The Senate, on Thursday, sought the inclusion of Nigeria in the $147bn global bitumen market with the passage for a second reading, a bill seeking the establishment of a Bitumen Development Commission. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South), who sponsored the bill, said Nigeria has 38bn bitumen reserves. Ibrahim said, “The objectives of the bill include the need to develop a legal framework for the regulation of the bitumen development in Nigeria; to prevent unconventional sources from taking advantage of research-enhanced applications over other competitors; and to lead innovation and resource-based strategy in the development of bitumen in Nigeria. “The proposed Bitumen Development Commission, when established, would fastrack the development of bitumen in Nigeria, make her a key player in the $147bn global market and create instant 12,000 jobs for Nigerians. “It would also help the government at various levels to put in place asphalted roads in various communities.

The list of Western scholars’ comments on the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is endless, as Scottish Orientalist, Ronald A. Nicholson, opines that, “The Qur’an is a splendid humanistic document, which explains in detail the secret of the behaviour of Muhammad in all the events of his life. Furthermore, Lord Hadleigh says about Prophet Muhammad (SAW): “The Arabian Prophet had powerful and strong morals and a personality, which weighed up, examined, and tested every step he took in his life. We see this present in the personality of the Prophet Muhammad in glowing colors”. To further demonstrate the Greatness of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the People and the poets at the time of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were impressed with the Quran and praised it, and the great poets of that time converted to Islam such as, Labīd ibn Rabī’ah, and Hassan ibn Thabit, and Al-Khansa, and Ka’b ibn Zuhayr, and others. For me, there can be no human explanation to the Qur’an.” The greatness of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is endless.

Niger’s military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani on Thursday arrived in Mali to meet his counterpart Colonel Assimi Goita in his first international visit since seizing power in July, an AFP journalist noted. Niger’s neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso — which are ruled by military leaders who seized power in 2020 and 2022, respectively — have pledged solidarity to Niger’s coup leaders. “It would seem that the purpose of the embargo was to exert pressure on the authorities. Shortly after taking power, Tiani pledged to return Niger to civilian rule within three years. Mali, meanwhile, has indefinitely postponed a presidential election that was scheduled for early 2024.

"It's unlikely that this will continue next month as repeat purchases may be based on a non-festive, lower consumption estimate for the household," he said. "For the rest of November, we will see a slight mismatch in terms of store level stocking and actual consumption, leading to an increase in inventory days. "With modern trade and other retailers offering discounts on high-value packs, there is an inclination for more consumers to go for these pack sizes, especially during Diwali. Many get converted to buying high-value packs post Diwali as well. However, while the absolute volume of high-value packs goes up drastically during Diwali, the contribution of Diwali to overall sales would not be that significant because every year, there are more households shifting to buying high-value packs," said Shah.Personal care, however, continues to be under stress as consumer spending has remained slow in this category.

The world’s most influential travel & tourism event WTM London – saw attendance numbers rise by more than a fifth year on year. The three-day event took place from recently, with 43,727 attendees – an increase of 22 percent on the 35,826 who attended in 2022. Over three days at London’s ExCel, World Travel Market London welcomed 1,976 representatives (WTM) of the world’s media – up by 31 percent on 2022. WTM London landed a host of innovations based on changing traveller trends and feedback from attendees in 2022. Juliette Losardo, WTM London Exhibition Director, said: “We’re thrilled to see delegate numbers rise by more than a fifth on last year.

The Nigerian Army’s troops neutralised six bandits in Kaduna state during extensive clearance patrols conducted across two local government areas. In the course of these operations, the forces made contact with bandits at Maidaro, Ngade Allah and Kidandan. As a result, according to the statement, “the troops engaged swiftly, subduing the bandits at each point and killing six bandits in the process. The statement added, “The troops exploited the areas and recovered two AK-47 rifles, four AK-47 magazines, 14 rounds of ammunition, along with 40 pairs of bandits’ uniforms. “Citizens are urged to report suspicious persons or activities to the Security Operations Room for prompt action by security agencies.

A survey by The PUNCH, on Wednesday, confirmed scarcity in some parts of Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Gombe, Edo, Sokoto, and Ekiti States. It noted that there have also been concerns among some members of the public over the legality of old naira notes. Naira scarcity resurfaces in LagosHowever, cash scarcity, a major downside of the CBN’s naira redesign policy, has begun to resurface. Bank customers of Union Bank were, however, able to get up to N20,000 at the ATM and inside the bank. We are unaware of scarcity — Bank customers associationAccording to the President of the Bank Customers Association of Nigeria, Dr Uju Ogunbunka, members have reported any such issues with cash withdrawals.

