Author: damazah@gmail.com

At least 10 oil spill incidents were recorded across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Imo states in July, according to a PREMIUM TIMES review of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)’s Oil Spill Monitor. The incidents involved major oil producers, including Renaissance Africa Energy Company, Heirs Energies, Seplat Energy, Oando and Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO), with sabotage, corrosion, operational failures and equipment defects identified as the leading causes. The review shows that Rivers State accounted for the highest number of reported incidents during the month, while pipeline infrastructure remained the most affected oil facility.…

Hundreds of firefighters and helicopters battle a growing wildfire at Indonesia’s Mount Bromo.Close to 50,000 firefighters and disaster personnel, backed by dozens of helicopters, are battling wildfires in several parts of Indonesia after an unusually dry season in the sprawling archipelago.Increased El Nino conditions have raised the risk of more forest and land fires during the peak dry season, said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Djamari Chaniago, on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listAuthorities in East Java say the largest blaze is in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where about 743 hectares (1,836 acres) of…

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said manufacturers are yet to enjoy relief from multiple taxes and levies despite the enactment of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. The association disclosed this in its Manufacturers CEO Confidence Index (MCCI) report for the second quarter of 2026, noting that manufacturers continued to grapple with multiple tax collectors and regulatory agencies during the period. Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the new tax law, which was expected to reduce the burden of multiple taxation, had yet to deliver the intended benefits. “Manufacturers complained that they were still met with multiple tax collectors and…

Try explaining Australian rules football to anyone outside Australia, and “it sounds like you’re making it up,” says David Ashby, the multi-hyphenate comedic mind behind deeply silly spoofs such as Italian Spider-Man and Danger 5. “Eighteen players a side, running around on a cricket oval with a rugby ball that has to be bounced every so often and gets kicked between posts – like, what the fuck is happening?”Two years ago at a fantasy footy barbecue, Ashby had a brainwave: why not make a video game where Australia’s strange national sport becomes even stranger the more you play?Pro Jank Footy…

Most of the visa revocations stemmed from law-enforcement encounters involving criminal activity, the department said.Published On 10 Aug 202610 Aug 2026The US State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals under President Donald Trump, as it continues a sweeping immigration crackdown that has stripped travel and immigration privileges from tens of thousands more people.Most of the visa revocations stemmed from law-enforcement encounters involving criminal activity, alongside visa violations, fraud, calls for violence and other threats to national security, according to a fact sheet released by the department on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe extent…

Nigeria has recorded 1,000 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with 237 deaths in 2026, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The figure includes 53 healthcare workers who have been infected with the disease, highlighting the continued risk faced by frontline health workers responding to the outbreak. The agency released its situation reports for epidemiological weeks 29 and 30 on Monday, covering 13 to 19 July and 20 to 26 July, respectively. According to the Week 30 report, Nigeria recorded 17 new confirmed cases and six deaths during the week, bringing the cumulative figures to 1,000…

How people interpret touch can vary by background, but the areas on the body where people feel ticklish were found to be consistent across cultures.Credit: d3sign/GettyTicklishness is a distinct, specialized body sensation, and how people experience it seems to be consistent across cultures, two neuroscientists have found. The study, published on 10 August in Nature Human Behaviour1, lays the groundwork for standardized, systematic research into tickling.Humans are not the only ticklish animals: other great apes tickle each other, and rats and meerkats (Suricata suricatta) respond to tickling by humans — suggesting that the sensation has been preserved across evolution. Known…

Premier League clubs non-active in European competition have officially discovered their fate following the completion of the Carabao Cup second-round draw on Monday evening. Top-flight heavyweights Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were among the highest-profile names in the hat. Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues will host Luton Town at Stamford Bridge, while Spurs have been handed a London derby at home against Charlton Athletic. Elsewhere in the southern section, Fulham take on AFC Wimbledon, and newly promoted Ipswich Town face a tough test against Leicester City. Fans will also see a marquee regional clash as Southampton host newly relegated West Ham United. The…

Jury selection began on Monday in Las Vegas as the murder trial of a former gang leader finally got under way decades after the shooting of the rapper Tupac Shakur, one of the most high-profile unsolved killings in the US.It was thought likely to take at least the rest of the week to seat a jury for the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, in which prosecutors aim to show that Davis, 63, the one-time leader of the South Side Compton Crips gang in California, ordered the killing and provided the gun for the fatal attack on Shakur.About 75 potential…

Mastercard has announced that Yasemin Bedir has been appointed President of the company’s Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region, effective 1 September. The company’s EEMEA region was expanded in recent years, bringing additional markets to what is now a vibrant, agile and high growth potential 81 country business. Bedir, a nearly 20-year veteran of Mastercard, also joins the company’s Management Committee. She succeeds Dimitrios Dosis, who was recently named Chief Commercial Payments Officer, leading Commercial & New Payment Flows. In this UAE-based role, Bedir will oversee the strategy, direction and overall success of all aspects of Mastercard’s operations…