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Britain needs to show “a credible path” of annual increases in its defence budgets to meet a Nato target of spending nearly £30bn more on the military by the middle of the next decade, the head of the alliance said on Thursday.Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, said that Britain could not wait until just before 2035 to lift defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, in an unusually pointed intervention a day after he met prime minister Andy Burnham.In an interview with the Press Association, he said: “And that is why you need a credible path towards that 3.5%, and yearly…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged African countries to strengthen patient safety in the care of people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, made the call on Thursday in a message to mark World Patient Safety Day 2026, themed “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases”, with the slogan “Safe care for life!” NCDs include conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory diseases. “For a person living with diabetes, cancer, heart disease or a chronic respiratory condition, health care is rarely a single encounter,” he said. “It may involve years of consultations,…

Available for 35 daysNuclear fusion energy, the idea of copying the sun’s heat source on earth to make limitless commercial energy is famously always 30 years away. This month, the UK and US have agreed to combine the brains of their nuclear fusion supercomputers in an attempt to improve models of plasma behaviour using AI. Tom Whipple is joined by interim CEO of UKAEA Tim Bestwick to understand what challenges must be overcome to make commercialised nuclear fusion a reality. With under a fortnight to go before the winner of the coveted Royal Society’s Trivedi Book Prize is announced, we…

The first of the 15 Agro-mechanisation projects earmarked by the South East Development Commission (SEDC) in all the 15 senatorial zones of the region is set for flag-off, Tuesday. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mark Okoye, made this known during a site and community engagement visit to Nomeh Unateze community in Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State on Tuesday. Okoye said the SEDC had, following its establishment in 2024, used the first year to do extensive studies and design a blueprint that cuts across different areas of the South East economy. The Managing Director said the…

From left: Lagos State Commandant of the NS CDC, Mr Adedokun Keshinro; Commander, Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant, Attach Onoja and Executive Director, Operations and Services, Halogen Security, Mr Bosun Sosanya. By Evelyn UsmanThe Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has disclosed that its Mining Marshals have arrested over 600 suspected illegal miners, recovered more than 100 illegal mining sites and commenced prosecution of over 500 suspects since the specialised unit was established in March 2024. Read Also: Don’t sell homes or spend school fees on Dangote shares, Emir Sanusi tells investors Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant Attah…

Critics say Serbia’s military ties with Israel are rising significantly.Published On 17 Sep 202617 Sep 2026Serbia has opened a factory ⁠to assemble advanced Israeli-made drones, which will supply ⁠the Serbian military and armed forces in other countries.Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic inaugurated the facility jointly operated with an unnamed Israeli company on Thursday.“Our plans are huge,” Vucic said in a social media post showing a video of him touring the facility with Israeli Ambassador Avivit Bar-Ilan, adding that at least three more factories will be opened across Serbia with Israeli partners.Vucic said the facility “will employ around 100 workers and produce…

Mastercard and Trip.com have partnered with Network International to showcase an AI-powered travel booking solution designed to enable consumers to search, book and complete purchases through Trip.com’s AI agent, TripGenie.The initiative, powered by Mastercard’s Agent Suite for Merchants, is being showcased as a global first at the Arabian Travel Market, with a phased rollout and commercial launch expected in early 2027.The collaboration aims to simplify travel bookings by enabling AI-powered shopping experiences, including product discovery, research and consumer-authorised purchases, within existing e-commerce environments.According to the companies, the solution is expected to enhance the booking experience for selected travel services, including…

Waymo has restarted its robotaxi service in San Antonio, Texas, five months after one of its vehicles was swept away during a flash flood. Multiple Waymo robotaxis got stuck during the heavy flooding in April. The vehicles slowed but did not stop as they approached waterlogged streets. Waymo ultimately issued a recall in May, and the company restricted its robotaxis from driving in areas with elevated risk of flooding. Waymo briefly paused operations around the same time in other cities in Texas but has since resumed those services. The company is now offering paid rides in 15 U.S. cities. The…

Nato chief Mark Rutte has said he is confident the UK government understands the need for a “credible path” to increase defence spending.The alliance’s secretary general told the BBC he was “absolutely confident” in the UK’s commitment to hit a Nato-wide spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035.Speaking after meetings in London, he said British ministers accepted the need to make yearly steps towards hitting the target.But he accepted that the exact “pathway” towards the goal would not be set out until next year.Andy Burnham has followed predecessor Sir Keir Starmer in committing to reach Nato’s 3.5% spending target…

Movement breeds motivation, not vice versa. If you want a fast ticket to a regular training habit, you need to remove the friction between you and that first rep. When the sofa looks more appealing than getting a sweat on, it pays to have a simple, quick, convenient way to kick into workout mode. That’s where resistance bands come in.Portable, lightweight, compact and convenient, the right set of bands could be the path of least, er, resistance to easy home workouts and reaching your fitness goals.Cheaper than a pricey gym membership and less clutter than a set of dumbbells, the…