Author: damazah@gmail.com

Economic growth slowed in the second quarter of the year, as the disruption unleashed by the Iran war began to take its toll, official figures show.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said GDP expanded by 0.4% in the three months to June, down from 0.6% in the first quarter, in line with City economists’ expectations.While it marked a slowdown, analysts said the data suggested the UK economy had been more resilient in the face of the ongoing Middle East conflict than feared.Yael Selfin, the chief economist at KPMG, said: “Consumers have faced a series of shocks since the start of…

UFC 330 – Makhachev-GarryCredit: GettyThe UFC 330 main card isn’t necessarily blowing fans away on paper, but the main event features one of the sport’s most dominant champions, Islam Makhachev against the mercurial but talented Ian Machado Garry. After what we saw Justin Gaethje do to Ilia Topuria, we have to wonder if 2026 is the year for upsets? Also, UFC 330 has already lost a fight with the Erin Blanchfield Jasmine Jasudavicius fight falling off. Here’s your one-stop shop for all things UFC 330. Let’s talk MMA.UFC 330 Key FactsEvent: UFC 330, Makhachev vs. Machado GarryDate: Saturday, Aug. 15,…

Regions such as Galicia, Asturias, Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Balearic Islands experienced the path of totality, while the rest of the country saw a partial eclipse.The solar corona glows as the moon completely blocks the sun during the totality phase, as seen from San Asensio in the La Rioja region. Photograph: Ander Gillenea/Getty ImagesThe event lasted about four and a half hours, while the total darkening of the sky lasted just under two minutes, allowing various space agencies to conduct scientific experiments along the path of totality.Fans of Real Madrid watch the solar…

The vote will test if incumbent Hakainde Hichilema’s reforms are enough to overcome widespread frustration with living costs.Published On 13 Aug 202613 Aug 2026Polls have opened for Zambia’s presidential election, in which President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term.Zambians began voting on Thursday morning at 6am (04:00 GMT) in the race dominated by economic concerns.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listPolls are set to close 12 hours later, with 8.7 million people registered to cast their ballots.The vote will test whether economic reforms introduced by Hichilema’s government have been enough to overcome widespread concerns over a rising cost…

Key events2nd over: Bangladesh 8-0 (Shadman 0, Tanzid 2) Hazlewood back for the first time in a long time. “No doubt he’ll be right on the money,” says Alyssa Healy, just before Hazlewood bowls down the leg side and gives away a bye. Four more extras from a ball that clips the pad of Tanzid Hasan away to the fence.Tell you what, Nathan Lyon is rusty too. Huge leading edge from Tanzid, looking to clip through leg but it goes high over point, Lyon tracks back and drops the chance. Doesn’t even really touch it in the end. The first…

In “Far From the Trees,” (“Lejos de los árboles”) Meritxell Colell asks viewers to listen before they try to understand. Premiering in Locarno’s international competition, the Spain-Italy-Peru production from Allegra Films follows Adela, a 50-year-old Mexican sound artist who travels from the Peruvian jungle to the Andes recording endangered languages. Accompanied by a guide and translator, she is continuing the work of her grandfather, a Catalan Republican exiled in Mexico. But news of her grandmother’s possible death fractures the journey, drawing Adela into childhood memories, family silences and fantastical visions. For the director, the film began with an absence. “‘Lejos…

In his exquisite The French Menu Cookbook, Richard Olney has clear ideas and strong opinions about everything, including dessert. He believed that rich desserts should follow only the simplest of meals, whereas with most menus (meaning all the sophisticated menus in his book), something light, airy and playful is best. His suggestions read like a summer fruit poem: peach melba, apple mousse with peaches, apricot fritters dusted with icing sugar, strawberries in sweetened orange juice, strawberries in beaujolais, strawberry mousse with raspberry puree, iced cherries and fresh almonds. One of his late summer/early autumn menus also suggests fresh figs with…

• Iran rejects claim, says waterway remains blocked until conditions are met   •Only eight vessels transited on Tuesday, down from 130 daily before war   • Six killed as Houthis strike ship in Bab el- Mandeb strait Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja US President Donald Trump yesterday claimed that the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, as shipping traffic through the strategic waterway fell to its lowest level in a week amid the continuing war with Iran. Trump made the claim  in a post on Truth Social, saying the United States would retain control of the waterway, through…

As the world marks International Youth Day, attention has again turned to the opportunities and challenges facing young people as they prepare for work, financial independence, and adulthood. In Nigeria, the urgency is clear, as the federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, continues to prioritise skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship and social inclusion. According to PalmPay, youth empowerment goes beyond corporate social responsibility. It is an investment in the people who will shape Nigeria’s workforce, businesses and economy, a belief that is reflected in PalmPay’s initiatives that are focused on financial literacy, employability, digital skills and access…

A Petlibro outage is preventing its smart pet feeders and other devices from performing scheduled tasks, like dispensing food. The outage began on Tuesday, with users across Reddit reporting that their smart feeders, litter boxes, and water fountains have gone offline.“We are currently experiencing a service issue affecting some Petlibro app functions,” Petlibro said on Tuesday. “Our team is actively restoring service, validating stability, and bringing functionality back in stages.” In an update on Wednesday at 2:30PM ET, Petlibro said that “much of our service is restored as we continue to bring the app back into full operation.” Some users…