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Nigeria Turns to Imports to Close 165,000MT Cooking Gas Deficit as Local Supply Lags.

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Nigeria will import 165,000 metric tonnes of LPG in 2026 to cover cooking gas deficit. Demand growth, FX, and local supply gaps keep prices under pressure. By Mbaegbusi Desmond. Nigeria is importing 165,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas to close a supply deficit in 2026. The move highlights the gap between the country’s huge gas reserves and the cooking gas available in homes across Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority confirmed that marketers have received approvals to bring in multiple cargoes through Lagos and other coastal terminals. The 165,000MT volume is spread across the third and fourth quarters of 2026 and is meant to stabilize supply ahead of peak demand in December. Why Nigeria Has a 165,000MT LPG Deficit Nigeria holds over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas. Yet the country imports over 40 percent of the LPG it consumes. Three factors explain the 165,000MT gap. First, d...
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Heat in France Worsens: Red Alerts, Drownings, and 40°C+ Forecasts

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By Sunday Desmond . France is baking under its second major heatwave of 2026, with conditions set to worsen this week as temperatures push toward historic highs and authorities scramble to prevent more deaths. Deaths and Red Alerts as Heat Intensifies Three elderly people aged 80 to 95 died over the weekend in the Bordeaux region from heat-related health issues. At least 13 people have drowned across France since Sunday while trying to escape the heat in unsupervised waters. Drowning deaths spiked 58% last year during similar conditions. Météo-France placed 49 of France’s 96 departments under a red heatwave warning Monday — the maximum alert level. That jumps to half the country under red alert Tuesday. Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire ordered city parks to stay open 24 hours a day. Météo-France warns this heatwave will be “widespread, prolonged, and intense,” with peaks of 40°C to 42°C expected Monday and Tuesday. Paris could hit 39°C Sunday, close to its all-time record of 4...
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Quits After Two Years in Power

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By Sunday Desmond . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign, ending a turbulent two-year term and triggering an “orderly transfer of power” to a new Labour leader.  Starmer, 63, said he had “listened to his governing Labour Party and realised that he was no longer the man who should lead it into a national election due in 2029.” His resignation follows months of pressure from Labour lawmakers, disastrous local election results, and plunging approval ratings.  More than 100 Labour MPs — roughly a quarter of the party in the House of Commons — had publicly called for him to quit or set out a timetable to exit. Starmer’s rival Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, won a seat in Parliament on Friday, giving him the platform to launch a formal leadership challenge.  Starmer discussed the decision with his wife Victoria at the Chequers country residence over the weekend before confirming his departure Monday.  Starm...
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Umueze, Amorka Son Uzoma Raphael Asoanya-Ekwu Echefule Afunwaechetanna Elected Chairman of Anambra state Union Berlin/Brandenburg.

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 Umueze, Amorka, Ihiala-born Uzoma Raphael Asoanya-Ekwu Echefule Afunwaechetanna wins Anambra state Union Berlin/Brandenburg chairmanship. Destiny and Wisdom slate takes leadership of key diaspora union in Germany. By Mbaegbusi Desmond | DESSY'S BLOG |  The Anambra Union Berlin/Brandenburg has elected a new chairman with strong roots in Ihiala LGA. Uzoma Raphael Asoanya-Ekwu Echefule Afunwaechetanna, who hails from Umueze, Amorka in Ihiala L.G.A, Anambra State, Nigeria, was declared winner of the union’s chairmanship election. He contested under the *Destiny and Wisdom* ticket. 1. The Election: Diaspora Politics in Germany   The Anambra Union Berlin/Brandenburg is one of the most active Nigerian state unions in Germany. It serves Anambra indigenes across Berlin and Brandenburg, focusing on culture, welfare, and business networking. This year’s chairmanship race was closely followed by members, with campaigns running across community meetings, WhatsApp gro...
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Ronaldinho’s New Club in Serie C: Why Ravenna FC Signed a 46-Year-Old Legend

