Politics and society

Malawi’s Catholic bishops are unhappy with President Lazarus Chakwera as they accused his government of backtracking on its promise of change, in a critical letter released on Monday. In the letter, the bishops say Malawi is now “worse off” compared to regional neighbours who are making “meaningful progress”. “Malawians are …

Moroccan authorities issued 10 permits for farmers to legally grow cannabis for industry and export for the first time. Farmers in the northern regions of al-Hoceima, Chefchaouen and Taounate will be allowed to produce and sell cannabis for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial use, in accordance with a law passed by …

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday sexual harassment had reached alarming levels at the country’s universities, with “sex for grades” also part of corrupt practices that are being investigated by authorities. In 2019, the BBC used an undercover reporter to expose sexual harassment at two universities in Nigeria and …

Hundreds of Ugandan students are demonstrating against the European Union parliament, after it opposed an oil pipeline project with neighbouring Tanzania. EU lawmakers earlier this month passed a resolution warning of human rights abuses and the social and environmental risk posed by the project. The students are marching in the …

Five people died from Ebola in Uganda and another 19 deaths were likely caused by the disease, President Yoweri Museveni said on Wednesday. In a televised address President Museveni said that in addition to five confirmed Ebola fatalities, another 19 deaths in the community were likely due to the disease. …

Apple has removed VKontakte, Russian Facebook and all apps made by tech giant VK from App Store and announced the closure of VK Technology accounts. “In war as in war”. This is somewhat the explanation given by Apple to justify the removal of applications from the VK technology group from …

Eighteen candidates are running for the highest office in Nigeria as current President Muhammadu Buhari, 79, steps down after serving the constitutionally required two terms. The campaign for the next presidential elections began on Wednesday against a backdrop of security and economic crisis. There are two main candidates: Bola Ahmed …

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Ghana said though the country has made progress in the use of contraceptives since 1988, the rate of growth is slow, at less than one per cent a year. According to the agency, among married women, the use of modern contraceptives had increased …

Iranian government restricted Instagram and WhatsApp apps in the country, in response to protests that have been taking place since last week and which it is trying to quell. According to Internet watchdog NetBlocks, WhatsApp’s servers, a few hours after those of Instagram, were disrupted on several Internet service providers. …

An outbreak of the skin condition scabies affected about 25,000 people in an eastern district near the capital, Kampala, the BBC reported citing health authorities. Head of health services in Pallisa district, Geoffrey Mulekwa, is quoted by the BBC as saying that those affected were from fishing villages in Kasodo …