In the news

Niger’s Constitutional Court confirmed in a ruling pronounced on Sunday that a second round of the presidential election is to be held on February 21. The court noted that no candidate had obtained an absolute majority of votes in the first round whose annulment, partial or total cancellation claimed by …

The Nigerian military says it does not have in its custody any of the schoolgirls abducted seven years ago in the northern town of Chibok, amid reports that some of the girls had escaped from their abductors. Those who managed to escape are believed to be in Maiduguri, the capital …

The Ugandan Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Judith Nabakooba has issued arrest warnings to people spreading false information on plans to shut down the country this week. According to the the minister, the authorities were aware of a plan to cause chaos between the 3rd and 7th February. “I …

According to the authorities, at least 5,500 families in Mozambique’s central Manica province, have been stranded without access to aid after last weekend’s Cyclone Eloise. The National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) has been unable to reach them because of flooding. Manica Governor Francisca Tomás says the …

Three young Tunisian men are reported to have been sentenced to 30 years in prison for smoking cannabis at a football stadium. A spokesperson at the regional court that delivered the sentence said that it was based on three separate laws which include 10 years for drug consumers and traffickers …

South Africa’s spy agency has been accused of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on illegal undercover operations to protect former President Jacob Zuma from corruption investigations. The allegations, made by whistle-blowers at a corruption inquiry, include attempts to influence judges and newspapers. The allegations are staggering. Two whistle-blowers, and …

According to a junior British Minister, Britain cannot publish details of the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine supply contract because it would jeopardize national security, as the European Union threatened drug companies over supply delays. Scotland will publish covid-19 detailed vaccine supply data next week even though the British government has refused …

Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba has formally resigned as Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, submitting his letter to President Félix Tshisekedi. Mr Ilunga, a key ally of Mr Tshisekedi’s predecessor Joseph Kabila, had headed a coalition cabinet for 15 months. But Members of Parliament passed a vote of no …

Members of Germany’s parliament proposed legislation on Friday that would allow assisted suicide for terminally ill adults once they have received counselling. Germany’s top court last year ruled in favour of groups that help people die, saying an existing law that bans assisted suicide services breached the constitution. “Everyone who …

After the 30 days lockdown which has started on January 5, Zimbabwean authorities have extended the lockdown by another two weeks, until 15 February in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is acting health minister, made the announcement on national television: “The president …