The Algerian authorities have tagged a separatist group and an opposition movement as terrorist organisations.The High Council for National Security announced that the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie and the Rachad opposition movement were illegal and terrorist entities.Both groups are based abroad but have supporters in the country.They could be jailed for life if convicted of membership in these organisations under a new law that punishes any Algerian joining an organisation abroad that damages the interests of the country.

The Lagos State Government launched 300 first and last-mile buses, as well as 100 high-capacity buses to enhance the mode of transportation in the state.Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the buses will promote the state’s vision of an intermodal, integrated transport system, and enhance passengers’ connectivity to major routes in the state.He says they launched 500 units of First and Last Mile buses and 100 high and medium capacity buses for standard routes.He says the buses will serve 286 identified routes within the communities as an alternative to addressing the menace and security threat constituted by Okada riders.

Germany has agreed to return all Benin artefacts by 2022. The artefacts are those taken from the Benin Royal Court following the British incursion in 1849.This was announced on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja, the nation’s capital.The German Director-General Culture and Communication, Dr Andreas Gorgen says Germany acknowledges that Nigeria has suffered a loss.He says Germany is on a restitution mission to Nigeria, to return all artefacts taken from the Benin Empire.He also announced that Germany will partner with Nigeria in the area of culture promotion and preservation.

The Kaduna State Government ordered the sack of nurses below level 14 for joining a strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress.The government has also directed the state’s Ministry of Health to place advertisements for immediate recruitment of new nurses to replace those dismissed.The government says the sack of public servants has become imperative due to dwindling financial resources and higher wage bills which have become unsustainable.

President Muhammadu Buhari says France and Nigeria should deepen anti-terror cooperation to fight groups such as Boko Haram.The President is currently in Paris to attend the African Finance Summit hosted by French President, Emmanuel Macron.He says Nigeria and France should deepen its anti-terror cooperations if they are to overcome the scourge.He added that they must be agile and flexible, cooperating across borders to cut the head off their groups.

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly for the approval of a fresh 2.343 trillion naira external loan.The President is requesting for the resolution of the National Assembly for the implementation of the external borrowing of 2.18 billion dollars in the 2021 Appropriations Act.President Buhari further stated in the letter that the 2021 budget provides for 4.686 trillion as new borrowing to part-finance the 2021 fiscal deficit of which 50 per cent is specified as new external borrowing.The loan is to be sourced from a combination of sources namely multilateral and bilateral lenders, the international capital market through the issuance of Eurobonds.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it was still not safe to allow residents, even those fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to travel overseas, as industries hit hard by the pandemic press for a faster reopening of international borders.Morrison says any plans to relax border rules for vaccinated travellers could be implemented only when it is safe to do so.Australia plans to reopen borders to the rest of the world from the middle of 2022 even as the federal budget unveiled last week hopes to fully vaccinate it is near 26 million population by the end of this year.

United States President Joe Biden has conveyed his support for a ceasefire to end violence in the Gaza Strip while facing increasing pressure from rights advocates and members of his own Democratic Party.The White House says Biden expressed his support for a ceasefire and discussed US engagement with Egypt and other partners towards that end in a phone call with Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.A day earlier, Netanyahu had said the Israeli military offensive on Gaza would continue full force.

The head of the World Health Organization has described the situation in Ethiopia’s conflict-hit Tigray region as horrific.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says people were dying of hunger with malnutrition spreading fast.He criticised the fact that health services had been destroyed and said rape was rampant.His comments came as the Ethiopian government issued a statement denouncing what it called a campaign to exert undue pressure.It said aid agencies had free access and rejected calls for any form of dialogue with the TPLF, with whom it is fighting the conflict.

Spain is deploying the army in its North African enclave of Ceuta to stem a huge influx of migrants from Morocco.A record 5,000 arrived on Monday. Moroccan border guards did nothing to stop them. Police sources say the number could increase further.Spanish officials have accused Morocco of using the migrants as blackmail.Diplomatic relations are tense after the leader of the Polisario Front was allowed into Spain for Covid-19 treatment.Polisario is fighting Morocco for control over Western Sahara.