Author: damazah@gmail.com

The bill for the creation of State Police has been passed by the National Assembly, and with the assurance of its passage by the State Assemblies, it only indicates that State Police is an idea whose time has come. However, the desire to ensure that a new problem is not created in the process of solving an old one was the focus of the ARISE News Town Hall Meeting held recently in Abuja. Alex Enumah reports. The ARISE News Town Hall Meeting, held last Thursday in the nation’s capital, Abuja had in attendance critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project, with…

Is a River Alive? Robert Macfarlane Penguin (2026)Switch off your headlamp in Ecuador’s Los Cedros cloud forest and the darkness begins to glow. The fallen branches and tree stumps shine a soft yellow-silver, lit by webs of fungus beneath the forest floor. It’s an arresting opening to writer Robert Macfarlane’s Is a River Alive? — a slim, lyrical book that revisits an old question with fresh urgency. His answer is a clear, resounding yes.Macfarlane follows three threatened rivers: the Río Los Cedros in Ecuador’s cloud forest, under pressure from gold mining; the creeks of Chennai, India, where waters, alive with…

England crashed to a second heavy defeat at Lord’s in a little over a week with India needing just over 90 minutes on the final day of the historic first women’s Test at the ground to wrap up a 270-run victory.Eight days on from their seven-wicket loss to Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup final, England were bundled out for 186 in their second innings after being set a record 457. Sophie Ecclestone (50), who was dropped on eight and 16 and successfully overturned an lbw dismissal on 44 by dint of an edge, offered up resilience and some…

The Peaky Blinders team has paid tribute to Sam Neill after his unexpected death. In a post on the show’s official Instagram page, producers said they were “devastated” by the actor’s passing at the age of 78. Neil starred in the first two seasons of Peaky Blinders as Chester Campbell, an irascible and ruthless inspector charged with rooting out organized crime in Birmingham. “We are devastated to hear that Sam Neill has died,” Peaky Blinders wrote to its 7M followers. “Sam’s portrayal of Chester Campbell is one for the ages. A villain who is despicable, petty, manipulative, but also charismatic,…

Chiemelie Ezeobi  The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Abdulrahman Babalola, has charged troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Imeko in Ogun State to remain vigilant, disciplined and professional in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities. Babalola gave the charge during an operational visit to the base, where he interacted with troops and assessed their welfare and operational readiness.  He explained that the visit formed part of his familiarisation tour of formations and units within the 81 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR), aimed at gaining firsthand knowledge of operational challenges and the welfare…

By Ayobami Okerinde The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has welcomed the Federal Government’s suspension of the proposed increase in examination registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, describing the decision as “a victory for the Nigerian people”. Obi, in a post on his X handle on Monday, commended the government for responding to widespread public opposition to the proposed fee hike but argued that the policy should never have been introduced in the first place given the country’s economic…

…Laments neglect of Samson Siasia stadium The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri to address widespread hunger, unemployment, poverty, poor healthcare, weak educational outcomes, and a struggling economy. The party made the call in view of the attention the State Government is giving to the ongoing stadium project at Igbogene, Yenagoa, describing it as a misplaced priority due to the present economic realities. The project valued at about N100 billion is expected to generate employment for the youth and make Bayelsa State a destination for football and other sporting activities in Nigeria. Site clearing…

While the spread of AI has been met perhaps with a lot of scepticism in the west, China has fully embraced the technology, explains Amy Hawkins, from millions of users talking to AI doctors, to the use of intelligent robots in factories, and drones delivering food on the Great Wall of China.AI has also been eagerly taken up by the state, not least in the opportunities it provides for further surveillance, the Guardian’s senior China correspondent says.Amy talks to Annie Kelly about the prospects and pitfalls provided by the technology in China, and whether such widespread adoption – and transformation…

Wildfires spread over 800 hectares near Fontainebleau, as authorities sent two ​waterbombing planes to tackle the blazes.Published On 13 Jul 202613 Jul 2026Wildfires raging in France’s Fontainebleau forest have forced home evacuations and disrupted train and motorway traffic, as a heatwave continues to grip Western Europe.The wildfires broke out near a motorway outside Fontainebleau, located about 60km (42 miles) southeast of Paris and home to one of France’s best-known royal palaces.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listBy Monday morning, the flames had scorched more than 800 hectares (1,980 acres), fanned by hot winds.The fires disrupted train lines and forced…

Are you dreading a high-stakes meeting, a challenging professional task or an awkward conversation? I’m not, because I’m a craven coward who has dodged that kind of unpleasantness for years. If only I had a “power phrase” to activate, maybe things would have been different.That is the psychotherapist Amy Morin’s advice for dealing with sticky situations. The author of The Mental Strength Playbook, Morin explained in Business Insider that a “short, positive sentence you say to yourself in the moment” is an effective two-minute cognitive reset. She used hers, she says, while answering challenging questions to land her book deal:…