Blog

  • The twin of the Milky Way galaxy found in the distant Universe

    Large spiral galaxies, like the Milky Way, were thought to take billions of years to form. In the Universe’s first billion years, galaxies were expected to be small and chaotic. However, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shows a different story.

    Its deep infrared images reveal surprisingly large and well-formed galaxies much earlier than expected, causing astronomers to rethink how and when they formed in the early Universe.

    Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team led by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has discovered a massive, Milky Way-like spiral galaxy—Zhúlóng —that formed just 1 billion years after the Big Bang.

    Besides being an ultra-massive system, this spiral galaxy, seen at a redshift of 5.2, has a remarkably mature structure, a central old bulge, a large star-forming disk, and well-defined spiral arms.

    Zhúlóng means ‘Torch Dragon’ in Chinese mythology. In the myth, Zhúlóng is a mighty red solar dragon who controls day and night by opening and closing its eyes. Each time its eyes open, light floods the world, creating day, and when they close, darkness falls, bringing night. This symbolizes the flow of light and the passage of cosmic time.

    The galaxy stands out because it resembles the Milky Way in shape, size, and stellar mass. Its disk is over 60,000 light-years wide, similar to ours, and contains more than 100 billion solar masses of stars.

    This makes it one of the best examples of a Milky Way-like galaxy found so early in the Universe, raising new questions about how such large, well-formed spiral galaxies could have formed so soon after the Big Bang.

    This discovery highlights how the JWST changes our understanding of the early Universe. Future observations from JWST and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) will help confirm the galaxy’s properties and reveal more about its formation.

    As new wide-area surveys by JWST continue, astronomers expect to find more galaxies like this, providing fresh insights into the complex processes that shaped galaxies in the early Universe.

    Journal Reference:

    1. Mengyuan Xiao, Xhristina Williams, Pascal Oesch et al. PANORAMIC: Discovery of an ultra-massive grand-design spiral galaxy at z ∼ 5.2. Astronomy & Astrophysics. DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202453487

    Source: Tech Explorist

  • Israel’s hawkish minister, husband accused of sexual abuse by daughter

    ER Editor: A few days ago we published a report by Vanessa Beeley on the decades-long phenomenon of institutionalized child abuse, rape and pedophilia in Israeli society. This was based on an original report in Hebrew by Na’am Barkan for the Israel Hayom site.

    None of the victims were named by Barkan or Beeley. However, one victim has voluntarily come forward through social media, Soshana Strock, daughter of Orit Strock/Strook, the Israeli Minister for Settlements according to Wikipedia, who is a member of a religious Zionist party.

    Here is Beeley’s piece with no victims named. We recommend our introduction to this piece, which highlights the Satanic nature of some of the abusive events being reported —

    ISRAEL: Girls Raped in Ritual Ceremonies Reveal the Horrors – Investigative Report

    We also republished this older but still-pertinent report two days ago —

    The Child-Rape Assembly Line

    This tweet explicitly links Shoshana Strock to the Beeley/Israel Hayom report —

    Wikipedia has this update under its entry for Orit Strook

    Controversies

    In April 2025, one of Strook’s daughters, Shoshana, filed a police complaint in Italy accusing both of her parents and a brother of sexually abusing her when she was a child.[5] Later she returned to Israel and also filed a complaint with Israeli Police. The investigation by Lahav 433 Anti-Corruption Unit was subject to a gag order, and therefore Israeli news outlets were prohibited from publishing further details or even mentioning that the charges are against Minister Strook.[6] Shoshana Strook alleged that both parents filmed what she called ″sexual rituals″, exploiting her and offering the videos as child pornography.[7]

    Few media sites have picked up the story, but a Yandex search produces some results. We are republishing PressTV’s report below. Turkish site Andalou Agency (browsers will translate) has also picked up the story, indicating that Israelis have been informed of allegations against their Minister of Settlements via The Times of Israel, but it has issued a publication ban on the details of the case.

    ********

    TWEETS —

    We recommend reading through this series of tweets starting here —

    ***

    Israel’s hawkish minister, husband accused of sexual abuse by daughter

    PRESSTV

    .

    A hawkish Israeli minister known for her extreme right-wing politics and support for illegal settlements is facing serious allegations of sexual abuse by her daughter.

