Meme coins surge, led by Dogwifhat and newcomer Smog, as Bitcoin and altcoins rally. The market capitalisation of meme coins has soared by 15% in the last 24 hours alone, reaching $46bn. Leading the rally is Dogwifhat, with a 46% increase in the past 24 hours, reflecting sustained interest in Solana meme coins and signalling potential momentum for Smog. PepeSol, another newcomer, has seen an extraordinary surge of 1,075%, indicating the growing popularity of Solana-based meme coins. The surge in meme coins is part of a broader altcoin season, where the market follows Bitcoin’s lead, aiming to catch up with its rapid ascent.

Gori Olusina Daniel, Managing Partner at AP3 Advisory, spoke to ESI Africa at Africa’s Green Economy Summit about the ongoing projects and conversations taking place to drive funding commitments for green projects in Africa. He talks about how the professional services firm is approaching implementation finance in Africa. Find out more about AP3 Advisory.

March 07, 2024 08:03 am | Updated 08:03 am IST - ParisIranian authorities are subjecting women to widespread surveillance to enforce the obligatory headscarf, even inside cars, and then imposing punishments including the confiscation of vehicles, Amnesty International said on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. Amnesty said in a report, based on testimony from over 40 women inside Iran published ahead of the March 8 International Women’s Day, that women were being targeted with “widespread surveillance” in public spaces and “mass police checks” targeting women drivers. “In a sinister attempt to wear down resistance to compulsory veiling... Iran’s authorities are terrorising women and girls by subjecting them to constant surveillance and policing,” said Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty’s deputy director for the West Asia and North Africa, denouncing “draconian tactics”. Access to transport, airports and banking services is regularly denied and made conditional upon women wearing a headscarf, Amnesty said. Those defying the rule face prosecution and in January 2024 a flogging sentence of 74 lashes was implemented against a young woman, Roya Heshmati, for appearing unveiled in public.

Canon Europe (www.Canon-Europe.com) today announces, ‘World Unseen’, with a photography exhibition that invites visitors – blind, partially sighted and sighted – to experience photography in a new, accessible and immersive way. The exhibition will be held at Somerset House, London between 5-7 April, in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Designed with the experience of blind and partially sighted people in mind, the exhibition will feature a series of photographs taken by world-renowned photographers. Sighted people too will gain a better appreciation of the partially sighted experience. This exhibition was created with blind and partially sighted people in mind to share imagery and the stories behind them in an entirely new way.

OneIndia.com announced its strategic expansion into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with the launch of OneArabia.me. The bilingual platform will be available in both Arabic and English. It is designed to cater to the cultural and interest-based needs of readers in the MENA region. The digital platform aims to bridge gaps and foster cultural exchange by providing a space for diverse voices, perspectives, and stories from across the region, encouraging dialogue and meaningful engagement. The firm will implement a strategy to introduce platform to the MENA audience.

Despite a weakening monthly export trend out of Africa's five biggest LNG exporters -- Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya and Nigeria – sources and analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights still remain optimistic for the 'big five's' outlook. Register NowCombined LNG exports in February stood at 2.67 million mt, down from 3 million mt in January, according to data from S&P Global Commodity Insights. "There are opportunities on further extension of SPAs and even inking more long-term SPAs, despite the ongoing force majeure in Nigeria LNG," said an Atlantic-based market source. Egypt saw a sharp decrease year on year, between 2022 to 2023, with around a 53% decrease of LNG exports. Platts, part of S&P Global, assessed the East Mediterranean marker for April LNG at $8.555/MMBtu on March 5.

LONDON AND ABU DHABI – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today announced that The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 will feature the 17-time NBA champion Boston Celtics and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets playing two preseason games on Friday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 6 in Abu Dhabi. The Celtics currently feature five-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, three-time NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown, 2021 NBA champion Jrue Holiday and 2018 NBA All-Star Kristaps Porziņģis. Holiday participated in the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games in 2022 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that features preseason NBA Global Games, the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event. NBA games have aired in the UAE since the 1987-88 season.

