Author: damazah@gmail.com

Nonye Ujam Every major national transformation has an unseen force behind it. In the industrial age, it was engineers who translated ideas into infrastructure. In the internet era, it was network builders and platform pioneers who turned connectivity into socioeconomic change. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), however, it is policymakers and public sector officials who will determine whether AI becomes a driver of prosperity or a missed opportunity. Across the world, evidence is mounting that the countries making the fastest progress with AI are not necessarily those with the most advanced technology, but those that invested early in…

The film has had an unusually long and difficult journey to release. It was originally titled, external Ghallughara, a Punjabi term associated with some of the darkest episodes in Sikh history. It refers to the mass killings of Sikhs by Mughal forces in 1746 and by the forces of Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1762.Director Honey Trehan has said India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the government body that certifies films for public exhibition in cinemas, asked the filmmakers to change the title during the certification process but did not explain its reasons publicly.The film was later retitled…

United States President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun‘s one-match suspension at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Balogun had been set to miss the United States’ Round of 16 clash against Belgium after receiving a straight red card for a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round. Read Also: Trump’s Balogun intervention sparks UEFA, Blatter backlash against FIFA However, FIFA stunned the football world by suspending the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, making the USA striker eligible for the knockout tie in Seattle. The decision…

Privét, Victoria from Techpoint here, Here’s what I’ve got for you today: Nigerian startup FoodCourt suspends operations amid mounting debts SEC adds two new crypto companies to ARIP SEC adds two new crypto companies to ARIP Kenya’s ISPs may soon charge by the data used Pick n Pay’s digital grocery push pays off Nigerian startup FoodCourt suspends operations amid mounting debts FoodCourt FoodCourt, the Nigerian cloud kitchen startup backed by Y Combinator, has suspended operations after months of mounting financial pressure left it unable to pay staff and suppliers, according to word on the street. The company’s final operating location…

By Dayo Johnson, Akure The Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG) in Ondo State has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee’s (NWC) reversal of several Senate and House of Representatives primary election results saved the party from what it described as an “electoral precipice.” Speaking in Akure, the Director-General of the group, Olumuyiwa Asagunla, alleged that the primaries exposed “deep fractures” within the party and were reduced to a “theatre of manipulation and administrative high-handedness orchestrated from the highest seat of power in Alagbaka.” “Instead of fostering internal democracy, the processes were weaponised to settle personal scores, sideline original party…

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia says he has briefed President Bola Tinubu on the security situation, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), ongoing development projects and the political climate in the state following the recent Benue’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Mr Alia disclosed this on Monday after a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The governor said the visit was partly to appreciate Mr Tinubu for identifying with Benue during the anniversary celebrations and to provide an update on developments in the state. “On a number of counts, the president visited the state just one week ago…

Key eventsPreamble I: The gameIn a more perfect world, we would be looking at a fascinating matchup between two teams that have been saddled with a “Golden Generation” tag.Belgium’s “Golden Generation” more or less lived up to expectations, reaching the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals (defeating the USA in the Round of 16 – we’ll get to that) and taking third place in 2018. The players – especially Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel, Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany and Eden Hazard – all had glittering club careers. Lukaku, De Bruyne, Witsel and Courtois are still in the squad.The…

By Ayo Onikoyi Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy has once again etched his name into African music history after overtaking fellow Grammy-winning singer Tems to become the African artist with the highest monthly listeners on Spotify. The achievement marks another significant milestone in Burna Boy’s remarkable global rise, highlighting the strength of his ever-expanding international audience and the enduring appeal of his catalogue. According to Spotify data, Burna Boy recently climbed past 40.7 million monthly listeners, narrowly edging Tems’ tally of about 40.6 million to reclaim the top spot among African artists. The feat is particularly noteworthy because the hierarchy…

By Tim Akano On July 4, 1776, fifty-six strong men signed their names to a proposition so audacious it still reads like heresy: that government exists by the consent of the governed, not the grace of kings. It was not simply a nation being born. It was a wager — that liberty, codified in law rather than bestowed by bloodline, could outlast every empire that mocked it as naïve. That was an idea, an experiment and a promise. However, the expectations, inspirations and aspirations of 1776 have turned to complications, frustration and exasperation of 2026. The drafters of the American…

Police in standoff with alleged trespasser on Bolte BridgePolice in Melbourne are in a standoff with a man who they allege has painted a huge “Pam the Bird” image on the city’s Bolte Bridge.In a statement Victoria police said uniformed and water police were “currently on scene and responding to an incident involving a trespasser” on the bridge. They said: double quotation markA man has scaled the bridge and remains in a restricted area on the eastern tower. He is refusing to follow police direction and come down.Police allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the bridge earlier this morning.…