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Lagos, one of Africa's most dynamic cities, is facing a severe housing crisis. The city's population of approximately 22 million people is putting immense pressure on its housing market, leading to soaring rents and a shortage of affordable accommodation.Oluwatobi Ogundipe, a 32-year-old product manager, commutes four hours daily from his small flat in Sango Ota to his office on Lagos Island. Despite working in one of Nigeria's growing technology sectors, he cannot afford to live closer to his office, highlighting the affordability crisis in the city.Rents across Lagos have surged beyond wage growth, with prices increasing by as much as 400% in some areas. On the mainland, flats that rented for ₦500,000 two years ago now cost up to ₦2.5m a year. On the island, rents have tripled, making it even more challenging for residents to find affordable housing.The city's deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, attributes the crisis to persistent migration pressure, with about 6,000 new inhabitants arriving and 3,000 leaving each day. This has led to a shortage of over 3.4 million housing units, according to Prof. Taibat Lawanson, a professor of urban management and governance at the University of Lagos.The shortage of affordable homes is exacerbated by developers prioritizing high-end projects over affordable housing, driven by high construction costs, soaring urban land prices, and limited housing finance. This has led to a proliferation of luxury flats, even as people struggle to secure basic accommodation.The crisis has also fueled the popularity of short-term rentals, with many landlords converting their homes into short-let properties, further reducing the availability of long-term rentals and driving prices higher.For now, Lagos's residents adapt, making long commutes through the city's infamous traffic. As Ogundipe says, "We all come to Lagos chasing something, but these days, it feels like the city is slowly pushing us away."

The United States is grappling with unprecedented levels of income and wealth inequality. The average household income in New York City stands at $131,000, yet this figure belies the stark reality that a small elite captures a disproportionate amount of wealth, leaving millions struggling to make ends meet. This extreme inequality has far-reaching economic, political, and social consequences, eroding trust in institutions and leading people to believe that the system is rigged. The issue is not unique to the U.S., as nearly one-fifth of the world's super-rich live in New York, but it is more pronounced in the U.S. than in almost any other advanced economy. A recent global inequality report found that between 2000 and 2024, the richest 1% captured 41% of all new wealth, while the bottom half of humanity received just 1%. The concentration of wealth is staggering, with billionaires now owning 16% of global GDP, up from 3% in 1987. The main driver of this trend is the failure to effectively tax the super-rich. Research has shown that in the 1960s, the 400 richest Americans paid about 50% of their income in taxes, but today they pay around 24%. This pattern is not unique to the U.S., as similar trends have been observed in Europe and other countries. Experts argue that a progressive tax system is necessary to address this issue. A minimum tax of 2% on the wealth of the super-rich has been proposed as a straightforward way to ensure they meet their obligations to society. Several countries, including Spain and Brazil, have committed to implementing this tax, and other nations are considering similar measures. In the U.S., there are signs of a paradigm shift. California voters will consider a tax on billionaire wealth this November, and Washington state has approved a 9.9% income tax on million-dollar incomes. In New York, there are calls to increase taxes on the rich and large corporations to fund essential public services. The authors of the article, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Zohran Mamdani, and Gabriel Zucman, emphasize that the idea of billionaires paying higher tax rates than working people is not radical, but rather a necessary step towards restoring a basic social principle: that those with the most should contribute their fair share so that everyone can live with dignity.

Manchester United's Harry Maguire will miss his team's upcoming match against Chelsea due to an additional one-match ban imposed by the Football Association. The ban comes as a result of Maguire's reaction to being sent off during a match against Bournemouth last month.The 33-year-old defender was shown a red card at the Vitality Stadium for a foul in the area on Evanilson, which led to Bournemouth sealing a 2-2 draw. Following the incident, Maguire allegedly made a comment towards the officials, stating they were 'a joke.'The FA's written reasons confirmed that the fourth official, Matthew Donohue, submitted an Extraordinary Incident Report Form, claiming Maguire shouted: 'You're a joke. You're all a fucking joke.' Maguire, however, claimed he said 'something along the lines of 'it is a fucking joke.''As a result, Maguire has been imposed a one-match suspension and a £30,000 fine by an independent Regulatory Commission. This suspension adds to the absence of fellow centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez, potentially leading to young players Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro lining up at the heart of defence against Chelsea.

