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ST. PAUL — A former lawmaker who is the longest-serving woman in the history of the Minnesota House has suffered a stroke. Former Rep. Mary Murphy, DFL-Hermantown, experienced a stroke last week and is in comfort care following complications, House Speaker Melissa Hortman said in a Facebook post late Monday. Hortman said Murphy remains hospitalized until she can be transferred to a hospice care facility. ADVERTISEMENT “Mary has had some visitors. Her family hopes that Mary could feel and appreciate their presence,” Hortman said. “While heart-wrenching, the family has determined that hospice is the best solution. Mary will receive comfort care at the hospital until she can be placed in a hospice care facility, which they expect to happen soon.” Murphy, 85, is the second-longest-serving member of the Minnesota House and the longest-serving female legislator. She was first elected in 1976 and was defeated in her bid to represent the Duluth-area seat in 2022 by 33 votes. She’s also a former history and social studies teacher. Murphy was supposed to participate in last week’s Electoral College voting last week at the Capitol, an honor bestowed by party officials. She didn’t attend and an alternate was elevated. Hortman said Murphy’s family is grateful for the love and support shown by her friends, colleagues and community. This story was originally published on MPRNews.org ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Trump and giveaways: What Elon Musk spent $270M on during the electionViral 'Hawk Tuah' girl accused of crypto scam
Taylor Swift stepped out in black skinny jeans at the latest Chiefs game and now you can get the same jeans with a discount code! The 34-year-old singer was seen wearing the PAIGE Gemma Skinny Jeans in Black Fog Luxe Coating while attending the Chiefs vs. Raiders game on Friday (November 29) in Kansas City, Missouri. The style features “a high-rise slim cigarette leg and an ankle length inseam.” The jeans are form-fitting from the hip to the ankle, they sit at the natural waist, and the “fabric features an innovative formula that yields luxuriously soft denim with plenty of stretch and unparalleled comfort and fit.” The jeans retail for $249, but there’s a 15% off discount code that will bring the price down to $211.65! Keep reading to find out more... Purchase now at Paige.com and use the discount code WINTERVIP. It’s unclear when this promo code will expire, so act soon! See who Taylor was sitting with at the game. Disclosure: Some products on this site use affiliate links and we may earn commission for any purchase made through the links.Michelle Obama did not receive a warm welcome on social media after touting her self-help workbook Overcoming , which the former first lady hopes will help people “get through the challenging periods life throws our way.” Obama shared a video holding the workbook for the first time, describing it as a “timely” gift or purchase. It remains unclear if she is suggesting it is timely as it comes just weeks after President-elect Donald Trump won the presidential election and will take office again on January 20. Obama said, emphasizing again that this purchase may be helpful “particularly during this time.”: My new workbook, Overcoming , is how it’s going to be on shelves. Is the first time I’ve held it myself. This is a timely gift or purchase for yourself, because this is a workbook that takes you through some techniques and exercises based on some of the insights I shared with you all in The Light That We Carry. “So I encourage you, particularly during this time, during the holiday season, during a time where we feel a little out of sorts, a little anxious,” she said, adding: I urge you to pick this book up and just walk through some of the exercises and also do it in some groups. I mean, I know there are a lot of great book groups out there, and you guys might find that using some of these exercises techniques and tips as a form of conversation. So, I hope you find this useful. Take care. Talk soon. “I’m so excited to give you a first look at Overcoming — a workbook designed to help you get through the challenging periods life throws our way,” the text of her social media post read, announcing the book’s December 3 release date. However, social media users were not very amused. “Nobody has divided our country more than you and Obama,” one X user responded . “Next book you can write – How to overcome the destruction and divisive culture you and your husband have left behind,” another quipped as many commenters offered similar sentiments. Those include the following comments: “I would rather hug a grizzly bear or spend a day shopping at the mall than read that garbage book. ” “Nobody cares. You and Barry destroyed this great nation.” “Hard pass. Never ever not in million years. Not enough money.” “What did you overcome exactly?” “I can’t wait to not read that.” “Does this book tell us how you overcome a personal chefs [sic] death?” “This is a fabulous idea! Spend decades NOT teaching people how to cope, and then sell them a diary to help them cope. ” “Peddle this shit on blue sky not X” “No one is looking for life advice from an Obama, neither one