temporary cessation scheme to support permit holders affected by the closure of the yellow eel fishery.Gary…

“I was really struggling to get food down, and was stressing about things like getting a medley relay slot instead of thinking about getting a medal tonight.”My coach said to me I had nothing to lose but to just relax and enjoy it.”Alongside fellow Scots Ciara Schlosshan and Lucy Grieve – who finished fifth and sixth respectively – MacInnes did just that.Third at the turn, she overhauled South Africa’s Erin Gallagher as the noise grew louder to earn a spot on the second step of the podium. Australia’s Alex Perkins took gold.”Oh, God, I’m just starting to get my breath…

The Russo brothers, who are directing the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, are recalling the first time they heard Robert Downey Jr.‘s Doctor Doom voice. While chatting with People at Comic-Con 2026 over the weekend, Anthony and Joe Russo said they already knew Downey Jr. was perfect for the villain role after early conversations with him. But once they heard the voice the Oscar winner had crafted for the character from the Fantastic Four comics, that’s when their decision was solidified. “That was something that Robert surprised us with one day,” Anthony recalled. “You know, we were talking about all the details of…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for greater involvement of young people in shaping health policies across Africa, saying their contributions are critical to developing a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable health system for the continent. The call was made on Monday at the Youth Consultative Forum on the WHO African Regional Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and Vision 2035 held at the United Nations Conference Room in Abuja. The forum brought together government officials, United Nations agencies, civil society organisations, youth groups and development partners to gather young people’s contributions towards the WHO African Regional Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and Vision…

Seattle police say they now believe at least three people were involved in a fatal shooting at a food festival on Sunday.Police initially said two suspects were thought to have been shooting at each other at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival at the Space Needle – one of the city’s most popular tourist spots.However, court papers relating to the arrest of one of these, a 15-year-old, on Monday revealed they now think there is a third attacker. One is still being sought by police, while the other is thought to have been killed at the scene. Three people…

MTN Group chief executive Ralph Mupita has warned that rising anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobia could undermine Africa’s ambition to build a continent-wide market, arguing that businesses and economies can no longer afford to think within national borders. Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Winter Seminar, Mupita said Africa’s future would depend on the free movement of people, capital and ideas, rather than policies that discourage migration and regional integration. “The digital economy we are fast moving to knows no borders. The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that…

But what if you could skip the adhesive altogether?That’s the idea that three firms from Germany – Fraunhofer, Hermann Ultraschall, and Henkel – have come up with.It’s no coincidence they are all German, as the country is known for its Packaging Valley, external, a hub for the packaging industry. Their efforts to innovate are partly a bid to satisfy ever tightening regulation around commercial recycling, and rising fines for those who fall foul.With that in mind, German research organisation Fraunhofer established the PAPURE project in 2023 to develop a laser-based heating process that can seal paper packaging without an adhesive…

Gunther von Hagens, who developed a technique for permanently preserving human bodies in rigid states and toured the world with his controversial Body Worlds exhibition, has moved closer to fulfilling a long-held wish to be sliced up and displayed in a museum after dying aged 81.“It is with deep sadness that the family and the Institute for Plastination announce the passing of Dr Gunther von Hagens, inventor of plastination and creator of the Body Worlds exhibitions,” the German anatomist’s institute said in a statement on Monday.Von Hagens, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2008, died in a hospital in Heidelberg…