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Worst Foods for Your Belly

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Doughnuts

Can’t resist fresh doughnuts? If you give in too often, they can bulk up your belly.

Better Bet: Stop at one. A glazed doughnut has 260 calories. The whole box packs 3,120 calories. A 200-pound man would have to run about 25 miles to work that off.

Ice Cream

You do get some calcium from ice cream. But you also get 230 calories per half-cup, and that’s just for plain vanilla, no toppings.

Better Bet: Look for the slow-churned kind. It’s lower in fat, and many flavors have only 100 calories per half-cup.

Chips

A serving of 15 chips has 160 calories. But who stops at 15? Add just 2 tablespoons of French onion dip and you’ve piled on 60 more calories and 5 grams of fat.

Better Bet: Fat-free popcorn. Six cups have just 100 calories.

Bacontini

This cocktail is as fatty as it is trendy. It’s Scotch or vodka infused with bacon fat. Sometimes it’s served with a strip of bacon. At around 284 calories a glass, that’s more than in a doughnut.

Better Bet: Classic martini, in moderation. The alcohol still adds calories, but your heart will prefer the olive to a strip of bacon.

Beer

The average 12-ounce can of beer has about 150 calories. Those calories add up, just like anything else you eat or drink.

Better Bet: Light beer cuts your intake to about 100 calories a can.

Hot Dogs

What’s more all-American than cheering for your home team while noshing on a hot dog? Add extras, and the calories rise. One cheese dog has 390 calories and 8 grams of “bad” fat.

Better Bet: Peanuts. This classic ballpark snack is high in protein, fiber, and

Fatty Red Meat

If you’re the meat and potatoes type, you’d love a big, juicy steak that covers your plate. But a 16-ounce prime rib can have about 1,600 calories and about 60 grams of “bad” fat. That’s without any sides or appetizers.

Better Bet: Lean meat, such as sirloin, tenderloin, or flank steak. The piece should be the size of your fist, not your plate.

Meat-Topped Pizza

Pizza can be healthy. But if you like toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, ham, and beef, you could get more than 300 calories in one slice.

Better Bet: Instead, top pizza with veggies. You get extra fiber and nutrients, and up to 100 fewer calories per slice.

Giant Burgers

If it looks big and loaded, it will bloat your calorie budget, too. Some have more than 1,000 calories and up to 75 grams of fat.

Better Bet: Stick to a single grilled burger made with lean ground beef or lean turkey, or a veggie burger.

Super-Size Fries

Want some fries with that? Most of us do, not knowing that a large order of fries can have as many calories as a burger.

Better Bet: Order a side salad or fruit cup.

Too Much Soda

Do you know how many calories are in a serving? Or how many servings are in a bottle? One 20-ounce bottle of regular soda packs 250 calories.

Better Bet: Water. If you’re seeking caffeine, try black coffee. A 20-ounce cup has almost no calories. Like milk? Make it nonfat to stay under 100 calories.

Pork Sandwich

Tailgate party staples include beer, chips, and barbecue pork sandwiches on fluffy white rolls. The shredded pork may hit the spot before you settle in for the game. Yet each sandwich can have more than 600 calories, depending on the size.

Better Bet: Lean grilled chicken or burgers on whole wheat buns. Pair with healthier tailgate sides like baked beans and coleslaw.

Buffalo Wings

An order of boneless buffalo-style chicken wings packs about 100 calories per wing, not counting dips! Blue cheese sauce adds another 300 calories and 33 grams of fat.

Better Bet: Grilled chicken strips. Make wings a rare treat.

Rack of Ribs

A whole rack of ribs has 900 calories and a day’s worth of fat. The tasty sauce adds calories, sugar, and sodium.

Better Bet: Have half a rack of ribs, and save it for a special occasion. Add a baked sweet potato with a squeeze of lime juice or sprinkle of cinnamon to round out the meal.

Breakfast Danish

One Danish pastry has about 250 calories and plenty of fat.

Better Bet: Fresh whole fruit and low-fat yogurt. Or whole wheat toast, topped with real-fruit spread, no butter.

Huge Frozen Dinners

There’s nothing wrong with convenience, but watch the size. Some dishes are very high in calories, sodium, and trans fats.

Better Bet: Read labels for lean frozen dinners made with whole grains.

