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MOBILE owners have spotted an "utterly ridiculous" rule that could technically see them slapped with a £1,000 fine. People may not realise that you need a TV licence to watch live channels on your smartphone as well as your TV. 3 Think twice before streaming live sports on your phone Credit: Alamy 3 People have described the little-known rule as 'utterly ridiculous' Credit: Alamy A TV licence - which currently costs £169.50 for the year - is needed for any live TV and use of BBC iPlayer. But it turns out the rules go even further when watching TV away from home. Your existing TV licence covers your smartphone anywhere - unless it's plugged in at a different property in the UK, such as your mate's house or on a UK holiday. When it's plugged in at another location, your smartphone will need to be covered by a separate TV licence for that property. Read more about mobiles CASE CLOSED iPhone owner told ‘turn it off immediately’ after Apple fans spot ‘fire risk’ APP ATTACK Android users warned of chilling Russian spy attack that records phone calls So if you're at a friend's place who doesn't have a licence, charging your phone as you watch a live football match, you're technically falling foul of the law. And if you're caught by an inspector knocking at the door the maximum fine is £1,000. "As most know, you need a TV license to watch or record any live broadcast programs, or BBC iPlayer on demand, regardless of device or medium," a user recently wrote on Reddit. "Your TV license also covers you to watch this content if you are away from home on a portable device. Most read in Tech IN THE MARKET Aberdeen 'submit transfer offer' for 37-times capped international captain IN THE RED Ex-Dundee United chairman's debts revealed as he's officially declared bankrupt RUFF CROWD Rangers cult hero spotted at the darts as fans say 'best fancy dress ever' DRINK IT IN Ex-Celtic ace spotted partying wearing sombrero and downing high-strength booze "Here’s the kicker - if you visit someone’s house who doesn’t pay for a TV License, you are allowed to watch live telly on your phone. "However, if you then plug your phone into a charger, you will be breaking the law. "How utterly ridiculous! And how would they even know?" The strange clause demonstrates issues for the TV licence in the digital age, amid a boom in online live streaming with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime showing more big events. Prime has already taken on a number of live Premier League games. And Netflix is taking over WWE next year which will include live fights too. According to the TV Licensing website, "if you’re using a mobile device powered solely by its own internal batteries – like a smartphone, tablet or laptop – you will be covered by your home’s TV Licence, wherever you’re using it in the UK and Channel Islands. "However, if you’re away from home and plug one of these devices into the mains and use it to watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer, you need to be covered by a separate TV Licence at that address (unless you’re in a vehicle or vessel like a train, car or boat)." 3 Ensure you're not falling foul of the rules Credit: Getty What are the TV Licence rules? Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun, explains : A TV Licence currently costs £169.50. Some people mistakenly believe that you only need a TV Licence if you have a TV or watch BBC channels. You aren't breaking the law if you own a TV without a licence, as long as it's not hooked up to an aerial or other live broadcasting equipment - so you can use it with your PS5 for gaming for example. The basic principle is, that if you are accessing any live broadcast from any channel, whether it be through a TV or online, you must have a TV Licence. If you are recording a live broadcast to watch later, you also need a TV Licence. Watching on-demand content does not require a TV Licence - except if you're watching BBC iPlayer. Image credit: AlamyDel Monte keen on shoring up profitabilityLaced Bakes Launches the Dank Decadence Cookie Cake: The Ultimate Luxury Treat That Delivers

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era practice of removing voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the court rejected the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices rejected arguments over cruel and unusual punishment in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state’s 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. Related Articles National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump gave Interior nominee one directive for a half-billion acres of US land: ‘Drill.’ National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi’s constitution showed racist intent when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi’s list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose.”Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards will play Christmas Day games for the first time on Wednesday as the NBA delivers its 77th year of contests on the holiday. French centre Wembanyama, last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, will lead the San Antonio Spurs into New York to face the Knicks, who have the league's longest holiday history. The Knicks have played the most Christmas games of any NBA club at 56 entering this year, the first coming in 1947, the year the first NBA Christmas game was played. Wembanyama, a 20-year-old who stands 7-foot-3 (2.21m), averages 24.