Author: damazah@gmail.com

An exclusive Al Jazeera interview with the man who took over as president of Syria in January 2025 about his vision for the long-term future of his country.From opposition figure to Head of State – how Ahmed al Sharaa plans to transform Syria into a modern Arab democracy. In this extended interview, Al Jazeera’s Ali Al Dafiri talks to al-Sharaa about his plans for Syria. In December 2024, the 53-year rule by the al-Assad dynasty crumbled in the face of overwhelming armed opposition, led by Abu Mohammed al-Julani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Bashar al-Assad was forced out of office…

In a strategic move to bridge the structural gap between Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves and a fully functioning domestic market, JEX Markets has unveiled plans to build a regulated trading exchange aimed at curbing counterparty risk and creating transparent price discovery. Operating as Nigeria’s pioneer licensed gas trading platform, the exchange seeks to transition the country’s fragmented, bilateral gas deals into a liquid, central marketplace, setting the foundation for a benchmark price index that could eventually power energy trading across West Africa. Speaking at the sideline of the West Africa Regulator Forum (WARF) in Abuja on Tuesday, Blessing Ayemere,…

Ars Technica: There’s more to your director’s cut than just restoring a few deleted scenes. You’ve done a full re-edit. Chris Carter: I worked with two different editors, people I respect and I’ve worked with before who weren’t involved with it all originally. I asked them to watch the movie and help me to refine the cut and make it the scary movie that I originally intended to make. It was heroic on their part. The movie was originally edited by an Academy Award winner, and so coming in and basically re-editing his vision took some courage. That said, I…

Downing Street has issued a temporary GB-wide ban on the sale of disposable barbecue and brought in the military to help deal with wildfires as Andy Burnham urged people not to risk lives in “tinderbox” Britain this weekend.The prime minister spoke from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where at least 19 people have been taken to hospital during eight fires that have ripped through several homes.He said it was necessary to bring in a temporary ban on disposable barbecues from today, asking retailers to withdraw them from sale, as he spoke of the “absolutely devastating” wildfires.“Please think about the situation…

Over the past 19 months, the devastating effects of federal cuts to science funding in the United States have become plain: Young researchers are leaving scientific fields. Labs are struggling to fund promising projects, limiting hiring, training, and …

Defending champion Islam Makhachev battles No. 1 ranked contender Ian Machado Garry for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event at UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry on Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The five-bout main UFC 330 fight card is scheduled to start at approximately 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Makhachev made his welterweight debut at UFC 322 this past November and earned the UFC welterweight championship with a unanimous decision win over Jack Della Maddalena. Machado Garry, meanwhile, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Belal Muhammad at UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker on…

“You’re fucking up history,” the comedian said in footage from the event, where Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean were only able to perform for one hour after beginning their set late Dave Chappelle was among the many frustrated attendees at Lauryn Hill‘s Diaspora Calling! Festival in England, where the headlining set from the Fugees was cut short after an hour. In new footage from the Aug. 7 event, the comedian reacted to Hill and Wyclef Jean‘s microphones being disabled as they attempted to address the crowd in regard to the noise ordinance. “You’re fucking up history,” Chappelle said. “You turned…

Railway networks remain an important part of Africa’s transport infrastructure, connecting major cities, industrial centres, ports and agricultural regions while supporting trade and economic activity. According to 2026 data from Global Firepower, South Africa has by far the largest total rail coverage on the continent, with more than 30,000 kilometres of railway lines. Sudan ranks second with 7,251km, followed by Egypt with 5,085km. Mozambique and Tanzania complete the top five, with 4,787km and 4,097km respectively. Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe also feature among the African countries with the largest railway networks. Here are the…

Kevin Rideout, a pilot with the evangelical missionary agency SIM International, was abducted in the capital, Niamey, on October 21, 2025.Published On 14 Aug 202614 Aug 2026An American missionary kidnapped in Niger last year has been released after more than nine months in captivity and is now in the care of United States officials, according to his organisation.Kevin Rideout, a pilot with the evangelical missionary agency SIM International, was abducted in the capital, Niamey, on October 21 by three armed men while heading towards the airport.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list“We are grateful to confirm that our good…

An unmanned aerial vehicle at the AeroVironment Inc. booth during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida, May 17, 2022.Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesDrone stocks rallied on Friday after President Donald Trump announced import tariffs in an effort to boost U.S. manufacturing and protect national security.Unusual Machines popped 10%, while Red Cat rallied about 5%. Aerovironment and Kratos also climbed.”U.S. drone production needs to be expanded rapidly to ensure U.S. national and economic security,” the White House wrote in a release, adding that outsourcing parts poses major security and cybersecurity concerns.The White House said the tariffs…