of you dudes. You have tried to destroy our country for the last 16 years, no thanks, kick rocks.” “If I wanted to waste money I’d burn it” “Traitorous scum.” “Just the person I need advice from or help increase their ever growing bank account, never happen. “ According to a description of the book, Overcoming includes “creative activities, reflective writing prompts, habit tracking tools, and more to provide the ultimate guide to unlocking your small power, sharing your whole self, showing up in relationships, and of course, ‘going high.'” The book’s release comes less than a month after Trump’s victory. Both Barack and Michelle Obama blamed his victory on the economy and coronavirus pandemic.Bovista set out in search of their first Primeira Liga home win when they go head to head with SC Farense in round 13 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday. As for the Leoes de Faro , they journey to the Estadio do Bessa looking to end their run of four back-to-back defeats against the home side and make it three wins on the spin for the first time since September 2023. © Imago Boavista were denied consecutive Primeira Liga away wins for the first time since September 2023 as they played out a goalless draw with Nacional at the Estadio da Madeira last Saturday. A total of 31 shots were fired in the game, but with both sides failing to tuck away their chance, neither goalkeeper would end up picking ball out of the back of the net, with a draw being a fair result upon reflection. Before that, Boavista snapped their run of nine consecutive matches without a win in all competitions on November 2, when they edged out Gil Vicente 2-1 at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos, one week before crashing down to earth in a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Rio Ave. While Cristiano Bacci 's men have been decent on the road, where they have picked up one win and two draws from their last three games, they now return home, where they are the only side yet to taste victory this season, picking up just one point from their five matches so far. Boavista have lost six of their 12 Primeira Liga matches so far while claiming two wins and four draws to collect 10 points and sit 13th in the standings , level on points with Gil Vicente and newcomers AVS. © Imago On the other hand, Farense picked up three huge points on their push from the bottom end of the league table as they picked up a 1-0 victory over Estrela Amadora last weekend. Spanish forward Dario Poveda continued his fine form in front of goal as he netted the only goal of the game midway through the first half to condemn Estrela to their seventh league defeat of the season. This followed a 2-1 victory over Arouca at the Estadio Municipal de Arouca on November 23, when Poveda and Elves Balde found the back of the net to send the Farense through to the fifth round of the Taca de Portugal. Having finished 10th in the Primeira Liga table last season, Toze Marreco 's men have picked up eight points from their 12 Primeira Liga matches so far to sit bottom but one in the table, only above last-placed Arouca on goal difference. Farense will be backing themselves to make it three wins on the trot for the first time since returning to the top flight in May 2023 as they take on an opposing side who have lost each of their last four games, conceding nine goals and scoring just twice since November 2020. © Imago Having missed the game against Nacional through suspension, Sebastian Perez should return the fold, teaming up with Joel Silva , Ilija Vukotic and Salvador Agra at the centre of the park. Af the defensive end of the pitch, we should see a back four of Pedro Gomes , Rodrigo Abascal , Filipe Ferreira and Bruno Onyemaechi , shielding Cesar Dutra between the sticks. On the injury front, Os Axadrezados will take to the pitch without the duo of Morales Pires and goalkeeper Joao Goncalves , who have been ruled out through knee problems. As for Farense, Marreco will be unable to name veteran forward Tomane , who has missed each of the last eight matches since picking up an injury back in September. He is joined on the club's injury table by 25-year-old midfielder Filipe Soares , who is set to sit out his eighth straight game since coming off injured against AVS on September 30. Boavista possible starting lineup: Cesar; Gomes, Abascal, Ferreira, Onyemaechi; J Silva, Vukotic, Perez, Agra; Bozenik, Reisinho SC Farense possible starting lineup: Velho; Africo, Falcao, Moreno, Pastor; Neto, Menino, Victor; Matias, Poveda, Balde Looking at previous meetings between Bovista and Farense, we anticipate a thrilling matchup at the Estadio do Bessa as both sides look to continue their surge into the top half of the table. Boavista have struggled to impose themselves at home but we are tipping them to come away with all three points here. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .
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Among elites across the ideological spectrum, there's one point of unifying agreement: Americans are bitterly divided. What if that's wrong? What if elites are the ones who are bitterly divided while most Americans are fairly unified? History rarely lines up perfectly with the calendar (the "sixties" didn't really start until the decade was almost over). But politically, the 21st century neatly began in 2000, when the election ended in a tie and the color coding of electoral maps became enshrined as a kind of permanent tribal color war of "red vs. blue." Elite understanding of politics has been stuck in this framework ever since. Politicians and voters have leaned into this alleged political reality, making it seem all the more real in the process. I loathe the phrase "perception is reality," but in politics it has the reifying power of self-fulfilling prophecy. Like rival noble families in medieval Europe, elites have been vying for power and dominance on the arrogant assumption that their subjects share their concern for who rules rather than what the rulers can deliver. In 2018, the group More in Common published a massive report on the "hidden tribes" of American politics. The wealthiest and whitest groups were "devoted conservatives" (6%) and "progressive activists" (8%). These tribes dominate the media, the parties and higher education, and they dictate the competing narratives of red vs. blue, particularly on cable news and social media. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Americans resided in, or were adjacent to, the "exhausted majority." These people, however, "have no narrative," as David Brooks wrote at the time. "They have no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action." Lacking a narrative might seem like a very postmodern problem, but in a postmodern elite culture, postmodern problems are real problems. It's worth noting that red vs. blue America didn't emerge ex nihilo. The 1990s were a time when the economy and government seemed to be working, at home and abroad. As a result, elites leaned into the narcissism of small differences to gain political and cultural advantage. They remain obsessed with competing, often apocalyptic, narratives. That leaves out most Americans. The gladiatorial combatants of cable news, editorial pages and academia, and their superfan spectators, can afford these fights. Members of the exhausted majority are more interested in mere competence. I think that's the hidden unity elites are missing. This is why we keep throwing incumbent parties out of power: They get elected promising competence but get derailed -- or seduced -- by fan service to, or trolling of, the elites who dominate the national conversation. There's a difference between competence and expertise. One of the most profound political changes in recent years has been the separation of notions of credentialed expertise from real-world competence. This isn't a new theme in American life, but the pandemic and the lurch toward identity politics amplified distrust of experts in unprecedented ways. This is a particular problem for the left because it is far more invested in credentialism than the right. Indeed, some progressives are suddenly realizing they invested too much in the authority of experts and too little in the ability of experts to provide what people want from government, such as affordable housing, decent education and low crime. The New York Times' Ezra Klein says he's tired of defending the authority of government institutions. Rather, "I want them to work." One of the reasons progressives find Trump so offensive is his absolute inability to speak the language of expertise -- which is full of coded elite shibboleths. But Trump veritably shouts the language of competence. I don't mean he is actually competent at governing. But he is effectively blunt about calling leaders, experts and elites -- of both parties -- stupid, ineffective, weak and incompetent. He lost in 2020 because voters didn't believe he was actually good at governing. He won in 2024 because the exhausted majority concluded the Biden administration was bad at it. Nostalgia for the low-inflation pre-pandemic economy was enough to convince voters that Trumpian drama is the tolerable price to pay for a good economy. About 3 out of 4 Americans who experienced "severe hardship" because of inflation voted for Trump. The genius of Trump's most effective ad -- "Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you" -- was that it was simultaneously culture-war red meat and an argument that Harris was more concerned about boutique elite concerns than everyday ones. If Trump can actually deliver competent government, he could make the Republican Party the majority party for a generation. For myriad reasons, that's an if so big it's visible from space. But the opportunity is there -- and has been there all along.However, the N-Dubz star has since left the jungle following a public vote but viewers of the show are shocked at her actions since. Before heading into the Australian jungle, celebrities often share pictures of themselves in their camp uniforms and the ITV show also shares videos and images of them while they’re in there which they share to their own personal accounts. However, viewers noticed the lack of Instagram posts about Tulisa’s time in the jungle following her exit. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, fans of the show noticed the singer has deleted her posts about the ITV show and her involvement. After leaving the show, Tulisa would’ve been given her phone back so it’s likely she deleted the posts herself. One viewer said: “Why has Tulisa deleted everything from her socials in relation to #ImACeleb”. 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Loose Women star Jane Moore was the first to leave while Dean McCullough, a BBC Radio 1 presenter, was the second to be reunited with loved ones. Recommended reading: N-Dubz star Tulisa was the third to leave the jungle and said: “It is tough in there, leaving is still a happy thing.” Speaking about her I'm A Celebrity experience, she added: “I just think you're more grateful for everything, the food you eat, being around the people you love, the home comforts, just makes you very appreciative of life.” Tonight (December 3), another celebrity will leave the jungle. I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon's DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization." The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump's policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump's own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington.The comments from Adams, the top Democrat in one of the country's most liberal cities, riled critics who have grown concerned over the mayor's increasing willingness to throw his support behind Trump and his hardline immigration policies. Adams, who faces federal corruption charges , was a registered Republican in the 1990s and early 2000s but has spent his political career as a Democrat. In a Friday morning interview with the local cable news station NY1, Adams was asked if he would consider a return to the GOP. The Democrat appeared to leave open the possibility of a switch. “The party that’s the most important for me is the American party,” he said. “I’m a part of the American party. I love this country. This is the home of the free, the land of the brave.” In another interview about a half-hour later on PIX11, Adams said he would run for reelection as a Democrat but still appeared to leave some wiggle room for his future. “So no matter what party I’m on or vote on, I’m going to push for the American values," he said. "And I think America has told us, stop the squabbling, leaders, and start leading us out of the crisis that we’re facing.” Adams won office on a centrist platform and has spent significant time as mayor quarreling with the progressive wing of his party. But his rhetoric has taken a noticeable rightward turn in the weeks since Trump's election victory, particularly on immigration, with Adams boosting the president-elect's platform and appearing enthusiastic about the incoming administration. Rather than restricting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as he once promised, Adams recently expressed a willingness to roll back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies, and he plans to meet with Trump’s top border official over concerns about what the mayor said was the “rising illegal alien crime rate in New York City.” He has also praised those in Trump’s orbit, including Elon Musk, who has claimed falsely that Democrats are illegally “importing” migrants to garner votes. “This is a racehorse that wanted to run its right pace and we’ve been holding back that racehorse out of fear of being canceled,” Adams said of the country Tuesday. “And now you have a bunch of people who are not afraid of being canceled.” The shift comes as Adams is trying to fight off an indictment on federal corruption charges while governing the city and gearing up to run for a second term. Adams has pleaded not guilty in his criminal case, in which he has been accused of accepting free or discounted overseas trips and illegal campaign contributions from people looking to gain his influence, including people connected to Turkey or the Turkish government. Adams’ critics have seized on his recent comments about the Trump administration as a move toward self-preservation, accusing the mayor of cozying up to the next president in an effort to secure a pardon in his corruption case. “Eric Adams continues to sound more like he is auditioning for a job in right-wing media than running for reelection in a Democratic primary,” said Zohran Mamdani, a state assembly member who is challenging against Adams in the mayoral primary. “Eric Adams is in City Hall because Democratic voters sent him there. To serve his own narrow self-interests, he is clearly prepared to betray them.” Zellnor Myrie, a state senator who is also challenging Adams in the primary, said “at a time when the Republican Party has never been more out of line with New York values, we need a mayor who isn’t scared to call himself a Democrat.” “Instead of playing footsie with the next president, we need a mayor with the courage to stand up for our city,” Myrie wrote on X. Adams on Friday did distance himself from the Trump administration's potential plans to carry out mass deportations, saying, “You know, I’m not for mass deportation, but I’m not for mass saturation.” Still, the mayor's recent remarks are a major departure from his stance before he took office. In June of 2021, a few weeks before winning the Democratic mayoral primary, Adams spoke to a room full of immigrant New Yorkers about the challenges facing city residents who are in the country illegally. “Too many of our neighbors live in the shadows,” he said at the time, “scarred by the abusive rhetoric and tactics of the Trump era and fearing a denial of their rights.” Izaguirre reported from Albany.International Conference on Entrepreneurship discusses business transformations in the era of AI
