Tigray crisis Ethiopian troops have recaptured the historic town of Lalibela from Tigrayan rebels, the government has said. This is the latest victory claimed by the government since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed went to the front lines last week to lead the fight-back. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) said it had made a […]
Coronavirus pandemic South Africa’s president has condemned travel bans enacted against his country and its neighbours over the new coronavirus variant Omicron. Cyril Ramaphosa said he was “deeply disappointed” by the action, which he described as unjustified, and called for the bans to be urgently lifted. The UK, EU and US are among those who […]
Coronavirus pandemic South Africa has complained it is being punished – instead of applauded – for discovering Omicron, a concerning new variant of Covid-19. The foreign ministry made the statement as countries around the world restricted travel from southern Africa as details of the spread emerged. Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher re-infection […]
By Andrew Harding Africa correspondent, BBC News, South Africa Coronavirus pandemic South Africans have responded sharply to the news that the UK, and a growing list of other countries, have reacted to the emergence of a new Covid variant with red-listings and travel bans. While there is genuine pride here in the country’s scientific […]
Coronavirus pandemic The US will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other southern African countries to try to contain a new coronavirus variant spreading there. From Monday, only US citizens and residents will be allowed to travel from the region. This follows a similar flight ban imposed by the EU and the UK. Canada […]
Malawi has asked boxing star Mike Tyson to become the official ambassador for the country’s cannabis crop. Agriculture Minister Lobin Low sent a letter to Tyson inviting him to take up the role, and said legalisation in Malawi had created new opportunities. Tyson, a former world heavyweight champion, is an entrepreneur and has invested in […]
A prominent Somali journalist who was a critic of the Islamist militant group al-Shabab has been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the capital, Mogadishu. Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled, also known as Abdiaziz Afrika, was targeted as he was leaving a restaurant in the city shortly after midday. Two other people nearby were injured in […]
By Anne Soy Senior Africa correspondent There’s a notable shift to how the US sees and speaks about Africa, if the speech by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is anything to go by. He talked about partnerships and steered clear of the condescending lectures of the past. The declaration by America’s chief diplomat that […]
By Farouk Chothia BBC News Tigray crisis Once a formidable force that commanded the respect of the US, the Ethiopian army has suffered such heavy losses on the front lines that the government has taken the extraordinary step of calling on ordinary citizens to join the war against the Tigrayan rebels. It marks a […]
Suicide bombers have targeted the Ugandan capital Kampala, killing at least three people and injuring more than 30 others, police say. Three attackers on motorbikes blew themselves up near parliament and the city’s police headquarters. The number of dead is likely to rise, with the blasts leaving body parts strewn in the streets. The Islamic […]
