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Experts Say GMO Poses Food Sovereignty Risk

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Global Prolife Alliance (GPA), a global health organization has again warned that genetically modified organisms (GMO) foods are unsafe for human consumption.

Experts Say GMO Poses Food Sovereignty Risk

GPA also claimed that the promoters of such items have a sinister motive to, ultimately, destroy Nigeria’s food security

Global Prolife Alliance chaired by Dr. Philip Njemanze, has been advocating for the ban of cultivation and distribution of GMO seeds in Nigeria.

In a series of letters to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, Global Prolife Alliance disclosed that some foreign interests acquired a private army to train mercenaries hired from Africa and beyond to disguise as herdsmen, bandits and insurgents to kill farmers, who are the natural seed growers.

The GPA said, sometime ago, natural seed growers were tracked through technology and killed because natural seed growers were seen as competitors of biotech companies providing GMO foods.

The group said the latest system being advocated by some interested parties “is designed to track the identity and financial records of every Nigerian, to track and kill the most economically viable Nigerians, leaving in the country a people in abject poverty that could easily be controlled.

“The overall strategy is to capture the food security of Nigeria.”

It said some interests had intervened with  deceptive programmes, leading to the death of many seed grower-farmers in Nigeria.

The group further said: “Our agricultural productivity has plummeted. Farmers cannot go to the farm for fear of being killed in their farms. Nigeria is now a nation in hunger, worse than a decade ago before the nefarious activities began.”

The group added that  “GMO seeds deceptively called high-yield improved seeds do not replicate themselves; hence they are called ‘suicide seeds,’ that is, once planted and it grows, you cannot replant the next generation. The farmers have to go to the promoters every planting season to collect new seeds.”

The GPA said that it is at that “point that the promoters intend to dictate their terms to allow Nigerian people to feed on the toxic GMOs. “Meanwhile, because the GMO seeds are planted alongside the natural crops, the cross-pollination would make the natural seed also carry the GMO seed genes rendering them also GMO crops. This has a serious implication: for example, a 1% contamination of the natural crops would make them be classified as GMO; hence they will remain banned from European, Russian, American, and Asian markets.

“Agriculture in Nigeria would stop being a foreign currency earning sector of the economy. The foreigners are killing the Nigerian farmers, not Islamic extremists.”

The GPA said that since 2009, terrorists have been sponsored and branded Boko Haram, bandits and herdsmen to carry out genocide of farmers in Nigeria to capture Nigeria’s food security.

“Consider this, from 2015-2018, 37,500 farmers were killed, 32,000 were Muslims, and 5,500 were Christians. Despite the fact that 85% of the victims were Muslims, the international and local press propaganda mercenary branded it ‘Islamic terrorism.’

“Any attempt to uncover the truth is met by another orchestrated kidnapping of school children for ransom to depict it as criminal activity rather than well coordinated operations of the sponsors and their biotech accomplices. A corrupt set of people within the Nigerian government collaborated with the foreigners’ agenda, committing treason against their motherland. The time to end this is now!

“We urge the National Assembly and FG to ban all GMO seed cultivation and distribution in Nigeria.

“Amend the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015 to be based on precautionary principles in the Cartagena protocol.

“Repeal the National Health Act 2014 that authorizes collection of gametes and organs without consent.  “Commence NASS hearings on the national security threat posed by biotech companies and their affiliates in Nigeria.”

The group also noted that GMO foods are banned in Europe.

Mr Nnamdi Cos-Ukwuoma, an agripreneur, posited that GMO is an evil wind and a conspiracy.

He said: “Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) technology seems to defy nature. Nature renews itself. When this natural order is altered through scientific or laboratory-controlled genetic engineering or modification to introduce new traits into an organism (plant or animal) the effect can be catastrophic to humans and the ecology. GMO technology purports to create disease/pest resistant seed varieties and increase yield.

“It is natural that the farmer goes into the farm with seeds that will yield him a bumper harvest for consumption and more than enough for planting in the next farming season. But it is not so with most GMO seeds which never reproduce themselves and make the farmer dependent on the particular source of supply (patent owner and suppliers) year in, year out.

“Despite efforts by the new world order and developers of GMO to adduce seemingly convincing arguments to convince the agri-preneurs that their seeds which have been biochemically altered at the molecular level for their own interest and for reasons only known to them farmers have bluntly resisted accepting their seeds and their baits.