Credit: webmd.com

Today’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations Semi-finals

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Brahim Diaz, Morocco

Nigeria face host nation Morocco in Afcon Semis

Nigeria will face host nation Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Nigeria have been one of the standout stories of the tournament, exceeding expectations after the disappointment of missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a play-off defeat to DR Congo in November.

Managed by Malian coach Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles continue to carry the weight of expectation of the vast football-loving population that the so-called “giant of Africa” can rise to any challenge regardless of the opponent.

Victor Osimhen

Arriving for the group stage with relatively modest expectations, Nigeria have responded with fluent attacking football and a perfect record, winning every match with some of the best attacking displays in the tournament.

Chelle’s side are the tournament’s highest scorers with 14 goals from five matches, conceding four and keeping two clean sheets, with attacking quality provided by Osimhen, Lookman and Alex Iwobi, supported by Akor Adams, while leadership and balance come from Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Nigeria and Morocco have met 11 times since 1969 across major competitions, with the latter holding the overall edge with six wins to the Super Eagles’ four and one draw, in a rivalry shaped by World Cup qualifiers and AFCON meetings.

Morocco has dominated the last six encounters as the Super Eagles have managed just one win – a 2-0 victory at the 2000 AFCON.

Nigeria have been dealt a major blow ahead of the semi-final as captain Ndidi is suspended for one match after accumulating bookings, with Raphael Onyedika expected to deputise following his impressive group-stage displays.

Morocco have had to contend with injury issues during the competition, but the return of captain Hakimi has lifted the squad.

Nigeria have navigated every challenge at the tournament with authority, demonstrating depth, quality and a clear determination to make amends for the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 World Cup, while Morocco will be difficult to overcome with home support and the weight of expectation to finally lift the AFCON trophy.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Senegal and Egypt lock horns in Tangier

The business end of the Africa Cup of Nations is here, with Senegal and Egypt set to lock horns in Tangier today.

Sadio Mane

Both teams have enjoyed similar results in the tournament, winning four of the five fixtures played, but the way in which they were victorious speaks volumes.

Currently ranked second in Africa, just behind the hosts Morocco, Senegal will be aiming to reach their third AFCON final in the last four editions to reclaim the number one spot on the continent.

The Lions of Teranga enjoy a decent record against the Pharaohs in recent years, winning three of the last five meetings, including their most-recent clash, which dumped Egypt out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

What will concern Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan is that his team have only managed to score one goal against Senegal across their previous five meetings.

The seven-time AFCON champions enjoyed a similar group stage to Senegal in that they won two and drew one of their games.

There are certainly some vulnerabilities within the Egyptian camp that Senegal can exploit.

The Lions of Teranga appear to have a fully-fit squad, which is exactly the type of headache that coach Thiaw would fancy.

The West African nation will certainly rely on Captain Sadio Mane for inspiration, as he has registered three assists since the start of the competition, the most for Senegal and second in the overall chart for this AFCON.

No prizes for guessing who Egypt’s hopes will rest on today – Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – who gets a chance to face his former teammate, Mane.

Salah is in the race for the Golden Boot with four goals from five matches, but he is also eyeing the record of becoming Egypt’s joint all-time top-scorer at AFCON tournaments with one more goal, which he will share with Hassan El-Shazly should he find the back of the net.

Defender Mohamed Hamdi will not be available for selection after injuring his knee in the first half against Benin, which means Ahmed Fatouh should step in, as he did in the quarter-final.

Mohamed Salah, Egypt

After Omar Marmoush scored his second goal of the tournament against Cote d’Ivoire, all eyes will be on the Manchester City forward to lead the line against a well-drilled Senegalese defence.

The Lions of Teranga have had the better of the Pharaohs in recent meetings, but the last five head-to-heads were fiercely contested contests. The West African side look set to book a spot in the AFCON 2025 final.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

FIXTURES

Senegal 17:00 Egypt 

Nigeria 20:00 Morocco 

Government meets with KPMG officials amid Tax Law controversy

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Government meets with KPMG officials

The Federal Government Monday met with top officials of a global professional services firm, KPMG, to address concerns and disagreements arising from the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws.

The meeting, which took place in Abuja, followed intense debate within Nigeria’s business and professional community over the implications of the new tax framework.

