The Senate has rejected the prayers in a motion that seeks to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in honor of late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, the former head of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), who oversaw the presidential election on June 12, 1993.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe responsored the motion on Thursday after lawmakers voted against it on Wednesday.
In recognition of his contribution to Nigeria’s democratic development, Abaribe demanded that Nwosu receive posthumous national honors.
FILES: The INEC headquarters
However, the proposal again sparked a contentious discussion between lawmakers who were deeply divided over Prof. Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that his access to the results was constrained by the military regime he operated under. He claimed that “there was no way he would have made the announcement with a gun in his head.” That doesn’t change the fact that some people view him as a hero.
Also read: Victor Umeh’s Rejecting Motion to Immortalize Humphrey Nwosu Is Very Undemocratic
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, argued that Nwosu’s contributions were most uncharitable and that he merited a place in Nigeria’s hall of honor.
The Senate of Nigeria
On the other hand, several senators, including Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, vehemently opposed the notion, asking why the Senate should pay tribute to a candidate who didn’t release the results, insisting that “nothing should be named after him.”
According to Senator Cyril Fasuyi, history only rewards accomplishments and outcomes. I oppose naming INEC’s headquarters after him, he said, “as long as he did not announce the outcome, whether under duress or not.”
Additionally, Senator Sunday Karimi criticized Nwosu for igniting his views, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalizing him would detract from the widely accepted victory of the June 12, 1993, annulled election. He tendered, “Any attempt to do anything after a one-minute silence is rubbishing Abiola’s legacy.”
Donald Trump stated in his first address to Congress as US president on March 4 that “Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian oil and gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine.”
Trump has not always been known for his statistical accuracy, but he may be correct in this instance.
According to a report released on Thursday by Ember, an energy think tank, last year, European purchases of Russian gas totaled 21.9 billion euros ($23.66 billion), compared to 18.7 billion euros ($20.17 billion) in financial aid to Ukraine.
Military assistance was not included in that figure.
Since the start of the war, the European Union has provided or committed $ 94 billion in military, financial, and reconstruction aid to Ukraine.
Ember expressed concern that the EU had increased its imports of Russian gas by 18% last year, far from its promised plan to completely eliminate it by 2027.
To achieve its own security, economic, and climate goals, the EU must start with a clear path for the Russian gas phase-out, according to Ember.
[Al Jazeera]
Ukrainian ambassadors to Kyiv were informed in January by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a presidential adviser to the president of Ukraine, that the country was upset by last year’s imports of EU gas from Russia.
He claimed that it is time to stop the petrodollar flow that is causing Russia’s aggression.
It’s true that Russia imported more Russian gas in 2023 and 2024, and it will import even more because the US cannot supply more, according to Yiannis Bassias, a veteran of the hydrocarbon industry and energy analyst at Amphorenergy.
In 2024, there were 45 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas, compared to 57 billion cubic meters (bcm) of US gas.
reducing the volume of Russian energy exports to Europe
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has significantly decreased its imports of energy from Russia.
Russian gas supply to Europe reached 179 billion cubic meters at its highest level in a new report released on Wednesday.
Europe purchased 142bcm of Russian gas a year before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to the OIES report, that volume dropped to just 31 bcm in 2024 as a direct result of factors linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it could be as low as 16 to 18 bcm in 2025.
Because all of Russia’s gas was previously supplied via outdated pipelines.
In September 2022, unidentified actors blew up one of the twin Nord Stream I pipelines. The four pipelines, which each carried 110 bcm of gas annually, were constructed.
Russia stopped all gas flow by May 2022, a move likely planned a year earlier, according to OIES, and Poland prohibited further gas imports from Russia across its territory. This is because another 33bcm of Russian gas could enter Europe via the Yamal pipeline, which crosses Belarus and Poland.
A pair of pipelines across Ukraine allowed the importation of an additional 65 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, but Ukraine did not do so when its five-year transit contract expired in December.
