Author: damazah@gmail.com

Last week, the Atlantic hurricane season blew through its traditional peak—which comes around September 10—with nary a tropical wave in sight, let alone a storm or hurricane. This is remarkable. Usually this is the time of year when sea surface temperatures reach their warmest in the tropics, and with a favorable atmosphere it should be smooth skating for tropical systems. But this year, the main region where most tropical systems develop is choked with Saharan dust and wind shear. No one is complaining. Landfalling hurricanes are incredibly destructive for coastal areas and have the potential for considerable inland rainfall. Even…

Trade unions are putting pressure on the government to soften proposed changes to immigration rules, which would make it harder for foreign workers to secure permanent residency in the UK. If the plans are approved, most migrants would have to wait 10 years to qualify for permanent residence, rather than five years, while foreign workers on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait.The proposals were announced last year by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has kept the same role under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) backed a motion calling for any…

Plans to build a new data centre could threaten the habitat of one of Britain’s most endangered plants and a rare species of bumblebee, a wildlife trust said.A planning application has already been submitted for the Google data centre at Arena Essex Raceway in Thurrock, which is designated as a local wildlife site.It is home to the rare broad-leaved cudweed and shrill carder bumblebee and the Essex Wildlife Trust fears “incredibly rare” habitats would be “destroyed”.A Google spokesperson said it took “our environmental responsibilities very seriously”.Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services, such…

Week 2 was supposed to be about the high-profile SEC-Big Ten games: Oklahoma-Michigan and Ohio State-Texas.Allstate Playoff PredictorHow will this season’s top games affect the College Football Playoff chase? What are the current odds for the top four? The Allstate Playoff Predictor has the answers. Check back every week as the odds are updated following that week’s games. While those two games proved entertaining in their own ways — the Wolverines won a defensive battle with the Sooners and the Longhorns came back from a 20-point deficit — the most impactful might be the Big Ten-Big 12 game: Oregon-Oklahoma State.The…

Netflix drew an average audience of 18.5 million for its live coverage of the first NFL game played in Australia, according to Nielsen. The viewership of the San Francisco 49ers-L.A. Rams game played in Melbourne equaled that of a game streamed last year from Brazil by YouTube. While retaining audience counts for plenty in today’s media environment, for a juggernaut like the NFL it extends what has been a subdued start to the regular season. The league’s opening-night game last Wednesday on NBC and Peacock fell 11% from last year, averaging 25.1 million viewers. The NFL has been leaning into…

Leaders must learn to distinguish between what is urgent and what is consequential, contends LINUS OKORIE There was a time when being busy was considered evidence of importance. A full diary suggested influence. Back-to-back meetings signaled responsibility. Constant phone calls meant someone was needed somewhere. Today, many leaders wear busyness almost like a badge of honour. But there is a question worth asking: What if being constantly busy is making us worse leaders? In 2001, Bill Gates was already one of the most powerful business leaders in the world. Microsoft was enormous, the technology industry was moving rapidly, and the…

South Sudan’s cabinet last week approved legal amendments in preparation for the December 2026 elections. The day before, on 10 September, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan reported that the country lacked ‘many of the safeguards and conditions for peaceful and credible polls’ – an assessment the government swiftly rejected. South Sudan hasn’t held national elections since its 2011 independence, due to recurring cycles of armed conflict and political stalling. Now, major political and technical problems again preclude credible polls that would have ended the prolonged transition. The country’s first elections, scheduled for 2015, were delayed…

The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education has banned three students from gaining admission into any public or private school in the state over their alleged involvement in assaults on teachers and other school staff. The ministry announced the ban in a 16 July 2026 directive signed by the Director of Higher Education in the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Education, Anietie Ikot on behalf of the Commissioner for Education and addressed to principals of public secondary schools across the state. The affected students are Miracle Anietie Okon and Goodnews Anietie Okon of Ndikpo Grammar School, Ikot Obio Nko, Ibesikpo Asutan…

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 23: Manager Craig Counsell #11 of the Chicago Cubs looks on against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on August 23, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Getty ImagesChicago Cubs skipper Craig Counsell has established himself as a trusted dugout leader, bringing the experience of his successful Milwaukee Brewers tenure to a team that has quickly returned to National League contention. His willingness to make creative roster decisions has become a defining part of his tenure in Chicago, though he very rarely compares one of his players to anyone else in Major League Baseball.“Chicago…

Female athletes are pushing back against a sports-betting ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, which is being slammed for sexually objectifying women in sport.Published On 15 Sep 202615 Sep 2026Share Athletes share ‘what women in sport look like’ to rebut Sydney Sweeney ad on social mediashare-nodesSharegoogleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo