Author: damazah@gmail.com

A look at the dwarf planet Pluto and Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, baffled astronomers after the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) detected a chemical signature on their surfaces that does not match any recorded in spectroscopic databases. Researchers believe this is not an instrument error, but rather the signature of a compound whose identity remains a mystery—a mixture of materials never studied in a laboratory, or even a compound whose chemistry has not yet been characterized.The finding appears in a study awaiting publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Scientists identified an absorption band centered at 5.113 micrometers on both…

Nigel Farage has resigned as MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election he says he will stand in.It comes amid a row over his financial support, after the Sunday Times reported he had not declared benefits and questions were raised about a £5m gift.In a statement, Farage insisted he had “done nothing wrong”.Farage’s constituents have mixed views about the politician and shared their opinions with the BBC.Read more about what Farage said in his resignation speech.

Arable farmers may soon be able to stop slugs eating their crops thanks to research by a Shropshire-based university and the work of “slug sleuth” farmers.Data collected by 28 “slug sleuths” has helped researchers from Harper Adams University find environmentally friendly slug control methods in the form of “prediction maps”.It is part of a three-year, £2.6 million research programme that was funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).Researchers hope the maps could lead to “more precise control of slugs in arable fields” and reduce using pesticides.The model is one of the many projects done by the…

WWE SummerSlam has a WrestleMania flair to it. For the second year, SummerSlam takes place over two nights. The additional day requires more matches and more big names. This year’s card already has meat on the bones with names like Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.Reigns defends the world heavyweight title against a name he can’t seem to shake. Seth Rollins has been Reigns’ chief ally and mortal enemy for 14 years. The ex-Shield allies tangle again for one of WWE’s top prizes. There’s also the rubber match between Lesnar and Oba Femi. The only thing that can confine such behemoths…

“NCIS: New York,” the upcoming newest entry in the CBS franchise, has added four new cast members. Variety has confirmed that Jennifer Beals (“The L Word,” “Devil in a Blue Dress”), Jacqueline Byers (“Salvation,” “Dark Winds”), Shane Harper (“Good Luck Charlie,” “Power Book IV: Force”), and Devin Druid (“13 Reasons Why,” “Olive Kitteridge”) have all been cast in series regular roles. They will appear opposite previously announced leads LL Cool J and Scott Caan. In the show, LL Cool J will reprise the role of NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, whom he played for 14 seasons on “NCIS: Los Angeles.”…

Young people around the world continue to value marriage, long-term relationships and parenthood, but financial insecurity, unstable employment and housing challenges are preventing many from achieving those goals. This is according to a major new survey released by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday. The Demographic Futures Survey, one of the largest and most geographically broad studies of its kind, surveyed more than 108,000 internet-connected adults aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries and territories. The findings challenge assumptions that younger generations are turning away from family life, instead pointing to economic conditions as the principal obstacle to partnership…

Published On 7 Jul 20267 Jul 2026The US military says it has launched airstrikes against Iran as explosions were reported in several locations in the south of the country.The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began on Tuesday, and are being conducted “in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.Iranian media have reported explosions in the southern port city of Sirik, as well as Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas.More to come…

Africa’s leading food manufacturing company, BUA Foods Plc, has proposed a dividend of N28.00 per ordinary share, totalling about N504 billion for the 2025 financial year. Africa’s leading food manufacturing company, BUA Foods Plc, has proposed a dividend of ₦28.00 per ordinary share, totalling about ₦504 billion for the 2025 financial year. The company stated that the proposal is subject to shareholders’ approval at its 5th Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 15 July at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. At the meeting, shareholders will also consider the company’s audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, as well…

As AI costs continue to rise, companies are looking for ways to cut back. The most recent example is Microsoft, which has reportedly begun to deploy a cost-savings strategy by relying less on software from OpenAI and Anthropic and instead deploying its own in-house models. Indeed, when it comes to two of its most widely used programs — Excel and Word — Microsoft has begun to use its homemade MAI models to respond to a certain percentage of user prompts, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. In the past, the company had advertised the fact that large parts of Office 365 are powered…

Nigel Farage has long had a capacity for political theatre – and here he goes again.Having tantalised Westminster with a teasing social media post about his “future in public life”, he took to Reform’s stage, in front of Reform’s camera and without journalists in the room, to set out how he would again try to seize the limelight and the initiative.His address held onto its headline until the last few sentences: he will resign as an MP and then refight the seat of Clacton in Essex that has held for the last two years.So why is he doing this?In recent…