Author: damazah@gmail.com

Trump’s latest tariffs draw criticism from Democrats and concerns from his alliesHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Donald Trump’s move to impose a fresh round of tariffs on more than 80 countries has drawn criticism from both Democratic politicians and his own allies.Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, announced that the Trump administration “is imposing tariffs on more than 80 countries for their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor”.The tariffs will replace a 10% global duty that was due to expire for supposedly failing to crack down…

France orders evacuation of Cap Ferret peninsula as thousands flee wildfiresJakub KrupaThousands of people have been forced to flee parts of south-west France amid worsening wildfires that prompted the authorities to order people to evacuate from the Cap Ferret peninsula along the Atlantic coast.A French Civil Security Canadair CL-415 aircraft sprays water on a forest surrounding Cotignac, southeastern France. Photograph: Thibaud Moritz/AFP/Getty ImagesEvacuees have been told to leave the area before 10am, using hundreds of mobilised boats or the only road linking the area with the mainland.Holidaymakers from Lege-Cap-Ferret carry their belongings along the pier upon their arrival in Arcachon…

Oluchi Chibuzor and Jessica Erobomhan The World Trade Organisation, (WTO) Fish Fund Steering Committee at its seventh meeting, has approved $2.2 million grants to 17 developing and least-developed country (LDC) WTO members to help implement Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. The new grants, totalling nearly $2.2 million, were approved under the Fund’s second Call for Proposals, which closed on 8 May, as disclosed in a statement by the WTO. As expected, the newly approved projects will help beneficiary members to implement the agreement on fisheries subsidies by conducting needs assessments, improving reporting procedures, enhancing data collection and strengthening regulatory frameworks. With this…

Facebook is planning some big changes to try and keep its users from jumping to rival social platforms like TikTok — changes that sound dubiously similar to becoming a TikTok clone. Facebook head Tom Alison announced today that the platform will begin testing a “reimagined experience” later this year that will put a subset of users into a “full-screen video the moment they open the app.”Meta didn’t share examples of what its experimental new interface will look like, only that it will initially roll out to countries with a noted preference for video content, with a potential expansion planned for…

Energy expert Dan Kunle has formally urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend further commitments to the proposed $27 billion (approximately ₦43.2 trillion) African Atlantic Gas Pipeline. Mr Kunle argues that the project currently lacks sufficient commercial justification and risks becoming a costly national asset with limited economic returns. In an open letter addressed to the President dated 23 July—his third such correspondence within three weeks—Mr Kunle stated that Nigeria must prioritise domestic gas utilisation over ambitious regional export projects until critical questions regarding supply, financing, and market demand are definitively resolved. His warning follows the unanimous endorsement of the African…

Monaco’s French midfielder Aladji Bamba has signed a five-year deal with Premier League club Newcastle, both teams confirmed on Friday. The deal is reported to be worth 35 million euros ($40m) with the Principality side to receive a percentage of the future sale of the 20-year-old. “I was very excited when I heard Newcastle were interested in signing me,” said Bamba, who becomes the club’s fourth signing this summer. “I know about the history of the club and I’ve visited the stadium already, which is amazing. I can’t wait to be on the pitch there and hope to have some…

The singer’s debut solo album, Ruby, was released last year via her own record label Odd Atelier Blackpink singer Jennie shared a new solo single, “Less Than a Lover.” The song, out now via OddAtelier/Columbia Records, is her ode to summer, centering on a relationship that exists somewhere between friendship and romance.  Jennie first teased “Less Than a Lover” during her headlining set at Governors Ball in New York City in June. Along with the track, she released a cinematic music video that highlights the song’s ethereal nature. “It’s more than lust/ It’s just enough,” Jennie croons on the single.…

In September last year, an alleged failed plot to topple President Bola Tinubu’s administration unsettled the Nigerian government while officials made spirited efforts to downplay or even dismiss outrightly the conspiracy that reportedly forced a scaled-down 1 October 2025 Independence celebration. The plot, now subject of ongoing criminal proceedings in both the military and regular courts with serving and retired military officers as well as civilians facing trial, has received wide media coverage. Many have responded in shock, particularly those who believed coups belonged to the past decades of the dark era of military rule which Nigeria broke from in…

The Anambra State Government has inaugurated the 2027 Budget Committee, charging its members to ensure the state’s next appropriation is guided by transparency, fiscal discipline and evidence-based project selection. The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Chukwukadibia Okoye, inaugurated the committee on Friday at the Inter-Agency Board Room of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka. According to a statement issued after the inauguration, Okoye urged members to approach their assignment with focus, commitment and a strong sense of ownership. He stressed that the 2027 budget process must be driven by transparency, discipline and integrity, noting…

Nestled beneath the sternum in the upper chest is a soft, overlooked organ that quietly shrinks with age.This organ, the thymus, was named by the Greeks, who believed it was home to the soul. The word itself means soul in Greek.Long seen as an organ that outlived its usefulness after childhood, the thymus is now attracting renewed interest. Scientists increasingly believe it could hold clues to one of humanity’s constant hopes — increasing longevity.Here is more about the thymus, its function and the latest research about it.What is the thymus?The thymus is a gland located beneath the breastbone, in front…