[allAfrica]

[GroundUp] Phasing out the national Public Transport Network Grant by 2027/28 threatens the sustainability and expansion of MyCiTi buses, the City says

[GroundUp] The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority will refer suspected pollution for testing

[Premium Times] The court held that the EFCC failed to prove the OPL 245 related charges beyond reasonable doubt.

[Premium Times] The bill seeks to transfer renewable energy functions from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Rural Electrification Agency and Rural Electrification Fund to a proposed National Authority for Renewable Energy.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for a new science and technology centre at SIMAD University in the capital, aimed at advancing higher education, research and students' technical skills.

[Premium Times] NAFDAC had announced a seizure of counterfeit products worth more than N2 billion and arrested two suspects during a raid on the trade fair complex.

[Liberian Investigator] MONROVIA -- President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is expected to officially open the Liberia International Mining and Energy Conference and Expo on Oct. 28, as the government positions the country's mining and energy sectors to attract approximately US$3 billion in projected new investments.

[Leadership] The federal government has flagged off five interconnected mini-grid projects with a combined capacity of 17.7 megawatts in Oyo State, even as the minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, ruled out any plan to increase electricity tariffs.

[New Times] Salary increases and the creation of new positions are among the reforms introduced in the administrative cell structure to improve staff welfare and speed up service delivery to citizens, according to the Ministry of Local Government.

[Daily Trust] Many people sustained injuries while buildings got damaged in an explosion involving a gas pipeline in Aleto community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Thursday.

[Daily Maverick] Isuzu's R380,000 diesel bill for a single day after a Gqeberha power outage highlights how failing electricity infrastructure threatens Nelson Mandela Bay's manufacturers, jobs and investment.

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- Ethiopia is seeking increased investment and stronger public-private partnerships to expand renewable energy use and support agricultural productivity, business growth and improved livelihoods.

[The Conversation Africa] Completing value-added tax (VAT) returns takes time, and waiting for a refund can tie up money a business needs to pay suppliers or invest.

[Namibian] Namibia is on the verge of a major offshore oil and gas boom. The Namibia Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, held in Windhoek from 18 to 20 August, highlighted the sector's growing importance.

[Namibian] Finance minister Ericah Shafudah has said implementing the budget is the most "problematic" phase of the budget cycle.

[Namibian] Namibia and Angola are expected to discuss trade and investment, cross-border infrastructure, energy, water and security cooperation when president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah meets her Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, in Luanda next week.

[Leadership] A human rights group, Defenders of Nigerian Citizens (DNC), has urged the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission (PSC) to comply with court orders on the reinstatement of 455 senior police officers who were compulsorily retired from service.

[Premium Times] "When you are going through a crisis, it forces you to be creative," Mr Cardoso said.

[Daily Trust] The Zamfara State Government has graduated 300 indigenes trained under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), with each beneficiary receiving a starter pack to establish a business.

[UCT] The University of Cape Town (UCT) has secured US$1.6 million (approximately R26.4 million) from Google.org to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform that could help doctors make safer, more effective treatment decisions for African patients by mapping genetic variants that affect how their bodies process medicines.

[Premium Times] The communities noted that the petition was not intended to prejudge the outcome of ongoing investogations or to attribute liability, but was made in the public interest and on behalf of residents who may have been affected by the crash and its aftermath.

[AIM] Marracuene -- The Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, has challenged those responsible for the restructuring process of the publicly-owned company Air Mozambique (formerly known as Mozambique Airlines, LAM) to present concrete solutions, with defined timelines and verifiable results, aimed at improving the company's operational performance and financial sustainability.

[Ghanaian Times] The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has called for a fundamental change in the African mindset, saying the continent cannot continue to "grow from the future to pay for the past".

[Vanguard] The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has suspended its three-day warning strike and directed members to resume duty on Thursday.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Matatu operators have announced immediate fare increases following a sharp rise in fuel prices, setting the stage for higher transport costs for commuters across the country.

[Independent (Kampala)] Kampala -- Uganda and Kenya have agreed to remove remaining barriers that restrict the free movement of goods between the two countries, reaffirming their commitment to the East African Community Common Market as officials concluded a joint meeting in Kampala on Monday.

[Nile Post] Farmers in Nebbi District have received agricultural equipment and other inputs under the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project, a government initiative aimed at improving productivity and strengthening resilience to climate change.

[This Day] Bangkok -- The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the continent's leading infrastructure solutions provider, yesterday announced the appointment of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso as Chairman of its Board of Directors. He succeeds the immediate-past Chair, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu, who served the Corporation meritoriously during her tenure and continues to serve as a board member.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has urged Kenyan businesses to increase local production and expand into regional markets to create jobs and reduce reliance on imports.