/** * Nyasa Times category archive H1 cleanup. * Removes "Category:" / "Category archives:" style headings * and replaces key category headings with SEO-friendly names. */ add_filter( 'get_the_archive_title', function( $title ) { if ( ! is_category() ) { return $title; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return $title; } $titles = array( 'news' => 'Latest Malawi News', 'national' => 'Malawi National News', 'politics' => 'Malawi Politics News', 'business' => 'Malawi Business & Economy News', 'sports' => 'Malawi Sports News', 'education' => 'Malawi Education News', 'health' => 'Malawi Health News', 'entertainment' => 'Malawi Entertainment News', 'columns' => 'Malawi Opinion & Analysis', 'religious-news' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News', 'religion' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News', ); if ( isset( $titles[ $term->slug ] ) ) { return $titles[ $term->slug ]; } return single_cat_title( '', false ); }, 99 ); /** * Remove WordPress archive prefixes. */ add_filter( 'get_the_archive_title_prefix', '__return_empty_string' ); /** * Nyasa Times AIOSEO category title overrides. */ add_filter( 'aioseo_title', function( $title ) { if ( ! is_category() ) { return $title; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return $title; } $seo_titles = array( 'news' => 'Latest Malawi News | Breaking Updates & Public Interest Stories | Nyasa Times', 'national' => 'Malawi National News | Latest Local & Public Affairs | Nyasa Times', 'politics' => 'Malawi Politics News | Government, Parliament & Elections | Nyasa Times', 'business' => 'Malawi Business News | Economy, Banking, Trade & Jobs | Nyasa Times', 'sports' => 'Malawi Sports News | Football, Netball & National Teams | Nyasa Times', 'education' => 'Malawi Education News | Schools, Universities & Exams | Nyasa Times', 'health' => 'Malawi Health News | Hospitals, Public Health & Medicine | Nyasa Times', 'entertainment' => 'Malawi Entertainment News | Music, Culture & Events | Nyasa Times', 'columns' => 'Malawi Opinion & Analysis | Columns & Commentary | Nyasa Times', 'religious-news' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News | Churches & Community | Nyasa Times', 'religion' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News | Churches & Community | Nyasa Times', ); if ( isset( $seo_titles[ $term->slug ] ) ) { return $seo_titles[ $term->slug ]; } return $title; }, 99 ); /** * Nyasa Times category meta descriptions for AIOSEO. */ add_filter( 'aioseo_description', function( $description ) { if ( ! is_category() ) { return $description; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return $description; } $descriptions = array( 'news' => 'Latest Malawi news, breaking updates, public-interest stories, community developments and national reports from Nyasa Times.', 'national' => 'Read Malawi national news, public affairs, local updates, government services and community stories from Nyasa Times.', 'politics' => 'Latest Malawi politics news, elections, Parliament, government decisions, party updates, policy debate and analysis from Nyasa Times.', 'business' => 'Read Malawi business news, economy, banking, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, jobs and market updates from Nyasa Times.', 'sports' => 'Latest Malawi sports news, football, netball, athletics, clubs, national teams and Malawian athletes at home and abroad.', 'education' => 'Malawi education news on schools, universities, exams, scholarships, teachers, students, policy updates and learning developments.', 'health' => 'Malawi health news on hospitals, public health, disease outbreaks, medicine, maternal health, children’s health and health policy.', 'entertainment' => 'Malawi entertainment news on music, culture, film, fashion, celebrities, festivals, events and creative industry updates.', 'columns' => 'Read Malawi opinion, columns, editorials and analysis on politics, governance, business, society, leadership and development.', 'religious-news' => 'Malawi religious news, church updates, faith events, Christian community stories, religious leaders and social impact coverage.', 'religion' => 'Malawi religious news, church updates, faith events, Christian community stories, religious leaders and social impact coverage.', ); if ( isset( $descriptions[ $term->slug ] ) ) { return $descriptions[ $term->slug ]; } return $description; }, 99 ); /** * Display category description before the article list * when the theme does not output it. */ add_action( 'loop_start', function( $query ) { if ( ! is_category() || ! $query->is_main_query() || is_admin() ) { return; } static $shown = false; if ( $shown ) { return; } $shown = true; $description = category_description(); if ( empty( trim( wp_strip_all_tags( $description ) ) ) ) { return; } echo '

'; echo wp_kses_post( $description ); echo '

