Newscast - Africa

The federal government disclosed that it would soon begin the implementation of universal licence on all Microsoft products.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, says the initiative that would allow the federal government to purchase in bulk, all Microsoft product licenses and sell same to federal public institutions that are in need of such product licence.
Pantami says the process of universal licence for Microsoft products, when completed, would be presented to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and approval.
Pantami says some government institutions may have the capacity to purchase Microsoft product licences, while some may not, and this often leads to low patronage for Microsoft.

Ukraine has rejected a Russian ultimatum offering people in the besieged city of Mariupol safe passage out of the port if they surrender.
Civilians would be allowed to leave if the city's defenders laid down arms under Russia's proposal.
Ukraine has however refused to say there was no question of it surrendering the strategic port city.
General Mikhail Mizintsev says Ukraine had until 05:00 Moscow time (02:00 GMT) on Monday morning to accept its terms.

Germany and Qatar have reached a long-term energy partnership as Europe’s biggest economy seek to become less dependent on Russian energy sources.
German economy minister Robert Habeck has launched several initiatives to lessen Germany’s energy dependence on Russia since it invaded its neighbour Ukraine.
A spokesperson for the German economics ministry in Berlin confirmed that a deal had been clinched.
Qatar says that for years it had sought to supply Germany but discussions never led to concrete agreements.
Qatar says it agreed with Germany that their respective commercial entities would re-engage and progress discussions on long term LNG supplies.

Belgian gold dealer Alain Goetz and a network of companies have been sanctioned by the US for allegedly smuggling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The US government says since 2016 Mr Goetz has been trading illegally in gold that has come from Congolese mines controlled by armed groups who often use forced labour or exploit miners.
US treasury official Brian Nelson says that conflict gold provided the largest source of revenue to armed groups in eastern DR Congo.
He says Alain Goetz and his network have contributed to armed conflict by receiving DRC gold without questioning its origin.

Ethiopia has postponed a plan to partially privatise Ethiopia’s state-own Ethio Telecom.
The finance ministry says the decision to postpone was taken because of fast-moving macroeconomic changes at home and abroad.
Ethio Telecom has one of the largest mobile phone customer bases on the African continent with 52 million subscribers recorded last year

UN experts have drawn up a list of 142 people to be investigated over gross human rights abuses in South Sudan.
Chairwoman of the commission, Yasmin Sooka, says the people on the list warranted investigation for a range of crimes under national and international law, including for their roles in politically motivated violence.
Ms Sooka says the crimes the commission was investigating reflected the intense competition for power and territory by political elites.
She says impunity was the root cause of South Sudan’s problems, as the country reached a critical point in its transition timetable with elections due next year.

The Tunisian president says everyone will have a chance to comment on his proposals for political reform.
Kais Saied says he would hold a referendum on constitutional change in July.
Critics say the president is acting to bolster his own authority and wants to restrict civil liberties gained in the Arab Spring revolt of 2011.
He says the reforms will help end years of government paralysis and weak economic growth in Tunisia.

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an independent oil marketer and businessman, Mr Olusola Anthony Adejugbe, and his company Tonique Oil Services Limited to pay Zenith Bank Plc N6,3Billion.
The plaintiffs had urged the court for a declaration that the bank could not charge interest on any facilities granted to them beyond the officially approved policy rate of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
They also urged the court to hold that they were not indebted to the bank in any sum of money or at all.
Zenith Bank says that the plaintiffs’ purported expert computation did not reflect the agreed interest rate on the facilities granted to the company for the purchase of petroleum products and acquisition of two hectares of land in Port Harcourt.

The latest figures released by the Debt Management Office shows that the federal Bonds make up N13.963 trillion or 72.56 per cent of the aggregate N19.243 trillion domestic debt obligations standing against the federal government.
The total public debt stock of the federal government, Federal Capital Territory and states stood at N39.566 trillion.
The federal government accounted for N33.228 trillion of the total debt loads, with domestic and external components amounting to N19.243 trillion and N13.885 trillion, respectively.

A former Senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani has faulted a recent call by former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, that the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria should create a department of political affairs ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Shehu argued that the initiative could be a breeding ground for promoting religious fanatics.
Tinubu says the initiative would help to mobilise support for the faithful who are vying for different political positions.
Tinubu’s comment came a few days after the Redeemed Christian Church of God set up a department on politics and governance to mobilise support for its members who may be vying for political posts.