Author: damazah@gmail.com

Imagine the year 2158. You’re pursuing a PhD in planetary volcanology at the University of Utopia Planitia on Mars, surviving on freeze dried ramen while searching for the perfect exoplanet to study. After finishing your research on Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io, you need a rocky world beyond our solar system with intense volcanism driven not by gravity, but by the searing heat of a nearby star. Better yet, it has to be within 50 light years so your faster than light (FTL) research mission stays within budget. While that scenario is fictional, astronomers today are already studying a remarkable candidate.…

Live Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler looking to build on solid starts at The Open; Rory McIlroy chases a better second round at Royal Birkdale; watch live throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf, with bonus coverage on Sky Sports+

Ann Droid9.30pm, BBC OneShe has given us Philomena Cunk and Mandy, and now Diane Morgan has created another great comedy character in humanoid robot Linda. When widow Sue (Sue Johnston) has a fall, her son buys an outdated care robot, Ann Droid, to keep her company and help out around the house. But Sue is sceptical and, after spitefully renaming her Linda (the name of her sister, whom she hates), swears to return her after a 48-hour trial. Can Linda change her mind? She may be socially awkward and a hindrance more than a help, but there’s no denying she…

By  Gloria Fraser In every constitutional democracy, allegations against public officials deserve careful scrutiny. Equally important, however, is the principle that documentary evidence must outweigh speculation, public sentiment or social media campaigns. In the unfolding controversy surrounding the investigation into the Ajiran double murder case, official police records now emerging appear to substantially contradict allegations of corruption levelled against Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, while reinforcing the importance of allowing the judicial process to run its full course. Documents reviewed by the National Patriots indicate that the investigation into the killings of Prince Ademola Akinloye…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday struck down some key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 touching on political parties’ primary elections and membership registers. The affected parts of the Electoral Act 2026, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in February are sections 77(5), (6) and (7) and 84(2). The Court of Appeal’s intervention comes just six months before the 2027 general elections. Vanguard newspaper reported that a three-member bench led by Balkisu Aliyu gave the unanimous decision on Thursday, holding that the disputed sections of the Electoral Act conflicted with sections 221 and 222 of the…

The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing malnutrition by strengthening coordination and improving the implementation of nutrition programmes across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The commitment was made on Thursday in Zaria during a two-day quarterly coordination and review meeting of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) with nutrition focal persons from all 23 LGAs. The meeting, organised by the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission (PBC) with support from UNICEF, reviewed nutrition activities carried out in the first and second quarters of the year and identified challenges affecting implementation. Speaking at the…

Africa’s next generation of billion-dollar companies is likely to emerge from financial inclusion, the creative economy, sports and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to investors and business leaders who spoke at the latest edition of the UBA Business Series. The speakers said entrepreneurs hoping to build Africa’s next unicorns must focus less on copying global business models and more on solving local problems by listening closely to customer needs. Read also: Africa faces 12-year talent gap despite hospital construction boom The quarterly event, hosted by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc at its corporate headquarters in Lagos, brought together entrepreneurs,…

 Following the excitement generated by its “Be Seen. Be Hot.” campaign, Infinix has officially announced the nationwide availability of the HOT 70 Pro, its newest smartphone designed for a generation that values creativity, individuality and intelligent innovation. Developed for young creators, students, trendsetters and digital natives, the HOT 70 Pro combines expressive design, immersive personalization, powerful AI capabilities and dependable performance in a smartphone built to help users stand out and stay connected. The launch follows the successful unveiling of award-winning music star Qing Madi as the face of the HOT 70 Pro, reinforcing Infinix’s continued commitment to building products…

Andy Burnham last month promised the UK he would bring “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart” when he is installed as prime minister. Britain’s industry leaders also have a hope in their hearts: that Burnham will install a pro-business chancellor.The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, was for several weeks seen as the most likely candidate to succeed Rachel Reeves but, after a brutal briefing battle and a backlash from big business, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, appears to have emerged as the frontrunner. Now businesses are scrambling to try to work out how she might run the…

At least one person has died in flooding across central Texas – the same area that saw more than 130 deaths in flash floods last summer.”Large and deadly” flooding from the Guadalupe River is expected to ravage the region, following days of torrential rain, the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Antonio reported. Last year’s flash floods originated from the same river.Early Thursday morning, emergency officials were encouraging residents in the area to evacuate.More than 130 people died there in floods last July, including 25 children and two counsellors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp near Kerrville, Texas, located along…