Author: damazah@gmail.com

By Patrick Oludare Every time a Nigerian motorist winces at the fuel pump, every time a market woman raises the price of tomatoes because transport costs have doubled, and every time a factory owner shuts down production because diesel has become unaffordable, Nigeria is living a bizarre contradiction. We are selling our own crude oil in dollars in the international market, then buying back refined products in dollars at international prices. It is like a farmer selling his yams at the market, then buying yams from his neighbour at a higher price to feed his family. This madness must end.…

Good morning and welcome to FirstFT. In today’s newsletter:US Treasury on collision course with FedHow four Russian bankers made millions from EU sanctionsThe multiplying risks of financing data centresHow chicken conquered the worldCountry legend Dolly Parton rememberedYou can listen to today’s top news stories in the FT News Briefing podcast.US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s bond market intervention is pulling in the opposite direction to the Federal Reserve’s battle against inflation, big investors have warned ahead of chair Kevin Warsh’s first appearance at the Jackson Hole symposium at the end of the week.Wall Street has widely criticised Bessent’s surprise move last…

Dear all,We know that many of you have been waiting to hear from us regarding the events of the past week. It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time. We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has – from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay, and providing the community with everything you…

Nigeria Health Watch has launched a tool to track and assess healthcare promises made by political parties and candidates ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, as it pushes for clearer and measurable commitments to the country’s health sector. The organisation unveiled the Health Manifesto Tracker in Abuja on Tuesday during its Health as a Political Issue Breakfast Meeting, themed “Driving Accountability and Citizen Engagement Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections.” The meeting brought together policymakers, political actors, civil society organisations, development partners, health advocates and media representatives to discuss how health can be positioned as a priority in political campaigns and…

For about a century, scholars studying the Assyrian Empire have treated the Assyrian King List (AKL) as the standard record of the kingdom’s rulers and the order in which they reigned, particularly during the later phases of Assyrian history. A recent study in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies, titled “Three New Kings of Assyria,” argues that the AKL may not be as complete or politically neutral as researchers once assumed. Alexander Johannes Edmonds and Eckart Frahm identify three rulers who do not appear on the list but whose reigns can be reconstructed from other surviving evidence. Their findings suggest that…

Jordan ReidAug 26, 2026, 06:25 AM ETCloseJordan Reid is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. Jordan joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. He played quarterback at North Carolina Central University and then went on to coach there from 2014-18.Multiple AuthorsThe 2026 college football season starts this weekend with Week 0, and evaluations for the 2027 NFL draft are already underway. Since releasing my way-too-early mock draft in late April, I’ve been in the film room dissecting tape while also talking to scouts and evaluators around…

Dolly Parton was one of the greatest singer-songwriters in country music and a pioneer for women throughout her career. The Guardian US’s deputy arts editor Owen Myers reflects on a career and legacy whose impact transcends generationsDolly Parton dies aged 80 after cancer diagnosisCelebrity tributes pour in for Dolly Parton: ‘a gift to the world’ Continue reading…

India has taken a major step towards opening one of its most sensitive areas of defence production to private companies.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the transfer of technologies developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for all conventional missile systems to Indian industry for domestic production, the country’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe move marks a significant shift for the sector dominated by government-run firms and research laboratories. Private companies will be able to compete for the technology and production rights, subject to technical qualifications, certifications and other regulatory…

The Kano State House of Assembly has called on Governor Abba Yusuf to take urgent action to contain a severe diphtheria outbreak that has reportedly killed an unspecified number of children in the Rano Local Government Area (LGA). The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved on Monday by the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Ismail Falgore. Moving the motion, Mr Muhammad reported that the outbreak has hit the Ridin and Sabuwar Kaura communities hardest, resulting in several pediatric deaths. He said the scale of the outbreak demanded an…

By Godwin Oritse In a move to address limited shipping capacity and the rising cost of road transportation, which have hindered its regional expansion, Dangote Industries has concluded plans to acquire its own vessels to facilitate the movement of its products from Nigeria to markets across West and Central Africa. Speaking from the perspective of the logistical challenges confronting regional trade, Sada Ladan-Baki, Head of International Trade and Export at Dangote Cement, said the company’s decision to acquire its own vessels was driven by the difficulty of securing adequate shipping capacity. She disclosed on Tuesday at a seminar on non-oil…