Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of mass protests rocked the capital Khartoum. Thousands marched against a recent deal he had done to share power with the army, who staged a coup in October. Chanting “power to the people”, protesters called for a return to full civilian rule. But military forces […]
The funeral mass for South African anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has taken place at the Anglican cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who helped end the racist regime in South Africa, died last Sunday aged 90. In his eulogy, President Cyril Ramaphosa described Tutu as “the spiritual father of our […]
Coronavirus pandemic South Africa has lifted overnight curfew rules, with officials saying the country may have passed the peak of its fourth wave of Covid-19 infections. A government statement said the Omicron variant, while highly transmissible, had seen lower hospitalisation rates than previous waves. There had been a marginal increase in the number of […]
Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who won a prestigious prize this year for courageous writing, has been detained, his lawyer has confirmed. The reason for his arrest is unclear, but he has recently been scathing about President Yoweri Museveni and his son Lt-Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Twitter. He described the general as “obese” and said “the […]
By Elna Schutz Johannesburg, South Africa “So now finally, we’re on the map,” says Philip Balhoa about Lüderitz, a town in southern Namibia, where harsh desert meets pale ocean. The port town has previously benefited from diamonds and fishing booms, but now struggles with high rates of unemployment and aging infrastructure. A proposed green hydrogen […]
Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has suspended the prime minister, who is facing allegations of involvement in the theft of land. Mohamed Hussein Roble accused the president of trying to stage a coup, and said he would continue in office. He urged the security forces to take orders from him rather than Mr Farmajo. […]
South Africa is holding a week of events to mark the passing of the anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died on Sunday aged 90. The plans include two days of lying in state before an official state funeral on 1 January in Cape Town. Tributes have been pouring in from leaders around the […]
Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo say at least six people have died in a suicide bomb attack on a crowded restaurant in the eastern city of Beni. Police prevented the bomber from entering the building, but he blew himself up at the entrance killing himself and five other people. Another 13 people […]
The US is to lift travel restrictions it imposed on eight southern African nations over a new coronavirus strain. The White House said the 29 November measure, affecting South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Malawi, would be lifted by New Year’s Eve. The official said the curbs were no longer necessary amid […]
France and its 15 allies in Europe and Canada have condemned what they say is the deployment of Russian mercenaries to Mali. They said it could “further deteriorate the security situation in West Africa”, which is battling Jihadist groups. The Western nations accused the Russian government of providing material support in the deployment of mercenaries […]