TurkStream, the only remaining Russian gas pipeline, travels through Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary and passes through Bulgaria and Serbia to meet its 20 billion cubic meters of annual capacity.
OIES director Jonathan Stern stated to Al Jazeera that the main issue facing the industry today is whether a ceasefire or peace will lead to the return of Russian pipeline gas and the relaxation of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) sanctions.
The report suggests that it won’t be simple because pipeline operators are currently required to be bailed out of bankruptcy, repairs and maintenance must be performed, mutual sanctions must be lifted, and a number of breach-of-contract disputes involving hundreds of millions of dollars are resolved through arbitration.
Similar efforts have been made by the EU to defraud Russian oil, but they have had mixed results.
Before approving it in December of that year, Russia imported 88.4 million tonnes of oil in 2022.
By the end of last year, the official EU imports of Russian oil had decreased by 90%, according to the European statistical service. However, this is likely misleading because two-thirds of those imports were made by a Russian shadow fleet.
According to the Kyiv School of Economics, Russia generated $ 189 billion in sales of crude oil and refined petroleum products last year, up from $ 178 billion in 2023.
Good politics versus good economics
Ember thinks that economic decisions made by EU countries are bad.
By 2030, the EU will have a gas surplus of 131 billion cubic meters, according to estimates from the report.
Because Europe imports almost all of its hydrocarbons, it claims, saps it of money to transform grids and transition to renewable energy and exposes it to price volatility and uncertain supply.
Ember and Stern disagreed.
When questioned about whether gas was a necessary investment by 2030, he replied, “No, most governments or the European Commission [think] that because otherwise they wouldn’t continue to spend money on new infrastructure. The answer may be different if the date is changed to 2050.
Others argued that the key to choosing an EU was better politics than economics.
According to Bassias, “the biggest thing for the US and Russia is to open navigational routes in the Arctic and conduct joint oil and gas exploration there.”
He claimed that they were “tacitly cooperating under Biden,” and that it was now official, suggesting that the Ukraine war had hampered that effort.
Miltiadis Aslanoglou, an expert on energy, said, “If one wanted to be strict about imports of energy, one could be.”
Russia is being told by Europe that “we do not depend on you,” which is what it wanted to say. Russia will always be there, it will always be a neighbor, which makes it very difficult to bring its gas trade to zero [diplomatically]. Europe keeps its doors open, Aslanoglou claimed to Al Jazeera.
He suggested that Europe was supporting the once-impressive Russian gas company Gazprom.
No one even knows whether Gazprom will even be around in another five years, according to Aslanoglou, noting that “Gazprom is certainly not the trillion-dollar company it was five years ago.” It is currently in dire financial predicaments. The pipeline network, which is 50 or 60 years old, is hardly up to par with in Russia.
Values versus realism
A different perspective is held by Ukraine.
According to analysis from the Ukrainian organization Frontelligence Insight, its long-range drone strikes inside Russia since September 2017 suggested a policy change from striking ammunition depots to cutting off Russian export revenues from refined petroleum products.
This year, Ukraine has attempted to kill Gazprom by using attack drones to destroy the Russkaya compressor, which pressurizes gas from TurkStream, Russia’s only remaining pipeline.
Russia reported that on January 13 and on March 1, it detonated three drones close to the compressor in the Krasnodar region.
On February 17, Ukraine attempted to shut off Russia’s crude oil offloading terminal in Novorossiysk in the Black Sea, but it was successful.
This week, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a priority of a ceasefire in the Black Sea, likely to stop any additional Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s most important economic lifeline.
In a “good politics” scenario involving Russia, Ukraine does not appear to be the only loser.
According to the International Energy Agency’s Global Energy Review on Monday, Europe’s decarbonization efforts were beginning to produce tangible results.
The IEA reported that while global energy demand increased by 2.2% last year, emissions only increased by 0.8% as a result of the increase in renewable energy capacity, which is a 22nd consecutive annual record for new installed capacity.