KPMG Nigeria, in a report titled “Nigeria’s New Tax Laws: Inherent Errors, Inconsistencies, Gaps and Omissions,” had expressed concerns over some aspects of the laws, including the taxation of shares, dividend treatment, non-resident obligations, and foreign exchange deductions, and warned that these could affect businesses and taxpayers.

It then called for a review of the tax laws, noting that the “errors, inconsistencies, gaps, omissions, and lacunae” urgently required reconsideration.

Following the spotlight on the tax laws by KPMG, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, defended the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) and clarified the policy intent, stating that KPMG Nigeria did not understand the reform.

However, in an update, the Executive Chairman of the National Revenue Service (NRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji, during the meeting, clarified some areas of concern in the new Act.

While the KPMG team noted that their earlier opinion on the new tax laws had been misconstrued and expressed regret over the misunderstanding, it was said to have sought further clarity on the provisions of the laws and highlighted areas where recommendations could be made.

Both parties acknowledged that differences in interpretation had contributed to confusion among taxpayers and agreed that sustained dialogue was necessary to address emerging issues.

The team also commended the Executive Chairman for the effective and timely implementation of the reforms and noted that their initial apprehensions had been significantly allayed.

Credit: channelstv.com

Today’s English League Cup Semis, Italian Serie A Previews

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Bukayo Saka, Arsenal

Chelsea, Arsenal collide in EFL Cup semi-final

Fresh from emphatic away successes in their opening FA Cup ties, Liam Rosenior‘s Chelsea and Arsenal collide in Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues eliminated Cardiff City from the quarter-finals of the competition, while the Gunners needed the lottery of penalties to edge out Crystal Palace in the last eight.

Prior to his unsavoury exit, Enzo Maresca had also masterminded triumphs – albeit unconvincing triumphs – over Lincoln City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup, in which Chelsea will play their first home game of the 2025-26 tournament this week.

A sojourn to Wembley has often followed for the Blues when they have reached the final four in recent years, as they have won four of their last five semi-final ties in the EFL Cup – the one exception coming against none other than Arsenal in 2017-18.

The visit of the Gunners will mark Liam Rosenior’s first Chelsea match against a top-flight foe, after his rejigged Blues outfit thumped Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the FA Cup third round over the weekend, ending a five-match winless run in the process.

Both London giants enter the contest with well-rested big-hitters, but it is hard to gauge how much of a difference Rosenior has made after one win vs. lower-league opposition; therefore, it is difficult to back the Blues to gain a first-leg advantage before the return fixture on February 3.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Napoli play host to Parma

After posting back-to-back draws last week, Serie A champions Napoli will target maximum points when they play host to Parma on Wednesday evening.

Having been held at home by Hellas Verona, the Partenopei then denied one of their title rivals – but only victory will do in a midweek clash at Stadio Maradona.

Scott McTominay, Napoli

So, sitting behind both Milan clubs in this season’s scrap for Serie A supremacy – with Juventus and Roma still in the fight too – Napoli must make home advantage pay in midweek.

Having lost four of their last five league fixtures at the Maradona, history will not be on Parma’s side; however, they have recently found some form and are slowly pulling away from danger.

While Parma have not posted back-to-back wins in Serie A since 2020, they have recently won three of their last four on the road, offering some hope they can spring a surprise on Wednesday.

Aside from one awful half against Verona, Napoli have made light of their injury woes over the past few weeks, claiming the Supercoppa Italiana and keeping their Scudetto defence alive.

Although Parma are clearly improving – particularly away from home – they will surely come up short in Naples.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

FIXTURES

English League Cup                                                                                                        Chelsea 20:00 Arsenal 

Italian Serie A

Napoli 17:30 Parma

Inter Milan 19:45 Lecce

Feature: Governance In Motion: Achievements, Challenges, And The Road Ahead –ACUC Report

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Mr.Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg

2025 in Retrospect:
One Year in Office of President John Dramani Mahama Governance is ultimately a reflection of leadership. The quality of stewardship—good or bad—defines the outcomes, texture, and lived experiences of citizens.

After one year in office -it is both legitimate and necessary to interrogate the performance of the current administration, acknowledging achievements while constructively highlighting challenges.

The AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC), presents this balanced assessment grounded in- facts,field observations,and policy analysis.

