Medenine: The independent regional authority for the elections (IRIE) in Médenine began accepting applications for the election of members of the National Council of Regions and Districts. Regional director of the IRIE, Ali Zahmoul, told TAP the submission of files will continue until March 23 for the eight members of the Médenine regional council and the regional representative on the council of the fifth district. Zahmoul announced that the preliminary list of successful candidates will be published on Sunday, March 24, after the examination of the applications on Saturday, March 23. The deadline for objections will be three days, he added. Voting for the election of three of the eight members of the Medenine Regional Council to the National Council of Regions and Districts will take place at the IRIE headquarters. The election of the representative of the council of the fifth district will take place at the headquarters of the governorate of Tataouine. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse Addis Ababa: The Government of Ethiopia, in cooperation with international donors, has been distributing humanitarian aid to 6.6 million people, according to the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC). NDRMC Public Relations and Communication representative, Atalel Abohay told ENA that assistances, both in cash and in kind, have been consolidated to the victims of man-made and natural disasters. He said that food and non-food items as well as cash have been distributed in six months of the fiscal year. Accordingly, over 894,000 quintals of grain and 540.5 million Birr cash have been given to the needy. In the first and second rounds alone, the commission extended assistance to 7.3 million citizens and to 6.5 million people in the third-round. In total, Atalel stated that 15.2 billion Birr worth support has been distributed in kind and cash. The humanitarian aid was provided to inhabitants affected by natural and man-made disasters in Afar, Tigray and Amhara regions, it was learned. The r epresentative further said the Government of Ethiopia provided 894,302 quintals of grain from reserve food warehouses to fill the gap created by donor organizations. International donor organizations that had stopped providing aid have been persuaded to continue their support through diplomatic engagement, he noted. As a result, the organizations have provided 400,000 quintals aid, which covered 30 percent of the assistance, in the third-round. Atalel further stated that the commission, in collaboration with donor organizations, has continued providing assistance for 6.6 million people in the ongoing fourth-round Source: Ethiopian News Agency