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.0 blocked shots a game for the Spurs, who return to the Christmas lineup for the first time in eight years. "Very excited just about spending Christmas in New York," Wembanyama said. "Going to be like the movies I hope, maybe get a little snow. "I'll approach it just like any other game. We've got to learn about their team, scout them and apply it for sure. I'm sure it's going to be special. I'm sure the league is going to make it something special that we're going to be able to feel." Edwards, a two-time NBA All-Star guard who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, will try to spark the Minnesota Timberwolves on a holiday road trip to Dallas in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals. "Ant-Man" leads the T-Wolves with 25.3 points a game and also has 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals a contest this season. The league's past three champions will also take the court on Wednesday with the defending champion Boston Celtics playing host to Philadelphia, the 2022 trophy-lifting Golden State Warriors playing host to the Los Angeles Lakers and the 2023 winner Denver Nuggets on the road at Phoenix. Lakers star LeBron James, who turns 40 next Monday, is the NBA career leader in points on Christmas with 476 in a record 18 games on December 25. He and former Miami teammate Dwyane Wade share the lead in wins by a player on Christmas with 10. The Lakers and Knicks share the NBA record for Christmas wins by a team with 24 for each. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Bernard King scoring 60 points, the highest NBA total on Christmas Day. Three other players -- Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain and Slovenian Luka Doncic -- have scored 50 or more in a game on the holiday. Dallas guard Doncic joined the club with a 50-point effort last year. The Lakers (16-13) and Golden State (15-13) are fighting for seventh in the Western Conference just ahead of San Antonio (15-14) and Minnesota and Phoenix, both 14-14. Dallas is fourth in the West at 19-10, just ahead of Denver 16-11. The Celtics are second in the Eastern Conference at 22-7, ahead of New York (19-10) while Philadelphia has struggled to a 10-17 start, 12th in the East. js/pb

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Fox News correspondent Garrett Tenney has the latest as Chicago's Democratic mayor digs in on Trump resistance on ‘America Reports.’ EXCLUSIVE : The Trump transition team is considering a significant expansion of the way ankle-worn GPS monitors are used to track illegal immigrants who are not in federal immigration detention, Fox News Digital has learned. President-elect Trump has pledged to launch a mass deportation operation once sworn into office, and his transition team has already been engaged in planning to make that happen. Multiple sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital the priority for the incoming administration is the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants along with preventing them from entering the U.S. in the first place. However, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity in the tens of thousands, compared to the millions who are not currently in detention, officials are also expected to ramp up the monitoring of those not in detention until they can be removed. ‘STANDING BY TO HELP:’ RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP In this undated photo, ICE agents arrest an illegal immigrant. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Under the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, newly arrived illegal immigrants going through court proceedings are monitored by either an ankle-worn or wrist-worn device or use a cell phone app under which they are required to check in with ICE. According to ICE data as of November, just 187,747 individuals are being monitored by technology, including about 25,000 on the ankle monitors or wrist-worn devices. Typically, migrants are placed on ATD from their release at the border and earlier on in the lifecycle of their cases. The Trump administration is looking at ways to increase the number of illegal immigrants being monitored by an ankle or wrist monitor, while also sharply reducing the numbers of those not detained. Officials also want GPS tracking to be available for much longer than it is currently. Sources emphasized that if entries at the southern border are shut down, as the administration plans to make happen, it allows for more people in the interior to be moved to devices and for longer because the devices are no longer needed for new arrivals entering into the U.S. ‘LEGAL AUTHORITY’: SENATE DEMS DEMAND BIDEN EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF TRUMP ADMIN Migrants, recently released from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, wear ankle monitors while waiting to board flights at the Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) in Shreveport, La., Aug. 14, 2024. (Wayan Barre/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Advocates of ATD and ICE have argued that compliance by those enrolled when monitored remains high, and it is cheaper than detention – $8 a day compared to $150 a day. But some immigration activists have slammed the ATD program as creating "digital prisons," while some on the right have argued that the technology needs to be extended so that it can allow illegal immigrants to be tracked down and removed if they are given a final order of deportation. The increase in the use of GPS monitoring could also be accompanied by additional penalties for a lack of compliance, although it is still not clear what those penalties would be. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Increasing the number of non-detained immigrants on ATD has been a priority for Republicans. The Justice for Jocelyn Act , introduced this year by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, would require the government to enroll all illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket into continuous GPS monitoring. It would also require those enrolled to be home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and would punish any noncompliance with an order that they be removed in absentia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A significant expansion of ICE capacity has been expected in the upcoming administration, given the promise of a mass deportation campaign. The GEO Group, which is the exclusive contractor for that technology, announced a $70 million investment Monday to increase its capabilities to deliver detention capacity, secure transport and electronic monitoring services to ICE. Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security. He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter .Louis Rees-Zammit's American dream threatened by bombshell text as he started againApple’s Home Security Gambit: A Deep Dive into the Tech Giant’s Ambitions to Rival Amazon and Google