AREAS OF ASSESSMENT
. Domestic Governance:
• Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Performance
• The GoldBod and Resource Governance
• Education and Development Convergence
• 24-Hour Economy, Domestication Principles, and the New National Capital Vision
• State of ROPA (EOCO, Police CID, OSP)
• Revitalisation of State-Owned Enterprises (e.g. TOR) through Local Engineering
• Environmental Protection and Galamsey
• Chieftaincy and Communal Conflicts
• Regional and District Development
• Cost of Living and National Happiness Index
• Role of the Military in Rural Infrastructure Development

II. International Relations:
• Sub-regional Geopolitics and Western Interests
• Relations with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)
• United Nations Engagement
• Humanitarian Solidarity (Hurricane Melissa, Sudan, Caribbean States)
• Africa Reparation Mandate and Youth Expectations
• Engagement with the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
• Non-Aligned Movement Leadership
• Polisario Sovereign Independence
• Peace and Stability in the DRC
• US Military Base and Ghana’s Sovereignty
• Solidarity with Palestine

DOMESTIC GOVERNANCE REVIEW:
Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Performance-
Ghana is abundantly endowed with natural resources—gold, oil, gas, fertile land, and resilient human capital—yet many communities still lack access to potable water, healthcare, sanitation, and basic infrastructure. Preventable diseases persist even in urban centers.

Operating a mixed economy under conditions of high costs, volatile profit margins, and historical structural weaknesses remains challenging.
However, citizens are beginning to experience the texture of social democratic governance.

A year ago, Ghana was burdened by: A severe debt crisis,
• High inflation
• Currency instability
• Youth unemployment amid rising graduate output
• Systemic corruption normalized through democratic impunity
•Workers’ incomes were overwhelmed by inflation, fuel price hikes, and rising costs of goods and services.

The unstable currency fueled import dependency, turning Ghana into a consumption-driven economy with weak import substitution, largely benefiting foreign profit interests.

Political independence without economic sovereignty reduced national autonomy to symbolism.
Capitalist democratic excesses deepened-debt,inflation,and currency depreciation.

Encouragingly, within one-year, key indicators signal progress:
• Completion of debt restructuring
• Declining inflation
• Strong reserve accumulation
• Improved trade performance –
Ghana is breathing again.

Yet stabilization must translate into visible, sustainable, and transformational improvements in citizens’ lives.

Structural reforms promised by the Minister of Finance—
– fiscal discipline,
– macroeconomic stability,
– and poverty reduction—remain a national expectation and anxiety.

The GoldBod:
The establishment of the GoldBod is one of the most strategic fiscal interventions to date.
Its performance has:
• Increased Ghana’s gold reserves
• Strengthened confidence in the cedi
• Improved regulation and sanitation of the gold sector.
ACUC, highly commends the board’s management and urges sustained transparency and institutional independence.

Education:
Best Practices and Development Convergence-
Quality education remains a structural challenge, historically weakened by colonial legacies and IMF/World Bank conditionalities that undermines development – oriented and indigenous African learning systems.

Pre-independence and early post-independence education models (Standard Seven, Middle School, O/A Levels) were stronger than current systems, yet still failed to fully integrate African history, values, and epistemologies.

African Inventors and Intellectual Heritage:
ACUC strongly advocates for the structured study of African inventors—both on the continent and within Afro-descendant territories—alongside Africa’s historical leaders and thinkers within Ghana’s educational curriculum.

Teaching the inventions, innovations, and scientific contributions of Africans across history is essential to restoring intellectual confidence, stimulating curiosity, and motivating excellence among learners.

Such an approach corrects historical erasures embedded in colonial education systems and reinforces the understanding that Africans have always been creators of technology, systems, and solutions.Embedding this knowledge within science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education will inspire innovation, strengthen national productivity, and align education with Ghana’s industrial and developmental ambitions.

Liberative and development education – the ACUC, therefore calls on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), to integrate more teaching of African and Afro-descendant inventions, such as the inventor of Traffic lights, Typewriter, Train alarm, Gasmask, Player piano, Cellular phone, Elevator, Airship, and many others into the national curriculum in subsequent reviews.
A broader educational reform anchored on African success stories in leadership achievements, inventions and development.

As the Ghana Education Service implements the curriculum to the core, using effective pedagogical approaches that can support active learning and ultimate desired outcomes for the Ghanaian community.

It is equally important for the nation to maintain efficient professional regulatory bodies as enshrined in the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020, (ERBA 1023, 2020) to ensure the enforcement of quality standards in the educational system.

