Author: damazah@gmail.com

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has spoken publicly for the first time since La Albiceleste’s agonising defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, admitting the loss has left a deep emotional scar while expressing immense pride in his teammates’ remarkable journey. The Inter Miami superstar remained silent in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s final in New Jersey, where Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner secured a 1-0 victory for Spain and ended Argentina’s hopes of retaining the title they won in Qatar four years ago. However, the 39-year-old has now broken his silence with an emotional message posted on his…

American YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, has married content creator and author Thea Booysen in an intimate ceremony held in the Caribbean. The 28-year-old, who is the world’s most-subscribed YouTuber with over 500 million subscribers, announced the wedding on Instagram, where he shared a collection of photographs capturing different moments from the celebration. The images showed the newlyweds in several outfits throughout the event, including their traditional wedding attire. Donaldson wore a tailored suit, while Booysen appeared in a long lace wedding dress before later changing into a shorter gown. The couple also posed in coordinated white…

The Ogun State House of Assembly has exonerated its former Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, of allegations of embezzlement and financial misconduct that formed parts of his removal from office in 2024, saying investigations found no evidence to support the claims. NAN reported that the Assembly during Wednesday’s plenary at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, also resolved to commute Mr Oluomo’s removal to a resignation, marking a dramatic reversal in one of the state’s most significant legislative crises. The resolution followed the presentation of the Committee of the Whole House report by the Deputy Speaker, Lateefat Ajayi, based on a motion filed…

Michael Olugbode in Abuja Against the backdrop of persistent insecurity and increasing calls for Nigeria to produce more of its military equipment locally, the Defence Industry Association of Nigeria (DIAN) has elected a new Executive Committee, promising to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing, expand technology partnerships and accelerate the growth of the nation’s defence industrial base. The development comes at a time when Nigeria is intensifying efforts to reduce dependence on imported military hardware and build a self-reliant defence industry capable of supporting the operational needs of the Armed Forces and other security agencies confronting terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft and…

Trump ally pledges to ‘work with people’ he disagrees with after Arizona primary winHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Andy Biggs – a hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump – won the Republican nomination for Arizona governor, saying he will “work with people that don’t necessarily agree with me”.He will now challenge the incumbent Democrat, governor Katie Hobbs, in a race that is expected to be among the most fiercely contested in the country this fall.Biggs, a former chair of the House freedom caucus who was a central figure in the effort to overturn Trump’s election defeat, trounced…

President Donald Trump, joined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick (right), signs an executive order directing officials to develop a plan for establishing a U.S. sovereign wealth fund in February 2025.AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump has put an old economic policy idea back on Washington’s agenda. In February 2025, he ordered the Treasury and Commerce departments to come up with a plan for a United States sovereign wealth fund. Six months later, the federal government took a $8.9 billion stake in Intel, equal to a passive 9.9 percent share. Both moves would have…

In the latest twist on battlefield innovations, Ukraine has used both flying drone carriers and drone boats to send ground robots armed with weapons or explosives into battle. The drone-assisted deployments have enabled slower wheeled robots to bypass tough terrain and Russian defenses, and to carry out an unusual robotic amphibious assault on a contested position. Such tactics also showcase the Ukrainian military’s ongoing experimentation with using drones and robots to offset a Russian military advantage in manpower while also sparing Ukrainian soldiers from making dangerous assaults. On July 19, a Russian military Telegram channel posted a video showing a…

In Gaza, the Israeli military only needs to move a yellow concrete block a few metres to rewrite the geography on the ground. Originally placed as field markers following the ceasefire to separate Israeli forces from areas slated for withdrawal, these blocks have transformed into an advancing front line.According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), this restricted access zone, which Israel calls the “Yellow Line“, expanded to cover 64.9 percent of the Gaza Strip by June 2026, up from 53 percent earlier in the year.For Palestinians, these shifting markers are a daily reality of forced displacement.…

Ten years ago, the virus that causes polio seemed to be on its way to extinction. In August 2016, Nigeria experienced its last two cases of the wild virus, leaving it circulating only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Amid global excitement, Hamid Jafari, who at the time directed polio operations and research at the World Health Organization (WHO) predicted of Pakistan: “We may be looking at months — months, not years — before we eradicate polio in this country”.Polio is on the brink of eradication. Here’s how to keep it from coming backSince then, however, eradication targets have come and gone:…

Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert has been charged by the FA with misconduct and potentially bringing the game into disrepute over the ‘Spygate’ scandal.The EFL expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs in May and handed the club a four-point deduction for the 2026/27 season after they admitted “multiple breaches” relating to the unauthorised filming of their opponents’ training, including before their semi-final against Middlesbrough. Southampton beat Middlesbrough and were due to play Hull City in the play-off final before Boro were reinstated. Southampton appealed the decision, but the punishments were upheld by a League Arbitration Panel. During the Spygate hearing,…