Author: damazah@gmail.com

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown.  All times on the map are Central time. The New York Times A moderately strong, 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck in Texas on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.The temblor happened at 5:21 a.m. Central time about 60 miles northeast of Amarillo, Texas, data from the agency shows.U.S.G.S. data earlier reported that the magnitude was 4.4.As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the…

Weaker income from energy sent out, the top contributor to the revenue pool of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), set in motion a slide of 16.6 per cent in its post-tax profit for half-year 2025, compared to a year ago. The financials of the company out on Wednesday showed energy sent out dropped to N150.6 billion from N183.5 billion, setting revenue up for a 13.4 per cent decline. Turnover for the conglomerate, where tycoon Tony Elumelu who retires from the chairmanship of United Bank for Africa next month is the top shareholder, fell to N241.5 billion from N279 billion. Chief…

Every weekday, Matt, a software engineer, looks forward to his four-hour train commute to Pawling, New York. It’s time he uses to work on his own project: a browser-based video game for which he writes every line of code himself.“I am actively trying to keep my axe sharp,” said Matt, who did not want to use his actual name, to protect his employment. In the last six months, Matt’s job has increasingly shifted away from coding, problem solving and software architecture towards reviewing code generated by artificial intelligence. Convinced that the shift will weaken his skills, he’s doing what he…

Qatar 2022: a World Cup that exposed football’s politics, power struggles and double standards.Was the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 judged by different standards from other tournaments, before or since? When FIFA announced the decision, it made history — and triggered one of the fiercest controversies in modern sport. Allegations of corruption, political influence, worker abuse, cultural bias and media double standards followed the tournament for more than a decade. Through interviews with FIFA insiders, journalists, academics, activists, migrant workers and Qatari officials, A Game of Double Standards investigates how Qatar 2022 became a global battleground over power, image, and…

Available for 35 daysSecretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has announced that the US military will be screening military personnel aged 30 and older for testosterone deficiency. Those found with low testosterone levels will be offered voluntary hormone replacement therapy. The secretary says this is to ensure “a healthy, capable, and decisively dominant fighting force”. Tom Whipple is joined by Professor Joe Herbert from the University of Cambridge to discuss why jacking soldiers up with testosterone may or may not be the best idea. Marine Biologist Kathryn Ayres, from the non-profit organisation Beneath the Waves, describes a newly observed behaviour in…

Elliot Anderson declared Manchester City the “kings of Manchester” after completing his reported £116 million ($154 million) move from Nottingham Forest. City confirmed Thursday the England midfielder had signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium with the option of a further 12 months. The deal was agreed earlier this month but finalised this week following the player’s return from the World Cup. Anderson said he was “over the moon” to be signing for “one of the biggest clubs in the world”, with the 23-year-old adding: “I can’t wait to play for this club. It’s a club built to win…

The Lifetimes Tour – Live From Paris will screen on IMAX in September “Teenage Dream” in IMAX, anyone? Katy Perry‘s The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris will screen in cinemas beginning Sept. 2. Directed by Paul Dugdale, the film is comprised of Perry’s Lifetimes Tour at the Accor Arena in Paris, where she hit the stage on Nov. 4 and 5, 2025. The 25-song set was captured with 60 cameras, as the pop star flew around on a butterfly and sang classics like “California Gurls” and “Firework.” The Lifetimes Tour, which spanned 91 dates, 23 countries, and five continents,…

While I am glad to be home in Rome, it was particularly hard to leave England this year. After a few days in London, we spent two weeks between Dorset and Devon, in gardens or on the pebble beaches of West Bay, Lyme Regis and Branscombe. Thrashing around in the sea has never felt so necessary. There was also plenty of good eating, the air filled with suggestive scents – of fat dripping on to hot coals, sun cream, insect spray and lavender. Which brings me to the theme of this newsletter: a barbecue plus one.The Guardian’s journalism is independent.…

By Juliet Umeh & Islamiyyah Adekanbi The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has called for stronger protection of telecommunications infrastructure, saying sustained investment, innovation and collaboration are essential to closing Nigeria’s digital divide. Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, made the call at the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Innovative and Scientific Conference in Lagos. Adebayo said the telecommunications industry had transformed Nigeria’s economy over the past 25 years, growing from fewer than 400,000 connected telephone lines before the GSM era to more than 170 million active subscriptions. He described the sector as one of Africa’s major…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new technical package containing seven proven strategies to help governments and communities prevent drowning, one of the leading causes of death among children globally. The initiative, known by the acronym PROTECT, was unveiled ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day, observed annually on 25 July. In a statement issued on Thursday, WHO said nearly 300,000 people die from drowning every year, making it one of the 10 leading causes of death among children aged five to 14 years worldwide. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus described every drowning as a preventable tragedy and urged governments…