The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, has said that overregulation is hurting the growth of the marketing industry. He stated this at the 12th edition of the ADVAN African Awards for Marketing Excellence held in Lagos recently. Regulation can also be overdone, underdone, or inconsistent, resulting in negative consequences for the industry and society. “Regulation also needs to be adaptable, responsive, and transparent to keep up with the changing realities and demands of the market and society,” Ogra said. He remarked, “This year we have been able to increase our award categories, adding something for the junior managers in our team.

No fewer than 9, 000 civil servants who sat the 2022 Federal Civil Service Promotion examinations failed. The PUNCH reports that no fewer than 13,000 civil servants sat the 2022 examination, which held in about 69 Computer Based Test centres. The letter containing the list of successful civil servants was dated November 30, 2023 and sent from the Federal Civil Service Commission. In a list attached to the letter, it was noted that only 3,851 civil servants out of the over 13,000 civil servants who sat the promotion examination passed. A total of 313 civil servants were promoted from the role of Senior Administrative Officer to Principal Administrative Officer.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has predicted that the global airline industry’s net profits are expected to reach $25.7 billion in 2024, representing. The figure according to the global airline clearing house will be a slight improvement over 2023 which is expected to show a $23.3 billion net profit (2.6 per cent net profit margin). This is just as it has been predicted that African airlines are expected to generate losses in both 2023 and 2024. While airline industry operating profits are expected to reach $49.4 billion in 2024 from $40.7 billion in 2023, total revenues in 2024 are expected to grow 7.6 percent year over year to a record $964 billion. IATA has, however, attributed the 25.7 billion net expected in 2024 to what it described as a tribute to aviation’s resilience.

Financial institutions and organisations should fortify their defences in 2024, as threats will surge driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and heightened automation, according to Kaspersky experts. Adapting to the evolving landscape, 2024 demands proactive cybersecurity strategies, sector collaboration, and innovative defenses. Last year, Kaspersky experts accurately predicted the rise in Web3 threats, increased demand for malware loaders, and the shift of ransomware groups towards destructive activities. Looking ahead, 2024 predicts an AI-driven surge in cyberattacks that mimic legitimate communication channels, leading to a proliferation of lower-quality campaigns. “In the ever-evolving landscape of financial cybersecurity in 2024, we anticipate a surge in threats, heightened automation, and the unwavering persistence of cybercriminals.

But I want to talk about tomorrow — the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra. But in recent years, it seems to me that story is often overshadowed by another — the tale of St. Nicholas’ punch. “At one point, jolly ol’ St. Nicholas got so angry at Arius’ obstinacy that he socked him right in the face,” Michelle La Rosa recounted last year. A contemporary rendering of St. Nicholas of Myra, enjoying a refreshing beverage, presumably after slapping Arius in the face. If you want to know what’s happening with Cardinal Burke, read it here at The Pillar.

In a groundbreaking moment for Indian chess, siblings, R Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali Rameshbabu have penned their names in history as the first-ever brother-sister pair to achieve the esteemed title of Grandmaster in the world of chess. This historic feat was accomplished when Vaishali, 22, crossed the 2500 FIDE ratings during the IV El Llobregat Open in Spain, becoming India’s third female Grandmaster. Together, the siblings have now become the first brother and sister duo to become grandmasters. “Becoming a [grandmaster] has been my goal since I started playing chess,” Vaishali said after earning the title last week at the IV El Llobregat Open in Spain. “I’m happy to see that she’s finally getting to where she belongs.”As the chess world applauds the historic achievement of the Praggnanandhaa siblings, the future looks promising as they aim to build on their success and bring more accolades to Indian chess.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its members to discontinue all pending intra-party litigations across the country. The decision was reached at its 578th meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. According to a statement issued by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the committee used the session to thoroughly review the state of the party and “directed that all pending intra-party litigations across the country should be withdrawn forthwith.”The statement said that the decision is pursuant to the provision of Section 58 (1)(l) of the Constitution of the PDP as amended in 2017 and in line with the spirit of unity and reconciliation in the Party. The NWC urged all party leaders, critical stakeholders, and members across the country to remain united and continue to promote the values “for which the PDP is known as a truly democratic party.”The statement also mentioned that the NWC considered and approved the report of the Establishment Committee for the appointment of a substantive Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI). It added that the successful candidate will be announced in due course.

Over the years, Nigeria has recorded several accidental strikes by the Nigerian Air Force, killing innocent citizens across the country. The PUNCH investigations revealed that over 425 persons including children and women had been killed by military accidental bombings between September 2017 and 2023. In this report, PUNCH Online highlights cases of NAF accidental strikes. Kaduna village bombing mishapRecent of all is the Kaduna village bombing mishap where 85 villagers in Tudun Biri of the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State are feared dead after a bomb was allegedly dropped by a military jet on Sunday. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has, however, apologised to the relatives of victims of the accidental bombing.