That demonstrated that “global economic growth is still disassociated from the growth in energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,” according to the IEA.
Similar to what Ember’s message was. Europe is low on hydrocarbons, in contrast to Russia and the US.
Due to its dependence on imported hydrocarbons, Eurostat only generated 37 percent of its energy needs overall last year.
A bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the office of the Prime Minister as head of government and the office of President as head of state and to provide for a framework for the mode of election to the said offices, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.  ,
It is among 32 Constitution amendment bills that scaled second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Also among the bills is a bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for specific seats for women in the national assembly and state houses of assembly.
READ ALSO:  , 39 Constitutional Amendment Bills Scale Second Reading In Reps
Another is a bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to reduce the lengthy period for determination of pre-election petition matters and provide for the establishment of pre-election tribunals for pre-election matters and regulate the process of suspending a member of the national assembly from legislative duties.
A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to review the requirements that qualifies persons to be elected as president and vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governors and deputy governor, passed second reading as well.
A bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to review the status of the Federal Capital Territory as regards the election of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and bills for the creation of Wan State and Gobir State also passed second reading.
One of the UK’s most popular music artists performed an impromptu performance while dashing around in a black hoodie, wig, and sunglasses on New York’s subway system.
Huge UK pop star surprises NYC subway riders with gig in unrecognisable disguise(Image: Getty Images)
A well-known British pop sensation stunned fans by completely transforming his appearance while performing in the New York subway. The music icon, who has sold over 200 million records globally and released seven studio albums, was none other than Ed Sheeran, 34.
Ed, renowned for his chart-topping hits and impressive accomplishments, including four Grammys, seven BRIT Awards, two American Music Awards, and eight Billboard Music Awards, made the decision to return to his roots with an impromptu subway performance. He showed that no stage is too small by treating commuters to surprise gigs despite his fame.
Continue reading the article.
A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) quickly gained attention, showing Ed disguised in a black hoodie, large sunglasses, and a wig that completely hid his famous red hair. His “emo” look was completed with black cargo pants and a grey beanie.
His distinctive voice and incredible talent, despite his covert appearance, won over the audience who sang along to his acoustic rendition of Chappell Roan’s hit Pink Pony Club. They actually performed Chappell Roan in the subway while being portrayed as an emo boy, according to one fan.
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Ed enjoyed the hilarious prank after the performance and revealed his true identity. Some people speculated that the surprise performance might be a promotional video for a new album, with the fan page recommending “Azizam in the NYC subway!!! He’s appearing in various locations once more, with the release of a new Ed Sheeran album soon.
Some people wonder if this was a segment of Jimmy Fallon’s talk show because the other performer in the video resembled him in person.
This isn’t the first time Ed has surprised fans with unconventional performances. Back in August 2024, he was spotted performing at a burger van in a Sainsbury’s car park in Hertfordshire, sparking rumours new music could be on the way.
While Ed is best known for his musical penmanship, he is now he’s taking it to politics. The singer has written an open letter to Keir Starmer and the UK government in a bid to save music education in Britain.
More than 600 other musicians and industry figures, including Harry Styles, Stormzy, Elton John, and Central Cee, have signed the letter, which is asking for a $ 250 million music education package to “restore decades of dismantling music.”
Ed Sheeran put on a show on the New York subway(Image: Getty Images)
The UK music industry raked in a record revenue of £1.49 billion last year, on the back of Covid-delayed tours by superstar artists such as Coldplay, Elton John – and Ed Sheeran himself. However, with the decline of grassroots venues, musicians are arguing that young talent needs government support.
A shocking four in ten grassroots music venues are operating at a loss, according to a report from the Music Venue Trust (MVT). Additionally, these music venues’ ticket sales have decreased by 13.5% and by 8.3% year over year.
