China called on the United States on Wednesday to invite the World Health Organization to investigate origins of the COVID-19 outbreak there, as sparring over the pandemic continued after the WHO wrapped up its field work in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Hours after the WHO team revealed preliminary findings …
Read More »Facebook will temporarily reduce political content for some users in few countries
Facebook Inc said on Wednesday it would temporarily reduce political content appearing on New Feeds for some users in Canada, Brazil and Indonesia this week and in the United States within the coming weeks. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said in January that he wanted to “turn down the temperature” …
Read More »Senegal troops overrun rebel camps in Casamance region
On Tuesday the Senegalese army said it took three rebel “bases” in the restive southern region Casamance and recovered weapons during an offensive launched in late January after months of a lull in the long-standing conflict. Officers of the Senegalese army took the press for a rare visit to two …
Read More »Somalia expresses high hopes in election meeting
Somalia’s government spokesman Mohamed Moalimu has said a planned meeting next week will help end political uncertainty in the country. He told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the government was always ready to facilitate free and fair elections. The country missed the 8 February deadline to hold elections because of …
Read More »Somalia’s Farmajo moves to end electoral impasse
Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has called for a meeting with federal state leaders next week to resolve the impasse on how to proceed with elections. The term of President Farmajo ended on Monday after talks on the elections collapsed on 5 February. Opposition groups have said they no longer …
Read More »Uganda lifts internet and social media restrictions
The Ugandan government has announced the full restoration of internet and social media services. “We apologise for the inconveniences caused, but it was for the security of our country,” Peter Ogwang, State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, tweeted. He added: “Let’s be constructive, not destructive consumers/users of social media.” …
Read More »Tanzanian president John Magufuli will not run for a third term
The ruling party in Tanzania has dismissed growing calls from its MPs for President John Magufuli to extend his term in office. The 61-year-old president, who won elections in October, is currently serving his second and final five-year term in office. Humphrey Polepole, the CCM party’s publicity secretary, has told …
Read More »Ethiopia intends to close refugee camps in Tigray
Ethiopia plans to close two camps in the northern state of Tigray that have been caught in the fighting between the state’s formers ruling party and the federal government, according to the country’s refugee agency. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, head of the Ethiopian Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs …
Read More »Former rebel leaders appointed to Sudan’s new cabinet
On Monday, the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced a new cabinet calling on seven former rebel leaders as ministers, following a peace deal in October aimed at ending decades of war. Veteran rebel leader and economist Gibril Ibrahim, of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which played a major …
Read More »President Tshisekedi becomes the new African Union chairman
Félix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has now taken over the helm of the African Union to serve as the chairman for one-year. He replaces his south African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, following the African Union’s 34th summit on Saturday. But Tshisekedi faces big challenges this year with …
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