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Audio cassette tape inventor Lou Ottens dies aged 94

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Audio cassette

Audio cassette tape inventor Lou Ottens dies aged 94

Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer credited with inventing the audio cassette tape, has died aged 94.

An estimated 100 billion cassette tapes have been sold around the world since they were introduced in the 1960s.

Ottens’ invention transformed the way people listened to music, and there has even been a resurgence of the cassette in recent years.
The engineer died in his hometown of Duizel last weekend, his family announced on Tuesday.

The BBC reports that Ottens became head of Philips’ product development department in 1960, where he and his team developed the cassette tape.

In 1963, it was presented at the Berlin Radio electronics fair and soon became a worldwide success.

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Ottens struck a deal with Philips and Sony that saw his model confirmed as the patented cassette, after a number of Japanese companies reproduced similar tapes in a number of sizes.

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On the 50th anniversary of its creation, he told Time magazine that it was a “sensation” from day one.

image captionBillions of cassette tapes have been sold around the world since their invention in the 1960s

Ottens was also involved in the development of the compact disk, and more than 200 billion of those have been sold worldwide to date.

In 1982, when Philips showed off a production CD player, Ottens said: “From now on, the conventional record player is obsolete”.

He retired four years later. When asked about his career, he said his biggest regret was that Sony and not Philips had created the iconic cassette tape player, the Walkman.
Cassette tapes have experienced an unlikely surge in popularity in recent years. A number of artists including Lady Gaga and The Killers have released their music on them.

According to the Official Charts Company in the UK, the sale of cassettes in the first half of 2020 increased by 103% compared to the same time period the previous year.
And in the US, according to Nielsen music, sales of cassette tapes grew by 23% in 2018 compared with the previous year.

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Breaking:Kano Deputy Governor Resigns

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Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo Former Kano state Deputy Governor

 

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has announced the resignation of the Deputy Governor of Kano State Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, stating that the decision was formally communicated to the public in a press release issued on Friday and signed by its spokesperson, Dr. Habibu Sale Mohammed.

According to the statement, the resignation was taken “in the overall interest of the people and the stability of governance” in the state, with the movement noting that recent developments had significantly limited the Deputy Governor’s ability to fully discharge the responsibilities of the office.

The movement also addressed the ongoing issues involving the Kano State House of Assembly, emphasizing that the Deputy Governor’s decision to step down should not be interpreted as an admission of any allegations raised against him, and insisting that he continues to maintain his innocence.

Describing the move as one of “statesmanship,” the statement said the resignation was intended to reduce political tension and prevent further disruptions to governance and development efforts in Kano State, while demonstrating a commitment to peace and political maturity.

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The Kwankwasiyya Movement further disclosed that the former Deputy Governor plans to redirect his focus toward strengthening the movement’s internal structures and strategies, particularly as political actors begin positioning ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The statement added that this renewed engagement would involve rebuilding party frameworks and pursuing strategic realignments aimed at promoting what it described as people-oriented leadership, social justice, and sustainable development.

The movement called on its supporters and residents of Kano State to remain calm, law-abiding, and committed to democratic principles, assuring the public that additional details regarding the resignation would be communicated in due course, according to the spokesperson.

 

Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo the Deputy Governor has been enmeshed in a political battle with his boss Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf since the Governor defected to the All Progressives Congress without the blessing of the NNPP National leader Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

 

Recently the Kano state House of Assembly has issued Impeachment notice on Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo over allegation of corruption.

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Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, Mother of Former Kaduna Governor, Passes Away

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, the mother of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has died.

According to family sources, she passed away on Friday afternoon. While details surrounding her death remain unclear at this time, the family has since confirmed the sad event.

The announcement was made public by her grandson, Bello El-Rufai, in a statement shared on Facebook. The statement read:

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“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. From Allah SWT we came and to Him we shall all return.

I would like to inform the public of the demise of my grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who passed away a few hours ago.

She is the biological mother of our father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. We are grateful for the life she lived and pray that Allah SWT bless her gentle soul.

May He bless the souls of the parents we have lost. On behalf of our family, we seek your prayers. Thank you.”

The family is expected to release further details regarding funeral arrangements in due course.

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ASUU Threatens Nationwide Shutdown

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has warned the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately implement the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers or face a possible nationwide shutdown of public universities.

The union issued a four-day ultimatum on Thursday, with its president, Christopher Piwuna, saying failure to act within the deadline would trigger a strong response.

Speaking at Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State, Piwuna said the government must begin payment under the new salary arrangement without further delay.

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“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to commence payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” he said.

The warning comes months after ASUU and the federal government signed a renegotiated agreement in January, aimed at resolving long-standing disputes and preventing the recurring strikes that have plagued Nigeria’s university system.

At the heart of the agreement is a revised salary structure designed to improve lecturers’ welfare and finally address issues stemming from the controversial 2009 FG-ASUU pact, which remained largely unimplemented for years.

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