Algeria’s Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab will speak at the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 conference – taking place November 4–8 in Cape Town. AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. During the upcoming AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024 conference, the Minister is expected to highlight further initiatives aimed at developing Algeria’s energy infrastructure. To find out more about how you can participate at AEW: Invest in African Energy, please visit www.AECWeek.com. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

The recent Annual Women in Engineering, infrastructure and Innovation Conference, held under the theme Develop, Unite and Empower brought together South African industry professional, academics and future engineers for the third year running. Issaka made a powerful point: “If you want an environment that fosters women, then the environment needs to empower women.”Speakers at the recent Annual Women in Engineering, infrastructure and Innovation Conference. Another central focus of the conference was a panel discussion moderated by Raksha Naidoo, chair of Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA). • Tshegofatso Sibambato, a civil engineer at Zutari, who discussed the barriers to entry for women in STEM and presented a case study on how organisations are empowering women in this field. • Phindi Mthambama, Africa brewing and quality director at AB-InBev, who addressed unconscious bias in the workplace and the challenges facing women in engineering.

Turaco Gold has entered into an option agreement with Fortuna Silver Mines over the five exploration permits that comprise the Tongon North Project in northern Cote d’Ivoire. Fortuna is a leading West African gold producer listed on the TSX and NYSE with a market capitalisation of ~C$1.2 billion. READ MORE ARTICLES ABOUT GOLDTo exercise the Option, Fortuna must spend a minimum of US$3.5 million on the Tongon North Project area within 3 years (with minimum annual expenditure of US$0.5 million). Fortuna must spend a minimum of US$1.25 million on the Tongon North Project area before allowing the Option to lapse. Managing Director, Justin Tremain commented:“The granting of an option over the Tongon North Project to Fortuna is consistent with Turaco’s steadfast commitment and focus on the Afema Gold Project in southeast Cote d’Ivoire.

The effects of the Gaza war are spilling over into countries across the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. This ECFR mapping project sets out the domestic and regional dynamics driving these interconnected conflicts – including the underlying confrontation between Iran and its allies against the United States and Israel. The Gaza Crisis identifies key hotspots and potential triggers of further escalation. It suggests ways for European policymakers to calm tensions and prevent deeper regional conflict.

Somalia has finished the process of becoming a fully-fledged member of the East African Community (EAC) after it has ratified the accession treaty to an economic bloc that has some of Africa’s rapidly growing economies. Somalia joined Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan, as part of the exclusive East African Bloc. “Somalia now has the green light to contribute to the development of a roadmap for her integration into the EAC,” the EAC Secretariat-General said. “We will in the course of the upcoming weeks be bringing Somalia up to speed on the state of the EAC integration process, in all the pillars of regional integration,” Mathuki addded. “We recognize the importance of adding value to the Community, enhancing collaboration with our neighbors and promoting regional economic and social development through increased trade, bilateral agreements and joint programs and projects,” the Somali minister said.

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis, has designated Morocco’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, to co-facilitate the UN negotiation process relating to the modalities and the Political Declaration of the World Social Summit dubbed “Second World Summit for Social Development” which will take place in 2025. Hilale will conduct this processus alongside the Ambassador of Belgium to the United Nations. The choice made for the Kingdom is a tribute to the royal care and commitment to achieve social justice and social development and to preserve the dignity of Moroccan citizens. This important process will be marked by transparent and inclusive consultations with all UN Member States, social partners, and civil society. The 2025 Social Summit will take place 30 years after the historic first World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, during which Heads of State and Government defined an ambitious shared vision for social development aimed at social justice, solidarity, harmony, and equality within and between countries.

TVMonaco, the state-owned public broadcaster of the Principality of Monaco, signed a multi-year agreement with SES to launch and distribute its new HD channel to millions of homes across Europe from SES’s prime TV neighbourhood at 19.2 degrees East as well as to Middle East and North Africa from MonacoSat-1 at 52 degrees East. The channel is designed to be a global broadcast platform with news and information promoting tourism and innovations in Monaco as well as to showcase Monégasque culture. As a leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates the world’s only geosynchronous orbit and medium earth orbit (GEO-MEO) constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance. SES’s video network carries over 6,400 channels, reaching 363 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG).

The blow is far from painless. It strikes at the very heart of the country, by depriving it of one of its main resources, and for an indeterminate length of time. Understand Africa's tomorrow... today Get full access to The Africa Report Subscribe Now Already registered?