When Whoop came on the market in 2015, it ushered in a new era of fitness tracking. Rather than showing you what’s going on during your workouts, the screenless device tells you how prepared your body is to work out — or not. It does this by measuring the degree to which your various activities (whether at the gym, a board meeting, or a bar) cause stress on your body and how well you sleep. It then analyzes biomarkers, such as heart rate variability (HRV), to determine how your body is handling all that stress. The idea is that by following its daily suggestions, you can maximize your fitness without overdoing it and risking injury.

Originally designed for pro athletes, a Whoop band has become a common sight on the wrists of everyday gym-goers. But it’s not cheap. Access to your data requires an annual membership, which costs anywhere from $149 to $359 per year.

Earlier this year, however, Amazfit, known for its budget-friendly fitness trackers, debuted the helio strap, which costs just $99 with no subscription required. (You can upgrade to a $69.99 subscription for more premium insights, but it’s not necessary to get the bulk of your info.)

The helio strap is clearly modeled after Whoop, tracking similar data from a similar screenless band. But is it actually as good? I tested both at the same time to find out.

Read more: Best sleep trackers, tried and tested by a coach

How I tested

As a certified running coach and a health and fitness writer who regularly covers fitness trackers, I’ve tested both Whoop (various models over the years) and the Amazfit helio strap multiple times. For this review, I have directly compared the two, wearing both on either wrist 24/7, while sleeping, working out, and even showering to test their water resistance. I tested a Whoop MG with a life membership, which is the brand’s most comprehensive option, worth $359 per year. Lower-priced memberships offer less robust health data, but the sleep, strain, and recovery insights are the same. I also wore an Oura ring at the same time, giving me another input to compare the metrics against when they disagreed.

I checked both apps every morning when I woke up, after workouts, and at least once more before bed, taking note of the numbers captured and any discrepancies between the two. I explored every section in each app, considering how user-friendly it was to navigate, how helpful the statistics and their presentation were, and whether the insights made a meaningful impact on my activities or sleep. I also considered whether the device itself was something I’d actually want to wear long-term.

Read more: Whoop 5.0 promises to help you age backwards — so I put it to the test

Whoop MG vs Amazfit helio strap: Design

Both the Whoop and the Amazfit helio strap are screenless trackers generally designed to be worn on the wrist (although either can also be worn as an armband). But the Whoop can also be placed in compatible underwear, T-shirts, or shorts.

The Whoop strap feels weightless on the wrist (Jennifer Heimlich/The Independent)

At first glance, both trackers look pretty similar. There is, however, a clear difference in quality. The Whoop is slim and so comfortable that I rarely notice it on my wrist. In contrast, the helio strap connects with velcro (which has caught on my clothes a few times) and is made with plastic that squeaks when I move my wrist around. But they are very similar in size.

The helio strap caught on my clothes (Jennifer Heimlich/The Independent)

Whoop MG vs Amazfit helio strap: Data insights

These screenless wearables aren’t just accessories; the important part is the data. Both track the same three metrics: sleep, activity, and “recovery” (Whoop) or “biocharge” (helio strap), and provide you with a lot of stats, broken down into multiple charts and graphs to help you easily visualize patterns over time.

Within the three core data categories, Whoop measures a few extra metrics that I found helpful (and actually missed when using the helio strap). For instance, it tracks your sleep debt over time. It also breaks down how many weekly minutes you’ve spent in high vs low heart rate zones, as well as how much strength training you’ve done. A Whoop life membership also gives you access to additional health information, such as blood oxygen saturation, ECG reports, and even blood pressure insights. (Those who spring for Whoop advanced labs, which costs $349 per year, also get access to blood testing.)

The Whoop interface is easy to use (Whoop)

That said, where the helio strap excels on the Whoop is that it updates your biocharge score throughout the day, giving you credit for naps or showing how workouts drain your “battery.” Whoop, on the other hand, provides you with just one recovery score for the day based on overnight data.

Of course, though, all these metrics are only worthwhile if you can trust them. Whoop has a pretty good reputation for accuracy. One independent study by the Australian Institute of Sport in 2022 on a previous iteration of Whoop (the 3.0) found its heart rate and HRV measurements 99 percent accurate — the highest of all trackers tested at the time. Meanwhile, it was 86 percent accurate in detecting whether people were awake or asleep, though just 60 percent accurate at detecting particular sleep stages (yet even the best in this study only got it right 65 percent of the time). Since then, Whoop says internal testing has shown improved sleep stage detection by seven percent and sleep/wake classification by three percent.

Amazfit’s helio strap hasn’t been around long enough for any research studies to back it. I found it consistently shows my heart rate and HRV within a few points of my Whoop — maybe not perfect, but close and consistent enough to offer insights on patterns over time. When it comes to sleep, though, it often provided me a good deal more credit than Whoop or my Oura ring, sometimes by a full hour. Another area that was definitely suspicious was the step count, which was sometimes two or three thousand steps lower than the other two trackers.