“Reasons include that GMO seeds deny farmers the natural privilege of re-using seeds from their farms or to sell to maximize profit. For instance, cassava stems harvested from some GMO cassava are sterile and cannot be used again. Farmers need to contact the developers for fresh order.

“As a biotechnology product, the development and use of GMO seeds are regulated by various government agencies and international organizations to ensure safety and environmental sustainability.”

He acknowledged that some sources insist that GMO seeds are inherently unstable and have the propensity of causing cancer, reproductive problems, organ damage, allergic reactions, immunosuppression and antibiotics resistance, etc.

Cos-Ukwuoma further said: “In deference to nature, in recent times, farmers have begun to embrace farming practices that support life and the environment. Organic farming is becoming popular among farmers. “But GMO and its protocols contradict practical organic farming and are highly dependent on chemicals for pest control and boosting yield.

“In the opinion of farmers and other major stakeholders, GMO is a conspiracy because its proponents are not seen as transparent in all matters relating to their activities and campaigns. In all, it is shrouded in secrecy.

“Purportedly powered by the new world order, it seems driven by the science of quick, certain and compulsive need for bountiful yields and immediate gratification.

“As a farmer, I shun GMO seeds and all their attractions because to me, they defy the natural order of multiplying seeds and boosting food production as against purely organic farming protocols.

“However, there is no compulsion or force on farmers to embrace GMO seeds. One needs to satisfy himself of his reason to go for these new seed varieties. Natural or organic seeds remain a rational preferred option for farmers.”

Interestingly, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, founder of LoveWorld Incorporated better known as Christ Embassy, has claimed that GMO corns cause hypertension hence it should be avoided.

In a live broadcast during a church programme, Oyakhilome said: “I’m sure many of you who don’t have an idea of organic corn. What it is. Don’t think of the one you’ve been buying in the market, in your local market I mean. Don’t think that one is really organic.

“Most countries don’t have the original corn anymore. It’s one of the earliest genetically modified crops, so most of what you’ve been eating is modified a long time ago.


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Trump Threatens More Strikes in Nigeria

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President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out further military strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed, reigniting a sensitive debate over religious violence and foreign intervention in Africa’s most populous nation.

Trump Threatens More Strikes in Nigeria

President Donald Trump

Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day.

At the time, the US military said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.

Nigeria, however, described the operation as a joint counterterrorism effort, stressing that it was aimed at armed groups designated as terrorists and “had nothing to do with a particular religion”.

“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump was quoted as saying. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

Pressed on comments by his own Africa adviser that extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims but insisted that Christians were being targeted disproportionately.

“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly raised alarms about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, beginning in late October when he warned that Christianity faced what he described as an “existential threat” in the country. He has accused Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect Christian communities and has openly threatened US military intervention if the violence continues.

Nigeria has firmly rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians. The government maintains that the country’s security challenges are complex and largely driven by insurgency, banditry and criminal violence rather than religious targeting.

With a population of more than 230 million people, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are concentrated mainly in the south, and Muslims, who predominate in the north. Islamist insurgencies, particularly Boko Haram and its offshoots, have plagued parts of northern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands and displacing millions.

Nigerian authorities have repeatedly pointed out that militant attacks have claimed the lives of both Muslims and Christians, arguing that framing the violence along religious lines oversimplifies the crisis and risks inflaming tensions.

Following Trump’s earlier threats, the Nigerian government said it was willing to continue cooperating with Washington in combating terrorism but rejected language suggesting that Christians alone were under threat.

The latest comments are likely to strain diplomatic relations further, as Nigeria balances its partnership with the United States against concerns over sovereignty, security cooperation and the portrayal of its internal conflicts on the global stage.


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OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health

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OpenAI maker of ChatGPT is rolling out a health-focused feature to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool that’s used by nearly a billion users.

Named ChatGPT Health, the new feature aims to provide users with health and wellness information. This, as health is one of the most common ways people use ChatGPT, according to OpenAI.

In a blog post, Microsoft-backed OpenAI says de-identified analysis of conversations show that over 230 million people globally ask health and wellness-related questions on ChatGPT every week.

ChatGPT Health will also “securely” connect medical records and wellness apps to ground conversations with a user’s own health information, making responses more relevant and useful.

“Designed in close collaboration with physicians, ChatGPT Health helps people take a more active role in understanding and managing their health and wellness – while supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians.”

According to OpenAI, health information is often scattered across portals, apps, wearables, PDFs, and medical notes making it hard to see the full picture, and people are left to navigate a complex healthcare system on their own.

