Author: damazah@gmail.com

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor He came into the office of the FCT Minister as an unsung hero but opted to remain calm and embellish his true colour and character for some time. For others, all they knew and chanted about Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, was that he had been a two-time governor of Rivers State, a one-time Minister of State for Education and a two-term chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State between 1999 and 2007 before being appointed as the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor. For that reason, not many believed in his…

The US House committee on energy and commerce is “examining concerns” about the National Institutes of Health after two NIH scientists were charged with allegedly smuggling mpox into the United States and misleading investigators.Federal law enforcement alleges that Dr Vincent Munster, 53, a Dutch national and chief of the virus ecology section at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Montana, and Claude Kwe, 38, a research fellow from Cameroon, transported vials containing monkeypox, now known as mpox, into the country without declaring them to customs and then “lying about it”.Rocky Mountain Laboratories is an NIH National Institute of Allergy…

Jaron “Boots” Ennis secured the pole position atop the 154-pound division on Saturday and he did it the hard way by fighting in the trenches and walking through unified champion Xander Zayas in their thrilling slugfest in Brooklyn, New York. Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs) exited the Barclays Center to a chorus of boos from the partisan, Puerto Rican crowd as the WBA and WBO champion after scoring a trio of knockdowns and surviving a hellacious Round 3 in which he was hurt. But after multiple rounds of toe-to-toe fighting between the two elite boxers, the corner of Zayas (23-1, 13 KOs)…

By Ayo Onikoyi Idowu Olumide Babalola, President and Founder of DJB Media & Digital TV Broadcast Limited, recently shared his expert perspective on the challenges artists and public figures face in sustaining their fame. According to Babalola, who has built a modern media empire, making him a pioneer in digital media & public relations space in Nigeria, the true measure of success lies in an artist’s ability to continuously evolve, engage authentically with their audience, and strategically build a brand that endures beyond fleeting moments of attention. Speaking at a recent press event, Babalola explained that the transition from initial…

Liverpool and Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo and his partner have shared the devastating news of the loss of their unborn son, announcing the tragedy in an emotional social media post that has drawn an outpouring of support from the football community. The announcement was made through an Instagram Story posted by Gakpo’s partner, Noa van der Bij, alongside a touching black-and-white photograph showing the couple’s hands resting gently on their baby, who was wrapped in a blanket and wearing a knitted cap. In the statement, the couple revealed that their baby boy died during pregnancy. “With broken hearts, we share…

Around 30,000 to 32,000 students admitted to STEM disciplines in 2026 will receive annual scholarships ranging from VND37 million to VND55 million (approximately US$1,420-2,110), with a projected total budget of about VND1.3 trillion (US$49.8 million). The information was shared by Prof. Nguyen Tien Thao, Director General of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education and Training, during a seminar on implementing STEM education and workforce development policies. The event was jointly organized by the ministry and Hanoi University of Science and Technology on June 27. According to Prof. Thao, Vietnam currently has more than 771,000 students enrolled…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on the people of Plateau, irrespective of their political affiliations, religious persuasions, tribal identities or sectional backgrounds to unite. Shettima spoke during the wedding reception of Nanbam Mutfwang, daughter of Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau. He said the wedding, which brings together the North and the South, symbolizes that  what binds Nigerians together far outweighs whatever seeks to divide the nation. “We need to build bridges; we need to embrace one another. Challenges bring forth the character of leaders,”he said The vice president noted that while Plateau faces challenges, they are not insurmountable, especially…

Kayode Tokede Despite a moderation in yields across some maturities, investors’ appetite for Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds remained exceptionally strong in the first half of 2026, with total subscriptions rising to N9.04 trillion, more than doubling the N4.37 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. THISDAY’s findings showed that the remarkable demand was driven largely by institutional investors, particularly Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), banks, and insurance companies, which continued to favour the safety of sovereign securities and the opportunity to lock in relatively attractive returns amid an uncertain macroeconomic environment. The sustained over-subscription also reflects investors’ confidence…

    Medical experts have warned Nigerians against the prevalent practice of self-medication. They described it as a major threat to liver health and stressed the need for early diagnosis and preventive testing to curb liver-related diseases. The experts gave the warning during a webinar titled, ‘The Hidden Costs of Self-Medication on Liver Health’ organized by SYNLAB Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at promoting health awareness and encouraging preventive healthcare. Speaking during the webinar, Ganiyat Kikelomo Oyeleke, a consultant Physician, Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist explained that the liver performs several vital functions, including detoxification and…

Two hikers who veered off a walking track in Kosciuszko national park have been found within five hours using a drone powered by artificial intelligence, a first-of-its-kind mission, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has said.The two men, aged in their 20s, were reported missing at 7pm on Tuesday evening after they failed to return to a rendezvous point on time.FRNSW’s remote air piloted system was put into the air, and was able to use thermal imaging to find the hikers who had been walking the Dead Horse Gap track, about 35km south-west of Jindabyne.At the same time, the hikers used…