🇮🇱🇿🇦 Israel denies threatening South African minister

Israel has denied claims that it threatened the safety of a South African minister, and in return has accused her of a "blood libel" and "serving as the legal arm" of Hamas.

Earlier Naledi Pandor said she had spoken to South African Police Minister Bheki Cele about beefing up her security after she received threatening messages.

Israel rejected these accusations. "These are baseless and false accusations, yet another blood libel by the South African foreign minister, who serves as the legal arm of the Hamas terrorist organisation."

"South Africa is trying to undermine Israel's right to defend itself and its citizens, and to promote the interests of Hamas and Iran in the Middle East and Africa," added Israel ministry of foreign affairs.

"The South African government's support for terrorism and its actions against Israel on the bilateral and international levels are an indelible stain."

#Israel #SouthAfrica

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🇳🇬 Nigeria to propose naira payment for local gas sale

Nigeria is proposing for gas producers to sell gas to local power plants in naira to solve problems of dollar shortages after a second currency devaluation in less than a year is expected to balloon costs and make it hard for firms to pay.

Nigeria has 24 gas power plants with a combined output capacity of 11,434 megawatts, but it only delivers around a third of its capacity to the grid due to issues with gas supply.

"Proposing domestic gas payment in naira is a key step toward stability, aligning with our economy's needs and promoting sustainable energy production," Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu said.

Adelabu added that he plans to create legislative measures that will mandate naira payments for domestic gas supply.

#Nigeria

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🇱🇷 Liberian president passes drug test and urges all government officials to do so

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has tested negative for drugs and illegal substances.

The Liberian leader underwent a drug test which he had promised to do during his address to the legislature on 29 January, just a week after he was sworn in.

Along with Vice-President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and other officials, the president underwent the test overseen by the country’s Ministry of Health.

Boakai said: "It is fulfilment of my commitment made that we will leave no stone unturned in combating the prevalence of drugs and other substance abuse in Liberia."

During his address to the legislature, President Boakai declared drug abuse a "national health emergency".

The Liberian leader wants all his officials to take drugs tests.

#Liberia

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🇪🇬🇮🇱🇵🇸 Egypt steps up security on border as Israeli offensive in Gaza nears

Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armoured personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources of Reuters said.

The deployment took place ahead of the expansion of Israeli military operations around Gaza's southern city of Rafah, sharpening Egyptian fears that Palestinians could be forced en masse out of the enclave.

Israeli warplanes struck Rafah, which adjoins the border, on Friday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to prepare to evacuate the displaced people.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted, Egypt constructed a concrete border wall that reaches six metres into the ground and is topped with barbed wire. It has also built berms and enhanced surveillance at border posts, the security sources said.

#Egypt #Israel #Palestine

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🇺🇳🇸🇩 UNICEF says 700,000 children in Sudan at risk of worst form of malnutrition

UNICEF said on Friday that 700,000 children in Sudan were likely to suffer from the worst form of malnutrition this year, with tens of thousands who could die.

"The consequences of the past 300 days means that more than 700,000 children are likely to suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition this year," James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF, told.

"UNICEF won't be able to treat more than 300,000 of those without improved access and without additional support. In that case, tens of thousands would likely die."

UNICEF is appealing for $840 million to help just over 7.5 million children in Sudan this year, but Elder deplored the lack of funds collected in previous appeals.

#UN #Sudan

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🇳🇬 Nigeria central bank to sanction fraudulent forex claims, governor says

Nigeria's central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso said on Friday that entities involved in fraudulent foreign exchange trades would be punished, after an audit helped whittle down a backlog of claims for payment to a "more manageable figure."

A forensic audit of $7 billion of overdue forex backlogs the bank has been struggling to clear had uncovered irregularities affecting $2.4 billion worth of the transactions.

The irregularities ranged from missing paperwork to non-existent entities and beneficiaries receiving unauthorised foreign exchange allocations.

"A lot has been asked with respect to those that are within the infracted category, which we are looking at very closely. Those who are responsible will be sanctioned accordingly," Cardoso told.

Central bank Deputy Governor Muhammad Sani Abdullahi added that the bank is working with law enforcement for further action against the offenders.