Unquestionably, Ed Sheeran is one of the UK’s most lucrative musical exports. His best-selling album Divide, which included international hits like Shape of You, is credited with contributing to a 7% increase in music industry revenue in 2017.
Every celebrity to dermatologist swear by an LED face mask, and if there’s one thing that any good skincare routine includes, it’s one. When you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by choices, choosing a highly recommended one is always wise to do so when there are plenty on the market.
Georgia Toffolo, a former Made in Chelsea star, recently shared her favorite LED mask, the Foreo FAQ 202 Smart Anti Aging NIR + 7 LED Light Face Mask. Although it typically costs £719, Beauty Bay is currently offering a 30% discount, cutting the price down to £503.30.
READ MORE: 20% off on Emma Louise Connolly’s go-to volumizing spray for “pregnancy hormone” hair.
READ MORE: In the spring sale on Amazon, Jennifer Aniston’s go-to hair growth supplements were reduced by £43.
This significant discount is in opposition to the mask’s 24% reduction from Amazon’s Spring Deal Days sale. That means you can purchase the FAQ 202 Smart Face Mask for a limited time for only £ 69, or £550.
Toff mentioned the Instagram LED mask, saying, “It has 8 different wavelengths that address different skin concerns, so it is really personalised. I used mine for 5 minutes three times per week.
Beauty Bay (Georgia Toffolo/Instagram) is now offering 30% off Toff’s LED face mask.
(Georgia Toffolo/Instagram) The mask has a number of different color and wavelength lights.
The FAQ 202 Smart Face Mask features eight different LED light wavelengths, including blue and yellow, as well as NIR and red light therapy. That means that you can treat your skin’s imperfections, pigmentation, acne, dullness, and irritation with one mask, leaving it glowing and looking younger.
The FAQ 202 Smart Face Mask has a more open, less restrictive design that maintains the integrity of your skin while maintaining a flexi-fit that accurately fits your face’s contours. This is in contrast to other LED masks that cover your entire face. Additionally, it has a staggering 600 strategically placed LED light points for optimal lighting distribution.
Another Beauty Bay customer said, “This is by far the best thing I’ve ever put on my face,” and that she also highly recommends it. I can confidently say that my skin will never be without this mask and that it absolutely loves it after using it for more than a month! My skin is never in such excellent condition.
My skin has changed dramatically as a result of a variety of factors, including weather changes and my mood changes. Despite this mask, it still looks flawless. The outcomes speak for themselves, and I was diligently doing what I had to do. My skin is now more radiant, supple, and firm. The future of skincare will be in the air!
(Beauty Bay) The mask is light and comfortable to wear.
One Amazon customer, for example, said, “Absolutely love this technology; my skin has greatly improved since I’ve used it. simple to set up and use. Compared to other products, you can still move about freely. also looks fantastic. I highly suggest “!
Although another writer expressed concern, “I got this for my wife, and she absolutely loves it!” Thanks to the soft silicone design, it’s wireless, super simple to use, and extremely comfortable. After a few weeks, she has already noticed a boost in her skin, which she has been using regularly.
She enjoys having her treatments individualized in various settings. The only drawback is that it is a wise investment, undoubtedly. But based on the outcomes, she believes it is entirely worthwhile. This is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a high-quality LED mask.
The recently released Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling &, LED Anti-Ageing &, Blemish Repair Mask retails for $ 299.99 if the FAQ 202 Smart Face Mask is still a little too expensive for your budget. For those looking for a face mask that won’t break the bank, the StylPro Wavelength LED Face Mask currently has 10% off, saving you from £99.99 to £89.99.
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As the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan’s army nears its two-year mark, the capital’s Khartoum has won some significant victories.
However, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its paramilitary rival, which has ravaged the nation, appears to be continuing.
The country’s territorial integrity may be compromised as a result of the parties’ attempts to establish themselves in the territory now feared to have been supported by each other.
What regions have been taken over by the army?
This month, the Sudanese army and its supporters are celebrating two significant victories.
