Prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday, after being tried on charges of spreading fake news, Reuters agency reports. Two other persons including blogger Mohamed Ibrahim and lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer, who faced the same charges, were sentenced to four years. Abdel Fattah’s …
Read More »Central African Republic: United States sanctions militia leader Ali Darassa
The U.S. government on Friday has imposed sanctions on Ali Darassa, the leader of the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), whose forces are accused of murder, torture, rape and kidnapping. The United States, the United Nations and human rights groups have accused UPC fighters of killing …
Read More »Omicron variant: Dr Fauci predicts “difficult moments to come”
The head of the United States Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAID), Anthony Fauci, warned on Sunday that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was “rampant” across the world and called for vaccination. “This virus is extraordinary, all over the world the number of cases is doubling every two or three …
Read More »Sudan: heavy toll after Sunday’s protests
A man has been shot dead and many others wounded in Sunday’s protests against Sudan’s military leaders in the capital Khartoum and other cities, medics aligned with the protest movement said on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum on Sunday to …
Read More »Ethiopia: military recaptured religious town of Lalibela
Federal troops in Ethiopia have recaptured the historic city of Lalibela, famed for its rock churches, state media reported on Sunday, showing pictures of the deputy prime minister visiting the site. It was unclear when government forces recaptured the town, which has spiritual significance for millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians …
Read More »South Africa: president Ramaphosa resumes work after self-isolation
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has returned to work on Monday, a week after testing positive for COVID-19, his office said. President Ramaphos tested positive for COVID-19 on December 12 and received treatment for mild symptoms. “The President has returned to duty and will chair the final cabinet meeting for …
Read More »UN orders investigation into human rights violations in Ethiopia
The United Nations Human Rights Council has ordered an international investigation into human rights violations and further atrocities in the Ethiopian Tigray region. The Friday session, which was requested by the European Union, said violations committed during more than a year of conflict might amount to war crimes. A 100-page …
Read More »COVID-19: South Africa to donate vaccines to other African countries
South African government said it is donating nearly two million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine to other African countries through African Vaccination Acquisition Trust (AVAT), to curb the spread of the virus. According to president Cyril Ramaphosa, the donation is a sign of solidarity to other African countries. “This …
Read More »Mozambique: islamist militants suspected of beheading a pastor
Islamist militants are blamed of beheading a church leader in the Macomia district of the gas-rich northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, local media reported. Last Wednesday, a resident of Nova Zambézia village went to the district police command, carrying a bag that contained a human head belonging to her …
Read More »South Africa: good news on the Omicron variant
Fewer people infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus appear to die or require hospital treatment than in earlier waves of the disease, South African health officials as confirmed. The South African health Minister Joe Phaahla said the data did not mean that Omicron was less virulent, but rather that …
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