Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

US chip-maker Nvidia led a rout in tech stocks Monday after the emergence of a low-cost Chinese generative AI model that could threaten American dominance in the fast-growing industry. The chatbot developed by DeepSeek, a startup based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has apparently shown the ability to match the capacity of US AI pace-setters for a fraction of the investments made by American companies. Shares in Nvidia, whose semiconductors power the AI industry, fell nearly 17 percent on Wall Street, erasing nearly $600 billion of its market value. The tech-rich Nasdaq index finished down more than three…

US President Donald Trump once again hinted at the idea of serving a third term, saying he was “not 100 percent sure” he was barred from doing so under the Constitution, which forbids it. Trump has repeatedly alluded to the possibility that he might go beyond the current two-term limit for US presidents — but while he often strikes a light-hearted tone the remarks remain provocative. “I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100 percent sure, because I don’t know… I think I’m not allowed to…

The Nigerian Police Force has blamed the recent explosion in Niger State on unauthorised stockpiling of explosives. Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Shawulu Danmamman, described the recent dynamite explosion in Sabon Pegi community, Mashegu Local Government Area, as unfortunate. The explosion occurred due to the indiscriminate storage of dynamite in residential areas, which the community allegedly concealed. CP Danmamman’s stand reiterated disclosure by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake on Monday. Alake had said preliminary investigations suggested that the explosion which occurred at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State,…

US President Donald Trump said Monday he had signed an executive order ridding the military of what he called “transgender ideology,” in a potentially major setback for LGBTQ rights. In a series of orders related to the military that Trump told reporters he had signed on Air Force One, he also called for the building of a US version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system. The Republicans signed further orders reinstating service members dismissed for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and extending a wider government crackdown on diversity programs to the armed forces. “To ensure that we have…

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) , Peter Obi has said described Nigeria’s democracy as “fast losing its essence” as a result of deep-necked poverty ravaging the country. Obi, who disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Monday said the number of Nigerians living in poverty is alarming, a situation which he said democracy was supposed to address. He said, “With about 100 million Nigerians living in absolute poverty and 150 million in multidimensional poverty, democracy is fast losing its essence if it fails to address the fundamental needs of its citizens, particularly in critical…

The Court of Appeal, Akure division, Ondo State, on Thursday upheld the death sentence of a popular hotelier and industrialist, Rahmon Adedoyin, over the murder of Timothy Adegoke. The appellate court, which upheld the judgment of the High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, affirmed that Adedoyin was properly convicted by the lower court. However, Judge Oyebisi Omoleye quashed the judgment of the lower court on the forfeiture of his property to the state government, as well as the judgment mandating Adedoyin to be responsible for the education of the children of the deceased. The judgment read in part: “The judgment…

Ruben Amorim says he does not know if unsettled Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford will leave Old Trafford before the transfer window closes. Rashford has not featured for 10 games after Amorim made the shock move to drop him for United’s derby win at Manchester City in December. The 27-year-old responded to his omission by saying he was ready for a “new challenge”, sparking reports that he would be sold by United before the end of the current transfer period on February 3. Linked with AC Milan, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, Rashford remains in exile, with United boss Amorim…

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has taken steps to tackle the menace of illegal revenue collection, denying the state huge financial benefits. The House, led by the Speaker, Abraham Ingobere, convened a plenary session on Wednesday to address critical issues surrounding illegal revenue collection. A motion sponsored and moved by Daniel Charles, representing Brass Constituency 1, on the “Urgent Call to Halt Unwholesome Activities of Dangerous Illegal Revenue Collection at Swali Waterside Jetty and Other Transport Terminals Across the State” was thoroughly discussed at the plenary. Daniel stated that due to the absence of road networks connecting many local…

The World Health Organization said Friday it was reviewing its priorities in preparation for the withdrawal of its largest donor the US, and stressed that it provides vital services that protect the country from health threats. Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the WHO, a body he has repeatedly criticised over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. “This announcement has made our financial situation more acute, and we know it has created significant concern and uncertainty for the WHO workforce,” the organisation’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a letter sent to…

Kenya will now permit citizens of nearly all African countries to visit without requiring prior authorisation.   According to a BBC report, Kenya will now permit citizens of nearly all African countries to visit without requiring prior authorization, as per a new directive from the cabinet. A cabinet statement clarified that the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirement will be abolished for all African countries, except Somalia and Libya, citing security concerns. Under the revised system, citizens of most African nations will be allowed to enter and stay visa-free for up to two months. Additionally, members of the East African Community—comprising…