ICANN seeks comments on Mitigating the Risk of DNS Namespace Collisions

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is seeking public comments on ‘Mitigating the Risk of DNS Namespace Collisions’ till April 21, 2014.

DigitalSENSE Business News reports that following the proclamation of an independent report which maps possible ways forward in mitigating domain name collisions, ICANN has offered a set of concrete recommendations on how to mitigate potential risks of domain name collisions.

ICANN officials explained that a name collision occurs when an attempt to resolve a name used in a private name space results in a query to the public Domain Name System (DNS).

Akram Atallah, President of ICANN's Global Domains Division told DigitalSENSE Business News that this report took an in-depth look at the collision issue and the potential risks and impacts, and gives some very clear advice aimed at how to help system operators detect and mitigate those risks.

"The next step is to seek input from our community on the report's findings," he said.

The report, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered stressed that name collisions are nothing new and that any issues that arise from expansion of the Top-Level Domains (TLDs) under ICANN's New gTLD programme which would resemble those that occur in other parts of the DNS.

“But the report noted that expanding the number of TLDs will not fundamentally or significantly increase the risks of name collisions,” he underscored.

Specifically, the study, he pointed out, outlined a set of recommendations on how ICANN and the TLD operators should handle the issue of name collisions in the expanding TLD space.

Based on the foregoing, ICANN would require new TLD registries to implement and publish a 120-day controlled interruption zone monitored by ICANN immediately upon delegation in the root zone.

DigitalSENSE Business News learnt that after the 120-day period, there shall be no further collision-related restrictions on the TLD. While ICANN should have emergency response processes to analyze and act upon reported problems that present ‘clear and present danger to human life.’

Just as ICANN and others in the community should continue to collect and analyze data relating to the root servers and to the controlled interruption, even as the Top-Level Domains such as .corp, .home and .mail would be permanently reserved.

RN/GEE

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ETNO welcomes dialogue with regulators, calls for reduction in sector-specific guidelines

DigitalSENSE Business News:

As the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) kicked off its stakeholders discussion on the European Commission's revision of the Recommendation on Relevant Markets, the European Telecommunications Network Operators (ETNO) association, representing Europe's leading telecoms operators, welcomes this opportunity for dialogue with regulators and with other stakeholders, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

ETNO, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered, believes that the ongoing review of the recommendation is a unique opportunity to significantly reduce sector-specific regulation on electronic communications networks and services. This, they said could in turn support investments and growth in the telecoms sector, and help to level the playing field between the different actors of the value chain.

DigitalSENSE Business News notes that since the last review of this recommendation, the electronic communications sector has evolved very rapidly into a competitive ecosystem where different platforms and infrastructures compete with each other to attract customers.

The transition to all Internet Protocol (IP) networks and the rapid rise of 'over-the-top' service competition moreover render a large part of current regulation addressing telephony access and services redundant.

It was against this background that ETNO welcomed the elements of the Commission draft that aim at rolling back regulation in view of the evolution of markets, according to ETNO's Director Daniel Pataki.

“However, we believe that the Commission should move further along the de-regulatory path initiated in 2007. In particular, the right emphasis should be put on the presence of alternative infrastructures as the key parameter to identify competitive areas in broadband markets, and on the need to treat differently geographies with a different degree of competition. For example, the impact of cable needs to be fully recognized in all broadband markets, both at retail and wholesale level. Where this is not the case, traditional telecom infrastructure providers are prevented from effectively challenging competing platforms such as cable,” he said.

Similarly, he said, there is a need to ensure that any forward-looking analysis is future-proof, and that it fully takes into account all future developments of infrastructure and networks. For example, we expect that LTE will have a massive impact on the way consumers' access broadband services, and will prove to be a driver for sustainable competition in broadband markets, allowing a further withdrawal of regulatory obligations.

Chuks Egbuna/GEE

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Food security: FAO highlights need for strategic cooperation *43.7m undernourished in NENA region

NaijaAgroNet reports.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has highlighted need for strategic regional cooperation in the wake of conflicts, rapid population growth and urbanization, and a heavy reliance on food imports which are posing serious challenges for food security,

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet by officials of FAO, indicates that three countries in the region Near East and North Africa (NENA), namely the Algeria, Jordan and Kuwait; have met the hunger component of the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG1) by halving the proportion of their population experiencing chronic hunger.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that region-wide, the number of undernourished people remains high at nearly 43.7 million, or 10 per cent of the population, while 24.5 per cent of children under five are stunted due to chronic under-nutrition, according to an assessment presented at the start of the organization's  regional conference at the weekend.

