[East African] Rwanda becomes the first regional country to issue a complete ban on all single-use plastics and retailers have three months to clear their stocks and find alternatives, while industrial users and producers of single-use plastics have a two-year deadline.

[Daily Maverick] Just after publishing the wrong version of the Integrated Resource Plan, and with Eskom being forced to admit that more than a third of its infrastructure is broken and cannot be relied on to generate electricity on demand, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe denied South Africa has an energy crisis. 'We have no energy crisis, South Africa has an energy problem that will turn into a disaster if not attended,' said the minister on the sidelines of the media briefing to announce the IRP.

[The Herald] Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) president Ms Linda Masarira-Kaingidza yesterday joined the anti-sanctions drive and pledged to mobilise communities and fellow citizens against the illegal embargo ahead of the Sadc-initiated solidarity day this Friday.

[East African] Human Rights Watch and Uganda media stakeholders have accused communications sector regulator--Uganda Communication's Commission--of harassing the media.

[East African] A meeting between Uganda and Rwanda that should have taken place on Thursday as a follow up to the September 16 one in Kigali to ease tension between the neighbouring countries did not take place.

[Leadership] The World Bank has approved Nigeria's request for a $3billion loan for the expansion of the transmission and distribution networks in the power sector.

[Nation] Ahead of the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi on October 23-24, Russia's ambassador to Kenya, Dmitri Maksimychev, spoke to Aggrey Mutambo on a range of issues

[Nation] A parliamentary committee has warned that the government risks not getting value for the Sh120 billion invested in the construction of eight dams across the country.

[Premium Times] The Nigerian government has restated its stance to punish purveyors of fake news and hate speech.

[Premium Times] The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF) «supports» Nigeria's closure of its land borders because it understands the action is not punitive.

[Premium Times] The Federal Government has directed the telecom firm, MTN, to suspend its plan to impose a new charge on customers who use its short codes to access banking services.

[The Conversation Africa] President Paul Biya convened a national dialogue last month to address the conflict between his government and the people in Cameroon's English-speaking regions in the North West and South West. At the heart of the conflict in which 3000 have been killed are grievances over marginalisation and the imposition of French language and administration.

[The Conversation Africa] The theme for World Health Day in 1995 was «Target 2000 -- A World Without Polio». I delivered a lecture titled «Polio Eradication Race: Will Nigeria Finish Last?» to mark the occasion. Finishing last seemed likely because in the 1990s Nigeria's routine immunisation rates were in the 30%-40% range for all vaccine preventable diseases. Countries in Southern and East Africa that had eradicated polio had coverage in the 80%-90% range.

[East African] The Rwandan Cabinet has approved an agreement with Russia to advance the use of nuclear energy for «peaceful purposes,» a move that is expected to bolster relations between the two countries and advance the latter's interests in the region.

[SNA] New York -Kuwait reiterated its firm position on supporting Sudan, its unity, sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity, stressing that the new Sudan needs the support of all.

[L'Express] With the announcement of the dissolution of parliament and the date of the general election, Weekly speaks to Jocelyn Chan Low, historian and political observer. He talks about the possible implications of a short electoral campaign, the impact of the proposed pension increase in the face of a looming global financial crisis, and gives his assessment of the economic situation in the country.

[SNA] Juba -The delegations of the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdul-Aziz Al-Helu signed Friday a negotiating road-map agreement at the negotiation premises, Juba, at the Bemid Hotel.

[Ghana Govt.] President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said climate change remains the biggest threat to the realisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially in Africa.

[IPS] Bamako, Mali/Cotonou, Benin -Abdoulaye Maiga proudly displays an album showing photos of him and his family during happier times when they all lived together in their home in northern Mali. Today, these memories seem distant and painful.

[International Justice Monitor] The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has asked the Appeals Chamber at the court based in The Hague to overturn the acquittal of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo and declare a mistrial.

[IMF] End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF's Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF's Executive Board for discussion and decision.

[ANGOP] Cuito -The head of State, Joao Lourenço reopened this Friday Joaquim Kapango airport after 24 months of rehabilitation, modernization and equipment, in Cuito city, central Bié province.

[RSF] Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Journalist in Danger (JED), its partner organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo, gave a joint press conference in Kinshasa today at which they called on the DRC's new government to prioritize two major reforms in order to keep its promise to improve press freedom.

[allAfrica] Atlanta -Based on remarks as closing speaker at the Congolese Diaspora Impact Summit in New York in September 2019.

[VOA] Heavy rains and floods this week have left at least 100,000 people homeless on both sides of the border between northern Cameroon and Chad.  It's the worst flooding in the area since 2012. the military is working to evacuate those stranded by floodwaters in Kaikai.

[allAfrica] Cape Town -Unofficial results in Mozambique's elections point to sweeping victories for the ruling Frelimo party and President Filipe Nyusi, prompting some analysts to question the credibility of the polls, reports Associated Press, carried on Voice of America.

[ANGOP] Luanda -The minister of Transport, Ricardo de Abreu, announced last Wednesday, in Luanda, that studies for the conception of Luanda's surface railway transportation are concluded.

[Rwanda Govt] Thursday, 17 October 2019 - President Paul Kagame is presiding over the swearing-in of the third Senate mandate following their election in September. The new 20 senators are joining six senators from the second mandate due to conclude next year.

[VOA] Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council recently ordered the closure of the country's borders with the Central African Republic and Libya, citing security concerns. The order has been gradually implemented in the last three weeks.

[allAfrica] Cape Town -Nicholas Ninow has been handed down a life sentence by Judge Mokhine Mosopa in the North Gauteng High Court for the 2018 rape of a seven-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Pretoria, TimesLive reports. The convicted rapist also received a five-year sentence for posession of drugs and five more for defeating the ends of justice. The two terms will run concurrently.

[allAfrica] Johannesburg -Commemorating World Poverty Eradication day presents an opportune moment to reflect on the status of Africa's journey of development as a means for the continent to step out of poverty, and take its place as a global superpower. It must be celebrated the fact that Africa has achieved positive strides in reducing poverty and accomplishing the aspirations set out in Agenda 2063.

[Thomson Reuters Foundation] London -The governing body of world athletics on Wednesday welcomed a landmark study showing high testosterone helped women run better, saying it justified their decision to bar Olympic champion Caster Semenya from key races.

[Mozambique Political Process Bulletin] Frelimo and its presidential candidate Filipe Nyusi appear to be on course for victory. Severe restrictions on observation and the failure to post polling station results in places where the opposition is expected to win make it impossible to forecast percentages. But partial and initial reports give Frelimo a large margin. In three key provinces for the opposition - Nampula, Tete and Zambezia - available results are not sufficient to predict. In Sofala, it appears that MDM and Renamo will split the opposi

[New Times] On October 14, a four-day campaign for National Integrated Maternal and Child Health was launched by the Ministry of Health in Karongi District but will be rolled out in every district.

[The New Humanitarian] London -Based on a new report entitled «Returning to Stability: refugee returns in the Great Lakes region.»