    Shoshana Strook, the daughter of Israeli minister of settlements Orit Strook, filed a police complaint in Italy alleging sexual assault by both of her parents and a brother.

    Shoshana’s mother, Orit Strook — the minister of settlements — is a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

    .

    She stated that resurfacing memories prompted her decision to report the abuse, which she hopes will help her heal from emotional trauma.

    She made the allegations in a statement posted on social media, revealing that she had filed a formal complaint and was seeking justice and relief.

    “I’m currently in Italy and recently filed a report with the police,” she said. “I hope to find a place where I can get some relief.”

    “After a long period of doubt, extreme emotional states, and a lot of guilt, I wanted to share that I experienced sexual abuse by both of my parents and one of my brothers,” Shoshana wrote.

    She also said that her parents physically harmed her three younger brothers, stating: “After years of beatings and guilt, I finally spoke out. The memories are overwhelming, but I need justice.”

    Shoshana also said that the memories coming up to her lately are “becoming too overwhelming”, recalling one in which she hit three of her younger brothers.

    She didn’t reveal which brother sexually assaulted her. However, one of her brothers, Zviki Strook, has been reportedly charged with kidnapping and torturing a Palestinian boy in 2007.

    Shoshana’s mother, Orit Strook, is a staunch supporter of Israel’s settlements in the occupied West Bank.

    Ironically, Orit relentlessly pushed prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s baseless narratives and unsubstantiated claims that Palestinian resistance group Hamas committed sexual assault on October 7, 2023.

    She now faces grave allegations of having abused her own children.

    The Strook family has been in the spotlight before. In 2007, Orit’s son, Zviki Strook, was reportedly charged with kidnapping and torturing a Palestinian minor.

    The Palestinian boy was found severely beaten and bleeding after escaping an alleged torture session.

    Orit was born into a Jewish family of Hungarian lawyers. She married Avraham Strook and the couple chose to live in illegal settlements on Palestinian land.

    Their first home was in the settlement of Yamit in the Sinai Peninsula. However, following the 1982 evacuation of Yamit after the Sinai was returned to Egypt in 1979, the Strook family relocated to the occupied West Bank city of al-Khalil—again, settling illegally.

    Since 2013, she has continued to live in the Avraham Avinu settlement in al-Khalil.

    In 2024, Orit stated that Israel should maintain a “long-term military presence in Gaza and annex the occupied West Bank”. She also argued that there should be no exit strategy from Gaza.

    Orit  made headlines after posting a video to her X account from a Knesset session in which she argued that a Palestinian state would be an “existential threat” to Israel.”

    In May 2024, she opposed a proposed ceasefire agreement in Israel’s war on Gaza. Orit also criticized the United States for its efforts to broker a ceasefire deal, stating that the US “doesn’t deserve to be called a friend of Israel.”

    Source

    Featured image source, Israeli flag:

    Featured image source, Orit Strook:

    ************

    Published to The Liberty Beacon from EuropeReloaded.com

    ••••

    The Liberty Beacon Project is now expanding at a near exponential rate, and for this we are grateful and excited! But we must also be practical. For 7 years we have not asked for any donations, and have built this project with our own funds as we grew. We are now experiencing ever increasing growing pains due to the large number of websites and projects we represent. So we have just installed donation buttons on our websites and ask that you consider this when you visit them. Nothing is too small. We thank you for all your support and your considerations … (TLB)

    ••••

    Comment Policy: As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. This also applies to trolling, the use of more than one alias, or just intentional mischief. Enforcement of this policy is at the discretion of this websites administrators. Repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without prior warning.

    ••••

    Disclaimer: TLB websites contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of “fair use” in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, health, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than “fair use” you must request permission from the copyright owner.

    ••••

    Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared are for informational purposes only including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material are not intended as medical advice or instruction. Nothing mentioned is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    Source: TLB

  • China Slams Trump’s ‘Blackmail’ Tactics In Escalating Trade War

    China on Wednesday asked the United States to “stop threatening and blackmailing” the country after President Donald Trump said it was up to China to come to the negotiating table to discuss ending their trade war.

    Trump has escalated tariffs on Chinese imports this year, imposing an additional 145 per cent on many goods, adding to duties from previous administrations. China responded with its tariffs of up to 125 per cent on US products.

