The number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield in the four years of war with Russia is 55,000, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Zelensky announced the figure in an interview with France 2 TV on Wednesday. Additionally, a large number of people are considered officially missing, he said. While both Kyiv and Moscow have regularly published estimates of the other side’s losses, they have been reluctant to detail their own. However, the BBC has confirmed the names of almost 160,000 people killed fighting on Russia’s side in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has been leading efforts to end the…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
AWA254 Thursday launched a landmark research report titled “The Role of Artivism in Advancing Socio-Economic and Political Development in Kenya” at PrideInn Azure Hotel, Westlands, Nairobi. The event brought together a cross-section of leaders from the legislature, civil society, development partners, and the creative sector, highlighting the growing recognition of artivism as a critical force in Kenya’s democratic, social, and economic transformation. The report explores how artivism – the intersection of artistic expression and civic activism – has shaped public discourse, amplified marginalized voices, fostered civic engagement, and influenced socio-political change in Kenya. It also interrogates persistent structural barriers facing…
Dozens of people were killed in a ferocious shooting attack on two villages in Nigeria’s western state of Kwara after they refused to “surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine”, according to the state’s governor. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said on X that “75 local Muslims were massacred” in Tuesday’s raid, while a state lawmaker told the BBC that 78 people had been buried so far and the death toll could rise to an estimated 170 as more corpses were being recovered. Blaming Islamist militant group Boko Haram for the killings, President Bola Tinubu deployed an army battalion to the…
Saudi Arabia has quietly started to allow wealthy foreign residents to buy alcohol, a huge change after a 73-year ban. Commentators expect that the relaxation will eventually be extended to tourists, as Sameer Hashmi reports from Riyadh. For decades, Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter has stood apart from the rest of the capital city – an affluent enclave of embassies and upscale residences, with shaded walkways, greenery and a café culture that draws young Saudis and expatriates alike. Now, tucked inside a discreet, unmarked beige complex within the exclusive neighbourhood, a small store has become a discrete testing ground for one of…
The Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at 3.75% on Thursday with U.K. inflation remaining above target and economic growth is showing signs of picking up. The decision was widely anticipated in financial markets but the split on the nine-member rate-setting panel was much closer than expected. Five members of the Monetary Policy Committee opted to keep rates unchanged while four voted for a quarter-point cut. The central bank, which sets interest rates for the whole of the U.K., has been steadily reducing interest rates over the past 18 months, more often than not every three months.…
Target and other major Minnesota businesses are facing rising discontent from staff, as workers fear the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown puts them at risk on the job. Employees are pushing firms to provide clearer guidance about how to respond if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrive at their worksites – and asking them to do more to limit agents’ access to stores and parking lots. The pressures have been particularly acute at Target, a national name and one of the state’s flagship employers, after the detention of two workers inside one of its suburban Minneapolis stores last month. In…
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologized Thursday to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Peter Mandelsonas the U.K.’s ambassador to Washington despite his ties to the disgraced financier. The prime minister said Mandelson had lied and “portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew.” To the victims, he said: “I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again. Starmer appointed Mandelson, a veteran politician, as ambassador…
You already know how frustrating the ingredient choices can be, should you have ever attempted to make jellies, desserts, or set-based recipes and have gotten a different texture than intended. A single wrong ingredient can make a dish a disaster. The confusion is further enhanced when the recipes indicate that there are alternatives but fail to elaborate on how they perform differently. Gelatin and Agar Agar are used interchangeably, but their responses differ greatly when subjected to heat, cooling, or storage conditions. Without a clear understanding, one can easily make the wrong choice and spoil results. Knowing the difference between…
Understanding cannabis compounds can sometimes feel confusing. You may hear conflicting claims regarding the ways that different cannabinoids interact with the human body, how one is calming, and another may be intense, or which one is suited to a particular lifestyle. At the same time, scientific terms and oversimplified comparisons tend to mask the actual differences. That confusion results in increased difficulty in making informed choices. To dispel that gap, it helps to get away from hype and focus closely on how cannabis science explains the difference between CBD and THC compounds. This article breaks down the scientific separation between…
Travelling must be liberating, not tiresome. But even the simplest outings may become overwhelming when one is restricted in their mobility. The presence of heavy equipment, cumbersome loading, and poor maneuverability make traveling a stressful affair. You might be afraid to make travel plans, thinking that your mobility aid will not fit in the vehicle, navigate through the busy places with ease, or keep up with you. These issues are universal, and they indicate why it is essential to select a mobility solution that facilitates movement rather than limiting it. Lightweight foldable mobility scooters are created to overcome those barriers…
Accurate testing methods are essential in pharmaceutical research. For topical drug products, in vitro release testing (IVRT) is a mandatory component of the development package. IVRT helps quantify how active ingredients are released from a formulation and ensures that products reaching the market meet quality and performance expectations. Reliable tools and precise instrumentation are critical for generating consistent and reproducible results. Purpose of IVRT in Pharmaceutical Testing Pharmaceutical IVRT analysis tools measure the rate and extent of drug release from topical formulations under controlled laboratory conditions. The data generated supports product development, quality assurance, and regulatory submissions. Regulatory agencies often…
A man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trumpon a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison after a federal prosecutor said his crime was unacceptable “in this country or anywhere.” U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts. “American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates. That’s what this individual tried to do” Assistant U.S. Attorney John…
Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged the country’s political parties to come together and “preserve Canada” at a ceremony marking the unveiling of his official portrait. “We must make any sacrifice necessary to preserve the independence and the unity of this blessed land,” he said in remarks on Tuesday. Harper, a Conservative who led Canada for a decade, said he hopes that his will be “one of many portraits from both parties” that would continue to be hung in Parliament Hill for “decades and centuries to come”. Among those who paid tribute was Prime Minister Mark Carney, who served…
Investigators found signs of forced entry at the Arizona home of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, a person familiar with the investigation said Tuesday, as the host asked for prayers to help bring back the 84-year-old, who is believed to have been taken against her will. The host described her mother, Nancy Guthrie, as “a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant” in a social media post late Monday. She asked supporters to “raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. Bring her home.” The…
The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday. About 700 federal officers — roughly a quarter of the total deployed around Minnesota — will be withdrawn immediately, Homan said. But Homan did not give a timeline when the operation might end in Minnesota after weeks of turmoil in the Twin Cities and escalated protests, especially since the killing of protester Alex Pretti, the second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis. A widespread pullout will only…