News

[New Times] The Ministry of Health plans to adopt advanced technologies, including GPS tracking, to monitor bat migration and behaviour as part of efforts to enhance prevention and surveillance of zoonotic diseases.

[Shabait] Asmara 20 December 2024 - President Isaias Afwerki met yesterday morning at Adi Halo with an Algerian delegation led by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Bidari.

[ANGOP] Luanda -- Angola end the 2024 FIFA World Ranking in a historic position, occupying 85th place with 1,296 points.

[ANGOP] Luanda -- President João Lourenço on Friday appointed the newly elected vice president of the ruling MPLA party, Mara Regina da Silva Domingos Quiosa, as a member of the Council of the Republic, replacing Luísa Pedro Francisco Damião.

[Tunis Afrique Presse] Tunis -- Prime Minister Kamel Madouri reaffirmed Tunisia's commitment to local governance and regional development during his opening address of the Fifth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development, and Decentralisation (AU-STC n°8) at the ministerial level.

[RFI] French soldiers have been asked to leave Chad by 31 January, sources close to the government in Paris say - a deadline that RFI was able to confirm with Chadian authorities.

[Independent (Kampala)] Kampala -- While malaria remains a major public health challenge, its impact extends far beyond the immediate illness and death it causes. One of its less recognised but critical consequences is the severe strain it places on blood supplies, particularly in malaria-endemic countries like Uganda.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Eighty police commanders on Friday concluded a five-week National Police Service County Commanders Strategic Leadership Course No. 1/2024 at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong.

[Premium Times] Between February and December this year, there were at least six IED attacks. One of the incidents forced the military to withdraw soldiers from the Allawa garrison town. PREMIUM TIMES understands that Boko Haram insurgents are camping in the Maganda and Kugu axes of the Allawa forest reserve.

[Premium Times] The condemned men were arrested in June 2021 and prosecuted with others now at large.

[Liberian Observer] The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has selected Liberia as eligible to develop a compact in recognition of the country's commitment to pursuing critical economic and democratic governance reforms. However, this selection marks only the beginning of a rigorous process, and the final determination depends on several factors, including analytical assessments, the availability of funds, and approval by MCC's Board of Directors.

[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- The Director of the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), G. Warsuwah Barvoul Sr., has revealed that an initial assessment of the fire at the Capitol Building indicates it was a Class-B fire--a flammable fire caused by substances such as gasoline and chemicals.

[FrontPageAfrica] Gbarnga -- Patients and their relatives in Nimba County have expressed frustration over the ongoing indefinite strike by health workers which has severely impacted healthcare services in government-run hospitals.

[State Department] New York -- Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participates in a UN Security Council Session on Sudan in New York City, New York.

[Vanguard] The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has stated that directing curses at individuals online constitutes a criminal offense punishable under the law.

[Nile Post] President Museveni has promised to increase the 10-million-shilling resettlement package initially allocated to victims of landslides in Bugisu.

[IPS] Cotonou, Benin -- Construction of the new Museum of Modern Art is underway in Cotonou, Benin's largest city. The museum, along with three others being built throughout the country, are part of the Beninese government's extensive plan to ramp up the nation's tourism industry and preserve its culture. It is expected to open at the end of 2026.

[allAfrica] The 16 Days of Activism campaign was led by government and business accounts on South Africa X (formerly Twitter), according to a new report published by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC).

[Radio Dalsan] The Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdullahi Sanbaloolshe, held an important meeting at the NISA headquarters with his counterpart, the Director of the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS), Suleiman Abubakar Mombo, who arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday for a two-day visit.

[Premium Times] The vandalisation of the line, according to TCN, occurred on 18 December at about 11:43 p.m.

[Daily Trust] The federal government has provided an explanation for how it will achieve the 15 percent projected inflation in the 2025 appropriation bill submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.

[WHO-AFRO] The outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease was declared over today by the Government of Rwanda with no new cases reported over the last 42 days after the last patient tested negative for the virus twice, as per the usual protocol for ending these types of outbreaks.

[allAfrica] The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) has released its latest report, Gender-Based Violence and Misogyny TikTok Analytics and Narrative Update in South Africa, on the online conversation regarding gender-based violence and misogyny.

[RFI] West African leaders are giving the three Sahel countries led by military governments six months to reconsider their decision to quit the regional bloc Ecowas, as security issues and movements of populations cause concern among its 12 remaining members.

[New Dawn] The Senate said the US$1.8m is projected to finance the restoration of the Joint Chamber upon the passage of the budget.

[The Conversation Africa] One of the most significant African museum openings of 2024 was the Musée des Rois Bamoun, or Museum of the Bamoun Kings, in Foumban, Cameroon.

[allAfrica]

[DW] The bill, which drew international condemnation, criminalizes sex acts within the gay community. Neither the outgoing nor the incoming president have confirmed they will sign it into law.

[VOA] Washington -- In a landmark event for Somalia, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday officially launched the "New Mogadishu" development initiative, a transformative project that aims to reshape the capital's economic landscape.

[African Development Bank (AfDB)] The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) spotlighted just transition principles, highlighting the critical importance of equitable climate action and sustainable development. Two high-profile sessions underscored the need to harmonize social, economic, and environmental objectives in the global fight against climate change.

[African Development Bank (AfDB)] The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) 15th Bi-Annual General Assembly and Scientific Conference opened with powerful calls for African scientific sovereignty and renewed investment in the continent's research capabilities. The four-day event, themed "Empowering and Advancing Africa's Scientific Enterprise," features prominent voices in African science and development policy.

[African Development Bank (AfDB)] In significant efforts to strengthen public health and improve vaccine access in Africa, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have jointly announced a $45 million financing package for VaxSen, a subsidiary of Senegal's Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD).

[World Bank] Banjul -- The World Bank today approved a $47.7 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for The Public Administration Modernization for Citizen Centric Service Delivery (PAMP). The five-year PAMP Program-for-Results (PforR) is the first of its kind for The Gambia.