AP News Summary at 4:36 p.m. EST
As 2024 winds down, the drivers of telecoms sector have highlighted key issues and challenges that shaped the sector, while raising hopes for better service quality in 2025, writes Emma Okonji With a deep retrospect into the activities of the telecoms sector in 2024, telecoms operators came to a conclusion that the sector was fraught with challenges that slowed down development in the sector in 2024, a situation, which they said, compelled them to subsidise telecoms service offerings for data and voice calls below cost price that was not sustainable. Despite the challenges, telecoms operators contributed immensely to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, job creation, investments, connectivity, quality of service, broadband and internet penetration in 2024. GDP Growth Relying on the figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for GDP growth, telecoms operators are of the view that the sector contributed immensely to GDP growth in 2024. According to NBS figures, telecoms contribution to GDP in 2024 stood at 16 per cent, which is quite significant from the scheme of things. Pleased with the contribution of telecoms to Nigeria’s GDP, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), who doubles as the spokesperson for telecoms operators in Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, told THISDAY that the sector contributed immensely to GDP growth adding that there was increased growth of about three per cent in every quarter of 2024. According to Adebayo, “If you look at the statistics, the telecoms sector had the most-steady contribution to GDP as a sector. I think our contribution has been steady and has been consistent in the past years, in particular between 2023 and 2024. I think the contribution has been steady and that also in no small way, helped in stimulating the economy. Remember that we provide the infrastructure that drives other infrastructure. So in that regard, we can say that we have contributed immensely as a sector to Nigeria’s GDP, and the contribution of other sectors to the economy is powered by the telecoms sector.” Job Creation According to Adebayo, the telecoms industry has done more in terms of indirect employment because a lot of the non-core services in the telecoms sector, has gone into outsourcing, and so the impact of employment creation by outsourced companies supporting telecoms providers and by other sectors, depended on telecoms. He explained that the sector has helped small businesses to grow and that the small businesses have in turn, created employment for several Nigerians. “I would say we’ve had more jobs created outside of our sector, relying on the services provided by our sector. So the growth of Fintech, for example, is linked to the existence of the telecoms sector. So if Fintech employs X number of people in a year or in the intervening year, that wouldn’t have been possible if you don’t have the telecoms infrastructure behind it. Also, the eCommerce sector that has also employed several people, relied greatly on telecoms infrastructure in 2024,” Adebayo said. Telecoms Investment According to Adebayo, in the year 2024, there was not much investment in the telecoms sector, even though some telecoms operators had major investments that impacted the Nigerian economy in 2024. He said the Licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos), did a lot, both in terms of the expansion of the fiber backbone, including Data Center operators. “InfraCos did a lot in investment and Data Centers did a lot in investment in 2024, and such investments will boost development in 2025,” Adebayo further said. Connectivity While reviewing telecoms activities in the area of connectivity, Adebayo said connectivity improved in the year 2024, even though there were pockets of challenges that affected quality of service, such as vandalisation of telecoms infrastructure, denial of access to maintain telecoms sites by social miscreants, among others. Regulation Adebayo said telecoms regulation in 2024 was quite commendable. “I must appreciate the leadership of the industry. I must thank those who led the sector in terms of regulation and policy implementation in 2024. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) did very well in regulating the telecoms sector in 2024 and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, also did well in his business-friendly policies and implementation that helped the growth of the sector in 2024. The policy on SIM card linkage with the National Identification Number (NIN) of telecoms’ subscribers, was concluded this year, after several years of implementation. “As for the NCC, the interoperability between the various players is decided by the regulator. The rules of engagement are decided by the regulator, and the do’s and the don’ts are also decided by the regulator. Again, the fact that there was no significant infraction or significant penalty on any player, was because the regulator was transparent and the operators also complied with the laid down policies,” Adebayo said. Challenges According to Adebayo, the telecoms sector faced several challenges in 2024, that slowed down development in the sector. He said vandalisation of telecoms infrastructure led to significant revenue losses by operators, both in terms of connectivity and in terms of high cost of operations. “There were severe damages on telecoms’ infrastructure, caused by road contractors, which affected connectivity and quality of service in 2024, coupled with theft of diesel and power stations on sites. But I am glad about the passage of the Critical National Information and Infrastructure (CNII) Bill that seeks to protect telecoms infrastructure going forward,” Adebayo said. The biggest challenges we had in 2024 were more about vandalisation, denial of access to site by social miscreants, including site closure by government agencies, and of course, the issue of non-sustainability of telecoms tariff, Adebayo said, adding that telecoms tariff in 2024, was far below cost. “So I can say that 2024 was actually a year of subsidy where operators subsidised their services for everybody. We provided subsidised services and that is not commendable because it is not sustainable,” Adebayo said. Restoration of Damaged Subsea Cable This year, precisely March 14, 13 African countries faced internet disruptions, which led to operational downtime for all businesses connected to the internet, including banks, where bank customers could not carry out banking transactions for hours. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), as well as broadband connectivity providers were completely disconnected from the internet and from the broadband connections, as they could not provide connectivity access to their customers in banks, schools, churches, mosques, business centres, call centres as well as to organisations in different sectors of the economy. The disruption was caused by multiple cuts in the submarine cable around the coast line of Senegal and Cote d’ Ivoire. The affected 13 countries include: Cote d’ Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cameroon, Gabon, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Lesotho, and parts of South Africa. Speaking about the restoration process, the CEO, West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), Mr. Chris Wood, told THISDAY that 35 networks across West African countries, Nigeria inclusive, were restored to full capacity resilience, few after the cut. adding that it will take another four weeks to fully restore internet services to all network operators that are connected to the affected four submarine cables that came from Europe, with landing points along the West African coast. According to him, it cost a total of about $2 million to achieve full restoration to a single subsea cable, depending on the extent of the cut on the cable. This brings it to a total of about $8 million to fix the affected four submarine cables that were affected by the cut. Nigeria’s .ng Domain The total figure for the registration, renewal and restoration of Nigeria’s .ng domain name dropped slightly in July this year to 226,454, after a major leap in the months of May and June this year, which recorded 223,891 and 226,702 respectively. The statistics was released by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD). According to the statistics, the total .ng domain name registration, renewal and restoration, reached 223,891 in May 2024, and further increased to 226,702 in June 2024, before sliding slightly 226,454 in July 2024. THISDAY had last month, reported an initial steady growth of Nigeria’s .ng domain name, which grew from 212,890 in December 2023 to reach 215,496 in January 2024, before increasing again to 217,527 in February 2024, with a further increase to 220,216 in March 2024, and another increase to 222,820 and 223,891 in April and May 2024 respectively, before reaching 226,702 in June 2024. Although the summation of .ng domain name includes registration, renewal and restoration, but the latest statistics on Nigeria’s .ng domain name as released by NiRA, showed that registration alone reached 8,066 in May 2024, and it increased 8,164 in June 2024, with a further increase to 8,607 in July 2024. The .ng domain name renewal alone was 5,545 in May 2024, and it decreased to 5,028 in June 2024, before increasing to 5,743 in July 2024, while the .ng domain name restoration alone was 140 in May 2024 and it increased further to 142 in June 2024, with a further increase to 209 in July 2024. The ccTLD .ng domain name is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace, which has the .ng at the suffix of every official email address that originates from Nigeria. In the United Kingdom, official email addresses end with . co.uk . In United States of America, they end with .com, while in South Africa, the official email addresses end with . co.za . WATRA’s Regulatory Framework In response to the growing challenges posed by the introduction of Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbits (NGSO) services across West Africa, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), which Nigeria belongs to, has developed a comprehensive framework aimed at regulating the advanced satellite systems. During the 21st Annual General Meeting, which held recently in Freetown, Sierra Leone, WATRA resolved to establish an Ad hoc Technical Working Group tasked with developing recommendations to address the regulatory gaps surrounding NGSO services. NGSO satellites, which offer significant advancements in connectivity and data transmission, have created both opportunities and challenges for WATRA Member States. While some countries have successfully licensed these services, others are dealing with unauthorised NGSO operations that pose security risks, threaten national investments, and destabilise local telecommunications markets. Recognising the concerns, the newly formed Ad hoc Technical Working Group has proposed a detailed framework designed to guide member states in effectively regulating NGSO services. The Executive Secretary of WATRA, Aliyu Aboki, highlighted the importance of the recommendations in ensuring a stable and secure telecommunications sector. “The introduction of NGSO services has brought new technological capabilities to the region, but it has also introduced complex regulatory issues that cannot be ignored. This framework is a necessary step to protect the investments of our Member States, ensure national security, and maintain a fair and competitive market,” Aboki said. Support for Indigenous Tech Companies The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, during the year, promised government support for indigenous technology companies, through collaboration. The minister said this in Lagos, during his visit to Imose Technologies smartphone/tablet factory and the Teesas Learning Centre, one of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Applied Learning Clusters (ALC). Pleased with his on-the-spot assessment of the factory and learning centre, Tijani said the assessment of Imose Technologies factory, would enable the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to understand how best it could support indigenous companies to scale. “We do need companies, businesses that can actually truly build solutions for our people. In the digital economy space, we can’t achieve our objectives without local companies. Even as we start to invest in fiber optic network to ensure we can reach all of our people, it’s going to be useless if people don’t have the devices, such as the phone, the tablets, the laptops to be able to access internet and use it for meaningful purposes. So that’s why we need indigenous companies like Imose Technologies and many more out there to understand their pain points and how we can support them so that they can start to truly fully manufacture devices in Nigeria. And that way it can become affordable and our people can have access,” Tijani said.KINGSPORT — After serving up pizza in the Tri-Cities for over a decade, Main Street Pizza Company is closing its doors at the end of the year. These closures include both the Johnson City and Kingsport locations, according to a social media post shared by the owners Tuesday. The post states that the King Center building, where Main Street is currently a tenant in Johnson City, was sold in Spring 2024. With their lease running out on Dec. 31, the business said they made the decision to not renew at that location. “The building has always been owned by local people that we looked up to, great Johnson City business people,” the post states. “ Now the building is owned by an out of town investment group. This right off the bat kind of goes against what we have always tried not to be or support, so After many hours spent contemplating, discussion after discussion, and new information from the new owners, we very recently reached the conclusion that we were not interested in renewing the lease under terms they were offering.” Plans for the building include lots of construction, including on the first floor where the restaurant resides. As for the Kingsport location, construction was also at the heart of the decision. With the ongoing Main Street Rebuild, the owners said dealing with the construction right at their front door “went from a minor inconvenience” to “a serious drop off in sales.” “Again, this is to be expected, but when the other two stores are also coming to a close, it makes it much more difficult to absorb,” the post states. “It also becomes a burden on your staff, who count on that money daily. Therefore, we are going to also hope to become helpful and inspirational building owners for someone with a good idea, and less flood mud to clean up.” The restaurant hopes to keep the Johnson City location open until Dec. 15 and the Kingsport location until Dec. 22, according to the post. “We would like to thank everyone for 15 great years in Downtown JC, 10 years in Downtown Kingsport, and 5 years in Chuckey,” the post states. “We put more local food on plates than every other restaurant in the tri-cities combined during that time, and look forward to continue farming for you.”
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