The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says the country was now experiencing a fourth COVID-19 wave.
The Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa says Nigeria has recorded a 500% increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks across the country caused by the Delta and Omicron variants.
The NCDC says the response to the virus requires a collaborative approach.
He added that individuals, families and institutions also need to play their part in protecting each other by ensuring adherence to COVID-19 public health and social measures.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission says that three neighbouring countries did not make any payment for the second quarter of 2021.
The NERC revealed that Togo, Benin Republic, and Niger and some other special customers were issued a total bill of N770m by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company and the Market Operator of the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
The report however stated that no payment was made, adding that it is hoped the outstanding will still be paid when things begin to look up for those economies, as the pandemic played a great role in the non-remittance experienced.
The Commission further stated that it has through the applicable orders set a minimum remittance threshold for each Disco having adjusted for their tariff shortfall.

French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer says that the government has no plans to extend the Christmas school holidays because of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
Some European countries have brought Christmas holidays forward, and French conservative presidential candidate Valerie Pecresse has called for an extension of them in order to help ensure any infections caught over year-end holidays are discovered before children return to school.

Member nations of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are holding a special meeting in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad to discuss solutions to address the humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistani officials say a total of 70 delegations were taking part, including Taliban foreign minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi and delegates from the US, China, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
The president of the Islamic Development Bank, Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, has offered to manage trusts that could be used to move money into Afghanistan, jumpstart businesses and help salvage the deeply troubled economy.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says fallout from the deepening crisis could mean mass hunger and a flood of refugees.

Iran’s health ministry has confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
A ministry official says that the highly contagious variant was detected in a middle-aged Iranian man who had recently travelled back from neighbouring UAE.
The news comes as Iran has, for weeks, experienced relative calm with low infection, hospitalisations and death figures amid a widespread vaccination campaign.
More than 60 per cent of the eligible population has received two doses of a vaccine, and most people can now receive a booster shot.

The United Arab Emirates says it will no longer censor cinematic releases, introducing a 21 and above age rating for films it classifies for mature audiences.
The UAE is considered one of the more liberal countries in the Gulf region, where movies with adult content are routinely cut or edited.
The country’s Media Regulatory Office says that it had introduced a 21+ age category to its motion picture content rating system.
It added that the international version of movies will be shown in cinemas, with an emphasis on the strict following of age classification standards for audience entry.

Israel’s health ministry recommended banning Israelis from travelling to the United States and added several European countries to its Covid red list, aimed at containing the Omicron variant’s spread. 
Barring US travel for Israeli citizens and residents would mark a significant step for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s government, given the hundreds of thousands of dual nationals and close ties between the countries.
Bennett says Israel was in the midst of its fifth wave of Covid-19.
Bennett reiterated that he would continue to restrict travel in order to avoid further lockdowns.
He said Israel had gained precious time by curbing travel immediately after the Omicron variant was detected in South Africa last month.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is aiming to deepen economic and military ties in Africa and called for a seat representing the continent at the UN Security Council.
Heads of state from 16 African nations, along with more than 102 ministers and representatives of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States are attending the summit in Istanbul.
The Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit by Turkey is aimed at boosting ties with the continent.
Istanbul hosted business leaders and dozens of ministers from African states for a summit aimed specifically at increasing trade.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has ordered an international investigation into abuses carried out during the conflict in Ethiopia.
The European Union had called for a special sitting of the council in Geneva after rights groups said violations committed during more than a year of conflict might amount to war crimes.
The UN rights council again warned that all sides in the civil war were committing severe violations.
It says there was a risk to the entire region and called on all parties to pull back.

South Africa says it will be donating around two million Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 jabs to other African countries.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government wants to show solidarity with other countries on the continent. 
He says the only way in which they can prevent Covid-19 transmission and protect economies and societies on our continent, is to successfully immunise a critical mass of the African population with safe and effective vaccines.
He says the value of the donation is $18m and will be made available to other countries starting from 2022 through the African Medical Suppliers Platform.