A frantic race by tech giants to develop ever more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) could have “harmful” effects, leading researcher Yoshua Bengio warned Thursday as scientists marked the start of the Paris global summit on the technology.

The computer scientist and 2018 winner of the prestigious Turing Prize was presenting the first-ever International AI Safety Report, compiled under his supervision, at Paris’s ENS university.

Bengio pointed to AI risks that are already widely acknowledged, such as its use to create fake or misleading content online.

But the University of Montreal professor added that “proof is steadily appearing of additional risks, like biological attacks or cyberattacks”.

In the longer term, he fears a possible “loss of control” by humans over AI systems, potentially motivated by “their own will to survive”.

The emergence last month of the low-cost, high-performance Chinese AI model DeepSeek had “sped up the race, which isn’t good for safety”, Bengio added.

He called for heavier international regulation and more extensive research on AI safety, which for now accounts for “a tiny fraction” of the massive investments being made in the sector.

“Without government intervention, I don’t know how we’re going to get through this,” Bengio said.

Still the world’s leading AI nation for now, the United States has dropped former president Joe Biden’s attempt to impose some rules on development since the inauguration of Donald Trump.

When OpenAI’s ChatGPT burst onto the public scene two years ago, “I felt the urgency of thinking about this question of safety,” Bengio said as he presented the report — designed to match now-familiar documents from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

“What scares me the most is the possibility that humanity could disappear within 10 years. It’s terrifying. I don’t know why more people don’t realise it,” he said.

Around 100 experts from 30 countries, the United Nations, the European Union and the OECD contributed to the Bengio-led report, published at the end of January.

Work was kicked off at a previous summit on AI safety in Britain in November 2023

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad have announced the arrest of five individuals allegedly involved in illegal firearms possession, gun running, kidnapping, banditry and job racketeering.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson for NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, items recovered during the operation include two automatic rifles with three magazines, an AK-47 rifle with 15 live rounds of ammunition, an FN rifle with two live rounds, one live cartridge, and nine locally fabricated pistols.

The statement added that a bayonet and two pairs of uniforms from the Nigerian Forest Security Services were seized.

The suspects arrested, according to the statement, are Umar Ibrahim, Nura Abubakar, and Mohammed Sule, who are currently being detained in Ukoso Komva Ward, Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,

The Service Spokesman explained that the suspects were apprehended on their way to deliver arms to a buyer.

He added that upon interrogation, 3 of the suspects claimed that they were deceived into the crime by one Ali who is currently at large as he earlier invited them to assist him with the sales of firearms in his possession.

“They were, however, apprehended on their way to deliver it to the buyer”.

The former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi has stated that President Bola Tinubu desire to give Nigeria the best is not enough in leadership.

He asserted that there must be a framework in place to bring about the change Nigerians are earnestly awaiting.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain shared his reservation on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

The ex-governor, who described the president as his elder brother, said that intentionality is critical to the success of the Nigeria project.

“He (Tinubu) is well-meaning but well-meaning is not enough in leadership; intentionality is critical to success,” he said.

Fayemi said those in power know the truth but do not act the truth “because sometimes there are many mediating factors”.

He said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done many good things, we all must acknowledge that. He’s been bold to take on some of the most difficult decisions that previous leaders have been reluctant to take on.

“The fallout of those decisions has caused us huge cost of living crisis. Fuel subsidy removal, convergence of FX window.

“Whether you talk about student loan or other efforts at resisting insurgency, taming insecurity, tax policy reform, increase revenue into the federal coffers, some elements are there but need to come together.

“This is where effective policy framework go side by side with leadership acumen to get a change of narrative to the story. Maybe that’s the area where we need to do lots more.”

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has vowed to “down tools,” arguing that citizens are “feeding from hand to mouth” following the recent hike in telecom tariff.

Festus Osifo, the President of TUC, made this known when he appeared on Channels Television’s *

Politics Today on Thursday, blaming the hike on mismanagement of foreign exchange, which he believes the government can handle easily.

e said the TUC is not begrudging the telcos, knowing very well that the socio-economic landscape they operate in has changed dramatically, but insisted that the government has the responsibility to ensure that the economic outlook of the country is stable for businesses to thrive.

According to him, “Government has the tools and wherewithal to be able to manage the landscape to ensure that the cost of doing business goes down. And one of the ways is that exchange rate because that is the root cause of the problem.”

Asked what ultimatum they are giving to the Nigerian government, he added, “The NAC [TUC, which is like the National Working Committee] has met today. After that, we’ll have the Central Working Committee meeting, and we also have the NEC.

“So at the NEC, we’ll take the final decision. So the NAC was the one that met today.

“All we are saying is that if you allow your currency to slide, it will affect all of us.”

He added, “We are completely apolitical. For one, I don’t belong to any political party; I’ve said that severally, so we look for what is in the best interest of the Nigerian workers and Nigerians in general.