The recent spate of unidentified drone sightings in the U.S., including some near sensitive locations such as airports and military installations , has caused significant public concern. Some of this recent increase in activity may be related to a September 2023 change in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulations that now allow drone operators to fly at night . But most of the sightings are likely airplanes or helicopters rather than drones. The inability of the U.S. government to definitively identify the aircraft in the recent incidents, however, has some people wondering, why can’t they ? I am an engineer who studies defense systems . I see radio frequency sensors as a promising approach to detecting, tracking and identifying drones, not least because drone detectors based on the technology are already available . But I also see challenges to using the detectors to comprehensively spot drones flying over American communities. How drones are controlled Operators communicate with drones from a distance using radio frequency signals. Radio frequency signals are widely used in everyday life such as in garage door openers, car key fobs and, of course, radios. Because the radio spectrum is used for so many different purposes, it is carefully regulated by the Federal Communications Commission . Drone communications are only allowed in narrow bands around specific frequencies such as at 5 gigahertz. Each make and model of a drone uses unique communication protocols coded within the radio frequency signals to interpret instructions from an operator and to send data back to them. In this way, a drone pilot can instruct the drone to execute a flight maneuver, and the drone can inform the pilot where it is and how fast it is flying. Identifying drones by radio signals Radio frequency sensors can listen in to the well-known drone frequencies to detect communication protocols that are specific to each particular drone model. In a sense, these radio frequency signals represent a unique fingerprint of each type of drone. In the best-case scenario, authorities can use the radio frequency signals to determine the drone’s location, range, speed and flight direction. These radio frequency devices are called passive sensors because they simply listen out for and receive signals without taking any active steps. The typical range limit for detecting signals is about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the source. These sensors do not represent advanced technology, and they are readily available. So, why haven’t authorities made wider use of them? Challenges to using radio frequency sensors While the monitoring of radio frequency signals is a promising approach to detecting and identifying drones, there are several challenges to doing so. First, it’s only possible for a sensor to obtain detailed information on drones that the sensor knows the communication protocols for. Getting sensors that can detect a wide range of drones will require coordination between all drone manufacturers and some central registration entity. In the absence of information that makes it possible to decode the radio frequency signals, all that can be inferred about a drone is a rough idea of its location and direction. This situation can be improved by deploying multiple sensors and coordinating their information. Second, the detection approach works best in “quiet” radio frequency environments where there are no buildings, machinery or people. It’s not easy to confidently attribute the unique source of a radio frequency signal in urban settings and other cluttered environments. Radio frequency signals bounce off all solid surfaces, making it difficult to be sure where the original signal came from. Again, the use of multiple sensors around a particular location, and careful placement of those sensors, can help to alleviate this issue. Third, a major part of the concern over the inability to detect and identify drones is that they may be operated by criminals or terrorists. If drone operators with malicious intent know that an area targeted for a drone operation is being monitored by radio frequency sensors, they may develop effective countermeasures. For example, they may use signal frequencies that lie outside the FCC-regulated parameters, and communication protocols that have not been registered. An even more effective countermeasure is to preprogram the flight path of a drone to completely avoid the use of any radio frequency communications between the operator and the drone. Finally, widespread deployment of radio frequency sensors for tracking drones would be logistically complicated and financially expensive. There are likely thousands of locations in the U.S. alone that might require protection from hostile drone attacks. The cost of deploying a fully effective drone detection system would be significant. There are other means of detecting drones, including radar systems and networks of acoustic sensors , which listen for the unique sounds drones generate. But radar systems are relatively expensive, and acoustic drone detection is a new technology. The way forward It was almost guaranteed that at some point the problem of unidentified drones would arise. People are operating drones more and more in regions of the airspace that have previously been very sparsely populated. Perhaps the recent concerns over drone sightings are a wake-up call. The airspace is only going to become much more congested in the coming years as more consumers buy drones , drones are used for more commercial purposes , and air-taxis come into use. There’s only so much that drone detection technologies can do, and it might become necessary for the FAA to tighten regulation of the nation’s airspace by, for example, requiring drone operators to submit detailed flight plans. In the meantime, don’t be too quick to assume those blinking lights you see in the night sky are drones.Global monitor says famine is weeks away in north Gaza. A US diplomat calls warning 'irresponsible'A terrible December for dictators