The National Teaching Council (NTC) must not fail the nation in its mandate to promote quality teacher standards, while the National School Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) ensures the enforcement of quality educational standards in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) requirements of Pre-tertiary educational institutions in Ghana.

To ensure quality implementation of curricula, these regulatory bodies must be fully equipped with quality professional personnel to deliver this crucial mandate.
They must maintain their independence – devoid of political manipulation and personal interest – to be able to deliver their regulatory mandate which should subsequently produce reliable regional and national data critical for informed policy direction and prompt interventional programs where necessary.

The importance of these intertwined activities among the various agencies of the MoE must not be undermined in any way that would attract mistrust in a regulatory system that is supposed to build hope for unwavering quality education delivery even for generations unborn.

In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, emphatically, education must:
• Accentuate innovation, creativity, and production
• Align with national development agendas
• Learn from non-IMF-driven models (Nordic states, China, Cuba)
Institutions such as NaCCA and NaSIA must be professionally managed.
Weak leadership risks diluting their mandates and compromising outcomes.

ROPA and Anti-Corruption Institutions:
The principles of ROPA, alongside economic hardship and the 24-Hour Economy vision, significantly contributed to the democratic transition of December 2024.
Recoveries of misappropriated public funds remain critical.
Ghanaians demand:
• Non-interference by political elites and influential traditional rulers
• Institutional independence.

Measurable outcomes of EOCO’s performance is commendable-
The Recovering of GH¢337.4 million against a GH¢200 million target in 2025 is a strong signal of effective governance.

Decentralization of EOCO-
operations at the district levels—with adequate resources—will strengthen prevention.

The Police CID are professionally dedicated with result oriented leadership.

The OSP remains a subject of public debate.

Streamlining investigative bodies-
to avoid duplication is necessary to prevent justice loopholes.

The President’s firm stance against corruption has instilled caution among appointees.

Corruption must be understood broadly—beyond financial theft to include institutional incompetence and leadership failure.

Performance reviews within six months of appointment should guide retention or removal of ministers and CEOs.

24-Hour Economy and the New Capital Vision:
The 24-Hour Economy is a potential game changer for employment and productivity.
Government commitment is evident through:
• Stakeholder engagement (industry, labour, traditional authorities)
• Plans for a National Authority backed by legislation
• Vision of a new capital city to decongest Accra.
The revival of the Ghana Food Distribution Corporation to promote local consumption and reduce food imports is strongly encouraged.

State-Owned Enterprises and Industrial Revival:
The rejuvenation of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) under Ghanaian engineers demonstrates the power of local expertise when supported by competent leadership.
Other dormant state assets—Bonsa Tyres, Aboso Glass, Tema Shipyard, Bolga Meat Factory, Pwalugu Tomatoes, silos, and factories nationwide—can be revived.

Kwame Nkrumah Univetsity of Science and Technology’s (KNUST) original mandate, modeled after Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), must be purposefully and jealously restored to support industrialization and applied engineering.

Environment and Galamsey:
Government is commended for repealing LI 2462, which allowed mining in forest reserves. The fight against galamsey must intensify in partnership with traditional authorities to protect future generations.
Foreigners engaged in galamsey, when arrested should be heavily fined and repatriated.

Conflicts and Chieftaincy:
Most conflicts in Ghana are chieftaincy-related, rooted in colonial indirect rule.
The role of the National House of Chiefs and Eminent Traditional Leaders must be strengthened.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s mediation in Bawku—anchored in a Supreme Court ruling—is widely supported.

Peace, coexistence, and cultural harmony are prerequisites for development.

Cost of Living and National Stability:
The cost-of-living index shows improvement, though more progress is needed to achieve a living wage.
Economic comfort is itself a national security asset.
Civil service salaries must be rationalized.
It is illogical for agencies under ministries to earn more than civil servants within the same ministries—this breeds ethical lapses.

Military in Rural Infrastructure:
The Ghana Armed Forces are a strategic asset for peacetime infrastructure development, offering:
1. Cost efficiency
2.Technical expertise
3. Discipline and speed
4. Durable construction standards

Public Sentiment:
Field assessments indicate that approximately 70% of Ghanaians believe the December 7, 2024 electoral choice was justified. Citizens report a renewed sense of leadership and direction.

INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE REVIEW:
The emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) reflects a response to ECOWAS’ contradictions and lingering colonial influence.
AES holds promise for: Unified defense,Shared currency,Coordinated foreign policy
and Agenda 2063 aspirations

Ghana’s cordial relations with AES, including the appointment of a special envoy and the Ghana–Burkina Faso roaming-free agreement, are commendable Pan-African milestones.
ACUC advocates:
• Common AU vehicle registration systems
• Joint Ghana – Burkina Faso military exercises to serve as a mitigative measure againsts jihadist threats.

The President’s 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech in 2025, powerfully articulated Africa’s interest and youth aspirations.Humanitarian solidarity with Jamaica and Cuba following Hurricane Melissa and to Sudan in a civil unrest – reflects principled foreign policy.Ghana’s African Union (AU) mandate on reparations affirms credible Pan-African leadership.

South–South cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to strengthen shared prosperity.
Outstanding Challenges:
• Ghana must reclaim leadership within the Non-Aligned Movement
• Restore diplomatic recognition of Polisario
• Take a proactive role in resolving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis
• Abolish the United States (US) military base to safeguard Ghana’s full sovereignty
• Relentlessly pursue the phases of Agenda 2063 aspirations – in resonance with the purposeful unitary governance thoughts laid down by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah:
– One military command
– One foreign policy
– One economic policy decisions
– One common currency
– One passport and free movements, amongst others.

IS THIS GHANA?
A once-destroyed oil refinery reduced to scraps has been restored through purposeful leadership.
The Reset is not a story.
The Reset is real.
The Reset leadership is true.

Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg,
AfriKan Continental Union (ACUC),
Ghana Chapter.

 

 

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Nigeria ranked 72nd on 2025 Global Govt AI Readiness Index

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Artificial Intelligence

Nigeria has been ranked 72nd out of 188 countries in the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index, placing it among the top-performing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The annual index published by Oxford Insights assessed 195 governments using 69 indicators across six pillars, including policy capacity, governance, AI infrastructure, public sector adoption, development and diffusion, and resilience.

Oxford Insights AI Readiness Index evaluates how prepared governments are to implement artificial intelligence in public service delivery, using indicators across policy capacity, infrastructure, governance, development, diffusion, and resilience.

 

How Nigeria Compares Globally And In Africa

Nigeria was ranked fourth within Sub-Saharan Africa, behind only Kenya (65th), South Africa (67th), and Mauritius (71st), making it one of the continent’s strongest performers on the index.

In total, 10 African countries made the global top 100, highlighting gradual but uneven AI progress across the continent.

Top 10 African Countries by Global Ranking

  1. Kenya — 65th
  2. South Africa — 67th
  3. Mauritius — 71st
  4. Nigeria — 72nd
  5. Rwanda — 75th
  6. Ghana — 85th
  7. Morocco — 87th
  8. Algeria — 96th
  9. Senegal — 97th
  10. Tunisia — 99th

What The Report Says About Nigeria

The report described Nigeria as being “amongst the highest ranking countries globally from the continent”, noting that recent policy actions and sectoral investment are beginning to show results.

“Nigeria — amongst the highest ranking countries globally from the continent — just stepped into the top 50 on Development and Diffusion (49th) and performed even better in policy capacity (coming 35th globally) following increased investment in its domestic AI sector, the launch of detailed AI policy documents and a stated intention to enhance efforts for international collaboration.”

This means that while Nigeria’s overall rank is 72nd, it performed significantly better in specific pillars, particularly in Policy Capacity (35th globally) and Development and Diffusion (49th globally).

Credit: channelstv.com

US labels Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan as ‘terrorists’

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Muslim Brotherhood

The United States has designated Muslim Brotherhood organisations in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as “terrorist” groups, the Associated Press news agency reports, as Washington intensifies its crackdown on Israel’s rivals across the world.

The decision on Tuesday came weeks after President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to start the process of blacklisting the groups.

 

“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilisation wherever it occurs,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, according to AP.

“The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”

 

The designations make it illegal to provide material support to the groups. They also largely ban their current and former members from entering the US and impose economic sanctions to choke their revenue streams.

Established in 1928 by Egyptian Muslim scholar Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood has offshoots and branches across the Middle East, including political parties and social organisations.

The group and its affiliates say they are committed to peaceful political participation.