Another area the helio strap could improve on is auto-detecting workouts, something the Whoop mostly does — I found that I had to manually enter them on Amazfit’s app, which is a pain. Other times, it doesn’t think I’ve finished my workout until after I’ve cooled down, walked home, showered, eaten, and sat on the couch, resulting in incorrect stats, with most of the time spent in a low heart rate zone.

I found the insight round-ups from Amazfit somewhat confusing (Amazfit)

Both apps provide you with lots of data points. I did find that the way Amazfit added everything up and the takeaways it offered were a bit confusing. For instance, more than once, it told me I was in my “best state,” so I should challenge myself, but then the daily workout suggestion was a 21-minute low-intensity workout, which doesn’t add up.

In general, I get a lot more out of Whoop. The language is clear, and almost every metric comes with additional context that you can open up to see exactly what it means, how it’s calculated, and what might cause a high or low score. It’s easy to understand what you’re seeing and get useful suggestions to improve fitness. In contrast, with the helio strap, the user has to interpret what all the numbers mean. But if you’re not someone who needs much hand-holding when it comes to this kind of data, you do get most of the same insights for a much cheaper price over time.

Read more: Oura ring 4 review: The smart ring has taken my health and wellbeing to new heights

Whoop MG vs Amazfit helio strap: What is the best screenless fitness tracker?

If you’re just looking for bare bones data on your sleep, workouts, and recovery, the Amazfit helio strap is a reliable way to get the job done for just a one-time fee of $99. But if you have room in your budget for a yearly subscription, Whoop goes a few steps further in putting your stats into a helpful context, and it gives you even more health insights, particularly with the top-end Whoop Life membership. Its accuracy is also backed by independent, third-party testing, so you know you can trust the numbers you’re seeing.

Whoop MG

The Whoop is a reliable wearable that can track almost anything you ask it to. It provides you with loads of health and fitness stats, which are easy to analyze and understand. It’s also comfortable to wear for long periods of time, which is crucial for collecting the data. The downside, however, is that it requires an annual membership, which costs anywhere from $149 to $359 per year.

What to know

• Dimensions: 33.97mm x 24.3mm x 10.59mm
• Weight: 20g
• Battery life: Up to 10 days
• Subscription required: No, but more in-depth analysis is available for $69.99 per year
• Water resistance: Up to 50 meters

Why we love it

• User-friendly app
• Loads of health and fitness stats
• Reliable data (mostly)
• Can be worn in multiple places
• Comfortable, elegant strap
• Portable charger

Take note

• Requires an annual membership

Amazfit helio strap

While the data the helio strap provides can be a little confusing to analyze, if you’re just looking for bare bones data on your sleep, workouts, and recovery, the Amazfit helio strap is a reliable way to get the job done for just a one-time fee of $99. It provides you with a biocharge score updated throughout the day, and it comes with 50 sport modes, including Hyrox.

What to know

• Dimensions: 33.97mm x 24.3mm x 10.59mm
• Weight: 20g
• Battery life: Up to 10 days
• Subscription required: No, but more in-depth analysis is available for $69.99 per year
• Water resistance: Up to 50 meters

Why we love it

• Under $100
• No ongoing membership fee
• Comes with 50 sport modes, including Hyrox
• Biocharge score updated throughout the day
• Loads of health and fitness stats

Take note

• Strap made with velcro and plastic
• AI recommendations can be confusing
• Not the most user-friendly app
• Doesn’t always auto-detect workouts

How I tested Amazfit’s helio strap and the Whoop MG

I wore the Amazfit helio strap and Whoop MG simultaneously for two weeks (after previous experiences using both trackers separately). During testing, I considered the following criteria:

• Health and fitness insights: I assessed all the data each device provided, including sleep stats, steps, heart rate variability, and more. I compared the numbers on each app and checked them against input from an Oura ring to look for any discrepancies.
• Usability: I noted how easy it was to navigate the app and make sense of the data provided — including how the AI suggestions translated into actionable changes I could make to optimize my sleep or activity habits.
• Comfort: I considered what the device felt like on my wrist.
• Battery life: I took note of how long the battery lasted and how long it took to recharge.

Why you can trust IndyBest U.S. reviews

Jennifer Heimlich has more than a decade of experience as a journalist within the wellness industry — and has written everything from the best fitness trackers to shoes for standing all day for IndyBest. But above all, she is a reliable and knowledgeable voice when it comes to fitness gear recommendations. When not writing, she’s a UESCA-certified running coach and hosts running tours, and has personally completed multiple ultramarathons and more than a dozen marathons, making her the perfect fit to review the Amazfit Helio Strap and Whoop.

Want to compare these straps to more? These are the best fitness trackers, tested by a running coach

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December in Nigeria is “Detty December”, and if you know, you know!

It’s a full-on vibe; part celebration, part chaos, and part “how is everything happening at once?” From last-minute party preparations to unexpected cravings, Glovo has got you covered with a splendid showcase of high-quality, homegrown products you never thought you could find on the app, delivered in minutes. 