    “If the US truly wants to resolve this issue through dialogue, it should stop applying extreme pressure and engage with China based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

    “China has made its position clear: no one wins in a trade war. While we do not want conflict, we are not afraid to defend our interests,” Lin added.

    Trump had imposed a 20 per cent tariff on China over their alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain, before following it up with a 125 per cent hike, citing broader unfair trade practices by China on the U.S.

    However, his administration has temporarily exempted some tech items, including smartphones and laptops, from the new tariffs.

    The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Tuesday said that it was up to Beijing to make the first move.

    “The ball is in China’s court. They need to make a deal with us; we don’t have to make a deal with them,” Leavitt said, quoting Trump.

    Despite rising tensions, China reported stronger-than-expected economic growth in Q1, with GDP expanding 5.4 per cent.

    Economists attributed the success to exporters rushing shipments before tariffs hit, but they warned the second quarter could reflect harsher impacts.

    “The new tariffs taking effect in April will likely disrupt Chinese exports and stall investment,” said Heron Lim of Moody’s Analytics.

    On Tuesday, Trump also launched an investigation that could lead to tariffs on critical minerals, rare-earth elements, and related products, including smartphones, potentially widening the scope of the trade war even further.

    China Slams Trump’s ‘Blackmail’ Tactics In Escalating Trade War is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

    Source: The Whistler

  • RFK Jr.’s mixed message about measles outbreaks draws criticism

    By AMANDA SEITZ, Associated Press

    WASHINGTON (AP) — As measles outbreaks popped up across the U.S. this winter, pediatricians waited for the nation’s public health agency to send a routine, but important, letter that outlines how they could help stop the spread of the illness.

    It wasn’t until last week — after the number of cases grew to more than 700, and a second young child in Texas had died from a measles infection — that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally issued its correspondence.

    The delay of that letter may seem minor. But it is one in a string of missteps that more than a dozen doctors, nurses and public health officials interviewed by The Associated Press identified in the Trump administration’s response to the outbreak.

    Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to contain an epidemic in a tight-knit, religious community in West Texas have run counter to established public health strategies deployed to end past epidemics.

    “What we are lacking now is one, clear strong voice — from the federal to the state to the local — saying that the vaccine is the only thing that will prevent measles,” said Patricia Stinchfield, a nurse and infectious disease expert who helped stop a 2017 measles outbreak in Minnesota’s Somali community.

    An ‘extremely unusual’ approach to the outbreak

    Behind the scenes, Kennedy has not been regularly briefed in person on the outbreak by his own infectious disease experts at the CDC at least through March 21, according to Kevin Griffis, a career staffer who worked as the agency’s communications director until he resigned that day.

    Even after the measles claimed its first young Texas victim in late February, Kennedy had still not been briefed by CDC staff, Griffis said. His account was confirmed by a second former federal health official, who resigned at the end of February.

    A spokesperson for Kennedy did not answer specific written questions about how he had been briefed or his communications with CDC staff.

    The spokesperson said the CDC activated an Atlanta-based response in early February to provide overall guidance on measles testing and vaccination strategy. An on-the-ground team was deployed to West Texas throughout most of March and withdrawn on April 1.

    It was a “joint decision” between state and federal officials to send the team home, CDC spokesman Jason McDonald said. Another team of seven was dispatched back to the region this week.

    In previous administrations, health secretaries held weekly briefings with CDC staff, lasting between 25 and 30 minutes, during infectious disease outbreaks, both former HHS officials said. Kennedy, instead, received updates on paper or through email, Griffis said.

    “That is extremely unusual,” said Griffis, who sat in on such briefings with the previous health secretary and said that none were held for Kennedy during his first month on the job. “I’ve never seen that before.”

    In another irregularity, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the nation’s largest network of pediatricians, has not been tapped to work with the CDC on the outbreak, according to the organization’s officials. Historically, the CDC and AAP have convened for monthly or biweekly briefings during outbreaks to share updates, which include details about what doctors are seeing and questions they’re fielding from parents in exam rooms. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the health department’s response.

    The only updates provided widely to pediatricians by the CDC have come from a health alert network update sent on March 7, a week after the first U.S. measles death in a decade, and the letter sent to providers last week, which, according to the pediatric academy officials, was late in the outbreak.

    Kennedy praised the CDC on Tuesday during an event in Indianapolis, saying it “had done a very good job controlling the measles outbreak.”

