Author: damazah@gmail.com

The U.K. and Ireland box office maintained a steady rhythm over the weekend as Disney’s “Toy Story 5” retained the number one spot for a third consecutive frame. The Pixar release collected £5.7 million ($7.6 million), pushing its three-week cumulative total to £37.9 million ($50.7 million). Universal secured second place with the wide-circuit launch of “Minions & Monsters.” Rolling out with full saturation across more than 300 locations, the film generated a solid opening weekend of $5.8 million. Black Bear’s ensemble comedy-drama “The Invite” opened in third place, rolling out across more than 300 sites to bank an opening frame…

The decision by the federal government to reform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and reposition the scheme for greater efficiency really needs to be commended. For many, it is long overdue. The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, while briefing journalists after the weekly FEC meeting, said while the government would maintain the scheme’s one-year duration, it would now introduce skills-based training for greater efficiency. Other reforms, according to him, include digitalisation and change of leadership structure from military to civilians, among other measures to reposition the scheme for national development. He listed some of the proposed changes to…

Flipkart’s GOAT Sale has brought discounts on TWS earbuds across multiple price segments. Brands including Apple, Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Motorola, and Philips are offering deals on premium as well as budget earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC), giving buyers several options depending on their budget.Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus premium earbuds on discount Apple’s AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with MagSafe are available for Rs 19,990, down from the MRP of Rs 23,900, reflecting a 16% discount. The newer AirPods Pro 3 are also listed at Rs 23,900 instead of Rs 25,900.Samsung has reduced the prices of its latest Galaxy Buds…

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has demonstrated deep knowledge of how political decisions influence economic outcomes at national and subnational levels. Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo examines how Mbah’s relationship with President Bola Tinubu has opened a new vista of economic opportunities for Southeast geo-political zone. Not a few eyebrows were raised in askance in October, 2025 when Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, jettisoned the party on which he rode to the Lion Building. His critics and even his admirers were left wondering why a high performing Governor should jump ship. Given the generally held belief that some opposition governors were crossing…

By Wale Igbintade Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Gbajabiamila, has threatened to institute a N10 billion defamation suit and criminal proceedings against ‘Director General’ of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council; Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew unless he retracts and apologises for what he described as false and defamatory allegations contained in a widely circulated press conference within 72 hours. The demand was conveyed in a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, issued by his solicitors, Pinheiro LP, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro. The law firm said it was acting on the…

A sailor observes the oil tanker HELGA, which is moored at one of Iraq’s southern offshore oil terminals near Basra, as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, April 24, 2026. Mohammed Aty | ReutersOil prices rose on Tuesday morning following a report of an Iranian attack on commercial ships in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.The reported attacks in the waterway, which typically handles around 20% of the world’s oil traffic, reaffirm the fragility of the U.S. and Iran’s interim peace agreement, as they negotiate a…

Microsoft has announced it has cut 4,800 jobs – roughly 2.1% of its workforce – with Xbox to bear a large number of its latest layoffs.Amy Coleman, executive vice president at Microsoft, told employees in a memo that the tech giant needed to focus on areas that can deliver for customers amid a “fast-changing industry”.The sweeping layoffs will see more than 1,600 roles immediately axed at Xbox.Asha Sharma, who recently took over as Xbox’s chief executive, said in a note to staff it was “beginning the most significant restructure in Xbox history”.Four Xbox game development studios – Compulsion Games, Double…

Allegations of fraud and impersonation hovering over the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council are not difficult to see through only if everyone follows the evidence, and not the noise, writes Olawale Olaleye. One of the greatest ironies of the Adeniyi Mattew Adeyemi saga is that the man being accused by all and sundry may well be the very official, who initiated the process that exposed the alleged fraud. That irony deserves some reflections. If available records were correct, complaints were received from the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission regarding suspicious activities linked to the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council…

Deep-sea oddities. An invertebrate known as siphonophore swims 552 metres deep in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean — and is one of 31 species discovered during a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Brazil. The researchers explored the ocean’s midwater, an area that stretches from just below the sunlit surface to the sea floor, and forms the largest habitable ecosystem on Earth. With laser-imaging tools, the team captured 3D, millimetre-scale footage of animals in their natural habitat. The new species include a gossamer worm, nine jellyfish, seven siphonophores and seven comb jellies. Researchers say that the siphonophore in this image might belong to an undescribed genus. Credit: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt…

Key eventsThe match official labelled “suspect” by US president Donald Trump has been praised by Fifa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina.Trump criticised the Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after he sent off US striker Folarin Balogun following a VAR review in the last-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.Balogun’s red card was controversially suspended on Sunday, allowing him to play in the 4-1 defeat by Belgium on Monday.Fifa issued a statement praising Claus as “one of the world’s leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One (the referees team) at the Fifa World Cup”.It added: “Throughout his career, he has consistently…