Becoming a parent reshapes every facet of daily life—the late‑night outings fade, responsibility expands, and the role shifts from being cared for to becoming a caretaker. This profound transition forms the emotional core of Jess Brodie’s new play, Gush. The playwright deliberately zeroes in on the moments before birth, a period she describes as a “still point” where reflection and anticipation collide. Rather than dramatizing labor itself, Brodie explores the inner landscape of a woman on the brink of motherhood. At the centre of the piece is Ally, a pregnant woman whose bulging belly becomes a visual reminder of her mounting anxieties. She grapples with sleepless nights, dietary restrictions, and the looming deadline of maternity leave, while also confronting an unfinished personal identity that must now accommodate the role of “mum”. Beyond the familiar pressures of pregnancy, the monologue delves into Ally’s quest for self‑realisation. The impending birth is portrayed as a ticking time‑bomb, intensifying her doubts about a middle‑class existence shared with a neurotic, controlling partner. The narrative questions whether she should finally honour the sexual desires she has long suppressed. Critics may note the play’s narrow focus—its politics are largely self‑absorbed, and its feminist themes risk sounding solipsistic. Nevertheless, Brodie’s script is laced with wit and unexpected turns, keeping the audience firmly engaged. In Becky Hope‑Palmer’s meticulously crafted production, the set—half stark white surface, half inviting cushion pool—mirrors the tension between alienation and comfort. It is Jessica Hardwick’s performance that elevates the piece. Her voice, both resonant and precise, navigates Brodie’s rapid tonal shifts—from irony to panic, embarrassment to eroticism, fury to humor—with remarkable sensitivity. Hardwick’s portrayal makes Gush a must‑see, even for those who might otherwise overlook the play’s limited thematic scope. The production runs at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh until 25 April.

Bournemouth have entered advanced talks with German manager Marco Rose to succeed Andoni Iraola as head coach, with a deal expected to be finalised before the week ends.The club also evaluated Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town, but his contract contains a buyout clause that prevents any approach until the Championship season concludes.McKenna, who is focused on guiding Ipswich back to the Premier League, is likely to be retained by the club, which is expected to resist any premature poaching.Rose’s immediate availability makes him a simpler option. Tiago Pinto, Bournemouth’s head of football operations, is pushing for a swift appointment as the club prepares to move on from the Iraola era, following the Spaniard’s decision not to extend his contract beyond the current campaign.Since being dismissed by RB Leipzig in March 2025, Rose has been out of work. He previously led Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, overseeing talents such as Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. Known for a high‑intensity pressing style, Rose’s philosophy aligns with Bournemouth’s desired playing identity. His résumé also includes successful spells at Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Salzburg.

A Parisian software engineer, Ari Hodara, has won a €1m Picasso painting in a charity raffle. The painting, 'Head of a Woman', was created by Pablo Picasso in 1941 and is part of the artist's collection.Hodara purchased a €100 ticket for the '1 Picasso for €100' lottery, which aimed to raise funds for Alzheimer's research. He was informed of his win via a video call from Christie's auction house in Paris and initially questioned whether it was a hoax.The raffle, organized by French television producer Péri Cochin, sold 120,000 tickets, generating €12m in revenue. Of this amount, €1m will be donated to the Opera Gallery, which owned the painting.The painting, 'Head of a Woman', is a portrait of Picasso's longtime muse and partner, Dora Maar. It was painted in the same studio where Picasso created his 1937 masterpiece, Guernica.This is the third iteration of the Picasso raffle, which has raised over €10m for cultural and humanitarian causes in previous years.