#Nigeria

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🇪🇬 Egypt inflation slows more than expected in January

Egypt's annual urban consumer price inflation dropped to 29.8% in January from 33.7% in December, the state statistics agency said.

Month-on-month, prices rose by 1.6% in January, up from 1.4% in December. Food prices climbed by 1.4%, down from 2.1% in December. In the year to January, food prices rose by 47.5%, down from 60.5% in the year to December.

A median of 18 analysts had forecast annual inflation to slow to 32.5%, according to a Reuters poll.

Egypt's inflation rate has been sliding from a historic high of 38.0% in September.

Core inflation, which excludes fuel and some volatile food items, declined to 29.0% in January from 34.2% in December, the central bank said. A median of five of the analysts had expected it only to slow to 31.9%

#Egypt

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🇿🇦🛢 South Africa's Sasol flags decline in half-year profit

South Africa's Sasol, opens new tab on Friday said it expects its half-year profit to decline by as much as 42% due to weaker oil and petrochemical prices and persistent infrastructure problems in Africa's most advanced economy.

Sasol, the world's biggest producer of fuels and chemicals from coal and gas, said it sees headline earnings per share between 17.90 rand and 22.22 rand ($0.9445-$1.17) in the six months to December 31, compared to 30.90 rand previously.

While the company noted some operational improvements in South Africa, it said the underperformance of state-owned utilities involved in its value chain and a weaker global growth outlook continue to impact its business.

#SouthAfrica

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🇹🇷🇸🇴 Turkey, Somalia sign defence deal

Turkey and Somalia signed a cooperation deal on defence amid lingering tensions in the Horn of Africa over a controversial agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland.

The Defence and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement was signed between Turkish Defence Minister, Yasar Guler and his Somalia counterpart, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, who paid an official visit to Ankara.

“The agreement we signed today involves cooperation on the fight against terrorism and military-financial cooperation,” Nur said. “We believe that the agreement will contribute greatly to Somalia.”

Guler, who described the two defence chiefs’ meeting as “fruitful”, said that the deal “will further improve” bilateral military relations between the two countries.

“Somalia is an important partner of Turkiye in Africa,” he added.

#Turkey #Somalia

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🇩🇿🇩🇪 Algeria's Sonatrach to supply Germany with pipeline gas for first time

Germany will receive its first supplies of pipeline natural gas from Algeria under a medium-term contract signed between a subsidiary of trader VNG AG and state-owned oil and gas firm Sonatrach, the companies said.

"We are happy to strengthen our energy business partnerships with Europe through this landmark agreement with the company VNG," Sonatrach CEO said.

This makes VNG the first German company to purchase pipeline gas from Algeria, the statement added.

The statement said did not give details of the duration or the value of the contract.

#Algeria #Germany

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🇺🇸🇪🇹 US calls for investigation into alleged civilian killings in Ethiopia's Amhara region

The U.S. is calling for an investigation into an alleged massacre of civilians in Ethiopia's Amhara region, where a local rights group says more than 80 people were killed last week following clashes between soldiers and armed groups.

The U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, Ervin Massinga, said that the "U.S. government is deeply concerned" by the reports from the town of Merawi and called for "unfettered access by independent human rights monitors as well as an impartial investigation to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice."

Massinga said that the reported killings of civilians in Merawi followed "disturbing reports of other violations" in Amhara and elsewhere in Ethiopia, which is gripped by several internal conflicts.

#USA #Ethiopia

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🇳🇬🇳🇪🇲🇱🇧🇫 Nigeria's Tinubu sends delegation to Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso over their exit from ECOWAS

President Bola Tinubu has sent some of his cabinet members to the governments of Republic of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso over the trio’s recent move to exit the regional bloc ECOWAS.

Tinubu’s team, comprising the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru and his counterpart from Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar and other top government functionaries, were led by the President of ECOWAS, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray.

“Nigeria remains committed to working hand in hand with our ECOWAS counterparts to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens,” Nigeria’s defence minister said.

#Nigeria #Niger #Mali #BurkinaFaso #ECOWAS

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