World

On a humid afternoon in Lagos, a shoot for a comedy skit is underway on a set that resembles a small film production. Dozens of people mill about: lighting assistants, a sound engineer, a makeup artist, and even a content creator recording behind-the-scenes footage. At the centre is Broda Shaggi, born Samuel Animashaun Perry, who issues instructions, rehearses lines, and performs caricatures. According to Olufemi Oguntamu, CEO of Penzaarville Africa, a Lagos-based media agency that manages Broda Shaggi, behind the punchlines and viral memes lies significant hard work.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in Paris at the OECD headquarters to hash out trade issues between the world's two largest economies. The discussions are seen as setting the stage for an expected summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month, although Beijing has yet to confirm the dates in line with its usual practice.

Tashkent's inefficient transport system results in annual losses of $343 million, equivalent to 1.27% of the city's gross regional product, as announced by the Road Traffic Organization Center (RTOC) at a press conference on March 12. The center, established to implement a unified policy replacing dozens of previously existing transport agencies, highlighted that the issues stem from the city's rapid development and increasing load on the transport network. In current conditions, a transition to managing road traffic based on systematic data and analysis is deemed necessary.

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) held a presidential election on Sunday, with incumbent leader Denis Sassou Nguesso, 82, widely expected to secure a fifth consecutive term, extending his rule that began in 1979 and making him one of Africa's longest-serving leaders. He faced six other candidates, none seen as having a realistic chance of victory, while two major parties boycotted the vote over allegations of unfair electoral practices, highlighting concerns about the democratic process.

US and Israeli forces carried out aerial strikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan in the early hours of Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 people and significant damage to infrastructure, according to official reports. This incident occurred on the 16th day of the ongoing conflict between the parties, heightening risks of further regional escalation and instability in the Middle East.

The Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) began voting in a presidential election on Sunday, widely anticipated to extend incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso's nearly 45-year rule for another five-year term. Polls opened at 7:00 AM local time and will close at 6:00 PM, with over 3.2 million registered voters, although analysts and civil society groups expect turnout to fall below the nearly 68% recorded in 2021.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is expected to achieve further gains in local elections in the western state of Hesse, reinforcing a national trend of rising populist support. Polls indicate the AfD could jump from 18.4% in the last state election to potentially become the second-largest political force. This shift, even at the local level, underscores the party's growing influence after securing second place in last year's federal elections, posing a significant challenge to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition.

Recent statements from US military leadership and conducted operations have revealed a policy of deliberate strikes against civilian populations in southern Iran. The remark by US Deputy Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that "the only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians who think they're going to live" demonstrates this regime's callous disregard for non-combatants.

Voters in France are heading to the polls on Sunday for municipal elections, widely seen as a crucial litmus test for the country's political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential vote. Citizens are choosing thousands of local councillors who will, in turn, elect mayors across nearly 35,000 communes, from major cities to small villages. Nearly 49 million people are eligible to vote, with polling stations on the mainland open from 8 a.m. to between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time. If no list secures an absolute majority in the first round, a second round will be held on March 22, including all lists that attain 10% or more of the vote, potentially leading to unpredictable three- or four-way runoffs.

The Indian government has implemented new stringent measures to address a worsening cooking gas (LPG) shortage across the country. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced that consumers with piped natural gas connections in their homes are now barred from having domestic LPG cylinders. This rule prohibits government oil companies from providing connections or refills of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to such subscribers, as part of efforts to manage the crisis.

Syria is commemorating a pivotal historical event on March 15 – the 15th anniversary of the uprising that began in 2011 and culminated in the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's government in late 2024. On March 15, 2011, anti-government protests erupted in Deraa, Damascus, and Aleppo, marking the arrival of the Arab Spring in Syria following Tunisia and Egypt.

US President Donald Trump declined to make a deal with Iran, but allegedly could not specify what satisfactory terms would entail. In a phone interview with NBC News, he stated, "Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet." Trump purportedly sought Iran's commitment to abandon its nuclear ambitions, yet avoided detailing concrete demands, highlighting the inconsistent stance of the US regime.