Upcoming Tata Punch EV spied once again with LED headlights similar to the Nexon EV. The Punch EV will be offered in two variants – Medium Range and Long Range – with a range of up to 325 km. Tata Motors is extensively testing its next EV, the Punch EV, and we have got our hands on the latest spy shots. Take a look at the expected specifications here:Tata Tigor EV (Punch EV Medium Range) Tata Nexon EV Medium Range (Punch EV Long Range) Power And Torque 75 PS/170 Nm 129 PS/215 Nm Battery Pack 26 kWh 30 kWh ARAI-claimed range 315 km 325 kmTata Motors is expected to unveil the Punch EV sometime in 2024, at an expected price of Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom). It will rival the likes of the Citroen eC3 while serving as a premium alternative to cars like Tiago EV and Tigor EV.

“In this regard, it is mandatory for all Tier-1 bank accounts and wallets for individuals to have BVN and/or NIN. “Retrieve their customers’ NIN from NIMC and retrieve their BVNs from NIBSS and marry the two. This circular that has come out will help to strengthen the fight against money laundering. Money laundering thrives on information asymmetry because someone can open 10 accounts with 10 different names where no data connects the person to the accounts. It means that if I’m acquiring a customer, I’m doing a two-level check on BVN + NIN, and both have tokenisation (two OTPs), which means a longer onboarding time.

It is gathered that while one boat crosses passengers to Oniyanrin, the other crosses others to Maidan area simultaneously. Semiu lamented that some residents had relocated out of the community due to the inconvenience and associated risk of boarding the boat. I have gone to our state lawmaker, Mr Femi Saide, in the Lagos State House of Assembly, and he said they would do something very soon. A letter was written to the state government on the need to take a prompt action on the collapsed bridge. “Last month, I was with the Counsellor for Ward G. He said he would try to do the bridge with the Lagos State budget for next year or that he would look for another way.

Eight people lost their lives on Tuesday in intense floods as Cyclone Michaung was set to make landfall on India’s southern city of Chennai. The Indian Meteorological Department said the cyclone was forecast to hit the coast of Andhra Pradesh state later on Tuesday, as a “severe cyclonic storm”, packing winds up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour. In some parts of the flooded city, people used boats to get out of their flooded neighbourhoods to the safety of government relief shelters. “We are facing the worst storm in recent memory,” Tamil Nadu state chief minister M.K. Apple iPhone manufacturers Foxconn and Pegatron and automaker Hyundai suspended their operations in Tamil Nadu due to the storm, local media reported.

President Bola Tinubu has been dragged before the Supreme Court for allegedly presenting himself for inauguration as president in spite of a pending legal action against the conduct of the February 25 2023 election. Citing the doctrine of Lis Pendens, the presidential candidate of Hope Democratic Party (HDP) in the 2019 general election, Chief Albert Owuru wants the apex court to nullify the inauguration of Tinubu as winner of the 2023 election. Owuru, a constitutional lawyer, is contending that the election which produced Tinubu was an exercise in futility and illegal self help in view of his yet-to-be-determined suit against Tinubu and others at the Supreme Court. The pending Supreme Court suit numbered, SC/667/2023 has Chief Owuru and his party, HDP as appellants, while respondents are former President Muhammadu Buhari, Attoney General of the Federation (AGF), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Justice Tukur had held that Owuru engaged in gross abuse of court process by filing a frivolous, vexatious and irritating suit to provoke the respondents.

AS part of efforts to provide reliable energy to its people, the Federal Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a one Gigawatt (GW) Solar PV Manufacturing plant in the country. “The project focuses on local manufacturing, green manufacturing and renewable energy, equipment manufacturing, and climate resilient infrastructure,” he said. While commending the Infracorp-led consortium for successfully securing a manufacturing plant in Nigeria, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Olawale Edun, said available data indicates a substantial market size for solar energy in Nigeria and the West Africa region. Edun said the establishment of a solar PV manufacturing plant in Nigeria has the potential to address various socioeconomic challenges and bring about positive impacts across different sectors. The Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr Doris NkirukaUzoka-Anite, who said that the establishment of the Solar PV Manufacturing plant will be a significant catalyst for Nigeria’s industrial sector, stressed that energy infrastructure is the foundation for innovation, job creation, and prosperity, paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.

Melting Snowman1 cup orange juice 1 – 10 oz. frozen strawberries, partially thawed ½ cup water 2 large scoops of vanilla ice cream Garnish: Strawberries or orange slicesCombine juice, berries and water in a blender. Pour into tall glasses or goblets and add a scoop of ice cream to each. Garnish with fruit, add straw and serve immediately. Makes two large glasses.