Just so you know, Glovo isn’t just about food alone. It is your ultimate convenience sidekick for the festive season.

Whether you’re juggling end-of-year deadlines, dodging traffic jams, or fully embracing the Detty December energy, here are 10 proudly Nigerian products you can grab on Glovo right now:

1. Locally made spices for your Christmas Jollof

No Nigerian Christmas is complete without perfectly seasoned jollof rice. Want to disturb the neighbours with the aroma of good cooking without stepping outside? Get them guessing how you got all the local spices and flavours for your smoky jollof, spiced stews, or fried plantains? Glovo is available this season to connect you to vendors like Spice and do all the runs in quick time.  

2. Nigerian Skincare Essentials

Glow with the season with Glovo, using Nigerian-made skincare brands like Dang! Lifestyle. These products are packed with natural ingredients and African botanicals, designed for our tropical climate, which suits your skin, nourishing, protecting and pampering it. Guess you are already blowing a kiss in the air! Imagine the convenience of getting personal care, hair care, home & pet products at the push of a button. Don’t you just love Glovo more?! 

3. Authentic Makeup, Cosmetics & Beauty products

Elevate your festive look with authentic Nigerian-made makeup, cosmetics, and beauty products from House of Tara. From vibrant lipsticks and flawless foundations to high-quality brushes and beauty tools, these locally crafted products make it easy to glow, glam, and celebrate the season in high spirits. 

4. Beauty Products

It’s not just about the makeup; your tools matter too! High-quality brushes, beauty blenders, and other must-have beauty products proudly made in Nigeria. From vibrant lipsticks and flawless foundations to high-quality brushes and beauty tools, these locally crafted products make it easy to glow, glam, and celebrate the season in high spirits.

5. Homegrown Wellness Products

Boost your festive self-care with homegrown wellness products from Nigerian brands like Arami Essentials. From organic teas and natural oils to aromatherapy blends and soothing remedies, these locally made products help you relax, recharge, and stay refreshed as you get them delivered straight to your door to enjoy the feel-good December vibes.

6. Premium Dry Fruits & Natural Herbs

Add flavour and wellness to your festive season with premium dry fruits and natural herbs from Nuts & Herbs. Perfect for snacking, cooking, or gifting, these locally sourced goodies bring quality, taste, and a touch of homegrown goodness to your celebrations—delivered conveniently to your doorstep.

7. Handmade Décor & Festive Pieces

Transform your home into a cozy, festive wonderland with Nigerian handmade décor and festive pieces. From artisanal candles and ornaments to unique Christmas decorations, these locally crafted items add warmth, personality, and a touch of Nigerian creativity to your celebrations.

8. Gifts, Chocolates & Greeting Cards

Give your season’s greetings messages the Naija feel with custom-made gifts and greeting cards from reliable brands like Celebrations. Perfect for birthdays, commemorative days, corporate and social occasions. These locally designed cards let you send thoughtful notes in style and get delivered in convenience and style. 

9. Curated Gift Hampers From Local Vendors

Make gifting effortless with curated gift hampers from Nigerian vendors. Packed with homegrown goodies—from snacks and skincare to handcrafted treats; these thoughtful hampers bring authentic Nigerian flavour and festive cheer straight to your loved ones, all delivered conveniently.

10. Nigerian Homemade Essentials 

Keep your home fresh, festive, and beautifully scented with Nigerian homemade essentials from local brands. From handmade soaps and eco-friendly cleaners to artisanal candles, these locally made products help you support Nigerian artisans while adding a personal, cozy touch to your living space this festive season

But Wait, There’s More! Glovo’s Wildcards. There are also some “wait, you can get these?” items:

• Televisions – for the season finale meltdown
• Mobile Phones – because yours might betray you
• Contraceptives – discreet, fast, no judgment
• Christmas Decorations – last-minute festivity mode flowers – apologize, celebrate, or flex soft-life vibes
• Perfumes & Wristwatches – instant glow-ups for life emergencies

Get the festive season started with Glovo. 

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You can feel hip pain at any stage of life, including childhood, young adulthood and the middle years.

This can come as a surprise; many people associate hip pain with old age. It can strike fear into the hearts of those in their 40s or 50s, who may suddenly wonder if old age – or even a hip replacement – may be on the horizon much sooner than expected.

The good news is only a minority of people with hip pain will have something medically concerning or actually need surgery. Surgery should only be considered after doing a comprehensive rehabilitation exercise program.

There are lots of complex underlying reasons for hip pain, and there may be plenty you can do before you start jumping to conclusions about needing surgery.

The stiff hip vs. the overly mobile hip

In young boys and men, a condition known as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome is a common cause of hip pain. This is particularly true for those who play sports (such as football) where you need to change direction quickly and often.

This condition is caused by a bigger hip ball (also known as the femoral head) or the hip socket (the acetabulum).

This may cause pain at the front or side of the hip. The pain may get worse during movements that involve the knee coming towards the chest (such as a squat) or trending across the middle of the body (such as sitting cross-legged).