The upcoming PC requirements for Tekken 8 are now available on Steam. According to the platform, PC users will need to ensure they have 100GB of installation space available. Tekken 8 developer Bandai Namco has also listed 16 GB RAM as its recommended memory requirement. While this does seem to be along the standard line for PC games today, it is still twice that of Mortal Kombat 1's memory recommendations. Image credit: Bandai NamcoTekken 8 is set to launch next year, on 26th January, across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Mr Amaechi is officially a member of the APC while Mr Wike is officially a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to Mr Amaechi, has been critical of his former boss lately. The development gave Mr Wike a smooth sail to be re-elected for second term as a PDP governor in 2019. It took the intervention of the Court of Appeal for the APC to be on the ballot in Rivers State. While Mr Wike remained in the PDP, Mr Amaechi, alongside some governors, defected to the newly formed APC.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Controller-General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, to investigate the allegation against personnel of the service. The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa, had accused some personnel of the correctional service of conniving with inmates to finance the operations of terrorists. However, the minister, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, condemned the unpatriotic act by the personnel. “The minister also wishes to inform the public that actions are underway to reform the correctional service to match international standards where inmates would be truly rehabilitated in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. The Renewed Hope administration will not entertain a breach from any officer.

The Punch is being offered with a digital instrument cluster to counter the Hyundai Exter, which also has this feature. According to a media report, Tata will soon offer a digital instrument cluster as standard across all variants of the Punch. Spy images suggest that lower variants of the Punch will be offered with a 4-inch digital screen that displays the speed, fuel gauge, and more, except the tachometer. The top-spec 'Creative' variant of the Punch will continue to be offered with the more advanced semi-digital instrument cluster that was initially introduced in the Harrier and Safari. The Tata Punch is available in four trims – Pure, Adventure, Accomplished and Creative.

Tata Punch is currently offered at prices between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10.10 lakh (both, ex-showroom). While Nexon is the highest-selling model in the sub-4 metre SUV space, Punch isn’t too far behind as fell. Tata Punch gets digital instrument consoleAccording to a recent media report, Tata Motors will introduce a new digital instrument console to the Punch. Tata Punch digital instrument console (Image: RushLane)Punch is offered in four trims namely– Pure, Adventure, Accomplished and Creative. The same 4-inch instrument console was recently added to the CNG version of Punch.

The New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), on Tuesday, described as a welcome development, a proposal mulled by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that opposition parties merge to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election. At a press conference in Abuja, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Abba Ali, said the merger of opposition parties before the 2015 elections led to the defeat of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the APC. Ali said, “Just recently, the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was reported to have called for a merger of opposition parties as a way of checkmating the inordinate drive of the ruling APC towards a one-party state and protecting our hard-earned democracy. “The NNPP sees this call from Atiku Abubakar as patriotic and a welcome development for which we unreservedly commend him. “To that extent, the NNPP is reiterating its position that the former Vice President’s latest call is a proposal we applaud wholeheartedly.

Online communication is essential in today’s world. Whether you’re corresponding through email, participating in virtual meetings, or engaging in social media discussions, conveying your message clearly is crucial. Here are valuable tips for enhancing your online communication skills. In conclusion, mastering effective online communication enhances personal and professional relationships. Apply these tips to ensure your messages are clear, respectful, and impactful.

The Special Adviser to the governor of Abia State, on Due Process, Dr Oluebube Chukwu, has defended the Abia State third quarter, budget expenses, insisting that the expenditure aligns with international best practices. But speaking with newsmen on the issue in Umuahia, Chukwu stated that the publication of the Q3 budget report of the state government was in line with the government’s commitment to transparency, good governance and fiscal discipline. He emphasised that the decision to publish the Q3 budget expenses stemmed from the government’s unwavering dedication to fostering trust and ensuring that the citizens were well-informed about the allocation and utilisation of public funds. He enthused, “This accessibility is essential for fostering a culture of civic participation, as it empowers citizens to actively monitor government spending and contribute to the overall development agenda. “The decision to disclose the Q3 budget expenses aligns with global standards recommended by institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank; and by adhering to these standards, the Abia State government aims to enhance its credibility on the international stage and foster stronger partnerships with global organizations.”