“We started shouting about this early last year; if our exchange rate is better managed, at the end you are going to see that there is no need for that increment.”

Asked if the TUC is proceeding with an industrial action, he said, “Absolutely,” adding that they will “down tools and go to the streets.”

He said the NEC of TUC has the responsibility to give a date for the strike.

DAILY POST reports that members of the Trade Union Congress are in charge of the oil sector and other sectors crucial to the running of the economy

Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has announced a 15 percent tariff increase, the first in 32 years.

According to the Nation, NPA managing director Abubakar Dantsoho disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos during the stakeholders’ engagement.

He noted that the 15 percent ports tariff increment is across the board.

Represented by the Executive Director of Marine and Operations, Olalekan Badmus, Dantsoho explained that the agency had maintained the same rates for over three decades despite significant economic changes, including exchange rate fluctuations, rising wages, fuel and lubricant costs, and inflation.

This comes weeks after the Nigerian Communications Commission approved a telecommunications tariff hike capped at 50 percent.

Meanwhile, Nigerians and financial experts have criticised the Nigerian government’s revenue-driven posture at the expense of citizens’ welfare as economic hardship worsens

A manufacturer, the Operations Director of Manufacturing Industry Canada, Olufemi Johnson, said what is consumed as milk in Nigeria are creamers.

Johnson made this known in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday while speaking on the challenges facing Nigeria’s dairy industry.

According to him, Nigeria’s dairy has remained stagnated due to under-investment.

“When it comes to the dairy industry, we are not anywhere in Nigeria.

“As a society, we don’t have milk, or kids don’t have milk protein. We didn’t grow with milk protein. What we called milk in Nigeria is not milk but creamers. They are not qualified to be called milk.

“There is a global standard of what is called milk. You don’t milk, milk, but bottle it,” he stated.

Experts in the have lamented the widespread of inferior milk in Nigeria.

Recall that the federal government in June 2024 launched the National Dairy Policy, 2023-2028 to drive growth in the sector

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has issued guidelines for the sale of foreign exchange (FX) to Bureaux De Change, BDC, operators.

The modalities are outlined in a statement issued by the Trade and Exchange Department of the CBN on Wednesday.

The Apex Bank stated that this is in response to its earlier authorization granting temporary access to existing BDCs to the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) for the purchase of FX from authorized dealers.

The CBN noted that authorized dealers are only allowed to sell foreign exchange cash to BDCs, subject to a maximum of USD 25,000.00 per week per BDC.

The Apex Bank warned that any breach of this condition will attract appropriate sanctions.

The CBN emphasized that the selling rate by authorized dealers to BDCs shall be the prevailing day rate at the NFEM window.

According to the statement from the bank, “foreign exchange cash purchased by BDCs from authorized dealer banks shall be sold to foreign exchange end-users at a rate not exceeding a one percent margin above the buying rate.

“While the one percent margin stated above shall be applicable to all funds to be retailed by BDCs, regardless of the source of funds.”

The mother of famous Nigerian singer Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, aka Ayra Starr, has urged Nigerians to encourage their middle-aged mothers to join social media platform, TikTok.

Mrs Aderibigbe, who is known for her trendy content on TikTok, claimed that the platform helps middle-aged women mentally.

She made the claim in a video message shared via her TikTok page recently.

“I’m so grateful to be on TikTok. I’m so privileged to have you all in my life as part of me. Thanks you for your support.

“If your mum is between 40-60 years old, encourage them to be on TikTok because it helps them mentally.

“I’m on TikTok now and I can testify to it. My thinking now is different from before. Now, I’m creative in my thoughts.

“You guys can see the way I’m looking. So please, encourage your mums, let them come and teach us their experiences in life,” she said

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has joined the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood.

Kennedy joined Nollywood a few months after being sacked by President Bola Tinubu.

DAILY POST reports that Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye was appointed as minister in August 2023, and removed alongside four others in a cabinet reshuffle on October 23, 2024.

The 51-year-old politician has now shifted her focus to filmmaking barely four months after her removal from the cabinet.

Announcing her acting career on her X handle, the former minister shared a video of her latest project.

Kennedy who is also a lawyer and entrepreneur, joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015 and emerged the party’s first female presidential aspirant in 2023, before ultimately withdrawing to support Tinubu.

Veteran Nollywood actor, Columbus Irisoanga, popularly known as ‘Igbudu’ is dead.

Columbus Irisoanga’s death was announced by another veteran actress and politician, Hilda Dokubo, in a post on Instagram.

Hilda said that Irisoanga had gone to be with the Lord.

She also stated that the actor’s death is a heavy one on University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Nollywood.

“Our uncle Coli @colu_mbusirisoanga has gone to be with the lord. Ikoli eh dein na mu.

“There can’t be shortage of Angels in heaven that the few here are called home like this na! This one is heavy on Uniport Rivers state Nollywood,” she wrote.

Columbus’s death comes just a few days after another Nollywood actress, Pat Ugwu, 35, died.