In young girls and women, hip dysplasia is particularly common.

This happens when the hip socket does not fully cover the ball of the joint. The hip can move too much, and may cause pain at the front, side or back of the hip.

There are lots of complex underlying reasons for hip pain (Getty/iStock)

However, excessive hip movement can also be caused when the connective tissue (such as the ligaments and hip capsule) get too elastic or stretchy.

Some people – such as performing artists, yogis and swimmers – may thrive on having more mobility for their artistry and sporting pursuits, but they need to be strong enough to control their excessive motion.

Because people with increased mobility are at risk of injury, it is important to maintain hip muscle strength to support the hip joint.

In middle-aged adults and older people, the most common causes of hip pain are osteoarthritis and gluteal tendinopathy.

People with osteoarthritis often experience hip pain and stiffness, and may find it hard to reach down and put on shoes and socks.

People with gluteal tendinopathy might experience pain on the outside of their hip and have problems with lying on their side, climbing stairs or standing on one leg.

My hip hurts. How worried should I be?

Well, it’s fundamentally about quality of life.

Does your hip pain make it hard to do social or community activities, perform daily tasks, or stay active? If so, then yes – you’re right to be concerned about your hip pain.

However, most hip conditions can be well managed with non-surgical treatments, such as exercises or stretches prescribed by a physiotherapist, doctor or other health-care professional. You may find you’re soon back to taking those long strolls in the park.

Whether your hip is too stiff or too mobile, start by seeking a thorough clinical examination from a trained and registered doctor or healthcare professional (such as a physiotherapist).

About the authors

Charlotte Ganderton is a Senior Lecturer (Physiotherapy) at RMIT University and Joshua Heerey is a Physiotherapist and Research Fellow (hip and knee osteoarthritis) at La Trobe University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

They may ask you to get some scans to help diagnose the cause of your hip pain. In most cases, an X-ray is used to understand the shape of the bones that form the hip joint and check for osteoarthritis. In some people, an MRI is ordered to get a more detailed understanding of the different components of the hip joint. However, it is important to remember something might show up on an MRI even in people without pain.

Treatment for hip pain

Hip pain can often be managed with or without surgery.

If you do end up needing surgery, it’s worth knowing there are lots of different types of surgical treatments. The most common are hip arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) and hip replacement. For many people, though, non-surgical treatments are effective.

These might include:

• adjusting how you exercise or do sport

• learning about how to manage symptoms

• muscle strengthening exercises.

In most cases, it’s recommended to try non-surgical treatments for at least three months to see if they help reduce pain and improve hip function before considering surgery.

Whatever you do, stay active. And remember strong bum muscles are important to maintaining healthy hips, so try to find ways to keep your glutes strong.

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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Christmas is usually seen as a time of light, warmth, and happiness. However, in Europe there is a long tradition of people embracing the darker side by telling ghost stories during the festive season.

One of the most famous Christmas stories of all, A Christmas Carol, is essentially a ghost story. Indeed, Mark Gatiss’s well-received staging of the play is currently running under the name A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre. But what is the psychology behind people who enjoy hearing, reading and watching ghost stories at Christmas?

One important reason comes from Christmas’s winter setting (in the northern hemisphere at least). The short days and long nights of winter provide us with the opportunity for reflection on dark topics such as the supernatural.

The stark contrast between our warm homes and the coldness outside can create the sense of a liminal space (from the Latin word ‘limen’, meaning threshold) between light and dark, and between the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. This can encourage reflection on liminal beings that cannot easily be defined or understood, such as ghosts and spirits.

open image in gallery

An Arthur Rackham illustration from a 1915 edition of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. (Historic Illustrations / Alamy)

The religious themes of Christmas also encourage many people to lean into the supernatural. Although for Christians the Christmas story is about the joy surrounding Jesus’s birth, the spectre of his death and resurrection are never far away.

Many Christmas carols mention Jesus’s eventual death, such as We Three Kings, which describes the Wise Men giving the baby Jesus the gift of myrrh, a herb used to prepare bodies for burial:

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume

breathes a life of gathering gloom,

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

Ghost stories, which often encompass themes such as judgement and retribution, have also often been intertwined with religious perspectives of morality. It has been argued that the rise in the popularity of ghost stories during the Victorian era was in part due to their attempt to inject Christian values into modern secular society, with Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol a prime example.

Psychology of spookiness

The psychological value of the ghost story’s communal experience should not be underestimated. The seminal ghost story writer M.R. James began telling his stories to students and friends at Christmas Eve parties at the University of Cambridge. Gatherings like this create an ideal setting for sharing stories. The thrill and suspense of collectively engaging with a spooky tale can not only entertain, it can create a sense of bondedness and shared identity, which, as I have shown in my research can benefit people’s wellbeing.