'; } );/** * NYASA TIMES SEO + ARCHIVE FIX * */ if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) { exit; } /** * ------------------------------------------------------- * 1. CATEGORY CONFIGURATION * ------------------------------------------------------- */ function nyasa_category_seo_data() { return array( 'news' => array( 'h1' => 'Latest Malawi News', 'title' => 'Latest Malawi News | Breaking Updates & Public Interest Stories | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Latest Malawi news, breaking updates, public-interest stories, community developments and national reports from Nyasa Times.', ), 'national' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi National News', 'title' => 'Malawi National News | Latest Local & Public Affairs | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Read Malawi national news, public affairs, local updates, government services and community stories from Nyasa Times.', ), 'politics' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Politics News', 'title' => 'Malawi Politics News | Government, Parliament & Elections | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Latest Malawi politics news, elections, Parliament, government decisions, party updates, policy debate and analysis from Nyasa Times.', ), 'business' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Business & Economy News', 'title' => 'Malawi Business News | Economy, Banking & Markets | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Read Malawi business news, economy, banking, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, jobs and market updates from Nyasa Times.', ), 'sports' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Sports News', 'title' => 'Malawi Sports News | Football, Netball & National Teams | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Latest Malawi sports news, football, netball, athletics, clubs, national teams and Malawian athletes at home and abroad.', ), 'education' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Education News', 'title' => 'Malawi Education News | Schools, Universities & Exams | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Malawi education news on schools, universities, exams, scholarships, teachers, students, policy updates and learning developments.', ), 'health' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Health News', 'title' => 'Malawi Health News | Healthcare & Public Health | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Malawi health news on hospitals, public health, disease outbreaks, medicine, maternal health, children’s health and health policy.', ), 'entertainment' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Entertainment News', 'title' => 'Malawi Entertainment News | Music, Culture & Celebrities | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Malawi entertainment news on music, culture, film, fashion, celebrities, festivals, events and creative industry updates.', ), 'columns' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Opinion & Analysis', 'title' => 'Malawi Opinion & Analysis | Columns & Commentary | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Read Malawi opinion, columns, editorials and analysis on politics, governance, business, society, leadership and development.', ), 'religious-news' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News', 'title' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News | Churches & Community | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Malawi religious news, church updates, faith events, Christian community stories, religious leaders and social impact coverage.', ), 'religion' => array( 'h1' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News', 'title' => 'Malawi Religion & Faith News | Churches & Community | Nyasa Times', 'desc' => 'Malawi religious news, church updates, faith events, Christian community stories, religious leaders and social impact coverage.', ), ); } /** * ------------------------------------------------------- * 2. FIX VISIBLE CATEGORY H1 * ------------------------------------------------------- * * Converts: * Category archives: Latest Malawi News * * Into: * Latest Malawi News */ add_filter( 'get_the_archive_title', function ( $title, $original_title = '', $prefix = '' ) { if ( ! is_category() ) { return $title; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return $title; } $data = nyasa_category_seo_data(); if ( isset( $data[ $term->slug ]['h1'] ) ) { return esc_html( $data[ $term->slug ]['h1'] ); } return single_cat_title( '', false ); }, 999, 3 ); /** * Remove WordPress archive prefixes. */ add_filter( 'get_the_archive_title_prefix', '__return_empty_string', 999 ); /** * ------------------------------------------------------- * 3. FIX AIOSEO CATEGORY TITLES * ------------------------------------------------------- * * Prevents titles such as: * "Malawi Latest Malawi News News..." */ add_filter( 'aioseo_title', function ( $title ) { /* * Category titles */ if ( is_category() ) { $term = get_queried_object(); if ( $term && ! empty( $term->slug ) ) { $data = nyasa_category_seo_data(); if ( isset( $data[ $term->slug ]['title'] ) ) { return $data[ $term->slug ]['title']; } } } /* * Article titles * * Converts: * Article headline - Featured News Malawi | Nyasa Times * * Into: * Article headline | Nyasa Times */ if ( is_singular( 'post' ) ) { return wp_strip_all_tags( get_the_title() ) . ' | Nyasa Times'; } return $title; }, 999 ); /** * ------------------------------------------------------- * 4. FIX AIOSEO CATEGORY META DESCRIPTIONS * ------------------------------------------------------- */ add_filter( 'aioseo_description', function ( $description ) { if ( ! is_category() ) { return $description; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return $description; } $data = nyasa_category_seo_data(); if ( isset( $data[ $term->slug ]['desc'] ) ) { return $data[ $term->slug ]['desc']; } return $description; }, 999 ); /** * ------------------------------------------------------- * 5. DISPLAY CATEGORY DESCRIPTION * ------------------------------------------------------- * * Shows the short SEO introduction above the article list. */ add_action( 'loop_start', function ( $query ) { if ( is_admin() || ! is_category() || ! $query->is_main_query() ) { return; } static $nyasa_description_shown = false; if ( $nyasa_description_shown ) { return; } $term = get_queried_object(); if ( ! $term || empty( $term->slug ) ) { return; } $data = nyasa_category_seo_data(); if ( ! isset( $data[ $term->slug ]['desc'] ) ) { return; } $nyasa_description_shown = true; echo '

'; echo '

'; echo esc_html( $data[ $term->slug ]['desc'] ); echo '

'; echo '

'; }, 5 );

Malawi Catholic Church suspends some rites amid Covid-19

February 6, 2021 Quentin Mzumara – Nyasa Times 2 Comments

Malawi Catholic bishops have suspended public memorial masses and tombstone unveiling as one of the preventive measures against Covid-19 pandemic.

Malawi Catholic Bishops discourage overnight religious singing and gatherings s

The bishops have issued a number of measures contained in their statement released on Friday. The statement comes at the end of their first plenary for this year.

The bishops have also suspended public and traditional celebrations of Initiation Rites.

They further discourage overnight religious singing and gatherings such as those done during funerals.

The bishops’ have also guided that every diocese should have a Covid 19 isolation and treatment centre where the clergy will go and have Covid 19 test and receive care and treatment.

The bishops also warn priests to stop avoiding their colleagues who test positive to Covid-19.

“The priests and the Religious shall refrain from showing any signs of discrimination and stigmatization of any confrere suspected of Covid-19,” reads the statement signed by all the six bishops and two diocesan administrators for Lilongwe and Dedza led by president of the Episcopal Conference Malawi Archbishop Thomas Msusa.

The bishops also caution priests to avoid living careless lives so that they do not get infected and affect others.

Reads the statement: “The priests and the Religious shall strictly adhere to Covid-19 preventive measures to protect themselves and others, any form of careless and selfish behaviour capable of spreading the virus must stop forthwith.”

According to the statement, priests and the Religious with underlying health conditions shall be identified and isolated from active communities.

The elderly are also dispensed from the obligation of attending Sunday mass.

The ECM wants to see churches and all places of worship and microphones disinfected after every period of use.

The church calls on the Catholics to pray to God for intervention to bring an end to the pandemic.

The measures are in addition to the previous ones given by the bishops through their statements issued on April 16 and May 8, 2020

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