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Ronaldinho has signed for Serie C club Ravenna FC in Italy at age 46. Here’s what the deal means, if he’ll actually play, and why Serie C just got global attention. By Sunny Desmond | June 21, 2026. At 46, Ronaldinho is back in football. Not for Brazil. Not for Barcelona. For Ravenna FC — a Serie C club in Italy’s third division. The news broke June 20, 2026. By June 23, he’ll be unveiled in Miami. This is not a joke. This is strategy. 1. The Facts: What Ravenna Actually Signed Ronaldinho last played professionally in September 2015. Since retiring, he’s done exhibition games and futsal tours. Now he’s signed a contract with Ravenna FC, who finished 3rd in Serie C Group B last season. The club confirmed the signing, with owner Ignazio Cipriani calling it “something absolutely extraordinary”. Ronaldinho’s own words: “New colours, same smile. I can’t wait to dance on the ball again and write a new story alongside Ignazio and the entire Cipriani family. Football has always bee...
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NDC vs ADC: What Funso Doherty’s Move Means for Lagos 2027.

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Funso Doherty. Funso Doherty’s defection from ADC to NDC shakes up Lagos 2027 politics. Here’s what the move means for party structure, voter blocs, and APC’s biggest threat. By Sunny Desmond | 21 June 2026. Funso Doherty leaving the African Democratic Congress for the National Democratic Congress is not just another defection. In Lagos politics, it’s a chess move with 2027 consequences.  This is not news. This is analysis of what changes now. 1. Why Doherty Left ADC: Structure vs Spotlight. Doherty ran for Lagos governor under ADC in 2023. He finished third with 75,000+ votes — impressive for a new party with no federal structure. But ADC has a problem: it wins sympathy, not elections. ADC has no senators, no House of Reps members, no LGA chairmen in Lagos. That means no ward agents, no polling unit mobilizers, no “party money” on election day. Doherty is a technocrat who talks data and policy. ADC gave him a platform but not a machine. NDC is smaller in name recogniti...
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What Alex Otti’s Airport Means for Aba Traders.

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Governor Alex Otti.  Governor Alex Otti’s proposed Abia airport project could change everything for Aba traders. Here’s how the new cargo and passenger airport may affect business, export, and cost of goods in Abia. By Mbaegbusi Desmond | June 20,2026. The proposed Abia State airport by Governor Alex Otti is more than a campaign promise. For traders in Ariaria, Cemetery Market, and Eziukwu, it could be the single biggest shift in how Aba does business in 30 years. 1 . Faster Export for “Made in Aba” Goods   Right now, an Aba shoemaker who gets an order from Ghana or London must send goods by road to Lagos, Port Harcourt, or Enugu airports. That journey takes 8–14 hours, adds cost, and risks damage or delays at multiple checkpoints. With a functional cargo airport in Abia, Made in Aba”_ shoes, belts, and garments can move from Ariaria to the tarmac in under 2 hours. That cuts freight time by 70%. For bulk exporters, it means meeting international delivery dates...
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My Reputation Was Broken Down’: Alison-Madueke Names Forces She Says Orchestrated UK Trial.

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Diezani Alison Madueke.  Former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has broken her silence after a London jury cleared her of all bribery charges, declaring that her 11-year legal ordeal was a “complete breakdown” of her reputation driven by powerful interests inside Nigeria. Alison-Madueke, 65, was found not guilty on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery after more than 46 hours of jury deliberations at Southwark Crown Court. The verdict ended a British investigation that began more than a decade ago.  Speaking through a statement issued by her spokesperson, Alison-Madueke said the case “has hung over my head and has tormented me and my family” for 11 years. _“For 11 long, gruelling years this case has hung over my head and has tormented me and my family,”_ she said. _“My nightmare is over.” During her trial, which began in January 2026, Alison-Madueke denied ever seeking or taking bribes....
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Funso Doherty Emerges NDC Lagos Governorship Candidate For 2027, Vows ‘People-Centered’ Government

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Funso Doherty. Public policy advocate and former Lagos governorship candidate Funso Doherty has formally emerged as the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, flagbearer for the 2027 Lagos governorship election, ending weeks of speculation over his political platform. Doherty announced his move to the NDC on Thursday, May 7, after resigning from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, citing unresolved leadership crises and the collapse of a planned opposition coalition. His defection comes just weeks after he declared his intention to run for governor on the ADC platform at Freedom Park, Lagos Island. In a statement issued Thursday, Doherty said his decision followed “due consultation, careful deliberation and prayerful reflection”.  _“We had hoped that ADC would be the vehicle that would unite the opposition,”_ Doherty said. _“That is now clearly no longer the case. In these circumstances therefore, we must each individually make a decision as to whether to remain with the A...
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