Author: damazah@gmail.com

Angus Morton crouches behind a cricket pavilion in a London park to snip stinging nettles from an unkempt patch of greenery.“They’re so abundant and they’re so good,” says Morton, a regenerative gardener who pops out once a week to forage bits for dinner. “I use them in pesto, tea … I’ve even seen someone putting them in croquetas.”Morton, who posts regularly about his foraging exploits online, is one of a growing number of people venturing into the wild in search of food. He says he shaves hundreds of pounds off his food bill each month, fermenting pine needles to carbonate…

Sadiq Khan has ordered Westminster council to scrap a policy that would ban new pubs and bars from opening in Soho and the West End of London.This comes after the Guardian revealed the council’s new licensing policy asks pubs to stop customers from standing up while consuming beverages, which it calls “vertical drinking”. The policy is under consultation and also asks pubs to have table service rather than allowing orders at the bar.There was widespread anger at the plans to direct those applying to open new bars and restaurants in Westminster to implement the restrictions.The mayor of London has new…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that a vaccine called Ervebo be prioritised for a randomised clinical trial against Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The recommendation followed preliminary animal study data suggesting that the vaccine may provide some cross-protection against the disease, particularly in reducing deaths. WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccine Prioritisation made the recommendation at its third meeting on 31 July, after reviewing available evidence on the vaccine’s safety, efficacy, availability and feasibility. The development comes as the DRC continues to respond to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference held at the Ministry of Interior in Tehran, Iran, on Aug. 8, 2026, on the occasion of National Journalists’ Day.Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is not currently in direct talks with the U.S. to end the war with Iran and open the Strait of Hormuz, despite Washington’s assertions that a deal is near.A brief hiatus in fighting between the U.S. and Iran after a June 17 memorandum of understanding has been followed by weeks of Iranian drone and missile attacks on shipping in the strait…

It was hardly an offensive video. Amid the buzz of the Tour de France finale, Oliver Hooson filmed himself whipping up a delicious-looking flat white for a fellow cycling enthusiast. But after posting the footage on social media, the comments that soon rolled in were a real shock. “PERV,” read one. “Out here pushing creep glasses,” said another. His mistake? Documenting the moment with Meta’s “spy glasses”.Despite being marketed as the latest must-have gadget, Meta’s smartglasses, which can record video footage while being worn, have faced a vicious backlash, particularly relating to concerns about surveillance. There are widespread fears about…

Sturgeon also told Dale that she only discovered Murrell was due to plead guilty a week before his first public court appearance. It later emerged he had been negotiating his plea for months, a fact which she said “hit me like a tonne of bricks”.Sturgeon said: “He was still lying to me right up until the day he pled guilty.”The former first minister added: “He was very isolated over that period, he very rarely left the house, he wasn’t communicative, I was a bit worried about his well-being and his mental health.”And then, now I think: ‘What a mug, why…

Astronomers have warned people never to look directly at the sun during a partial eclipse.Even when most of the star is covered, the visible section remains bright enough to cause damage to the eye.”The problem is that our retinas don’t have pain receptors, so you won’t know that you’re damaging your eyes” Nežič added.Instead, viewers should use certified eclipse glasses for naked eye viewing, but not while looking through binoculars or a telescope. Further information can be found here. People can also watch safely by projecting an image of the sun onto a white card using a telescope, a cereal…

Arsenal’s defensive problems continued during pre-season as Borussia Dortmund secured a 3-2 victory over the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium to claim the Emirates Cup. The defeat came just days after Mikel Arteta criticised his side’s defensive display in their loss to Real Betis, saying their performance had fallen below the required standard. Arsenal once again struggled at the back against Dortmund and went into half-time two goals behind. Samuele Inacio opened the scoring for the German side before 18-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas doubled Dortmund’s advantage. Despite falling behind, Arsenal created several opportunities and could have been on the scoresheet…

Three artworks by street artist Banksy have cost taxpayers almost £150,000 in cleaning operations and security so far, with the bill expected to rise.The largest single cost relates to a mural painted on the Royal Courts of Justice in September 2025, where removal efforts and security have so far cost more than £85,000.The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says it has spent £50,000 trying to remove paint from the wall of the Grade II-listed building in Carey Street. A further £35,300 was spent on overtime and security costs.The spending was disclosed to the BBC through Freedom of Information requests and is…

By Yinka Olatunbosun  Retirement is often imagined as a season of rest. For sculptor and art scholar Matthew Ehizele, however, it has marked the beginning of an entirely new chapter. After more than four decades devoted to teaching and artistic practice, he has returned to the studio with renewed intensity, fashioning sculptures from steel that reaffirm both his technical mastery and his enduring creative vision. Ehizele lectured in the Department of Fine Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from 1986 to 2001 before continuing his academic career at the University of Benin until his retirement in 2023. Standing before one…