    Kennedy endorses vaccines, but still raises safety doubts

    Kennedy’s inconsistent and unclear message on the measles vaccines has also made the outbreaks difficult to contain, experts say.

    He has occasionally endorsed the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as “effective,” but also continues to raise safety concerns about the shots in other statements. In a CBS interview last week, he claimed the vaccines were “not safety tested.”

    That approach has been the biggest flaw of the government’s response, said Dr. Carlos del Rio, the president of the Infectious Disease Society of America.

    “Imagine if the captain of the Titanic had told you that you need to be careful about lifeboats and think about other opportunities,” del Rio said.

    Trials were conducted on thousands of children before the vaccine was approved for use in the 1960s. The federal government has since used medical records to continue to monitor for side effects from use in millions of people since.

    Health secretaries have typically delivered a clear message urging the public to get vaccinated during outbreaks, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, a former deputy director at the CDC who retired after 33 years at the agency in 2021.

    President Donald Trump and his first-term health secretary, Alex Azar, urged people to get shots during news conferences in 2019, when measles ripped through Brooklyn and infected more than 1,200 nationwide.

    “You don’t necessarily need the secretary of health to attend a funeral, OK, but you don’t want to have mixed messages on vaccines,” Schuchat said. “Someone in a federal building in Washington can do a lot of harm from the way that they are messaging.”

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also quiet on vaccines

    Local leaders have largely been left alone to urge the public to take up vaccinations.

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has not urged the public to get vaccinated, either. He has not held any news conferences about the outbreak and posted just once on social media about measles since January. Any statements about the illnesses, which have also put 56 people in the hospital at some point, have been left to his aides.

    Abbott’s office did not respond to questions about his response to the outbreak.

    Governors in other states have responded more forcefully to the growing measles case count. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat and a doctor, made front page news last week after urging Hawaiians to take up vaccines when the state recorded its first measles case in a year.

    Ahead of a busy travel week for the Easter holiday, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, unequivocally called on people to vaccinate themselves and their children. There are no known measles cases in Nebraska, but an outbreak is active in neighboring Kansas.

    “If you’re not vaccinated, you’re going to get measles,” Pillen said last week.

    Those types of statements are important for the public to hear leaders say from the top down, said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, who was New York City’s health commissioner during the 2019 measles outbreak.

    Barbot worked with local rabbis, as well as doctors and nurses in the Jewish community, to send messages that encouraged vaccine uptake. Calls from Trump and Azar, who urged the public to vaccinate, helped her make the case, too.

    When national leaders distance themselves from that message, she said it “starts to erode the effectiveness of people who are trying to convey those messages at the local level.”

    Associated Press writers Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, Devi Shastri in Milwaukee and Margery Beck in Omaha contributed to this report.

    Originally Published:

    Source: Paradise Post

  • Supreme Court rules ‘woman’ has biological meaning

    Top judges unanimous decision that ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in UK equality legislation mean biological sex

    Susan Smith and Marion Calder, co-directors of For Women Scotland, outside the Supreme Court today

    In a dense, 87-page judgment, the Supreme Court has found that UK equality legislation refers to biological sex “as a matter of ordinary language”.

    Interpreting ‘sex’ as including trans men or women who have a Gender Recognition Certificate would not have been workable as a matter of statutory interpretation, and “would cut across the definitions … in an incoherent way”.

    The decision has implications for public service providers and employers as well as charities and associations. It means, for example, an interpretation of what is a ‘women-only’ space such as a changing room, or of a charity set up to serve women or girls, would be based on a biological definition of ‘woman’ and would not cover transgender men or women with a GRC.

    Acknowledging the competing rights that this controversial case highlighted such as for women, for the trans community as well as for lesbian women, Lord Hodge, one of the five justices that heard the case, said, “we counsel against reading this judgment as a triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another”, reiterating, for instance, that the transgender community is separately protected in the Equality Act 2010.

    The case was brought before the Supreme Court after the Scottish Government issued statutory guidance north of the border in relation to ‘positive action’ legislation on gender representation on the boards of public bodies. The guidance says that the definitions of woman and man for that legislation includes those who have been certified as such with a Gender Recognition Certificate.