SMU feeling good heading into ACC opener against VirginiaNEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of ordinary shares of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) between January 24, 2024 and October 15, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important January 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased ASML ordinary shares during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the ASML class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the issuers being faced by suppliers, like ASML, in the semiconductor industry were much more severe than defendants had indicated to investors; (2) the pace of recovery of sales in the semiconductor industry was much slower than defendants had publicly acknowledged; (3) defendants had created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to customer demand and anticipated growth, while also downplaying risk from macroeconomic and industry fluctuations, as well as stronger regulations restricting the export of semiconductor technology, including the products that ASML sells; and (4) as a result, defendants’ statements about ASML’s business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the ASML class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.comThe man arrested Monday in connection to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was allegedly in possession of a type of homemade weapon known as a "ghost gun." Luigi Mangione , 26, who police named as a “ strong person of interest ” had a "ghost gun that had the capability of firing 9 mm round and a suppressor” when he was arrested on weapons charges in Altoona, Pa., New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters. A senior law enforcement official told NBC News the weapon found in Mangione's possession appears to be similar to the weapon used in the Manhattan murder. Kenny said the weapon "may have been made on a 3D printer." "Ghost guns" are firearms that can be assembled at home from parts that are bought online. Those parts can usually be obtained without background checks and do not have serial numbers. How long have ghost guns been around? The do-it-yourself kits have been around since the 1990s, but have exploded in popularity in recent years — especially among criminals. Between Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2021, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it received approximately 45,000 reports of suspected privately made firearms recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations — including 692 homicides or attempted homicides. The number of ghost guns recovered rose steadily each of those years, from 1,758 in 2016 to 19,344 in 2021, according to the Justice Department. Technology has also added to the steep increase - online videos on how to assemble the guns have millions of views , while some sellers offer 3-D printing files for customers to print and assemble the weapons themselves, and without serial numbers. The Justice Department said in a 2022 fact sheet that unserialized firearms are incredibly difficult to trace — the ATF reported it was only able to trace 0.98% of the suspected ghost guns submitted by law enforcement to an individual purchaser. What is the government doing on the issue? In 2022, President Joe Biden announced restrictions on the sale of ghost guns with the finalization of a rule requiring makers of gun kits to include serial numbers on firearms and for sellers to follow the same standard as with other guns, including requiring a background check for purchase. “These guns are the weapons of choice for many criminals,” Biden said, and “we are going to do everything we can to deprive them of that choice.” Gun rights groups and manufacturers have challenged the ATF rule in court, with a federal judge in Texas and an appeals court ruling against the Biden administration. The Supreme Court has ruled twice that the regulations can remain in place while the litigation continues. Gun safety advocates, meanwhile, have been urging Congress to take action on the issue to close loopholes and turn the rule into a law. Over a dozen states have also passed laws regulating ghost guns, according to Everytown for a Gun Safety , a gun violence prevention organization. The group and others have also been urging Congress to take action on 3D-printed guns, which the Trump administration loosened regulations on in 2020. There is no federal law barring them, but the ATF says it's illegal to make them for sale without a license, and that they must be able to be detected by metal detectors and X-ray machines. A number of states also have individual laws regulating or banning the weapons, according to Everytown. This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here: What we know about Luigi Mangione, person of interest in United Healthcare CEO's shooting death Rapper Azealia Banks issues cease-and-desist letter to The 1975’s Matty Healy over X posts Merriam-Webster names 'polarization' its 2024 word of the year

Daily Post Nigeria Nigeria will overcome her challenges with hope in God – Catholic Bishop, Odetoyinbo Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Nigeria will overcome her challenges with hope in God – Catholic Bishop, Odetoyinbo Published on December 24, 2024 By Gift Oba The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, has admonished Nigerians to put their hope and trust in God, who alone can help them out of the present hardship in the country. Bishop Odetoyinbo, who gave the admonition in his 2024 Christmas Message to Nigerians, called for collective efforts by all citizens in enthroning the structure of hope that will positively impact the lives of the citizenry. He maintained that Nigerians must also identify and support vulnerable groups. The Bishop opined that the government should identify critical areas of need and possible interventions such as food, education, health care, housing, and security, adding that affordable loans should be made available to small and medium-scale enterprises and providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country. He said, “More interventions from government in these areas will enthrone the structures of ‘Renewed Hope’ that government intends to establish”. “The various agencies of government should work to instil hope in Nigerians by designing people-centred policies that will prioritize the well-being of Nigerians. “While the government has enjoined the people to be patient for the