“ChatGPT Health builds on these so responses are informed by your health information and context. You can now securely connect medical records and wellness apps – like Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal – so ChatGPT can help you understand recent test results, prepare for appointments with your doctor, get advice on how to approach your diet and workout routine, or understand the trade-offs of different insurance options based on your healthcare patterns.”

According to the company, ChatGPT Health is designed to support, not replace, medical care, adding that it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. “Instead, it helps you navigate everyday questions and understand patterns over time – not just moments of illness – so you can feel more informed and prepared for important medical conversations.

“To keep your health information protected and secure, Health operates as a separate space with enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data. Conversations in Health are not used to train our foundation models. If you start a health-related conversation in ChatGPT, we’ll suggest moving into Health for these additional protections.”

OpenAI adds that access to ChatGPT Health has started with a small group of early users to learn and continue refining the experience, adding that users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the UK are eligible.

“As we make improvements, we plan to expand access and make Health available to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks.

“Medical record integrations and some apps are available in the US only, and connecting Apple Health requires iOS.”


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Kaspersky Shares AI Cybersecurity Predictions for 2026

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Kaspersky experts outline how the rapid development of AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in 2026, both for individual users and for businesses. Large language models (LLMs) are influencing defensive capabilities while simultaneously expanding opportunities for threat actors.

Deepfakes are becoming a mainstream technology, and awareness will continue to grow. Companies are increasingly discussing the risks of synthetic content and training employees to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to it. As the volume of deepfakes grows, so does the range of formats in which they appear.

At the same time, awareness is rising not only within organisations but also among regular users: end consumers encounter fake content more often and better understand the nature of such threats. As a result, deepfakes are becoming a stable element of the security agenda, requiring a systematic approach to training and internal policies.

Deepfake quality will improve through better audio and a lowering barrier to entry. The visual quality of deepfakes is already high, while realistic audio remains the main area for future growth.

At the same time, content generation tools are becoming easier to use: even non-experts can now create a mid-quality deepfake in just a few clicks. As a result, the average quality continues to rise, creation becomes accessible to a far broader audience, and these capabilities will inevitably continue to be leveraged by cybercriminals.

Online deepfakes will continue to evolve but remain tools for advanced users. Real-time face and voice swapping technologies are improving, but their setup still requires more advanced technical skills. Wide adoption is unlikely, yet the risks in targeted scenarios will grow: increasing realism and the ability to manipulate video through virtual cameras make such attacks more convincing.

Efforts to develop a reliable system for labelling AI-generated content will continue. There are still no unified criteria for reliably identifying synthetic content, and current labels are easy to bypass or remove, especially when working with open-source models. For this reason, new technical and regulatory initiatives aimed at addressing the problem are likely to emerge.

Open-weight models will approach top closed models in many cybersecurity-related tasks, which create more opportunities for misuse. Closed models still offer stricter control mechanisms and safeguards, limiting abuse.

However, open-source systems are rapidly catching up in functionality and circulate without comparable restrictions. This blurs the difference between proprietary models and open-source models both of which can be used efficiently for undesired or malicious purposes.

The line between legitimate and fraudulent AI-generated content will become increasingly blurred. AI can already produce well-crafted scam emails, convincing visual identities, and high-quality phishing pages.

At the same time, major brands are adopting synthetic materials in advertising, making AI-generated content look familiar and visually “normal.” As a result, distinguishing real from fake will become even more challenging, both for users and for automated detection systems.

AI will become a cross-chain tool in cyberattacks and be used across most stages of the kill chain. Threat actors already employ LLMs to write code, build infrastructure, and automate operational tasks.

Further advances will reinforce this trend: AI will increasingly support multiple stages of an attack, from preparation and communication to assembling malicious components, probing for vulnerabilities and deploying tools. Attackers will also work to hide signs of AI involvement, making such operations harder to analyse.

“While AI tools are being used in cyberattacks, they are also becoming a more common tool in security analysis and influence how SOC teams work. Agent-based systems will be able to continuously scan infrastructure, identify vulnerabilities, and gather contextual information for investigations, reducing the amount of manual routine work.

“As a result, specialists will shift from manually searching for data to making decisions based on already-prepared context. In parallel, security tools will transition to natural-language interfaces, enabling prompts instead of complex technical queries,” adds Vladislav Tushkanov, Research Development Group Manager at Kaspersky.

 


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