Research has also shown that collective continuity – the ability to maintain values and ideas over time by passing them on to the next generation – enhances wellbeing. Telling ghost stories, like all Christmas traditions, is a clear example of collective continuity.

open image in gallery

The thrill and suspense of collectively engaging with a spooky tale can not only entertain, it can create a sense of bondedness and shared identity. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

One way this can enhance wellbeing is by helping people to cope with the prospect of their own death. Terror management theory argues that people manage the fear of their own death by investing in social groups. This essentially allows them to transcend death by being part of a collective that is more enduring than themselves: even after they have gone, the group will remain.

Ensuring that social groups have strong values and traditions (such as storytelling) allows this sense of transcendence to be maintained. The telling of ghost stories offers an additional layer to this continuity. Like horror in general, these stories allow us to explore our fears and reflections on mortality in a safe and supportive environment with like-minded people.

Many ghost stories also encapsulate themes of continuity, such as spirits from the past engaging with people living in the present. The ancient winter festival of Yule (which long predates Christmas) is strongly linked to ideas of continuity and involves ceremonies designed to honour one’s ancestors.

So where should you begin if you want to get into Christmas ghost stories this year? You may wish to start with some modern examples. Master of the ghost story Mark Gatiss has been writing Christmas ghost stories for the BBC for the past few years. His next instalment A Room in the Tower, based on E.F. Benson’s short story, will be on BBC2 at 10pm on Christmas Eve. Interestingly, Benson’s love of ghost stories developed from his attendance of M.R. James’s storytelling events at Cambridge.

About the author

Juliet Wakefield is a Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.

Gatiss’s League of Gentlemen co-writers Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have also created an excellent Christmas ghost story in The Bones of St. Nicholas. Part of their anthology series Inside No. 9, it is available on BBC iPlayer. You can also buy DVDs of the classic BBC Christmas ghost stories, including Dickens’s The Signalman and M.R. James’s Whistle and I’ll Come To You.

There are also excellent anthologies of written Christmas ghost stories, such as Chill Tidings. Wishing you all the best for the spooky Christmas season!

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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Russell Brand has shared his thoughts on his ex-wife Katy Perry’s new relationship with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The embattled British comedian — who earlier this year was charged with five counts of assault and rape in the U.K. — brought up his ex at a Turning Point USA event Thursday in Phoenix, Arizona, where Perry’s mother, Mary, was reportedly in attendance.

“Look, Katy Perry, I was married to her. I love her still, and I’m glad that her mom’s in the room to hear me say this, but look. I was okay with Orlando Bloom, but Justin Trudeau? Come on, man! Don’t put me in a category with that guy! That globalist stooge,” Brand said.

Perry, 41, and Brand, 50, were married from 2010 to 2012, with the comedian filing for divorce.

Perry got engaged to Pirates of the Caribbean actor Bloom in 2019 before calling off their engagement in June of this year after nine years together. They share a daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, whom they welcomed in August 2020.

Russell Brand waded in on his ex-wife Katy Perry’s new relationship with Justin Trudeau (Getty/katyperry/Instagram)

Perry and Trudeau, 53, first sparked romance rumors in July after they were seen dining together at a restaurant in Montreal, Canada.

The following night, Trudeau was spotted in the crowd at Perry’s Lifetime Tour concert in the city with his teenage daughter.

In late October, they took their romance public as they were seen exiting Le Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris together on Perry’s birthday.

And earlier this month, the couple made their romance Instagram official days after their first diplomatic date as a couple. The former prime minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, shared a photo of himself and his wife, Yuko, meeting Perry and Trudeau for lunch.

“Great to see you… Katy and I were so glad to have the chance to sit down with you and Yuko,” the former Canadian PM replied on X.

Trudeau announced his separation from his wife of 18 years, former model and TV host Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, in August 2023. He stepped down as prime minister earlier this year after a decade in office.

The charges against Brand were announced in April, following a joint investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches and The Sunday Times in September 2023, which led to a number of allegations being received by the police.

In May, the former Big Brother’s Big Mouth host appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. He has vehemently denied the allegations, telling his followers on X that he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity.”

“I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes,” he said. “Of course I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

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The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has officially commenced high-level engagements ahead of the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, with a courtesy visit to the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House, Marina, today Wednesday, December 18, 2025.
The MIPAD delegation was led by Kamil Olufowobi, President, Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), alongside Tope Esan, Chief Operations Officer (COO); Angela Regalado, Global Director; Josie Antwi, Global Events Coordinator; Ayiri Oladunmoye of Oaken Events, Official Event Planner (Nigeria); and Adedayo Showemimo, Media Team Manager.

During the visit, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was formally presented with his MIPAD Award as the Most Influential Governor of 2025, in recognition of his outstanding leadership, visionary governance, and commitment to positioning Lagos as a global hub for culture, innovation, tourism, and diaspora engagement. The Governor expressed appreciation for the recognition and reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to fostering global partnerships and celebrating African excellence.

The visit precedes the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, a week-long celebration of African art, culture, innovation, and global connection, culminating in the End of the Year Awards & Celebration on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria. This historic edition marks the first time the world-renowned Most Influential 100 Recognition & Awards Ceremony traditionally held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.