After his forces took control of the airport from the RSF, imposing full control over the city and causing paramilitary troops to flee southward, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared that Khartoum is “free” on Wednesday.
At the start of the war in April 2023, the RSF had seized control of the airport, giving it a tactical and psychological advantage.
The SAF won the airport victory less than a week after its soldiers successfully recaptured Khartoum, marking a significant symbolic victory in the counteroffensive it launched against the RSF in September of last year.
For the first time in two years, Al-Burhan, the country’s de facto leader, entered Khartoum as he announced the full takeover of the city.
What impact will Khartoum have on the outcome of the war?
Khartoum became a key component of the conflict after RSF fighters initially seized some of its territory.
The army now anticipates that its capture will signal a shift in the battlefield’s momentum that could reach other regions.
As both RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo and al-Burhan try to court regional leaders, their influence on the capital’s status may also have an impact on international perceptions.
Retaking Khartoum could give the SAF more leverage in any potential peace negotiations despite the SAF’s refusal to engage in peace talks with its rival.
The RSF used Khartoum airport as a supply and logistics hub while using it in its propaganda and media coverage to highlight its ability to challenge state control.
The army could now exercise better control over supply lines and maneuver with the political symbolism of recapturing Khartoum and the rest of Khartoum.
On March 22, 2025, the heavily damaged building that was the Central Bank of Sudan’s headquarters was pictured in Khartoum’s al-Muqrin neighborhood, including the state intelligence headquarters and the national museum.
Does this indicate that war is on its last legs?
The army and RSF leaders argued over the paramilitary’s integration into Sudan’s armed forces, which caused the conflict to break out.
Because that conflict is more pervasive, and the army and the RSF continue to hold onto large swaths of land while engaging in fierce fighting, making it unlikely that the war-torn nation will ever reach peace.
Fighting is still occurring in the vast Darfur region to the west of Sudan, the Kordofan region in the country’s central and southern regions, and Gezira state, a strategic agricultural hub south of the capital.
No sign of a political settlement or peace process is imminent, and neither side has been able to win the support of its regional supporters.
In fact, the army and the RSF have increasingly launched massive airstrikes in urban areas, causing numerous civilian casualties to fall.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said in a statement on Wednesday that he was “deeply shocked” by reports that hundreds of civilians were killed in a strike this week on a busy market in the town of Tora, which is located northwest of el-Fasher city in North Darfur.
What are the war’s humanitarian effects?
One of the worst humanitarian crises in history is still raging because of the power struggle between the two generals and their allies.
More than 12 million people have been forced to leave their homes, many of them to neighboring countries like Ethiopia and South Sudan. With such a lack of resources, countless people are residing in impromptu shelters, camps, or host communities.
Local businesses and non-profits continue to volunteer their services, but parts of Darfur and other areas are experiencing famine conditions and a population squeeze that is putting people at risk.
600, 000 of the nearly 25 million people infected with dire food shortages are “on the brink of starvation,” according to a recent UN report.
The RSF has been accused of systematically looting supplies while the other side of the conflict has been accused of preventing aid from reaching areas that the other has controlled.
Additionally, food production has been hampered by the fighting’s agricultural disruptions.
Millions of children in urgent need of assistance are among the country’s healthcare system, which has largely collapsed, hospitals being destroyed or occupied.
On March 27, 2025, Sudanese citizens celebrate in Port Sudan as the army’s grip on Khartoum’s capital intensified.
What follows?
Experts and stakeholders, including the African Union, have warned that Sudan’s civil war may ultimately result in de facto fragmentation.
The RSF and its allies signed a “founding charter” for a breakaway government last month, which the UN Security Council also expressed “grave concerns.”
Similar conflict and dual power structures that have ravaged South Sudan for decades led to South Sudan’s secession in 2011.
The most likely scenario, given that neither side has indicated it is willing to compromise, appears to be one of attrition in the absence of further international pressure.
