In the news

The Catholic Church in Kenya has voiced its support for the Covid-19 vaccine after the country received more than a million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The church also dismissed an advisory issued by a group of Catholic doctors in the country, who had termed Covid-19 vaccinations as unnecessary. “Pope …

Rwandan YouTuber Yvonne Idamange Iryamugwiza has been arraigned in court in the capital Kigali on six charges including insurrection and incitement to public disorder. She is accused of “spreading rumours using technology”, “contempt for genocide memorials”, “obstruction of the implementation of government policies” and “using counterfeit bank checks” among other …

Algeria is preparing a law which would strip the nationality of its citizens who join, finance or glorify a terrorist organisation abroad. The justice minister outlined the proposed changes during a cabinet meeting, reports the state-run news agency APS. “The new law would remain compatible with international conventions and guarantee …

The European Union is planning to extend its export authorisation scheme for COVID-19 vaccines to the end of June, two EU sources told Reuters on Thursday, in a move that could reignite tensions with countries who rely on shots made in the EU. The mechanism was set up at the …

According to authorities in South Sudan, a partial lockdown brought in to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, will remain in place for another month. Schools and universities will remain closed, while social gatherings including religious and sporting events remain banned. According to Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, the head of …

After dismissing allegations of irregularities, Ghana’s Supreme Court has upheld Nana Akufo-Addo’s victory in the December presidential election. Opposition candidate, and former President John Mahama, had filed a petition asking the court to annul the results of the elections and order a rerun because of alleged irregularities. But the court …

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who has retired to a Vatican monastery since his resignation, finds the trip to Iraq of his successor, Pope Francis, dangerous. “I think this is a very important trip. He comes unfortunately at a very difficult time which also makes his trip dangerous: for security reasons …

International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least 20 African migrants died after smugglers threw them overboard off the coast of Djibouti. The UN agency says at least 80 people were thrown off the vessel after the traffickers realised it was overloaded. According to IOM, their boat had been carrying …

Egypt on Thursday expanded its coronavirus vaccination rollout to include the elderly and people with chronic diseases after several weeks of vaccinating medical staff, the cabinet said. The Arab world’s most populous country with more than 100 million, has prepared 40 vaccination centres and plans to increase that number after …

Police have seized thousands of counterfeit coronavirus vaccines in South Africa and China and have made more than 80 arrests after a criminal network selling fake jabs was uncovered, Interpol said on Wednesday. In South Africa, police officers found 400 ampoules of fake vaccines, equivalent to around 2,400 doses, at …