The week-long experience will feature: Diaspora Day at the Fela Exhibition (Afrobeat Meets Diaspora), Cultural Heritage Day, Business & Leadership Luncheon and End of the Year Recognition & Awards Ceremony The celebration will honour the Best & Brightest of the Year, spotlighting individuals and institutions whose work continues to advance Global African Achievement and Black Excellence across government, business, media, culture, and technology.

Key Recognitions for 2025

Governor of the Year & City of the Year: His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, honoured alongside Lagos State as City of the Year.

Minister of the Year: Her Excellency Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.

Most Influential Woman of the Year: Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom.

Most Influential Man of the Year: Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO.

CEO of the Year: Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, who will also deliver a keynote address in recognition of his transformative leadership in Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy.

Other honorees include Davido (Artist of the Year), Uche Pedro (Lifestyle Personality of the Year), Ojy Okpe (Most Influential News Anchor of the Year), Stephanie Busari (Media Executive of the Year), Kayode Okikiolu (Pressman of the Year), among several other distinguished personalities.
Speaking on behalf of Martell Cognac, which emerged as Brand of the Year, Michael Ehindero, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, expressed appreciation for the recognition, stating:

“It’s a great reward for the team that has delivered Martell excellently in Nigeria over the years. We thank our teams, our consumers, and MIPAD. Martell has many promising experiences ahead in Nigeria, and with this recognition, we invite you to experience Detty December in Nigeria.”

The ceremony will also celebrate members of the Class of 2025 Honorees, alongside past Nigerian honorees who were unable to attend their recognition ceremonies in New York.

“For the first time, we’re bringing our world-famous recognition platform home to celebrate excellence within the Global Africa family right here in Lagos,” said Kamil Olufowobi, Founder & Chairman of MIPAD. “This is more than an event; it’s a movement uniting, connecting, and empowering Africans and people of African descent to collaborate and change the world.”

About MIPAD

The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) is a global civil society initiative supporting the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2034). MIPAD identifies, celebrates, and connects high-achieving people of African descent worldwide, fostering global recognition, collaboration, and sustainable impact.

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Since childhood, renowned space scientist Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock has had a “crazy dream” about travelling into space herself.

And while The Sky at Night presenter may never fulfil that dream (although she still lives in hope), she says she wishes other children would identify their own dreams to help motivate them to succeed.

“The driving force in my life has been that desire to get into space,” she says. “Even if I never make it, just by having that desire and that drive, that crazy dream, sometimes if things don’t go right I’ve been able to overcome barriers and have a successful career.

“So I say to every child, you reach for the stars, no matter what your stars are. For me, I physically want to go out to the stars and see what’s happening. But for others, it could be anything – have a big, powerful dream and see where that takes you, because it means that when you fall over, you’ll pick yourself up and find another route to get to where you want to go.”

It’s a compelling message from someone who had a challenging childhood herself, attending 13 different schools after her parents split up when she was young, and struggling with dyslexia, But space was in her sights from an early age – although when she said she wanted to be an astronaut, she was told to try nursing instead.

But her dream helped her get a physics degree and a PhD, before forging a glittering career in space science, working on projects including the largest space telescope ever built, the James Webb Space Telescope, before becoming a pioneering figure in communicating science to the public, especially school children.

The mum-of-one knows exactly how to effortlessly chat to children about the wonders of space and time, and her impressive ability to bring the complexities of the universe down to earth at a child’s level is one of the reasons she was chosen to give the 200th anniversary Royal Institution Christmas Lectures this year.

The lectures, which will be on BBC4 between Christmas and the New Year, are designed to explain scientific subjects in an entertaining way to a general audience, including young people.

In the lectures, Aderin-Pocock says she’ll be “literally speaking about life, the universe and everything,” and admits: “With only three lectures, it gives me a challenge, but I love a challenge.”

She says a major theme of the lectures will be are we alone in the universe, and how can we answer that question? She talks enthusiastically about how people are looking for life within our solar system, and one of the most popular destinations to look is Mars.

“There’s definitely life out there, and I’m pretty convinced there’s intelligent life,” she declares, although she says we might not even recognise where life is, adding with a chuckle: “I like to point out to kids that maybe the red rocks we see on the Martian surface, they’re alive, but we just don’t realise it. If they see the rover coming they might go ‘shhhhh’ , and when the rover goes past they start partying again. So there might be life out there, but we might not recognise it.”

While the search for life elsewhere in the universe is the “Holy Grail”, if we do eventually find life it probably won’t look like the aliens portrayed in films or in our imagination.

“One thing I like to do is explore what aliens might look like, because we have a loose definition of life and what we think life might be,” says Aderin-Pocock.

“But what is life? I guess it can be bacterial mass, but that’s not the life we’re really looking for. We’re looking for intelligent life, that can communicate with us, life that we can share experiences with. It seems to be a fundamental human thing that we don’t want to be alone.”

