Newscast - Africa

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.

Adolescent children in Kenya and Rwanda are now eligible to receive Pfizer Covid jabs as both countries kick off vaccine campaigns.
Rwanda will be vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above from Tuesday while Kenya is allowing those from 15 years.
Rwanda's adolescent vaccination programme will cover the entire country and parents or guardians have to sign consent forms before their children can be vaccinated.

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has assented to the Child Protection Bill, earlier passed by the state House of Assembly.
The governor says since the enactment of the Child Rights Act in 2003, domesticating the law in the state has been very difficult due to cultural and lifestyle differences.
He believes it will enhance the conditions of children in the state and protect them against all sorts of abuses.
Governor Tambuwal also commended the effort of the state assembly, the role of the Sultan of Sokoto and the Sultanate council, CSOs and other stakeholders that culminated in the signing of the law.

The UN children’s agency called on Lebanon to take urgent action to protect children after it documented a spike in child labour rates and food insecurity since April.
UNICEF representative in Lebanon, Yukie Mokuo, says urgent action is needed to ensure no child goes hungry, becomes sick, or has to work rather than receive an education,”
She says the staggering magnitude of the crisis must be a wake-up call
Lebanon is grappling with its worst-ever financial crisis, with nearly 80 per cent of the population estimated to be living below the poverty line.
UNICEF in a survey found 53 per cent of families had at least one child who skipped a meal in October 2021, compared with 37 per cent in April.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says that the #EndSARS report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry was riddled with so many errors and inconsistencies.
Mr Mohammed described the report circulating online as fake.
He also asked relatives of the victims to come forward with evidence, saying that any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worthy to be called a parent.

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum says Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive.
Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal says the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has failed to live up to the expectation of the masses in the past six years.
He accused the current administration of failing to take the country to the heights expected by Nigerians, adding that as a result, the PDP must strategise to take over in 2023.
Tambuwal says Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive. It must restructure its polity, economy, security and ways of doing things. It must embrace relative autonomy and decentralisation of power.

The Federal Government ordered the shut down of the Santa Barbara oil fields in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over what it described as an unfortunate oil spillage.
The Ministry of Environment spokesperson, Saghir el Mohammed, says the Federal Government has directed the exploration company, AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited to halt operations in the area until a proper investigation is carried out and adequate measures put in place to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area.