Author: damazah@gmail.com

Pangolins look almost prehistoric. These medium-sized mammals, found only in Africa and Asia, have long, powerful tails, large curved claws, and bodies covered in overlapping scales that resemble a pinecone. Those distinctive scales are also a major reason pangolins are in danger. They are heavily targeted by poachers and are considered the most highly trafficked mammals in the world, leaving many species at serious risk of extinction. Now, researchers have confirmed that a previously unrecognized Asian pangolin species, Manis aurita, has been living in Nepal and Northern India. The findings, published in Communications Biology, clarify how different pangolin species are…

Kylian Mbappe scored a brilliant hat-trick to help Real Madrid thrash Real Sociedad 4-1 in La Liga in Jose Mourinho’s first home match back at the Santiago Bernabeu as the club’s coach. Mourinho’s Madrid made it two wins from two with Vinicius Junior also on the scoresheet, while Jude Bellingham provided two assists as the star trio picked apart their Basque visitors. Veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho selected the same side that snatched a late 2-1 win at Espanyol in his first match at the helm last Saturday. Mourinho said it would be tricky but not impossible to get the team’s…

X will really mark the spot for NFL content. The social-media outlet is launching “NFL Gametime,” a new project that offers an NFL feed weaving data, news and creators into the overall user experience. X users can choose to put the new topic-focused stream alongside mainstay feeds like “For You” and “Following.” The stream will be available from season kickoff through the end of the 2027 Super Bowl. The move is seen not only as a way to court sports fans, but also big advertisers that may have felt more ambivalent about working with the Elon Musk-backed social giant in…

Mindustry Conference, the annual platform focused on the intersection of ministry, music, business, leadership and culture, has announced the opening of registration for its fifth edition, taking place on Saturday, 3 October 2026, at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, with Warner Music Africa/Africori joining as supporting partner. Mindustry Conference is convened by Dr. EeZee Tee and organised by the Institute of Mindustry, the platform’s organising body, and powered by EeZee Conceptz Global. The fifth edition continues Mindustry’s mission to equip the next generation of gospel creatives and leaders with the knowledge, capacity, systems and relationships required to build sustainable careers,…

Wong says officials ‘urgently working’ to confirm Australians reported missing on Nepal borderAustralia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, says the government is urgently trying to confirm the welfare of Australians in Nepal, after reports dozens of Australian tourists were among those missing in flash floods.In a statement issued this morning she said: double quotation markThe loss of life and destruction caused by flash flooding in Nepal and China is devastating. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those killed or missing and all affected by this disaster. DFAT officials are urgently working to confirm the welfare of Australians in the…

Canadians responded to President Trump’s first round of tariffs a year and a half ago with a grass-roots effort to bruise the United States, boycotting alcohol, vegetables and cross-border travel.They rallied around the flag, inspected grocery labels like detectives and shopped local, all while Prime Minister Mark Carney looked across the ocean for new trade partnerships. Across the country, Canadians had elbows up, an idiom of defiance ignited by the Canadian comedian Mike Myers that has its roots in hockey.They won’t be dropping elbows any time soon, as new and threatened tariffs endanger jobs and the existence of companies both…

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – AUGUST 10: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 10, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)Getty ImagesNASCAR finally announced its 2027 national touring series schedules Wednesday, and perhaps the biggest surprise was that there were no real surprises.That’s because most of where NASCAR will race next season was already well known. Wednesday’s reveal simply served to fill in a few…

The current shingles vaccine appears to significantly lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to scientists who say it could help prevent thousands of deaths each year.The research, based on records of 70,000 people in the US, found that those who had received Shingrix had a 12% lower risk of a cardiovascular diagnosis in the following three and a half years. If confirmed, this benefit would be comparable to taking a daily blood pressure-lowering medication, the scientists said.Dr Maxime Taquet, a clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford, who led the study, said: “If confirmed in clinical trials,…

Former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos has signed with Texas Tech out of the transfer portal, just days after a Kentucky judge granted a temporary injunction in an eligibility lawsuit that included Castellanos and former Missouri basketball standout Mark Mitchell. Because Castellanos now has an injunction, he will not be affected by the new ruling in the Colorado lawsuit that took away eligibility for qualified athletes in the Class of 2022. Castellanos completed 58.3% of his passes for 2,760 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for 557 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Seminoles after transferring from Boston College. He led Florida…

Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has recalled his final meeting with his close friend and colleague, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, revealing how the then-ailing actor reassured him from his hospital bed that he would recover. Ogogo died on Sunday at 66 after battling Stage 4 cancer and was buried the following day at his residence in Ilaro, Ogun State, according to Islamic rites. Distraught Quadri, who had broken down at his longtime friend’s graveside, shared his first extensive public tribute following the funeral in an Instagram post on Wednesday. Quadri, also 66, described Ogogo as his “twin brother…