AFRICA

South Africa has considered approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other institutions as a last resort for emergency funding to fight the coronavirus that has brought a national lockdown, the finance minister said on Sunday. “If we approach the IMF or the World Bank or the Development Bank, it …

The government of Sierra Leone has overturned a ban on pregnant girls from attending school. The ministry of education said it was committed to ensuring all children had the right to go to school, regardless of their status. In December, the West African regional bloc’s court ruled that the ban …

A 15-year-old girl, Sekinat Agbelade, was said to have been shot dead by men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Agosasa, Ipokia Local area of Ogun States. It was gathered that the Customs officers, on Saturday, while on the chase of some suspected smugglers, fired gunshots, hitting the innocent …

A spate of mysterious second-time infections is calling into question the accuracy of COVID-19 diagnostic tools even as China prepares to lift quarantine measures to allow residents to leave the epicenter of its outbreak next month. It’s also raising concerns of a possible second wave of cases. From March 18-22, …

The German embassy in South Africa is making plans to repatriate some 7,000 of its nationals who are stuck in the country. Already, 47 German tourists are under quarantine in the country after one of them tested positive to Covid-19, according to local media reports. South Africa has the highest …

A Ugandan Pastor,  Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawaala has been arrested by the police for spreading false information about coronavirus. The pastor last week said, that coronavirus is not a dangerous disease but a common flu. He said, “Whether Government imprisons me, I don’t care, but I am speaking the …

Polls have closed in Mali’s long-delayed parliamentary elections which were held despite concerns about security and the coronavirus pandemic. Sunday’s vote came hours after the violence-hit West African country announced its first coronavirus death and days after main opposition leader Soumaila Cisse was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen. The vote was …

Temitope Balogun Joshua, commonly referred to as TB. Joshua, the renowned Nigerian televangelist has subtly responded to those who were anticipating a heavy rainfall last week to signal the end of the deadly coronavirus in the world. Many were those who were expecting a heavy downpour to wash away the …

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who made history as Africa’s first elected female president, led Liberia for 12 years including during the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak that killed nearly 5,000 people in her country. The BBC asked the Nobel Peace Laureate for her reflections on the current coronavirus crisis. Dear fellow citizens of …

A homemade bomb killed three soldiers in north-west Burkina Faso on Sunday. The attack happened after a patrol vehicle jumped on a mine in Gomboro in the Sourou province, according to Le Faso news website. Two soldiers died on the spot while the third one succumbed to injuries while being …