Africa

Authorities in Rwanda have announced new measures including the suspension of flights to and from southern African countries in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. All those attending gatherings like weddings and funerals must be fully vaccinated, the government says. Following the government directives on travel, the …

Zambian authorities have announced that they have taken decisions to prevent all citizens who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus pandemic from accessing administrative buildings. All civil servants should be able to show a proof of vaccination before being admitted to work, although this will be done in consultation …

Governor of the Sudanese capital has appointed Michael Lado Allajabu as the new mayor of Juba, after Kalisto Lado Faustino has been fired the previous week. Mayor Allajabu’s welcoming ceremony was attended by Mr Faustino who said that even though he was not invited, he wanted to demonstrate how leadership …

The South African health minister Joe Phaahla has expressed his disappointment at the decision of some countries to suspend all flights from the country as a new variant of the coronavirus has been detected. Mr Phaahla on Friday says the introduction of travel restrictions by a number of countries against …

The Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed has been seen in a rural location wearing a military uniform, after saying days ago that he would head to the frontline to direct the conflict In a warning to news outlets and social media users, the Ethiopian government has banned the reporting of …

Tens of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets of the capital, Khartoum and other cities on Thursday, to protest the deal between military leaders and civilian prime minister Abdalla Hamdok. Prominent political parties and Sudan’s powerful protest movement have opposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s decision on Sunday to sign …

The World Health Organization (WHO) is due to hold a special meeting on Friday to consider the significance of a rapidly spreading new coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa. Experts in Geneva will decide whether the B.1.1.529 variant should be designated a variant of concern. A senior WHO official said …

British authorities have suspended all flights from South Africa and five other countries in the region in response to the discovery of a highly transmissible new coronavirus variant. From midday GMT on Friday, direct flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini will be suspended until further notice. …

The UN said several days of inter-communal fighting in the Sudanese region of Darfur have left at least 43 people dead and thousands displaced, BBC News reports. The conflict broke out last week between Arab nomadic herders and farmers from the Misseriya Jebel tribe in Jebel Moon in West Darfur. …

Scientists in South Africa have detected a new COVID-19 variant and are working to understand its potential implications, they said on Thursday. The variant called B.1.1.529 has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more …