    Susan Smith (left) and Marion Calder (right), co-directors of For Women Scotland, outside the Supreme Court today

    For Women Scotland, the organisation which brought the case, argued this was wrong and that the UK’s Equality Act 2010 was drafted with the ordinary biological meaning of woman and man in mind and that those definitions should not be read as to include trans women or men with a Gender Recognition Certificate. The Supreme Court has now agreed with this argument.

    In a statement, For Women Scotland, said today:

    “The Supreme Court has confirmed what women across the country already knew. Sex matters … This ruling restores legal clarity and reaffirms the purpose of the protections written into the Equality Act. This win protects all women, including trans-identifying females, by ensuring maternity rights, women-only spaces, and female-focused services are grounded in reality.”

    The 268 paragraphs of complex legal analysis in the judgment (written by three of the five justices, Lady Rose, Lady Simler and Lord Hodge) may make for a challenging read but, say equality legal experts, offer “long-term clarity for businesses”.

    Phillip Pepper, employment partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, says: “While this decision will be disappointing for some, it ultimately offers a clear path forward for employers who can now ensure they stay on the right side of law.”

    This does mean that separate spaces may have to be created, for instance, for the trans community. Pepper cautions, businesses “may have to rethink their policy towards single-sex spaces in the workplace, such as bathrooms and changing rooms, and ensure that all individuals have a suitable space that they feel comfortable in when needing to use those facilities”.

    As Pepper makes clear, these practical applications are now matters for service providers and employers; the judges have done their bit.

    As Lord Hodge said, the Supreme Court’s task “was not to make policy on how .. groups should be protected” but only to “ascertain the meaning of the legislation”.

    The post Supreme Court rules ‘woman’ has biological meaning appeared first on Legal Cheek.

    Source: Legal Cheek

  • Partnerships Lead at LifeBank

    LifeBank is a platform that makes blood available when and where it is needed in Nigeria to save lives. We mobilize blood donations, take inventory of all blood available in the country, and deliver blood in the right condition to the point of need.JOB OVERVIEW

    Work with the Vice President of Growth, Partnerships and Innovation to contribute to LifeBank’s bottom line through developing and marketing innovative products to diverse long-term stakeholders.

    RESPONSIBILITIES

    Develop briefs, grants proposals, position papers, impact reports and other relevant documents to strengthen stakeholder engagement.
    Manage progressive communication with current and prospective partners
    Manage the growing database of potential partners
    Stay up to date with relevant industry event to sustain engagement

    REQUIREMENTS

    Qualifications, Skills, Experience level, attributes, and more.
    A medical, health or public health education with at least 5 years grants and partnerships experience in the development space.
    Strong communication, relationship building and negotiation skills
    Strategic thinking, problem solving, project management and analytical skill
    Emotionally intelligent

    BENEFIT

    Salary: N850,000 – N1,000,000 monthly gross
    HMO
    Pension

    Click Here To Apply

  • Maintenance Manager: Utilities and Services at AVI Limited April, 2025



    Never pay for any CBT, test or assessment as part of any recruitment process. When in doubt, contact us

    AVI LIMITED is home to many of South Africa’s leading and best-loved brands. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in the Food Products sector, and centred on the FMCG market, AVI’s extensive brand portfolio includes more than 50 brands. Our single-minded purpose is our brands growth and development. Our brands span a range of categories i…



    Read more about this company

     





    Maintenance Manager: Utilities and Services




    What You’ll Bring to the Role:

    • A completed qualification in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (NDip/BTech/BEng)
    • 5+ years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably FMCG
    • Minimum 3 years in a senior engineering supervisory or management role
    • Deep knowledge of the OHS Act, GMR 2.7 compliance, and utilities management
    • Strong experience in spray drying, boilers, compressors, gas burners, infrastructure, and packaging plant equipment
    • Proficiency in CMMS systems, SAP PM, SCADA, and energy-saving initiatives
    • Exceptional leadership skills and the ability to coach, influence and drive high performance
    • Passion for quality, standards, and continuous improvement

    Key Responsibilities Include:

    • Be the GMR 2.7 appointee and lead all statutory and safety inspections
    • Drive preventative maintenance, reliability engineering, and OEM compliance
    • Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary maintenance team
    • Manage shutdowns, budgets, and equipment availability with an eye for efficiency and cost control
    • Ensure food safety compliance (FSSC 22000, AIB, ISO) across all utilities and support systems
    • Execute capital and maintenance projects, infrastructure upgrades, and process optimisations
    • Champion a culture of ownership, care, and excellence



    Method of Application







    Build your CV for free. Download in different templates.



