Author: damazah@gmail.com

A24 and Google have struck an AI research partnership that will see the independent studio work with Google’s DeepMind unit to develop new AI-powered technologies for filmmakers. Google’s roughly $75 million investment is tied to the partnership and is in line with what Thrive Capital invested during the studio’s last funding round, according to the Wall Street Journal. The partnership will give A24 access to DeepMind’s research and infrastructure, while DeepMind researchers will work with the studio to build out new workflows. The deal does not give Google access to A24’s content library or its data. This is a developing…

Golden Penny Foods, the iconic brand of Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN),  recently convened its nationwide dealer network in Lagos  for the brand’s annual Dealers Conference. The event, themed Reset, Rebound, Win Big,   delivered on three fronts: celebrating dealer excellence, launching a new product, and laying out a sharp commercial agenda for the year ahead.  Itbrought together leading dealers, key organisation’s spokes persons, management and leadership from across Nigeria for a day of strategy, recognition, and renewed partnership with the brand. The conference came  at a defining moment for Nigeria’s FMCG sector, shaped by shifting consumer demand, evolving distribution realities, and rising operating costs. Against…

Heavily armed jihadists on Sunday rode into Zugurma, a community in Niger State on the fringe of Kainji Lake National Park, where they assembled residents and delivered a sermon that included threats against thieves, smokers and Fulani herders, according to residents. Sources, including witnesses, told PREMIUM TIMES that the armed men, dressed in military camouflage and turbans, arrived in the community on about 30 motorcycles at around 3 p.m. This newspaper spoke with five residents of Zugurma, whose identities have been withheld for security reasons. Although the group’s identity has not been independently verified, local residents and security analysts believe…

…NCDC flags growing concern over infections, delayed treatmentBy Chioma Obinna The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, (NCDC) on Monday disclosed that the country’s Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 214 lives so far in 2026, with the fatality rate rising to 25 per cent. The report for Epidemiological Week 23, covering June 1 to 7, showed that 13 new confirmed cases and four fresh deaths were recorded across Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi states, keeping the weekly infection figure at the same level as the previous week but with a higher death toll. Cumulatively, the NCDC said Nigeria has…

new video loaded: Right-Wing Outsider Appears to Win Colombia’s ElectionPresident Trump had endorsed Abelardo De La Espriella, a lawyer with no previous political experience, in Colombia’s presidential election. He appeared headed for a slim victory.By Shawn PaikJune 22, 2026

new video loaded: Starmer Resigns as U.K. Prime Minister and Labour Party LeadertranscriptBacktranscriptStarmer Resigns as U.K. Prime Minister and Labour Party LeaderKeir Starmer of Britain resigned as leader of the Labour Party and said he would remain prime minister until a new party leader was selected.The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace. Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That…

new video loaded: First Round of U.S.-Iran Talks End, Mediators SaytranscriptBacktranscriptFirst Round of U.S.-Iran Talks End, Mediators SayThe first round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Switzerland ended with a “roadmap” to reach a final deal within 60 days, Pakistani and Qatari mediators said.Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently? Or, do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen. Thank you all for being here.The first round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran in…

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja. In a short ruling, Judge Mohammed Umar ordered Mr Sowore to be held in the correctional centre pending the hearing and determination of his motion to stay the order revoking his bail and bench warrant. The judge also dismissed Mr Sowore’s earlier application seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on the grounds of alleged bias. The judge then adjourned the matter until Wednesday (24 June) for hearing of the application for stay.…

In South Sudan, women’s bodies have long functioned as battlefields. Through civil war, intercommunal violence and localised conflicts, state and non-state actors have repeatedly used sexual violence to terrorise civilians – especially women and girls. Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in South Sudan is much more than a humanitarian issue. It exposes deep protection failures by the state and international peacekeeping and accountability frameworks meant to safeguard civilians. Recent Institute for Security Studies fieldwork suggests that the violence is evolving beyond traditional conflict settings. Sources described an increase in attacks by youth gangs, largely in the capital Juba, who rape and…

Toronto, Canada – Ahmed* has made the trip to and from his local mosque in the heart of Canada’s largest city hundreds of times. That’s partly why what happened to him and his family during this year’s Muslim holy month of Ramadan was so unexpected.It was shortly after midnight in mid-March when the 14-year-old, his parents and his siblings were walking down the street after night prayers at the Toronto Islamic Centre.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listSuddenly, without warning or provocation, a man began hurling racist insults at them before grabbing Ahmed by the collar and pushing him…