The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), has identified what it describes as complex challenges in the African insurance market space to include low insurance penetration, frag­mented regional markets, unstable economic policies, trust and credibility concerns, poor product innovation, and inadequate technol­ogy adoption. Mr Segun Omosehin, the Commission­er for Insurance (CFI), who described the challenges as complex, stressed that by tackling these challenges, there’s need for practitioners across the continent to unlock the African insurance sector’s full potential, foster sustainable growth, and position them strategically within the global insurance landscape, thereby enabling African insur­ance companies to compete favourably with their international counterparts. According to him, the challenges tran­scend gender and regional boundaries which necessitate collaboration and synergy among all and sundry. To drive growth and development, he stresses that it is imperative for industry practitioners to prioritize the development of young professionals, unhindered by gen­der or age constraints, and foster expertise across markets. He warned that insurance sector in Africa must evolve beyond traditional ownership and embrace innovation asserting that with vast growth potential existing across the region, not just Nigeria, unity and industry development can significantly contribute to the continent’s economic prosperity. “The African insurance market faces com­plex challenges that transcend gender and regional boundaries, necessitating collabora­tive efforts and synergy across the continent. “To drive growth and development, it is imperative that we prioritize the develop­ment of young professionals, unhindered by gender or age constraints, and foster ex­pertise across markets. “The insurance sector must evolve be­yond traditional ownership and embrace innovation. With vast growth potential ex­isting across Africa, not just Nigeria, unity and industry development can significantly contribute to the continent’s economic pros­perity”. “I encourage the African Insurance Wom­en Association (AIWA) to capitalize on these opportunities, leverage innovative solutions, and promote educational advancement to propel the African insurance sector forward saying that, these trends also exacerbate ex­isting challenges hindering insurance devel­opment on the continent. “To remain competitive globally, urgently address these pressing issues, including low insurance penetration, fragmented regional markets, unstable economic policies, trust and credibility concerns, poor product innovation, and inadequate technology adoption”. “By tackling these challenges, we can unlock the African insurance sector’s full potential, foster sustainable growth, and position ourselves strategically within the global insurance landscape, thereby enabling African insurance companies to compete fa­vourably with their international counter­parts.” Omosehin added. The CFI emphasised that Insurance is evolving rapidly across Africa in response to technology and demographic shifts while digital innovation is reshaping customer ex­perience, making insurance more accessible, personalised and mobile and internet-based solutions are helping insurers reach un­tapped markets, bringing coverage to rural communities that were once hard to serve. Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions, pointed out that the widespread adoption of mobile money in regions, East and West Africa has demonstrated the transformative power of technology in enhancing financial inclusion. Abiru, stated that as part of their effort as legislators was to advocate for policies that enhance regulatory alignment and foster re­gional cooperation, as this is crucial for the expansion and competitiveness of African insurers on the global stage. He noted that this has also created a model for micro insurance, where small premiums are accessible to millions, offering protec­tion against health issues, crop failures, and more.” “We see a growing interest in inclusive insurance products that cater specifically to the diverse needs of Africans. Health insur­ance, agricultural insurance, and products that support small and medium-sized enter­prises are emerging as essential offerings, underscoring the role of insurance as a ve­hicle for social and economic empowerment. “The conference provides a platform to discuss how we can collectively shape this fu­ture, especially as we empower women—who play an instrumental role in this industry— to lead and thrive,” said the Senator. Abiru, lamented that the African insur­ance sector faces notable challenges, stress­ing that low insurance penetration remains a pressing concern across the continent, with several factors contributing to this, including limited awareness, affordability issues, and regulatory inconsistencies. The senator frowned at individuals and businesses who still view insurance as a luxury rather than a necessity, saying that there is work to be done to build trust and communicate the value of insurance to the broader public. “Another challenge is regulatory align­ment across borders, which limits insurers’ ability to operate efficiently across Africa’s diverse markets. Consistency in standards and frameworks would facilitate cross-bor­der offerings and support growth within the industry” “The industry is also grappling with the impacts of climate change, which introduces new risks and complexities, especially for sectors like agriculture that are fundamen­tal to African economies,” said the distin­guished Senator.WASHINGTON ― Pete Hegseth said Wednesday he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed by the Senate to lead the Pentagon as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary and vowed to fight through a tumultuous nomination process amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse. Hegseth's commitment follows a story published by the New Yorker that cited a whistleblower report alleging Hegseth was repeatedly intoxicated in his previous role as president of the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America, even to the point of having to be carried out of the group's events. He has denied the report. In an interview with Megyn Kelly on her SiriusXM show, Hegseth ‒ a former Fox News host and Army veteran ‒ referenced "general order number 1," which prohibits military personnel from consuming alcohol during deployment. "That's how I view this role as Secretary of Defense is, I'm not going to have a drink, at all. And it's not hard for me because it's not a problem for me," Hegseth said. More: Pete Hegseth's mother discusses angry email: 'He's redeemed, forgiven, changed' Sign-up for Your Vote: Text with the USA TODAY elections team. Bad Santa: Navy's top admiral kept spokesman after boozy party, sexual predator warning Hegseth added that he needs to make sure senators, U.S. troops, Trump and others know "when you call me 24/7, you're getting fully dialed-in Pete, just like you always did in Iraq and Afghanistan." "So this is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won't be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I'm doing it," he said. The New Yorker story cited three anonymous sources saying Hegseth stepped down from his leadership position at Concerned Veterans for America, which he held from 2013 to 2016, because of concerns about his mismanagement and alcohol use on the job. The publication also reported Hegseth was forced to leave a prior leadership post at the nonprofit Veterans for Freedom after the organization ran up substantial debt. The whistleblower report included a complaint that Hegseth was “totally sloshed” at a 2014 event in Virginia Beach and needed to be carried to his room because “he was so intoxicated.” It cited another instance at a Louisiana strip club in 2015 in which a drunk Hegseth allegedly had to be restrained from joining the dancers on the stage. More: Trump considering DeSantis to replace Hegseth for defense secretary post Hegseth denied the episodes happened, insisting to Kelly that he didn't even visit this club with his co-workers. "If they're making up an instance of something where I didn't even attend, how can you believe a single other thing that any of these people are saying in any instance, to include being carried up to my room?" Hegseth said. Hegseth faces an uphill Senate confirmation after revelations he was accused of sexual assault ‒ which he denies and for which he has never faced charges. Nevertheless, Hegseth vowed to push forward. "I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said: 'Keep going, keep fighting. I’m behind you all the way,'" Hegseth told reporters Wednesday. "Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter. I'm here for the war fighters." Hegseth spent the day at the Capitol seeking to shore up support from Republican senators, while his mother, Penelope Hegseth, made an appeal for her son on Fox News. "Pete is a new person. He's redeemed, forgiven, changed," Penelope Hegseth said, addressing her own email she sent to her son in 2018 that said Hegseth was an “abuser of women” and that she has “no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego." Penelope Hegseth said she wrote the email out of “haste” and with “deep emotions.” She explained that her son had been going through a contentious divorce with his second wife at the time she wrote it. More: Pete Hegseth controversy explained: What to know amid backlash to Trump's Defense pick Although Trump has so far remained behind Hegseth publicly as his nominee for defense secretary, a source close to the Trump transition said the president-elect is considering replacing him with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump's 2024 Republican primary opponents. Contributing: Zac Anderson, Sudiksha Kochi. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.super 6 casino 。

F1 closer to approving expanded grid for GM entry

Trump taps retired general for key Ukraine conflict roleWASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Global Hunger Crisis Worsens Amid Decline in Aid from Wealthy Nations

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