    Click Here To Apply

  • Kenyan woman arrested after she posted photo of herself brandishing gun on WhatsApp and threatening any man who dumped her

    Police in Awasi, Kisumu County, Kenya have arrested have arrested a woman, Sharon Auma, after she posted a photo of herself on WhatsApp, brandishing a Canik pistol and threatening any man who dared to break up with her. 

     

    Detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau and their counterparts from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nyando arrested Sharon alongside her friend, Nancy Atieno Obura, for illegal possession of a firearm.

     

    “The arrest follows a report received of Sharon Auma, who decided to spice up her WhatsApp status, posting a photo of herself brandishing a pistol while ominously warning that any man who dared dump her would face severe consequences,” police said. 

     

    Acting on the alarming post, detectives quickly moved in and apprehended Sharon in Awasi town.

     

    Upon interrogation, Sharon revealed that the weapon was located at a rented two-bedroom house belonging to her friend and co-accused, Nancy Atieno Obura

     

    A subsequent search of the residence uncovered the Canik pistol cleverly concealed in clothing–wrapped within a basin under the bed–along with an empty magazine.

     

    Additionally, officers recovered a fake motorcycle number plate bearing the number KMGG 805M.

     

    Both suspects are now in custody, undergoing processing pending their arraignment. 

     

    Authorities continue to pursue additional leads to apprehend more individuals linked to the possession of the firearm.

     

    Kenyan woman arrested after she posted photo of herself brandishing gun on WhatsApp and threatening any man who dumped her
    Kenyan woman arrested after she posted photo of herself brandishing gun on WhatsApp and threatening any man who dumped her
    Kenyan woman arrested after she posted photo of herself brandishing gun on WhatsApp and threatening any man who dumped her
    Kenyan woman arrested after she posted photo of herself brandishing gun on WhatsApp and threatening any man who dumped her

     

    Source: Linda Ikeji

  • Nigerian Communications Commission Secretly Employs 17 Staff Including 11 Northerners Amid Massive Revenue Loss, Deteriorating Telecom Quality

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has secretly employed 17 new staff members including 11 northerners, SaharaReporters has learnt from inside sources.

     

    Top staff of the commission told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that the employment was conducted without transparency, raising concerns of regional favoritism and poor leadership in the commission.

     

    According to information obtained by SaharaReporters from the sources in the commission, the commission carried out the secret recruitment despite a backdrop of declining revenue.and worsening service quality in the telecoms industry. 

     

    The source said that of the 17 newly secretly employed staff, 11 are from northern Nigeria, while only two are from the South-East and four are from South-West.

    .

    “With telecoms contribution to GDP dropping from 16.43 to 13.21, and with telecoms quality deteriorating and massive losses, the leadership at NCC is busy with employing new staff secretly,” the source said. 

     

    The development seems to have stirred up unease within the commission, especially as it follows a recent promotion examination that has already been mired in controversy, with claims of irregularities and favoritism.

    Already the recent promotion exam is embroiled in massive controversy. What is going on at the NCC? Who is in charge? Is someone paying attention?” the source queried, expressing frustration over what is perceived as growing dysfunction within the regulatory body.

     

    The telecom sector is facing one of its most turbulent periods in recent years, with increasing complaints from subscribers and shrinking investor confidence.

     

    Efforts to get an official response from the NCC as of press time were unsuccessful. 

     

    In February 2025, SaharaReporters had reported that a review of MTN Nigeria Communications PLC’s newly released financial reports revealed that rising direct operation and interconnect costs, among other expenses, contributed to a N400 billion loss.

     

    This loss occurred despite an increase in the company’s revenue from N2.468 trillion in 2023 to N3.358 trillion in 2024.

     

    The financial statement covers the 2024 fiscal year.

     

    According to the report, MTN posted a N400.4 billion financial loss in 2024, up from the N137 billion loss recorded in 2023.

     

    Direct network operating costs saw the most significant increase, rising from N655.2 billion in 2023 to N1.232 trillion in 2024.

     

    The rise in direct network operating costs was largely due to expenses related to the numbering plan, which increased from N502.7 billion in 2023 to N969.3 billion in 2024.