She says she believes there’s other life somewhere in the universe “because it’s a numbers game”, and explains: “In the past, we thought we were the centre of everything. Now that we know we live in a galaxy containing 300 billion stars, we know there are 200 billion galaxies out there with all those stars with all those potential exoplanets, so why would life just occur here?

“Probability would be skewed if life just occurred here. There must be instances where life has occurred in other places.”

But she says the problem is the universe is vast, explaining that the distance between our local star, the Sun, and the next-door star is 4.28 light years.

“So if we look at the next-door neighbour star, that’s 40 trillion km away, and travelling as fast as you can through space, that’s 16km per second, it will take 76,000 years to get there.

“And on top of that, how do the aliens find us? There are 300 billion stars in our galaxy, and we are one of eight planets going round one of those stars. How will the aliens know we’re here? “

Over the past 21 years, in her quest to make space easier to understand for ordinary people, and especially children, Aderin-Pocock says she’s spoken to 650,000 people, the majority of them being schoolchildren.

She’s aware that children can’t grasp the concept of the vast numbers of planets and distances in space,  so when she speaking to school kids she often tries to break the figures down for them.

“There’s 300 billion stars in our galaxy – what does that mean? It’s trying to make these vast numbers, which do seem overwhelming, accessible,” she says.

“I say okay kids, we’re going to count from one to one billion doing one number a second – how long is it going to take? Is it more than a minute? About an hour? How about a week? And I actually say a billion seconds is 32 years.

“It makes an alien concept a little more accessible. But what I always like to add is a billion seconds, so that’s 32 years – you’ll be older than your parents  by the time we get there.”

She adds: “Sometimes I’ve had letters saying ‘Dear Maggie, you came to my school and I started counting to one billion and I got to 572 and I had to go for supper.’”

As well as helping children get their heads around the huge numbers associated with space, Aderin-Pocock also tries to help them feel they’re actually a tiny part of space themselves.

“One of the things I love to ask kids, and it’s the title of one of my books, is am I made of stardust?, because space seems vast and different and cold, but the matter in you, me and everything else was made in the heart of a star. We are literally stardust.

“I mention the fusion process which powers stars and creates the elements. The universe started mainly with hydrogen, with a bit of helium, but all the other elements have been forged through the heart of stars, so we truly are stardust.”

The 2025 Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution, with Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, will be broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer on December 28, 29 and 30 at 7pm.

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What a blessing it is to share the precious gift of love and family with your soulmate. Someone who complements you in every way, shows up all the time, and just makes marriage easier. Like two peas in a pod, Femi and Bola share a beautiful bond, one that has led them all the way to their 13th wedding anniversary!

The wonderful years they have spent together building a home have been strengthened by sweet love and unwavering devotion. We have followed through with their beautiful journey, from their 11th wedding anniversary to their 12th and many more. With time, their wisdom has grown, and it’s no wonder that they have certain keys to how this is done. To celebrate their 13th anniversary, the lovely duo have graced us with 13 in-depth things marriage has taught them, and we are excited to share them with you all. They have successfully put in the work, and it shows in how radiant they’re glowing with their two cuties in their enchanting anniversary photos. They make marriage look so beautiful, and we hope you can learn a few things from their wise words. 😍

Enjoy their anniversary photos and marriage tips:

13 Things Marriage Has Taught Us:

1. Love will not always feel soft or romantic, but the commitment keeps you steady.
There are days when you feel close and days when you feel distant. What holds you together is choosing each other again with God’s help.

2. Two people can live the same moment and walk away with completely different interpretations.
We learned to stop arguing about who remembered it right and start listening to how each person felt in that moment.

3. You keep discovering new sides of each other.
Every season is different. Careers shift, children change you, life stretches you. We have had to relearn each other many times and give grace for the version that shows up.

4. Silence is not always peace.
Sometimes it means someone is hurting. We learned to ask gentle questions instead of assuming everything is fine.

5. Prayer is not only spiritual. It is very practical.
We pray about money, parenting, stressful decisions, misunderstandings, and anything that could create tension. God has saved us from a lot of unnecessary fights. We encourage couples to pray together at least once a day and keep God at the core of their marriage.

6. Your spouse cannot respond to what you keep in your head.
People are not mind readers. We learned to speak clearly instead of expecting the other person to guess.

7. Marriage will reveal parts of you that you did not even know needed healing.
God uses your spouse to bring things to the surface. Not to embarrass you, but to help you grow.

8. Saying you are sorry and actually changing your behaviour are two different things.
A sincere apology is good. A real change is better.

9. Your spouse is not your enemy, even when the situation is tense.
Sometimes we pause and remind ourselves that it is the two of us against the problem.

10. You can love each other deeply and still misunderstand each other completely.
It is normal. Understanding takes patience and God’s help.

11. There are moments when God will correct you about how you are treating your spouse.
The gentle nudge to apologise, soften your tone, or let something go has helped us more times than we can count.

12. Not everyone should have access to your marriage.
Even good people can bring unnecessary noise. Protecting your home sometimes means keeping conversations private.