The ongoing conflict in Iran has led to a significant increase in oil prices, with the world's top 100 oil and gas companies reaping enormous profits. In the first month of the war, these companies banked more than $30m every hour in unearned profit, according to exclusive analysis for the Guardian. This translates to estimated windfall profits of $23bn for the month of March, with Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, and ExxonMobil among the biggest beneficiaries.The surge in oil prices to an average of $100 (£74) a barrel has resulted in a substantial increase in profits for these companies. If the oil price continues to average $100, the companies are expected to make $234bn by the end of the year. The analysis uses data from a leading intelligence provider, Rystad Energy, analysed by Global Witness.The excess profits come from the pockets of ordinary people as they pay high prices to fill up their vehicles and power their homes, as well as from businesses incurring higher energy bills. Dozens of countries have cut fuel taxes to help struggling consumers, but this has resulted in reduced revenue for public services.Pressure is growing for windfall taxes on the war profits of oil and gas companies, with the European Commission considering a request from the finance ministers of Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Austria. The ministers argue that this would help ease the burden on the general public and finance temporary relief measures.Aramco is expected to make a war profit of $25.5bn in 2026 if the oil price averages $100. This is on top of the huge profits habitually made by the majority state-owned Saudi company – $250m a day between 2016 to 2023. ExxonMobil, which has a long record of denying climate change, will take in $11bn in unearned war profits in 2026 if the $100 price endures.The impact of the Iran war is likely to be long lasting, with the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, describing it as the biggest shock ever to the global energy market. The UN's climate chief, Simon Stiell, warned that fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty, and replacing it with subservience and rising costs.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has fined the AA £4.2m and ordered the company to make payments to more than 80,000 learner drivers. The fine was imposed for not showing the full price of lessons at the time of booking, a practice known as 'drip pricing'.The CMA found that learner drivers were not shown the total price upfront when booking lessons online, which is required under UK consumer law. Instead, the driving schools were introducing a mandatory fee later in the process.Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the CMA, stated: 'If a fee is mandatory, the law is clear: it must be included in the price from the very start – not added at checkout – so consumers always know what they need to pay.' The regulator said that the amount repaid to individual customers will vary depending on how many lessons they bought, but the average payout is expected to be about £9. The AA has cooperated with the CMA and admitted to breaking the law, which reduced the potential financial penalty by 40%.This is the first financial penalty the CMA has imposed for a breach of consumer law since being granted new powers to enable it to decide whether to take action rather than having to go through the courts.

In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the Canadian government is pressing ahead with planned cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which provides basic health coverage to refugees, asylum claimants, and others not covered by other healthcare programmes in Canada. The changes, announced in late January and set to come into effect on May 1, will require people receiving IFHP coverage to pay $4 per eligible prescription medication and 30 percent of the cost of supplemental services such as dental and vision care, and counselling.Critics argue that these co-payments can be prohibitively expensive for newcomers struggling to rebuild their lives in Canada amid soaring costs. Doctors and refugee rights advocates warn that the cuts could lead to increased suffering and expenditures in the long run, as vulnerable individuals may be deterred from seeking necessary care.“We want to make sure that we have a universal healthcare system, and we also don’t want a system that punches down against vulnerable people and migrants,” Dr. Ritika Goel, a Toronto-based family doctor, told Al Jazeera at a rally in downtown Toronto. “We want to support a system that provides care to everyone.”The Canadian government claims that the changes will help manage growing demand and keep the IFHP sustainable over the long term. However, the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer projects that the cost of the IFHP will continue to grow at an average of 11.2 percent annually through 2030.The cuts have drawn comparisons to a similar move in 2012, when then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper made cuts to the IFHP, prompting widespread protests and a legal challenge. In 2014, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that the curbs amounted to “cruel and unusual” treatment and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.