     

    It is worth noting that MTN and other telecom providers had previously called for a tariff hike, citing the rising cost of doing business in Nigeria.

     

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had approved a tariff increase, pointing to prevailing market conditions.

     

    In January, NCC spokesperson Reuben Mouka had announced that the adjustment was authorised under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

     

    Mouka had stated that the approval permits a maximum 50 percent increase on existing tariffs, a compromise from the over 100 percent hike initially requested by some network operators.

     

    The approval has sparked criticism, with the Nigeria Labour Congress threatening mass protests over the increase in data tariffs.

     

    SaharaReporters revealed that Nigerians now spend up to 10 percent of the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage on data subscriptions due to the recent tariff hike.

     

    The Bola Tinubu administration authorised a 50 percent increase in data tariffs after telecom companies cited rising operational costs as the reason for the price hike.  

     

    Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp:

    Source: Sahara Reporters

  • How to Play RuneScape Dragonwilds Multiplayer Co-Op with Friends

    The wait is finally over! RuneScape Dragonwilds has just landed in early access. And being a co-op-friendly game, I could not wait to party up with my carry (friend). While the core steps are simple, navigating the initial party setup or understanding the co-op mechanics might be a bit confusing for newcomers. So, if you also want to get carried in the vaults by your allies, learn how to play RuneScape Dragonwilds multiplayer with friends through co-op right here.

    How to Create a RuneScape Dragonwilds Server

    Before slaying the goblins or cows together in RuneScape Dragonwilds, you must create a Dragonwilds server for your friends to join. Follow the steps below to create a party in RuneScape Dragonwilds that will help you play with friends:

    • First, enter the Create World menu from the Play button on the main menu.
    • Select the Play With Friends button, and it will automatically set the world settings.
    • Now, adjust the world name and password as you desire and press Create World.
    • RuneScape Dragonwilds friendly party creation

    That’s it, this will make you the host of a RuneScape Dragonwilds server where your Steam friends can easily join. Note the server name and password so you can easily share it with your friends. Just don’t click the friendly fire option if your friend is a certified survival veteran. Can’t find how to join a friend’s server in the game? Keep reading!

    How to Join Your Friend’s RuneScape Dragonwilds Server

    Once your friend hosts a party, joining the game is a piece of cake. Follow the simple steps we’ve outlined below to learn how to join a party in RuneScape Dragonwilds to play with friends:

    • First, click the Play button from the main menu and select the Friends tab.
    • Now, click on the friendly server from the list below and click Enter World.
    • If the server has a password, enter it, and you will now spawn in your friend’s world.
    Join a party to play with friends in RuneScape Dragonwilds
    Image Credit: Jagex (screenshot by Ishan Adhikary/Beebom)

    Remember that your character’s progress remains regardless of which RuneScape Dragonwilds server you hop into. Moreover, if your friend leaves the game, the server will stop responding, and you will automatically get kicked.

    So, make sure your friend is using the best RuneScape Dragonwilds settings to stay away from lag. RuneScape Dragonwilds will also remind people that playing with more friends increases the enemy level. But we could see that one coming anyway.

    Can I Play RuneScape Dragonwilds Co-Op with Random Players

    Don’t have friends who want to jump into the world of magic and craft with you? Don’t worry; the makers have added a community server feature to the game. You can create a community Dragonwilds server to host random players. Or, if you want to join others, click the play button and look for the Public tab. After that, check the Type column in the server list and find the ones with no key made on them. These are the password-free servers.

    You can join any of these community servers and play RuneScape Dragonwilds with random players. Just remember that a server can hold a maximum of 4 players, and if the host is offline, the game will shut down abruptly.

    Join Community party in RuneScape Dragonwilds
    Image Credit: Jagex (screenshot by Ishan Adhikary/Beebom)

    And that is how you can play RuneScape Dragonwilds with your friends using co-op. Now craft your Bow and shoot the enemy goblins down together.

    Can I play RuneScape Dragonwilds in solo mode?

    Yes, you can create a solo lobby in RuneScape Dragonwilds and enjoy the journey alone. Character stats will remain the same if you use it to join other servers.

    Ishan Adhikary

    A gaming nerd who cover all thing video games. Spending time looking through the games and gaming industry was always a dream. Thanks to Beebom, I live it. Once I am done gaming, I write. Once I am done writing, I game.


    Source: Beebom