Author: damazah@gmail.com

Several MPs gave Starmer a standing ovation in his last PMQs as prime minister.

The lithium-ion battery is the beating heart of the modern world. It powers eight billion mobile phones, hundreds of millions of laptops and rapidly growing fleets of electric cars and energy-storage banks. But there’s a new contender breaking into the battery market.Batteries based on sodium promise to be cheaper, safer and much more environmentally friendly than lithium-ion cells. And this year could mark the start of the sodium era.In April, Chinese firm CATL — the world’s largest battery producer — announced that it will start mass-producing sodium-ion batteries before the end of 2026. CATL, which is headquartered in Ningde, added…

Spain’s players celebrate after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between France and Spain at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on July 14, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) By Stephanie ShaakaaFrance did not lose because they lacked attacking talent. They lost because Spain seized the centre of the pitch and never truly released it. Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo controlled the rhythm, resisted pressure and repeatedly launched attacks, while France’s celebrated forwards were left isolated. Tchouaméni and Rabiot were overwhelmed, and once Spain established that authority, Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise and Barcola became names on…

Kristin Davis says it drove her to tears (“I’ve been ridiculed relentlessly”). Simon Cowell had all of his removed (“Enough was enough,” he said). So did Blac Chyna (“I just want it out”) and Courteney Cox (“I messed up a lot”). We’re talking about hyaluronic acid facial fillers — those miraculous-seeming injections that add a bit of plumpness here and there to replace the erosion of youthful collagen over time.  But we’ve all seen in recent years those “um, what’s wrong with their face?” photos of celebrities who suddenly looked distorted. And it’s not just Cowell and actresses, either, though…

By Henry Umoru ABUJA — The Senate on Wednesday approved a ₦50 million donation to the families of five Nigerians who lost their lives during the rescue operation that freed schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State after 56 days in captivity. The resolution followed a proposal by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during plenary. Senators unanimously endorsed the donation, with each of the five bereaved families to receive ₦10 million. Speaking during the session, Akpabio recalled that the Senate had on Tuesday commended President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security agencies for the successful rescue of the abducted…

Ayomide Ladipo and Lois Sambo The day begins early at Kabusa Primary Healthcare Centre. Before the morning sun fully settles over the community, the waiting area is already alive with activities. The cries of babies in their mothers’ arms. Pregnant women gently rubbing their growing belly as they wait for antenatal check-up. Children cling to their parents, some sleepy, others restless. The air is filled with conversations, footsteps, occasional cough, and the steady rhythm of healthcare workers moving from one patient to another. Like many Primary Healthcare Centres across Nigeria, the facility receives people carrying different burdens. Some arrive worried…

Passengers travelling with Air Peace may experience flight delays and cancellations after one of the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft sustained significant damage in a ground handling incident at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (MM1) in Lagos. The airline, in a statement issued on Wednesday, blamed the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) for the incident, saying one of the company’s baggage conveyor belt vehicles crashed into the aircraft’s engine shortly after passengers had safely disembarked from Flight P47427 from Kano. According to Air Peace, the impact rendered the aircraft “totally unserviceable,” forcing the airline to adjust its flight schedule because…

Motorola has launched the Edge 70 Max, its latest flagship phone that’s designed for power intensive tasks like streaming video and mobile gaming. Alongside having a huge battery and rapid wired charging support, the Motorola Edge 70 Max is the first Android phone to support full 25W wireless Qi2 charging since Google launched the Pixel 10 Pro XL last year.Other Qi2-supported Android models, including the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and the HMD Skyline are capped at 15W for magnetic wireless charging. The Edge 70 Max also has a larger 7100mAh silicon-carbon battery compared to 5200mAh…

The UK government has been accused of “rushing through” planning changes that could give developers permission to “trash” nature for as little as £1.A letter signed by more than 100 conservationists, scientists, celebrities and businesses, including the actor and writer Stephen Fry and the broadcaster Chris Packham, has urged the incoming prime minister, Andy Burnham, to immediately halt the rollout of environmental delivery plans (EDPs).These plans, which were introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, applying mainly to England and Wales, allow developers to sidestep environmental laws by instead paying into a national nature levy. Campaign groups say this allows…

The first of four juvenile ospreys, hatched as the result of a reintroduction programme in Dorset, has taken flight.Female CJ7 and male 022 laid four eggs in April at a nest site near Wareham for the third year in a row.The birds were the first to take up residence in the area as a result of the project led by charity Birds of Poole Harbour.On Tuesday at 16:00 BST, female 6T6 – which hatched in late May – became the first bird to fledge.The chicks were ringed on 1 July, with all four presumed to be female.Conservationists had to scale…