 

Credit: aljazeera.com

Prosecutors seek death penalty for ex-South Korean president Yoon

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South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol

Prosecutors have asked for South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol to be handed a death sentence if he is found guilty over his botched attempt to impose martial law.

A court in Seoul heard closing arguments in Yoon’s trial, in which he was accused of being the “ringleader of an insurrection”.

The charge stems from Yoon’s attempt in December 2024 to impose military rule in South Korea – an act that lasted just hours but plunged the country into political turmoil. He was later impeached by parliament and detained to face trial.

Yoon has denied the charges against him, arguing that martial law was a symbolic gesture to draw public attention to the wrongdoings of the opposition party.

Leading an insurrection – the most serious charge against Yoon – carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and under South Korean law prosecutors must ask the judge for one or the other for the crime of insurrection.

South Korea has not executed anyone in nearly 30 years. In 1996, former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan was given the death penalty for seizing power in a military coup in 1979, though his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

The prosecutors in Yoon’s case argue that although no one was killed in his martial law attempt, Yoon’s intent was no less violent.

They called to the stand the military commander who testified that Yoon had ordered the arrest of lawmakers.

They also presented as evidence the memo made by one of the planners of the martial law, a former military officer, containing the suggestion of “disposing” of hundreds of people including journalists, labour activists and lawmakers.

Yoon’s insurrection trial has been merged with those of two other senior figures in his administration, former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun and former police chief Cho Ji-ho.

Credit: bbc.com

Le Pen hopeful appeal will allow her to run for French president

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Marine Le Pen has run for the French presidency three times

A high-stakes appeal by far-right French politician Marine Le Pen has begun in Paris against a ruling that banned her from running for public office for five years.

Le Pen, 57, was found guilty last year of embezzling EU funds and, if the ban is upheld, she will not be able to stand in the 2027 presidential election. Ahead of her arrival in court, she said “hopeful” about the outcome.

On Monday, the president of her National Rally party, Jordan Bardella, said barring her from the election would be “deeply worrying for democracy”.

Bardella said he would not stand for president but would instead seek the lower-ranking post of prime minister.

The case at the Paris Court of Appeal will last until 12 February but a ruling is not expected before the summer, well ahead of next year’s presidential vote.

Last year’s case centred on charges that Le Pen, along with more than 20 other senior party figures, hired assistants who worked on her RN party affairs rather than for the European Parliament which paid them.

The judge, Bénédicte de Perthuis, said Le Pen had been at the “heart of the system” that saw the embezzlement of €2.9m (£2.5m) worth of European funds.

Le Pen was given a four-year prison sentence – with two years suspended and the remaining two to be served with an electronic tag rather than in custody. She was handed a €100,000 (£82,635) fine and banned from seeking public office “with immediate effect”.

More than 20 RN figures were also found guilty in last year’s trial and the party was ordered to pay a €2m fine, with half the amount suspended.

Eleven of Le Pen’s colleagues are taking part in the Paris appeal, but 12 have decided not to challenge the original verdicts, including her sister Yann Le Pen who was given a one-year suspended prison term.

Credit: bbc.com

Fear grips Indian students in Bangladesh amid unrest

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Indian students in Bangladesh

Every evening around 8pm, Karim* locks himself inside his small hostel room at East West Medical College in Nishat Nagar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

If there is a knock on the door, he pauses before opening it, listening carefully first for familiar voices.

 

Outside the campus, he avoids crowded tea stalls and markets. He does not speak Bangla fluently, and he knows that his accent could give him away as an Indian – an identity he desperately wants to mask these days, if he can.

 

Karim came to Bangladesh in April 2024 from his home in the northern Indian state of Haryana, after failing to secure a government medical seat in India. At the time, Dhaka felt welcoming. He would go out with classmates, eat at restaurants, and travel outside the college on weekends.

 

“Those outings helped me release the stress of studies,” Karim said. But in July 2024, when protests erupted against then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government, his routine changed. Fearing that the environment outside was no longer safe, Khan confined himself to his small room.

 

The college advised him and other Indian students to remain within the campus premises. It has stayed that way since then. Karim says he feels trapped, and the city that once felt like a second home no longer offers a sense of safety.

He is among more than 9,000 Indian medical students currently enrolled in Bangladeshi colleges, at a time when anti-India sentiments are soaring in the country, 16 months after former Hasina sought exile in New Delhi.

 

Credit: aljazeera.com

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