Experts also said that micronutrient deficiencies are common in both affluent and less affluent countries, having a number of serious consequences for school enrollment, productivity and public health.

FAO further decried that conflicts and civil strife remained the driving factor for food insecurity in the region in recent years, just as the hotspots include Iraq, Sudan, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza Strip and Yemen.

In Syria alone, an estimated 6.3 million people are in need of sustained food and agricultural assistance.

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Dubai hosts World Food Security Summit

 Expecting was high at the commencement of the World Food Security Summit in Dubaia with hundreds of international experts and government in attendance, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking on the summit, the Minister of Water and Environment Development, who will be speaking at the summit. Dr Rashid bin Fahad, confirmed to NaijaAgroNet that

 the region is entering a new period of economic growth, underpinned by a burgeoning population with a high dependence on imported food.

“Food security is an immediate priority,” Fahad said, stressing that execution of a core food security strategy is essential to provide a sustainable growth platform.

“More and more consistently over the last six to seven years, the GCC states are trying to develop a strategic intervention on food security,” said Zahra Babar, the associate director for research at the Centre for International and Regional Studies at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar.

“Globally, when institutions talk about food security, largely, they’re identifying countries where access to food is something that is difficult. The most insecure part of the world tends to be in sub-Saharan Africa so, traditionally, you don’t think of Gulf states as insecure as they have some of the highest GDPs in the world and they can easily meet their food needs.”

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Africa needs multi-sectoral approaches to address climate change impact - Eriyo

 The Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), Jesca Eriyo has suggested a multi-sectoral approaches to address climate change impact, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Eriyo, according to NaijaAgroNet reports made this known at a regional workshop on African Agriculture in a changing climate: enhancing the up-take of climate smart agriculture.

The forum, organized by the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), and East African Community (EAC) brought together climate change and agriculture experts from about 20 African countries.

“As EAC, we’re pleased to collaborate with other African regional economic organizations, research programmes and centers and development partners in finding lasting practical and policy solutions to address agricultural production and food security within the confines of a changing climate,” Eriyo said.

Agriculture, she noted in recent years has overwhelmed the impacts of climate change, which pose a serious concern on food security in the region with more than 130 million people.

Eriyo also said that the trading bloc has the potential and capacity to produce enough food to meet the region’s food demand and produce surplus for export to the world market.

The regional body, as said by her, is one of the implementing partners in the Programme on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Eastern and Southern Africa, just as its focus is on up- scaling climate smart agriculture in the region and promoting Africa’s solution within the ongoing climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

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Glo excites Nigerian youths with Nokia Asha 210

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Globacom is exciting Nigerian youths with Nokia Asha 210, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

The Nokia Asha 210 smartphone, DigitalSENSE Business News recalls was recently unveiled in Lagos at the formal reappointment of one of Nigeria’s most popular music acts, Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly called D’banj, as a Globacom brand ambassador.

Known as one of the most colourful Asha series with QWERTY keyboard phones, the smartphone, autographed by D’banj, was specially designed for youths in continuation of Globacom’s strategic engagement with the youth segment.

The Nokia Asha 210 handset comes as compact and sleek, minimalistic aesthetic that’s similar to the Lumia, in addition to having 2 Mega Pixel (MP) camera, 3.5mm AV jack and Micro-Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for charging.

A user of the smartphone, Mr. Best Isioma, a Lagos-based secondary school leaver said, he the phone is a great product, which he particularly likes the sound production which enables him to enjoy music on the move.

“Additionally, I am a great fan of D’banj, so I naturally cannot have enough of the phone,” he said.

Mr. John Okorie of Niger Insurance, another user of Asha 210 told correspondent that it is a beautiful phone.

“I like the fact that it’s light, very good for browsing and the parts are easily available at the marketplace in case you need to replace anything,” he said.

DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that productivity tools on the phone include dictionary, recorder, calculator, clock, calendar, phonebook, converter, fixed dialling number, notes, alarm clock, reminders, to-do list, social networks in phonebook and sport watch to name a few.

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2.3GHz auction: Omoniyi links BitFlux win to divine providence

DigitalSENSE Business News:

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi has attributed the recent win of 2.3G spectrum auction by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to divine providence, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

He also gave kudos to NCC and Globacom for the successful auction exercise last week.

DigitalSENSE Business News recalls that VDT Communications Limited is the leading member of the Bitflux Communications consortium which also has Bitcom Systems Limited and Superflux International Limited as members.

