The World Health Organization has released its HIV drug resistance report for 2021.
WHO’s latest report gives an in-depth picture of the extent to which drug resistance is growing, and the steps that countries are taking to ensure people will receive effective medicine to treat and prevent HIV.
It reveals that in 2020, 64% of focus countries (countries with a high burden of HIV infection) had national action plans to prevent, monitor and respond to HIV drug resistance.
WHO encourages countries to monitor resistance and recommends that for people starting antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) called pretreatment HIV drug resistance.

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company announced that its operating license had been renewed for additional three years by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
It says in a statement issued by the firm in Abuja that the license was renewed following a review of NBET’s application and corporate business plan.
The firm in the statement says that NBET was established to undertake the business of managing and trading in wholesale electricity.
It explained that the agency functioned as a bulk purchaser and bulk reseller of power and ancillary services pursuant to the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has rejected a planned petrol price hike in the country and the Federal Government’s proposal to pay the sum of N5000 monthly to Nigerians as palliative.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba in a statement described the plan of the Federal Government as a penny wise-pound foolish gamble.
Wabba lamented that there are no ongoing talks between labour and the Federal Government, as negotiation was adjourned.
He accused the government of adopting monologue in arriving at its conclusion on subsidy removal, stressing that it will continually reject deregulation that is anchored on the importation of petroleum products.

President Muhammadu Buhari has renewed charges to all security agencies to double down on their response to all those challenging Nigeria’s sovereignty and creating insecurity through criminality in whatever way.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, told State House correspondents that the meeting which lasted more than four hours also discussed the resurgence of criminal activities along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
He says all agencies concerned with security have been ordered to improve on their activities, intensify surveillance, and minimise if not eliminate totally any threat.

The Federal Government has declared that it will begin the process of reviewing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency in order to mete out stiffer penalties to oil companies involved in oil spillage in the country.
The Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor noted that a strong legal framework has become expedient to stop ongoing oil spills.
The Environment minister further revealed that the OML29 oil spill in Nembe, Bayelsa State has been brought under control while blaming the oil spillage on sabotage by the locals.
She says necessary personnel and equipment have been deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts handled by NOSDRA, as the agency assures that a post-spill impact assessment will be concluded in one month.

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, believes Nigeria is on the right path to economic diversification focusing on non-oil exports, with the zero-oil plan actively promoted by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
The Vice President commended the outgoing NEPC chief for his foresight, and for putting in place a well-structured and detailed plan.
He says it is important to note that Nigeria is certainly getting away from the oil and gas era.

Australia has designated Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed, Lebanon-based Shia group, as a terrorist organisation.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the designation covers the entirety of the group, Hezbollah’s military wing has been on the list since 2003.
Saudi Arabia classified the Lebanon-based Al-Qard Al-Hassan association as a terrorist entity, citing links to activities supporting Hezbollah.
Australia also listed the global neo-Nazi group The Base as a terrorist” organisation, making it a criminal offence to be a member.

President Joe Biden reached for the US strategic oil reserves in an attempt to flatten fuel price rises pummeling Americans at Thanksgiving — and hoping to reignite his own political fortunes.
The White House says the effort to tamp down the oil market by using emergency reserves was for the first time being done in conjunction with other countries, following weeks of negotiations.
The White House in a statement says the release will be taken in parallel with other major energy-consuming nations including China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.

Uber is making its first foray into the marijuana market, as Uber Eats users in Ontario, Canada will soon be able to order cannabis products on the app.
Customers will be able to place orders in a dedicated section of the app for cannabis retailer Tokyo Smoke and then pick them up at a nearby store.
The firm refused to be drawn on whether it will roll out the offering further across Canada and the US.
The company says Canada's marijuana market is worth around CAD$5bn a year.
Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the company will consider delivering cannabis once it is permitted under US law.

Mali says that it would delay a nationwide debate on reform that the army-dominated government views as a precondition for returning to civilian rule after two coups. 
Mali’s interim government is facing international pressure to swiftly restore civilian rule after the military seized power in August 2020, and then deposed another civilian-led government in May.
It previously said that it would set a date for elections only after holding the nationwide forum.
The panel stated that it had decided to postpone due to consultations designed to guarantee inclusive participation in the forum.