Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims at sunset to break their fast during Ramadan, marking the end of each day of fasting.

Pumpkin seeds locally referred to as Agushie (or Egusi) are nutrient-dense, fat-and-protein-rich seeds from melons (such as Cucumeropsis manniis) commonly used across West Africa to thicken and add flavour to soups and stews.

Often blended into a paste and fried in oil, it is a staple in Ghanaian cuisine, used to make agushie stew (akatoa froyie) and widely eaten in Ghana with boiled yams, boiled plantains or plain boiled rice.  

Last week, Ghana celebrated her Independence Anniversary. It was a time to remember the sacrifices of our forefathers who fought to give us freedom from our colonial masters.

Today, Ghana is a sovereign nation, free to pursue her unique national development agenda.

Fulfilling relationships are similar to an independent Ghana. Couples often go through challenges as they adjust to each other’s identities.

Dear Mirror Lawyer, I am not here to brag, but I am a very influential person. In fact, I am considered an influencer on social media. I have 4,000 followers on Instagram, and my YouTube channel has almost one million subscribers.

Many companies come to me to advertise their products, and that is how I earn my daily bread. Almost all the top brands in the country, as well as some in Nigeria, come to me for assistance with their brand campaigns. 

At weddings, birthday parties, restaurant buffets and corporate gatherings across Ghana, caterers say guests often go straight for Ghanaian dishes, even when continental options such as pasta, salads and fried rice are available.

According to some caterers and restaurant owners, local meals, such as waakye, jollof rice, fufu and banku with tilapia, are usually the first to finish on the table. 

In an interview with The Mirror in Accra last Monday and Tuesday, one caterer, Beauty Husunu of Cravybites Cuisine, Oyibi, Accra, said sometimes guests even got displeased when the servings did not include local meals.

Dear Mirror doctor, please, why do children keep getting ear infections? What can be done to prevent ear infections in children? 
Worried dad. 

Dear worried dad, Ear infection, known in medical parlance as otitis media, is a frequent cause of fever in children.

The ear consists of three major parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

The outer ear includes the pinna —the visible part of the ear—and the ear canal. The middle ear is an air-filled space that is located behind the eardrum.

IF talent were a mansion, character would have been its foundation. If talent were a vehicle, character would have been its fuel. Talent is what we see.

Character is what we do not see; however, it makes what we see exist. Talent is what opens the door to opportunities. Character is what keeps the door of that room open.

Great talent is good. Great character, however, is better. If an athlete, for instance, spends a lot of time sharpening their gift, it goes without saying that they need to spend even more time shaping their character.

In many communities in Ghana, epilepsy is whispered in fear, mystery and misunderstanding, not to mention the stigma attached to it.

For Thomas Larbie, it became a test of love.

In 2006, just when he thought he had found someone he wanted to marry, he discovered that his fiancé had epilepsy.

La Mere Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing maternal health, child welfare, and the holistic well-being of mothers in vulnerable communities, has successfully executed an impactful community outreach program across four key health facilities in Ghana.

Women make up nearly 75 percent of the global Public Relations (PR) workforce, yet 51 percent of PR boardrooms are still led primarily by men. Closing that gap, speakers argued at a recent International Women's Day webinar, requires more than talent. It requires authority, strategic influence and the kind of executive presence that makes women impossible to overlook.

Taking a multivitamin every day for two years appears to slow some markers of biological ageing – albeit to a small degree, research suggests.

Drinking two to three cups of strong coffee a day can reduce the risk of dementia and slow cognitive decline, a study has found.

Using data from over 130,000 patients from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which covered a 40-year period, experts from Harvard, MIT and Mass General Brigham in the US, found that those with the highest intake of caffeinated drinks had an 18 per cent lower risk of dementia.

This was compared with those who reported little or no caffeine consumption.

Lettuce is a leafy vegetable, famous for giving salads their base. There are multiple types of lettuce, and they all share the scientific name Lactuca sativa. It is a side dish, a main meal, a burger topper or a sandwich wrap.

The word courtship comes from two words — court and ship. Court refers to a trial or evaluation. Ship implies boundaries, much like a township defines the limits of a town.

Courtship, therefore, is the proper approach for evaluating a person’s true character. It is the process of developing a closer relationship with someone of the opposite sex with a view toward possible marriage. 

Every year in March, the International Women’s Day (IWD) is observed. This year, March 8 is the day earmarked for the celebration of the great achievements of our daughters and Mothers.

Over the years, I have been consistent with my coverage of the IWD in this column. But before I delve into what we should expect this year, let me share with you some of the interesting themes that I have covered here so far, to reflect on the great achievements of our mothers, sisters and daughters.

For decades, Mrs Catherine Nutsugah carried one clear message into villages, classrooms and community meetings across Ghana and Africa: Send the girl child to school.

At a time when many families still believed educating boys was a better investment, she stood before parents and challenged that thinking.

Teenage pregnancy, poverty and early marriage were cutting short the dreams of many girls. She and her team refused to watch silently.

The day our son, Animuonyam, was born remains one of the most memorable days of my life. I can recall that day so well because his birth birthed a world of joy inside me.

Peering into his beautiful face, I knew I had a new responsibility to raise this young man to be a better version of myself.

Parenthood is protection. Every parent who wants the best for their children must guard them from all the vices of society. Like a wall, parents must intentionally shield their wards from evil influence. One such influence is a paedophile.

Another International Mother Language Day has been celebrated with well-intended messages purported to spur indigenous societies to honour their respective worldview through their indigenous languages.

Undoubtedly, a nation’s sense of dignity can be measured by the value it places on its indigenous language. Bangladesh remains a constant monument of dignity through its unshakeable resolution to uphold its language.

Dignifying Bangladeshi nationals for asserting their dignity through their own tongue simultaneously heaps coals of shame on other nationals who betray their individual and collective identities by shunning their mother tongue. 

Whoever started the trend of promoting branded Ghana jerseys as Independence Day wear this year seems to have succeeded, as the jerseys have now become hot commodities on the market.

Carrots might get all the credit when it comes to eye health, but your options for supporting your vision are far more vast than the classic orange veggie. 

A well-balanced diet, rich in specific vitamins and antioxidants, can make a difference in maintaining sharp vision and protecting against age-related eye issues.

Before we dive in, though, it’s important to know that there isn’t a single “magic” food that guarantees you’ll have perfect vision. 

The father of a teenage boy accused of killing four people in a shooting rampage at a high school in the US state of Georgia has been found guilty of murder, child cruelty and other charges.

Colin Gray, 55, pleaded not guilty to all 29 charges against him stemming from the 2024 attack that left two teachers and two students dead in Winder, Georgia.

His prosecution marks the third time that a US parent has been held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.