positive effects of the removal of fuel subsidy to materialize, we urge the government to ensure that the savings from fuel subsidy removal and flotation of the Naira be reinvested to building infrastructures and addressing the raging economic problems affecting our people”. Acknowledging the increased monthly allocation to State governments, increased workers’ minimum wage, student loans, cash transfer schemes to the vulnerable, 2025 budget among others, Bishop Odetoyinbo advised that more should be done in areas of food inflation, fixing our local refineries to meet contemporary standards, investment in social programs, fixing incessant collapse of the national grid and addressing insecurity headlong. “We have an opportunity again this Christmas to allow truth to become the loudest voice in our lives as it provides an avenue for us to move from hopelessness to better living conditions and opportunities for businesses to thrive. God does not change, even when our circumstances do. Our God reigns and in Him we hope and trust. Hence, He sent His Son Jesus Christ as the reason for our joy and hope of Christmas. We must allow this understanding of hope to reshape and renew our minds towards building the Nigeria of our dream”. “As we draw closer to the end of year 2024, we must learn to hope and trust in God who alone can help us out of the socio-political, economic and religious crisis of our country. We do our part as responsible citizens and urge the government to enthrone the structures of hope in Nigeria. “Our message at this Christmas is that God is with us in Nigeria and we should never lose hope in our common pursuit to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign, assuring that “Nigeria will rise again, and it will happen in our time”, he added. Related Topics: Odetoyinbo Don't Miss Trump slams Biden for commuting death sentence of 37 prisoners to life You may like Buhari has failed as Chief Security Officer – Bishop Odetoyinbo Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdThe Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said that it is not possible to alter the actual voter turnout figures, as detailed information about voter turnout is documented in statutory form 17-C, which is available to the authorised agents of candidates at the time the polls close at each polling station. “The Commission is not legally bound to publish any voter turnout data at aggregate level of a constituency, state or phase of election because voter turnout is recorded at polling station level in statutory form 17-C prepared by the presiding officer and signed by polling agents of candidates. The presiding officer provides a true copy of account of votes recorded” in form 17-C (part-1) to each polling agent,” the Commission said. Also read | Congress fact-finding panel alleges mismatch in vote data, EVM tampering The ECI's response which came on a Congress party representation regarding concerns over voter data anomalies for 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls is also relevant for Haryana considering allegations of “gross mismatch” in the figures of votes polled and counted for the 2024 Haryana assembly polls by a committee headed by Congress leader, Karan Dalal. Dalal, who heads the party committee set up to investigate alleged malpractices and manipulations in polls, had on Monday accused the EC of not being transparent. “The figures and trends appearing in the voter turnout app were by design or by genuine misunderstanding being utilised to create doubts about credibility of the statutory poll stages and processes,” ECI said in a statement. Errors can lead to mismatch in data: ECI The Commission though admitted that there could be a mismatch between the number of votes polled and the votes counted in an election due to standard protocol of non-counting of control units of a polling station when the victory margin is more that the votes polled in that polling station, inclusion of mock poll data if not deleted from EVM, non-deduction of test vote data from EVM count, wrong reporting of data and data entry errors. Also read | Oppn slams Election Rules amendment; Kharge says ‘another assault’ by Modi govt Explaining the voter turnout data, the ECI said data entered in the system between 5 pm to 5.30pm is an interim data of approximate voter turnout. This 5pm data is bound to increase because the voters in queue up to 5pm or the notified time of close of poll are allowed to cast their vote. After 5pm, the polling parties have to perform multifarious duties related to the close of polls. Thereafter, updated turnout data starts reflecting on the app again from 7pm onwards. These votes will be reflected in the data only when the polling parties arrive at the receiving centre and submit the machine and election papers and actual data is fed, the EC clarified. The purpose of publication of voter turnout data at aggregate level is to bring more transparency in elections through public disclosures. The voter turnout is the sum of electors who have voted in an election in a constituency and is represented as a percentage of total electors in a constituency, the ECI said. The Commission said the publication of data of voter turnout during the course of election is one of the suo-moto facilitative transparency measures in addition to the sanctity of the decentralised statutory design at constituency level to collect, maintain voter turnout data, share it with candidates and matching of the same during the counting process. “The voter turnout app captures two-hourly approximate turnout trend in percentage terms gathered by the returning officer on the poll day through the sector officers. The app is a non-statutory measure which displays the approximate voter turnout in percentage terms for a constituency, district, state, phase etc., purely for facilitative purpose to understand a broad trend of electoral participation in a particular geographical area,” the ECI said. The ECI said that the accuracy of voter turnout data was purely dependent on the information received from polling stations from time to time on poll day by returning officers. The mode of collection of data in different states is different depending on technology, connectivity, terrain, movement plans etc.