13. Joy does not show up by accident. You create it.
Laughter, small surprises, playing around, talking late into the night, and choosing lighthearted moments have kept our home warm. God loves to see joy in a marriage.

Looking back at these 13 things, we’re always reminded of just how beautiful marriage can be. It isn’t always easy, and it isn’t perfect, but it is full of growth, laughter, challenges, grace, and deep joy. Every year, every season, every shared moment has shown us that marriage is a gift, a partnership, and a ministry in itself. We hope that by sharing these lessons, other couples can be encouraged to embrace the highs and navigate the lows, knowing that with love, faith, and intentional effort, marriage can be one of life’s most extraordinary blessings. We are also so happy to share that our ministry is going wonderfully.

In addition to being husband and wife, we have been working together professionally for three years now, pouring our hearts into marriages and helping couples build and sustain happy, healthy, and Godly homes. Every day, we are amazed at how God continues to use us to inspire, guide, and bless couples from all walks of life. Through our yearly couples retreats, Instagram Live conversations, counselling sessions, and the teachings we share across our platforms, we have seen so many relationships strengthened and lives transformed, and it brings us immense joy. More details are available on our website: www.drsfemiandbola.com.

Credit

Couple: @drsfemiandbola
Photography: @zoomworx
Hair: @yummylookss
Makeup: @ojuewamakeovers

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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Pints of popular dairy-free ice cream have been recalled due to contamination concerns that pose a risk of injury for consumers.

Danone U.S. is voluntarily recalling pints of its So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, the FDA reports.

The recall is due to the potential presence of foreign materials, specifically “small stones and other hard objects,” in the ice cream’s cashew pieces.

The recalled pints were sold at retail stores nationwide, and they all have expiration dates before August 8, 2027. They also have the SKU number 136603 and UPC 744473476138.

While there haven’t been any illnesses reported to date, So Delicious Dairy Free “is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the potentially impacted product from shelves,” the company said in a statement shared by the FDA.

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The recalled ice cream was solder to retail stores nationwide (Getty Images)

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The stones were found in the ice cream’s cashew pieces (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

In addition, Danone U.S. has already identified and corrected the issue with the product and will soon “bring back the frozen dessert so many people enjoy,” it said.

However, consumers who have the recalled ice cream should either throw it away immediately or contact So Delicious Dairy Free for a refund.

Last month, another fan-favorite ice cream brand, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, voluntarily recalled a batch of its Passion Fruit Dreamsicle Ice Cream Bars. The product contained undeclared wheat and soy, meaning that consumers who are allergic or have a severe sensitivity to these ingredients run the risk of “serious or life-threatening allergic reactions.”

Jeni’s initiated the recall after “a crunch topping from a separate product was inadvertently introduced to this particular batch of Passion Fruit Dreamsicle Ice Cream Bars during manufacturing,” according to the FDA. The crunch topping contained wheat and soy, which weren’t on the packaging of that product.

Also last month, Ventura Foods recalled 3,556 cases of its salad dressings because of a potential foreign object, specifically black plastic planting material, in the dressings’ granulated onion.

The recall was upgraded to a Class II, meaning that consuming the product could cause significant health consequences, as of December 4.

Some of the affected salad dressings — distributed to seven different retailers across 42 states — include Caesar Dressing from Costco Service Deli and Costco Food Court, Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing, Italian Salad Dressing, and Ventura Caesar Dressing.

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Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Federal workers have been granted two additional days off around Christmas this year.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order stating that federal employees would be excused from duty on Christmas Eve, which this year falls on a Wednesday, and December 26, the day after Christmas.

The move, which the president noted was at the discretion of agency heads if they deemed certain offices must remain open, means federal workers will get three days off in a row inclusive of Christmas Day, and longer if they are not required to work over the weekend.

It brings the total number of federal holidays for 2025 to 13.

Trump designated Christmas Eve a federal holiday during his first term in 2019 and 2020. Former President Barack Obama did the same for Dec. 26.

Congress must pass legislation to establish a permanent federal holiday and the president must sign it into law.

Federal workers have been given two additional days off this Christmas (AFP via Getty Images)

However, a federal holiday doesn’t guarantee that all workers around the U.S. will get the day off. It is up to individual employers to decide whether they offer time off or additional pay for work on federal holidays.

Find the list in full below:

New Year’s Day: Wednesday, January 1

Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr./Inauguration Day: Monday, January 20

Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 17

Memorial Day: Monday, May 26

Juneteenth National Independence Day: Thursday, June 19

Independence Day: Friday, July 4

Labor Day: Monday, September 1

Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also observed as Columbus Day): Monday, October 13

Veterans Day: Tuesday, November 11

Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 27

Christmas Eve: Wednesday, December 24

Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25

Friday, December 26

Other important days to note:

Valentine’s Day: Friday, February 14

St. Patrick’s Day: Monday, March 17

April Fools’ Day: Tuesday, April 1

Good Friday: Friday, April 18

Easter: Sunday, April 20

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