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Somalia Bans TikTok, Telegram
Somalia Sunday banned the popular social media apps TikTok and Telegram, as well as the online betting website 1XBet, in an effort to curb the spread of indecent content and propaganda.
The ban was announced by the country’s communications minister, Jama Hassan Khalif, in a statement on Sunday. Khalif said that the apps had been used by “terrorists and immoral groups” to spread “constant horrific images and misinformation to the public.”
The decision comes days after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that a military offensive against the al-Shabab terrorist group would be launched in the next five months. Al-Shabab is known to use social media platforms to recruit and radicalize young people.
TikTok, Telegram, and 1XBet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The ban is scheduled to go into effect on August 24. Internet service providers have been ordered to comply with the order.
TikTok has been banned in some countries, including the United States, over concerns about its data collection practices and alleged ties to the Chinese government. Kenya’s national assembly is currently debating whether to ban TikTok.
Ghanaian wins 2023’s BBC Komla Dumor Award
Paa Kwesi Asare, a Ghanaian TV presenter and journalist, has been named the winner of the 2023 BBC News Komla Dumor Award.
The 36-year-old is the first Ghanaian to win the award, which is named after Komla Dumor, a Ghanaian journalist who died in 2014. The award is given to an outstanding African journalist who is under the age of 35 and has the potential to become a star of the future.
Asare is currently the head of business news at Ghana’s private TV3 channel. He has worked there for seven years and is one of its main news anchors. He is also a regular contributor to BBC World Service radio.
Asare will receive a three-month placement at BBC News in London, where he will work with teams across TV, radio, and online. He will also receive training and mentoring from leading BBC journalists. As part of his placement, he will travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.
Asare said he was “elated” to win the award and that it was “a watershed moment in my career.” He added that he was a “great admirer” of Komla Dumor and that it was an honor to be associated with his legacy.
The other previous winners of the BBC News Komla Dumor Award are Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya, Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira.
Niger’s coup leader promises to return to civilian rule, but Ecowas rejects the timeframe
Niger’s coup leader, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, has promised to return the West African nation to civilian rule within three years. However, the West African regional bloc Ecowas has rejected this timeframe, saying it is too long.
Ecowas has threatened military action to reverse last month’s overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum if talks fail. The bloc has imposed sanctions on Niger, including cutting off electricity and blocking crucial imports.
In a televised address on Saturday, Gen. Tchiani said that Niger did not want a war but would defend itself against any foreign intervention. He also reiterated criticism of the sanctions, calling them “illegal and inhumane.”
Thousands of men came to a stadium in Niamey on Saturday to register for a volunteer force in case of invasion. However, the registration process was prevented from starting due to overcrowding.
Ecowas commissioner for political affairs, peace and security Abdel-Fatau Musah said that the bloc is “not accepting any prolonged transition again in the region.” He added that the military option is “very much on” and that Niger should “hand over in the shortest possible time.”
The standoff between the coup leaders and Ecowas is a major challenge to regional stability. Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa that is bordered by Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, and Chad. It is a major transit point for goods and people between North and West Africa.
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