Newscast - Africa

The Nigerian Communications Commission has raised an alarm over the existence of another hacking group orchestrating cyberespionage in the African telecoms space.
Dr Ikechukwu Adinde says the agency explained that the notification became necessary to keep stakeholders in the country’s telecoms sector informed, educated, and protected.
He says an Iranian hacking group known as Lyceum (also known as Hexane, Siamesekitten, or Spirlin) has been reported to be targeting telecoms, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Africa with upgraded malware in a recent politically motivated attacks oriented in cyberespionage.
He added that the hacking group is known to be focused on infiltrating the networks of telecoms companies and ISPs.

The National Bureau of Statistics says the Consumer Price Index which measures inflation increased by 15.99 per cent (year-on-year) in October 2021,
While the country recorded a higher figure in October compared to last year, the inflation rate dropped for the seventh straight month.
The agency says that the development indicated an increase of 1.76 per cent points compared with the rate recorded in October 2020.
It added that increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose divisions that yielded the headline index.

The federal government is mulling the possibility of compelling passengers of domestic airlines to show evidence of vaccination.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire says it was commonplace in many foreign countries for people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, in order to be admitted to restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs, even to board aircraft on international flights.
Ehanire says the vaccines being used in the country are trusted and are of high standards.
The minister said Nigeria had so far tested a total of 3,392,457 samples, of which 213,147 were confirmed positive for Covid-19, while active cases are 4,447 and cases discharged to date are 205,732.

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos state government to probe October 20, 2020, #EndSARs protest has revealed that at least 11 persons were killed during the peaceful demonstration at the Lekki Tollgate and another four missing but presumed dead making a total of 15.
The report was an incriminating indictment of heightening extrajudicial killings and unprofessionalism by Nigerian law enforcement agents
The report described as atrocious, the maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting protesters while sitting on the floor, waving their Nigerian flags and singing the National Anthem, stressing that the act could be equated to a massacre in context.
The panel stated that 24 sustained gunshot injuries, while 15 others were assaulted by soldiers and police, revealing that 96 other corpses were presented by a Forensic Pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. John Obafunwa.

The Central Bank of Nigeria granted Airtel Nigeria the approval in principle to operate the super-agent network in Nigeria.
Airtel would be able to create an agent network that could service the customers of licenced Nigerian banks, Payment Service Banks (PSB) and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.
The approval came a few days after the CBN granted Airtel and MTN approval-in-principle to operate as PSBs in Nigeria.
Airtel Africa in a statement says under the super-agent licence, they would be able to create an agent network that can service the customers of licensed Nigerian banks, Payment service banks and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.

The World Bank has stated that the destruction caused by the Boko Haram sect caused economic activities in the north-eastern part of the country to decline by 50 per cent.
The Bank noted that Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states which are in the Lake Chad region saw economic activities decline from 10 to 14 per cent between 2009 and 2013, adding that the region has recorded a 50 per cent decline in activities from 2018.
Lead Economist, World Bank and co-author of the report, Mr Marco Hernandez says Boko Haram is not just on those places where insurgency happens, it also affects neighbouring parts for where the actual attack happens as well.
The bank called for enhanced trade, improved infrastructure to move people goods and services, improved governance and management of natural resources.

The Austrian government has ordered a nationwide lockdown for people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, a measure aimed at slowing the fast spread of the disease in the country.
The move prohibits unvaccinated individuals older than age 12 from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk – or getting vaccinated.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg says it is their job as the government of Austria to protect the people.
Authorities are concerned about rising deaths and that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of COVID-19 patients.
The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the country of 8.9 million people.

China donated 500,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to war-torn Syria, which has one of the world’s lowest inoculation rates and what the UN called an alarming rise in cases.
The latest shipment raises to almost two million the number of such deliveries to Syria in a week.
United Nations under-secretary-general Martin Griffiths warned that less than two per cent of Syria’s population have been vaccinated and cases of infection are spiking
Health Minister Hassan Ghabash praised the latest donation of another Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm.
Ghabash says his health services have vaccinated more than 600,000 people and urged more Syrians to come forward for their jabs.

The United States urged Cuban authorities to lift a ban on protests ahead of planned anti-government demonstrations, the State Department said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the Cuban government to respect Cubans’ rights, by allowing them to peacefully assemble and use their voices without fear of government reprisal or violence, and by keeping Internet and telecommunication lines open for the free exchange of information.
Blinken hit out at the Cuban government’s crackdown on the protests and condemned intimidation tactics of blocking protests, firing opposition supporters and threatening them with detention ahead of Monday’s demonstrations.

200 nations came together on a global deal to combat climate change after two weeks of painful negotiation but fell short of what science says is needed to contain dangerous temperature rises.
Rich countries stood accused of failing at the COP26 summit in Glasgow to deliver much-needed finance to vulnerable states that are at risk of drought, rising seas, fire and storms.
Britain’s COP26 president Alok Sharma says It is now decision time adding that the choices set are vitally important.
China and India however insisted that language on fossil fuels be weakened in the final summit decision text.