Noteworthy is that Bitflux Communications Limited emerged the winner of the keenly contested 2.3G spectrum bid at Transcorps Hilton Abuja on February 19, 2014, with over 27 industry giants initially filing in for the auction, most of whom withdrew or did not qualify beyond the expression of interest before auction where Bitflux emerged the highest bidder with USD23.251million.

Omoniyi who spoke to DigitalSENSE Business News soon after the auction was concluded attributed the consortium’s victory to divine intervention.

“We are also grateful to NCC for its integrity, transparency and observation of fair rules in the bidding process and for promoting a healthy communication industry,” he said, stressing that BitFlux sees Globacom as big brother in the industry and support for the growth of younger players in the industry.

The Marketing Communications Manager, VDT Communications Limited, Mr. David Ese notes that BitCom Systems Nigeria Limited is a system integrator, Value-Added Reseller and installation service provider for a wide array of microwave, and broadband radio telecommunications products. Bitcom brings its many years of experience and insight to bear on the provision of premium seamless integration of myriad of multi-vendor and multi-purpose applications.

On the hand, he disclosed to DigitalSENSE Business News that Superflux is an indigenous conglomerate that has investments in the biggest securities printing outfit in Africa. It also provides secure and communication print solutions to a wide range of clients. Its key print supplies include bank cheques, dividend warrants, certificates, tickets to name a few. Superflux is seeking to be the leading facilitator and backbone for secure transaction, documentation, processing and communication, guaranteeing world class process integrity.

Remmy Nweke/ Chuks Egbuna

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Pix: Biodun Omoniyi and Tokunbo Talabi at the 2.3 GHz auction

New exco emerges @ Oxford, Cambridge Club of Nigeria AGM

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria has elected a new Executive Committee of the Club at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last Wednesday, 20th February 2014 at the Metropolitan Club, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

The newly elected Club’s Honorary Secretary, Mr. Michael Orimobi made this disclosure to DigitalSENSE Business News, saying that other members members of the new Executive Committee comprise of Mr. Akinfela Akoni  as President; Dr. Timi Austen-Peters, Vice President and Mr. Uche Okoli, second Vice President.

Other exco members include Mr. Ike Chioke who emerged Hon. Treasurer; Ms. Adeola Egbeyemi, Membership Secretary and Mr. Adekunle Adebiyi as social Secretary.

According to him, membership of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria is open to any resident of Nigeria, or Nigerian, who matriculated at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

The Club continues to build a reputation for intellectual thought leadership, attracting leaders from the business, diplomatic and academic cadres to its events.

Remmy Nweke
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Experts worried over water scarcity in NENA region

NaijaAgroNet reports that with fresh water availability in the region expected to drop by 50 per cent by the year 2050, FAO disclosed that as ministers of agriculture and national officials prepared to tackle the issue at a meeting of the organization's highest regional governing body.

Hence, participants in the 32nd FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and North Africa (NERC-32), to be held from 24 to 28 February, are set to discuss a new Regional Water Scarcity Initiative.

This initiative was recently launched by FAO to support member countries in identifying strategies, policies and practices that promote sustainable solutions to water scarcity and related food security problems.

Also NaijaAgroNet gathered that per capita fresh water availability in countries of the Near East and North Africa has plummeted by two-thirds over the past 40 years, heightening concerns over the degradation of water quality and the impact of climate change.

Demographic trends are adding urgency to the issue: Chronic undernourishment in the region is estimated at 11.2 percent, based on the 2010-2013 reporting period, while the population continues to grow at 2 percent, almost twice the global rate.

Farming and other agricultural activities consume more than 85 percent of available rain, irrigated and groundwater resources, and the demand for agricultural products is expected to grow amid burgeoning urban populations and increased exports.

"Agriculture must be central to our responses to the challenge of water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa Region. Agriculture is by far the largest user of water in the region, but it is also fundamental to our survival and long-term resilience, accounting for some $95 billion in added value to regional economies," said Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa.

Water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) has become a source of worry for experts, says the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

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Judges use torchlights during proceedings following Power Outage

The power outage which affected some courtrooms within the Ikeja High Court Complex on last Thursday forced two judges to conduct proceedings using torchlights, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court, following persistent cuts in public power supply, had relied solely on two generating sets.

One of the generators supplying power to over 10 of the courtrooms in the new court complex, however, developed a fault on Thursday morning.

The development forced several courts to adjourn their cases listed for hearing.

However, two of the judges, Justices Adeniyi Onigbanjo and Kudirat Jose, opted to use torchlights, which were made available by their registrars.

Some of the lawyers who appeared before them also resorted to using the dim lights emanating from their mobile phones to read their pleadings.

Sherif Ayilara with agency report/GEE:

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